text:
Archive for category Resurrection People
John 12:12-16 Jesus is Coming to Town
Posted by myoikos in #2018, #cross, #easter, #faithsharing, #gotell, #palmsunday, #passionsunday, Holy Week, Jesus, Resurrection People, Spiritual on March 24, 2018
The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!" Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. [NRSV]
Why Hosanna?
The words of praise. Hurray! Glory! Wonderful! come to mind, but this is a more unique word that Hebrew and recorded in Jesus's native Aramaic. It is a phrase word. Just as the folks from Athens, GA might say: "How 'bout them Jackets" (haha, twist intended) it would be a celebratory "Glory, Glory to ole Georgia." If these phrases were encapsulated into a word we would the idea of 'Hosannah"
Hosanna began as Lord, God Save us! and through the Gospel's has come to mean, Highest Praise, who has saved us. So their use of the original context is twisted with the early church's use of the old testament word.
So we have Palm Sunday as a pre-celebration that Jesus coming into the world, and in our hearts and lives, is the celebration of our salvation.
Which means if Jesus does not come to the world, to our heart, and to our town, then we are NOT saved. Here in is theological of preparing for a life as Easter People.
We usually only read this passage as an observer of a historical event, but it is shared in the Gospels as Good News and not just historical newspaper clippings.
Hosannah: Jesus has saved me, even though we celebrate the death on Good Friday and the Resurrection of next Sunday as Easter, we look at this story of entry into the city as a necessary part of the process.
We prepare for Easter knowing it is our victory march! The ASSURANCE of what WILL be and not just hope of what MIGHT be.
Why Palms?
The disciples did not gather to get Creighton's Florist to order dozens of palms to be ordered, the palms were a response from the people who are making a traditional sign of welcoming the king.
This is a difficult time for us to respond in unison with any unifying act of praise and celebration because we have become a culture of suspicion, rebellion and divided support.
Some might hope, in our country that the "Stars and Stripes" would be an obvious rally flag. For some, it an illicit political protest.
I hope that you will do the spiritual work to see that the people might have divided reasons for welcoming Jesus as King.
Some who were in the crowd that day had experienced Jesus teaching, healing or miracles, while others knew only the oppressive Roman rule, and still, others were supporting glorious days of kings of the past hoping for the revival of political greatness.
Bottom line the palms are unifying symbols of many different individual reasons, some helpful and some dangerous.
Why a donkey's colt?
Jesus came to town with is Colt? Would mean have met the expectation of many who were hoping for a new sheriff to clean house and restore order. When in fact, Jesus comes in humility to spiritually reorder the whole world and all time.
Think of the Jesus riding in a church parade. If this were a political parade there would have been legions of soldiers, a banner of the empire and emblems of Cesear. This is a church parade. Not everyone entered a float, but the people respond as if it is a political, flag-waving event.
Jesus rides in, not in a BEAST of an armored car, not on the back of a convertible, not even proud Clydesdale stallion. It's more like he rides in on a pickup truck, not a four-door, HEMI, but a simple work truck.
But the symbol for some would be as if the self-proclaimed president was riding in 'on' a smart car. You know that Consumer Reports does not the rate the "Smart Car" in their rating in a polite way of saying: "If you can't say something good and helpful, don't say anything at all."
The palms and praises are the people's response, Jesus message is the spiritual work that is being completed through the events of the week at hand. We call it Holy Week, but it is the week when everything we hold dear is lost and hope is out of our grasp… Oh, how we long for Easter, Salvation, Life, and Christ!
Wave OUR palms because we need to lead others out of hopelessness, fear, and sin into the joy that aways through the journey at hand.
This is what we share, this is why we praise, this is why we are the church, we are Christian, not for ourselves, but for OUR collective hope in the ONE who does save us. This week of Journey is the toughest part. Reach out to one who is in the hardest part o that spiritual and physical journey sharing the hope and joy that we KNOW is coming soon!
Again the call is to share the journey with those who cannot see this week is holy.
Matthew 16:21-28 "Worth the Journey"
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #costofdiscipleship, #findingJesus, #freedom, #godisstrong, #godisable, #relationship, #sharingfaith, 5 Practices, belief, Church, creation, Disicpleship, Faith, grace, Jesus, Meaning, Relationship, Resurrection People, Sacrifice, Sin, Trust on September 2, 2017
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." [NRSV]
Making Disciples: What is a life worth?
A very difficult thing asked of me was after mom's death, from being hit in a head-on car accident was to give a value of her life. The attorney asked my brother and me, what was the value of mother's life for the court case. To come up with a number for the judge. The determination was to be made on what her contributions to the common good would be. The value of her reading to middle school students, mentoring graduate school students, visiting in prison ministry, writing Sunday school lessons, volunteering at her church, and the impact would have a neighbor and citizen. If one were compensated for volunteering at a reasonable rate a figure could be determined for the projected number years she would likely live to serve and that number came to roughly $200,000. But was that value of her life? The young man who drove his uninsured luxury car into her had no assets, and his family had twenty-six previous suits against them, so the final assessment of her life was valued at 1000 hours of community service and no dollars. Is that justice? Is this how God measure our lives? For me, it was a life lesson about the misplaced value of one's life.
What is your life worth to God?
- You are worth the life of his only child,
- You are worth designing energy, matter, gravity, physics, and mathematics,
- You are worth sharing a relationship with God.
- God has paid for our life, but does not force us to pay God back,
- God offers a way to joy, peace, and wholeness, yet wants us to want to appreciate, trust and follow.
- God says your life is worth it all, hoping you will choose the life God paid for you to live.
The journey of our life is about what we do with the time we have: Choosing God or humanity as our highest goal.
Discipleship: It Ain't Easy
- Peter declares: God forbid it to be difficult, hard, challenging, unpleasant or demanding
- Jesus responds, Get away your evil thoughts away from me.
- It is evil lived from only a human point of view.
Remembering we are Spiritual People in a Physical Incubator.
There are times that we make following Jesus even harder,
this is a charge against the church if we hold the keys and call the shots for what it means to follow, then there is room for abuse
Jesus models choosing God's call for his life or the voice of emotions and reason alone.
Peter says: Don't take the hard path, choose the path most traveled.
Sometimes things get in the way of our best plans:
A story about a country farmer who had a mule with blocked-up plumbing, he called the new veterinarian in town to come help. The young vet had a bottle of large laxative pills that modeled the phrase, 'horse pill' that was fast acting and guaranteed to unstop the most stubborn gastric stoppages. He found a long piece of pipe with a contraption to secure one end into the mouth of the mule and the other end he would insert the pill and make certain the pill went right to work. He secured the pipe and straps around the mule, added two horse pills, took a deep bread, but the ass blew first.
Jesus calls Peter a stumbling block
setting one's mind on human things instead of divine things
Pray right now!
ACTION: "Lord, forgive me for being a stumbling block.."
- Disciples recognize that life devoted to Jesus is greater than the life we can make without him. (justice)
- Disciples recognize that life is a gift and God gives us a choice to use our life as we choose. (freedom)
- Disciples recognize God desires good for us but does not force God on us. (meaningful relationship)
- Disciples recognize that a good life is not measured by having stuff, or a comfortable life. (worth/value)
- Disciples recognize God is willing to follow the choice we are called to make. (sacrifice)
Choose God's self over the self you choose
To follow God is to find:
- wholeness,
- justice,
- freedom,
- meaningful relationship,
- worth, value and
- sacrifice.
in 2017 We live in mountain top period of thinking that is human focused.
- What is best for humanity, the majority, the minority
- What is best for me and those like me
- My right and the right of others to choose what it good and right
- It's my life, my decisions, my definition, my right, my understanding, my dream, my ideal
When we exclude God or even allow God to slip into second place, we choose with the best of humanity has to offer, but without the love, wisdom, grace, and power of God.
When hearing this when others say things like: (Human limitations)
- Love me or accept me for choosing myself
- It is my life, my will
- Accept me for choosing my own way,
- Accept me for believing the common denominator is our safest place.
- Shame on you for not accepting my choice made from my perspective.
The court of public opinion may have the majority of human perspective and still miss the mind and heart of God.
Peter, one of Jesus' chosen, is telling Jesus,
you know what is best for yourself,
we don't want to see you suffer
You have God powers, just zap trouble out of your way,
The Heart of the passage: Losing and Finding
finding ourselves in following Jesus
The Journey of sharing our faith is affirmed where our trust, faith, and allegiance is grounded.
Faith means we see that for all you and I can do, we never can do enough on our own
Trust God means we know we are awesome creations with great minds and dreams, but without God death is our worst limitation.
Walking with Christ, we bring together the best of being human into a relationship with God.
Choosing a different path is ends in trusting what is evil, broken, limited, empty and apart from God.
How many people do you know today who have:
evil rules in their lives?
experience brokenness in their bodies, relationships, minds, and hearts?
find themselves living at the limits or out of bounds on a daily basis?
someone who feels lost and empty and distant from God and God's people?
These are the people who need the gift of Christ that guides us..
- Step one for today: Pray that I am not a stumbling block. (At least don't let me lead someone astray)
- Step two for today: know it is a daily choice to walk with Christ ourselves
- Step three for today: acknowledge it is not easy, and we need Christ to lead, bless, carry, push and call us on.
Let's get to the journey today
Trust the Old Story for New Life
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #buildingblocks, #jesus, #kingdomofheaven, #sharingfaith, Resurrection People, Transfiguration, Truth, Witness, Worship on July 29, 2017
Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. [NRSV]
Jesus the parable painter
- Mustard seed
- Yeast
- Treasure hidden
- Pearl
- Net
Every story is a out the same thing. The kingdom of Heaven. Billy Graham preached for all his years and always the same sermon: Jesus Christ and him crucified fir our sins.
Parables train us for what is new and old.
Scripture through the eyes of
tradition AND
reason and
Not any one or two of the other.
The Old is the scripture the new is the contemporary context. Jesus is giving the new as examples of the old
Jesus is establishing building blocks: look at the pieces.
Mustard seed
The kingdom of heaven is larger and with more purpose then we can imagine
The kingdom of heaven spreads and transforms whatever it comes in contact with
Treasure hidden
The kingdom of heaven is worth security and investing in pursuing
The kingdom of heaven is something to be searched for and pursued and is worth more than what we have
The invitation to the kingdom of heaven is open to a home but not everyone will find it is their home for eternity.
The kingdom of heaven:
1. TKoH is more than we expect
2. TKoH is to be shared
3. TKoH is worth the journey
4. TKoH cost everything
5. TKoH is open to all but all will not find it home
- begins here and now
- Is found when we share it
- Is the labor of our life
- Is priceless
- Some will give it up
Is Gods Heavenly Kingdom
- Something you are experiencing
- Are you Sharing it
- Is your life devoted to loving God completely more than thinking God correctly
- Are you at home in God, with the People of God now?
Bottom line: get to
- living
- giving & sharing
- loving & trusting
- Building & doing and
- worshiping & growing
Or else (Parables can kick us in the butt)
- You just have a seed stuck in you shoe
- You just have the ingredients but no cake
- You just have treasure but never use it
- You just stay busy without joy
- You talk and think but are like the grass that withers when it dies.
Romans 8:12-25 Worth Groaning
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #holyspirit, #presentage, Extravagant Generosity, Family, Holy Spirit, Relationship, Resurrection People, Salvation, Spiritual Growth, Suffering, Trust on July 22, 2017
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. [NRSV]
We are Spiritual
- Children of God
- Living to fulfill/follow the Spirit
- Preparing to inherit God's kingdom
We Suffer Spiritually
- Comparing Physical and Spiritual
- I'm only human, I'm just a man/woman/child is not our spiritual excuse
- We live in hope of being set free from suffering
Groaning of Labor Pains
- The mixed blessing of suffering for the gift of life.
- Groaning inwardly in anticipation of adoption
- Trusting hand hoping in what is known but not seen
Romans 8:13-25
- Acknowledge the reality of suffering and Labor of faith
- Call for encouraging the children of God
- Hold one another and our self in patience.
- Know it is struggle to live in the Spirit
- Know we are not alone nor forgotten
- Trust God who loves, saves and call us is worth the work and waiting.
Matthew 10:24-39 Acknowledge Jesus Daily
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #findingJesus, #relationship, #sharingfaith, Ministry, Relationship, Resurrection People, Witness on June 23, 2017
"A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
"Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. [NRSV]
We know too well many ways to ignore, reject, and avoid sharing our faith and allowing others into our faith journey. This passage warns us of the consequences of pushing others away. Don't tell folks to talk to the hand, share the hand of Christ who loves, saves and calls us into life together.
Acknowledging Jesus is With Us
- Talking About who Jesus was, is and will be is the easiest and beginning point of our promise to Witness Jesus Christ.
- Learning the stories, details, and information about Jesus is the foundation, but it is only our starting point.
- More people stop at this place and find know many things about Jesus something of which to be proud and comfortable
- Example: you and I might know many stats and details about a person who plays a sport and many seasons of many players, but that never assumes that we are on the field ourselves. But knowing the rules, stats and stories are a place to begin to connect.
Acknowledging Jesus Saves Us
- Developing a Relationship with Jesus begins in a relationship with the people of Jesus's body, church folks.
- We live in a an era where we have to earn the respect and opportunities to share the church's message.
- No longer can we assume we have a voice in the community.
- No longer can we take a pass waiting for someone to ask us about Jesus
- No longer can we bemoan or complain about how easy the church once had a central role.
- Now is the time for the church to rekindle and reclaim that faith story of salvation, hope, and love we assume the world knows, trusts and believes.
Acknowledging Jesus is Shaping Us
- The Good News is acknowledging Jesus is not a regurgitating of historical information to a lost and hurting world.
- Acknowledging Jesus is giving the invitation to join in a spiritual journey where the answers unfold along the way.
- Acknowledging Jesus is seeking Jesus's story is woven through our story.
- Acknowledging Jesus is finding our role is leading others to follow, as we follow Jesus.
- Acknowledging Jesus is placing our purpose in the heart of the one who died and lives for our present and our future.
I challenge you to acknowledge Jesus Today
- Find someone here today and practice: Tell how you become a follower of Jesus,
- Tell someone why you continue to grow as a following of Jesus
- Confess a struggling place you fail without Jesus's saving help.
- Give someone the opportunity to give their brokenness, emptiness, questions, doubts, and fear to Jesus.
Together we find ourselves in sharing ourselves in Christ. This is the daily work:
- Lord, I am broken without you, Save me again today,
- lead me in your work even though I don't deserve or even know how to start again,
- I recognize, affirm, acknowledge, proclaim and accept, you complete me. Make me yours
- Make us restore us in the ways you have worked, hoped and created us to become.
- Go Repeat, share and lead others
Gen 1-2:3 Look What Good God is Doing 20170610
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #creation, #goodness, #jesus, #rainbow, #relationship, belief, creation, Faith, God, Goodness, Intentional Spiritual Growth, Relationship, Resurrection People, Salvation, Scripture, Sin, Spiritual, Worship on June 8, 2017
Sermon Broadcast: Remote from Culebra, PR on Facebook on the RSUMC FB page on 20170610 at 9am and 11am EST.
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so.
God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. [NRSV]
The Core of our faith is God.
The creation account in Genesis chapter 1 teaches us three things about God. Intentionality is Love, Purpose is Order and Order is to share that relationship of God.
I will go and prepare a place for you, if it were not so I would have told you. Jesus describes to the disciples and early followers that God's ongoing purpose is to prepare a place for us. The story of the promised land is a story of the grand adventure of God preparing a place for us to be in relationship. The story of the garden of Eden is witness of God preparing a place for us to be in relationship. The story of Jesus's death and resurrection is a witness the God is committed to doing whatever is necessary to give us a path, access, to a relationship.
No matter how much emptiness and chaos, God chooses to prepare and order a place for us.
God orders relationship.
I will have a side of fries with that. God speaks and calls for a physical, tangible place as preparation for being with us.
It is through this very passage, in Monterrey, Mexico in the summer of 1983, while on a mission trip at the John Wesley Seminary, that God revealed a call to create a relationship for ministry in my life.
I can't say that it was orderly. I was struggling down a path to become a pharmacist. Can you picture me sitting quietly behind a counter, wearing a white lab coat, in the basement of hospital or as the drive-in window of a Walgreen's/ CVS? A life spent orderly counting pills, filing insurance forms and dealing with hospital or retail bureaucracy and politics? Why was I ever interested in such a career?
First it paid a respectable wage and I loved Dr "Red" Connelly.
Through much prayerful reflection and a specific night in a worship service, staring at a 100 watt light bulb, what had compelled me to love the job, was the person and personal ministry of Dr Connelly. It was not running a store that inspired me, it was the conversations over the counter, the listening to a hurting words and offering a response of hope, compassion and healing that reflected God's presence through his vocation. It was not the job, it was the relationship.
God is about Good Order
Looking at the brokenness, failures, emptiness and chaos in our lives we see things through the eye of disappointment, defeat, regret, anger, shame and others. None of these bring order, peace and the type of relationships that make us whole or joyful.
God is very intention about, not only bringing order, but structure that is filled with cycles, processes, systems, and inter-connected relationships.
When we are around someone who is ordered by brokenness we feel the physical, emotional, financial and others feelings of being drained. There is never enough money to fix, there is never enough words to comfort, the are never enough things falling into order, that open us to the wholeness and goodness that God has given for us.
In all of creation, God names it's purpose: Goodness
God orders dark and light, day and night, earth and heavens, fish, animals and people for the purpose of Goodness. Every story of sin and brokenness in the Bible and in our lives reveals how we take what is ordered for Good and use it for what is not Good/evil.
God alone can take what is broken and evil and make it into Goodness.
When the world takes was is Good, sees it as a threat.
When the world takes what is Whole and crucifies it to prove point
When the world takes what is God's love, and turns it into order without live
The God of creation
Define Good
Order's Wholeness and
Reveals Love
The complexity of creation
The building blocks of mathematics, physics and energy
The charge and challenge to subdue, have dominion and feast on Christ
but why?
Creation and all that orders it and the reason to suggest that none of it has meaning, purpose or intentionally, reveals that God continues longing for us to chose a relationship of Goodness.
So what is the relationship of Goodness?
All these gifts of God are good when they direct us to a relationship with God.
When they do not we sin, twist the purpose and celebrate chaos.
If your give your child or grandchild a puzzle, you hope they will find both challenge and joy developing motor skills, perspective and proportional reasoning, the benefits of trial and error and you want them to have fun in the process.
If instead they use it as a material to start fires, they have missed the fuller gift.
If you gift your child or grandchild a sum of money you hope there will learn to make wise choices about saving, investing and making value judgements of Goodness. you know they will often make poor choice, but if you never teach them and they never ask for instruction, why would we expect them to choose the good use of your gifts?
We know too well about making poor choices: concerning money, health, relationships, time, energy or strength.
God has given gifts, words and Spirit to teach us.
If we throughout the instructions because we want to do it on our own, then we rely on chance that our way is God's good way. We are 99.9999% likely to choose poorly.
The story of creation in Chapter one is a faith account of intention, purpose and challenge.
Chapter two reveals how quickly we choose what is not Good, what is not God, and the consequences effect us and others, immediately and eternally.
Here the Good News
God has created for Good for us. God has not given up, even if the rationalist, the political community, and the fear-filled folks have:
The basic instruction is to use the gifts around us for God.
Guide the relationships around us, toward God and Good will complete us.
Guide our relationship around ourselves, and Good will be farther from us, hidden.
Everyday life, outside garden
More days are work days, days to rest in God are more rare.
The ratio of 6:1 is an interesting idea.
52 days of rest and 313 days of work each year.
God is investing a work of Goodness that we might meet God, heart to heart
God is gifting us in the struggle that connects 1/7th of the time.
We think perfection is wholeness. striving to be the best..
The best place to be is in the heart of God's goodness.
You don't have to rich, smart, short or tall, fat or thin, young or old, you and I DO have to be in God to find this goodness.
Work on it six times to hear it the seventh.
Lector Divina: Re-reading to hear the text in different ways: What if you committee to listen and reading this passage seven times today. You will be six times more likely to hear it's message.
But who wants to give the time?
God does. This is the goodness. God is faithful to the order and process of a relationship of Good shared with us.
- Revealed in Creation
Revealed in Resurrection
Revealed today in Spirit and fellowship as the church.
I thank you for the support and prayers to take part in mission trip and to share this word from Genesis today. This verse interrupted my life 34 years ago and it continues to reconnect me to God's call upon outlives.
- God creates to show us love
God orders to give us a path/process to follow
God waits to meet us on the road, even while we are yet sinners.
God longs for us to find our peace, rest and heart resting in God's heart.
We come to Culebra tardy to share this love with neighbor in PR and in RS.
Look what God has done for us,
Let us find our rest in him, together.
1 Peter (4:12-14,) 5:6-11
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #finalexam, #graduation, #jesus, Preparation, Resurrection People, Scripture, Stewardship, Truth on May 27, 2017
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.
But they will have to give an accounting to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does. 7 The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. [NRSV]
I do not remember being excused from taking final exams in my schooling career. Some of the final days of each term were easier than others. There is something fundamentally missing if we exclude the final exams.
I realize it has become the incentive to study and work hard all along and if you do so throughout the term, the final would be a redundant pressure, and yet, real life is filled with final exams that we 'wish' we could skip, but we are not given the pass.
Do you remember any particular finals?
I remember feeling overloaded with information that I questioned its importance on the remainder of my life.
I remember wondering in some classes, would I have an "A" and others would I have a "D" and be grateful.
My studiousness improved the longer I went to school. Kindergarten to the senior class, two years at Oxford, two years at Emory, three years at Candler, five years at Gammon at the ITC. 25 of my 53 years have been spent in school. 53 of my 53 have been filled with tests and exams that question, measure, and challenge my faith.
If I gave myself a grade on my spiritual maturity I would prefer to be compared and measured with the hitters in baseball. Where a good season might be in the .300-.400s. comparing that is still failing compared to the A,B, C etc scale.
What I can say, is that my needs improvement is improving, the more exams I prepare for, face, endure, and reflect upon in my life.
For our Students and for us all
Real life/Faith is not excused from exams, tests, & trials.
Verse 7 begins with a call for the end of all things as the context in which we live.
Live as if the final exam is tomorrow.
- Be Serious: Be responsible for your own actions
- Don't sign up for the blame your neighbor course
- Don't be uninformed or excuse yourself from
- learning and
- growing
- Discipline Yourself
- No one else can have faith for you
- The prayers of others are not enough
- Take the mindfulness of #1 and apply it with accountability
- Maintain Constant Love for one another
- The extra credit is to matriculate in practicing love for each other
- The place to get on track, when we fall off the wagon, is to love
- and keeping practicing love,
- even if you don't feel it,
- love will come to life.
- Hospitable without Complaining
- Hospitality: Doing what it takes to connect, welcome, share, interact, with others
- Even when we have reason to complain, do not let that stop us from showing hospitality
- Even when we disagree with one another, err on the side of hospitality, (not just a southern thing.)
- Be responsible with God's grace as a good steward
- We thrive on Grace but know that with freedom that Grace afford
- Arrogance, Apathy, Anger, Selfishness, Coveting, Untruthfulness, and the like cloud and distance us from living in Grace.
- If the teacher allows you to rework your paper if you received a failing grade, don't wait to fail in the future. God see us as we are.
- Use the gifts you have been given
- Don't wait to get started for the new equipment
- Don't hesitate to procrastinate
- See that God gives each of us, what we need to begin in faith.
- If you talk, speak God's word
- Not everyone's gift is speaking, but if you do, make clear that your message is true in reflecting God's Word and not our twist on God's word.
- If you serve, rely on God's strength alone
- Not everyone is good at responding and acting when it comes to sharing your faith, but know that God does not take a summer break from expecting us to trust God's strength and not rely on ours alone.
- The Goal: All this, so that God get's the glory in all things through Jesus Christ
The Catch/Hook: Final exam is the same as daily exams.
- Do you wait and study only when you must?
- Do you procrastinate?
- Do you get lost in the getting prepared to learn and lead and are so organized but never find God's strength or grace?
- Do you give us when it get's difficult?
- Do you find yourself distracted?
- 1 Peter is a prayerful call to action and accountability
- The Teacher has left the room but will show up at any moment, what type of student will you and I become?
Hear the Good News!
Jesus is our strength and teacher
Jesus is our grace and hope
God's Holy Spirit is our guide and power
If Christ's return is today, tomorrow or 10,000 years from now, the final exam is in progress.
Colossians 3:1-4 Easter: Hidden with Christ
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #cross, #easter, #findingJesus, #gotell, #heisrisen, #jesus, #mysundaysermons, #resurreciton, #rsumc, #sermons, Easter, Hope, Jesus, Joy, judgement, Meaning, Relationship, Resurrection People, Sacrifice, Trust, Truth, Witness, Worship on April 14, 2017
Revealed in Christ
The Big Change in the Meal
Who am I in Christ Jesus
Easter People Celebrate
Romans 8:6-11
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #holyspirit, Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Lent A, Lent B, Lent C, Relationship, Resurrection People, Sacrifice, Salvation, Scripture, Sin, Spiritual, Witness on April 1, 2017
You Are In the Spirit
Mind Set on the Spirit
Life Set on Righteousness
2. Spirit's part is to make us complete, whole, God's
Dwelling in God
- Not just following the rules, "Grace beyond Belief"
- Not just accepting Christ, "the uttering of the prayer or confesstion"
- It is the "carrying the cloke as well,"completeing the Spiritual Circuit,
- Devotion to Serve in the Spriit. IT MORE THAN 'MY' SALVATION, Our Salvation
- fulfilling our purpose, of being light in the darkness for others.
- living in the promised land, as a model/lighthouse for others
John 4:10-14 Spiritual Thirst
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." [NRSV]
Give me a drink:
Give us this day our daily bread. Our bodies need water each day. The proper amount to remain hydrated is varried, but if the general consensus is that our bodies are 50%-70% based on many factors.
Water serves multiple purposes:
- Water is the primary building block of cells.
- It acts as an insulator, regulating internal body temperature. This is partly because water has a high specific heat, plus the body uses perspiration and respiration to regulate temperature.
- Water is needed to metabolize proteins and carbohydrates used as food. It is the primary component of saliva, used to digest carbohydrates and aid in swallowing food.
- The compound lubricates joints.
- Water insulates the brain, spinal cord, organs, and fetus. It acts as a shock absorber.
- Water is used to flush waste and toxins from the body via urine. ref
I have no bucket
Jesus knows that this woman has no bucket, because of the time of day and the lack of others at the well.
Well of Jacob – promised land: Spiritual water – a promise of eternal home.
Gushing up to eternal lifestyle not still water waiting in a well, but living water moving toward us.
What does it mean to spiritually thirst?
Spiritual thirst is the underlying motive that people have to seek after God, to start and continue their search for God.
It could be guilt over sin, it could be a longing for honest community, it could be guidance and direction, among some ideas.
It could be a stark realization that the person has made a giant mess of their life. Driven hard, past empty and now stuck.
Quenching our Spiritual Thirst
- Living Water is the Building Block of our spiritual self
- Living Water protects and insulates us in times of temptation and testing.
- Living Water helps us digest, understand and apply scripture.
- Living Water lubricates when we get stuck, dry, worn out, afraid.
- Living Water flushes sin out of our systems and spirits.
- Living Water is bottled, distributed and provided by God as a living presence in our lives.
So What?
- Drink Up! Don't be spiritually dehydrated
- Look To Jesus and the church for the Bucket!
- God desires to reach out to our spirit and make us whole.
- If you find someone needing access to the well, lead them to Living Water.


text:
Extendable Dining, Kitchen and Office Conference Tables to mobile kitchen serving carts. Whether you are looking for a massive extending table that seats 18 or a modern stylish dining table than can make room for a few more guests, we have you covered. Browse our catalog of Office, Kitchen and dining furniture below.
Junior Giant Extending Table Set with Chairs
The Slate: Grey Ceramic Glass Top Table
View our collection of extending Dining, Office and Kitchen tables. We also have a variety of compact desks, trolleys and other useful items all the way to massive expanding conference tables. Ample counter space may be a rare commodity in this day and age, but this category of extendable office and kitchen units can open up possibilities to anyone looking for a little more surface area where they cook and eat at home or serve a large group in an office space. Some of these little gem space savers fold down to a miraculous 5 inches! Helpful as a mobile bar, serving cart or tea trolley and looks great as a stationary table. The convenience and quick change of function of these units will impress as you entertain your guests. Carts with multi-directional wheels allow tables to be pulled, pushed and moved in all ways without awkward catching or jolts. Extending consoles to dining tables adjust from conference room settings to your personal kitchen table that can accommodate small to large groups. Desks and cabinets that convert to highly functional work spaces are the new game changers. Be amazed by the duality of these chameleon style designs!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
a sound made by a bird.
a sound imitating that of a bird.
a device used to imitate the sound of a bird.
Historical Examples
The King of Ireland's Son Padraic Colum
The School of Recreation (1696 edition) Robert Howlett
Blue Robin, the Girl Pioneer Rena I. Halsey
Proverb Lore F. Edward Hulme
An American Girl in Munich Mabel W. Daniels
John Thorndyke's Cases R. Austin Freeman
The Bright Face of Danger Robert Neilson Stephens
Madelon Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Three Times and Out Nellie L. McClung
the characteristic call or song of a bird
an imitation of this
an instrument imitating the call of a bird, used esp by hunters or bird-catchers
Tagged: b
Read Also:
- Bird-cherry
any of several species of cherry, especially Prunus padus (European bird cherry) of Europe and Asia, and P. pensylvanica (pin cherry) of the U.S. the fruit of any such tree, for which birds have a particular liking. Historical Examples Fables for Children, Stories for Children, Natural Science Stories, Popular Education, Decembrists, Moral Tales Leo Tolstoy […]
- Bird-colonel
chicken colonel. noun (US, military slang) a full colonel in the US Army
- Bird–dismount
Hecht (def 1).
- Bird-dog
one of any of various breeds of dogs trained to hunt or retrieve birds. Informal. a person hired to locate special items or people, especially a talent scout who seeks out promising athletes. Slang. a person who steals another person's date. to follow, watch carefully, or investigate. to seek out. Informal. to follow or watch […]


text:
Southfields Blue Houndstooth Slim Fit Designed in Biella Suithttps://www.tmlewin.co.uk/suits/2-piece-suits/southfields-blue-houndstooth-slim-fit-designed-in-biella-suit-59583S.html
Southfields Blue Houndstooth Slim Fit Designed in Biella Suit Jacket
Southfields Blue Houndstooth Slim Fit Designed in Biella Trousers
Additional Information
Product Details
This statement suit is crafted from pure wool, which has been expertly woven at the specialist Yünsa mill. Designed in Biella, it epitomises refined Italian apparel.
The jacket is slim fitting, which gives a sleek silhouette without restricting movement. The textural quality of the blue houndstooth weave is perfectly complemented by a vibrant geometric lining.
This suit will transition from business lunch to after-work drinks with ease. Wear the jacket separately, or pair it with the coordinating waistcoat for a three piece suit that is ideal for weekend weddings or other formal occasions.
- 100% wool
- Woven at the renowned Yünsa mill
- Blue houndstooth
- Slim fit
- Two-button suit jacket
- Half lined with exclusive lining
- Cloth weight: 260g
- Dry clean only
Delivery Options
Free Click & Collect - Collect from a T.M. Lewin store in just 1-3 working days and receive £5 to spend in-store. £5 voucher to be redeemed in-store on any purchase over £10 on the day of collection.
Standard - Delivery in 2-5 days - £4.95
Guaranteed Next Day - Order by 2pm - £8.95
Saturday - Order by 2pm Friday - £9.95
International - from £8.00
We hope your purchases meet your discerning standards, but if you wish to return an item and live in the UK, you can send it to us completely free of charge using the free returns label. We recommend you get a Proof of Delivery from the Post Office.
All items must be returned with a receipt or delivery note, in saleable condition, in the original packaging and with all labels attached. Returns exclude altered shirts, underwear, footwear, gift voucher purchases and delivery charges. Faulty items that include altered items, may be returned within six months of purchase.
Please note that hemmed trousers cannot be returned for a refund or exchange unless faulty. If you are unsure of your sizing, we recommend choosing unfinished (36") and visit your local TM Lewin store for your adjustments with proof of purchase. The standard charge for alterations will be £9.75.


text:
"The Voice" is reviving the Coach Comeback, which it used in seasons 9 and 10, for this 12th edition. Each of the four coaches — Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani — will bring one artist that they bounced from their team in the knockouts back to the show for the live playoffs that kick off on April 17.
Keys has to choose from the following two artists who she eliminated that were not stolen by another coach. Read our recaps of each and then vote in our poll as to which of these you think is the strongest pick.
Photo Gallery: 'The Voice' past winners for seasons 1-11
Jack Cassidy ("Unsteady") lost to Vanessa Ferguson ("If I Were Your Woman") on April 4
Cassidy was, as the song title says, "Unsteady," on this 2015 hit for the rockers X Ambassadors. Ferguson delivered an emotional performance of the soul song "If I Were Your Woman," which had been a big hit for Gladys Knight and the Pips back in 1970. With Keys choosing to take Ferguson to the live shows, Cassidy was done as no other coaches still had a steal.
Tour our photo galleries
for Team Adam, Team Alicia, Team Blake, and Team Gwen
Dawson Coyle ("Demons") lost to Anatalia Villaranda ("Two Black Cadillacs") on April 10
Coyle went with "Demons," a 2013 hit for the rock band Imagine Dragons. It worked well for him, especially after Keys counseled him to concentrate on conveying the lyrics. Villaranda opted for a pop version of "Two Black Cadillacs" a 2012 country No. 1 for Carrie Underwood, the 2005 winner of "American Idol." After Keys finally chose to go with Villaranda, Coyle was hoping for a steal from Shelton but it was not to be.
Dish 'The Voice' with TV and music insiders in our notorious forums


text:
А human being is an inseparable part of nature. We are strongly connected with a world around us. This being air we are breathing with, water we are drinking and food we are eating. Each cell of our body sensitively reacts on any outer change and like a tiny mirror accurately reflects the condition of environment. What is this mirror saying to us? If all cells are full of strength and excellently cope with their work it means that a person is not just healthy, but that he is breathing with pure air, drinking spring water and eating healthy food.
And if there are plant's stacks or a highway near your house? And if we have no other alternative than chlorinated water and food grown up on chemical fertilizers?
Someone would say that many people live this way nowadays and they are not complaining on their health besides. However if we examine the cells of modern citizen under a microscope, we will see soot, residue and traces of alien chemical substances there. Physicians call it inner ecology violation. What is the danger in inner ecology violation and why we are speaking about necessity of regular cleaning so much nowadays?
First, in order to cope with residues we spend a lot of energy, which we need for full-value vital activity.
Secondly, many chemical substances turn out to be a strong allergen. They can seriously damage the work of immune system.
Thirdly constant poisoning of cells can considerably raise the risk of chronic diseases. All these consequences of inner pollution we can see in the following scheme.
Fortunately we have a possibility to prevent cells' pollution and avoid all these unpleasant consequences.
First, we can leave for a distant, untouched nature study corner, for example "Letnaya Zolotitsa" and live in the purest environment. This is the most effective way.
Secondly, we can use modern means of cleaning ourselves thus supporting the cells' health in our everyday life.
In eco-hotel "Letnaya Zolotitsa" one can find pure air, spring water, peace, all beauties of nature, harmony and northern food. All these factors stimulate the natural systems of inner cleaning. The pure ecological territory together with health-improving system based on the latest endoecology and chronobiology achievements help to clean yourself softly, without any stresses. And each cell of body is being cured.
The materials of Corporation "Siberian Health" research centre were used.


text:
Shop All
KoneZone Fishing Flashers
KoldZone Kill Bags
Fishing Tackle
Red Beards Herring Brine
Bait Dye
TakeDownz UV Soft Spike Beads
Crab Trap
Bonaire Ultimate Hose Nozzel
Sawyer Products
Tactical Stick N Shoot
BBQ Products
Boating tools
New Products
Corrosion Control
Folbe Products
Fish Care and Handling
Hybrid Light Solar LED Light / Charger
Tight On Top
Lure Tape
Grand Slam Bucktails
KustomIZE KoneZone Lure Tape
SnoMaster AC/DC FRIDGE/FREEZER
Cargo/Fridge Slide by Front Runner
Fillet Away
Richardson Ball Caps
Fish Fillet Processing tools
Smoke Chief / Cold Smoker
> Smoke Chief / Cold Smoker
Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator
Smoke Chief is an amazing new way to smoke all of your favorite foods. This unit produces "cold smoke" and can be easily connected to any grill or outdoor cooking...
Size Chart
Smoke Chief is an amazing new way to smoke all of your favorite foods. This unit produces "cold smoke" and can be easily connected to any grill or outdoor cooking device to quickly produce delicious smoked foods. This new product is unique in that it will turn a barbeque grill that most families already have into a smoker in a matter of seconds, and it produces a 'cold smoke' that allows for consistency in making your favorite recipe.
The Smoke Chief works by simply filling up the tube with BBQ pellets then plug it in and you're ready to go. On most grills it sits next to the grill and pipes the smoke in through the rotisserie hole that is already available. Smoke Chief smokes for up to 3 hours on just one cup of BBQ pellets and operates on 12VDC or 110AC power.
The Smoke Chief has been used with gas grills, pellet grills, charcoal grills, smokers and numerous other outdoor cooking devices. It is easy to attach the Smoke Chief to any of these devices and sets up with little effort.
With a variety of BBQ pellet flavors available, the options are endless in flavoring your favorite foods with this cold smoke generator. BBQ pellet flavors are available in 5 flavors from Smokehouse Products, including alder, apple, cherry, hickory and mesquite. Because the Smoke Chief is a 'cold smoke' generator you can smoke a range of new foods such as cheeses, eggs, beans, salts and much more in addition to the normal meats, ribs, fish, pork, beef, ham and others.
Smoke Chief allows the everyday cook to smoke foods like a professional!
About Us
The Blog
Privacy Policy
Customer Service
Contact Us
Track Orders
Shipping & Returns
Terms & Conditions
My Account
My Account
Order History
Address Book
Stay Current
Stay up to date with all of the latest
news, promotions, and events.
Stay Current
. All Rights Reserved. Designed by


text:
Arielle Vandenbergmodel
#2199Most Popular
BirthdaySeptember 27, 1986
Birthplace California, United States
AGE31 years old
Album3 Pictures
Model and actress who appeared in the first two seasons of the popular CBS show How I Met Your Mother.
She appeared in the spoof comedic film Epic Movie in 2007.
She appeared in the 2009 romance comedy The Ugly Truth with Katherine Heigl.
Before fame
She attended Fallbrook Union High School.
Related to
She dated Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner from 2011 to 2014. She also dated web video star Matt Cutshall and in early 2015, she began a relationship with comedy actor Will Arnett.


text:
The Ed Paschke Art Center celebrated its grand opening with a private preview party on June 21. More than 300 celebrities, artists, family, and friends guests gathered to honor the late artist and his work. The center, located at 5415 West Higgins Avenue in Jefferson Park, officially opened to the public on June 22, which would have been Paschke's 75th birthday. The center is open Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and admission is free.
Chicago Has Some Pretty Bananas Street Names
13 hours ago
Sam Esposito's Iconic Tales
2 days ago
Submit your comment
Comments are moderated. We review them in an effort to remove foul language, commercial messages, abuse, and irrelevancies.


text:
SNEAK PEEK: Tune in Sunday for exclusive interview with Mark Paradies, developer of TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis System
Mark Paradies talks about human factors and how he developed a root cause system that helps investigators ask better questions.
View the entire television segment:
Air Date
September 3, 2017
Network and Time
Fox Business Network – 5:30pm EST
Channel Finder
Air Date
September 3, 2017
Network and Time
Bloomberg EMEA – 7:30am GMT
Bloomberg Latin America – 10:30am D.F.
Bloomberg Asia Pacific – 3:00pm HKT
Channel Finder
Category: Media Room
No Comments »
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post.


text:
Are you a potato lover whose tired of plain mashed potatoes?
Now don't get me wrong I am a tried and true spud lover, but there's only so many way to dress up mashed potatoes.
Well it just so happens that I came across a recipe from Cooks County that takes the ordinary potato and elevates it to a not only visually a beautiful platter of potatoes, but this dish literally melts in your mouth at first bite accompanied with a crispy golden sear on the outside and with each bite you'll get a punch of flavor from using fresh herbs and a rich chicken stock. These potatoes are to die for and very easy to make and can be served with chicken, beef or lamb.
The first time I made this dish I had used only dill, it came out better than I imagined, so why not bump up the flavor next time by using a variety of herbs and for a kick of spice added red pepper flakes.
If your making beef or lamb use same stock or go vegan and use vegetable stock and the result is a creamy center with a rich flavor from using good stock. Also if your main dish has a gravy or sauce these potatoes will soak it up very nicely.
Believe me when I say once you try this recipe you'll want to make these delicious potatoes again and again, and they do make a beautiful plate of food.
Adapted from Cooks County 2006
3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups low sodium chicken broth or use your own.
5-7 garlic cloves, finely minced (if you are not a garlic fan you can add less)
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure you DO NOT use a glass baking dish, use a metal baking pan. A glass baking dish can shatter in a very hot oven.
Place oven rack in upper-middle position of oven and pre heat oven to 500 degrees.
Square off ends of potatoes and cut into ¾ to 1-inch thick disks.
Rinse potatoes and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine melted butter, red pepper flakes, finely chopped herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Toss potato slices in butter mixture and arrange in a single layer in a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan.
Roast in oven for 15 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and use a spatula to flip potatoes over.
Place back in oven for another 15 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and flip potatoes over again, both sides should have a blonde color on both sides.
Before putting tray back into the oven add 1 cup of your choice of stock and place back into the oven for another 15 minutes.
Remove tray from oven and flip potatoes over one last time and add the last cup of stock.
Back into the oven for the last 15 minutes.


text:
Julie and I planned to visit the new Griffith Park Observatory today in a small celebration of our wedding anniversary. But then, we were greeted with a massive traffic jam on the I-5. It was only 9am at the time, but we could see the massive plume of smoke that was coming from the Sylmar fire, which we had just learned broke out last night. And if you can imagine burning gas, paint, metals, plastics, etc. from homes, you can imagine how toxic this smoke is!
So we turned around and headed to Little Saigon for some Vietnamese food. But when we left that restaurant a short while later, we suddenly saw another giant plume of smoke hovering over the immediate area. This time, it came from Anaheim Hills/Corona/Riverside area.
Just when I was hopeful that the rain from a couple of weekends ago would usher in the Autumn and Winter and perhaps improve the conditions for some local waterfalling, we now get 90-degree weather and low humidity again - in the middle of November!
It seems like the Santa Ana winds are happening more frequently these days (wasn't it only a year ago that there were numerous fires in the San Bernardinos, San Gabriels, Santa Monicas?). It's pretty obvious to me that our drought and wildfires are intimately linked to Global Warming and overdevelopment locally. Two years ago, we saw firsthand the drought in Australia and they already made the connection (possibly one of the reasons why Kevin Rudd was voted in over John Howard in their election a year ago). I think it's our turn to feel that kind of pain (if we haven't been in it already).
Locally, it seems clear that Mother Nature is trying to take back the hilly areas where fire has been suppressed. But I always contended that irresponsible laws and economics (especially regarding the lack of environmental accountability) led to overdevelopment and increased reliance on fossil fuels. Well, we're witnessing the effects of such policies right now.
While I see the economic recession as an opportunity to right the ship nationwide and bring in a system that makes sense both economically and environmentally, locally I see these wildfires as an opportunity to halt urban sprawl, invest in desalinization, public transportation, solar and wind energy, etc. (pretty much restoring the state's infrastructure) rather than leaving things be. How much longer can we tolerate not doing anything?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
There's No Winters Here; Only Santa Anas!
at 2:25 PM
Labels: california, drought, santa ana winds, wildfires
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Plague Town
No reviews yet. Be the first to review this. | See similar products
Ashley was just trying to get through a tough day when the world turned upside down.
- More Below…
Product Description
- Author
- Dana Fredsti
- Binding
- Paperback
- Cat No.
- 2555256
- 9780857686350
- Genre
- Fantasy
- 9780857686350
- Publisher
- Titan Books
- Type
- Books
Ashley was just trying to get through a tough day when the world turned upside down.
A terrifying virus appears, quickly becoming a pandemic that leaves its victims, not dead, but far worse. Attacked by zombies, Ashley discovers that she is a 'Wild-Card' – immune to the virus – and she is recruited to fight back and try to control the outbreak.
It's Buffy meets the Walking Dead in a rapid-fire zombie adventure!
Customer Reviews
There aren't any reviews published for this product yet, why not be the first to write one?Write your own review.


text:
Roland Emmerich doesn't want to direct a virtual-reality experience for you. He wants you to direct VR for everybody.
"I'm too much of a dictator" to shoot in the immersive format, the "Independence Day" director said during an interview and demo last week. VR lets viewers decide where their attention should be. "I want to decide where the camera is," he said.
So unlike most of his Hollywood brethren, who are venturing into virtual reality by shooting narrative VR experiences, Emmerich is going the route of a startup co-founder, with a mashup of live-streaming, VR and a social network. And as the explosions in his films might suggest, he doesn't go small: The endgame of his VR company, Vrenetic, is to bring VR to the masses.
Good luck. Virtual reality, which uses headsets to make viewers feel transported into a different world, has been one of technology's hot trends in the last three years, attracting huge investments by the likes of Facebook, Google, Sony and Samsung. But even those giants have run up against skimpy consumer traction compared with the hype.
And by tackling VR through live-streaming social interaction, Emmerich and his co-founder, movie producer Marco Weber, are going up against some of those heavy hitters at their own game.
First look
Vrenetic's first foray will be Vresh, a combination of live-streaming social app, plastic VR glasses and 360-degree video camera that attaches to your phone. It takes elements of Google's Cardboard VR viewer and Twitter's Periscope live-streaming service and mixes them with some augmented reality too, a la Snapchat's Lenses.
Founded less than a year ago, Vrenetic (pronounced like "frenetic," but with a "v") plans to release Vresh (pronounced like "fresh," but with … you get the idea) to the public in March, after beta tests this year. Its initial run will be 5,000 units of its glasses. Vrenetic plans for the app and the glasses to both be free, and it hopes to build its own 360-degree camera as well.
The pair demoed an early version of the app and glasses last week to a small number of people.
The Vresh app has two roles. When paired with a 360-video camera, it lets you broadcast live to a single person, like a virtual-reality Skype, or to many, like a Periscope stream. When you slip your phone into a set of plastic VR glasses, the Vresh app also becomes a viewing platform to watch these live streams or prerecorded snippets of 360-degree video, which Emmerich and Weber call "capsules."
The glasses, made of hard plastic, look like frosted-glass spectacles with antennas sticking out near your cheeks. These protrusions end with viselike blue pads, which grip a smartphone to hold it an inch or so from your face. The glasses stay on your head by temple arms that loop around your ears — you adjust the arms so the glasses are locked tightly from the back of your ears to the bridge of your nose.
While I stood in a stuffy, windowless WeWork conference room with the Vresh plastic glasses clamped to my face, I chatted in 360 degrees with Emmerich, who was in another room down the hall. One of his public-relations reps held the broadcasting phone, selfie style with her arm extended, while its 360-degree camera captured the entire lobby around it, Emmerich and all. He and I traded hellos — I could hear and see him, he could only hear me.
At this early, prerelease stage, Emmerich and Weber are the first to concede both the app and glasses are works in progress.
During my demo, my video exchange with Emmerich had a second or so delay, and it sometimes slipped down to a lower quality to handle the load of all 360 degrees of video in (almost) real time. Whenever I spoke to Emmerich, his live stream also rebroadcast me speaking over speakerphone, so everything I said was repeated back to me on the broadcast. The glasses felt heavy the first time I wore them, with the entire weight of an iPhone resting on the bridge of my nose. When I tried to take them off, their loops behind my ears got caught in my hair.
"Is it as good as an Oculus? No, but it's good enough" for something manufactured for $6 or $7 and handed out free, Weber said.
To broadcast, the sliver of consumers who already have 360-degree cameras can use their own gear. But for the rest, Vrenetic aims to eventually release a $20 kit that will include a video-capture device of its own making, plus the glasses. For the demo, Emmerich and Weber broadcast with an Insta360 Nano, a $199 iPhone accessory already available on the market, as an example of how the app could work with existing cameras.
The co-founders are also developing augmented-reality style filters that would overlay on a livestream. In my demo, a simple animation showed an airplane that flew by slowly then lobbed a water balloon at my face. The goal is for features like that to be part of a publishing kit they want to enable users to create their own VR snippets.
The company is exploring making money on Vresh through corporate sponsorships, i.e. Coca-Cola wrapping its logo and colors around Vresh boxes that are handed out at a livestreamed event. Advertising on the app is another possibility.
Taking on Facebook and Google?
Most of the elements of Vresh already exist, often from powerful companies. Facebook as well as Google's YouTube already offer 360-degree video livestreaming for their billions of users. Since 2014, Google's Cardboard viewer has offered an ultracheap way to turn your phone into a rudimentary virtual-reality machine. And after an initial wave of hype, Snapchat's Spectacles — glasses that capture video you can overlay with filters — seem to be a flop.
Asked about the possibility that one of those behemoths could snuff out Vresh like Twitter's Periscope squashed independent livestreaming startup Meerkat in 2015, Emmerich and Weber brushed aside the threat.
"If that happens, it happens. What can we do?" Weber said. Those would-be competitors could just as well become partners, he said.
Emmerich said the company wants to quickly put its stake in the ground.
"I'm really excited by this, like I am with a film that is a new idea," he said. "I had the feeling like [this in] 1995, when I had the idea that I should do this big alien invasion movie. I had a little bit the feeling that this doesn't exist."
Virtual reality 101: CNET tells you everything you need to know about VR.
Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility.


text:
Fisher Center for Business Analytics to Tackle Difficult Data Problems
Our intent is to identify the most interesting, difficult data problems today that require state-of-the-art solutions and establish Haas's leadership in data science as it applies to business.Read more.
Henry Chesbrough Honored for Pioneering Innovation Ideas
Henry Chesbrough, faculty director of the Garwood Center for Corporate Innovation, was honored with a medal from the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) this month for his standout work in innovation management. Read more.
Berkeley-Haas Transforms India's Poor Villages Through Open Innovation Initiatives
For the past half year, the government of Andhra Pradesh, India, has commissioned Berkeley-Haas to develop a scalable prototype for a smart village. The project is led by Solomon Darwin, executive director of the Garwood Center for Corporate Innovation at Haas.Read more.
50k Google Scholar Citations
The institute is proud to congratulate Professor Henry Chesbrough in his recent milestone of reaching 50k citations on Google Scholar! Read more.
UC Berkeley, power company Enel launch innovation hub
Prof. Henry Chesbrough, known as the "father of open innovation," recently helped launched UC Berkeley's Enel Innovation Hub. The initiative will foster collaboration between Berkeley-affiliated startups and Enel, a multinational energy company Read more.
Data Strategy & Data Driven Marketing Course on May 15 – 19, 2017
Prof. La Blanc will lead a 3 day course on Data Strategy for Business Leaders from May 15-17, 2017 & a 2-day course on Data Driven Marketing Course from May 18-19, 2017. These courses will equip attendees to assess and modify a company's data strategy as well as design new business models around data collection and analytics. Read more.
$2.2 Million State Grant to Expand Campus Entrepreneurship Opportunities
Haas undergraduate and MBA students will gain expanded entrepreneurship offerings as part of a new $2.2 million grant from the State of California. The state grant money will be distributed over three years to the NSF I-Corps program. Read more.
Eleven Startups Receive New Round of Dean's Seed Grants
Eleven early-stage student startups have been selected from a record 40 applicants to receive Dean's Seed Fund grants this spring.This year's teams include students in the Full-time MBA and Evening & Weekend MBA programs.
Read more.
Top Innovation Thinkers Gather at Berkeley-Haas for ICC Conference
About 70 innovation scholars from around the world are gathering at Berkeley-Haas this week for the ICC conference, where they will ponder the forces that drive industrial and corporate change. Among the pioneers attending the three-day event are Nobel Prize laureates Oliver Williamson of Berkeley-Haas and Kenneth Arrow of Stanford. Read More.
Digital Disruptions in the Workplace
Tom Keiser, CIO of Zendesk, attended the Fisher CIO Leadership Program's CIO Community event in September, and wrote about the conference topic: "Digital Disruptions To The Workplace – What Every CIO Should Be Thinking About". Read the article.


text:
Global Business Expertise
Studying here has changed my career. I can definitely say that I have been achieving my career ambitions.
It was actually not difficult to choose VIC-CC because I knew what I want, which was to study at a real business school with a real businessman as an instructor.
Personally speaking, I can say that my instructors became my advisors and my classmates became my family.


text:
CreditShop Lending Licenses
CreditShop is a qualified, licensed lender compliant with credit laws in the states below.
To view CreditShop lending licenses you are required to have Adobe Reader installed. You can get it here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/
About Us
CreditShop provides affordable personal loans for everyday and emergency needs. Interest rates range from 18% to 36% and conform to the federally mandated threshold of 36% ... which many consumer advocates consider essential to keep borrowers out of the debt trap. While not everyone will qualify for a loan, many consumers use unsecured simple-interest installment loans to save money and pay less every month.


text:
The concluding film in director Oliver Stone's Vietnam War trilogy is based on the true story of Le Ly (Hiep Thi Le), whose life was thrown into chaos when the fighting reached her village. After marrying a U.S. soldier (Tommy Lee Jones), Le Ly moves to America, where both she and her husband face a difficult adjustment. Costarring Haing S. Ngor, Joan Chen and Debbie Reynolds.
In this psychological thriller from director Gore Verbinski (THE RING), the ambitious Mr. Lockhart (Dane DeHaan) is dispatched to a "wellness center" in the Swiss Alps to retrieve his company's CEO, only to discover that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem. As he begins to unravel the center's terrifying secrets, Lockhart's sanity is tested when he is diagnosed with the same strange illness that holds all the other guests in thrall. Costarring Jason Isaacs and Mia Goth.
An aspiring young actress (Lily Collins) and her ambitious young driver (Alden Ehrenreich) struggle hopefully with the absurd eccentricities of the wildly unpredictable billionaire Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty) for whom they work.
It's Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen, songwriter, and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey (Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver Frank Forbes (Ehrenreich), who is engaged to be married to his 7th grade sweetheart and is a deeply religious Methodist. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes' #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have any relationship whatsoever with a contract actress. Hughes' behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed. The terrific ensemble cast includes Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Haley Bennett, Candice Bergen, Dabney Coleman, Steve Coogan, Ed Harris, Megan Hilty, Oliver Platt, Martin Sheen and Paul Sorvino.
more info
General Admission$12.00(unless otherwise noted)
Cinematheque Members $8.00
Seniors 65+ andStudents with valid ID


text:
Breville BTWM800XL One-Touch Tea Maker Review
The Breville BTWM800XL One-Touch Tea Maker does it all on its own. With variable temperature control and automated tea basket cycle—yes, this kettle has a basket that moves up and down to agitate tea leaves for a more thorough brew—all you have to do is press one button and tea will be steeped to perfection.
Each button on the Breville BTWM800XL is labeled as the optimal setting for black, green, white, and oolong tea, completely taking guesswork out of the brewing process.
The German-made Schott glass kettle is durable and stain resistant, meaning that this kettle doesn't just brew a mean cup of tea, but looks really good doing it.
The coolest feature on this kettle may be its timed start feature. That way you can set the kettle to start brewing at a certain time, like maybe when you first wake up in the morning. There's nothing better than getting out of bed to a hot cup of your favorite tea! And, if you're a little too fond of the snooze button, the kettle will keep tea warm for up to 60 minutes. It even has a time that tells you how long your tea has been ready!
Some reviews complain that this machine has a large countertop footprint—it is one of the biggest tea makers on this list, with a 1.5 liter capacity—so we only recommend the Breville for people who are going to be using it on a consistent basis.


text:
Two things you should know: 1) Jeremy sleeps with a fan blowing on him every night, even if he entirely covers his head with a blanket, he will still have the fan blowing on him. 2) I don't.
Two more things you should know: 1) Jeremy likes to be warm when he sleeps. As in, 75-80 degrees is perfect for him. 2) I like to be cold when I sleep. As in 50 degrees, windows open and 5 blankets on me.
Two nights ago I put a fan in the window to allow for the loveliness of the crisp September air to blow through our house and make everyone happy. When we went to bed this happened….
Jeremy: Hun, do you mind if I take the fan out of the window? It's freezing in here.
(I'm pretty sure it was close to 65 degrees….whatevs..)
Chrystal: I don't know what you're talking about.
J: The fan. It's cold. Can I take it out of the window?
C: Speak English please.
J: It's freezing in here!
C: Fine. But can we leave the window open?
J: Fine.
C: I'm putting a fan in my own window to blow on me.
J: That's fine. As long as it doesn't blow on my face.
C: You've been blowing a fan on my face for almost 18 years.
(awkward pause as we lovingly stared into each other's eyes and tried to figure out what to say next….)
J: Overblow.
C: Overblow?
J: Overblow. That's called overblow.
C: What is over overblow?
J: When the fan is really pointed at me, but it blows over me to get to you.
C: Wow.


text:
[readolog_dropcap ]H[/readolog_dropcap]eads up! They've primed everyone, positioned the chess pieces and now they've even announced a TIME to announce the decision! Eight pm CST. This is too unreal, like watching a movie…and people think it's real. I wish everyone would stop letting this system push their buttons, put down their weapons, turn their backs on this whole orchestrated agenda and GO HOME. Screw this police state!
by Melissa Melton
Originally published at The Daily Sheeple
Watch the verdict live here.
The media is going haywire with reports that the Darren Wilson grand jury has reached a decision in the Michael Brown shooting. Ferguson has been put so far on edge at this point, it's a wonder the city hasn't fallen off the cliff yet.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, who preemptively declared a state of emergency and called out the National Guard last week before anything had even been decided, held a press conference just a little bit ago where he was entirely evasive about the police presence and response to what's about to go down there tonight.
When asked how many National Guard are on standby, Nixon gave the vague non-answer of, "We will have guard resource here that will play a support role." When asked if the use of armored vehicles and tear gas had been ruled out, Nixon replied, "I'm not going to get into operations." (Via Fox2 St. Louis)
Live video feeds like this one show people lining the streets already. The cops have stocked up on $200,000 worth of riot gear and less-lethal weapons. In fact, the police have already said they fully expect riots no matter what the grand jury decides.
In short, it's on.
Protests are planned for not just Missouri, but 82 cities across the entire country shortly after the decision is official (and there's even one planned for Toronto, Canada). Obama even made sure to touch base with every major civil rights group in the U.S. over Ferguson. Department of Homeland Security officers have been spotted in nearby St. Louis hotels in droves under the guise of a highly coincidental "training" (an excuse no one is buying). The government even sent 100 FBI agents to St. Louis just yesterday ahead of the official announcement.
Everything is set to explode, like a nuclear weapon got dropped on a warehouse full of AquaNet hairspray.
But even more bizarre perhaps is that the government and it's bought-and-paid-for mainstream media have been priming this pump for weeks on end and now literally set a time for the impending detonation.
Eight pm CST.
The grand jury announcement will be made at 8pm CST tonight, ostensibly so that local kids can make it home from school and most people can get home from work… It makes sense, right?
And yet, the whole thing just feels so utterly, completely, totally, thoroughly and altogether…staged.
Like everyone has taken their places, the audience has taken their seats, and it's curtain time. Last call to go out to the lobby if you haven't purchased your concessions. Like it's a football game or a musical or a planned, highly coordinated flash mob.
Everyone has their chess pieces positioned on the board. The cops are locked and loaded. The citizens are, too. Everyone is set up in their places, ready to play their roles in what will surely be tonight's highly televised show. Somewhere else in the background something really important is happening and while we're all being distracted by the right hand, whatever the left had is doing is certainly worse.
This has been a highly manipulated event, from the top down. And, at 8 pm, it's go time.
It's chaos and division, on demand. When did we go back in time to Rome? No, here's a better question: who, ultimately, is pulling the strings?
"Fear is a very powerful weapon, it catalyzes, it causes division, it can be used as an excuse to remove even more civil liberties. Make no mistake America, there are reasons the media are portraying this, in this particular light. You are ALL being manipulated." (random commenter)


text:
"Luna Moth Delight" (By: Michele Babcock-Nice)
Throughout my life, I have had the great pleasure of seeing, observing, photographing, and even collecting several Luna Moths. Luna Moths, or Actias luna, are giant silkworm moths that belong to the family, Saturniidae. Their wingspan is generally about 4.5″ in length, so they are very large, appearing as kites in flight.
These moths are so amazing and beautiful…in their coloring and wing structure. With their coloring reminiscent of evening moonlight – the aura of light surrounding the moon – they get their name, Luna, which means "moon." And, the tails on the hind wings of these fabulous delights are very long, flowing, and beautiful, as well!
In the picture above that I photographed in the summer of 2010, my mom located this Luna Moth, roosting in a tree in the backyard. She cut the branch of the tree – with the Luna Moth still resting on it – and brought it in the house for all to enjoy. We observed and enjoyed it's awesome beauty, and then, released it that night when it became active, after flying about inside the enclosed porch.
"Spikey Saddleback Surprise" (By: Michele Babcock-Nice)
The saddleback caterpillar, Sibine stimulea, as seen in my photos herein, is a formidable foe to birds and other predators. This caterpillar is found in eastern North America, and belongs to the family of slug caterpillars.
With it's green and brown coloration, the saddleback caterpillar blends in with tree bark and foliage, camouflaging itself. A circular brown spot on it's back gives it the name, "saddleback." Circular white-colored spots may serve to scare away possible attackers.
Arguably, the saddleback caterpillar's greatest assets are it's horns on which protrude urticating hairs. These hairs are more akin to needle-like spikes that secrete poison that can cause irritation and pain.
I have never touched a saddleback caterpillar, and I don't suggest for anyone to do so. These caterpillars are really beautiful and interesting to view, though I wouldn't want one to mistake me for a predator, stinging me with poisonous venom. They are better to leave alone, simply admiring their uniqueness and natural beauty!
Above, please enjoy viewing a photo of the female moth of this species!
Bugguide. http://bugguide.net/node/view/507. May 17, 2012.


text:
By Dr. Amrit Patel:
World water scenario is now fast changing as a result of increasing population, rising demand for irrigation to raise high-yielding varieties of crops, rapid urbanization and industrialization, electricity generation, impact of global warming and erratic rainfall. In India, the share of agriculture in GDP has phenomenally declined from 50% in 1950s to around 18% now. Monsoons still continue to influence on agricultural growth. Recurrent drought in some parts of the country each year brings into sharp focus the critical significance of water, coping with water scarcity.
It is estimated that the world would require 60% more food between now and 2050 to meet the demand of an eventual population of more than nine billion people.
Water for Life Decade [2005-15] and the annual World Water Day being held on March 22nd every year has significance to create awareness among all stakeholders that water is finite, scarce, costly and precious and, therefore, should be efficiently managed for country's sustainable development. On this day the electronic and print media can discuss and publish the policy, programs, performance and issues identified during the year and present the framework to pursue the unfinished tasks to accomplish the mission. Here, I highlight some serious issues of irrigation, viz. incomplete irrigation projects, cost-time overruns, underutilization; among others, and suggests strategic actions and measures for efficient management of water resources.
India needs to seriously demonstrate the political commitment and administrative skill and initiate following strategic actions.
– Incomplete projects: There has been an increase in the number of projects awaiting completion since the end of IV Plan. The backlog has remained between 500 and 600 projects since then. The backlog declined at the end of VII Plan but increased again to the present level. Currently, there are 557 irrigation projects yet to be completed. Andhra Pradesh has completed only 17 projects out of the allotted 105 projects, followed by Karnataka [33/305], Maharashtra [94/186] and Madhya Pradesh [90/242] projects. Major factors responsible for this include, inter alia, improper synchronization of project components and delayed tendering and contract management, land acquisition, delays in construction of railway/highway crossing.
– Time and Cost overruns: Worst part of the inordinate delay in completion of projects has been the time and cost overruns. A study by the Planning Commission on cost overruns found that for a representative 12 projects, there was an escalation of the order of 138% over the original cost [i.e. escalation of 1.38 times the approved cost]. There was a very high cost escalation of the order of 1,000% and more for 24 out of the 151 major projects taken up earlier than 1980 and the average escalation is around 200% for major projects starting from 1985. In the case of medium projects, there are 24 projects with a cost escalation of 500% or more.
– Underutilization: The gap between the irrigation potential created [IPC] and the irrigation potential utilized [IPU] is steadily increasing from the First Plan. Currently IPU is 80 million hectares [73.39%] as against IPC of 109 million hectares. Factors responsible for low utilization of irrigation as studied by Indian Institute of Management [Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Lucknow] focus on lack of proper operation and maintenance, incomplete distribution systems, non-completion of CAD works, changes from the initially designed cropping pattern and diversion of irrigable land for other purpose, among others. Inadequate provision of budget provision for operation and maintenance of the irrigation system is significantly responsible for underutilization followed by non-completion of distributaries, minors, field channels and on-farm development.
– Management: Integrated Water Resource Management [IWRM] in agriculture is a concept of sustainable development, allocation and monitoring of water resource and its use in agriculture. IWRM has also a role to meet social, economic and environmental objectives. This concept has been successfully applied more in areas relating to domestic and industrial use in several countries like Australia, Mexico, and Korea. In India, notwithstanding a full-fledged river-basin approach is yet to be developed and used extensively, existing sources of water availability for agriculture[rains, surface and groundwater in particular] have to be sustainably developed, judiciously allocated and their equitable distribution and efficient use monitored rigorously. Operationalization of the concept necessitates initiation of water reforms, enactment of laws and establishing institutions to enforce them, through consultations with the farmers. In this process, Government has to assume the responsibility of a regulator and facilitator and transfer its current role of implementing irrigation projects to autonomous water services management organizations, community-based organizations and the private sector. Policy interventionists and planners of water resource development and management should invariably seek participation of farmers as ultimate water users who can be organized into legal bodies called "Water Users Associations". Women have been found playing effective role in the provision, management and safeguarding of water for agriculture and non-agriculture purpose.
– Other measures: Other important measures need to include
a. The policy and programs related to water should focus equitable sharing of water; integrated management of surface water, soil water and groundwater; intra-basin and inter-basin water transfer; participation of an enlightened public in decision making and welfare of socially, economically and politically weak segments of society, among others.
b. Irrigation accounts for 83% of the water consumed. As per estimates of the National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development Plan, the irrigation sector will consume about 79% of the available water resources in 2050. To improve significantly the efficiency of irrigation system of the Government and private irrigation projects from the current level of 40% and 65% respectively. Even a 10% improvement in the efficiency of agricultural water use is likely to result in the availability going up by 40%. This calls for focused attention to promote improved water management practices in irrigation projects suffering from operational deficiencies and integrated water resources development and management approach.
c. Declining per capita availability and threat of river basins turning 'water scarce' necessitate well- coordinated and planned measures for storing run-off water during the rainy season. In view of this, widely acceptable and area-suitable water conservation measures have to be explored and adopted. Also it is necessary to strengthen existing irrigation infrastructure, increase water use efficiency and productivity, raise crops requiring less-water, make rainwater harvesting mandatory for all and provide shading with trees the banks of canals and other reservoirs.
d. Despite the fact that the country gets fairly good rainfall at about 46 inches per annum, almost 50% of its falls in a span of 15 days and 90% of the rainwater is lost due to run-off in just four months. Only about 15% of the annual rain water is used for irrigation. If this water is properly stored and efficiently used for sustained surface irrigation, it can enhance agricultural productivity at low cost and reduce excessive pressure on groundwater.
– Over the years, there has been a manifested lack of attention to water legislation, water conservation, water use efficiency, water harvesting and recycling and infrastructure. Current scenario exhibiting number of incomplete projects accompanied by low utilization of irrigation potential already created shows that return on capital invested in creating irrigation facilities is inordinately delayed or almost lost. All incomplete projects need to be completed by the end of the 12th plan period by drawing a suitable road map indicating specifically the role, responsibility and accountability of officials, department and ministry concerned.
It is time that India in her concern for the environment, ecology, social/human, and rights relating to water, shifts the subject of water to the concurrent list of the Constitution and frames policies that aim at transforming the country.


text:
Alumni Stories
Nichole Steele, '10
Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR), the area's official destination
marketing organization, is represented for the first time in the
Professional Convention Management Association's (PCMA) "20 in their
Twenties" program. Nichole Steele, National Sales Director, has been
chosen as one of the 2017 "20 in their Twenties" participants.
This is the fourth consecutive year that PCMA has announced the "20 in their Twenties" program. "20 in their Twenties" was created to engage the best and brightest in the Meetings, Conventions and Business Events industry. Possible candidates from around the nation apply to be considered, and in the end 20 individuals 29 years old or younger are selected as the professionals that will help shape the future of the meetings industry.
Full ArticleVideo