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Tammy J. Banks has written a lovely article that is published in this month's issue of A&U Magazine. Read the entire article HERE.
A CALLING AND MORE by Tammy J. Banks for AU Magazine
For Carol Marsh, starting Miriam's House was something that she felt called upon to do. "It felt like coming home," she recalls, "and I think that is the hallmark of a calling."
Marsh founded the Washington, D.C., residence for homeless women with HIV/AIDS in 1996. But in many ways, she had been moving toward this kind of work since her teen years, when she'd read Catherine Marshall's Christy. The 1967 bestselling novel about a young school teacher doing her damnedest to bring education to children in Appalachia had fired Marsh's imagination: She'd seen herself as being "a benevolent helper of others" and making sense of all "the cruelty and inequity" in the world. There'd been comfort in "dreaming of a life of service in which I would make things perfect for some small village or group of children. For that they would, of course, love and appreciate me."
But the path to our true callings is seldom a straight one. We take wrong turns, get waylaid, or lose sight of where we're headed. "I lost that vision for a while," Marsh admits. "I moved to Washington, D. C., at thirty-five, and that's when I reconnected with a passion that had been mine as a teenager."
Read the rest of the article HERE.
August Newsletter
My August newsletter contains:
* a beautiful photo by my brother, William Marsh;
* a virtual booklet, "Why We Serve";
* the Authors Talk About It interview;
* a link to the first course in my online school, Forum for Growth in Service;
* and a link for purchasing my memoir, "Nowhere Else I Want to Be".
Featured Author Interview
Today on the Authors Talk About It Blog, an interview of ... me!
Featured Authors Talk About It
Author Interview - Carol D. Marsh
ATAI: Tell us a little about you.
Carol D. Marsh: I'm a 62-year-old woman living in Washington, DC with my wonderful husband. When not writing, I'm marketing my book and my online school, going to the Y for a work-out, knitting, reading, baking, or (a good bit of the time) managing chronic migraine pain.
ATAI: How long have you been writing?
Marsh: I've written as long as I can remember. Small notes to my Mom, birthday poems for family members, the usual (bad) teenage poetry and essay attempts. My serious writing, meaning not for work or fund-raising, began in 2010, when I started my memoir.
ATAI: What was your most recent release?
Marsh: Nowhere Else I Want to Be: A Memoir was published in January 2017. It's a work of literary nonfiction that got its big push at the Goucher College MFA program (2012-2014). And I've had a couple of essays published this summer, one in The Los Angeles Review, the other in Lunch Ticket.
Click here to get your copy of Nowhere Else I Want to Be: A Memoir
ATAI: What do you love most about writing?Marsh: Its combination of creativity and intellect, and the way I feel while I'm writing and in the hour or so after I'm done. I also love the rewriting process – finding the right word or phrase, testing how the words feel in my mouth, getting to the precise point or meaning. It's so rewarding.
ATAI: What do you find most challenging?
Marsh: Getting past the inertia of anxiety and the feeling that I'm not actually a writer. Not, at least, in the way I assume other writers are. I have a sense I'm not good enough to express this emotion, or make that argument, or say this thing about something important. My journey as a writer has been, in part, about trusting my own voice.
ATAI: Where do your ideas come from?
Marsh: I write nonfiction and memoiristic essays, so my ideas come from my life, by way of my heart.
ATAI: What is your writing process?
Marsh: My writing process is choppy because I have chronic migraine disease and am unable to establish a regular, daily practice. But I've learned to write when not in too much pain, and to let it go when in a lot of pain. I've had to ignore the common wisdom about writing for five hours a day, but I suspect most of us do. Who has the luxury of all that time? Certainly not parents, or the employed, or students, or … you get the message.
Because of that, my writing process never runs on momentum. I manage by fits and starts, and have had to learn not to let the fits keep me from starting. And then, having to start again. I've found if I accept my process' choppy nature, I worry less about not having a regular practice, which gives me more energy to write when I can.
ATAI: Do your characters (or message) ever seem to have a life of their own or an agenda of their own?
Marsh: I have to guard against the writing taking over because too often I seem to veer into the fanciful or the made-up. As though I'm writing how I want something to have been rather than how it was in reality. This is partly because writing a scene means getting to details – sound, smell, sight, etc. I end up questioning myself at the end of a writing session that has got away from me, wait, was the wind really blowing so hard that day? Or was that a different day? Did she actually say that in so many words?
At Goucher College, where I got my MFA, we were told not to make sh*t up. Honestly, that's one thing for long-form journalism, and quite another for memoir. Not that writing memoir is an excuse to make sh*t up. It's not. But we're so often writing about something not researchable as fact. We rely on our memories or the memories of others. And memories are notoriously sketchy when it comes to reliability. So a memoirist needs to hone her integrity and closely monitor how she writes through inevitable memory gaps, working to not fill them in with sh*t. Plus, she takes advantage of research that can help with accuracy, such as public records, weather reports, home videos and photographs, and diaries or journals.
ATAI: What's your favorite part of your book (or one of your books)?
Marsh: Oh, dear, that's hard to say. If I have to choose, I'd say it's not one part, but the scenes in which we're together as a community. (My memoir is about ten of the years I worked and lived at Miriam's House–a residence for Washington, DC's homeless women with AIDS–as its Founding Executive Director). I tried to recreate the sounds and language and feel of our gatherings. They were fun to write and are fun, now, to read.
ATAI: What are you working on next?
Marsh: I have a couple of essays in the works, and am started on a new full-length project that I'll be mysterious about for now.
ATAI: Where can people find you online?
Marsh: Two places: 1) my website, http://www.caroldmarsh.com/; and my online school,http://forumatcaroldmarsh.com/ (Forum for Growth in Service — support and challenge for people who want to serve others authentically, compassionately, and effectively).
ATAI: Thank you for sharing with us and our audience.
Marsh: Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Click here to get your copy of Nowhere Else I Want to Be: A Memoir
I've practiced meditation, centering prayer, and deep stillness for more than 25 years. But this week, I got an app for my phone - CALM - that teaches meditation to beginners.
It turns out that a Trump Presidency is good for my spiritual life.
I prefer to think of it that way, rather than further upsetting myself by agonizing about how distraught I've been since early November 2016. It's called 're-framing.' I choose to re-frame the distress of slipping into anxiety and fear in a way I haven't for the past decade, and view the slippage as an opportunity to deepen my spiritual practice.
So setting aside ego ("I've been doing this for a quarter of a century, and now I need beginner lessons?"), I admit to finding great benefit from the new app on my phone.
Meditation and stillness are important aspects of my pain management practices for chronic migraine disease. So it helps that I already know and cherish the relief they bring, already have tools and inner understanding to bring to the programs on the app.
And there's another strange benefit to all this: I have new sympathy for Americans who have been feeling left out and distraught about government and power. I do not for one second agree politically or emotionally or intellectually with a vote for Donald Trump, or with the racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and hatred some of them espouse. YET, I recognize that, as distressed as I have been about Trump, others in the country have been feeling about Obama and Democrats.
I've been thinking about coal miners and coal company office workers who've lost their jobs; factory employees whose companies have pulled up stakes and moved abroad; people who look around at the country they love and feel they don't recognize it any longer and that they have been forgotten.
They have been as upset, worried, fearful and appalled as I have been these past seven months.
If nothing else, it's all made me less judgmental. More sympathetic.
Of course, the disconnect and disenfranchisement, fear and upset we've been feeling in more recent history pale in comparison to the plight of African-Americans since the first ships brought Africans here for enslavement. This is also a point of deep empathy for me, though it's one I've felt since I was a teenager, and so is not new like this emapthy for Trump voters.
The upshot of all this is that I experience new movement in my spirit - movement toward empathy for myself and others, deepening commitment to the spiritual practices of peace and compassion, humbling understanding of how easily I fall into rage and dislike of those I don't agree with.
And I have Donald Trump to thank for it.
Nowhere Else I Want to Be is Carol Marsh's heart-wrenching memoir of her time living and working at Miriam's House in Washington, D.C. She founded Miriam's House in 1996, as a place for homeless women suffering with AIDS and addiction to receive the care, shelter, and safety that they so desperately needed. In providing for these women, who came from backgrounds incredibly different than her own, Carol had to learn to face her own shortcomings: privilege, discrimination, poor leadership skills, and an overwhelming, yet often denied, desire to be liked. In doing so, she, along with the staff and residents of Miriam's House, transformed it into a safe haven for victims of AIDS and their families, saving dozens of lives in more ways than one.
In terms of content, Nowhere Else I Want to Be is certainly not the easiest book to read. It is rife with tragedy, from abandonment to parental neglect, devastating illness to inevitable death. It weighs on the heartstrings in a manner that most books cannot achieve, largely because the stories Carol Marsh shares are all real. These "characters," who often seem larger than life in some respects, existed once, and now, do not. It's an awful feeling, to fall in love with each quirky, lovable woman as Carol did, only to be forced to face their eventual demise. However, the tender tone in which each woman is described is admirable and honorable, shining a spotlight of love and acceptance on an otherwise horrific life. It's devastating, but profound, in all the best ways.
Nowhere Else I Want to Be is not a book easily defined, as it balances perfectly the qualities of humor, love, sadness, disdain, and acceptance, combined into one spectacular memoir. Carol Marsh takes her readers on the same journey she once walked, alongside society's forgotten as they struggle to better themselves, contribute to communities who continuously reject them, and just survive, at any cost. It wasn't, and still isn't, easy, but it is forever worth it. Nowhere Else I Want to Be is a treasure as much as it is a tragedy, if for nothing else, for Carol's bold, dignified, and honest approach to a truth best not left forgotten.
Originally critiqued by a member of the Authors Talk About It team.
Link HERE to original post
This blog chronicles my work and thoughts as a writer. - Carol D. Marsh
September 2017


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Arts, Culture and Museums in Oregon's Tualatin Valley
Experiences Worthy of Applause
Tualatin Valley is rich in arts and culture, from acclaimed professional theater companies and cultural performance groups to public art installations and innovative museums and art galleries.
Tualatin Valley Creates
For more information about the Tualatin Valley art scene and for a comprehensive arts and culture calendar of events, visit tvcreates.org.
Free Mobile Passport
Dozens of murals, sculptures, and metal and glassworks are on display. Explore these pieces of art along the Tualatin Valley Public Arts Trail with our new, free mobile passport! Download today and start exploring.
Live Theater
Several of the region's top and most acclaimed theater companies have made the Tualatin Valley an acclaimed destination for performing arts. With provocative performances and catchy musical theater tunes, our performing arts community is worthy of a standing ovation.
Museums, History and Art
It's been said that museums are connections to the past, bridges to the future and links to cultures and communities. Our museums showcase a wide array of artifacts from the past, from rocks and minerals to vintage high-tech instruments, while connecting us to the future-and to each other.
History of the Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is rich with history and historic artifacts dating back to the Ice Age. Learn more about the history of this wondrous valley.
The Tualatin Valley is an artist's enclave. Many talented artists live and create here, and their works of art can be viewed throughout the area along these self-guided art walks.
There are dozens of murals, sculptures and more on display in cities across Oregon's Tualatin Valley
The nostalgia and heritage of quilts can be seen throughout Oregon's Tualatin Valley with our very own Quilt Barn Trail.

subset: commoncrawl


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South Africa, like numerous other countries, has a strong legal framework of anti-corruption laws, but their implementation is not robust, and perpetrators are seldom punished.
Those who engage in corruption are easily able to hide their ill-gotten gains in secret companies or those with opaque corporate ownership structures, or by laundering the proceeds into luxury goods or offshore bank accounts, allowing themselves an extravagant lifestyle in which consequences do not feature.
Global anti-corruption NGO Transparency International (TI) says it's time to put a stop to this culture of impunity. The organisation's new global campaign Unmask the Corrupt (UtC) urges governments to stop wrongdoers from using these channels to hide the billions of dollars gained through corruption. The three main focus areas of the campaign are beneficial ownership, luxury goods and denial of entry.
UtC is a two-year initiative that forms a new aspect of the NGO's broader international anti-impunity campaign. It launches officially on 1 September. This page contains links to everything you need to know about it, including updates, articles, and material for download.
Visit the international UtC website.


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Jesus on the Sins of Our Age
Dr. S. Lewis Johnson, Jr., resides in Dallas, Texas, and is a teaching elder at Believers Chapel.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:21-32
If one were to single out the peculiar sins of our age, the latter half of the twentieth century, looming large in any listing would be the sins mentioned by our Lord in Matthew 5:21-32, the sins of murder, adultery, and divorce. In fact, they form a kind of epitome of the morality of our age, an abridgement of the worst form of the denial of the biblical ethic. It is the special sin of the New Morality that it makes these sins respectable in the eyes of its adherents.
The New Morality, the term given to the ethics of men such as Bishop John Robinson of Honest to God fame, Joseph Fletcher, the Lutheran Martin Marty, the Baptist Harvey Cox, and the Presbyterian Robert Wood Lynn, has taught with varying emphases and qualifications that right and wrong cannot be legislated — even by God — in a once-for-all code that fits every situation. God, according to this body of theologians, has not issued such a code; He has called for LOVE. What this simple law demands in each particular situation is right. Hence, the New Morality has sometimes been given the name of Situation Ethics. According to this "code" adultery and other sins may, if the situation is right, be acceptable. The popularity of the New Morality is illustrated by the phenomenal success of Hugh Hefner's Playboy enterprises, which have, until just recently, grossed millions catering to the hedonistic appetite of the United States. In fact, the sexual revolution of this country has been immeasurably aided by the ethics of the New Morality.
The presuppositions of the New Morality have been defined by Joseph Fletcher as including pragmatism, relativism, and personalism. All of these principles, particularly as interpreted by the eminent theologoian are utterly opposed to the biblical presuppositions of the Christian, who rests his case upon the principle of the verbally and plenarily inspired revelation of God in the Holy Scriptures. Further, the New Morality errs in these specific ways. First, it is antinomian, at least according to Fletcher's variety (the same cannot really be said for Bishop Robinson's variety). Second, it fails in that it does not define love in a Christian way, as involving redemption and the cross of Christ. Third, it is pelagian (an ancient British monk who believed man, despite sin, could discern and do God's will with just trifling assistance from the Spirit of God), because its concept of sin is weak and erroneous. And, finally, the result is an ethics that is sub-Christian and an insult to a holy God.
In the section of the Sermon on the Mount before us we have a sure word from our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is diametrically opposed to the pagan principles of modern society's ethics. In the opening section of the instructional division of the Sermon (5:17-20). Jesus had emphasized that He was not a Lawbreaker, but a Law-fulfiller, and that the Law and the Prophets were the abidingly authoritative and inspired Word of God. Every part of them, even to the jots and titles, shall have its complete fulfilment. And then He had stressed that, in order to enter the Kingdom of heaven, one must possess a righteousness that exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees. That could only come as a gift from God through faith in Him. Thus, the Lord Jesus completely vindicated the Scriptural tradition.
The same, however, cannot be said for the Pharisaic and scribal tradition (5:21-48). He does not hesitate to disapprove of it and correct it, although there may be portions of it that have remained essentialy biblical. Of the latter He approves. In order to express His criticism of the tradition He sets forth six antitheses between the Pharisaic tradition and the true view of the Law. The antitheses not only correct misinterpretation, they also deepen and sharpen the true view. The six are in two pairs of three each, separated by the "again" of verse thirty-three. The characteristic expression that occurs six times here is, "but I say unto you" (cf. vv. 22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44). The first three pertain to the Decalogue, or the Ten Commandments, while the last three pertain to the Pentateuch. The great impression that steals over me is similar to that expressed by another student, "JESUS UNDERSTANDS THE OLD TESTAMENT BETTER THAN THE OLD TESTAMENT ITSELF."1 That's not strictly accurate for really what He does is give the real force of the Old Testament, but it seems to be true because of the traditional distortions that gained such currency in the minds of many through the years.
The Question Of Murder
The Law (5:21). The first antithesis is contained in verses twenty-one through twenty-six. It concerns murder. The tradition says, "No murder," but I say, "No anger."
The basis of the tradition to which Jesus refers is the sixth commandment (cf. Exod. 20:13; 21:12; Lev. 24:17). Since He uses the word "heard," it seems clear that He is referring to the oral teaching of the rabbis. They read and taught the commandments orally in synagogues. The words, "by them," may be more accurately rendered by to them. The remaining words of the verse confirm that our Lord is referring to Jewish tradition primarily. The introductory words of the verse, then, may mean simply, "It is an old tradition which has obtained for many ages."2
The Lawgiver's interpretation (5:22-26). The essence of His reply is that the commandments go beyond the overt act. They touch the inner man. For years and years the rabbis had taught that one kept the sixth commandment by avoiding murder, but our Lord probes deeper and says that one keeps it only if he both avoids murder and anger! Anger, like murder, is a crime to Him. It is possible that John's words reflect this teaching, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). The words are to be understood within the context of the nation, it would seem, for in Jewish thought a brother was an Israelite by nation and blood, and a neighbor was an Israelite in religion and worship, that is, a proselyte.3 The word "Rata" was an Aramaic word for utter contempt, being equivalent to our bonehead, blockhead, or knucklehead. The text may be rendered, then, "whosoever shall say to his brother, 'you knucklehead, you'!" For such the danger of hell must become real.
There is some difference of interpretation over the statements of verses twenty-one and twenty-two. Perhaps the sense is something like this: The rabbis say that murder is liable to judgment, but I say that anger is liable to divine judgment. And the rabbis say that abusive language such as rata is punishable by the local court, but I say that abusive language is punishable by the fire of Gehenna.4
Two things emerge from these opening words. In the first place, ALL UNLOVE stands condemned by the Saviour and the Law of Moses. And, in the second place, our Lord Jesus believed in hell. It is one of the striking facts of the biblical revelation that He, who spoke most penetratingly of the love of God and is often referred to by liberals as "the meek and gentle Jesus," spoke of hell more than any other New Testament figure. If hell-fire and damnation messages are wrong (they are not, of course), then His should be condemned, but the very idea is ridiculous, as the common Christian consciousness knows.
There follow two illustrations of the principle (vv. 23-26). In the first one the point is that to obey the law of love is better than sacrifice. Therefore, postpone sacrifice rather than postpone reconciliation. Incidentally, the illustration proves that the situation the Lord has in mind occurs under the Law period when sacrifices are made. The Sermon is for those who live during the period of time while Jesus is offering the Messianic Kingdom to the nation Israel.
In the second illustration there is a reference to some contention over money matters, as the last clause of verse twenty-six indicates. Although some Romanists have emphasized the words of verse twenty-six, "paid the uttermost farthing," referring them to purgatory, it should be obvious to the careful student that it has nothing to do with that mythical place and process.[5]
What is the cure for this anger that Jesus points out is really murder? Looking over the section we may conclude that it is found in these things: (1) admitting that we do get angry; (2) correcting injustices (vv. 23-24); (3) do it quickly (vv. 25-26); (4) relying upon the grace of God, for it is only by His enabling grace that these things could be done.
The Question Of Adultery
The Law (5:27). The second antithesis concerns adultery, which is referred to in the seventh commandment of the Decalogue (cf. Exod. 20:14). The tradition says, "No adultery," but I say, "No lustful thought." The rabbis legislated only for actions, not for one's thoughts, but the Mosaic Law in its real meaning included the latter. In the enumeration of the 613 precepts of the Law there is attached to the seventh commandment these words, "This is the thirty-fifth precept of the law, namely, That no man lie with another man's wife." It is clear that the rabbis interpreted it of the act alone, and that with a married woman. Perhaps this gloss was in our Lord's mind as He interprets the meaning of the law for the heart.
The Lawgiver's interpretation (5:28-30). The words, "to lust after her," express the purpose of the look. It can hardly be called sin to have involuntary desire; it is sin to look in order to lust. Guy King has written, "When, on one occasion, I asked a children's meeting, 'What is the difference between Temptation and Sin?' a boy replied, 'Please, temptation's when you're asked to do it, and sin's when you've done it.' Old Martin Luther had another way of putting it: 'We cannot prevent the birds flying over our heads, but we can prevent their making nests in our hair',"6
The words of our Lord have the most serious significance and relevance for our today. Hardly ever in the history of our western world has there existed such a challenge to the Christian conception of chastity before marriage and faithfulness afterward. Unbridled passions dominate our society, urged on by the mass media and professional purveyors of hedonism. James Montgomery Boice has put it this way, "The Christian ethic of faithful and monogamous marriage is also threatened in our day, perhaps even more seriously than by the mass media, by a new hedonism symbolized by the so-called 'playboy philosophy.' Hedonism is the philosophy that makes pleasure the chief goal in life; and it is as evident in the pursuit of the second home, the third car, and the right and proper friends, as it is in adultery and pre-marital sex experimentation. In fact, in the playboy philosophy the two go hand in hand. Thus, the pages of the magazine seem to imply that choosing the right kind of wine or the right stereo is almost as important as finding the right playmate, the kind of girl whom Mort Sahl identifies as folding in two places and wearing a staple in her navel."7
The final verses of the second antithesis (vv. 29-30) merely point out that, if one uses the excuse that a member is the cause of the sin, then the member is to be cut off. One does this with a physical ailment, like cancer. The purpose of our Lord is to lead the man to see that the trouble is not in the member, but in the heart. A fallacious excuse is met with a fallacious reply to show the falsity of the excuse and lead to the true reason for lust.8 The usual symbolical interpretation of the verses is to the effect that the offending member's excision represents severe self-abnegation for the sake of purity. Both ultimately point to the need for a new heart, as well as new principles of action. "A lizard," King points out, "when you grasp it, if it suspects nefarious design in you, will unhesitantly leave its tail in your hand, and bolt out of sight … 'better lose my tail than my life,' it seems to say … You chess players will know what a Gambit is — the sacrificing of a pawn, or other piece, for the sake of the game: you may lose even your Queen, but it will be worth it if you beat your opponent."9
It is evident now that the Lord Jesus interprets the Old Testament in depth in contrast to the superficialities of the rabbinic tradition. He deepens and sharpens its obvious and outward sense. As He says, He "fulfills" it.
And, further, it is clear that Jesus concurred in the invalidity of tradition as a measure of truth, although it might contain truth. He may deepen it, as here, or revoke it, as elsewhere (cf. 15:4-6). For Him the sole final authority is the inviolable Word of God.
What is the solution to the problem that our Lord has expounded here? One thing is true, first of all. The times require a clear recognition that the appetite for sex in our day is "enormously out of proportion to its function."10 And there is another thing that must be borne in mind. For the Christian there are times when the apostolic injunction, "Flee fornication" (1 Cor. 6:18), is the wisest advice that heaven can give. In this respect Joseph is our great example, while David is an example of the negative type. And, finally, total victory requires a philosophy of life that sees marriage as ordained by God, and also as that for which one awaits in purity and to which one remains faithful afterward.
The Question Of Divorce
The Law (5:31). The third antithesis concerns divorce. The tradition says, "Conditional divorce," but I say, "no divorce at all, with one exception."11 The passage in question is Deuteronomy 24:1, and it contains a problem of interpretation. What is an "unseemly thing"? One of the famous rabbis, Shammai, with his disciples took it to mean some grave offence like adultery. On the other hand, another rabbi, the well-known Hillel, with his followers held that a man could divorce his wife for no more serious a misdemeanor than letting his food burn!
The Lawgiver's interpretation (5:32). Now, if the exceptive clausell is genuine, and I think it is, then the Lord is laying down a law that divorce is only possible for one reason. If the clause is not genuine, then our Lord is stating the original ideal, mentioned in Genesis 2:23-24 (cf. Mark 10:2-12). In both cases the teaching of our Lord is deeper than that of Moses. But, let us remember that these things cannot be applied to unbelievers. They apply to those within the kingdom of God.
There is a question about the nature of the sin referred to. Does verse thirty-two refer to the sin of the one who puts away his wife, and then to the sin of the one who has been put away? The verse should probably be rendered in this way, "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to be stigmatized as adulterous (or, exposes her to adultery12), and anyone who marries a woman so divorced commits adultery." Thus, the sin is only that of the person who puts away his wife (cf. 19:9; 1 Cor. 7:20, 24).
It is very evident, then, that our Lord entertained very strict principles regarding divorce, and His words have the greatest importance for our adulterous society today. It would not be so much the concern of the Christian church were it not for the fact that the actions of the world, because of their excesses, have so influenced the church. The rise of adultery and divorce in the world is matched by a similar rise of them in the life of God's people, and the resultant problem is one of epidemic proportions at this very moment. If the Church of Jesus Christ is to fulfill His will and please God in her service, she must listen to the expression of His will in this matter.
One of the first things that begins to appear as we listen to this Sermon comes before us again here. These sublime utterances often tend to create a sense of unworthiness in those who read them. That is not a bad thing. The Law of Moses was designed to bring "the knowledge of sin" (cf. Rom. 3:20). Is it any wonder that the new law of the King should also bring us to conviction and humility?
There are several applications of this passage to the believer who lives in the present age. In the first place, the words regarding murder find their application in 1 John 3:15, the text we have already cited. Hate for one's Christian brother is thoroughly out of harmony with the possession of true Christian life.
The second antithesis regarding adultery and lust suggests the need for "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 6:9, 18).
The third antithesis reminds us of 1 Corinthians 7:20, 24 where the apostle writes, "Let every man abide in the same calling (he is speaking of marriage) in which he was called," and, "Brethren, let every man, in whatever state he is called, there abide with God." May God help all the saints so to abide!
1 Hunter, p. 44
2 John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae (Oxford, 1859), II, 107.
3 Ibid., II 107-8
4 M'Neile, p. 62.
5 Lightfoot, II, 115.
6 King, p. 45.
7 Boice, p. 113.
8 Lenski, p. 227-29.
9 King, p. 48.
10 Boice, p. 115.
11 Many students have questioned the genuineness of the so-called exceptive clause," which reads, "saving for the clause of fornication" (AV), but I see no convincing reason for doubting its genuineness. The text is supported by the weightiest of authority.
12 Hendriksen, p. 304.


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When reports surfaced of San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera's drug use, the baseball world was put into shock.
How could a guy let his team down like that?
But let's be real here, steroids are as much a part of baseball as home runs and stolen bases. They may also be here to stay, unless Major League Baseball officials get their heads out of their asses and do something about it.
As it stands right now, MLB employs random drug testing, a system that clearly isn't working. Players are looking at the MLB officials' drug policies and simply laughing in their faces.
To better understand the consequences, I'll put in layman's terms: for a first time offender of the drug policy, it's a 50-game suspension without pay. For a second-time offender, it is a 100-game suspension. And if you try to cheat the system three times, it is a lifetime ban from MLB.
While the penalties may seem fair at first, you must understand that baseball players are among the highest paid of any athletes in the four major North American sports.
Because MLB has no salary cap, the amount a player can make is virtually limitless.
With that being said, baseball players are choosing to risk suspension in order to make it to the big leagues or cash in on a huge payday.
While that seems like an understandable choice, it's not fair to the other players that worked their whole lives for the same opportunity without any performance-enhancing drugs.
It also isn't fair to the fans who pay hundreds of dollars to see their childhood heroes at their local ballpark.
Furthermore, it isn't fair to the former players who worked their whole lives to break and even set some of baseball's most historical records.
The evidence is there for all to see, and it's high time MLB reviews its drug policy.
In order to discourage players from taking any PED's, a first-time offender must be suspended for a whole season, without pay, and fined as well. Furthermore, in order to insure a player doesn't do it again, MLB should require the offender to go through a drug prevention program, just as a heroin addict would.
One of the most effective ways to stop someone from doing something is embarrassing them so badly, that they won't want to hear the word 'steroid' again.
Now, if a player gets caught a second time, then the lifetime ban comes into place with an even greater fine. MLB must take a zero-tolerance approach if they want this drug use to stop.
Now that baseball's true culture has been brought to light, it's time MLB cleans up its act.
The tainted records and lies must stop, not for the players or owners, but for sake of the sport.
Let's not let grown men ruin a child's game.


text: This is the 11th post in December's Top Tens in 2010 Series. This guest post was written by Christine Arylo, transformer of Inner Mean Girls & queen of self-love. While the holidays are advertised to bring us cheer, joy and gifts, what many of us also end up with is a rack full of stress, […]Read More


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Not only was this man an absolute star on the field, he was arguably a bigger star off of it. Clemente, a RF for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was one of the most important men in the history of Latin American and Caribbean players in the MLB and worked hard for those in Latin America, ultimately sacrificing his life for them. Read on and hear about his amazing contributions to the game of baseball, and the world in general.
From a young age, Clemente was a talented ball player and as soon as he turned 18, he began to play professional ball in his native Puerto Rico. After playing a few seasons there, the Brooklyn Dodgers eventually offered him a Triple-A contract. However, after witnessing Clemente in batting practice and during a few games, the Pirates picked him with their first selection in the rookie draft.
Throughout the beginning of his North American career, the climate and language barrier was fairly difficult to get over. On top of that, racism was still running rampant during his time in the MLB and many players weren't comfortable with his name or ethnicity, which obviously led to frustration on his part.
But Clemente quickly got over that and went on to have one of the best baseball careers of anyone in history. He spent 18 years in the major leagues (all with the Pittsburgh Pirates) and was named to the all-star team in 15 of those seasons. He was the NL MVP in 1966 (being the first Latin player to do so), led the league in batting average on many occasions and had an amazing twelve straight golf glove awards from 1961 through 1972, the year of his death. He was also the first Latin player to win a World Series as a starter and be named World Series MVP).
Now that you know about his amazing talents off the field, let's take a look at the things he did off of it. Throughout his major league career, Clemente sought to be involved in tons of charity work in Latin American and Caribbean countries and would often travel to various countries in the offseason delivering food and baseball equipment to those in need. Unfortunately, it was this huge heart of his that ultimately led to his death.
After an earthquake ravaged the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, Clemente accompanied the relief flight full of goods. The plane had a history of issues and after being overstuffed with goods, immediately crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after takeoff. No one on board (including Clemente) every had their body found by search teams. As imagined, this was horrific news for sports fans and he was the first player to have the mandatory waiting period waived in order to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
His impact and importance in help usher in the current, multicultural landscape of the MLB will live on forever as, if it wasn't for Roberto Clemente, who knows what the game would look like today.


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Surat Municipal Corporation Recruitment 2017
Surat Municipal Corporation Recruitment 2017
Surat Municipal Corporation has invited Application for the recruitment of 2144 Beldar & Sweeper Vacancies. Eligible candidates can apply on or before 28-07-2017.
Surat Municipal Corporation Vacancy Details:
Total No. of Posts: 2144
Name of the Post:
1. Beldar: 599 posts
2. Beldar (V.B.D.C.): 103 posts
3. Sweeper (Drainage): 355 posts
4. Sweeper: 1087 posts
Eligibility Criteria For Surat Municipal Corporation Recruitment
Educational Qualification: Candidates should possess 4th class with experience in relevant field for All Posts.
Age Limit: Candidates should be between 18 to 33 years for all posts.
Selection Process: Selection will be based on interview.
Application Fee: Candidates have to pay Rs. 10/- through Indian Postal Order.
How to Apply: Eligible candidates can send their application in the prescribed format along with copies of mark sheets, caste certificates & other necessary documents affixing Rs.5/- postal stamps on the envelope & send to Office of the Superintendent (Central Office), Room No.75, First floor, Surat Municipal Corporation, Muglisara, Surat on or before 28-07-2017.
Important Date :
Last Date for Receipt of Application: 28-07-2017.
Important Link :
Detail Advertisement :Click here
Application Form :Click here


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Rumour mills were working overtime in the January transfer window in order to try and pin point exactly where the David Beckham institution would be setting up next, supposedly blessing them with the former England captain's class and worldwide following.
However, little attention was given over to the place the Englishman had called home since 2007. Like the former Manchester United player's career, MLS has had an incredible surge in popularity and success since the mid-1990s. Formed back in 1996, the Major League Soccer franchise has gone from strength to strength in a country which has much more love for baseball, ice hockey, basketball and American football, all of whom have the backing of established multi-billion dollar advertisers and owners.
In the space of just sixteen years the cumulative attendances at MLS games has gone from just over two and a half million spectators to finally crashing through the six million mark in Beckham's final season. The teams in the league are benefitting from a growing support base and enjoy attendances which compete with those of the French and Dutch first divisions. Not that either of those European leagues suffer from the stigma of supposedly "uninterested fans".
Despite wrestling the affection and attention away from other established sports in the US, MLS has yet to be taken seriously across the pond where every retiring professional is inundated with opinions that their tired legs and heaving bank accounts could only benefit from "blessing" American audiences with their presence.
In reality the MLS is becoming an increasingly technical and competitive league, benefitting from a sophisticated and successful youth policy which has had a growing influence on who takes home the MLS Cup (resulting in nine different winners in the division's short history).
Many players come through the college system meaning that they enjoy a world class education they may otherwise not be able to afford while being able to train in state of the art facilities with knowledgeable coaches. They remain amateurs at their club until they have finished their college course and so are not clouded from an early age with the money thrown at young European talent and are able to refine their technique for longer without the pressure of competing with professionals in the first team.
As a consequence, a team made up mostly with home grown players reached the final of last month's CONCACAF under 20 tournament before losing 3-1 to their Mexican opponents – no easy achievement for a country which is patronisingly seen not to have a hunger for the game.
In the future the hope for the MLS authorities and club owners will be that any imports from South America and Europe are there to compete rather than pick up lazy cheques. Questions will be raised as to whether the league should abandon its restrictive wage structure which means that an entire wage budget for one season cannot exceed $2,810,000 and no player (apart from three Designated players – reserved for players such as Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane) can take home more than $350,000 a year.
There must be many fans at clubs such as Portsmouth and Arsenal, for different reasons, who can only dream of the day when the Premier League bring in such legislation.
Portsmouth had no restrictions placed on them to control the calamitous financial policy of numerous owners which would eventually take the club to the brink of existence, while Arsenal will lament that the money they pump into player development which is progressively seen as a waste when compared to the ready-made player purchasing enjoyed by their neighbours in the English top flight.
Although a more flexible financial framework may be required in order to bring in players at the peak of the their careers to help heighten the class and quality of the division, authorities at US Soccer should not underestimate the value of the haven they have created in the world of modern football's financial gluttony.
In the same way in which the Premier League has benefitted from the US arrivals of Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard and Brian McBride the MLS will eventually be seen as the perfect location for genuine talent to blossom and compete in one of the world's emerging top class leagues with a passionate audience.


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American Airlines Just Gave United a Lesson in PR Crisis Following an In-Flight Scandal
Flying is becoming an increasingly stressful ordeal. After a nightmarish week for United Airlines, during which a passenger was forcibly dragged off a flight, an engaged couple was removed from a plane headed to their wedding, and a man was stung by a scorpion, yet another flying scandal is making headlines. United is in the clear on this one, with the latest airline dramz involving a mother and her two children on American Airlines. Only this time, the company responded in a prompt and efficient manner, giving United (and the rest of us) a lesson in how to handle a PR crisis.
The altercation occurred on American Airlines flight 591, which was scheduled to fly from San Francisco to Dallas. While passengers were boarding, a mother boarded the plane with her two children and a stroller. Reportedly, a male flight attendant scolded her for bringing a double-wide stroller on board a single-aisle flight, as the airline's rules state that strollers must be checked at the gate. Fellow passenger Surain Adyanthaya videotaped the unbelievable incident that followed, as things got heated when the attendant forcibly took the stroller from her when she tried to "jam it down the aisle." In doing so, he allegedly hit her, barely missing her baby.
#AmericanAirlines flight attendant violently took a stroller from a lady with her baby… hitting her!! ✈😡 pic.twitter.com/fCZc6EldR4
— ✈Monica-مونيكا✈ (@vargasmoni) April 23, 2017
The mom was left crying uncontrollably in the aisle, as a male passenger stepped in and began asking for the flight attendant's name before declaring: "Hey bud, hey bud, you do that to me, and I'll knock you flat!" At that point, the crew member challenged the passenger to hit him and a near brawl occurred. OMG.
Whether they learned from the United fiasco, or simply have a well-thought out crisis management plan, however, AA wasted no time issuing an apology, grounding the flight attendant immediately after the plane landed in Dallas and reaching out to the mother to take care of her as best they could. "We have seen the video and have already started an investigation to obtain the facts," the airline said in a statement issued a mere 20 minutes after the shocking video began circulating. Rather than placing blame on the customer for breaking the rules, they acknowledged the misstep of their employee for using force, saying, "What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers…The actions of our team member here do not appear to reflect patience or empathy, two values necessary for customer care. In short, we are disappointed by these actions. The American team member has been removed from duty while we investigate this incident."
The airline also ensured that the woman and her family would be more than comfortable aboard their next flight, saying, "We are making sure all of her family's needs are being met while she is in our care. After electing to take another flight, we are taking special care of her and her family and upgrading them to first class for the remainder of their international trip."
"We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident," the airline said.
Well done, AA. Well done.
Did American Airlines respond appropriately? Tweet us @BritandCo.
(h/t Refinery29; photo via Scott Olson)


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In tropical deltas, intensive monoculture with three rice crops per year (RRR) has been the standard for decades. However, in recent years some farmers have started rice-based rotations with one or more upland crops per year.The trends for increased grain yields with this new system raises the question as to whether the introduction of upland crops affects properties of alluvial clay paddy soil. This was evaluated in the present study, which was performed at 40 paddy fields in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta under four different cropping systems (10 farms per system) on paddy rice soils: RRR; crop rotation with two rice crops and one upland crop per year (RUR); crop rotation with one rice and two upland crops per year (RUU); and upland crop (UUU). Soil samples were collected at depths of 0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm. Most soil properties differed significantly between the RRR and the RUR, RUU or UUU. The RUR, RUU and UUU systems alleviated soil compaction, resulting in reduced penetration resistance and bulk density and increased total and macroporosity at 20–30 cm depth. In addition, aggregate stability index and plant-available water capacity were higher for RUR, RUU and UUU compared with RRR at the 20–30 cm depth. Average soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks ranged from 59.3 t ha–1 in UUU to 72.3 t ha–1 in RUR, with SOC stocks in RRR and RUU being intermediate (66.4 and 68.3 t ha–1) and not significantly different to that of the RUR system. Carbon hydrolysable by HCl (Chydrolysable) was 74–84% greater in the RUR, RUU and UUU than in RRR systems. In conclusion, rice–upland crop systems may alleviate soil degradation resulting from continuous rice monoculture.
Vietnamese | English
Tạp chí khoa học Trường Đại học Cần Thơ
Lầu 4, Nhà Điều Hành, Khu II, đường 3/2, P. Xuân Khánh, Q. Ninh Kiều, TP. Cần Thơ
Điện thoại: (0292) 3 872 157; Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Saab, the defense and civil security company, is using Green Hills Software's INTEGRITY< RTOS and MULTI IDE in the Saab Skeldar unmanned aerial vehicle's (UAV) redundant flight control unit, based on the Freescale MPC5554 microcontroller. Saab's Skeldar is a fully autonomous, lightweight, unmanned helicopter. The INTEGRITY RTOS provides a totally reliable and absolutely secure platform enabling the Skeldar to support both military and civil roles.


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In what appears to be an ongoing trend throughout the world, the topic of anonymous…
05/12/2014 | read more »
In addition to co-parenting, where both adults contemplate sharing the legal rights and responsibilities of being a parent, another form of parenting partnerships may involve a "known sperm donor" – sometimes just referred to as a "known donor".
From a literal use of the terminology, one might assume that a "known donor" is a person who does not plan to take an active role in their child's life, but has volunteered simply to be "known" as the donor to the child at some point in time. However, in practice, the line between what constitutes a "co-parent" and a "known donor" is often fuzzy, as the parties may contemplate the known donor having an active role in their child's life. Or – in some cases – active participation in the child's life may not have been contemplated, but may nonetheless naturally develop over time. (Refer to our article on co-parenting vs. sperm donation for more information on the distinction between co-parenting and known donors.)
If you are thinking about having a child using a sperm donor – or you were thinking about becoming a sperm donor – then the first question is whether to use (or be) a "known" sperm donor or an "unknown" one.
Perhaps, the easiest way to resolve this question is to ask: "Do I want (or wish to be) someone present in the child's life at some point?" If the answer is "yes", then your consideration should be that of a known donor. If the answer is "no", then you should seek (or become) an anonymous donor. Nevertheless, regardless of which route you choose, you should be aware of the legal implications of a sperm donor arrangement.
Anonymous sperm donor
If you want no parenting involvement by a donor, wish to preserve the donor's anonymity, and diminish the possibility that a sperm donor could be found to have sufficient legal standing to exercise parental rights or be labeled as a father by a court, then you should consider a sperm bank to select an anonymous donor.
By choosing to use an anonymous donor selected through a sperm bank, you will be given the opportunity to review traits such as race, religion, complexion, education and family medical history.
Sperm banks in the U.S. are known for the quality of their testing procedures for both acquired and hereditary diseases. However, a disadvantage of using an anonymous donor is that, were your child to develop a genetic disease, you may not be able to obtain further medical information about the donor at a later point in time.
In many cases, modern technology is eroding the concept of anonymity. With the widening availability of DNA testing and the scope of the Internet, people have been able to track donors and pierce their anonymity. The Internet has also led to the proliferation of donor sibling registries. These websites bring together children who were conceived using the same 'anonymous' donor. Donors are identified by the name of the sperm bank and the donor's identifier. Occasionally, anonymous donors use the website to locate their offspring.
There is some controversy around the use of anonymous donors. In addition to the potential inability for medical follow-up questions in later years, recent news stories have described cases in which sperm from anonymous donors has been used to create dozens of children. Some columnists have argued that a child has the right to know who their biological father is (or in the case of an egg donor, their biological mother). And it is not always clear if the child of an anonymous donor who seeks out their biological parent will be welcomed by the "anonymous" donor.
Known sperm donor
Using a known sperm donor, in which the donor agrees to become "known" to the child, provides both the donor and the recipient the opportunity to include the donor as a part of the child's life, in a manner for the parties to the relationship to agree upon.
However, it is important for those contemplating a known donor arrangement to pay particular attention to the laws of their state. Depending on the state and the fact pattern of the donor arrangement, a known donor may either be seen as a donor with no legal rights as a parent, or may be seen as the legal parent of the child. Therefore, the legalities of structuring a known donor relationship need to be considered carefully, as state laws on the use of a known donor vary widely.
Married opposite-sex couples are generally well-protected by state laws regarding the use of a known donor against any claim of legal parentage by the donor, if they carefully follow the wording in their state's statutes. However, most state laws do not contemplate how a known donor "fits in" with the needs of persons not in a married opposite-sex relationship. Therefore, if you are either single, a same-sex couple, or an unmarried opposite-sex couple, you have to take special care to learn the sperm donor laws in your state. (Even then, a court could potentially find that the "best interests of the child" override the existing state statute.)
The first step, of course, is for the parties to a known donor arrangement to determine exactly what the role of the known sperm donor will be – both in terms of the amount of contact with their child, as well as the legal standing (or lack thereof) that the donor will have to the child. Once this role has been agreed upon, then the parties can determine how the laws in their state have been interpreted for people seeking a similar situation.
For example, if you are a woman considering a known donor, do you want a potential "father figure" for your child with some regular contact with the child who shares a role in raising the child? Or are you looking for a known donor who has no visitation rights to the child and is insulated from financial responsibility? Or perhaps you want something in between?
If you are a man thinking about becoming a known sperm donor but who want to be the child's legal father with all of its rights and responsibilities, then you should consult your state's laws on the legal rights of known donors. If you are not married to the mother and don't live in one of the few states with laws that cover the unmarried, then the birth mother and the father should sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or paternity declaration which is available in all 50 states if they wish to protect the father's legal rights. On the other hand, if the donor does not wish to be considered a legal parent, then the laws of your state should be consulted to understand the circumstances under which a donor's legal rights and responsibilities are extinguished.
Assuming that both the donor and the recipient have the same outcome in mind in relation to the donor's legal relationship to the child (and the ensuing rights and responsibilities), then it is imperative that you both follow your state's statutes and cases exactly to achieve the results you want. Otherwise, unanticipated troubles can ensue. For example, if one does not comply with the exact wording of a statute, a known donor could later be able to exercise rights and be held responsible for support even if that was not the intention of the parties.
Here are some important factors which may affect the legal status of the donor:
● The legal position of the known donor may depend on whether the insemination was done under the supervision of a physician. In some states, if the physician acts as "intermediary" in the child's conception, this will eliminate the donor's legal position as a parent. Check your state statute.
● Using sexual intercourse as the means of creating the child has definite consequences. In this case, the donor's rights cannot be erased through a written contract. Generally, when intercourse was the method for conception, the male will be considered the father unless his rights are terminated by a court. However, a court may be unwilling to free the male from his legal duty as a father when the only other parent is a single mother.
● Some state laws address the use of artificial insemination, but do not address other forms of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Since other types of ART are not covered, the legal positions of couples using these techniques are ambiguous. Eight states (AL, DE, NM, ND, TX, UT, WA, WY) currently have laws that cover all types of assisted reproduction technology; four of them (DE, NM, ND, WY) cover unmarried as well as married couples.
● If a conflict around legal position of the known donor ends up in court, one factor a judge may consider is the amount of post-birth contact between the sperm donor and the child, with the permission and encouragement of the mother. For example, in Colorado a court ignored its state statute extinguishing a sperm donor's parental rights in a case where the sperm donor had frequent contact with the child in accordance with the unmarried parties' pre-conception intention. In a California case with similar facts, a court ruled that the father's rights were terminated because the parties faithfully followed the state statute.
● Some courts have looked to the parties' intent when determining legal parentage, making marriage and statutes irrelevant. In other states, a known sperm donor can be found to be a parent even if such a finding is contrary to the intention of the parents and a written agreement to that effect.
● If you are considering using "fresh" sperm from a known donor, the Food and Drug Administration requires that the sperm donor must undergo expensive testing prior to donating his sperm for insemination. If you fail to abide by FDA regulations, civil penalties can be imposed. Testing includes a medical examination as well as blood and urine analysis, which can cost up to $800. With each donation, new testing is required. One strategy to cost-control could be to obtain a large donation and freeze the excess specimens in order to avoid the need for repeated retesting and to ensure that the donor's sperm is available for additional children in the future.
Finally, just like co-parents should draft a co-parenting agreement to put their intentions in writing, the known donor and the sperm recipient should put their intentions together in a "donor agreement". See our article on donor agreements for more information.
In summary, you should spend some time deciding whether to select (or deciding to be) an unknown donor, a known donor, or a "true" co-parent. Contemplate how you will feel about the difference between known and unknown donors and how it might affect your child. Learn about the relevant laws in your state and whether there have been any cases decided about people in similar circumstances. You should also put your intent in writing through a donor agreement; while courts may vary in how much deference they give to this type of written document, it is a very useful tool for promoting open discussion of each party's goals and expectations.


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Admit it girls, we all fancy our celebs. The glitz of their glamorous world attracts us – what they wear, where they shop, what they dream of, their love-interests, their favourite things – we love to get the scoop. Keeping this in mind, from time to time You! is going to share some interesting tete-a-tete with popular celebrities. This time around, we were lucky enough to get hold of Faisal Qureshi, one of the biggest stars to grace the Pakistani silver screen. The lad started off his career as a child and since then there has been no looking back. The actor has once again gone through a major transformation and toned down his body for a hotter look! Let's read on to find out more about 'Boota from Toba Tek Singh' in his one-liners…
My biggest asset:
My family
I wish I could:
Be a good tennis player
One person I would love to dine out with:
My daughter
My worst nightmare:
Is gone…!!!
My definition of love is:
Being true
One thing I hate about myself:
My mood swings
Something I would like to forget:
I have already forgotten
Something I would like to remember:
My father's advices
My strength:
My brain
I regret:
My accident
I feel over the cloud nine when:
ab tu feelings aisaee nahi hain pehlay hoti thee
I get turned on by:
Beautiful feet
Something that I am strongly possessive about:
My daughter
The most unforgettable moment of my life was:
There are so many, I can't think of a single one right now
The thing that touches me the most:
If I could be another person I would like to be:
President of this country
When feeling low I prefer:
My message:
Be a proud Pakistani.
Source: Mag4u


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The City of Mesa has activated two solar power electric systems at Fire Station 212 / Superstition Police Station and at the Red Mountain Multigenerational Center. The project at 2430 S Ellsworth is a 189 KW solar power generator that was installed on new canopy parking structures. The two projects together are anticipated to provide enough power to provide electricity to 77 homes for a year.
SolarCity installed the projects and they own and maintain them. The city expects to save over a half million dollars over the next 20 years.


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A 20-year career playing Goofy came to a screeching halt for one employee at Walt Disney World after he dragged Donald Duck across the floor following an altercation over an autograph. (Goofy had signed his name on a park-goer's Donald Duck hat. Donald was not having it.)
The stakes are high in Disney's character department, which employs the exuberant people who greet and entertain visitors dressed as beloved characters like Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto at Disney's largest theme park—Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
A Reddit AMA yesterday with the man who was the aforementioned ousted-Goofy (and his real-life dog Max, named after the fictional Goofy's pet) shed some light on the reality of playing one of these characters, day in and day out, and on the hottest of summer days. Some of the former Goofy's claims, like having his life threatened at an event, were downright disturbing, but the majority reinforced the magic of the renowned Disney park.
Reddit has a fairly rigorous process for verifying people who conduct AMAs, or Ask Me Anythings, but Quartz has not independently verified Goofy's identity. The user, who goes by the Reddit name "Ihaveanotheridentity," offered more than a dozen photos of himself playing Goofy—some without the mask on—and other roles at the park. The moderators said they also verify AMA identities through a confidential process that is "much more rigorous and requires unequivocal proof."
Goofy—let's just call him that—said he worked at Walt Disney World for over 25 years in various roles including guest relations and as a tour guide. He said he transferred to the character department in 1996, where he played Goofy for the remainder of his time at the company. (Disney did not immediately return Quartz's request for confirmation.)
Here's Goofy's full account of his fateful, final interaction with Donald:
I was fired. To make a complicated story short, Donald Duck was, as usual, being a jerk and wouldn't leave my area because I had signed "Luv, Goofy" right over the bill of a Donald Duck hat. He threw a temper tantrum and as I was dragging him across the floor to get him back to his position a little kid ran out from behind the curtain at Pete's Silly Sideshow and we knocked her on her butt. The kid was fine and no one complained but Disney didn't really appreciate me dragging the costume on the carpeted floor so they terminated me…
That's a long and painful story. Disney still has no idea the pain and trauma that caused. There were other reasons I think I was not brought back, one of them being terrible legal advise from a lawyer I sought out before my final arbitration. I was also sort of a whistle-blower and I think that played a big role.
During the AMA, Redditors asked some important questions. What's the weirdest request you've ever gotten from a visitor? "A guy once asked me to choke him for a picture (I didn't)." How do you survive on hot summer days? "Practice, actually. It was absolute torture the first month (and especially the first parade) but after a few months I got used to it and after a few years I would forget I had the costume on."
And some of the answers were quite revealing: "In Goofy, you have to look down in order to make it look like Goofy is looking at you."
Other answers reiterated the powerful role Disney World plays in people's lives. Goofy recounted a story of an older man who, shaking and near tears, gave him a pin that belonged to a friend of his who was a veteran. Goofy calls it one of his most prized possessions. He also wrote of a time when he held a child from the Make-A-Wish Foundation who was born with a birth defect that left no muscles in his neck. The boy's wish was simply to be held by Goofy.
The most heartbreaking story, by far, was of Goofy's inspiration for the joining the character department.
When working in another role at the park, he was asked to refund the tickets of two young girls who were accompanied by nurses from a nearby hospital. The girls were visiting from overseas and their parents were killed in a car crash on the way back from the park. The girls needed the money from the tickets to get back home. The rest of the story, which you can read in full here, is incredibly touching and ends with every character from the Mickey Mania Parade working to put a smile on the girls' faces.
As for Goofy's feelings about Disney World after many years and all that transpired: "Loved it then and I love it now."
Feature images by MediumHero6 via Flicker, licensed under CC by 2.0.


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Practice Management Coaching
Kashworks redesigned and improved the website to make it faster, more efficient and much more stable. Jean Oursler is one of the country's top business consultants, a top-rated speaker and world-class executive coach. She achieves the highest results for each and every client each and every time. Every client that Jean has worked with has increased their new business development. That is why her clients call her the Results Queen!


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Man writes own obit, bans relatives from funeral
BERLIN (AP) — A German man has taken his grudges to the grave, telling relatives in a posthumous newspaper notice that some of them aren't welcome at his funeral.
News agency dpa reported Friday that Hubert Martini published his own obituary in the Trierischer Volksfreund, a newspaper in western Germany.
The deceased describes himself as "open, honest and unforgiving" and says his five siblings and their families are forbidden from attending his memorial service.
It is unclear what made Martini want to have the last word, but the 64-year-old notes that in life "I have hurt some people — and that's good."
Dpa quoted a local undertaker, Martina Schmidt, calling the obituary "out of order."
"He wanted to settle scores and now the relatives have to live with that," she says.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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How The Best Quality Precious Stone Jewellery Is Made
Every time you lay eyes on a beautiful diamond ring or a pair of sapphire earrings, you must wish you could have them. That is what every good quality, artistic piece of jewellery makes you feel. Therefore, it is quite natural for you to wish you could have them.
Whenever there are any kinds of precious stone jewellery such as diamonds for sale Hong Kong you should know that they have come to look like they are now after going through a very important journey of jewellery making. A lot of people have put a lot of effort and hard work into the process of making them such beautiful best quality pieces during their production process.
Selecting the Finest Stones
The whole process of creating the best quality jewellery begins with selecting the finest stones. Every time a jeweller receives a number of precious stones they sort through them to find the best quality stones. Even the smallest damage can make a precious stone not valuable or good enough to be a part of a really beautiful piece of jewellery.
Cutting and Polishing Them
Once the sorting of the precious stones is done and the finest ones are found, then, they are sent to the next step of the journey. The next step of this journey happens to be cutting and polishing of the jewellery. A precious stone which is uncut or unpolished does not have the same value as a cut and polished one. Experienced professionals handle this cutting and polishing job.
Joining Them with Valuable Metal
To present diamonds rings retail to the market or any other kind of precious stone jewellery to the market the precious stones have to be joined with metal. These are usually precious metals such as gold, silver or platinum. The metal creates the piece of jewllery and the precious stones adorn that piece of jewllery. This process can take a lot of time if they are done without using machinery. However, you should know that usually this handcrafted jewellery has a unique finish.
Presenting the Work of Art to the Market
Once this piece of jewellery which is in fact a work of art is presented to the market you or anyone else interested in it can buy it. There are times when the jeweller is the person who makes and sells them and there are also times when the jeweller is merely the seller while the creating part is done by someone else.
The value of precious stone jewellery is high due to all of this hard work.


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Instead we were supposed to pay attention to other things... like this desert lichen.
Aphaenogaster cockerelli and Aphaenogaster albisetosa are two very similar species. A. cockerelli have curved spines, while A. albisetosa have more erect spines. They are otherwise very similar looking and can have multiple color patterns depending on where the population was found.
So upon finding the one we were immediately told to catch it... and I replied "Aren't the little ones deadly?"
The response I got wasn't all that encouraging but I'm under the impression that it's like a bee sting. You have to be allergic to the venom for it to be serious. There is the Bark Scorpion is another story but they weren't reported in the area.


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Jamie Oliver is a well-known and highly successful celebrity chef and restaurateur. Born James Trevor Oliver in May 27, 1975, he grew up in a pub in Essex and being surrounded by food. Since the start, he has presented over 20 television shows, opened several restaurants and published many successful cook-books.
Jamie first gained his fame with his successful Television series, The Naked Chief that aired on BBC. After the show's success, he launched his cook-book that flew off the shelves and became the #1 Bestseller in UK. Jamie is also very active in charity. He opened Fifteen, a series of restaurants that have novice staff and train underprivileged people to be good chefs.
Jamie also started a campaign to promote healthy food habits in schools and in children. The Feed Me Better campaign has been garnering support all over the world.
He's well-recognized for his charitable ventures and his cooking and presenting style is much appreciated by his audience. Because of this, he was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2013 and has been awarded MBE by the Queen. He is a great promoter of organic, locally sourced food and vegetarian dishes.
Oliver Parents – Sallly and Trevor
Jamie Oliver was born to Sally and Trevor Oliver and grew up in their pub in Clavering, Essex. According to Oliver, his parents have always been publicans, i.e., people who run pubs. Jamie's grandfather on his father's side ran a pub in Southend too.
Jamie grew up around food and used to help out in his parents' and his grandparents' pubs for pocket-money. The passion for the culinary arts originated from here.
He also has two siblings, Anna-Marie Oliver and Ian Oliver.
Oliver Spouse – Juliette Norton
Oliver married his wife, Juliette Norton, more commonly known as Jools, in July of 2000. The couple has known each since 1993 and were together for seven years before they got married. The couple have been steady together for over 20 years, enjoying a good, stable marriage.
Jools is often described as the backbone of the Jamie Oliver brand. She has been there since the beginning, when he was in school and worked with him in London, where he was mastering his craft.
While Jools considers motherhood her occupation, she is a successful person in her own right. She has written several children's books and on a few occasions.
Jools is also involved in designing of the Little Bird collection of clothing of children under 5 for the brand Mothercare. She insisted that the clothes be under £15 and the affordable collection was a quick success.
Oliver Children – Poppy Rosie, Daisy Pamela, Petal Rainbow and Buddy Maurice
With his wife, Jamie Oliver has four children, three girls and a boy. They're named Poppy Rosie, Daisy Pamela, Petal Rainbow and Buddy Maurice.
It is known that the couple's first child, Poppy was an IVF baby since Jools has polycystic ovary syndrome. However, after Poppy, all children were conceived naturally.
Oliver's Net Worth
As of 2014, Jamie Oliver has a net worth of £ 240 million.


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For those following our blog, you already know that we love houses. We've even been known to drive leisurely through towns, down side streets and back roads just to get a glimpse of how and where people live . . . as we showed you in our posts on Georgetown, SC and Annapolis, MD.
So, one morning in St. Michaels, MD, we left our Kemp House Cottage (one of the Old Brick Inn properties) to get a bit of exercise and take a peek at the houses on our street. As we strolled along the sidewalk, we could picture people living there, enjoying wide front porches and comfy chairs, waving at other residents in the mornings or evenings, or working in their yards to change out seasonal flowers. A seemingly great life in one of our favorite towns on the Eastern Shore.
Admittedly, homes were similar: white clapboard or red brick construction with maybe only a colorful door to distinguish one from another on the street.
But not so at the bend in the road: Coastal Elites made our day! A little bit of Bohemia right there in St. Michaels — vivid greens, an eclectic mix of signs, pots filled to overflowing with summer plants, and a grand, leaning umbrella. What's not to love?
And then, beyond the green splendor: a covered bridge!
An unexpected, pedestrian-only bridge appeared right beyond a lake surrounded by native plants just begging for walkers and joggers to come closer.
And we did.
We took in this bridge from a distance and then up close. And what we saw was a neighborhood with a very special "plus one": an interesting addition to the usual jogging path and a welcome place for taking in the quiet of an early morning in St. Michaels.
Travel quaintly,
Rusha and Bert
This post has been linked to Thursday Doors by Norm 2.0 for Thursday, November 5th, 2020. You'll enjoy all the architectural elements in the posts linked to Norm's: https://miscellaneousmusingsofamiddleagedmind.wordpress.com/2020/11/05/thursday-doors-november-5-2020/
It's also part of a series that encompasses our travels on a recent road trip from Knoxville to Gettysburg and the Eastern Shore called Road Trip 2020. We hope you enjoy traveling with us!


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"I left my sessions feeling positive and happier. Now I have a plan to move forward towards my goal with renewed energy."
Tracey, Healthcare Professional & Entrepreneur, Hawaii, USA
Tracey, Healthcare Professional & Entrepreneur, Hawaii, USA
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"Jenni was very attentive and compassionate. She has excellent language and listening skills; she was able to capture all of what I was trying to express. She gave me space and patience to allow me to figure out what I needed. I learned to be patient with myself personally and professionally. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be coached by Jenni. She is a powerful, strong and competent coach and this coaching allowed me to be authentically hopeful about my future. She is compassionate, present, focused and supportive in a way that makes you feel safe to share your deepest struggles. I highly recommend working with Jenni, you will experience transformation professionally and personally. Thank you Jenni!"
"My work with Jenni helped me see that intention and preparation can guide you forward, while perseverance and an open mind can lead you to places you might not have imagined."
"Entering the coaching I was looking for a certified strengths-based coach to learn how to implement my strengths and talents to achieve my goals and tackle ongoing problems. That's exactly what we were doing with Jennifer. During our sessions we've created several strengths-based solutions which I'm using every day to boost up my performance."
"I have been working with Jenni for the past 8 months and we have been on a journey of leadership skill development. It is my great pleasure to testify that I have always found Jenni not only an expert coach but a great person. I feel no hesitation to recommend Jenni as a coach of choice with expertise in all areas of today's business processes!"
"Jennifer is a wonderful encouraging and yet challenging coach. Her style of coaching challenged and helped me achieve my goals. She pushed me when I needed pushing and encouraged when I needed encouraging. She gave me space to work through things and challenging questions when I needed. She had great timing and fluidity in her coaching. I learned that I can achieve more than I thought I could and be more than I thought I could be. I increased business and confidence."
"I always looked forward to my coaching sessions with Jenni as they were enjoyable insightful. I left my sessions feeling positive, happier with a plan to move forward towards my goal with renewed energy and possibilities. Jenni is a patient, caring and non-judgmental coach and a good listener; I highly recommend her."
"Jenni is a great coach, supportive, intuitive and she uses silence well, to help her clients move forward. Her knowledge of Strengthfinder as well as her encouragement to think creatively was amazing. I would highly recommend Jenni as a coach as she creates a warm, environment for clients as they explore their potential!"
I had the good fortune of getting coached by Jenni. I found her very insightful and her intuition power is very well developed. I found her very keen on benefiting me on my goals. She is a great listener and allowed me to speak my mind, yet mindful of time and asking some very good questions. She made me comfortable right from the word go, which paved way for me benefiting from this engagement immensely. I would recommend her wholeheartedly and wish her all the success in her future assignments. Thanks Jenni for helping me in my journey.
"Jenni has helped me in becoming more focused about my personal goals, through her asking of good questions and even paraphrasing/rephrasing my own thoughts in order for me to see myself with greater clarity. In addition, she has also been able to help me break these large and vague goals, into smaller and practical steps to be undertaken. Furthermore, as I easily lose my original focus due to the demands of life, she has often been able to keep me reminded of my original intentions. With the greater focus and constant realigning of my motives and intentions, Jenni has helped me pursue goals which are intrinsically me, yet are also so easily blurred by life's distractions. "
"Thank you so much for helping me discover my strengths and for coaching me. My gratitude to you for your support."
"Jenni was an amazing coach who helped me realize what was and wasn't important to me in my life. She was very easy to talk to, and never shied away from asking me tough questions. She is brilliant in asking questions in a way that you realize what you've wanted all along. I was able to make better decisions for me on my own because of her help!"
"She is very professional in her approach. She allowed me to explore my issue at my pace and helped me explore it from all angles. I enjoyed her sessions very much. "
"Jenni is a fabulous trainer and we thoroughly enjoyed the Strengths-Based Leadership Workshop she delivered. Thank you!"
"She helped me clear my mind on a few issues that had clustered my thinking. I was able to figure out that I was stretched too thin and had to step back and do one thing at a time. That was a good insight and it brought an incredible amount of relief to me."
"Cuando tuve la oportunidad de tener sesión con Jenni, fue una gran experiencia que quisiera volver a tener. Realmente descubrí que había muchas cosas de las cuales no hablaba con nadie, es decir: sueños, metas y aun miedos que con nadie había compartido. Un gran tiempo y muy útil para mi crecimiento como persona y ser humano. Gracias!"
"I found my experience with What If Coaching Services to be tremendously beneficial and would highly recommend it for you as an individual or for your organization as a whole. Jenni was professional, relational and uniquely cares about the growth and development of her clients. After having a couple coaching sessions with Jenni, I found it to be so beneficial that I asked her do a group coaching session with the team that I lead within a larger organization. The group coaching opened the eyes of my team as to how we can benefit individually and as a team from understanding and relying on each others strengths. Strengths Finder is a great resource but when you add the coaching component, it becomes truly transformational to how one things, operates and leads."
"My coaching time with Jenni was definitely a positive experience! She is so easy to connect with and is passionate and knowledgeable about what she does. Knowing more about myself and what makes me tick through StrengthsFinder has helped me to be more strategic in my approach to life and work. The things we discussed helped me to understand more of how I got to where I am today and fueled me to recognize and pursue what I love."
"Jenni is a great coach. If you want to gain insight on your strengths through Strengthsfinder, Jenni is a trained facilitator and can help you gain insight into yourself and help take you to the next level."
"I appreciated the consultation time, thoughtful questions, and careful listening Jen provided during our session. Although I had reviewed my Strengthsfinder results previously, she helped me understand how each strength interacted with the others, which is a facet I hadn't understood before. I also benefitted from her expertise by learning about each strength on a deeper level. The experience gave me a better holistic understanding of how my strengths impact my daily life, which is helpful both personally and professionally."
"Jenni provided me the tools to step forward in my own life. Not telling me what to do, but giving me the freedom to think critically about myself. Then being able to process that effectively and tangibly as it relates to me."
"I learned from Jenni's openness and desire to provide her clients with value how important these personal character strengths are in my coaching practice as well."
"Jenni introduced me to Strengths Finder and other coaching techniques that were new to me. She provided great clarity and focus around her own coaching journey that inspired me to follow suit."
"Jenni listened to me and helped me learn things about myself that enabled me to make the changes I want. The coaching she provided helped me make changes that improve my health now and for the future."
"Jennifer is an excellent coach, listens intently and is totally present for her client during the session. She is also goal focused and able to hold the client to the agenda to work towards their vision. She questions and supports the client in exploring new possibilities and learning. I would highly recommend Jennifer as a coach to any client."
"Jennifer helped me gain greater awareness around my strengths and how they influence my thought processes and actions. Her collaborative, supportive, and direct coaching met me where I was and at the same time encouraged me to push past limiting boundaries. Her questions led me to develop strategies that were aligned with my strengths and considered those that rarely show up. Thanks Jennifer!"
"The Cultural Intelligence training that What If Coaching provided helped our diverse team understand each other's values and communicate more effectively. We also identified the cultural issues we're facing as an organization and discussed the cultural values influencing these situations. It was a very enriching workshop!"
"She is a deep thinker who is committed to learning, teaching and growing. She is willing to step outside her comfort zone which I greatly admire."
"I was very pleased with my session with Jennifer. She was very helpful and communicated quickly when helping me plan and prepare for the session. The coaching time itself was very insightful and engaging. I felt that I came away with new insights into my personal strengths and ideas for moving forward with developing them. She also followed up with me later and sent more resources and steps for moving forward with strengths based coaching. Highly recommended."
Ready to find out more about Coaching? Let's have a conversation to discuss how we could partner together so that you can overcome limitations, explore possibilities, achieve goals, and live life to the full.Contact Us
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Everybody wants to live a fulfilling life but we often face limitations and setbacks that hinder us from achieving our goals. We can feel overwhelmed by all that's on our plates. This has detrimental affects on our health, professional development, well being, work, family, and overall outlook on life. Coaching will help you regain health, have a vision for your life, improve relationships, and have more success at work.
- Erin Hanson
We offer corporate workshops on Personal Health Planning, Strengths Based Leadership, and Cultural Intelligence as well as one-on-one Professional Coaching. We can work together to help you overcome limitations, achieve goals, explore possibilities,
and live life to the full!
Jenni is a supportive and collaborative coach who loves to partner with her clients as they realize their potential and reach their goals. Her clients have described her as easy to connect with, a careful listener, collaborative, professional, and encouraging. They've remarked how at the end of the sessions they feel empowered and ready to move forward to reach their goals.
She is passionate, not only about helping her clients grow and develop, but about continuing to develop herself as a coach. She loves to learn new ways to better serve those she works with and has many tools she can bring into the coaching session like StrengthsFinders, Cultural Intelligence Assessment, Mindmapping, and Personal Health Planning.
She knows the power of asking "What If…" and how it can shift our perspective and open up possibilities we never before knew existed. Seeing and exploring "what if" possibilities can be a game changer.
She is available to work with individuals and teams and can work in English and Spanish though she is most comfortable in English.
She believes in helping her clients unlock their potential in order to live the lives they were made for.
In addition to being an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, she is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a Cultural Intelligence Center Advanced Professional, and a Duke University Certified Integrative Medicine Health Coach.
The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential (source: www.coachfederation.com)
Anyone who wants to become the best version of themselves. This includes people who have a goal they want to reach, dream they want to pursue, or those who want to grow in self-awareness or leadership skills.
Counseling is about healing the past and coaching focuses on moving toward a fuller life by reaching goals that are important to them.
Our clients remark that the coaching journey takes courage, vulnerability, and focus. They say they feel more confident, accomplished, and they are able to see clear results by the end.
Yes, we have worked with clients from 27 different countries. Some of those have been face-to-face meetings as our coaches are ready and willing to travel but most of them have been handled through Zoom. We can easily meet online no matter where in the world you are :)
We have many different coaching programs. Connect with us for a consultation call and we'll recommend a program that will fit you goals. Our programs usually last 1-6 months.
Yes! You can sign up for a free consultation here www.support.explorewhatif.com
Yes, we work with corporates and non profits to help them grow in leadership, cultural intelligence, awareness of unconscious bias or in team building.
Yes, is your team in the middle of a decision or a transition? Bring in our facilitators to help your group stay engaged, meet your goals, and have fun while doing it.


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President-elect Donald Trump has appointed two new advisers to his transition team that will oversee his FCC and telecommunications policy agenda. Both of the new advisers are staunch opponents of net neutrality regulations.
Jeff Eisenach, one of the two newly appointed advisers, is an economist who has previously worked as a consultant for Verizon and its trade association. In September 2014, Eisenach testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee and said, "Net neutrality would not improve consumer welfare or protect the public interest." He has also worked for the conservative think-tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and in a blog post wrote, "Net neutrality is crony capitalism pure and simple."
Mark Jamison, the other newly appointed adviser, also has a long history of battling against net neutrality oversight. Jamison formerly worked on Sprint's lobbying team and now leads the University of Florida's Public Utility Research Center.
Both Eisenach and Jamison are considered leading adversaries of net neutrality who worked hard to prevent the rules from being passed last year. For the uninitiated, the rules passed last year prevent companies internet providers from discriminating against any online content or services. For example, without net neutrality rules, internet providers like Comcast and Verizon could charge internet subscribers more for using sites like Netflix. The FCC's net neutrality rules would protect consumers from paying exorbitant fees for internet use.
President-elect Trump has also been a vocal opponent of net neutrality. In 2014, he tweeted:
The latest news from Trump's transition team spells bad news for more than just the open internet. In addition to opposing net neutrality, Jamison has also publicly opposed FCC chairman Tom Wheeler's attempts to open up the cable industry's monopoly on set-top boxes. Jamison recently wrote that chairman Wheeler's reason for revisiting cable set-top box rules relied on "bad math and falsehoods masquerading as facts."
The appointments should be startling to regular internet users because both advisers are like for deregulation. As it stands, most Americans have only one or two choices for broadband providers. With less regulation, it could encourage companies that are practically running monopolies to start price-gouging consumers. Back in February, four million people sent emails to the FCC in favor of passing net neutrality rules—but it now appears that those rules could soon be revised by a new administration.


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Last November I had the great opportunity to style for a wedding at Bajacu villa, designed by the famous Mexican architect Marco Aldaco. The property is stunning; 360 degree villa views of Caribbean perfection set atop one of the highest peaks on Providenciales.
The villa itself is architecturally multifaceted, true to Aldoco's nature, and nestled into a gorgeous tropical landscape. But it doesn't stop there. A narrow, native stone winding path leads down to the ocean, where the above images were backdropped beautifully by the talented Melinda Le Photography.
Bajacu is bold and richly colored, perfect for the "bohemian chic" color inspiration behind mbweddingdesigns palette. When designing the florals I used watermelon peonies for luscious large pops of color, coral snapdragons and pink genistra for spice, and lily grass to give the bouquets a wild touch. To coordinate with luxe linens and chiavari chairs I requested a gold hued floral and Gemma from Environmental Arts made the excellent suggestion to use kangaroo paw . . . perfection!
As you can see, the bouquet needed to be incredible! Given this gorgeous of a location and this beautiful of a bride, I must say the ladies at Environmental Arts did a fabulous job of breathing life into my vision!
We created boutonierres with coral freesia and lily grass, statement making wrist corsages for the mother of the bride and groom, and an adorable peony pom for the flower girl. The ringbearer carried a small conch shell filled with bright pink petals to hold the precious gems. Morroccan style lanterns filled with candles and flower petals lined the aisle to the ceremony sight, and what a sight it was at sunset!
The tablescapes featured ocean inspired linens, white coral centerpieces, and vivid florals. I could go on and on but instead here are a few more of my behind the scenes images of the tablescapes below:
Our congratulations to Meg and Brian! It was an honor to style for such a beautifully orchestrated affair.