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It has taken me some time to publicly share our birth story- nearly 6 months to be exact! I honestly don't know where the time has gone, but it reminds me to savor each and every moment with our now not-so-new bundle of joy. I had written our birth story in my journal, but I shall present to you a more simplified version (ok I lied, this version is actually pretty long, so brace yourselves):
Before the days of pregnancy, I had always contemplated what the experience of labor would be like. Knowing very well that the curse of Eve and its laboring pains are upon every woman, I felt as though pain medication sounded too good to be true. When I was young, my Mother had told me she birthed the 3 of us naturally with no pain medication for our own benefit. I always respected her for that and wondered if I could do the same for my children.
Fast forward several years (okay, maybe a couple decades), here I was, pregnant. As excited as I was, I could not push back a sense of fear that crept into the back of my mind: the day of delivery will inevitably, but joyfully arrive. I had thought about my birthing options and really wanted to try and have an unmedicated birth. My biggest reason was that I felt as though the Lord had blessed me with this little gift to cherish. I had tried very hard to make wise decisions in my diet and lifestyle for this child. After all that, would I throw in the towel and opt for medication in the end for the sake of myself? Secondly, the thought of a horse needle shooting up my spine did not seem appealing at all.
Now as a pregnant mama, people don't usually filter what they say around you, especially when it comes to their horrid birthing experiences. I welcomed these stories warmly, as I wanted to hear every scenario in order to prepare for the worst while expecting the best. There were some that had wanted an unmedicated birth, but once the intensity kicked in, they ordered an epidural immediately. And because I had a feeling I would do the same when push came to shove, it led me to wonder: how can that be avoided?
I started doing research on the pros & cons of the epidural, natural birthing methods, ways of coping with the pain and the process of labor and birth itself. Who knew there were 4 Stages of Labor? I certainly didn't. Or that a birthing couch called a Doula exists to coach, inform and encourage you through the entire process? I shared my excitement and intrigue with my Husband and he told me he would support me in whatever method I decided to choose.
To make a long story short, I decided I would plan for the unmedicated birth route. It is a personal decision for each mama to make and no one else can decide for her. Whether or not one has a medicated or unmedicated birth does not make them any less of a woman. I decided to choose this route based on what I read and what I wanted for myself and the little person living inside of me. I do however, highly recommend researching on your own because most doctors will not share with you the side effects of the pain medications given (e.g. the epidural can increase your chance of a C-section by 40%). But birthing classes that are offered by hospitals are excellent in preparing you for the day of labor and aftercare for your newborn.
I shared with my Husband about having another person in the delivery room with us, such as a doula to help me during my labor. He was very keen on the idea, as he felt that having another voice to advocate for us at the hospital, someone who was more knowledgeable and experienced in the field, would help the both of us. Surprisingly, my Husband was the one who ended up doing the research and found several candidates for us to interview. In the end, we went with someone whom we felt the most at ease with (Our criteria: if I could not imagine myself naked in front of the person, it would be a no-go). We wanted someone who had a good balance between an unmedicated natural birth and maximizing the benefits of birthing in a hospital (I wasn't comfortable with a home birth, medical technology exists for a reason!). We found the perfect fit for us, and her name was Danielle, or Doula Dani. She was also pregnant herself, and expected to deliver her second child about a month after us. Knowing that she had gone through her first birth unmedicated, gave me a strong sense of hope that she would be a great support.
As my bump started increasing in size, more and more people would ask about my thoughts on the birth day. The most popular question: "Are you going to get the epidural?" My answer was that I didn't intend on it unless it was absolutely necessary. I would say that majority of the people didn't believe that I would have an unmedicated birth based on what they've heard from other labor stories. Sadly, I was able to count the number of people who actually believed in me with one hand. In some ways I felt a bit discouraged, but in other ways, it gave me a stronger motivation to prepare myself for the big day. Throughout the entire time, my Husband stood by my side and told me he believed I could do it. I also wanted to believe those words myself.
And finally, moving onto the actual birthing story....
I was about 3 days past my due date when I went to see my OB on a Friday. She checked me and said the baby was definitely sitting much lower than the previous check-up. I mentioned I had been concerned about being overdue and feared being induced (which requires pitocin, an artificial hormone to get the contractions started, but are much stronger!). My OB did what was called a membrane strip, which is thought to help speed along the labor process. She told me she would be surprised if I didn't go into labor before the weekend was over.
After the visit, my Braxton Hicks did indeed grow stronger, but they were too sporadic and infrequent to be actual labor contractions. My Mom had already been staying with us to help with the cooking, cleaning and caring for the new baby (God bless her, I would've hardly survived without her). That week, I had walked all around town and the Bebe refused to make his grand appearance.We were all waiting for him to arrive. So the following night, I decided to do the opposite. Rather than walking my swollen legs into mush, I decided to soak in the tub. As I was relaxing, I looked at my now large, round tummy and told "Bebe" silently that we were ready for him whenever he felt comfortable to come out. Shortly afterwards, I started feeling stronger contractions. I waited, and another came several minutes later. I called for the Hubby and he asked excitedly for the millionth time, "Are you having contractions?" He timed them and they were 5-7 minutes apart. This was the real thing. My labor began at 10:30pm on a Saturday night.
We called my Doula Danielle to inform her what was happening, she recommended that we both try and get some rest while we can. As I went into bed, I texted my family and told them labor had begun and to ask for their prayers. Once I laid my body into bed, the contractions started becoming uncomfortable. As much as I tried to fall asleep, the contractions prevented me from doing so. I got out of bed and the Hubby suggested that we watch old Modern Family episodes (one of the funniest shows ever after Friends) to take my mind off the contractions. His suggestion worked to a certain extent. As time progressed, my contractions became more intense. I sat on my yoga ball while watching the television screen, rolling back and forth to help move the labor along and taking breaks to breath through the contractions as they came.
After a few hours, I noticed that my legs started to quiver and shake with the contractions. I had read that shaking can occur when a woman is heading towards transition, the last part of her labor. I panicked and wondered if I was coming close to that point, since I had no plans of delivering in the car! I told the Hubby I wanted to head to the hospital and he suggested that I waited because he didn't think I was very far along. He suggested I call Danielle and ask her what to do. I called her and basically told her I felt most comfortable heading to the hospital to check and make sure. She told me to do what I felt was best.
The Hubby went and started packing the car with our belongings, while my Mom came downstairs and prepared my ginger chicken soup (it was going to be the first sip I took after labor- it's a Chinese thing). As I started having another contraction, my Mom massaged my lower back, which was the root of the pain. I could tell that there was concern in her eyes as she hugged me and sent us off.
We drove into the quiet darkness, with hardly a car in sight. At 1:30am, most people in our area were probably sound asleep. It was like a dream. The drive felt somewhat peaceful, even though our circumstances were quite the opposite. The Hubby dropped me off at the main lobby of the hospital while he went to find a parking spot. I took a seat in the lobby and waited while my legs quivered and shook with each contraction. After the Hubby came back, we went up the elevator into Labor and Delivery.
At the front desk, they told us to wait for a nurse to check and see how far along I was. When the nurse arrived, she brought us into the room and hooked me to the fetal monitor. She asked me several questions to fill out in the application while I took breaks to do my breathing during each contraction. Danielle arrived around this time and sat next to me. After all the questions, the nurse checked me and exclaimed that I was 6cm. We were all excited to know that I was only 4cm away from being fully dilated and ready to go! The receptionists didn't think I was that far along because I had managed to smile in between contractions. I had heard that staying positive would be most beneficial for your labor, and that was what I intended on doing. The joy of the Lord would be my strength.
The downside of going to the hospital was that my contractions began to space apart. Danielle explained that this tends to happen when women are at the hospital and no longer in their comfort zone. The body is not able to fully relax and is situating itself into a new environment. She suggested that I sat on the yoga ball after having my fetal activity monitored for 30 minutes, and the baby's heart rate was good. She did some counter-pressure on my sacrum area, which was where I felt most of the pressure from the contractions. It gave me some relief, but at this point the contractions were still quite intense. For the next few hours, we tried walking around, leaning on my Husband for support, rolling on the yoga ball some more, and I even upchucked my dinner at one point.
There was a change in shifts and we received a new nurse- a peppy older woman who was as sweet as your own grandma. She came in and told me she would check me in the next half hour. Danielle gave me a pep talk and told me I may be in the same place I was when I first arrived, due to the fact that my body was possibly still adjusting to the new environment. She had noticed that my contractions started to space apart, and did not want me to feel discouraged. Danielle mentioned that it could all change in a matter of an hour, and to not focus on the number. Sure enough, I was still at 6cm. Part of me felt a bit discouraged, but thankful that I was given a heads-up. At this point, Danielle suggested I change it up by going into the shower to help relieve some of the pressure from the contractions. I took her advice and went in, hoping that the heat and pressure would help. To some degree, there was some relief, but the contractions started to become unbearable.
During this time, my mind began to wander-- I questioned what it would've been like if I had decided to get the epidural. I felt as though nothing could really relieve me of the strong pressure I was feeling in my back. Part of me wondered how much longer it would be before I would be relieved of the pain. I began to pray earnestly for the Lord's strength for the endurance to keep going. I repeated several verses I had read prior to going into labor while doing squats to help the labor progress. The pain did not subside, but it gave me an inner peace that took away the fear that began creeping in. One of them was Psalm 23, another was Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
After I got out of the shower and dried off, the nurse needed me back on the fetal monitor. She was very gracious and had allowed me to stay in the shower longer than they had initially intended. Frequent fetal monitoring is required to check the heart rate of the baby to make sure they are coping well with the labor. As I lay on the hospital bed, my eyes glazed over and I was having difficult keeping my eyelids open. I heard our customized playlist playing softly in the background, which was somewhat soothing (to this day, the Hubby cannot bring himself to listen to this playlist again, lol). I began to fall in and out of slumber while stopping to breathe through the contractions.
I dragged myself back out of bed once the monitoring was complete - baby's heart rate was great and I was ready to continue moving along. This time, Danielle suggested that the Hubby and I "dance" while revisiting a joyful memory we shared by having him retell the story of how we got engaged. As we swayed back and forth in the dimly-lit hospital room, I could no longer fully maintain my own body weight. With my arms around his neck, I relied heavily on my Husband to hold me through the contractions. At this point, any joking he proceeded to make was heard but ignored. My focus was in another place and I had little energy to even muster a smile.
Before I knew it, I was back on the fetal monitor, but this time Danielle suggested that I rest so that I would have more energy for pushing later on. I felt myself doze off, but maintained light sleep as the contractions were too strong to sleep through. The sun was starting to rise, and Danielle told the Hubby to take a break and grab something to eat. After he came back, they swapped places so that she could take a break as well. I had been laboring through the night and everyone was feeling the effects of it. As struggled to relax and breath through the contractions, I felt my Hubby stroke my arm in hopes of soothing the pain. In my delusional state of consciousness, I heard him lift up a prayer for me out of desperation as his voice cracked. I sensed his fear and helplessness in watching me go through the pain. I was saddened for him to see me in this state, but knew there was nothing else either of us could do but to wait it out.
I remembered what a mother of five children had told me as she went through each birth unmedicated: She said that being in labor was like running a marathon, you don't dwell on the number of miles you have remaining, but rather focus on the small victories you've completed. Focus on one contraction at a time and getting through that next one. This insight was indeed helpful and allowed me to have a positive outlook on what could have seemed like a never-ending task. The end goal would be a newborn baby, and that was enough inspiration to continue moving forward.
As I entered through transition, the last stage of labor, my body began to push involuntarily with every contraction. I remembered that I wasn't supposed to push prematurely, but the urge continued and I needed to fight it off each time. This was perhaps the most difficult part in labor, and there was nothing I could do but to focus on breathing and intentionally avoid pushing.
It began to get to the point where the nurse felt utterly sympathetic and checked to see how far along I was. The moment she said 10cm, was by far the greatest thing I had heard all day! She told me the doctor on call was finishing up with another patient but would arrive shortly. I told her I couldn't wait any longer and she gave me the okay to push.
Pushing was a tremendous relief after all the waiting and from what I remember, did not cause me any pain. For once I could feel productive and see progress. I would be coming closer to meeting our little one very soon! The nurse started transforming the bed for delivery while I began pushing. The Hubby stayed by my side and held my hand throughout, and I heard them say I was beginning to crown. The doctor ran in and put on her gear as I finished the second push. By the 4th and 5th push, the baby was out, kicking with glee. After a total of 15 hours in labor, he was finally here. It was instant relief and utter shock all at the same time. My legs began shaking like a leaf and the nurse wrapped a warm blanket around them. It was all over.
The doctor mentioned that there was meconium in the waters, so a medical team rushed in to take the baby before we had a chance to do skin-to-skin. All I could see from my view were his little hands, raised and slowing pawing at the new world around him. I was a bit disappointed to not have met Bebe right away, but wanted what was best for him. After they removed the liquids from his lungs and ran several tests, he was good to go. Baby's heart rate remained strong and he was such a lil trooper! The Hubby went over to cut the umbilical cord, even though he had said he didn't want to beforehand (he was still in shock). Afterwards, I was finally able to hold the baby and see him up close for the very first time.
I felt slightly awkward as they put Bebe in my arms. I remember asking if I was holding him correctly, supporting him in the right areas. I felt like such a newbie, which was quite the truth. In a matter of minutes, I had become a Mommy to the little person resting in my arms. No tears were shed, but I think I was in a state of shock and exhaustion- both the Hubby and I were on the same page. I still couldn't believe I was holding the person living inside of me for 9 months in my arms at that current moment. It wasn't until we went upstairs for the hospital stay in which I was able to fully experience our new baby, undistracted and in the privacy of our new little family. I was overwhelmed with love for this tiny, wrinkly baby. Every little detail on his little body was a miracle from God. To this day, I am still amazed by the whole process and find it unbelievable that this baby once lived inside my womb.
Looking back at this experience, I wouldn't have changed a thing. The whole process was challenging, intense to say the least, but worth every moment. Together with my Husband, our Doula Danielle, the hospital team and our gracious God orchestrating the entire event, I was able to deliver unmedicated with no other forms of intervention. I felt empowered as a woman, seeing how my body knew exactly what to do at the right moments was amazing. This was living proof that with our God, anything is possible. Of course as with any birth, nothing ever goes completely according to plan, but these were the components of our birth story, and it's the little details that make it beautiful.


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but, alas, nothing is completed. This applies to housework, paperwork, kid duties, and even crafts. I'm still working on the plying portion of the Merino/Bamboo roving. I like the sheen of this yarn, but the stiffness added by the bamboo made the roving a little tricky to draft. The result being that the worsted weight yarn isn't as consistent as I'd like. Once it's blocked it may even out some more. I predict approximately 400 yards of yarn once it's done. No particular project is planned for this.
I began sewing the rhinestones, crystals and little pearls onto the fabric to make A1's belt for her prom dress. It's slow-going because each cluster must have a new thread started so there won't be any visible threads between the beads. I'm using a wire, beading needles so the mesh isn't torn. Plans are to cut around the beadwork so it looks like it is floating, or a part of the gown. There are some ghostly orange streaks in the picture that are nowhere to be found on the actual belt.
In addition to these endeavors, A1 has also requested that I completely re-sew the seams on a leather jacket that is too big. It is for a cosplay she will do in April at Sakura-Con.
"Extra" time this week was spent making arrangements to get my van repaired. Somebody turned in front of me on the highway. It was an honest mistake and we were able to get the damage fixed with no out-of-pocket expenses. The logistics involved and hours of phone calls were obnoxious though.
Minute amounts of knitting have been added to what was once a sock, but is now turning into a fingerless mitt. Pictures to come later. I've been making some bracelets with a variety of beads and other materials, but I cannot show pictures until next week.
Elsewhere, I've started Bonny on a kitty diet and exercise regime. She is quite fat and it's starting to adversely effect her health. Her breathing sounds labored and she walks like her joints hurt. She is taking daily meds for the arthritis. She enjoys the laser-light toy, but not as much as the other critters. Not much else to report from Vancouver at this time. Hope you are all well.

subset: commoncrawl


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If Putin can't sell his gas and oil at exhorbinant prices to countries like Ukraine, his budget dries up. He can't mount continuous aggression without it so he needs to get his former satellites while the getting is good.
We could go back and build the missile defense systems for the Czechs and Pols that we canceled thinking it would help the misspelled reset button from when Obama first took office. Didn't anyone see the handwriting on the wall from that one?
We could freeze the assets of Russians in this country. And of companies and countries doing business with both Russia and the U.S.
This doesn't put one military boot on the ground. We don't need NATO or UN approval. We can make hell freeze over.
Unfortunately I've not seen nor heard the will to do anything more than what the Russians do so well. Scold. The problem is, we bow our heads and slink away. They laugh like the bullies they are and take advantage of the situation.
They'll win if not challenged. If we don't, who will? We're needed. Why is it we're absent without leave? Or in more precise terms - deserters?


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David Brooks wrote in the New York Times this past Friday on "The Inequality Problem", taking issue with recent rhetoric from the Obama administration on the issue. This morning, a response appeared from Robert Reich on Salon (and elsewhere, I think) with a title and tone that only served to support Brooks' argument that the topic is polarizing and should maybe be dropped. Since I think it definitely should not be dropped, what follows is an attempt to mediate the debate without the name-calling.
I started studying economics at the University of Maine online in the spring of 2012 in order to be able to weigh in on this conversation from a more informed place. In 2011 I had watched the culture war screaming contests intensify, sort of wished I could join my friends at Occupy Oakland, and had a few great conversations with family members brave enough to gently tell me where they thought my sound analysis ended and liberal hogwash began.
The microeconomics class I took first was great fun, tables and math I was able to make some use of this year as Art started selling paintings and t-shirts. (I also learned why a tax on yachts falls almost entirely on boat builders rather than on buyers.) There were not, as I feared there might be, assumptions with which I fundamentally disagreed. Then, a few semesters later, I moved on to macro (there was a human resources class in between). I was able to take the underlying assumptions in stride there, too, except for this one: more and faster economic growth is always best for everyone, because "a bigger pie" means more real income for anyone with income. It doesn't and it hasn't, in this country in the last 30 years (graph published by the Atlantic, from Center for Budget and Policy Priorities numbers):
So today's debate is between this guy, who I look forward to hearing on All Things Considered every Friday, with whom I think I would have no trouble finding compromise if we ever had to work together:
...and this guy, who I think has a good record (if you remember Clinton Labor Department decisions you didn't like, I'd like to know about them. honestly.) I usually agree with his analysis, but I've been getting increasingly frustrated with his rhetoric:
Back to the graph, to start, a point of agreement from both corners: something is not okay at the top. "Perverse compensation schemes on Wall Street" and superstar economics (Brooks) have led to a very few getting very rich in an age-of-the-robber-barons, pre-antitrust law sort of way.
Hey, lots of jobs in my town require the presence of one-percenters, many of whom are lovely people. No one's getting out a guillotine. I think Brooks probably supports shareholder resolutions that have come forward in recent years attempting to reign in executive compensation. To my mind, there's no way that an executive of a U.S. firm is hundreds of times better at her job than her 1950s counterpart at the same firm, or than a leader at a Japanese firm today (for this argument, remember not to confuse said Japanese firm with that country's government in the "lost decade"). Put another way, productivity gains have not all been due to the genius of top management.
"If you have a primitive zero-sum mentality," Brooks said, "you assume greater affluence for the rich must somehow be causing the immobility of the poor."
The zero-sum thing is important to understand. Conservatives often say, "look, we shouldn't be talking about who gets how big a piece of an existing pie. What we need is to make a bigger pie. When we do, everyone gets more." To the extent that the "bigger pie" conversation reminds us that we're talking about very complex systems, that's great. Gains from trade can work that way. A dollar of investment generates many more dollars of total economic activity.
But as Reich points out and Henry Ford famously understood, you've got to have purchasing power in the middle class in order for an economy to grow. I can agree to look at the bottom and top of the graph separately; at the bottom, real wages have not kept up with GDP growth as promised in the textbooks. If that has nothing to do with executive compensation, fine. I can even buy some of the arguments that changing the federal minimum wage may not be the way to change it. But it needs to change.
Brooks likes to talk about the poor, and he's well versed in relevant social science. "The primary problem for the poor is not that they are getting paid too little for the hours they work. It is that they are not working full time or at all." Hear, hear! I'm not sure how to go about changing the culture in big-firm HR strategy (the not-full-time thing predates the Affordable Care Act). I agree with Brooks that the "human capital problem" is a better bet for bipartisan legislation than a minimum wage bill, but I'm not aware of a human capital lobbying firm on K-street, so I'm not hopeful that they'll get to it.
As Reich points out, whatever we come up with for policy to address what Brooks calls human capital problems, it will cost some money and "the fiscal cabinet is bare." That missing middle class needs to be making money in order to pay taxes, too.
You're both right, gentlemen. Could you cut out the name-calling?
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
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Vatican City, 5 March 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed:
- Bishop Herve Giraud of Soissons, France as archbishop of Sens (area 7,427, population 342,724, Catholics 208,900, priests 106, permanent deacons 21, religious 180), France, and prelate of the territorial prelature of "Mission de France" o Pontigny. He succeeds Bishop Yves Patenotre, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
- Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa as apostolic nuncio in Honduras. The archbishop is currently apostolic nuncio in Angola, Santo Tome and Principe.


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Kennedy Krieger and Johns Hopkins Researchers Examine the Brain Basis of Motor Control, Imitation and Social Function Deficits
Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have collaborated to uncover important new insights into the neurological basis of autism. Their new study, funded in part by Autism Speaks, and published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, examines patterns of movement as children with autism and typically developing children learned to control a novel tool. The findings suggest that children with autism appear to learn new actions differently than do typically developing children. As compared to their typically developing peers, children with autism relied much more on their own internal sense of body position (proprioception), rather than visual information coming from the external world to learn new patterns of movement. Furthermore, researchers found that the greater the reliance on proprioception, the greater the child's impairment in social skills, motor skills and imitation.
Read the full press release on the Kennedy Krieger Institute website, here.


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MIT replaces Stevens to host Div. III Men's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Committee has selected MIT to serve as the host for the 2013 championship. The Division III Men's Volleyball Championship will be played at the Rockwell Cage on MIT's campus in Cambridge, Mass., on April 26-28.
"We are excited to host this year's championship at MIT," said Gary Williams, chair of the Division III Men's Volleyball Committee and associate athletic director at Carthage. "The staff and campus have a history and tradition of hosting first class events. Our committee is very much looking forward to working with them to make this event a memorable one for student-athletes."
Cambridge was named to replace Hoboken, N.J., which had been scheduled to host the championship at the Canavan Arena on the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology. On Oct. 15, the NCAA relocated six 2013 championships from New Jersey because of a new state law there allowing sports wagering on professional and collegiate games.
The NCAA championships sports wagering policy strictly prohibits the conducting of any championship session in a state with legal wagering that is based on single-game betting. This policy is in place to ensure the integrity of the game, provide consistency in awarding NCAA championships and to address concerns for student-athlete well-being.


text: Ya'll been froggin? Dad and I went last night. Ponds so high, but we still managed to get 24. He's 80, but still going strong. After not going last year due to my surgery, our ponds were full of croakers this year. Can't wait for the water to go down. Gonna cleanup in a few weeks.


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By: Evangelist Sherri Dunn, Wounded Warriors Ministries, Louisville, KY
Father, in the matchless, mighty, holy name of Jesus we seek your face, your kingdom, and your righteousness! Father, you said in (Hebrews 11:6) that any man that comes to God must believe that He is God and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Father, we thank you for instructing us to cast all of our cares upon you, for it is that you care for us (1Peter 5:7). Father, we have the confidence, and assurance that when we come together, two or more, touching and agreeing on anything that you are in the midst of us (Matt 18:19).
Father, we thank you that your arms are not too short to save, neither are your ears to heavy that you cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1). Father, we thank you for the spirit to pray for your people. We totally understand that there is no good thing within ourselves, however your word states that the Sons, and daughters of God shall be led by the spirit. (Romans 8:14). Father, Psalms 107:20 informs us that, "You sent your word, and brought healing to the people." Father, we thank you for the shed blood of your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. For He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Father, you are a Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) that is able to do the exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can think or imagine (Eph 3:20:21). Father, were calling upon you to manifest your Glory in the lives of your people. We know that "what's impossible with man is not impossible with God (Luke 18:27).
We seek supernatural healing on the behalf of those individuals that suffer from mental illness. Many, even our loved ones, suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, mood disorders, hallucinations, hearing voices, and delusions. We pray for them and those who suffer from illness in their emotions, eating disorders, attitudes, and behaviors, impulsive control, and those that suffer from pyromania (starting fires), kleptomania (stealing), compulsive gambling, personality disorders, antisocial personality disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, and adjustment disorders; dissociative disorders: people that suffer severe disturbances or changes in memory, consciousness, identity, split personality and psychosomatic disorders.
Father, we ask that you speak into the mind of these individuals "You shall live and not die and declare the works of the Lord" (Ps 118:17). We decree and declare that every demonic force, every thought will line up to the obedience to God. (2Cor10:2-6) Father, every mental demonic giant, wicked imagination, and everything that attempts to exalt itself against the knowledge of God must bow down to your word (Philippians 2:10). Father, your word shall take into captivity everything that is not like you.
Father, transform their minds to think upon things that are true, honest, pure, lovely, just, noble, praiseworthy and holy (Philippians 4:8). Your word, Father states that "if you be for us, you are more than those against us (Romans 8:31). Father, so we thank you for the peace that passes all understanding, (Philippians 4:7) upon all that shall keep their minds stayed on you. (Isaiah 26:3) We thank you now in the name of Jesus for uprooting and tearing down every false perception, every lie, every dysfunctional attitude, action and behavior, and bringing about liberation in the minds of your people.
In Jesus name: thank you for setting the captives free; "Who the Son sets free is free indeed" (John8:36)! Amen!
This prayer is featured in the Jesus Saves Ministries' Break Every Chain Prayer Journal 2014.


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I yapped about Message-Centric vs. Service-Centric a month or so ago.
I heard that SOA Software acquired Blue Titan this week. This is an interesting development. Here is a good post on why this happened (via Stefan Tilkov).
As I tried to get going on the Yahoo REST message board and in various posts in this blog, this is where I'd like to see things go. Leverage HTTP, but add:
- guaranteed delivery
- durable destinations
- event driven support (i.e., pub/sub)
Now, I have no idea if Blue Titan even does this (I haven't used it) - it sounds like it does some of this or will. Anyone worked with it?
Ideally, I'd like to see OSS impls or at least dual licensing of this type of thing. This type of infrastructure is too critical to rely on a small vendor for. I can't afford another vendor-pire.


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I have a taxi taking me to Logan in less than 4 hours. My flight to SFO leaves at 6am, so this is going to be an interesting and tiring trip to the other side of the States, then the other side of the world, but completely worth it.
Almost a full month in Japan. Been looking forward to it for a while.
While I had been good lately about posting frequently, I think I will be absent from here again until I get back in September.
Have a great August everyone, I know I will.


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Arrest Records Archive
August 2017
Installation and Setup Help
At the current moment, different sorts of public documents have proven to be advantageous in carrying out a background investigation on somebody. These vital papers, including Arrest Records can be obtained by the people after the endorsement of either state or federal court system. The various protocols in acquiring this kind of data can be familiarized by asking an authorized government agency or checking the state?s web page.
Normally, these files bear important bits of information like the time when the concerned individual was imprisoned and the crime he or she was accused. Moreover, they can disclose if the distrusted action was in relation to traffic, abuse, theft or robbery, drug and/or alcohol or business. Owning an arrest account does not really signify that the individual was taken into custody or was convicted of the offense he or she was charged.
Seemingly, there has been a misapprehension among many people nowadays between an arrest information and a criminal document. As a rule, an arrest is different from a conviction; thus, an arrest record is certainly not the same as a document of
How To Get Arrest Records
conviction. By definition, the second mention may be present if
the charged person was found chargeable of a crime, while the other may be filed if the person in question was arrested by any law enforcer but was not blamed of a wrongdoing.
In 1966, the degree of limpidity in the federal government grew with the arrival of the Freedom of Information Act. Since that time, a couple of ways to get arrest documentations have been made available for all to take benefit from. One of the allowed choices was to reach the local law enforcement office, send a formal request and wait for the findings to come for a nominal administrative charge.
The development of technology at present has trimmed down the
Database For Arrest Records
procedure of getting such data. With the help of a computer connected to the Internet, seeking for the needed information can now become quick, efficient and effortless. All you should do is pick the best service provider in the Internet, give necessary particulars about the subject, pay the required fee and obtain the reports in minutes.
With all inclusive Public Arrest Records handy, many hiring agencies are now free from trouble when choosing new workers to rely on. Folks can now select their dates without being fearful of any bad results in the coming days. Undoubtedly, this document allows the public to create personal or business relations with individuals who are definitely responsible.
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text: i-D magazine - Christy Turlington cover (August 1990) £44.99 i-D magazine - Christy Turlington cover (August 1990 - No 83) Very good condition The Paradise Issue No photos of Christy Turlington inside the magazine NEVER SAY DIE - Some scientists believe there is no reason why we can't live to 150. Some people even believe that we can live forever... 5 page feature HAAD RIN - Are you ready to discover paradise? 3 pages THE HAPPY MONDAYS - 4 pages BLACK NOT WHITE - 6 page fashion photo shoot THE POWER OF PERSUASION - 4 page feature ROMANIA SPRING 1990 - Fashion images from Romania 10 pages A BELLYFUL - Pregnancy means power. Caryn Franklin challenges convention with five fashionable women 3 pages (Features: Sarah Stockbridge, Angie Hill, Sheree Pravatt, Abi Haffner) ECOTOPIA OR BUST - Green issues have dominated the headlines. But has the bandwagon gone too far? 4 pages BLACK COMEDY - 4 page feature


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Nate and I (especially Nate) are huge Woot fans. Nate checks both Woot.com and Kids.woot.com on a daily basis. Our latest awesome score was this $200 vacuum, which we got for a fraction of the cost. We got it today, and we were both practically giddy. I know, who would have ever thought either of us would get that excited about a vacuum?! But we have been without a real vacuum for 2 and a half years. We have a shag rug in our living room, and we have been getting by with our hand held dust buster, and borrowing our neighbors full size vacuum every now and then. Apparently, this vacuum compares to a Dyson, just at a much lower cost. I don't know about that, as I have never used a Dyson, but I used the Navigator today, and was extremely pleased (and to be honest, a little disgusted) with it's sucking ability. Thanks to the clear plastic, we get to see just how much dirt we collected from our carpets. It was not a pretty sight. But at the same time, it was! You know what I mean... it was satisfying to see that our rug was actually getting clean
Here's to enjoying the chore of vacuuming, for a little while at least. :)


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|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|nested properties anyone?
|Thu, 15 Aug 2002 16:58:55 GMT
Problem: >From the list of the predefined properties key=value select one based on the value of some other property and use it as a default Example: I have a list of servers (hosts.properties), where key is an actual hostname (obtained from hostname command) and value is a domain, e.g. host_one=host_one.somewhere.com host_two=host_two.some.place.else.com I want to determine on which machine I'm running the script and use a full domain name further in the script. Solution? 1. <property file="hosts.properties"/> 2. <exec outputproperty="hostname" executable="hostname"/> 3. Now I have a ${hostname} and I want to assign its value to the property build.host that I use in my script. My first reaction was to do this: <property name="build.host" refid="${${hostname}}"/> Well it didn't work because curleys are evaluated only once and I'm getting the value of build.host literaly as "${hostname}" Is there any other way? Any way? And I think that it would be nice feature to reevaluate the nested brackets Bob Stone -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com> For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com>
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Status: Closed
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Fuels, Convenience Store, ATM
Be the first YellowBot user to add photos or videos of Forest Hill Shell
Global energy and petrochemical group maintains more than 13,000 U.S. gas stations with convenience markets and car service centers stocking Top Tier fuels.
This Starbucks is the Worse. I and my family went there in the morning and stuff are not friendly. They rang me up and forgot to give me my pastries. Then my wife was browsing the red box then...
Hate to review an established business like Starbucks so low, but this one needs a mention. As others have said, inside a Safeway so steer clear unless a must. They are slower than other...
Forest Hill Shell can be found at Forest Ave 1201. The following is offered: Gas Stations. The entry is present with us since Sep 7, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 12, 2013. In Pacific Grove there are 2 other Gas Stations. An overview can be found here.
Fun Fact: The Shell Eco-marathon---an educational project integrating sustainable development values with driving as far as possible---went global for the first time in April 2007.
The Extras: Shell also trades and ships oil and gas products throughout the world.
If you don't see your business listed on YellowBot, please add your business listing.
YellowBot wants to get your input! If you have a comment, find a bug or think of something neat we should do, let us know by emailing us.
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Amazon MP3 store now accessible to Apple iPhone users
Apple iPhone owners can now download and listen to songs from the Amazon MP3 Store, thanks to the optimisation of its mobile site.
Users are usually restricted to iTunes when it comes to acquiring new music, but consumers will now have access to more than 22 million tracks through the retail giant's virtual shop.
Those wishing to take advantage should use the Safari browser to access the new online marketplace and make a purchase.
By then downloading the Amazon Cloud Player tool for free from the App Store, iPhone owners can access and play their tunes.
Android device owners can download a dedicated Amazon MP3 app for free and easily shop or listen to their favourite artists.
Gadget lovers can keep up-to-date with the latest releases by checking out the charts or signing up for the weekly newsletter.
Users can also download tracks without handing over a penny by accessing the Free Music section or getting the Track of the Week.
Posted by Peter Robinson


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As you might imagine, I receive pushback occasionally. For some of my students, seeing mixed messages in literature they always loved is a shocker and a terror and downright treason!!! For me, seeing multiple perspectives and acknowledging my changing attitudes as an adult enriches the reading experience, but for some of my students it feels like I'm trying to tarnish perfection.
Case in point, The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister is an all-time favorite picture book for many readers. It's a beautifully illustrated story about learning to share and developing a communal attitude. Or is it? Some academics posit that the book is actually forcing a beautiful, well-endowed fish to share his scales unecessarily. At its core, the fish self-mutilates because of peer pressure!!! Sort of reminds me of a "friend" in kindergarten who wouldn't remain my friend unless I gave her my ring I bought at the Dollar Store. Bitch!
But anyway...
Children's literature -- like all literature -- is full of mixed messages, friction, and irony. We look for it. We find it. We understand it. Even if my students don't always like it. They do learn to be more careful readers and to take multiple perspectives into account and make more informed decisions in their own classrooms. Is it really wise to read In Our House -- a picture book about owning things and having a nice (middle-class) place to live -- to inner city children? It's their decision, but they learn to take factors into account that they may not have before.
So what do I teach? Three units:
- Picture Books (and a Graphic Novel)
- In Our House
- Otto's Trunk by Sandy Turner
- The House That Crack Built by Clark Taylor
- Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti
- The Babes in the Wood by Randolph Caldecott
- I'm Glad I'm a Boy! I'm Glad I'm a Girl! by Whitney Darrow
- Arlene Sardine by Christopher Raschka
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
- Folk and Fairy Tales (multiple versions of each)
- Snow White
- Cinderella
- Red Riding Hood
- Hansel and Gretel
- Bluebeard
- The Little Mermaid
- The Novel
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodson Burnett
- Skellig by David Almond


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It was raining hard when we arrived at the marina bay station and we didn't have any umbrella with us. We had no choice but to wait for the rain to stop since there were no covered or shaded path that we could use to go the the office building. We waited for about 30 minutes until the rain stopped. It was our first time to visit the SG office. We went there to meet M's boss and some other people that M worked with. We went a the local bar across the office building to have a few drinks together with the SG office people. M's boss ordered 2 Macallan whisky bottles to drink. At around 7:45 to 8 pm we left the bar to go to the SG flyer.
While walking going to the flyer, it started raining again! Good thing that there is a covered walkway going to the flyer. We took some pictures and then bought tickets. We boarded the flyer around 8:40-8:50 pm, it will take about 30 minutes or so to complete the whole cycle of the flyer. The SG flyer is open until 10 pm. The ride was very, very slow and kind of boring especially when the carriage is still at a low level. When we reached a good height, we started taking pictures until halfway down before getting off the flyer. It was already 9:30 when we disembarked so there was no enough time to go to either Marina Square or Suntec City to eat dinner there. We just ate dinner at Popeye's at the SG flyer building. After dinner, we decided to go home and call it a day so that we can have enough time and energy for the next day's shopping adventure!
Can't wait for it (but a bit sad because we will go home in 2 days :( )


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|A-Z index
History of the library: a group of books from Tanis in the Roman Period
In 1884 Flinders Petrie uncovered on the eastern side of the great temple at Tanis a structure which he labelled 'House 35', and identified as a private house, full of objects and papyri (Petrie 1885: 41-50, frontispiece and pl.12, nos.12, 39-40). Fragments of about 150 manuscripts on papyrus paper had been preserved, despite the Delta damp, by carbonisation in a fire that had destroyed the quarter in the mid to late second century AD. Petrie seems to have recorded no plan of the building, and the correct identification of the building remains uncertain. The objects range across all categories, from two burnishers in semi-precious stones to a statue in mixed Greek-Egyptian style inscribed in demotic for a man named Ashaikhet (misread initially as 'Bakakhuiu', giving rise to the misnaming of the find as 'the house of Bakakhuiu'). Most of the objects are now in the British Museum. The combined evidence has never been assessed in detail: is this a centre of production, such as a temple workshop, or the remains of the contents of a rich household of the late second century AD?
The manuscripts are now preserved in the British Library, except for two in the British Museum; only the two in the British Museum have been published, one with a hieroglyphic sign and word list as the 'Tanis Sign Papyrus' (British Museum ESA 10672), and the other with a tabulation of religious knowledge as the 'Tanis Geographical Papyrus' (British Museum ESA 10673). The others are only known, along with information on the archaeological context, from the publication references:
'This house stood over a large underground cellar without windows, which was reached by a staircase from the ground-floor rooms. These steps descended first toward the north, then stopping at a flat landing another flight descended to the south, on the east side of the upper flight. This lower flight had a cupboard opening on to it, which was formed in the wall beneath the upper flight. In this cupboard the waste papyri were stowed in baskets along with other rubbish, as brown jars, and a piece of bronze.' (Petrie 1885: 41)
'Of the papyri found, but little has been yet read. There were about a hundred and fifty saved from this house; they appear to have been all waste papers, roughly shoved into six plaited baskets, without any care or order. They are of all kinds - hieroglyphic and hieratic, with vignettes and rubircs, fine uncial Greek, demotic memoranda, receipts, and legal papers of various sorts; some rolls, some documents of a few columns, some mere scraps of a few lines. The rolls have been flattened and crushed by the ohter papers, the folded slips have been twisted across, and the whole has served as a nest for mice, who have brought in almonds and hazel nuts, the broken shells of which I found amid the documents. Unhappily most of the basketfulls had been burnt to white ash in the conflagration of the house; but about a quarter of the whole bulkl remains, reduced to black tinder, but still legible. The greater part of this, however, is made up of fragments of larger rolls, and nearly all the papyri have suffered more or less by cracking to pieces at the folds. Bad as is the condition of these remains, yet it is far better than if they had not been burnt, as in the neighbouring house some unburnt examples were found which have so completely rotted from damp that they fall to powder with the gentlest handling. We cannot hope to obtain better papyri than these throgouhly-burnt examples from such a wet district as San. That these papyri are of various ages is shown by the names that have been already observed - Hadrian, the Emperor Titus, and on a demotic papyrus one of the Ptolemies.' (Petrie 1885: 42)
'In the house of Bakakhuiu nothing from Greece or Italy was found; the only foreign influence was Syrian, and the papyri were nearly all demotic, only a small proportion being in Greek, such as would naturally accrue in course of business.' (Petrie 1885: 46)
'The best preserved papyri are stiff, with a shiny surface, as if blackleaded; the ink is black, or yellowish where it was originally red. They have been thoroughly charred; most in fact have had the largest part burnt away. All, except two, are from the house of Bakakhuiu, whose numerous rolls contained religious as well as legal texts. Some were, perhaps, connected with the plans of a new or restored temple. The geographical and other lists in the papyrus, which Mr. Petrie has copied (No. 103), with the scraps of a similar one (nos.130 and 131), where the entries of nomes, feasts, marshlands, etc., are corrected by notes in minute hieratic at the foot, and especially the columns of hieroglyphics in papyrus 118, in which the gods grant divine gifts to a king or emperor, whose cartouche is unfortunately left blank, seem as if they were sketches and notes to be expanded on some temple-wall at Tanis.' (Griffith/Petrie1889: 2; the plates indicate that the 'Sign Papyrus' was from Papyrus No.80, and on p.3 it is confirmed that it too 'was found in the house of Bakakhuiu').
Copyright © 2003 University College London. All rights reserved.


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Following the success of the Ghost 5 (and the 3 and 4 before it), Brooks Running is getting set to debut the latest iteration of the popular neutral running shoe designed to do it all.
Starting June 1, Brooks will launch the Ghost 6. Given the popularity of the Ghost 5, not a whole lot has been changed in the latest version. However, Brooks has done away with the midfoot shank to allow the maximize ground contact for a smoother ride. The shoe features a horseshoe Caterpillar Crash Pad that provides medial to lateral support.
The Ghost 6 is expected to retail around the $110 mark. Check back soon for a review on the Ghost 6.
RELATED: SPRING PREVIEW: Brooks Running Spring 2013
RELATED: REVIEW: Brooks Running Ghost 5


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Morning Sweetpeas :]
This is the post I promised to show you my latest purchases, firstly, this beauty:
I found it at a jumble sale recently, it's a genuine levis denim shearling jacket and so warm and comfy!!!! And only 20p, I'm in love.
Secoundly, this is what I used my £20 Topshop voucher on:
It was £45, floraldungaree shorts, they are adorable! And a thick courdoroy(i can't spell, sorry) material to give it a kind of furry texture. :)
Thirdly, this felt patterned leotard which I fell in love with instantly at Primark, £8.
A plaid crop t shirt, calvin klein, 20p at the jumble sale. I plan to wear this alot in summer with high waisted levis shorts.
I got this jumper in the kids section of a charity shop, for only 50p as there was a tiny hole in the bottom, and sew this badge which I got from the market. I wore this on top of a polo t-shirt and my flatmate said, 'So, Kat, How was school today?' :P
This is the ticket from the inside of some high waisted beige shorts I got for 20p at the jumble sale, isn't the ticket awesome?! It reminds me alot of American Apparel.
I have bought many more things but they are still in Leeds/or the wash :P this Christmas I have lots of things planned as I like to feel productive, hehe. These include:
Selling things on ebay
Baking-brownies, cookies, mince pies...
Making Christmas cards and drawings
Starting a 2011 scrapbook/journal
Sorting out my room
Running in the morning
Practising sewing


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Ok so the birding hasn't been the best over the last week or so. Looks like the winter movement we waited for just passed us by. Has taken me over a month to get a fieldfare at the farm!! and a walk round today with frankie revealed an empty farm. So what do you photograph during these times? Well I've decided to try and photograph the gulls.
As you can see there is still some work to go on this idea. But i like the initial look. Just got to try and refine the colours etc, oh and don't forget my remote release next time..
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
Thursday, 5 February 2015
White winger
Seems we have a strange gull at the farm these last few days. By all intents and purposes it looks from a distance like a good candidate for Iceland gull. Then as you study it more you kinda get the impression that its a tad ' dirty ' for Iceland. So naturally you will start thinking Kumliens gull, but even then its not all present and correct.
Have a look at Rotherhithe and beyonds blog
They have had what i think is the same bird. Thanks Dave for highlighting this. So what to make of it. Will it just become an Iceland x Herring Gull cross?
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class Foo { Foo() { std::cout << "constructed!" << std::endl; } ~Foo() { std::cout << "destroyed!" << std::endl; } }; int main() { Foo a; if (true) { Foo b; } }With the above code, the following is the output: constructed! (from a) constructed! (from b) destroyed! (from b after exiting the if block) destroyed! (from a exiting the main function) The programmer can determine exactly when the destructor of the variable 'b' is called, and that is when the if block is finished. Likewise, the destructor of 'a' is called when the main function exits. This is called stack unwinding. In C++, all variables on the stack (locally declared variables) are destroyed when a function block terminates. This is RAII at work. While we're on this topic, it leads nicely into why C++ doesn't need a finally block as well. The finally block is meant for garbage collected languages to ensure that everything is cleaned up even if an exception is thrown. While it may sound like C++ needs this just as much, that is not true. With RAII, when an exception is thrown, the block terminates, and thus all objects declared on the stack will have their destructors called and memory is released. Smart pointers, such as boost's shared_ptr implementation which uses reference counting, take advantage of RAII and takes care of the hassle with managing heap variables. It does magic in the background (that's why it's called smart, right?) and automatically calls 'delete' when the pointer is no longer used by any part of the program.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Garbage Collection and C++
Why doesn't C++ have garbage collection? Simply put, it doesn't need it. C++ has something called Resource Acquisition Is Initialization. What this means is that programmers can deterministically know when an object is created and when it is destroyed. You do not have the same information with garbage collected languages. For example, in C# you know when an object is created (when you call new), but you have no idea when the object gets destroyed. Even if you do a manual call to the nasty GC.Collect(), there's no guarantee that your object will actually be freed from memory. C++ heavily relies on RAII, and smart pointers make very good use of this idiom. For instance, take a look at the following C++ code:
Posted by Bailey Ling at 7:10 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Coding
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This reading was created for my installation service at St. Paul's UCC in Hinckley, IL. My son helped me to read and edit this for worship.
Reader 2: Is it true that the church is dying?
Reader 1: Irrelevant?
Reader 2: Is it a bastion of intolerance like they say?
Reader 1: A house of hate?
Reader 2: A place of judgment?
Reader 1: A place of guilt?
Reader 2: If not, then what is the church?
Reader 1: I am the church.
Reader 2: I am the church. Jesus was trying to get away. He was tired. Was worn out from all the people who came wanting to be healed. Wanting to be touched, wanting to know God's presence. He was tired. There into the house came a woman. A foreign woman. A woman of a different race, a different religion. A woman that didn't fit. A woman that people like him called – scab, scum, parasite. She needed him. She needed someone who would help her daughter. Her daughter was so little and so hurt. So she fell to her knees and begged him to help. He was so tired. He didn't want to help. He was mean. Jesus was mean. He told her she was a dog and didn't deserve help. He called her a dog. The little girl need him and so her mother said, "Even dogs get crumbs. All I need is a crumb." She changed Jesus' mind. She made Jesus see that ministry is not bound to a particular people. God's love and healing is for all. She made him see that even foreign bodies matter. If Jesus can change his mind and realize that God's love and healing for all, how can we not stand up and say black lives matter? How can we not stand and say immigrants, foreigners are welcome? We will be the church, we rejects racism.
Reader 1: I am the church. I want to be the person who forgives often. Jesus told us to forgive any time we pray. Jesus had come home to rest and teach. So many people had come to the house to listen. So many had come for just a glimpse of heaven, a piece of God's love. There was a man who couldn't come. He had been so sick for so long. He couldn't even move from his sick bed. He had friends, friends who knew that healing happens when Jesus comes by. They picked him up and carried him to Jesus' house. They dug through the roof and lowered him to Jesus. He looked at this man. This hurting man and said, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Jesus looked inside deep inside. He knew that there was so much hurt and pain. And Jesus gave him the forgiveness he didn't even know he needed. How can we do any less? When we see the pain how can we not say you are forgiven? We will forgive the unforgiveable. We will be the church, we forgive often.
Reader 2: I am the church. He was teaching and preaching, healing and comforting. Jesus decided to get away, but the people saw and followed, coming from the towns and villages all around. He looked on those people with compassion and began to teach them. When it got late, his friends told him to send them away so they could eat. But Jesus looked at them and said, "You give them something to eat." All they had was leftovers from lunch. But Jesus took that lunch and fed them. All of them. When he was faced with a crowd of hungry people again he fed them. How can we look at the poor and not act. How can we hear the words 'You will always have the poor with you' as an excuse not to help. When we pass laws that cause people to lose their driver's license for failing to pay their student loans. Where we jail people for being unable to afford the ticket or fine. Where we use the poor as atm machines but don't allow them to use their benefits how they will. When people were hungry, Jesus fed them. How can we do any less? We will be the church, we care for the poor.
Reader 1: I am the church. You tell us you "give power to the faint and strengthens the powerless." (Isa 40:29). This woman was bent over, worn down, had been sick for 12 years, bleeding with no help in site. She thought if she just touched you she could be well. Just one little touch. So she reached out and she did. She was powerless. She had no one to help, everyone she went to provided no comfort. Her condition just got worse. But then, with that touch, she was healed. Jesus felt his power go out. He asked who touched him. His friends said "For real? Do you see this crowd?" But she fell to her knees and told Jesus her pain. He heard how powerless she was in her life and sent her away in peace. We look at the world and see the Yazidi women being raped and know we can't remain silent. We see the Syrian refugees and know we can't ignore them. We look at those places of deepest need, and feel you turning to them knowing your power has gone out and saying go in peace be healed. But we know to be healed we have to be your hands, your feet, your heart. We have to choose that place where we can make a difference, so they can go in peace. We will be the church, we fight for the powerless.
Reader 2: I am the church. When God created the world and all within it, he looked around and said that it was good. How did we get to the point where we deny science because a faith story about goodness becomes an action plan for humans to do as they wish. God created the earth and made us to be farmers from the dirt. We were created to feed people and cherish the Good earth given to us. What if our churches showed the love of creation, taken our church property and turning them into gardens? What if we made our church lawns into food forests? What if we planted vegetables and harvested fruit and nuts so we could feeding the homeless shelter, the community dinner, providing produce to the food pantry, free food to whoever drops by? What if all our churches put solar panels on their large roofs - Using the light for power, and using the savings for mission? What if we become churches that question oil bombs rolling through our towns? What if we modeled how to live in this place as one of God's good creation? We will be the church, we protect the environment.
Reader 1: I am the church. Sunday the most segregated day of the week. I am in my worship with people who look and sound like me. You attend worship with people who look and sound like you. But we know the stats. We know our country is more diverse than ever. We know that what we see here on Sunday does not represent your kingdom. That upside down crazy rainbow kingdom. The kingdom you created in Babel where the languages and people of the earth were created and separated in different languages and love. But we know you brought that diversity back together again. At Pentecost you made us able to hear and understand each other. So why on Sunday are we all so similar? Help us be your rainbow church where people mix in the diverse melting pot. A place where we learn and hear about each other. Where your stories become part of my story and my story is changed for the better. Help us strip Sunday of this segregation. Make us a place of welcome for all people. Black and white, Hispanic and Asian, gay and straight, questioning and sure, republican and democrat. We will be the church, we embrace diversity.
Reader 2: I am the church. You told us the greatest commandment was to Love God with everything we have, everything we are. We love God when we enter the church like Jesus did reading together the scriptures. Sharing what hear God saying in the scriptures, and learning how others are experiencing God's word and presence. We love God by becoming the house of prayer that Jesus wanted. He was so upset that day he walked in the temple and saw all that money changing hands. As he watched people make money on God. He started turning over the tables of those buying and selling. He wanted the church to be a place of prayer for all people. So how can we do any less? Praying our sorrows and joys, praying our pain and our hope. We love God when we sing together, laugh together, cry together, eat together, and comfort each other. We will be the church, we love God.
Reader 1: I am the church. It sometimes seems like to be a Christian you don't get to enjoy life. There are so many dos and don'ts. Church seems like serious business. Yet there was that day when Jesus met Levi. Levi was a tax collector. One of the despised because everyone figured that in order to live the way he did, he had to have stolen money from us. But Jesus invited him to join the party, to follow him. Later that day he was eating at Levi's. He was drinking wine, eating, talking and laughing with this unruly group. People saw this and got angry accusing Jesus of eating with tax collectors and sinners. But don't you want to be part of that church that throws Birthday parties for prostitutes at 3 in the morning? That hold a Drag Queen Gospel Festival? A church that has block parties, neighborhood potlucks, festivals and parades. A church that laughs and dances more than it fights. A church that teaches, encourages us to live life fully, joyfully, basking in the wonder of God's love. We will be the church, we enjoy this life.
Reader 2: When two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, we will be the church.
|St. Paul's UCC Hinckley, IL
Reader 1: When I show love, we will be the church.
Reader 2: When I reach out to someone in need, we will be the church.
Reader 1: When I am Jesus to the world. We will be the church.
Reader 2: I am the church!
Reader 1: I am the church!
Reader 2: I will not be thoughtless!
Reader 1: I will not hate!
Reader 2: I will not posture and pretend!
Reader 1: I will not make church about me!
Reader 2: I will be real,
Reader 1: Be honest,
Reader 2: Be vulnerable.
Reader 1: I will be me.
Reader 2: We are God's people.
Reader 1& 2: We will be the church.


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Former (IM) USR CAO in-charge, Kiphire Block Chopongse Sangtam, reacting to a news item "USR NSCN (IM) Kiphire clarifies on defection" which appeared in some local dailies on April 6 and 7 respectively has expressed shock at the malicious allegations leveled against him by "the very persons" who pushed all "true National Workers" under United Sangtam Region "into a pressure cooker situation".
He said he was never discharged on March 24 as alleged, and added, "no authority, central or regional" has ever question his integrity and loyalty towards the Naga cause.
"The discharge order of March 24 is simply a figment of imagination", he added and questioned as to how he could still possess government arms and ammunition with no order of withdrawal or submission of the same till last week.
Stating that all CAO's were empowered with responsibilities and that the United Sangtam Region was no different, he alleged to have handled all government files and document considering the great search for unity and oneness among the Nagas and a new direction required in the USR.
"The un-revolutionary tactics of T.T Among and his boys" he said, was "also one prime factor" on why USR's likeminded patriots voluntarily joined GPRN/NSCN to serve the Nation for a purpose.
Accusing T.T Among for siphoning off all maintenances and allowances approved by the government to USR, Chopongse went on to add that "For four years not a penny has reached regional authorities".
"We were threatened with suspension or discharge every time we bring up the issue", he stated, adding, he was never involved in collecting tax without the knowledge of the authorities as alleged.
Terming A.S.O Thro-nglise's anti-national activities still protected by T.T Among as unfortunate, he stated on February 2, 2009, Thronglise was caught red handed in possession of Spasmo-Proxivin tablets (SP), by Kiphire Town Sangtam Student's Union (KTSSU), which was reported to the government on February 4, and appended that the government, citizens and NGO's of Kiphire town "could testify to this fact".
Ikato Y Kiho, first Naga to join National School of Drama in New Delhi
I must be the perfect role model: Ikato Y Kiho is the first person from Nagaland to study in the prestigious


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Clean Eating Breakfast
Thanks Kelly for this awesome, easy breakfast! Here is an example of a healthy and efficient meal!
- Broccoli
- 1 Egg and 1 Cup Egg Whites
- Half a Piece of Ezekiel English Muffin
- 4 Strawberries
- A Pinch of Shredded 2% Sharp Cheddar Cheese


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Sitting in bed in our lavish Bangkok hotel room, typing away. It's been 5 days since we left Mtn View (a bit confusing due to time difference). Today we dictate our own schedule, which I am looking forward to.
Chris was in an awful, awful mood until Wednesday afternoon.
Tuesday morning, Chris went to the sauna in our hotel. Upon his return, we were all getting ready for going out into the city.
John: Were there any hotties in the sauna?
Chris: (mumbling slightly) It was a male-only sauna, and I was the only one there. So there was one hottie.
John: What? I couldn't hear you.
Chris: (mumbling) I was there, so there was one hottie.
John: What?
Chris: I was the only hottie.
John: What?
Chris: I was the only ---
me: Okay, okay! You think you're a hottie! We get it!
Later, we're all in the ferry terminal, waiting to ride the ferry from Kowloon across to Central Hong Kong.
John: We should get some female interns. It'll be like Monika Lewinsky.
me: Oh no!
Chris: [stalks off without a word]
We catch up to him.
me: What's going on?
Chris: I feel like it's National Hypocrisy Month. Like, this morning you got after me for saying that I'm hot, but you're saying all the time, 'Oh, my abs look great today.' or 'my hair' And it's not okay for John to want female interns, but it's okay for you to hang out with Mark Cook and Todor and Peter?
John: I'm going to get some candy. [runs off]
We discuss, Chris calms down. But he's still angry. He refused to sit with us on the ferry, and on the bus ride to see the Giant Buddha. He doesn't smile, doesn't make any jokes.
Wednesday morning, we're sitting in a noodle shop. Chris says nothing and eats nothing.
John: I'm actually a CIA agent. I saw this movie about a guy who ran game shows, but he was also in the CIA, and he would take the winners on these trips where he was actually hitting targets.
John: So I'm a CIA agent. I have a mark in Bangkok, and in Bangalore. I just gotta find one for Hong Kong.
Chris: You can do me.
John: What?
Chris: You can kill me.
John and I look at each other and raise our eyebrows. I put my hand on Chris's shoulder and squeeze it. He reaches up and lightly lifts my hand off of him.
We split up after that. When we reunite 2 hours later, Chris is mysteriously in a much better mood. The mood has lasted through our day in Bangkok.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Posted by Niniane at 11/12/2004 04:52:00 PM
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Find meetings held throughout many towns in Massachusetts, such as Attleboro, Belmont, Brockton, Cambridge and Concord, notes Massachusetts Al-Anon. For a full updated list of Al-Anon meeting locations, go to Al-Anon's website for Massachusetts at ma-al-anon-alateen.org and click on "Find a Meeting" in the "Meetings" drop-down menu.Continue Reading
Al-Anon is a recovery program that offers mutual support to families and friends of alcoholics. The meetings are anonymous and confidential, notes Al-Anon. While Al-anon is not affiliated with any religious group, some meetings are held in religious centers. For example, the Attleboro meeting is located at Murray Unitarian Universalist Church, as of 2015. Meetings are also held at other locations, such as at hospitals, universities or police departments.Learn more about Health


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A former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who is a focus of a federal public-corruption probe reported at least $70,000 in income from two companies that had business before the state and had contributed to the governor's re-election campaign.
The federal investigation is looking at payments that Joseph Percoco, Mr. Cuomo's former aide and re-election campaign manager, reported he received from COR Development Co. LLC, a developer, and CHA, a civil-engineering firm previously known as Clough, Harbour & Associates LLC, and whether the firms received beneficial treatment from the state, according to people familiar with the matter.
Mr. Percoco's annual financial disclosure statements show he received payments from both companies in 2014. He received between $50,000 and $75,000 from COR and between $20,000 and $50,000 from CHA, according to the reports.
During the time Mr. Percoco reported receiving the payments from these companies, he spent a large portion of the year working as campaign manager for Mr. Cuomo's 2014 re-election bid, a period that coincided with a significant increase in donations to the governor's campaign from CHA.
Between 2013 and 2014, Clough, Harbour & Associates donated $160,000 to Mr. Cuomo's campaign, according to filings with the state Board of Elections. Before that, the one reported contribution from the firm to Mr. Cuomo was $1,000 in 2010. The company gave another $35,000 to the governor's campaign in 2015.
In 2013, COR executives and LLCs affiliated with the company contributed $187,500 to Mr. Cuomo's campaign, up from $60,000 in 2012 and $15,000 in 2011.
Before January 2011, the only contribution from those parties was a $5,000 donation from COR President Steven F. Aiello, in 2010.
Steven F. Aiello has a son, Steven L. Aiello, who currently works for the state's Division of Military and Naval Affairs as a project assistant but previously worked for Cuomo's re-election campaign.
COR reiterated yesterday that they never paid Percoco but Percoco's JCOPE disclosure form says otherwise.
Perhaps Preet never gets as high as Cuomo in this matter, perhaps Cuomo continues to have plausible deniability around the corruption allegations, the increased donations, the outside payments, the rigged bids and so forth.
Jim Heaney at Investigative Post writes that even if that is so, Cuomo's governing style invited this kind of corruption:
In short, the Cuomo crowd is obsessed with secrecy and operates with the mistaken notion that the rules don't apply to them. The governor may or may not have knowledge of the supposed misdeeds of some of his associates, but he has most certainly created an environment that's made state government susceptible to official misconduct.
The erased emails, the use of untraceable Blackberry PIN communication, the ignored FOIA requests - all show Cuomo running his administration not like a governing official but like an organized crime figure who doesn't want to end up on a wire or with his emails subpoenaed.
And if Cuomo or his minions get offended by the organized crime analogy, well, too bad.
That's exactly how they run things in the Cuomo administration, as we're seeing more and more in the Buffalo Billion and associated investigations.