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Wine Pairing: What to Drink with Parmesan Gougères
We help you pick wine to drink with the food you eat.
Editor's Note: Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein joins us again with wine recommendations for our favorite Serious Eats recipes. Evan is the author of two fantastic wine books: Perfect Pairings and Daring Pairings. Looking for wine recommendations for your favorite recipe? Leave Evan a note in the comments.
Gougères are not just any cheese puffs. I first tasted them in Burgundy, at a wine tasting in Chassagne Montrachet. The pastry was still warm, with just a touch of toasty resistance to the tooth, and a smooth, melting interior. I was in heaven. I devoured them again in Champagne, and all over France, each time finding myself paradise bound.
There's often Gruyere folded into the pâte à choux for gougères, but they're also delicious with Parmesan (and a sprinkle of pink peppercorns) as in this recipe.
Pairing Pointers
This rendition of gougères has a subtle kick to it from the peppercorns. The effervescence of Champagne can act as both a soft fire extinguisher and a textural foil to the dish. You'll want to look for sparkling wines with notes of hazelnut, pear, toast, and a kiss of citrus or apply acidity...and of course, creamy smooth bubbles. Make the gougères, grab a case of sparkling wine, and you're ready for New Year's Eve!
Medium bodied reds like Pinot Noir are also an excellent choice with this dish. The acidity of these wines can cut both the richness of the pastry and the sharper edge of Parmesan and pink pepper. Versions with sour red cherry and violet notes and a gingery bite will be bliss. It's a near-seamless match, since the light tannins of the wine almost disappear alongside the peppery spice. If you're not feeling bubbly or red, mineral-forward whites will be mighty happy—their bright acid and limey, chalky nuances will set off the gougères beautifully.
Get the Recipe
Pink Peppercorn and Parmesan Gougères »
Evan's Wine Picks
Domaine Ste. Michelle NV Blanc de Blancs Columbia Valley: Notes of pears, apples, and citrus blossom at a price that won't sting (About $11, find this wine)
Cordoniu NV 'Anna' Brut Cava: OK, not Champagne but neither is the price. This bubbly is punctuated with apples, citrus, and a light minerality (About $13, find this wine)
Mumm Cuvee Napa Brut Blanc de Blancs (2006): This lovely Chardonnay-based wine has a creamy texture and is accented with floral notes, yellow apples, and green pear. (Around $27, find this wine)
Drappier Brut Champagne Carte d'Or NV: This amazing fizz has hints of citrus, soft toast, a little bread dough, and a gingery finish. (Around $42, find this wine)
Seguin Manuel Bourgogne (2008): Charming in its zesty cranberry and pomegranate fruit with spice and balanced tannins (About $17, find this wine)
Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire Givry (2007) Zesty red fruit (cherry and raspberry) with approachable tannins and a complex finish (About $25, find this wine)
Neudorf 'Tom's Block' Nelson Pinot Noir (2008): This New Zealand bottling is not from the expected Marlborough or Central Otago but delivers excellent cherry, tangy cranberry fruit with zippy acidity and a minerally complexity. (Around $30, find this wine)
Ramonet, Bourgogne Aligoté (2007): Notes of white stone fruit, chalky river rock, and green apple permeate this surprisingly complex under-the-radar wine from Burgundy. A touch of lemon curd on your gougère! (Around $24, find this wine)
Bindi "Composition' Chardonnay (2007): This Aussie expression of Chardonnay is just like being in Puligny Montrachet! Meyer lemon, lime, crushed minerals, and vibrant (almost austere) structure with a long lingering finish. Extraordinary against the parmesan backdrop of the gougères. (Around $40, find this wine)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Minnetonka x Hello Kitty Girl's Moccasin: Black
Item # MINKMOCBLK
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Minnetonka and Hello Kitty have teamed up to create this limited edition footwear collection for girls. And literally anything goes with Minnetonka x Hello Kitty moccasins!
Black suede uppers host Hello Kitty embroidery on the toe of this must-have moc, surrounded by classic whip stitching. Hello Kitty bow hardware give these fringed slip-ons extra credit!
Product Details:
- Moccasin shoe with whip stitched detail
- True to size
- Soft suede leather upper with single fringe and tie detail, Hello Kitty bow hardware
- Hello Kitty embroidered icon
- Fully padded cushion insole for support
- Sporty rubber sole with tread detail for grip
- Standard US Kids shoe sizes
- Occasionally dye from colored footwear can rub-off on other materials or skin. Minnetonka suggests removing dye on skin by gently exfoliating the area and using mild soap or by applying rubbing alcohol directly on the dyed area. Remember to take care when wearing dark or vibrant colors on or near light color fabrics
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Computer Classes
July 30, 2019 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 10:00 am on Tuesday, repeating until December 31, 2019
Monday & Tuesday | 3-4 p.m., ET
This FREE class meets on Mondays and Tuesdays, and covers several topics that vary each month. A pamphlet is provided at the library for additional information on computer training. Register for this workshop today! Sign up at the front counter of the library. Individual tutoring by appointment.


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In the fall of 1916 Mrs. Mary Jane Smith, of Nashville, GA came to visit her daughter, Rachel Smith Sirmans, at Ray City, GA. Rachel was recently widowed, her husband, Jay Sirmans, having died suddenly on September 20, 1916. Rachel was left alone with two teen age boys to do the work of running a farm.
It was late October and with the first frosts of the season, people's thoughts naturally turned toward the harvest of fresh meat from hogs fattened over the summer. Hog slaughter was generally reserved for the coldest days of the year. But after a diet of cured meats over the long heat of the Wiregrass summer and perhaps with the smokehouse stock nearly depleted, for many farms the first cool day would do for a hog killing. This was perhaps the occasion of Mrs. Smith's visit.
In the Ray City of 100 years ago, winter was the season for hog killing as mechanical refrigeration was not available and there were no real facilities for cold storage.
In the 1920s, the Clements Lumber Company operated a cold storage facility and Ray City built a municipal electric plant in 1922, but dependable home electric service and electric refrigerators would not be available in the town until the 1930s. Before that, most kitchens were equipped with an "icebox" – a wood or metal cabinet insulated with straw or sawdust. A compartment near the top could be loaded with a block of ice to cool perishable food stored on lower shelves. Water from the melting ice was collected in a pan below the cabinet. The ice kept the interior of the box far cooler than room temperature, but certainly no where near freezing. As the ice block melted, it had to be continually replaced. Even small towns like Ray City had ice delivery men, such as Wilbur and Walter Aultman, or Ferris Moore, who regularly supplied ice to local homes and businesses (see Ferris Moore ~ Ray City Iceman).
In The Art of Managing Longleaf, Leon Neel describes the practical and social significance of hog killing time in Wiregrass Georgia:
Hogs were a staple and we always had hog killings. The families would get together to kill a hog or two when the weather was right, and then we would smoke our own meat. Hog killing was a great time. Hogs were killed in cool weather, because pork spoils so easily. The colder it was, the better it was for hog killing. But lots of times, the stored food would run out early, and we would have to kill hogs before it got to be the dead of winter. Hog killing was a full-day's process, and everybody had a job – the men folk, the women folk, everybody. The process got started early in the morning. Daddy had a little .22 rifle, and he usually shot the hog between the eyes. Then we processed it right then and there. We had a big syrup kettle, and for hog killing time we would fill it with water and build a fire under it to get it boiling. Then we put the hog in the kettle, which scalded it and made it possible to get the hair off with any trouble. Then we butchered the hog. It is true what they say: Every part of the hog was utilized, everything but the squeal. Hog killing was hard work, but it was also a great social occasion.
For Mary Jane Smith the visit with her daughter in Ray City was a homecoming of sorts. She and her husband, John Woods Smith, had formerly been residents of Ray City.
Mrs. Mary Jane Smith was born Mary Jane Whitehurst, a daughter of James Whitehurst (1818-1914) and Sarah Ann Findley (1822-1914). She was born on July 7, 1848 in that part of Lowndes County which in 1850 was cut into Clinch County, GA . Her father's place was on Land Lot 516 in the 11th Land District, just east of the Alapaha River near Cow Creek. Her father later moved to Berrien County and settled on the east side of the Little River where he established a grist mill and operated a ferry across the river. For several years he had the contract to carry mail on the Star Route from Nashville, GA to Alapaha.
About 1866, Mary Jane married John Woods Smith in Clinch County, GA. He was a veteran of the Confederate army, having enlisted March 4, 1862 in Company G, 50th Georgia Regiment. His time in active duty had been marked with sickness. Within months of his enlistment he had become so sick he was sent to the hospital at Macon, GA. In June of 1862 he was given leave to "escort the dead body of a comrade home. " He returned to his unit but by the end of the year he was again on sick furlough. He was sick yet again in June of 1863, with typhoid fever. This time he was sent to Chimborazo Hospital No. 2 at Richmond, VA then transferred to Jackson Hospital where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. By the fall he had recovered sufficiently to return to his unit, but on November 29, 1863 he was captured near Knoxville, TN. He was sent to the military prison at Louisville, KY as a prisoner of war, then on to the notorious Camp Chase, Ohio where he was imprisoned for two years. In March of 1865, he was transferred to Rock Island Barracks, IL and from there he was released in a prisoner exchange. He was admitted to the Confederate General Hospital No. 9 at Richmond, VA where he recuperated before returning home to Berrien County, GA.
For a short while Mary Jane and John Woods Smith made their home in Clinch County, but by 1880 the couple had moved to Berrien County, GA. In 1890, their home was in the Rays Mill district, GMD 1144, where they were neighbors of Isabelle Sirmans and Andrew W. Turner and others of the Sirmans family connection.
Children of Mary Jane and John Woods Smith were:
- Osborn Levi Smith (1867 – 1896), buried at Old City Cemetery, Nashville, GA
- Rachel Allifair Smith (1869 – 1940), married Jay Mitchell Sirmans, son of Hardeman Sirmans
- Susan Earlie Smith (1871 – 1960)
- Cassie Jane Smith (1874 – 1948), married Lucius John Knight, son of Rhoda Futch and George Washington Knight, buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA
- William David Smith (1876 – 1887)
- Barzilla Newton Smith (1878 – )
- Sarah Levinia Smith (1880 – 1964), buried at Pinecrest Cemetery, Vidalia, GA
- Mary Ann Smith (1882 – 1965), married Henry J. Parrish
- John Dixon Smith (1884 – 1943)
- Martha Missouri Belle Smith (1887 – )
- Kissiah Amanda Smith (1889 – )
Mary Jane's eldest daughter, Rachel Allifar Smith, was married to Jay Sirmans on March 22, 1893. He was son of Hardeman Sirmans and Elizabeth Knight. Rachel and Jay made their home and farm near Rays Mill (now known as Ray City), GA next door to Jay's father. By 1910, Mary Jane and John Woods Smith had moved from Ray City to Nashville, GA where they owned a home on Washington Street where they operated a boarding house.
Mary Jane's husband, John Woods Smith, died April 24, 1915 and was buried at the Old City Cemetery, Nashville, GA. Mary Jane Smith died a year and a half later while visiting with her daughter, Rachel, at Ray City, GA. The cause of death was "pork poisoning."
(1916), Kenelm Winslow reported:
Pork causes poisoning because it is imperfectly preserved by salt or smoking, and is often eaten insufficiently cooked in sausage and other forms. Four-fifths of all cases of meat poisoning are due to eating the flesh of animals suffering from one of the germ diseases…unfortunately the meat is not altered in appearance in such cases, nor is cooking by any means a sure preventative against poisoning. Even poisoning by meat which has decomposed from too long keeping is much more frequent in the case of animals diseased before slaughter. Expert veterinary inspection of the various organs of slaughtered animals will detect disease and prevent the killing of sick animals for food, which is most apt to occur in small towns where meat for local use is not properly inspected. Poisoning from meat which has putrefied from long keeping is more common in warm months and in the case of chopped meat or sausage. Putrid meat is usually recognizable, if not chopped, by softness and bad odor, especially about the bones and fat. Boiling, roasting, or frying lessens the danger from putrefying meat, but does not absolutely prevent it. Proper refrigeration in the household, both before and after cooking meat, is essential in order to preserve it, otherwise it should be eaten fresh. It is also advisable to clean refrigerators frequently with a hot solution of washing soda. The poisoning is due to toxins in poisons produced by germs which originate in diseased animals, or contaminate the meat after slaughter and grow luxuriantly when refrigeration is imperfect.
Tifton Gazette
Friday, October 27, 1916
Mrs. Mary Jane Smith died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. Sirmans, near Ray City, Saturday night after an illness of only a few days, says the Adel News. Mrs. Smith died of poison, some pork which she and Mrs. Sirmans had eaten, violently affecting them. Mrs. Sirmans was very ill for a time.
Mrs. Smith was the mother of eleven children, nine of whom survive her. Among her children are Mrs. Sirmans, Mrs. H. J. Parrish and Rev. John D. Smith, of Morven. The deceased was reared in this county and was sixty-nine years of age. She was a devoted member of the Methodist church. The funeral services and burial took place at Nashville Monday, the services being conducted by Rev. J. Harwell House, of Ocilla.
Related Posts:
- Jay Sirmans ~ Gator Man of Rays Mill, GA
- Ferris Moore ~ Ray City Iceman
- Clements Lumber Company and the Company Town
- Andrew Washington Turner and Phoebe Isabelle Sirmans


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CHIMACUM, Wash. (KCPQ/CNN) - A family in Washington State is warning others about the threat of toxic algae after their dog died when it fell into a lake.
Michael Moore and his family spent Mother's Day taking in the calm serenity of Anderson Lake but that peace was shattered after his daughter's new dog slipped into the lake that's teaming with dangerous toxic bacteria.
"That exposure, and whatever water she got in her mouth, within thirty seconds or less was enough to kill that dog," Moore said.
They rushed Clue to a vet for help but she didn't survive.
Two other dogs also died at the lake in 2006 after being exposed to the toxic blue-green algae.
"Even licking some of the water off somebody's coat is enough to cause symptoms," said Dalton Webb, a veterinarian. "And if they do come down with symptoms or have had exposure, the frequency at which they are going to be successfully treated is very, very low."
The county health department closed the lake to all swimmers, boaters and fishing in early May due to the toxin.
The agency tests the water weekly and at last check, the lake is testing 5,000 times higher than the state health department allows.
And while the boat launch is taped off and warning signs alert visitors, Moore believes the state parks department should do more to inform people of the dangers.
"State parks acts like they've done their job by putting signs up telling people, 'no boating, swimming or fishing,'" Moore said.
In response, the state parks department plans to install more signage around the lake, adding in a statement they plan to "increase the number of warning signs, adding bi-lingual signs, international symbol for toxic exposure potential, and we are making sure those signs include specific warnings to pet owners to keep them out of the lake and harm's way."
Moore wants other pet owners to pay close attention and is warning that small children could also be at risk if exposed.
Meanwhile, the veterinarian says Anderson Lake isn't the only potential source for the deadly toxin. The danger could also be lurking in your own neighborhood.
"Bird baths or garden containers or fountains," Webb said. "If that water is sitting for months and in hot weather, you can grow that stuff at home and you can have exposure that way as well."
The Jefferson County Health Department said it will keep testing the water and will not reopen the lake until it's deemed safe.
Copyright 2019 KCPQ via CNN. All rights reserved.


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NEW YORK (AP) - Fran Drescher recently turned a corner in her life. She's gotten a new pet, a new man and a new job - on Broadway.
NEW YORK (AP) � Fran Drescher recently turned a corner in her life. She's gotten a new pet, a new man and a new job � on Broadway.
The Emmy Award-nominated former star of "The Nanny" is making her Broadway debut Tuesday as the wicked stepmother in "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella," a step she knows is outside her comfort zone.
"People should always push themselves to feel the butterflies in the stomach, to get nervous, to learn something you didn't know before," the 56-year-old says.
Drescher takes over from Tony Award-winner Harriet Harris on Tuesday night for a 10-week engagement through April 13 at the Broadway Theatre. Cinderella is also switching, from Tony-nominated Laura Osnes to "Call Me Maybe" Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen.
"Canadians are such sweet people, aren't they? They have no edge," the nasally voiced Drescher jokes before a full day of fittings, choreography and rehearsals. Her phone has been blowing up with excited texts and emails from friends about her next move.
She might be nervous but Drescher � a survivor of uterine cancer � puts it in perspective.
"I'm a victim of a violent crime � I was raped at gunpoint. I'm a cancer survivor. I went through a very painful divorce. Life hands you blows. No one leaves this planet unscathed. But, as they say, that which doesn't kill us makes us strong," she says. "No one's going to die if I flub a line. I'll try my best, I'll give my all and I'll do it with great love and passion."
Drescher on Broadway shouldn't be such an unusual concept: A native of New York, her parents took her often to see shows and she recalls "Godspell" changing her life. She likes to see as many shows as she can and caught "August: Osage County" three times and "Jersey Boys" twice.
She made her stage debut at The Pasadena Playhouse in Ronald Ribman's "Rug Merchants of Chaos." She was in Neil LaBute's "Some Girl(s)," ''The Exonerated" and Nora Ephron's "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" off-Broadway. She also was in a 2008 production of "Camelot" at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic.
Her love of the stage is even embedded in her most famous work, "The Nanny." She and the show's creators decided to make Nanny Fine's boss, Mr. Sheffield, a theater producer. "We wanted to support Broadway," she says. "If we were going to plant Miss Fine in New York, somehow Broadway should be threaded through that."
The traditional fairy tale she's about to enter has been given a makeover by Douglas Carter Beane, who has turned the musical into a charming, witty story updated for a new generation.
Drescher promises to make the part of the stepmother her own, modeling her on Cruella De Vil from "101 Dalmatians" and Miranda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada."
"My version of the wicked stepmother is going to be very self-absorbed, very confident, very much a diva in her own mind, very glamorous and beautiful," she says.
Tony-winning producer Robyn Goodman has been impressed by what she's seen of Drescher. "She's going to bring sexiness and a kind of humor that's different than anything else on the stage," Goodman says. "She makes me laugh. She just makes me laugh."
Drescher is coming off a rough personal and professional patch, but things are looking up. Last year, her beloved Pomeranian dog Esther died and her sitcom "Happily Divorced" was canceled.
But she met a man � V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, an MIT lecturer who claims to have invented email in 1978. She introduced him to her parents over Christmas, and they celebrated his 50th birthday with an Italian holiday.
"For each of us, I think it's our first truly adult, mature relationship where we're not trying to fill each other's voids," she says. Drescher's heart also swelled when she fell in love with a new Pomeranian, Samson.
"Here I am in New York, doing the Broadway play, with a boyfriend that I love, and a little dog that fills my heart with joy and laughter. So the new chapter has begun."
Mark Kennedy can be reached at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Online: http://cinderellaonbroadway.com


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It's set in New Orleans in the 1960s. The main character is Ignatius J. Reilly - a 30 year-old overweight, hilariously revolting and well-educated man who lives with his mother and finds it difficult to function in a world filled with people he finds far inferior to himself. Of course the author describes him best: "A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head. The green earflaps, full of large ears and uncut hair and the fine bristles that grew in the ears themselves, stuck out on either side like turn signals indicating two directions at once. Full, pursed lips protruded beneath the bushy black moustache and, at their corners, sank into little folds filled with disapproval and potato chip crumbs."
After an incident early on in the book Ignatius is forced to get a job and an uproarious comedy of errors ensues. Some readers struggle with Ignatius' absurd self-indulgent ramblings, his arrogance bordering on delusions of grandeur, but I could not get enough. He's been described as the hero you love to hate, but I just thought he was great. Whilst reading this book I was always smiling, often chuckling and frequently laughing out loud. I can't wait to read it again.


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History Of German Shepherd Dogs -- Vol-II
Before you start reading this please check out my last post History Of German Shepherd Dogs -- Vol-I. This is a continuation of the first part.
Both the Thuringian and Wurttemburg sheep dogs were first exhibited in a show held at Hanover in the year 1882 – the year that marked the beginning of the evolution of a dog that was having a mind blowing ability to control herd of sheep. Drastic steps were taken to synchronize these varieties of typical sheep dogs in one single breed. Intelligence and Utility were the watch words for the breeding program. Selective breeding was one of the determining factors in the project. The Swedish sheep dogs were rejected at the very first sight, since they light built body, and lighter bones.
Those dogs were selected that had the typical shepherd qualities, such as expressive heads, moderately lighter weights, good bones and good gait. The dentitions were to be quite strong. The bites were to be quite resistant and such that it would redirect the sheep to the desired direction without damaging. Dogs with erect ears were chosen to get the sound and noise and especially the shepherds' commands from distant more accurately.
This was how the selection was actually made for the perfectly selective breeding program.
Coming up next! More great facts on how we got such a beautiful creature. Stay tuned.


text: I am really itching to get my hands on my first Japanese knife and was wondering if I could get some input. I really like the 240 gyuto knife so that is what I'm leaning towards. I like the hattori Jck knife with the brown handle but also am torn between a misono Ux10 and Maybe a Masamoto vg. Should I be looking for a powdered steel blade or Vg 10? Which knife out of the bunch has the hardest steel? Also is shun any good or should I stick with my choices? Also Is the misono not true Japanese because it uses Swedish steel? Thank you


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The government has faced adversity before over its plans in constructing a border fence to combat illegal immigration.
They have bravely persisted in building the fence despite repeated assertions from a variety of sources that it will be massively expensive and completely ineffective. (My personal favorite piece of anti-border fence media comes from Penn & Teller's: B*llsh$T. They built a fence to the specs the government created, then had several undocumented immigrants try to get through, under, and over it. It took about 5 minutes for 6 people to get through.)
Despite this, they've soldiered on and won't be called quitters. But when it comes to the highly endangered US Jaguar, well finding enough is just too hard so they're just going to let it die out. The Department of the Interior said that too few of the cats have been found in the US, so therefore there is no point to make a recovery plan.
Quite a few people think the government's border fence plan and the demise of the jaguar in the US are intertwined. While it only takes a few minutes for a person of normal strength to get past the wall with a few tools, jaguars find the fence impenetrable.
Jaguars extend from South America all the way up into the Southern United States, but their presence in the border region could cause trouble for officials. If the area were designated a protected area for the animals, it would be a massive roadblock to a border fence. Kieran Suckling, the Center for Biological Diversity's policy director, said: "That's the central issue here."
The Center has filed a lawsuit against the US in Phoenix which they hope will end up forcing the US Fish and Wildlife Department to create a recovery plan for the animals. But the department says it's not a US problem, saying the jaguar's recovery "depends on conservation efforts in Mexico and Central and South America."
The department's belief is that the US population is insignificant to the species' survival, and that removing the cat from its habitats in the US will not harm the species overall.
It's great to see that the government has its priorities straight. Wiping out even a small percentage of an endangered species can have disastrous effects one the population as a whole, but that doesn't matter so long as people from south of the border find it very slightly more difficult to come to America.
Source: National Geographic
If you want to find out all the latest interesting environmental news, why not subcribe to our RSS feed, we'll even throw in a free album.


text: Popular Post null54 684 Posted December 15, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 This plugin allows G'MIC-Qt to be used as a Paint.NET Effect. Compatibility: 4.2.13+ Menu location: Effects > Advanced > G'MIC-Qt Note that some filters may not render correctly in Paint.NET. For example, if the filter produces an image larger than the current canvas size the image will be cropped when it is displayed by Paint.NET. Filters that require top and bottom layers can be used by placing the bottom layer on the clipboard, the currently selected layer will be used as the top layer. Some icons are from or based on those in the Fugue icon set by Yusuke Kamiyamane. To install place Gmic.dll and the gmic folder in the Paint.NET Effects folder. G'MIC-Qt should automatically download the filters when the plugin is first launched. Download: If you have a 64-bit OS the win64 download will provide better performance, if you are unsure of your OS type use the win32 download it will work on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The gmic_paintdotnet_qt executable will only work with this Paint.NET plugin, it does not support other applications. Gmic_win32.zip Gmic_win64.zip Source Code: https://github.com/0xC0000054/pdn-gmic https://github.com/0xC0000054/gmic-qt 9 11 Quote Link to post Share on other sites


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Some new faces will be arriving at the Securities and Exchange Commission soon.
SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White announced Monday that George Canellos, the current acting director of enforcement, and her former junior colleague at Debevoise & Plimpton, Andrew Ceresney, had been named co-directors of the agency's enforcement division.
"George and Andrew are two of the best lawyers and finest people I know," said White in a statement. "They are a perfect combination to lead the talented Enforcement Division professionals who protect investors and keep our markets safe and vibrant."
Canellos has been serving as acting director since January, replacing outgoing SEC enforcement chief Robert Khuzami, who left in early February. Canellos, who had been the division's deputy director since June, had also worked with White when she was U.S. Attorney in Manhattan. Ceresney, 41, served as a litigation partner at Debevoise focusing on white collar criminal and SEC investigations, complex civil litigation and internal corporate investigations.
Under former SEC enforcement chief Robert Khuzami, the SEC set up five specialized units to crack down on financial wrongdoing in the areas of asset management, market abuse, structured and new products, foreign corrupt practices and municipal securities and public pensions.
Steve Crimmins, a partner with K&L Gates in Washington, who served for eight years as the SEC's deputy chief litigation counsel, told AdvisorOne Monday that while there may likely be "some restructuring" in the enforcement division under Canellos, 48, and Ceresney, the "specialized unit structure will stay." But he "wouldn't be surprised to see a new specialized unit dedicated to public company financial reporting and disclosure."
Two SEC commissioners, Elisse Walter and Troy Paredes, are also said to be leaving soon.
While SEC spokesman John Nester told AdvisorOne that Walter hadn't said how long she would stay on, President Barack Obama is likely to name replacements for both Walter—a Democrat whose term expired last June—and Republican SEC Commissioner Paredes, "in the coming weeks," David Tittsworth, executive director of the Investment Adviser Association in Washington, told AdvisorOne in a recent interview.
Walter is able to continue serving until Congress adjourns later this year, or until another person is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. Paredes' term expires in June, and he has indicated that he would like to return to academia. Walter told reporters after a recent speech that she'd like to retire after leaving the agency.
An industry official who asked for anonymity told AdvisorOne that at least three people have surfaced as possible replacements for Walter and Parades: Mike Piwowar, an economist on the Senate Banking Committee's staff, would replace Paredes. Kara Stein of Sen. Jack Reed's staff, or Smeeta Ramarathnam, SEC Commissioner Luis Aguilar's chief of staff, are two possible replacements for Walter.
The "pairing" of Democratic and Republican nominees, Tittsworth told AdvisorOne, "makes it much more likely that the nominations could move quickly in the Senate. Thus, I expect that President Obama will have to make the nominations in tandem, sometime in the coming weeks." Prompt Senate confirmation of both nominees is also likely, Tittsworth added.
Read White Sworn In as SEC Chief; Walter, Paredes Likely Leaving SEC Soon on AdvisorOne.


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A man who fled Fayette Circuit Court just before a jury found him guilty of rape and sodomy Thursday is a decorated Army veteran who served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to court records.
Authorities continued searching for John C. Buckley IV, who was last seen by authorities about 3 p.m. Thursday. Buckley, 29, was out of jail on bond during the trial, meaning he was not directly supervised by police, corrections officers or sheriff's deputies.
As a condition of his release, Buckley had been ordered to wear an ankle monitor that tracked his location. However, he apparently cut it off and left it in the street, authorities said.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Todd Bradbury said Thursday that U.S. marshals have joined police in the hunt for Buckley. Bradbury said Buckley has family in Colorado, "Army buddies" all over the United States and possible connections in Mexico.
He said Buckley probably hatched a plan to flee if he thought the trial was not going in his favor, and he might have had help in his escape.
Lexington police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts said police consider Buckley dangerous; Bradbury said he could be armed.
Buckley's training as an Army Ranger "gives him the ability to engage in defensive and combative tactics at a very high level," Roberts said. "As such, we do not want citizens to independently approach him or try to take him into custody. If you see him, call 911 immediately."
When Buckley was arrested, Bradbury said, police confiscated multiple weapons, including a handgun, an assault rifle and a shotgun. Buckley also had body armor and a stockpile of ammunition, he said.
Court documents say Buckley suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Court documents say Buckley kept a scrapbook with photos of the people he had killed "over there" and showed them to friends.
According to a motion filed by prosecutors last month, Buckley often bragged about his military training and told about fights he had won. In one fight, he beat a roommate with a baseball bat. In another, he broke a man's nose outside of Lynaugh's pub, the document said.
Because of his violent past, authorities were concerned Buckley might try to harm victims, detectives and prosecutors who were involved in his case.
"He blames the police department for his criminal acts; he blames the commonwealth's attorneys office," Bradbury said. "He blames everyone but himself."
The jury was out
Buckley's trial this week stemmed from charges following an incident May 29, 2010, in which Buckley raped an ex-girlfriend. The Herald-Leader does not typically identify victims of sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Buckley became angry at the woman because she slept with another man about a week after she broke up with Buckley. He sent her a text message, telling her to come to his apartment, and he threatened to post nude pictures of her online if she refused, according to a warrant filed in Fayette Circuit Court.
When the ex-girlfriend arrived, Buckley told her to take off her clothes and perform oral sex on him, the warrant said. The warrant said he then bit and choked the woman while he sexually assaulted her. He recorded the act on a digital camera, according to the document.
The woman told authorities she complied because she was afraid of Buckley. She said "she was crying the whole time he was recording," the warrant said.
"She had seen Mr. Buckley assault persons in the past when he was angry and ... Mr. Buckley had several guns in the home," the warrant said.
The woman went straight to police. Buckley was arrested the following day, according to police reports.
Investigators found the video after searching Buckley's apartment at 148 East Fourth Street. Bradbury said jurors saw the recording this week during the trial.
Buckley's attorney, Andrew Stephens, said he told the jury the videotaped encounter between Buckley and the woman was consensual and similar to other sexual encounters between them. He said Buckley's PTSD was not used as a defense at trial.
As jurors went into closed deliberations about 3 p.m. Thursday, the last day of the three-day trial, Buckley, his family and attorneys left the courthouse, Stephens said.
Stephens said he went back to his office during the break. Buckley's father, John C. Buckley III, a Colorado defense attorney, stopped by his office briefly, he said.
A little after 4 p.m., Clark called Stephens and said the jury had returned a verdict. Stephens went back to the courthouse and noticed Buckley wasn't there.
He tried calling his client, but his calls went unanswered. Clark then called the Community Alternative Program, which monitors inmates on pretrial release. Officials told the judge Buckley was in the process of removing the ankle monitor.
"It became apparent that he was not coming back to court," Stephens said.
Officers began searching for Buckley; they found the monitor in the street near Georgetown and Spurr roads -- not far from where Buckley had been staying at Denburn Court.
Meanwhile, Buckley's trial continued. The jury read its verdict: Buckley was guilty of two counts of first-degree sodomy, one count of first-degree rape, one count of fourth-degree assault and one count of unlawful imprisonment.
The jury proceeded with sentencing and later recommended a term of 20 years. About 5 p.m., authorities notified the media of Buckley's escape.
'I am not a criminal'
Buckley has been in and out of jail since 2010 for the rape case and other charges, according to court documents. Each time, he has vocally contested his incarceration and denied any wrongdoing.
"I am not a criminal, and when I finally get my day in court, months from now, my family and my fellow citizens will witness my vindication," he wrote in a letter to supporters.
The letter was filed with a packet of about 10 letters written by family and friends on Buckley's behalf during his most recent months-long stint in jail.
His supporters noted that Buckley suffered from PTSD, but said he was a kind and dedicated man who maintained a 4.0 grade-point average at the University of Kentucky and advocated for veterans returning from war.
"He is a law-abiding, productive man, a national hero who deserves our respect and gratitude," wrote his mother, Sandra Merritt.
Buckley and others said in the letters that his problems with law enforcement began in 2009, when he drew a gun on an off-duty Lexington police officer in self-defense.
The conflict started when the officer stepped into the street in front of Buckley's car and Buckley had to stop to avoid hitting him, according to a letter Buckley wrote.
The conflict escalated; Buckley pulled out a gun and forced the man to his knees. He did not know the man was an off-duty officer, the letter said.
Charges in that case were dropped by a grand jury. Buckley's letter says police and prosecutors have had it out for him ever since.
"I have been in jail for 110 days because I embarrassed a detective two years ago," he wrote.
Buckley said he had received a Purple Heart and a Medal of Valor for his actions in the Army. He said police were "scared" of him because of "what I had to do in that desert."
"My capabilities and experiences are beyond their understanding, thus they lock me in here for as long as they can," the letter said.
Supporters created a Facebook page for Buckley and an online petition trying to get him out of jail. He previously had been released on bond but had returned to jail when new charges were filed against him or when he violated the terms of his bond.
Bradbury is the prosecutor in a similar case against Buckley involving another woman, which is pending in Fayette Circuit Court.
"The victim has alleged that he raped her at gunpoint," Bradbury said.
That woman has since recanted, according to court documents, but prosecutors are continuing with the case based on evidence and testimony she had given to a grand jury, Bradbury said.
Buckley also has a misdemeanor case pending in Fayette District Court. According to court documents, he allegedly conspired with two men to intimidate a witness in a drug case by shooting into the house of the witness's mother.
When Buckley is caught, he probably will face other charges, Bradbury said.
"He'll have the bail jumping, which is another felony, tampering with an electronic monitoring device for cutting the monitor off," Bradbury said.
Stephens said that he had not heard from Buckley since his escape and that he doubted Buckley would contact him.
"I would dearly love to talk to him," Stephens said. "If he would turn himself in, I would mediate the surrender."


text:
WWW Resources
CPTR Resources
Microsoft MSDN Academic Allicance (MSDNAA): Free Microsoft Software (through SC Computer Science Subscription) for SC CPTR students. See www.msdnaa.com for an overview of the MSDNAA program.
CS Digital Library: from IEEE Computer Society
MSDN Library: an essential source of information for developers using Microsoft tools, products, technologies and services
The Stony Brook Algorithm Repository
Professional Society in Computing
Association of Computing Machinery: http://www.acm.org/
IEEE Computer Society: http://www.computer.org
Computing Research Association: http://www.cra.org/
Graduate School
Should I?
A Guide for Potential Grad Students: Should You Go to Graduate School? from Peterson's
A Computer Science Graduate School Survival Guide: for prospective or novice graduate (Ph.D.) students
How to Apply to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science: a guide from CMU. The idea applies to Master's as well
Getting into Graduate School: standard tests, application procedure, financial aid, grad school listings and rankings,...
Which Ones?
Top Computer Science Programs: 2012 Rankings from US News and World Report
CS Graduate Schools and Programs by State
A Comprehensive List of U.S. Universities by State maintained by University of Texas at Austin
CS Graduate Acceptance Estimator: enter GRE score, GPA, ... and find out about your odds
Last updated on January 5, 2012


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Thomas Bloor
Business Development Manager, BlackBerry
If you've been to CES chances are you've seen one of our concept cars, even if you've not been to our booth, we take these to our industry partners. Now as we start gearing up for next year's CES there are some great innovations in the pipeline. (I've seen them, but I'm not telling.) So as I can't spill the beans on what's coming, but let's take a look at some of my favorite QNX Concept Cars from years past.
The Porsche 911 Carrera (CES 2012)
Admittedly I have a soft spot for performance cars, but the Porsche deserves headline billing in the roster as a CNet "Best of CES" winner. With revolutionary (for 2012), cloud-based voice recognition you could control the navigation system using natural language. And, text-to-speech meant that you could listen to incoming BBMs, emails and text messages. Rounding out the roster of features that would still be considered ahead of the curve for a production car today, this model featured one-touch Bluetooth pairing. Simply touching your phone to an NFC reader in the center console automatically paired the phone and car.
The Bentley Continental GT (CES 2013)
In an outburst of Canadian quirkiness, we decided that when better to do a photoshoot of a Bentley Convertible than in the middle of the Canadian winter? Of course despite the -20C (-4F) weather we'd have to have the top down!
The cold and the snow do not detract from the revolutionary center stack with DLP® display from Texas Instruments. This immense (for 2013) featured an organically curved surface and TI's optical touch input technology, which allowed physical control knobs to be mounted directly on the screen resulting in an ideal balance in physical and touchscreen controls
Taking natural language voice recognition a step further we worked with AT&T's WatsonSM . Say "Hello Bentley," and the car's voice recognition system immediately starts interacting with you, in a distinctly British accent, old chap.
If that weren't enough, the cluster displays the back-up camera and user configurable high resolution instrumentation. We also took the mobile office to new heights with smartphone integration with streaming music, email notification, news feeds, and other real-time information. Put the Bentley into park and you could fire up video conferencing with realistic telepresence.
Separate cameras for the driver and passenger provide independent video streams, while high-definition voice technology from QNX offers expanded bandwidth for greater realism, while stereo telepresence makes the remote caller sound as if they're sitting right next to you.
Mercedes CLA 45 AMG (CES 2014)
Have you looked inside a Mercedes S class recently? The horizontally orientated center stack display extends across the dash. Coincidentally our 2014 Mercedes concept had a 21-inch-wide center display extending towards the passenger enabling a seamless interaction with the vehicle.
Behind the scenes the Cluster was integrated with the center stack running both driver information and IVI functions. With seamless controllability across the touch screen, physical buttons and the jog wheel controls multi-modal input was highlighted across all available functionality.
Not content with that, we foreshadowed greater integration of ADAS functionality warnings to the driver through both the cluster and verbally through text to speech if the local speed limits were exceeded.
Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Highlander
Now it's not all high end luxury cars, which is just as well because they never let me drive any of them. Our Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Highlanders serve as our QNX reference vehicles showcasing what the QNX CAR application platform can do, straight out of the box. Additionally, the Toyota features our advances in in-car communication and acoustics platforms enabling an enhanced user experience for drivers and passengers.
These cars are not just "show floor wonders" because our automotive knowledge enables us to build demonstrators for the real world, which can be driven, and the technology can be experienced first-hand. Concept clusters and displays abound, but real vehicle bus integration means these cars are drivable with real instrumentation and connectivity.
While I can't reveal what new exciting technologies we are planning for CES 2017 (believe me, you'll want to come and take a look), I can say that our reference vehicles are currently on tour so keep an eye open for them on the roads near you.


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Last night, I hit a work life balance low.
I realized this low point when my family was eating store-brand lasagna and it was still partially frozen. I yelled at them to eat it anyway. The desire is there on my part to serve healthy meals and encourage exercise. I buy produce from an organic buying club. I try to buy organic meats and poultry. I make lots of veggies with dinner. But then, a night like last night comes along when I'm shuttling kids in different directions and I enter desperation mode. When that happens, I'm always mad at myself for not being better organized. We can all be more health and environmental conscious if we plan for it.
That's why I'm particularly excited to introduce my guest blogger today. Carrie Wells, email@example.com, is a wife, mother of two, and educational consultant. She founded her website Huppie Mama in 2010 to share information regarding natural living and child development. Below is her take on a welcome topic:
Making Natural, Healthy Lifestyle Choices When Struggling with Work-Life Balance
Prior to having children, I was the type of woman who worked full-time, went to school full-time, and had a part-time job. Somehow I still managed to get a healthy dinner on the table for my husband and me each night.
When I was pregnant with my daughter, I made the decision to leave my full-time position and be a work-at-home mom, eventually balancing two part-time jobs while parenting two children, a toddler and an infant. As an educator and daughter of a stay-at-home mom, it was so important for me to be there for my children. I wanted to help them reach each early milestone and be there to celebrate all of those special moments.
I also desired to teach them to be environmentally-conscious, healthy individuals. Because I do work from home, our funds are limited, which contributes to my desire to choose reusable and sustainable products. Some of the decisions we made for our family required little-to-no additional effort or planning, like recycling, shopping with reusable bags, and buying eco-friendly household cleaners. Some of them involved a true commitment to natural living, like breastfeeding both of our children, using cloth diapers, and cooking wholesome, balanced meals daily.
Now, I don't expect everyone to ditch their comfy homes in suburbia and opt for a more rural setting where they can grow their own local produce and milk their own cows. That's certainly not a choice I have made for my family, but I do admire those who have. I present to you some simple things to keep in mind so that you can live a more natural lifestyle, with an emphasis on health and environmental-consciousness:
- Shop locally for food as often as possible. The recent surge of farmer's markets and smaller grocery stores in South Florida makes it so much easier to shop for locally-harvested produce and meats, locally-caught fish, and specialty products like honey and oils. Plan your meals for the week on Sunday so that you don't have to struggle daily to pull something together. Incorporate seasonal ingredients to maximize flavors and freshness.
- When buying toys for your children, try to get the most 'bang for your buck.' Consider purchasing toys made of sustainable materials, like wood, metal, and cotton. Also, think about how long a child will be able to use the toy from a developmental standpoint, thus reducing the waste when the toy is no longer useful to your family. Remember, too, that toys made of durable materials make great donations to local charities.
- Check your community's recycling program. My community collects cardboard, paper, metals, plastics, and glass. Large grocery stores often have recycling bins at the front of the store to collect plastic bags and foam packages. You have to throw your trash away somewhere, so making the choice to recycle is such an easy one.
- Opt for reusable versions of products. This could include cloth diapers instead of disposables, cloth kitchen towels instead of paper towels, reusable shopping bags instead of plastic or paper bags, and reusable water bottles instead of disposable water bottles. While some of these may require additional up-front costs and effort to clean them, you also don't have to worry about running out and having to purchase them last minute.
- Set aside meaningful time to get outdoors with your family. We are so fortunate in South Florida to have beautiful parks, amazing beaches, and warm weather year-round. Take advantage of this by planning outdoor play dates with friends, picnics with your children, and maybe even some time for gardening in your own backyard. Your family will treasure these special times together!
Between raising a family, working to earn an income, and running a household, life can be challenging! However, each day, we are asked to make choices. When there is a healthier, more natural option that requires little to no additional effort, that choice should be an easy one. Remember, if we model positive natural practices for our children, they will learn to do the same when they are independent.


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Elijah Cook
According to Folks Huxford, Elijah Cook was born in Wilkinson County, November 22, 1816. His father was James Cook, who was said to have come to Wilkinson from Effingham County. His grandson, Aaron Cook, served in the Spanish American War.
Elijah Cook was married twice. His first wife was Sarah "Sallie" Webb. She was daughter of Dawson Webb and Frances Phoebe Beall, and a sister of John Webb. Elijah and Sallie were married in Wilkinson County, May 14, 1837. In their second year of marriage a child came to them; Maxie Jane Cook was born June 13, 1839. But with the delivery of her daughter, Sallie Webb Cook expired. Sallie's parents moved with their remaining children to Lowndes County, GA some time before 1850.
Elijah Cook married Miss Arrinda M. Chandler on Sept. 26, 1841 in Wilkinson County, GA. She was born November 25, 1824, a daughter of Pheriby and Aaron Chandler of Wilkinson County.
Some time before 1850 Elijah and Arrinda moved from Wilkinson to Irwin County, GA.
About 1852, Elijah's daughter Maxie Jane Cook, at just 13 or 14 years old, married Aden Boyd, Jr of Lowndes County (later Berrien). Aden Boyd, Jr was a son of Nancy Sykes and Aden Boyd, who gave land in 1854 to establish Empire Church, located on Empire Road near Five Mile Creek, about six miles northeast of Ray City out the Sam I. Watson Highway.
Around 1856, about the time Berrien County was being created from land cut out of Lowndes County, Elijah and Arrinda Cook came to the area. They settled in the 10th district within sight of Empire Church, and became neighbors of their in-laws, the Boyds.
The Cooks were one of a dozen or so families originating from Wilkinson county who made the move to the newly established Berrien County around that time, including the families of Elijah's sisters, Tabitha Cook and Piety Cook. Tabitha married Daniel Avera and Piety married Nicholas Lewis, both of these couples moving to Berrien. Dawson Webb, father of Elijah's first wife, also moved to Berrien. Louisa Eliza Webb, sister of Sallie Webb, had married Moses G. Sutton and came to Lowndes County (now Berrien) a few years earlier.
In 1859, Elijah's daughter Fairiby Cook married Thomas Lang Taylor. T. L. Taylor was a son of William Jackson Taylor and Samantha Jane Rogers, and a Justice of the Peace. Fairiby and Thomas established their homestead near her father's farm on lot 218.
The 1860 population census shows Elijah and Arrinda Cook established their homestead near the farm of Elijah's daughter, Maxie Jane, and her husband Aden Boyd, Jr. On the neighboring farms were William H. Boyd, Moses G. Sutton, and Stephen W. Avera, father of William Greene Avera.
"Elijah Cook was a progressive and industrious farmer, an honest and neighborly citizen and his practices as a farmer were very much in advance of the average Berrien County, citizen of his day. He was one of the first in the county to erect gins for serving the public in preparing cotton for market, his gins being operated by horse power."
The 1860 Agricultural Census shows Elijah Cook's farm consisted of 980 acres, 50 acres of which were improved. The farm was valued at $1200, and he owned $50 worth of farm equipment. His livestock, valued at $500, included two horses, a mule, two working oxen, six milk cows, 16 other cattle, 20 sheep, and 40 hogs. He had 150 bushels of Indian corn, and 30 bushels of oats, 1 bale of cotton, and 100 pounds of wool. He had $100 in stored meat, 50 pounds of honey and 5 pounds of beeswax.
"The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate shore batteries under General Pierre G.T. Beauregard opened fire on Union-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina's Charleston Bay." Elijah Cook was 44 years old when the Civil War commenced, and did not himself enlist for service with the Confederate States Army. His eldest son, John Jasper Cook, served with Company I, 50th Georgia Regiment, but returned to his parent's Berrien county farm and on October 9, 1864 married a neighbor girl, Lucretia Sirmans, a daughter of James Sirmans.
After the War, Elijah Cook continued to work his Berrien County farm. The 1867 Berrien County tax records show Elijah Cook's lands were on 730 acres of Land Lots 217 and 218, which straddled Five Mile Creek.The 1870 population census placed the value of Elijah Cook's real estate at $500, and his personal estate at $1439. The 1870 census also shows that three of the Cook children were mentally disabled. These children apparently suffered from a rare, debilitating form of the genetic skin condition ichthyosis, and were known locally as the "alligator children." According to period newspaper accounts, the Cooks were very protective of their children and refused offers from promoters, including P. T. Barnun, to put them on exhibition. "These children were carried on the Pauper Roll of Berrien Co, where they placed by the Grand Jury at the March Term, Berrien Superior Court, 1885, under which they drew a pension from the county as long as they lived."
Elijah's daughter, Arkansas Cook, married William Hansford Hughes in 1872. W.H. Hughes grew up on a farm in the same district; He was a son of Irene Shaw Hughes, widow of Henry Hansford Hughes. Arkansas and William established their home on a farm near their parents.
In 1872 Elijah Cook's 740 acres of property on Lots 217 and 218 was valued at $1 an acre. His personal property was valued at only $568 dollars. His son-in-law, Aden Boyd, husband of Maxie Jane Cook, also owned 50 acres on Lot 217. Son-in-law Thomas L. Taylor, husband of Fairiby Cook, owned 147 acres of Lot 218. Aden Boyd's sister, Sarah Boyd, and her husband Robert Lewis Taylor (brother of T. L. Taylor), were also on 50 acres on Lot 217. To the north Fisher W. Gaskins owned all 490 acres of lot 199. To the east, Mark R. Watson owned 1715 acres of adjacent land, situated on Five Mile Creek on Lots 197, 195, 172, and 173. To the southwest, Stephen W. Avera had 100 acres on Lot 243, and James Sirmans had 300 acres on the same lot.
Around 1874 Elijah Cook let go of his land on Lot 217, and acquired lot 198 which was just to the north. Around that time Benjamin Thomas Cook acquired 65 acres on Lot 219. Benjamin T. Cook was undoubtedly a cousin of Elijah Cook, although the exact relationship is not known. Like Elijah, B. T. Cook was a native of Wilkinson County, GA; he came to Berrien County after the Civil War, a former prisoner of war at Point Lookout, MD.
Elijah's daughter Rachel Arena Cook married William Marshall Lewis in 1875. In 1879, his son Francis M. Cook married Anna J. Ford, and son Henry N. Cook married Mary Ann Boyd. Francis and Henry settled with their wives near their father's place. By 1879, Elijah Cook had disposed of some 200 acres of his land, keeping 680 acres on Lots 217 and 198. This move gave him contiguous land all situated on the same side of Five Mile Creek. Benjamin T. Cook also had 40 acres on lot 217.
The 1880 population census shows Elijah and Arinda continued to provide care for their three disabled children, Juda, Amanda, and Sarah. Their youngest children, Jackson and Arinda continued to reside with them, as well as John Ford, who was a brother of Anna Ford Cook. Jackson and John provided the farm labor. By 1880, the old man had given up most of his land, retaining just 80 acres for himself on Lot 198. His son, Francis M. Cook had acquired 390 acres of the land on Lot 217, and 100 acres on Lot 198, and son Henry N. Cook had 100 acres of Lot 198. Benjamin T. Cook now had 390 acres on Lot 215.
In 1882, Elijah's youngest son Jackson J. Cook married Mary Melissa Lewis. She was a sister of William Marshall Lewis, husband of Rachel Arrinda Cook.
Meanwhile, the Cook family land deals continued. Elijah had re-acquired 290 acres of Lot 217 in 1881. In 1882, in yet another family transaction, Elijah took back another 100 acres of the land on Lot 217, while son Francis M. Cook moved to 100 acres on Lot 198. The following year, Francis left Lot 198 for 125 acres on Lot 190. Elijah continued to hold 300 acres of Lots 198 and 217. Henry Cook stayed with his 100 acres of Lot 198, and Benjamin T. Cook remained on his 300 acres of Lot 215.
By 1884, Francis Cook returned to 100 acres on Lot 198. Benjamin gave up 160 acres on Lot 215, retaining 130 acres there. Elijah's eldest son, J. J. Cook, acquired 100 acres of the land on Lot 217, and Elijah retained 250 acres spread across Lots 198 and 217. Elijah had $75 in household belongings, $432 in livestock, and $20 worth of tools and books.
Children of Elijah Cook and Arrinda Chandler:
- John Jasper Cook, born June 13, 1839; married October 9, 1865 to Lucretia Sirmans, daughter of James Sirmans; died May 30, 1924; buried Empire Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
- Juda Cook, born March 12, 1845*; suffered from a crippling congenital disability, never married; died October 29, 1895; buried Empire Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
- Fairiby G. Cook, born 1846; married Thomas L. Taylor, 1859; died December 26, 1920; buried Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery (about 8 miles northeast of Ray City, GA).
- Emily Amanda Cook, born June 10, 1849*, suffered from a crippling congenital disability, never married; died May 15, 1915; buried Empire Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
- Sarah J. Cook, born 1851, suffered from a crippling congenital disability, never married.
- Arkansas Cook, born November 13, 1853; married 1) 1872 to William Hansford Hughes, 2) July 20, 1909 to George Washington Nix; died December 24, 1911; buried Empire Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery next to her first husband.
- Henry N. Cook, born 1855; married Mary Ann Boyd, May 25, 1879; died May 14, 1940; buried Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery (about 8 miles northeast of Ray City, GA).
- Francis M. "Frank" Cook, born October 3, 1859; married Anna J Ford, February 27, 1879; died February 13, 1936; buried Old City Cemetery, Nashville, GA
- Rachel Arrinda Cook, born July 6, 1862*, married William L Lewis; died March 26, 1937; buried Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery (about 8 miles northeast of Ray City, GA).
- Jackson "Jack" Cook, born about 1862; married October 5, 1882 to Mary Melissa Lewis;
- Arinda Cook, born about 1867
* census records inconsistent with birth year on grave marker
The Valdosta Daily Times edition of Saturday, February 16, 1889 reported "Old man Elijah Cook, about 80 years old, one of the oldest settlers in Berrien County, was at the point of death yesterday, and is likely dead by to-day. He was a Primitive Baptist, and a man highly respected by his neighbors."
But Elijah held on for another nine months. He died on his farm at Five Mile Creek on November 15, 1889. Arrinda Chandler Cook died October 18, 1893. They were buried in the cemetery at Empire Church of which they were members.


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a tart for 29
Today I turn 29. I have mixed emotions about my birthday. Firstly I'm so grateful for a sweet husband who always leaves me a birthday morning surprise. This morning was a hand written note with a breakfast quiche & two little tarts from my favorite bakery. And I've been craving pecan pie the last couple so it was nearly perfect!
I am however not fond of getting older. This is my last year of being in my 20's and it all went by too fast. I'm also feeling pretty blue because this is my first birthday without my dad. To be quite honest I haven't been able to stop crying since last night. I assure you pregnancy hormones aren't making this easier but I hate having to experience these milestones without dad around. I suddenly feel the reality of him being gone at times like this and it's more than I can take.
Some days I feel like I can't move forward because the hurt is so deep and without consolation but I do my best to set it aside so I can still be a good mom and wife and (hopefully) blogger as well!
It's not often that I open up about these really personal things but I think it's important to share with you because this loss, this pain, is now an inseparable part of who I am and from time to time it spills over into my blogging. And I also think about those of you who have lost, or will lose someone you love greatly. Possibly talking about realness of my own pain will help you in some small way.
All in all I'm grateful for so many things. For my family, for my friends, even for my readers! Most days I'm doing fine. I have great, loving people around me and (almost) two wonderful little ones to keep me busy. I know there will be more days like today ahead for now I'm just going to think about making it through this one.
Thank you, as always, for listening.
Other Stories
13 comments:
Happy Happy Birthday to you! I completely understand how you feel, having just turned 30 this past September I can't believe how fast my 20s were. And though I lost my mom when I was 19, it still isn't easy. It's bearable, but I miss her every day. I hope you have a wonderful day!ReplyDelete
Happy Birthday girl ! :)
Happy Birthday! So sorry to hear about your dad! xReplyDelete
Sweet Jennifer, I want to wish you a very nice birthday! I so understand your feelings. My dad has left us 5 years ago and when I read your story, I get tears in my eyes. Take care and enjoy your day with your sweet loved ones!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 09, 2013
You are always young, spirit-full and fabulous! A number does not take this away. Know that :)ReplyDelete
HAPPY BIRTHDAY....BONNE ANNIVERSAIRE, Jennifer!
Your dad....it's hard....it will always be, because...he's your dad! And that kind of love is hard to be without. He is with you, and all around you...I know this from my own experience of having lost my dad, almost 4 years ago now. He was way too young to have left this earth, but he did, and I have to accept that...as part of life, and the life I now know. AND I still think about him, miss him, dream about him, grieve for him, cry for him, talk about him, feel his presence, get mad at the world for the total unfairness of it all! And I am still wracked with the pure pain of loss.
It's crazy....this thing called grief. It's loud and insidious, and sometimes it ebbs...never disappearing fully, but...it's an important emotion to have and experience and most of all, to run with, ride with, give in to it when it comes...however soft or hard. I don't think it gets easier, but I do think that the grieving helps...whenever, wherever, and in whatever form it may take for you.
Sending you lots of love for your birthday! Let the laughter, the memories, the tears, the sadness, the joy and ever-present abundance flow....especially today, on this special birthday :)
Liesl xo
Happy somewhat belated birthday! So sorry to hear your father is no longer with you, but he will always be in your heart.ReplyDelete
I just found out that my dads brain cancer came back and the doctors have gave him two months to live. I am on the other side of the world and been really upset myself. So I understand your pain! Happy Birthday none the less and I am happy that you have someone that treats you right.ReplyDelete
I can't even imagine how you feel and i don't really know what to say that will make you feel better more than I'm thinking of you and you're family <3 Big hug to you Jennifer / M.HowReplyDelete
I'm in the same boat. I lost my dad 4 years ago, I'm getting married today (on his birthday), and i'm 3 months pregnant. Although the grieving changes after the first year, I find that celebratory events remain complicated. It's often when I'm happiest that I'm struck with how much I miss him and wish he could share a happy moment with me. All I can say is that you will survive, and survival is hard work.ReplyDelete
Happy belated Birthday. I turned 30 earlier this year and I can only agree: those 20s went by way too fast. Ah well, as the girl at the MAC counter during our 'still fabulous at 30'-trip to London (with my girlfriends) said: be happy that you're still here, that's what matters most. And she is damn right about it.ReplyDelete
I'm really sorry about your dad. I can't even imagine how it must feel and I'm grateful for every day I get to spend with my parents. I hope that you can find the strength, courage and happiness with your family and friends.
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2013
Happy belated birthday Jenifer!ReplyDelete
I hope you had a good one, although I know exactly what you are going through. It is hard to move through life without that one person you really want there and share all those special moments with, hear their thoughts, get their hug.
Hope you have a good week.
happy belated birthday, my dear jenn! thank you for your openness and willing to share your heart. thinking about you and sending love. xoReplyDelete
Happy birthday again! Hope that sadness is reduce a little bit by the love of your family and the new baby coming. I know it wont replace it but hope it heels by time. Keep going with all your projects he will be proud.ReplyDelete
Thank you for your comments, I love hearing from you!
Questions, comments or sponsorship inquires, please contact me via the 'contact' link.


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Mini Horse, Ostrich, Badger, And Beaver
Mike learns about the Wild World of Animals organization and meets an adorable mini horse, an ostrich, a badger, and a young beaver.September 29, 2017
Mike learns about the Wild World of Animals organization and meets an adorable mini horse, an ostrich, a badger, and a young beaver.September 29, 2017
These dogs, rescued from Hurricane Harvey, have finally arrived safely at Camp Canine. Learn more about their harrowing journey and the kind folks at Muddy Paws Rescue NYC and special guest and vet Dr. Lisa Lippman right now on Wildlives!September 15, 2017
A baby rhino goes for a slippery mud bath, a miraculous camel birth is caught on film, and then special guest Erie, a Welsh corgi, stops by! Plus, dog-training tips from Andrea Arden Dog Training. Wildlives is all-new now!September 8, 2017
Bird lovers are in for a treat! Go bird-watching with Mike Janela and bird expert Tom Stephenson and catch a glimpse of warblers, cardinals, swans, and more on an all-new episode of Wildlives!September 1, 2017
Buzz, buzz, buzz — we're talking all things bees! Join Andrew Cote atop a beautiful NYC rooftop, as he begins the first honey harvest of the season for Andrew's Honey. Wildlives starts now!August 25, 2017
Say "hello" to Cosette, the chinchilla! Join Kaitlyn Mulvaney as she teaches us about these super-cute little babies. Wildlives starts now!August 18, 2017
3 kitties are up for adoption! Meet Rozina, Vlad, and Fennel, 3 little babies ready to find a home. Wildlives is all-new with Hannah Shaw, the Kitten Lady!August 11, 2017
We're at a petting zoo with a fluffy chinchilla and a sweet tortoise! Learn about farm animals and conservation at the Art Farm right now, on Wildlives!August 4, 2017
In honor of Global Tiger Day, Animal Planet star and big cat expert Dave Salmoni stops by to teach us what we can do to save and conserve these beautiful wild cats. Wildlives starts now!July 28, 2017
A rare wallaby has invaded the studio! Meet Winston, a white Bennett's wallaby, and watch along as expert Cat Long shows off this beautiful animal.July 14, 2017
Meet Rosenberg the Insta-famous dog! Learn more about him and the charity work he does right now, on Wildlives!July 7, 2017
Bird lovers will recognize this gorgeous sun conure's face! Say "hello" to Rosie the parrot!June 30, 2017
It's Take Your Dog To Work Day, and we're taking full advantage! Meet Russell and Smokey, 2 of our favorite famous fur babies! Plus, special guest Jordan Kahana and his 2 very cute pooches!June 23, 2017
Meet Izzy, the baby cheetah; Hope, the clouded leopard; and Halibut, the African penguin! Say hello to these magnificent creatures right now, on Wildlives!June 16, 2017
Mike meets three of the sweetest baby sugar gliders along with their handler, Ben.June 9, 2017
Puppy trainer Saxon Eastman stops by with Miller, a Lab-golden mix who shows off some tricks. Then, Saxon answers questions about canine companions.June 2, 2017
Oliver, a two-toed sloth, hangs around the Wildlives studio, accompanied by his handler, John Tarrant.May 26, 2017
Host Mike meets Butters, a Mini Rex Rabbit, and Dr. Lisa Lippman answers viewer questions about rabbits.May 19, 2017


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2015 Ford F-150 Aluminum-Body Prototypes Spotted in Michigan
Next-Generation Trucks May Be Radically Lighter, Get New V-6 Engines
With stricter fuel economy standards on the horizon, automakers are shifting engineering resources towards improving efficiency rather than capability. Though bearing current-generation sheetmetal, recently spotted test mules of the upcoming 2015 Ford F-150 show that such a shift is happening inside what may be the single most important vehicle line in the country.
Because customers have high expectations of towing and hauling capacity, improving truck efficiency is a significant engineering challenge. A cornerstone of Ford's approach for the next-generation F-150 is extensive use of aluminum that should shave as much as 700-800 off the truck's curb weight. At a minimum, the next F-150 is expected to use aluminum extensively for its exterior sheetmetal, and the possibility of it being utilized for much of the chassis as well. Considering the F-150's preeminent position in Ford's lineup, as well as its reputation for durability and capability, the company can't afford to sacrifice those attributes too much in the name of efficiency, so you can bet Ford isn't holding back in its torture testing of the new material.
In addition to the all-new lightweight chassis, Ford is reportedly developing a new generation of V-6 engines, with displacements from 2.7 to 3.0 liters, with direct-injection and turbocharging on the top engines, carrying on the popular EcoBoost option, in a smaller displacement.


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As a College Admissions Counselor, I have visited more than 250 colleges and continue to travel to campuses around the country each year so that I can bring you accurate, firsthand knowledge about programs and campus life. Meetings with admissions officers provide insight into what they are seeking in applicants, information not available on college websites or in brochures.
After listening carefully to each student's needs and goals, I create a personalized program that can transform this stressful process into an exciting opportunity for self-discovery.
College Admissions Counselor
By targeting the right colleges, I help students enhance their prospects for scholarships as well as admission, and save the time and expense of applying to too many colleges.
A master's degree in counseling enables me to assess each student's educational goals, learning style and personality, allowing us to identify colleges where the student will maximize his or her potential. Support and motivation are provided throughout the application process, reducing stress for parents and students.
My master of fine arts degree in screenwriting provides a unique foundation for helping students to tell their personal stories compellingly in application essays and prepare cohesive applications that present each student's best, authentic self.
The results are acceptances at colleges where the student is most likely to be happy and successful.


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Drive-aholics beware.
Vancouver's 2010 Olympics will not be a car-friendly environment and visitors would do well to save themselves the cost of a rental vehicle.
In fact, the only Olympic venue where there will be any public parking is at the University of B.C., home to preliminary round hockey games.
Olympic officials are aiming for an "all-transit, all-the-time" policy in a bid to keep traffic moving.
"We're going to make a fairly heavy reliance on public transit in Vancouver and Whistler," said Terry Wright. "Both transit authorities will have their existing fleets augmented to provide a higher level of service."
That and encouraging Metro Vancouver residents to get out of their cars are key to avoiding gridlock on major routes around the city.
Wright says there'll be an information blitz to encourage people to leave their vehicles at home and to walk, cycle or take transit.
People will also be encouraged to "telecommute" from home, move from single cars to car pools and from cars to transit.
"In Sydney, 25 per cent of the population took holidays during the Games," he said. "The key to success is not just how we organize our systems but to get people to alter their behaviour, because we need to free up some of the capacity.
"Sydney and Salt Lake managed to achieve 40 per cent reductions in background traffic by having people work from home and shift their driving patterns," he added.
Arriving at Vancouver International Airport, visitors will have a choice of cabs, airport shuttles or a 25-minute ride on the new, $2-billion Canada Line SkyTrain, to get downtown.
Once downtown, walking is the best option to get to "Canada Hockey Place" or to B.C. Place where the opening, closing and medal ceremonies will take place.
The Richmond speed skating oval, showpiece of the Games, is about 15 kilometres from downtown and will be served by buses and a SkyTrain station a few blocks away.
The Pacific Coliseum, home of figure skating and short track speed skating is a seven-kilometre bus ride from downtown, as is the curling arena at Nat Bailey.
The new UBC hockey arena is about 11 kilometres from downtown and Cypress Mountain, home to freestyle skiing and snowboarding is about 17 kilometres away.
Transit officials promise a beefed up bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus service during the Games.
Doug Kelsey, SkyTrain CEO, said there will 48 new transit cars, 180 extra buses and a third SeaBus in service during the Games.
"You're going to see a significant increase in total transit," he said.
Add to that the fact that universities and colleges will be shut down, and the student load on many of the main routes will be lowered.
SkyTrain and SeaBus services will be extended by an hour and late-night bus services will be added.
"It's a very complex 'Rubik's cube' of transportation," said Kelsey, adding that the transit has to dovetail with Games security, road closures and Olympic priority lanes.
Games ticketholders will get free transit on the day of the event, which has already been factored into the price of the ticket.
The exceptions are going to Cypress Mountain and taking a bus 110 kilometres up the Sea-to-Sky highway to Whistler.
The round-trip Olympic bus network fare to Cypress is $12 and to Whistler it is $25, plus tax.
These buses will leave from park-and-ride locations around the Lower Mainland.
In Whistler, there will be no public parking available at venues and a bus system will shuttle spectators to the Sliding Centre, Whistler Creekside and the Nordic centre in the Callaghan Valley.
Vancouver 2010 and transit officials plan to unveil their detailed transportation plan on Feb. 25.


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7 freight train cars are pushed off the tracks near Everett, Wash. NBCNews.com's Al Stirrett reports.
Sure it's scenic, but taking the train between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., can be a trying time during the Pacific Northwest's extended rainy season. Already since Thanksgiving, more than 40 landslides have interrupted rail service and passenger service has been completely shut down since Dec. 17.
"It's one of the longest shutdowns in the Pacific Northwest that I've seen," Gus Melonas, a spokesman for BNSF, the railway company that owns the line, told NBC News.
Melonas said it's also the fifth "most problematic" season for landslides in his 20 years in the area, with BNSF having to clean up after each one.
Over the summer, BNSF spent millions to shore up the 150 miles of terrain, enhancing slide sensors and culverts, contouring cliff walls, improving tracks, and stabilizing bridges and a marine wall.
But "downpour after downpour" has still taken a toll in recent weeks, Melonas said. The worst damage from these thin "skin slides" was when a section of cliff slid into a moving cargo train, taking out seven railcars.
And while cargo rail can get up and running after short interruptions, it can take several days for passenger service to get the green light due to safety regulations.
The latest slide was Thursday and BNSF is still evaluating when passenger service will resume -- the earliest would be Monday, Melonas said, and that's assuming no new slides over the weekend.
Amtrak has long had a backup plan -- putting passengers on buses. And that's been the routine this season as well for thousands of travelers.
"It's Washington," Amtrak passenger Bruce Lipke told NBC affiliate KING5.com. "You have enough rain and anything slides."
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- The year in quotes quiz: Test your knowledge!
- 3 officers shot at New Jersey police station
- Video: TODAY's most newsworthy stories of 2012
- Desert Storm commander Norman Schwarzkopf dies at 78
- Guns flood into police buyback programs, though critics have doubts
Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook


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October 25, 2003 • Posted By Shaun Lyon
More of the same... today's Daily Mirror features a sidebar article that says that Eastenders actor Shane Richie is one of the candidates to be the next Doctor. We've provided the article which you can read by clicking the thumbnail at right... but of course this is likely just more from the publicity mill. (Thanks to Gallifrey 5)


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* December 7 - 13
Too Rich to Hope?
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Rev. 3:14-22.
MEMORY TEXT: You say, jam rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:17, NIV).
KEY THOUGHTS: Remember the first weeks lesson, which looked at Adam and Eve in Eden, before the Fall? They didnt have hope, because they did not need it. In contrast, this weeks lesson will look at those who really need hope but are so self-satisfied they dont even realize their need. Talk about a dangerous position!
OUR PROPHETIC VIEW places us in the time of the church of Laodicea. This is nothing to be proud of, for the church is portrayed as saying it is rich and doesnt need a thing! Sadly, this characterization of the church today reveals an attitude of self-sufficiency, a confidence in what it has achieved. The church of Laodicea thinks it has arrived! But Gods analysis is that it is pitiful, not recognizing its spiritual poverty, blindness, and nakedness.
Yet, the good news of the gospel is that, thanks to the blood shed on the cross, theres hope even for Laodicea; through God, whatever they lack can be more than provided for. And that is their great (if not their only) hope.
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, Dec. 14.
Sunday December 8
Look at the words of the Lord to His church. "I know your deeds." Not surprising, not for a God who promises to "bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccles. 12:14) and who "will render to every man according to his deeds" (Rom. 2:6). After all, in order to bring every work into judgment, He would have to know our every move.
What is surprising, instead, is what comes after, when He says that He would rather we be cold as opposed to lukewarm in those deeds. It is understandable that He would rather us be hot than lukewarmbut cold over lukewarm? Why?
Is not even a little energy, a little zeal, a little enthusiasm for our faith, better than none at all? What is it about being lukewarm that would cause God to say what He does here? Read the following comment and then, from your own understanding, write down your answer to the above questions.
|The tepid spiritual condition of the Laodicean church was more dangerous than if the church had been cold. Lukewarm Christianity preserves enough of the form, and even of the content of the gospel, to dull the perceptive powers of the spirit and renders men oblivious to the earnest effort necessary to the attainment of the high ideal of a victorious life in Christ. The typical Laodicean Christian is content with things as they are and proud of the little progress he has made. It is almost impossible to convince him of his great need and of how far he is from the goal of perfection. "The SDA Bible Commentary, vol 7, p. 761.
The modern curse is usually neither mistaken theological views of one extreme or another nor misguided programs or interpretations or positions. Rather, it is that so few really seem to care at all. Apathy is the spiritual nerve gas that paralyzes the church and prevents its achieving God's goals. That is why it offends Him so much, and He would prefer any other temperature than lukewarmness!
|Look at your own life. Hot? Cold? Lukewarm? Write down a few examples of how lukewarmness, as opposed to outright coldness, has negatively influenced your own local church.
"'You say, "I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing." But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked' "(Rev. 3:17, NIV).
Look up each of these verses: Isaiah 65:5, Matthew 7:21-23, 19:24, Luke 12:16-21, 18:10-14. In what ways do the principles taught in these texts help us understand the principle behind what the Lord is saying in Revelation 3:17?
What kind of "riches" may we think we have in the church but are of no true value? Could such things include positions of authority, doing good works, having read many books about the Bible, paying tithe regularly, being part of a witnessing team? No one is denying that all these things have their roles, but they are not an end in themselves. Having a wonderful library of religious books does not of itself make you a spiritual person. Being a spiritual person does not make you a righteous person. Sure, paying tithe is essential, but it is not a way of achieving salvation.
Perhaps the scariest part of this warning is that the Laodiceans think they "do not need a thing." What Christian, who understands the fallen state of humanity, who understands the ravages of sin, and who has been given a glimpse of the righteousness of Christ and the high standard of God's law, could ever think that he or she does not "need a thing"? How can anyone who claims faith in Jesus ever think like that? God can work with those whohowever depraved, fallen, and steeped in sinfeel their need and want help to escape it. But what can He do for those who feel they need nothing?
What must we keep before us in our minds that will guarantee us protection from this, the most dangerous of spiritual deceptions? (See Phil. 2:5-7.)
|The Lord said that they are really wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Look specifically at the aspect of their nakedness, because in many ways that captures the essence of Laodicea's problem. What does it mean that they are naked? What are they missing that is the cause of all their problems? What do they need to be clothed with? (See Zech. 3:3-5; Matt. 22:11.) In short, what is Laodicea's essential problem?
Fortunately, as long as there is breath and life, there is hope. The Lord, who shed His blood for humanity, who bore the world's sins in His own human flesh and then took that flesh back with Him to heaven (where He will keep His humanity forever [see Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 25; Steps to Christ, p. 74]), this Lord is not going to give such a dire warning without also giving hope (After all, why bother with a warning if there is no remedy?). He suffered too much in our behalf just to let the people in His church (or anyone, for that matter) perish without an opportunity to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9). Even to the pathetic Laodiceans, He offers hope.
Notice, they should get gold in order to become rich, because they are poor (Rev. 3:17, 18); clothes because they are naked (vss. 17, 18); and "eyesalve," because they are blind (vss. 17, 18). He will provide all they need in order to be rescued from their wretched and pitiful state. Ellen White says that the gold tried in the fire is "faith that works by love."Christ's Object Lessons, p. 158. What about the "white clothes" (vs. 18, NIV) to cover their nakedness? What nakedness does that cover? (Matt. 22:1-14; Gal. 3:27). What about the "eyesalve"? What could that do for them? (John 16:8-11; 2 Cor. 4:4).
The Lord tells them to "buy" these things. How can they be purchased? Isaiah gives a bit of insight: " 'Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare' "(Isa. 55:1, 2, NIV, italics supplied).
There is a mixture of "conflicting" imagery here: You, who have no money, come and buy? Come and buy "without money and without cost"? Why spend money (that you do not have) for what can't satisfy? In the same way, God tells the Laodiceans to buy what can't be purchased, at least by anything humans can pay. What they need was already acquired for them by the Lord Himself, through Jesus, who paid, in a sense, the bill for their salvation. Perhaps the Lord used this language to stress the idea that these things they need are, indeed, not without great cost and price, a cost and price greater than they could, of themselves, ever pay. Perhaps He wanted to make them realize that salvation, though free for them, came with a great price.
"'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me' "(Rev. 3:20, NIV).
Talk about words filled with hope! Here is this miserable, proud, blind, and naked church; yet, nevertheless, the Lord stands before the door of their hearts and says I'm knocking; I want to come in; I want to be with you.
Writers often explore such themes as "Man in Search of God" and so forth. Yet, in reality, that is all backward. From the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden, when God came in search for them (Gen. 3:9), up through the advent of Christ, who came to rescue fallen humanity (John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 2:20), through the message to Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-21), and finally to the Second Coming, when God again comes to humanity (John 14:3; Acts 1:11), the Bible theme is that of the Lord seeking out humanity. We do not come to Him; we, of ourselves, would flee from Him, just as surely as did Adam and Eve. Instead, because of a love that we can only barely glimpse, the great Creator of the universe, the One who uttered into existence infinity, eternity, and matter and wrapped them together and draped the result across nothingnessHe has been seeking us, even knocking at our own doors. Amazing!
What other examples from the Bible can you find that show this theme, that of God coming down and seeking out human beings? What do they tell us about His love for humanity and the hope that we should have because of God and His love toward us? (See, for example, Gen. 18:1; Exod. 3:5; Job 38:1.)
Look again at the text for today. His offer is not to come in and rearrange the furniture or to evict us but to sit down and eat with us. In the same way as we share over a meal, God wants to come in and talk with us, to be our truest Friend. What an incredible offer from the God of hope!
|The question is: What are the things in our lives that cause us not to open the door or to be afraid to open the door? Doubt? Love of sin? Fear of having to give up certain things? A lack of a sense of need? Examine yourself in the faith and ask yourself, Have I opened the door to Christall the wayor is He still outside knocking? Or, looking at it from another angle, In what sense is He always knocking at our doors?
"'To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne' "(Rev. 3:21, NIV).
As He spoke to the other churches, ending his different messages to each of them with words about overcoming (see Rev. 2:7, 17; 26; 3:5, 12), the Lord speaks the same to Laodicea, as well.
"To him who overcomes." This isn't just a command; it contains a promise. God is not going to ask people to do what is not possible. He is not going to present to them a goal or objective they cannot, through Him and His power, reach.
What promises are implicit or explicit in these texts?
Judg. 1:24 ____________________________________________________
Ps. 55:22 _____________________________________________________
Rom. 8:38, 39 _________________________________________________
1 Cor. 10:13 __________________________________________________
Rev. 12:11 ___________________________________________________
No questionwhatever trials, whatever temptations, whatever struggles we face, God promises us power to overcome. A great theme of the book of Revelation deals with enduring oppression and persecution through the ages and staying faithful unto the end. In other words, overcoming means staying loyal, faithful, and obedient to the Lord despite trial, temptations, and persecution. This is God's message to His church in every age. And the great hope contained therein is that, through Him, we can all be "overcomers," even those in Laodicea who, heeding the Lord's words, accept rebuke and discipline and who (as commanded) "repent" (Rev. 3:19).
Of course, not all Christians are facing overt persecution. Satan has other means at his disposal. His ultimate goal is to separate us from Christ, to keep us from salvation. He will always throw things in our way to try to trip us up. In what ways, other than persecution, does he try to trip us up, to get us to separate ourselves from Christ? In short, what are some of the things we need to overcome?
FURTHER STUDY: "The 'blessed hope' of the second coming of Christ is not a fringe doctrine. It is the very fabric that holds the Christian faith together. Hope is the warp and woof of human experience. The hope of the second coming of Christ is an experience that keeps Christians looking up. The apostle Peter calls it a 'lively hope.' It gives vitality to the Christian experience. The life of those having this hope is shaped and governed by it.
"Those who have a firm hope of heaven, who believe that Christ is coming again, will be better citizens here and now. Those who have a genuine hope for a new earth will seek to live its principles here on the old earth. Those who sing about the 'fair and happy land by and by' and the 'evergreen shores over there' will do their part to keep the shores green over here. Those who talk about the streets of gold 'over there' will also pay their taxes over here so that the streets can be kept in good repair. Parents who believe in the new earth where all will be 'bliss and joy' will also build a little heaven here on earth by loving each other and their children. . . . The Second Advent is not a theory, but should touch every facet of our life's experience here and now."R. R. Bietz, Review and Herald, centenary issue, June 8, 1961.
SUMMARY: Too rich to hope? How can people be so blind? Yet to even the arrogant and proud Laodicean church, the Lord offers hope hope of victory, hope of security, hope of salvation.
Salleh Suli
My partner and I had just begun our year of teaching in the village of Log Deck 5. One night I was awakened by loud snoring. At first I thought that it was my partner, but the sound seemed to be coming from a different location. The snoring was so loud that I found it difficult to go back to sleep.
The next morning I forgot about the midnight noise, but that night the snoring awoke me again. I knew it was not my partner, so I looked around, but I could see nothing in the darkness and the fog that covered the mountainside. I was puzzled, but soon I fell asleep again. Early the next morning, I looked around but saw nothing that could be the source of the sound. I'll see you tonight, I silently said to the unseen noise.
I told Darren about the offending noise, and that night we stayed up late to investigate. We talked, sang, and studied God's word until quite late. Suddenly we felt something bump the side of our little house. Instantly we became quiet. We could hear something moving under the house. It stopped right under my bed. Soon we heard the snoring sound that had awakened me the previous two nights. We peeked through a hole in the floor of our house and burst into laughter. There under the floor under my bed lay a huge pregnant pig belonging to our neighbor!
The people in the mountains of Mindanao raise pigs. The children play with the pigs and take baths with the pigs in the mud. We cannot blame them, for they do not know any better. But as we get to know our new neighbors in the village of Log Deck 5, after we win their confidence, then we can begin to tell them of God's better way. We will tell them about Jesus, who left the glories of heaven to come to this dark world and show us how to live better lives. We pray that one day, not too long from now, the 62 families living in Log Deck 5 will no longer raise pigs in their village.
Salleh Suli and his partner are students at Mountain View College in southern Philippines. They served for one year as student missionaries in the village of Log Deck 5, where they taught in the new mission school.
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