text:
Journey o Mormon
by Pamela Williams
bout 149 BC, on the battlefield
Alma splashed his face in the basin of water at the washstand. He'd shave later, after morning maneuvers. Some of the men didn't shave at all, but he hated the itch of a beard. Maybe his head would stop pounding by then and he wouldn't be in danger of cutting his own throat.
Malachi, his aide, came into the tent with a fresh, clean tunic. "Good morning," he chirped, making Alma wonder again how this man could smile at this time of day.
"That's debatable," he mumbled into the towel. Of course, Malachi wasn't troubled with nightmares, so naturally he'd be cheerful. A clear conscience, Alma thought. That's what does it. "How goes it in the camp? Has the supply wagon arrived?"
"Yes, sir. Lots of excitement," Malachi replied, placing the tunic on the cot. "It's the king as well."
"We only expected a shipment of arms today." Alma shook his head and frowned.
"But much that."
"Noah usually avoids coming near the battlefield." Alma been around the king to be a very ordinary mandidn't inspire awe. "It's dangerous."
Malachi shrugged. " not always a predictable man, in some ways."
"I assume that means Captain Gideon's command meeting will be delayed." He sat on the cot, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes and the tiresome, repeating nightmare from his brain. Overhead, the fragment of a moon was always a menacing smile as the deserted street gaped, becoming writhing demons with bony hands and long fingernails rose , seizing his ankles, pulling him down. He'd clutch at the to keep from falling and kick to free himself, but their grip only tightened. Gasping, grasping, losing his hold, he'd weaken, then fall, tumbling over and over, but always waking before he hit bottom, whatever that might have been.
"That's correct, sir, but the king's visit will probably be short."
Regrouping his thoughts, Alma raked his fingers through the curly blond hair he sometimes pulled back with a clasp. "Well, we can hope so. Find some food while I dress."
"Right away, sir." He turned to go but stopped. "Oh. And your uncle is here, as well as all the other priests. Makes you wonder…"
"…what's going on in Shilom." Alma frowned. "Yes. Maybe it won't be such a dull day after all. Send in Uncle Reuben."
Alma stood to pull the tunic over his head and fasten the sash around his waist. These nightmares always left an ache behind his eyes. Malachi was sure dreams had some deep spiritual meaning, but Alma had no patience with that kind of hazy speculation. They'd begun when the Nephite army was forced to stay put and hold their place in the battle line to protect the ground they'd won. It was not the way Alma would have preferred to spend a long rainy season. Instead of marrying Jerusha and going on with the life they'd planned, he'd been detained. It might have been different if Captain Gideon had only listened to me.
"What a dreadful place," Uncle Reuben sneered as he entered the tent. "How can you live like this?"
Alma eyed his uncle with disdain and bit back the sharp sarcasm that jumped into his mouth. "Good morning to you, too, Uncle. What's going on? We had no idea anyone was leaving the comfort of the city today to come all the way out here in the mud."
"Unfortunately, the priests have to meet together. Pressing business."
"Then maybe you don't want to wait…"
"But I do." He sat on the cot and patted the space beside him. "You have to tell me what happened. Things were going so well we thought the war was over, and then we got word that it wasn't."
Alma sat beside his uncle. "Worst day of my life."
"When I didn't get a letter from you explaining things, I knew it must have been something you couldn't put in writing."
"Correct assumption."
"Smart boy." Reuben waited. "Well?"
"After we got reports from the spies, we met together to plan the strategy for the next campaign. Even as a principal sub-commander, I still have to fight for my proposals before the real battle begins. Then Gideon presents two or three options to Laban and Haman, and they decide what we're going to do."
"Yes," Reuben said. "They know what the king would prefer."
"Frankly, I wish we had military men making the decisions instead of two of the king's priests trying to pretend they know something about making war."
"What was your role in it?"
Alma sighed. "I told them Berechiah's plan was the wrong risk at the wrong time in the wrong place. Strong words, but I knew we'd be walking straight into an ambush, and it would cost us too many men. I showed them on the map why it was too risky. I read them the spies reports."
"What did Gideon say?"
"Nothing. He sat there looking thoughtful, alternately rubbing his forehead and pulling on his lower lip the way he does when he's deep in pensive deliberation. Berechiah insisted that we could find a way to distract and confuse the Lamanites. That pass is the most direct way into Shemlon and we had to take it."
"But the Lamanites would know that," Reuben said. "They'll be waiting for you with their best marksmen aiming at your necks."
"Exactly. And there wasn't another way to avoid the pass, except in my plan. Granted, it was risky, too, but this is a war. We do have to take chances occasionally, but if we're careful we can control the outcome."
"And Gideon wouldn't listen?"
"Malachi and I stayed up half the night revising the plan, working out the possible problems, but the next morning Laban and Haman chose Berechiah's recommendation and began planning to carry it out."
"Sorry, lad."
"I can still feel that lump of disappointment in my chest, in addition to the dread for the disaster I knew it would be. Two weeks later, the maneuver went forward, and then Captain Gideon recognized the flaws in the plan, but it was too late to change."
Reuben clicked his tongue. "And the loss meant sitting on the battle lines for the entire rainy season…"
"…enduring the copious downpours and impossible mud that makes combat treacherous."
Reuben sighed. "And it gave you plenty of time to contemplate your miscalculations."
Alma nodded. "To his credit, Gideon called me into his tent and acknowledged the regrettable results. When he apologized, he made a very interesting observation, Uncle. He said he'd learned the hard way that I'm not just your wealth. He said he realized now that I understand what we're doing."
Reuben snorted. "Small consolation."
Alma smiled at the irony of Gideon's apology. "At heart I know I'm a privileged young man acting a part to execute a war I despise. In fact, everyone knows you used your influence with the king to obtain this advisory position for me, but I've still had to prove my worth."
"You knew that before you joined the army, didn't you?"
"Oh, yes. I didn't go into it blindly. To the others, especially the careful captain, I appeared to be some presumptuous rich boy playing at war, and though I hated the fighting, I knew I had a gift for strategy. I pushed every day to validate it, just to prove their assumptions wrong."
"Is there anything I can do? What does the king need to know? Should the others be punished?"
Alma chuckled. "No, Uncle. We play nicely together most days. Besides, this war isn't a permanent condition. Although we lost that battle, it simply made the men more alert, quicker to obey commands and keep their skills sharp so that when the war resumes at the end of the rainy season we can make short work of it and go home."
"Speaking of home, I brought you a letter from Jerusha."
Alma took it like a thirsty man reaches for water. "How is she?"
"Lovely as ever. You're a lucky man. Everyone says so."
Alma grinned. "Thank you. I know it." He caressed the letter in his hand. "They'll be waiting for you. Let's see what Malachi has found…"
Reuben rolled his eyes. "Oh, go ahead and read it. I'll just sit here in awe of your complete silliness."
"Thank you." He untied the letter. "You're right. I'm completely irrational when it comes to Jerusha." He held it up. "You see? It isn't very long. It won't take…"
"Just read," Reuben snapped.
Alma read quickly. "Dearest Alma, when your uncle volunteered to carry a letter to you, every logical thought flew out of my head, so this probably won't make much sense. He's waiting and I'm writing quickly. I didn't want to miss this opportunity to tell you that I'm well and happy and hoping you are, too. I spend a lot of time with my cousin Miriamne, of course, and her husband Helam. They treat me like their own daughter. Last month one of my neighbors asked me to help his children with their school lessons, so I've begun tutoring them. It's very fulfilling to help them understand reading, writing, and sums. It helps me pass the time, but it's also enlightening. I never thought about it before but perhaps this will prepare me to teach our children. Oh, please hurry home, my love, and we'll go on with our lives just the way we planned. Sending all my best hopes and wishes for a safe return, your loving Jerusha." He sighed and glanced through the letter again. Children. She wanted children. They'd never discussed that before. He rolled up the letter and slipped it under the flat pillow on the cot, still lost in the nearness he felt as he read her words.
Reuben cleared his throat to draw Alma's attention. "Ready to go on with your life?"
Alma smiled when Uncle Reuben's words echoed Jerusha's sentiments. "Don't let me keep you. I'm sure the others are waiting."
Reuben paused. " can probably guess that the priests are divided. Only that could constrain the king to risk coming out here today."
Alma fought to get his mind out of the letter and into the conversation. "A healthy debate brings out all the best ideas, whether it's on the battlefield or in the palace. Do they usually agree on everything?"
"Ordinarily someone is willing to be persuaded, but this is situation." Reuben paced as he spoke. "A religious preacher is causing an uproar in Shilom, and it's dividing the citizenry. We thought we'd seen the last of these partisans when Noah put Zeniff's cronies out of office, but this man is going around Shilom proclaiming that corrupt, sinful men lead the city, men who will suffer dire consequences if they do not change."
"Corrupt, sinful men? He used those words?"
Reuben nodded. "That's what he calls ."
Alma chuckled at this petty absurdity. "Well, what's the question?"
"Some of them think we should arrest him and others think we should find some way to… uh… eliminate him."
"But there's no legal way you can do either."
" like this, but it's a direct affront to all of us."
Alma secured the sandals on his feet. " we "
"change a few laws, "
Reuben shrugged. " could do if we had to, but…"
"Our laws are based on long-standing Nephite tradition Zeniff brought when he came here a generation ago. You can't change them on a whim. Are they really considering ?"
"No one wants to, but this old fellow is stirring up the people more and more, making us look like villains. We have to take some kind of decisive action."
Alma tied his tunic at the waist. "Don't you have legal counsel?"
Reuben shrugged. "We've never needed it before. Unfortunately, citizens are beginning to pay more attention to government matters."
"It seems obvious to me—find someone who knows the law to advise you, maybe the governor at the academy of law. He carries lots of clout."
Reuben smiled. "I thought of that, but instead, I found you."
Alma put up his hands in a defensive gesture. "I don't want to get involved in anything that has to do with religion. People take it seriously." He shook his head. "No, it's too volatile."
Malachi came in, bringing bread, cheese, and wine. "Excuse me, sir."
"Thank you, Malachi," Alma said, gesturing to the table.
Reuben smiled and coaxed "Come to this meeting with me, Alma, just this once."
Alma sat on a stool next to the table and wrapped a chunk of cheese in a slab of bread. "But I'm not…"
"It doesn't matter. I'll say I brought you in as a legal adviser. You shouldn't miss this chance to impress Noah. You could use his influence. After this meeting he'll go back to Shilom but he'll remember you and your good advice. Do this for me and I promise I won't ask you to get involved again."
Alma frowned and gulped the wine. "All right. Let's go."
Reuben paused. "Why don't you… uh… wear your armor? It gives the air of authority." Alma looked skeptical. "Come on. For the king's sake."
He rolled his eyes and chewed more bread and cheese while standing with his arms out to accommodate the armor Malachi buckled onto his upper body. He could make a small concession to please Reuben if possible, but he vowed to stay out of that religious business. He took the sword Malachi handed him and fastened it in place. "All right. Let's go."
He grabbed more cheese and bread to eat as they walked to the command tent.
When they arrived, members of the kind's guard stood aside to let them enter. Most of the other priests had assembled, but Reuben went straight to the king. "You remember my nephew Alma, don't you, sir? He finished just last year at the academy of law."
"Oh yes." Noah nodded his recognition of the younger man. "From a distance to help me keep the peace. Very good."
Alma started to protest; keeping the peace isn't what lawyers do. He saw Reuben's slight shake of his head and merely smiled. "I've only finished my studies, sir, and haven't had a real chance to practice my profession yet, but I look forward to serving Shilom in some capacity when the war is over."
Noah regarded him. "Your uncle tells me you were a superior student."
"He tells that to who'll listen." Alma raised an eyebrow at his uncle.
"I asked him to come to this meeting in case we need legal advice," Reuben explained.
"Excellent idea," Noah said with a pleasant smile at Reuben. "I expect we will." Alma's , the king lowered his voice. "When we're finished with this unpleasant little involvement here with the Lamanites, I want you to come to me, and I'll make sure you find a position suitable for the nephew of my friend Reuben."
"I certainly will do that, sir," Alma replied as Reuben cooed his delight. "Thank you for that generous offer." Noah moved on to speak with another priest, and Alma sat with Reuben apart from the others.
"You see," Reuben murmured. "What did I tell you?"
"You don't think he means that, do you He's a man who does things to make himself look good, not because he has generous ."
"We can find a way to help him remember and ensure that he keeps his word."
"Nonsense." Alma snorted. "He doesn't mean it. to me"
"Just watch for an opportunity."
Laban, Gideon's fellow captain, also a priest, came into the tent a moment later""aasket and another one to the priests before he sat next to his kinsman Amulon, the chief high priest. They were business partners and married to sisters from a prominent family in Shilom.
"We're all here now," Amulon told the king. "You can begin, sir."
Noah smiled, and as his priests turned their attention to the meeting, he cleared his throat and paced among them. "As you know, we're here to discuss a problem in Shilom that needs immediate attention."
Looking around at all these powerful men who determined Shilom's destiny, Alma remembered the times, years ago, when he accompanied Reuben to council meetings, no more than a boy they usually ignored. Watching their deliberations had become his preparation for the academy of law. Quiet and perceptive, he learned more than anyone imagined. But that was before the academy, he mused, before the war, before Jerusha, before I had ambition. He observed again now, noting how these men had changed in the years he'd known them, but their attitude toward him would still be the same—he was just a boy.
Noah summarized the issue, the problem of this preacher them and insulting them with talk of repentance. As the debate went back and forth, some minimized the threat while others exaggerated it.
asket"He's speaking of us," reminded them, as if no one understood the implications. "He says our enemies will have power over us unless we repent in sackcloth and ashes. I've never seen such brazen ."
"He's saying these things about all of us?" Haman asked.
"," Jasher answered. "This old fellow has charged us all."
"He must be mad," Noah said.
"One person's madness is another person's common sense," Reuben observed.
"Religious madness is the worst of all," Jasher responded.
"We must do something to stop him," Noah sputtered in his outrage.
"What choices do we have?" Laban asked.
"Those of us in the city aren't unanimous," Noah replied, "so we need the entire council of priests to make the decision."
Or maybe he's trying to spread the blame around, Alma guessed.
"We have two choices," Jasher explained. "We can banish, or we can arrest, convict and publicly execute. I say execute. too slipperyThere's really no other logical choice."
Alma cleared his throat and spoke. "Convict on what charge?"
Jasher regarded Alma and asked, "Your nephew has some business here, Reuben?"
"Only to answer our legal questions," Reuben replied. Alma shrugged and gave the rotund priest a vapid smile.
"He has my permission"
Jasher raised his eyebrows in surprise. "But sir, I would have advised against it."
"That's why I didn't consult you."
Refocusing attention, Laban crystallized the issue for everyone. "As I understand it, we can't arrest a man for saying irritating things. Tiresome as it is, everyone in Shilom still has a right to an opinion and a right to speak it in public."
Yes, even if what he says makes us uncomfortable, Alma thought.
"We have to be careful," Esrom reminded his colleagues. "Think how the execution of a religious leader, even a fanatical one, would look to the people who follow him."
"How many really believe him, anyway?" Amulon the space. "Isn't this something that will pass with time, like a fever, or a carbuncle?"
Reuben frowned. "We can't count on that."
"You can't kill him either," Pahor "Everyone will think you're afraid of him. That would destroy public confidence."
"Well, I am afraid Let's be honest. Men like this have a gift for stirring up others, and then we mightlose control of the people, and their confidence as well."
food asket"That's right Our safest course would be to banish him. People have short memories."
"Then write up the banishment order and carry it out This doesn't have to be such a hard decision."
"But what law did he break?" Laban asked.
"We can find something," Amulon answered.
again"There's no law against being a sliver in the toe of government."
"There's always something," Amulon insisted.
"I agree" Pahor . "I was in favor of execution before, but I've softened my view."
Esrom nodded. "I say banish."
"I'll go along if that's what you decide." Amulon smiledac. "As chief priest, I think this body should declare that in addition to the banishment, it will be illegal to subscribe to this man's religion."
Pahor . "Can we do that? Aren't people supposed to be able to choose for themselves? We don't want to be accused of breaking our own…"
"Freedom of religion is established law," Alma reminded them. "You can't force anyone to be religious, but you can make it uncomfortable for them if they go to extremes."
"Glad of that," Pahor muttered.
"I think we can discourage his followers Isn't that right, Alma? We can banish the old man with just an order signed by the kingmake them to defend him."
Alma nodded. "Yes, there is a statute that supports banishing a public menace restrictions vague with multiple interpretations."
"Don't we have to have public complaints before we can banish?" Pahor asked.
"I'll give you one right now," Amulon volunteered, "and it wouldn't be hard to arrange for a few more from other prominent citizens."
fruit"Look, I enjoy a public execution as much as the next man" "ut it would be safer for us as a group, in this case, to banish the old fellow. Then we won't have to be concerned about the subtleties of the law."
"If you banish, he disappears," Alma told them. "If you execute, you first need to charge and arrest him. Do you even know where he is? Then you need incontrovertible evidence and a trial. With that you risk drawing unwanted attention, which might make him a martyr and the event memorable."
Breaking the brief silence that followed, Jasher clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Well, Jasher," Haman demanded, "speak up if you have something to say."
"I think safety lies in resolute action," Jasher stated.
snorted. "It isn't weakness to take resolute action based on prudence I agree with Alma. We don't want to give those religious people a rallying point."
"I think the rest of the people would thank us for sending this man away," Reuben said. "All this commotion would die down if he's not there to keep it going."
ul", sir"
Noah smiled a tight little smile. "What would I ever do without your help to make this very difficult decision?" He looked around. "Banishment?" All the others nodded their agreement. He sighed. It wasn't what he wanted, but clearly it was the safer course of action. "All right. Banishment it is."
patted Noah's shoulder"I'll draw up the papers for you as soon as we return to the city. My pleasure."
"May I just say," Jasher added, "that it will be so much better when the council of priests isn't separated this way. Making these dangerous journeys into the battlefield is a hardship on us all." Several priests nodded agreement.
Does he think it's a restful recess for the men on the battle lines? Alma thought.
Laban looked around at the group. "Well, Haman and I can't leave the battlefield when we're in charge here. Thanks for making things easier on us."
"Yes," Noah agreed. "We all hope the war will be over soon, and you can…"
A commotion outside drew their attention as Gideon burst into the tent with Berechiah and Malachi. "Lamanites!" the chief captain shouted. "They're attacking!"


text:
Life, In Spite of Me:Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice
Written by: Kristen Jane Anderson
As told to: Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Multnomah
Genre: Nonfiction, Christian, inspirational
About This Book"She wanted to die. God had other plans.
Why does my life have to be so painful?
What's wrong with me?
It's not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won't hurt anymore.
Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.
One January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.
But Kristen's story doesn't end there.
In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living.
Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.
Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most."
Want a Sneak Peek? Read Chapter 1 here.
My Thoughts:
An amazingly powerful yet heartbreaking story of a failed teen suicide. Straight from Kristen's point of view, she tells what drove her to finally decide to kill herself and how it failed. She tells how she had to learn with her one bad choice and how that choice changed her life.
From the moment I opened this book, I was held captivated by Kirsten's story. As a mother, my heart ached for her inability to communicate with her family. As a person, I understood the place where she was at to make her very painful mistake - or decision. There was no way I could put the book down until the end. I needed to know how she got from such a "bad place" to a healing point in her life.
This is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. It is one I think everyone NEEDS to read, and am requiring it to be read by both of my teens. I'm sure after they finish it, it will be passed on to their friends. It is an amazing, amazing story!!
About the Authors:
Kristen Jane Anderson has been featured on Oprah and is a popular speaker at colleges, women's and youth events, churches, and suicide prevention outreaches. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute and the founder of Reaching You Ministries, Kristen seeks to help those who are hurting, hopeless, lost, suicidal and depressed.
Tricia Goyer is the author of three hundred articles for national periodicals, as well as fourteen novels and six nonfiction books, including Blue Like Play Dough.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A sermon given at St Matthew's Church, Oxford, 8th February 2015
Readings: Psalm 34, Peter 3:13 – 4:6,
I wonder whether you heard the interview between Stephen Fry and the veteran Irish TV presenter Gay Byrn on RTE television's The Meaning of Life last Sunday. It's created one of those media storms with over 5 million hits on YouTube at last count[1] I thought I'd play a clip this morning but I guess some people here might find it offensive so I won't. Here, though, is what Stephen Fry says when asked what he would say to God if he found himself standing at the gates of Heaven:
"I think I would say, 'Bone cancer in children? What's that about? How dare you. How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that's not our fault? It's not right. It's utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean minded, stupid God who creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain?' That's what I'd say."
This interview created some consternation in some Christian quarters. Perhaps the best reaction came from Giles Fraser who said, 'I don't believe in the God that Stephen Fry doesn't believe in either.'
What Stephen Fry says is of course relevant to what I will be talking about in today's sermon: the problem of suffering and the question of why our loving, just and powerful God allows suffering – and in particular allows suffering amongst his followers. This is a question over which more ink has been probably been spilt than any other religious question and I hesitate to suggest an answer. Peter tackles the question in his epistle and in particular in the reading we heard just now and in the reading we will be thinking about next week. His answer is that Jesus suffered. I am fairly sure that Stephen Fry wouldn't find that a satisfactory answer but I think it is an answer that should satisfy us and in this sermon I'll try and explain why.
But back to Stephen Fry for a moment. Note that, in answer to the question from Gay Byrn, Stephen Fry is able to imagine speaking to God. It's almost that he believes in God for a moment and speaks to him out of his desire to tell him what he thinks about the world and in particular the suffering he sees around him, particularly unjustified suffering such as bone cancer in children. Stephen fry is angry with God for creating such a world - and anger with God - particularly about suffering - is something that authors of the Psalms – also do quite a lot.
We have, in effect, in the Book of Psalms, 156 recorded prayers. In these prayers we can find petitions - requests for help, healing from ill-health and disease, rescue in the face of persecution from others, etc. There is also quite a bit of thanking – thanking God for his help in healing, rescue, etc. But often the Psalmist just tells God what he or she thinks of him. There is a lot of praising of God for who he is - his goodness, his justice and his love - but there is also a lot of complaining about what he is doing and in particular his allowing of suffering.
Take Psalm 44, for example. After praising God for doing what he did to help his people in the past – reminding him that he saved them from their foes and put to confusion those who hated them - the Psalmist – let's assume it's a man - complains that now (verses 9 -12):
You have rejected us and abased us, have not gone out with our armies. You have made us turn back from the foe; and our enemies have taken spoil for themselves. You have made us like sheep for slaughter, and have scattered us among the nations. You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.
The language may be more antiquated but the sentiment behind these verses is the same as Stephen Fry's. The Psalmist is angry with God.
But note also, as well as the anger, the puzzlement on the part of the author of Psalm 44 and Stephen Fry. The Psalmist is asking God why, when he went out with our armies in the past, does he not do so now; why when they, his people, 'have not forgotten him' he seems to have forgotten them. Stephen Fry similarly wants to know from God, why he created a world with suffering in it. People do want to know.
But our first reading today wasn't from Psalm 44 it was from Psalm 34. The reason why I chose Psalm 34 is that a quote from it – verses 12-16 – comes just before our reading from 1 Peter. And 1 Peter Chapter 3 verse 13 to the end of Chapter 14 can be seen as an expository sermon on Psalm 34. Peter is, if you like, taking as his text for today, Psalm 34 and elaborating upon it, just as I am seeking to do with his text.
So let's take a look at Psalm 34. This psalm, unlike Psalm 44, is a rather upbeat psalm. Let's assume that the psalmist is a woman this time. She starts with the very un-angry and un-puzzled words, 'I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be in my mouth'. This psalmist, like the author of Psalm 44, then proceeds to remind God what he has done for her in the past before moving back to the present. Verse 4: '[In the past] I sought the Lord, and he delivered me from all my fears.' Verse 6: 'This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord.' And now to the present. Verse 8: 'O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those that take refuge in him'. And verse 17, coming just after the verses Pete quotes : 'When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
At this point you might be tempted to say to the Psalmist as I am. " 'When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.' Oh come on? Is this really your experience? The Lord might listen and let's hope he does 'when the righteous cry for help' but does he always rescue them from their troubles? Surely not?" We know that the righteous suffer as much as the unrighteous, and sometimes even more.
Actually the author of Psalm 34 is caught in a bit of a logical bind. She acknowledges – verse 19 – that, 'Many are the afflictions of the righteous' in which case God clearly hasn't, at least yet, rescued them so when she says, 'When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles' she must mean that Lord will, at some point in the future, rescue them. Or at least she hopes so.
So now to 1 Peter and Peter's exposition of Psalm 34. It might be a favourite psalm of his as he quotes it elsewhere in his epistle. Now it is clear that Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering in some way – so much of it is devoted to the subject for a start. I don't know whether Steve covered this in his introduction to 1 Peter – a few Sundays back - but commentators think that this suffering wasn't state-sanctioned persecution of Christians such as under the Emperor Nero in AD60 – under which Peter himself died - but lower level physical and verbal abuse from hostile neighbours. Nevertheless this was bad enough for Peter to have to write to them about it – possibly in answer to the question of why God was allowing it to happen.
Reminding them of Psalm 34 is perhaps a good way to start. After that, and in the same vein as the Psalmist, Peter asks his readers a question: 'Now who will harm you, if you are eager to do what is good?' That's Chapter 3 verse 13. It's a rhetorical question. Pete's assuming the answer 'no-one', No-one will harm you if you are eager to do what is good. By 'harm you', he clearly doesn't mean physical harm – he knows that they cannot avoid physical harm. Indeed Peter acknowledges that the recipients of his letter may well suffer physical harm in the next verse when he says, 'But even if you do suffer for doing right, you are blessed'.
When he asks rhetorically, 'Now who will harm you ?' he must mean that they will avoid some spiritual harm – such as loss of faith in a God that will ultimately rescue them from physical harm – an amazing claim if you think about in that way. And when he says, 'If you do suffer, you are blessed', he obviously doesn't mean physically blessed but rather spiritually blessed: in the way Jesus means when he says, in the Sermon on the Mount: 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven'.
All this might sound over-simplistic – even just pious rhetoric - on Peter's part – but he goes on to urge his readers to reflect on and stick with their situation. Verse 14: 'Do not fear what they [your persecutors] fear and do not be intimidated'. That is, acknowledge that your suffering at the hands of those around you is often a result of their fear of you – a needless fear – and this understanding might help you a bit to feel less intimated and bear the suffering more easily. Fair enough. He also gives them some further advice – here and later in the epistle - about how to cope with their suffering.
But just as you might question the apparently naïve optimism of Psalm 34, you might well say, as I am sure his readers also said, 'But why do we need to suffer in the first place?'
I think we can all see what Stephen Fry is getting at when he questions why an all-powerful, creator God, who is supposed to be all loving and just, allows unjustified suffering. Stephen Fry particularly questions the suffering of innocent children, but others such as Job - to whose suffering a whole book in the Bible has been devoted - have questioned the suffering of good people. In the case of Job, Job himself.
I personally think that the apparent problem with this question comes in our thinking of God as omnipotent – all powerful. As I have said before I do not think God is omnipotent in the sense that Greek philosophers thought God was – a thinking that seems to me to have been imported into Christianity and is unnecessary.
My main reason for thinking that God is powerful but not omnipotent, in that way, is this. Paul in his letter to the Philippians tells us that Jesus 'emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human form.' That is, that God, in Jesus, made himself voluntarily powerless – like a slave. And this for me helps explain – not only God's saving work through suffering on the cross – but also his - God' the Father's - creative work at the beginning of time- and remember that Jesus was there too. Only through God making himself voluntarily less than all-powerful could creation begin to happen. And creation, we learn from science, seems necessarily to involve physical pain and indeed physical death.
But back to suffering. Peter supplies the reason for why his readers are suffering at verse 18 when he says, 'You suffer for Christ also suffered' and then goes on to explain why Jesus suffered, that is: 'for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God'. And this for me is the key verse in this passage from 1 Peter.
Now I am not going to talk about how Christ's suffering achieved what it achieved – a huge subject in itself. The important thing I think to note, today, is the fact of Jesus' suffering and that his suffering wasn't meaningless: it was for something.
One part of the amazing good news that Jesus brings is that God himself suffers. He is not a remote and distant God who created the world with all the suffering it contains and left it at that – as Stephen Fry seems to be assuming that he – the God he doesn't believe in – does. Our God is a God who suffers – once on the cross – and now in response to our suffering. And through that suffering makes our suffering meaningful.
Peter goes on to say – Chapter 4 verse 1 – 'Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh for us, arm yourself also with the same intention….so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God.' So just as Christ's suffering had a purpose, an intention, so too does our suffering and we should view it in that way.
It is of course difficult for us to fathom the meaning of our own suffering and even harder to discern the meaning of the suffering of others. In fact it is hazardous – and can be offensive to do so. As I said, the Book of Job is a long exposition on the meaning of one man's suffering and you are left at the end not really knowing what it was all for. God's answer to Job towards the end of the book is to reassure him that he, God, is indeed God. 'Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?' he asks Job. He does not explain what has happened to Job.
But nevertheless we can be assured – as Job and indeed the Psalmists could not be - because they had yet to encounter Jesus - that that our suffering isn't pointless because God has suffered for us and now suffers with us. Suffering can only make sense, if instead of argument and reason, we gaze on the suffering of Jesus.


text:
Community Baptist Church will be sponsoring an evening of rock and roll music at the Aquinnah town hall on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 7 to 11 p.m. Music will be provided by Ed Fantasia's group Tayke 3. Admission is $10 per person. All proceeds will be for vital repairs to the church and to the Parsonage. Buy a basket with a hamburger or hot dog with chips and a soda for $5. If you are unable to attend and would like to send a donation, it may be sent to Community Baptist Church, Box 151, Aquinnah, MA 02535.
Treasures galore and early holiday shopping will be in order at the Aquinnah community programs committee flea market/yard sale on Sunday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 20 Black Brook Road in Aquinnah. The committee funds community activities for young children and their families throughout the year, and seasonal sales are one of their fund-raising events. There will be many vendors with lots of good things for everyone to enjoy. Some of the items are old and some are new. There will be tables with wampum jewelry, collectibles, jewelry, housewares, books, art, hand-knit items, toys, beadwork, antiques and much more. There will also be a large free box.
Aquinnah Public Library will be sponsoring Edible Vineyard: A Series About Cooking and Eating on the Vineyard. Shirley (Prada) Craig, author of the popular book Delish which was written with her late husband Philip Craig, will present and discuss their book with a demonstration on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m.
Dancing in the circle — the fourth annual Aquinnah Wampanoag Powwow was a nice event despite the weather and the threat of a hurricane. Tribal members were present from Aquinnah, Mashpee, Narragansett, Eastern Pequot, Penobscot and several other tribes were represented as well. It is anticipated that the powwow will be a two-day event in 2009. If you missed the powwow this year, the annual T-shirts will be available at the tribal building for $15 each for adults and $10 for children.
Tribal elders traveled from far and wide to participate. Helen (Wanzer) Mays Jackson and her husband Richard Jackson traveled from Washington, D.C. and spent a few days in Tisbury while on their annual visit with family and friends. Gertrude Boswell arrived from Arizona to visit with her family and friends. Charles P. Madison, his friends Aiyisha and Doreen Jones and his son Michael arrived from Philadelphia to spend the week. As always, it was a pleasure to see all of them and their families.
While on the Vineyard for the autumn, Ken Kaufman and Corinne Majno will be renewing their wedding vows on the deck of their family home on Mariner's View Lane overlooking Vineyard Sound. They would like to have all their Aquinnah friends and neighbors join in the celebration which will be a potluck gathering on Monday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. and lasting into the evening. For directions and to RSVP, please call 508-645-2270. Corinne and her brothers Luca and Lorenzo resided in Aquinnah summers since the 1950s with their parents, Dr. Guido and Mrs. Majno. Please join Ken and Corinne as they celebrate life, love and friends.
John Robey of Boston arrived on Friday to attend the powwow while staying at his family home on State Road.
Paul Manning enjoyed his birthday celebration at the Outermost Inn on Sunday evening with his wife Theresa, and their friends Chris Carroll, Amy Lilavois, Scott Mullin, Jonathan Ralston and Mary Ibsen. Dinner was creatively prepared for all by chef Dan Sauer and in honor of Paul's day he was presented a gift of Champagne from Captain Hugh Taylor and his wife Jeanne.
Jay Smalley recently enjoyed a trip to Pennsylvania with his parents, Leroy and Beverly, to visit with her uncle, Charles Reels, who is 93 years old.
Good news from Arnold and Norma Zack. Their Abyssinian cat Gus returned home after a week, kind of bedraggled, well-hydrated but definitely malnourished. Gus is back and safe in their hands once more and will thus become an indoor cat. Thank you to all of their neighbors who searched the neighborhood for him and to the residents of Jeffers Way who heard him for three nights but could not locate him.
Happy ninth anniversary wishes to James and Nancy (Carlton) Benoit as they celebrate on Sept. 18.
Happy fourth anniversary wishes to Jason and Jessie Little Doe Baird as they celebrate on Sept. 18.
Happy birthday wishes this week to Jason Hobbs as he parties on Sept. 13. Captain Brian F. Vanderhoop of Conomo Charters will celebrate on Sept. 15. Antone Matthew Araujo will be three years old on Sept. 16. Naushon Galbraith will celebrate his twelfth birthday on the Sept. 17 and shares the day with Jason Baird, Penny Vanderhoop, and Dan Levitt who was recently at his home overlooking the south shore.
A very special birthday wish to Paul Benedict as he observes a major milestone on Sept. 17.
Sally D. Wiener will party on Sept. 19 and shares the day with Nadia Aiguier.


text:
Brock-Brown-Hall House — Anderson, South Carolina
SC Picture Project | Anderson County | Brock-Brown-Hall House
This colorful Victorian home in the Eastlake architectural design contributes to the beauty of downtown Anderson. Built around 1893 for banker and textile magnate James Albert Brock and his wife, Eleanor Reed Brock, the home rests on the rose garden of the former property of Brock's father-in-law, Judge Jacob Pinckney Reed.
The home later was occupied by the Brocks' daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Erwin Brown and eventually purchased by Mr. and Mrs. White Brown, who owned a local hardware store called White Jones Hardware. Today the stately home is being restored to reflect its original state.
The Brock-Brown-Hall House is listed in the Anderson Historic District of the National Register as 710 McDuffie Street:
Anderson came into being in 1826 with the formation of Anderson County, and as a courthouse seat, the community was quick to develop. With cotton being grown in the region, industrialization arrived in the form of cotton mills, bringing the town to city status by the beginning of the twentieth century. The Anderson historic district contains a variety of architectural styles including Greek Revival, Romanesque Revival, Victorian, and Colonial Revival. The district is primarily comprised of residential buildings, but also includes a number of churches, the buildings dating from antebellum times to the turn of the nineteenth century. The nomination notes that streets have been widened over the years to accommodate modern traffic, but that the district retains much of its original charm. Trees stand tall and in great number in the yards and along the streets. Some twentieth century buildings have been added to the area, but the overall commercial impact in the district is slight. Listed in the National Register December 13, 1971.
Reflections on the Brock-Brown-Hall House
Contributor Cheryl McManus shared with us this insight from her aunt, long-time Anderson resident Barbara Scott, who diligently searched for more information on this gracious home: "This incredible piece of architecture is straight across the street from my church, Grace Episcopal Church, on McDuffie Street in Anderson. I actually interviewed a 90-something-year old man at church tonight to see what he knew about the house. He told me quite a bit about the original owners, their children, who married whom, etc. The piece of information highlighted below lists the home's owners over time.
"The house was built in 1893. Bill and I actually knew the last owners listed, Mr.and Mrs. White Jones. Yes, White was his first name. He and his wife Betty owned White Jones Hardware stores which are still the 'place to shop' in Anderson. Any time Jane came over here to visit us with MaMa and PaPa, they always wanted to go to White Jones to shop. Jane bought bird feeders from there. They had the finest kitchen wares anywhere in town. It was one of my favorite places to shop, too. The stores are still here but are now Ace Hardware stores. They're still great. [The house] sits unoccupied at this point in time and has been empty for quite a few years. It would probably take a fortune to maintain it in its well-deserved glory."
Add your own reflections here.
Brock-Brown-Hall House Info
Address: 708 South McDuffie Street, Anderson, SC 29624
GPS Coordinates: 34.499320,-82.648059
Brock-Brown-Hall House Map
Please Share Your Thoughts!
Did you enjoy this page? Do you have any information we should add? Send us your comments below — we can't wait to hear from you!
2 Comments about Brock-Brown-Hall House
April 21st, 2018 at 11:41 am
The house does serve as a private residence but is viewable from the public street, you could still try and use it as a backdrop from publicly accessible right-of-ways. Good luck on the prom photos!
April 21st, 2018 at 9:57 am
Is this house available to the public? Was wanting to take prom pictures here!


text:
Congratulations to the winners of the last contest. Josh A. of Westbrook, ME won Lisa Lutz' The Last Word. The winner of Deborah Coonts' Lucky Bastard is Bev M. of Boise, ID. I mailed the books today.
This week, I'm giving away two historical mysteries. In Lindsey Davis' The Ides of April, Flavia Albia
Or, you could travel back to a Argentina in 1945 in Blood Tango by Annamaria Alfieri.When an obscure young woman is brutally murdered, the police detective concludes that the murderer mistook the girl for Evita Duarte, the actress-mistress of Colonel Juan Peron. The search for the killer spreads far and wide in a historical mystery filled with colorful characters.
The contest will end early this week before I head for a workshop. The contest will end Wed., July 31 at 6 PM CT.
Which book would you like to win? You can enter to win both, but I need separate entries for each. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com. Your subject heading should read either "Win The Ides of April" or "Win Blood Tango." Please include your name and mailing address. Entries from the U.S. only, please.


text:
About Us
About Our Company
A. S. Machinery
, are pleased to introduce ourselves as a notable
manufacturer, wholesaler/distributor and supplier
of a broad assortment of printing and allied machinery.
Rotogravure Printing Machine, Lamination Machine Coating Machine, Slitting Machine, Inspection Rewinding Machine, Flexography Printing Machine
are some of our offered machines. We have an advance manufacturing set up in our company with a sound research and development department because of which we are able to bring forth advanced range of machinery.
We are blessed to be an eminent part of
Macart Equipment Pvt. Ltd.,
which is one of the leading manufacturing house in India. Our products are known for their operational efficiency, high performance, easy to handle, low maintenance and long service life. Our success in attaining client satisfaction has helped us become our clients most trusted company, which is paving to our growth in the industry.
What We Offer?
We are engaged in the manufacturing and supplying of a broad array of industrial lamination, printing and allied machinery. Look below to find our entire product range:
Lamination Machine Coating Machine
Inspection Rewinding Machine
Flexography Printing Machine
Dry Lamination Machine
VMCH Coating Machine
Doctoring Machine
Candy Leaver High Speed Slitting Machine
Slitting Machine
High Speed Printing Machine
Shaft Less Printing Machine
Rotogravure Printing M/C
Dry Lamination M/C
Wet Lamination M/C
VMCH Coating Machinery
PVDC Coating Machinery
B.O.P.P. Tape Coating M/C
Our Infrastructure Facility
In our endeavors to meet with the high market and industrial demands, we have constructed a modern infrastructure facility. Our infra is outfitted with a latest and efficient range of manufacturing machine, quality testing equipment, safety solutions, packaging machinery and allied tools. There are five wings that include research & development, warehouse, production, packaging and in-house quality controlling in which our factory is divided into.
Our Quality Objectives
From the very beginning to serve A-grade quality gamut to our clients has been the priority of our firm. Through our rigorous quality inspection policy we are able to bring forth a range that is of international quality standards and is exactly as per the expectation of our clients. Before we dispatch the printing, laminating and allied machinery in the market we monitor their efficiency, service life, physical structure and allied parameters.
Showroom / Products
Slitting Machinery (1)
Rotogravure Printing Machine (1)
Lamination Machine (3)
Coating Machines (3)
Contact Us
Terms of Use
Go to the Desktop Website


text:
Most people in business complain that there are just too many meetings. That may be true, but business meetings are a fact of life, and the best we can do is learn to make them worth the time and effort they require.
Effective business meetings are an exercise in communication: we speak, we listen, we discuss, we decide. Meeting rules may vary from one situation to another, but holding effective meetings is essential to getting things done. If you want to learn how to conduct a meeting, here are my nine simple rules to help you through the process.
1. Call only necessary meetings.
Before you begin the whole process of calling and holding a business meeting, ask yourself if it is really necessary. Do certain people actually have to gather in the same room to accomplish your purpose, or could a series of phone calls, an e-mail or a memo serve the same purpose? Develop a reputation for calling meetings only when necessary, and people will be more willing to devote their time to them.
2. Invite the right people.
Invite people who have something to contribute or who need to be involved in the discussion. If you have to consult someone for information or authorization about an agenda item and that person is not there, it's frustrating for everyone. Consider inviting them just for a specific agenda item. On the other hand, don't invite people just because they are at a certain level in the organization. Busy people appreciate your consideration of their time.
3. Create an effective agenda and distribute it well before the meeting.
An effective agenda is much more than a list of topics. It can function as a meeting announcement, as well as a tool to help the leader control the discussion. Sending it out in advance lets people know what will be discussed and gives them an opportunity to gather information they will need and prepare their input. Effective meetings begin with effective agendas.
4. Start and finish on time.
Don't wait for latecomers--start on time without them. You should also avoid the temptation to bring latecomers up to date on what has taken place before they arrived, a practice that penalizes those who came on time. People shouldn't be rewarded for upsetting everyone else's schedule. Allot a time to each subject on the agenda and stick to it. Effective business meetings start and finish on time.
5. State the objective at the start of the meeting.
State an objective that is results-oriented rather than discussion-based. e.g. "We are meeting this morning to approve the final budget for next quarter." This is a measurable objective, toward which you can work during the discussion. Don't say, "We are meeting to discuss..." After all, you could discuss for hours and technically you would have met your objective, but you could hardly describe it as an effective meeting.
6. Keep the meeting moving toward its objective .
Don't let people drag the discussion off track. Keep reminding them of the objective and redirect the discussion back when they stray. Your communication skills come to the fore as you lead a business meeting.
7. Don't just sit there--say something!
But what if you are attending someone else's meeting? Can you still contribute to making it an effective meeting? Yes, you can. Assuming you have received an agenda in advance, carefully consider what materials you should take with you, any information you have that would be important to the discussion and make notes of any points you might make at the meeting. Having something to say and saying it is the best way to contribute to a successful meeting. Do your homework in advance and you will know what role you should play.
8. Arrange for appropriate notes .
Even informal meetings need notes to summarize what happened and, even more important, to set out any actions that are to be taken and by whom. Names of those who are to take the actions should be included in the notes and, if possible, someone designated to follow up on the actions.
9. When the objective has been accomplished, stop!
If you have been successful in completing discussion of your agenda within the allotted time, don't be tempted to start a discussion about something else. Finish early and you'll be a hero; so don't spoil it by starting to discuss other issues. Congratulate participants on a successful meeting, and move on.
If you follow these rules, you will not only be observing proper meeting etiquette, but you will also be on track to an effective business meeting that delivers results.
About the author: Helen Wilkie is a professional keynote speaker, workshop leader and author. To book Helen to speak on "Helen's 9 Rules for Meaningful Meetings" at your conference or training event, call her at 416-966-5023 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com Subscribe to her free monthly e-zine, "Communi-keys" at http://www.mhwcom.com and get your free e-book, "23 ideas you can use right now to communicate and succeed in your business career!"
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Wilkie


text:
Tuesday, 03 August 2010
The Big list of Windows Media Player Shortcuts
Shortcut keys are keystrokes that provide a quick way to perform an action. Using shortcut keys saves time and makes you more efficient! Windows Media Player too, has its own arsenal of shortcut keys. The thing is, they aren't well known. Until now that is.....
1. Video Playback
ALT+1 Adjust zoom to 50 percent
ALT+2 Adjust zoom to 100 percent
ALT+3 Adjust zoom to 200 percent
ALT+ENTER Display the video in full mode
2. Accessing the menus
ALT+F Go to media player File Menu
ALT+T Go to media player Tools Menu
ALT+V Go to media player View Menu
ALT+P Go to media player Play Menu
ALT+F4 Use to close media player
3. Switching between display mode
CTRL+1 Display media player in full mode
CTRL+2 Display media player in skin mode
4. Player controls
ENTER or SPACEBAR Use to play an item
CTRL+B Use to play the previous item in media player
CTRL+F Use to play the next item in media player
CTRL+E Use to Eject CD or DVD from CD or DVD drive
CTRL+P Use to Play or Pause the item in media player
CTRL+T Use to Repeat the items in media player
CTRL+SHIFT+B Use to Rewind a file in media player
CTRL+SHIFT+F Use to Fast Forward a file in media player
CTRL+SHIFT+S Use to play items slower than a normal speed
CTRL+SHIFT+ G Use to play items faster than a normal speed
CTRL+SHIFT+ N Use to play items at normal speed in media player
F8 Use to mute the volume in media player
F9 Use to decrease the volume in media player
F10 Use to increase the volume in media player
This post was written by: cyberst0rm
Blogging about technology since 2007. Feel free to leave a comment below.


text:
The Colorado Department of Transportation thinks adding a tolled express lane in each direction on C-470 between Interstate 25 and Wadsworth Boulevard is the right solution to traffic congestion.
CDOT presented possible funding options for the project Aug. 19 during one of several town hall meetings scheduled over the next month. The tolls would cover a large chunk of the project's $230 million price tag, said CDOT spokeswoman Amy Ford.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Columbine Courier, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


text:
A young woman gave birth during a 16-hour SAA flight from South Africa to New York at the weekend, according to a report.
Fatawmatt Kaba went into labour about four hours into the trip, according to The New York Daily News.......news.ifrica
The 17-year-old from Angola had boarded the Kennedy-bound flight from Johannesburg and went into labour somewhere over West Africa.
The flight was not redirected since two doctors and nurse were on board. Pediatric anesthesiologist Dr Julie Williamson, from California, helped deliver Kaba's baby.
"It was exhilarating," said Williamson, according to The Daily News. "While there was a lot of discussion whether to divert the flight, she made the decision for us by saying, 'Push!'.
And when we checked, the baby was crowning, and she delivered him in two pushes," the 41-year-old Californian doctor — who was returning from a medical conference in SA — added.
The baby boy, who Kaba named Mamel Joella, was declared healthy by the doctors on the flight. "He nursed right away. And she was a very strong woman — never cried, never complained. It was amazing," said Williamson.
Kaba even returned to her seat after the birth."He didn't cry a single peep the whole time," Williamson said.Since Mamel Joella was born outside of US airspace, he won't be an American citizen. Tolong Share ya ^^


text:
A blog about children's/young adult books and services. And anything else I feel like throwing on here.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Review: Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller
By Joseph Lambert
Published 2012 by Hyperion
Here is another version of the story of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, two women who accomplished extraordinary things and forged a unique and enduring friendship, despite the hardships they faced.
I've been sort of on a graphic novel kick. There is just something that is so appealing about them lately, most likely because I am feeling seriously overwhelmed by the MUST READ ALL THE BOOKS phenomenon that strikes towards the end of every year. Graphic novels are usually quick reads but with stories just as wonderful and fulfilling as traditional novels, so I sort of find them a balm when I get truly overwhelmed. This one came in on our new cart and it immediately caught my eye. Of course everyone knows the story of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller - but I liked that this was framed through Annie's eyes and dealt with an episode that I wasn't familiar with - that of Helen's trial. Helen was tried for submitting a story to various literary publications which she insisted was original but was, in fact, found to be plagiarized, at least in part, from a previously published tale. It was fascinating to read about this incident, though it's just one small part of this story. The artwork is stunning in that it is so perfectly suited to the story. The style changes when we are seeing things from Helen's perspective and it works beautifully. This is a wonderfully told story that may introduce readers to things they hadn't known previously. Lambert's art is perfect here and he really brings the story to life.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Monday, September 15
Giada Makes Faces at Pink Party
I guess at a certain point you just give in, though, like Giada De Laurentiis apparently did this past Saturday in Santa Monica at the 4th Annual Pink Party benefit for Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Research Institute.
1) "Giada! Smile for the camera!"
2) "Okay, now pose with your hand on your hip!"
3) "Okay, now act like you see someone to your right!"
4) "Wait, that first smile wasn't big enough. Can you try it again?"
5) "You can do better than that!"
There you go!
I was in New York City over the weekend. Stayed right across the street for Mario Batali's Babbo Ristorante, but didn't get a chance to dine there. Sigh... maybe next time.
Hope your weekend was pleasant.
[Image Source]
Labels: Giada De Laurentiis, Mario Batali


text:
Know your correct macronutrients before you eat! Macro Calculator is a result followed by many studies related to nutrition and fitness.
Macro Calculator is a minimalistic , yet powerful and accurate macro nutrient calculator. All you have to do is enter your information and it will do the work for you!
Q: What makes Macro Calculator different than other similar apps?
A: Macro Calculator allows you to create your own macros!
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is calculated using Mifflin-St Jeor Formula.
****This version includes the Apple Watch app.
****Now supports 6 languages.


text:
A little late on this one. Here we go ... ! Time to answer some questions and go book blog hopping! TGIF! Three fun memes after the jump!
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you. (I cheat sometimes and put a little more than a sentence!)
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post in Freda's Voice Linky.
I've turned to some of my comfort reads and have Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Of Love and Other Demons:
"He loved it as if it were a human being," the Marquis interceded.
"It was an affront to our faith, Senor Marquis," said Delaura. "Hundred-year-old horses are not the work of God."
Follow Friday time! Do a little blog hopping but be sure to check out this week's featured blogger Molli at Once Upon a Prologue! And don't forget to try your luck and you could win an ARC of Half Blood by Jennifer Armentrout.
If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? Why and to what?
Hmmmm.... these questions are getting tougher and tougher! Who comes up with these? :)
So I maybe copping out on this one. The books that I have come to unexpectedly love are those which are so unpredictable! Yes, it's annoying at the time of the reading but once I ruminate a bit more, it often makes the unpredictable much more acceptable. Short answer: I wouldn't change a thing!
Take for example:
- Skellig - weirded me out in the beginning, loved it in the end
- Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel - where is this going? oh ... wow!
- The Blind Assassin - noooooooo!!!!
- The Inheritance of Loss - heartbreaking, depressing ... should I put this down? No, I CAN'T!
As for the ho-hum books (like this or this), let's just leave them be. A changed ending probably won't save it anyway.
Meme 3: Book Blogger Hop
And on to Book Blogger Hop!
Q: What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season – A particular book release? Halloween? The leaves changing color? Cooler temperatures? A vacation? (If your next season is other than fall/autumn, tell us about it and what you are most looking forward to in your part of the world!)"
Thank goodness, that's an easy one. I look forward to some cooler weather. The summer has been a blistering one for the most part. And what freaky weather we're having around the world.
Happy weekend all!


text:
Aaron and Ming were right, this is the trial..to test out being away from the kids for more than a few hours and realizing that if it turns out to be not as bad as I thought, it would be the start of more day trips to come.
My homie since I was 18..jacked this pic from his Instagram:
We didn't get to go to Universal before my flight because our passes were black out days but we did get to just hang, eat, and see Venice Beach. Been there, done that, no need to do it again HAHAHAHHAHA! It was like walking through a SUPER SUPER long International Marketplace like back home in Waikiki (RIP). Ming, being from Miami, and I, being from Hawaii, seeing the brown ocean was like, "UHHHHH ya, ok" but the ocean in itself is just calming and relaxing and if I ever lived there, I would totally go to a brown beach on down time just to eat lunch and relax listening to the ocean.
The kids didn't even miss me which made me happy but sad at the same time. They have gotten so used to me working and having grandma play with them that they miss me but they no longer cry or feel sad. Back in Hawaii, the only had me so they weren't used to having me gone. It was like that when we moved here too..just going to a job interview was stressful for me. The guilt I felt for being away was hard. But now they are used to it and know that I am always going to be coming home right away, they are happy kids and I feel less stress and guilt for picking up an extra shift at work. They have grown up so much and I feel like I am continuously growing as a mom too.
The moment I felt the cool air in LA and saw the mountains, I knew that I can't stay in Vegas for too long. Although I most likely will stay for a while just because the kids need the support and I do too. I have a hard time trusting strangers to take care of my kids so they are in the best hands once I start working full-time. I'll keep looking but it will probably be awhile until to find a job somewhere along the west coast..but being in California really made me see how much my goals are there..being on the west coast..Oregon, Cali, Washington...somewhere near the PCT...or just being on the PNW..I have to get there someday in the near future. I belong in the green mountain..not the desert..and if I am not in Hawaii then I'd be happy up there!!! GOALS GOALS GOALS.....going to make things happen.


text:
Author Dave Ferraro's YA, Comics & More
A writer celebrating books, comics, music, movies and art of all kinds.
Hunters of the Dark
Other Novels
About the Author
HOTD Character Profiles
Monday, May 03, 2010
Manga Monday: Flower In a Storm
Flower In a Storm (Volume 1)
Shigeyoshi Takagi
The first of
Flower In a Storm
's two volumes introduces readers to Riko Kunimi, a normal high school girl (or so she'd like you to think). She has superhuman abilities that make her feel really self-conscious, especially since she was rejected by a boy when she played a boys' sport well. Since that devastating rejection, she has wanted nothing more than to be normal and fit in. But she's unable to do just that when powerful, rich teen Ran Tachibana enters her classroom, waving a gun and demanding that she be his bride. She tries to outrun the overzealous admirerer, who comes at her with armies of ninja and helicopters, and manages to evade him for a time, but he turns up at the most unexpected times. And soon he actually displays genuine affection for this girl who wants nothing to do with him, doing outrageously romantic things to woo her (which she hates, since it brings extra attention her way, the opposite of the normalcy that she seeks). I love the tone of this book, at once silly and over-the-top, and action-packed and emotional. And the characters are really great. Once Riko realizes that Ran really loves her and does things to make her happy, she has a conflict of exactly what she wants in life. Does she really want to be a normal girl with a normal boyfriend? Or should she embrace this charming strange guy who accepts her for who she is, and wants a life for her as far from normal as one can get? She's already a very conflicted person. Whenever she's running late for school or someone's in trouble, she doesn't hesitate to use her powers in the name of doing what's right. She's completely selfless. It's especially hard for her to accept Ran's advances at face value, because it means that he likes her for the real self that she tries so hard to hide from everybody. There's a lot of cool things going on in this book, and Ran's amazing luxurious life (complete with assassins trying to take out the heir, and planting car bombs in his vehicles) bring a ton of action to an already rich premise.
Posted by
Dave Ferraro
Email This
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post
Older Post
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)


text:
I told you about some special mugs I was working on a while ago. They are finished and I am ready to tell you more about this project. We are in the process of adopting a child. To help us raise some money to pay for the adoption, I made some limited edition mugs. Even though we are not sure who he/she is yet, we can't wait to become parents. There are so many children in the world who need a loving home and so many parents who long for a child. If you would like to buy a mug follow this link to etsy. I will add and update more mugs all the time.
Tomorrow I will start my new series about the adoption process.
Thank you very much for supporting us! Sabine


text:
Learn how to say Callouses correctly in English with this tutorial pronunciation video.
Oxford dictionary definition of the word callus:
a thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, especially in an area that has been subjected to friction.
Medicine the bony healing tissue which forms around the ends of broken bone.
Botany a hard formation of tissue, especially new tissue formed over a wound:
[mass noun]:
the exposed surface will quickly form healing callus
mid 16th century: from Latin callus (more commonly callum) 'hardened skin'


text:
Deficit will keep USPS from rounds
The United States Postal Service's Feb. 6 announcement that outlined plans of turning a six-day delivery week into a five-day week will mean elimination of some jobs, but just where those eliminations will occur is too early to tell.
United States Senator Richard Blumenthal believes changes can be made to the postal service to make it solvent and maintain Saturday service.
"Speaking generally, I oppose eliminating delivery because of its impact on small business and families who depend on it," Blumenthal said. "Small businesses depend on Saturday delivery for their goods and services, as well as for other kinds of communication, so I think it will be an impediment and obstacle to their recovering from the recession and create jobs."
More InformationFact box
Many agreed that some changes would have to be made.
Will Doran has delivered mail in New Canaan for 27 years, and the proposal came as no shock to him.
"It means Monday is going to be a nightmare, but you've got to do what you've got to do to cut costs somehow," he said while delivering mail on Main Street during the beginning of the blizzard last weekend.
Darien seniors at the senior center supported the cost-saving efforts of the Postal Service.
"It's a good idea if it can save the post office some money," said Bill Grega, who has a 49-year-old son who works for the USPS. "This is good for him; he'll get Saturday and Sunday off."
Darien resident Ray Evola was for the change.
"If (people) don't need the service, why waste people driving around in cars wasting the gas?" he said. "If they can conserve the energy, they should do it."
Others have been predicting the change for some time.
"I've been saying it for years that the post should stop on Saturdays," said Al Metayer. "All we get is junk mail anyway. The bills will come regardless. It's not like people pay them the day that they get them."
Sally Ijams, head of the reference desk at the Darien Library, wasn't overly concerned about the possibility.
"The effect will be minor at best," she said.
Magazines normally delivered to the library on the weekend would be put out on Monday. The delivery change would noticeably affect Barron's, a weekly financial magazine that is delivered with the Saturday mail and is heavily read by library users, according to Ijams.
One small business owner did not anticipate a disruption from the plan.
"We feel it will be a minor inconvenience," said Sheila Daley, owner of Barrett Bookstore in Darien. "We don't get any deliveries on Saturday; our books come in by UPS or FedEx."
The problem the postal service faces is that it loses an astounding amount of money.
"As we look to the coming year, we are on an unsustainable financial path. We are currently losing $25 million per day, we have defaulted on $11.1 billion in Treasury payments and exhausted our borrowing authority," said Postmaster General Patrick Donahue, who has said that discontinuing Saturday service will cut $2 billion annually from the service's deficit.
Blumenthal's hope to save the service rested on a bill the U.S. Senate passed a bill last April, which, he says, would have prevented the postal service from needing to cut Saturday delivery. The 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 stipulated many reforms, including that the Retiree Health Benefit Fund could be funded at 80 percent rather than fully funded.
The bill was never introduced in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Blumenthal said he hopes to pass another one through the Senate soon.
"It isn't a matter of changing the pension as much as changing the way the costs are paid. Right now, in effect, the costs have to be paid for all future pensions as if they were paid this year. It's an accounting reform as well as a reform. There are also efficiencies in service that can be implemented. Others included stronger efficiencies in delivering mail, investing in equipment that would improve delivery."
Christine Dugas, a Postal Service spokesperson, said since 2006, there have been 193,000 positions eliminated across the country, none of which were career layoffs, meaning that as employees retired, the positions were eliminated or filled by other employees, not with new hires.
"We are really good at dealing in reductions of employees through attrition," Dugan said.
With more than 31,000 post offices across the country, according to Dugas, the larger post offices may see a larger effect than the smaller ones, she added.
Between the two Darien post offices, there are 33 employees, 22 of which are mail carriers.
The plan to restrict Saturday deliveries will take effect Aug. 1, 2013 and will only affect first-class mail, which will be delivered Monday through Friday. Express mail will be delivered seven days a week, and packages will continue to be delivered and post offices will remain open on Saturdays.
"We encourage the new 113th Congress to make postal reform an urgent priority, and to work steadily toward the quick passage of reform legislation," Donohue said in a statement.
"Saturday service is only one branch of costs and should not be done in isolation," Blumenthal said. "Postal service needs to be addressed, no question."
firstname.lastname@example.com;203-972-4402;@Meg_DarienNews; email@example.com; 203-972-4413;@Woods_NCNews


text:
By Joe Ford
Summer isn't complete without our family's annual pilgrimage to Hershey Park. This year while watching the kids enjoying the timeless Scrambler, it's perhaps time for a lighter reflection on brands that are "doing well by doing good."
How a visit to an amusement park triggers these kind of ponderous thoughts I'll never know, but let's just blame it on the Dippin' Dots. As we all mature, it seems there is a renewed interest among all generations (but even more markedly, among the 50+ contingent) in connecting with initiatives and brands that have purpose, and some intangible quality that I can loosely call "warmth." Have you noticed it in the air? Read the rest of this entry »


text:
I was reading blogs & jumping around the blog world when I found this blog - Green Twig & wouldn't you know - she's hosting a giveaway!
Head on over there & see if there's something you might want to win!
Personally, I'd love to win this little tea set because it matches some dishes my Grandma has. Fun stuff!


text:
I decided to start "Thankful Thursday" on my blog. Every Thursday I will write some things that I am thankful for from that day... or even the whole week!
Today I am thankful for:
- The beautiful weather today! The high was 88 amd the low is 57 for the day. It was sunny and beautiful the entire day.
- I am thankful for "Girls Day Out". Baby A and I had special mommy and daughter time today! We walked to the library ( a good walk!) and went shopping together. She enjoyed looking at books at the library with mommy & strolling along enjoying nature on our walk. She also helped mommy pick out a yummy vanilla scented candle and a scarf for Baby A.
- I am thankful for cloth diapers. Every time I see a baby in a disposable diaper, I am glad that my baby isn't. Our diapers hold her messes well and look cute to boot!
- I am thankful for my hubby. Most days he comes right home to us ( with an exception once a week for golf), I appreciate that he takes the time with his family to build a good family. Baby A and I are both thankful for that.
- I am thankful for a quiet apartment building tonight. It gets noisy around here some days, especially with inconsiderate neighbors ( with teenage boys) below us. It is nice to not hear them downstairs arguing over whatever. The building is peaceful and quiet.
- I am thankful for my daughter. She is truly a miracle, and I thank God every day for bringing her into mine & Hubby's lives.
What are you thankful for this week?
Be Happy Healthy and Strong,
If you are a blogger with a post on thankfulness, please feel free to leave a link to your blog post in the comments below!


text:
INDIANAPOLIS — A born and bred Hoosier, Ryan Newman spent his childhood racing everywhere from Anderson to Winchester and every short track he could find in a state mad about racing.
He graduated from Purdue and landed a summer job working in Jeff Gordon's old race shop in Pittsboro. One of the perks? He got to live in the shop and sleep alongside the cars.
And like many Indiana kids, he revered Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the track he first visited in 1986 and later accidentally stumbled upon NASCAR's inaugural 1992 test while out buying tires with his mother.
A win at the famed Brickyard? That would be a dream come true for the South Bend native.
Newman made the boyhood dream a cool reality, taking the checkered flag Sunday to end a 49-race winless streak in front of his home state fans. His parents, who fueled his love of racing and took him to the 500 as a kid, joined him for his biggest win in Indiana.
Newman was as cool and collected in Victory Lane as he was on the track when he held off Jimmie Johnson. There were no tears, no quiver in his voice and no need to collect himself as Newman was strangely stoic.
"I don't show a lot of emotion, I think everybody knows that," said Newman, who likened the victory to his 2008 win at the Daytona 500. "I had the same emotion, the same thankfulness I did when I won the Daytona 500 because I feel everybody that has been a part of my racing career — from people that bought my racing uniform, bought me a right rear tire, given us a credit card to get to some race track at some point in my career — those are the people that helped me get to where I am today.
"To me, it's awesome to be here at Indy. It's awesome because it's my home state. I've raced go karts at pretty much every go kart track around here, been kicked out of half of them. Those are the things that make it special. I think about those things more than I carry the emotion on my cheeks."
So the emotion was seen in father Greg, who spotted for Newman on Sunday, and his mother, Diane.
Newman kept it together during his celebratory burnout and the drive to Victory Lane, a hallowed area that he twice had to ask his crew over the radio for directions how to get there. He took the customary ride in a convertible around the track with his wife and two young daughters, and happily bowed again and again to kiss the Yard of Bricks.
Sure, he smiled, and shared some tender hugs with one of his daughters. But that was the most anyone was getting out of Newman, who had admitted to getting emotional after winning the pole on Saturday but seemed almost numb following Sunday's win.
"I'm not sure (how I feel) at this point. I know it's an amazing feeling," he said. "I was more emotional yesterday after winning the pole than I was two laps after doing my donuts and everything else today. I'm not sure why. I took an emotional hit yesterday. Just an awesome day."
Newman beat Johnson twice on this Brickyard weekend, first when he set a NASCAR track record in knocking Johnson off the pole in qualifying, then Sunday with a fast final pit stop to snatch the win from the four-time Indianapolis winner.
The two were the class of the field — they combined to lead 118 of the 160 laps — but it was Johnson who dominated the race and appeared to be just a bit better. But Johnson pitted from the lead with 27 laps remaining and it was a slow final stop for the Hendrick Motorsports crew.
Newman pitted after that and took only two tires to move into the lead after the green-flag stops cycled through the field. The closest Johnson would get to him again was when he paid a congratulatory visit to Newman in Victory Lane.
The victory comes as Newman is looking for a job.
Stewart-Haas Racing has signed Kevin Harvick to join the team next season, and team co-owner Tony Stewart informed Newman two weeks ago he won't be brought back in 2014. It didn't change the post-race mood, as Stewart hustled to Victory Lane, lifted Newman from behind and the two shared a long embrace.
"He just had an awesome weekend," Stewart said. "I kept looking up the board and watching and I was scared to ask where he was at and how big of a lead he had. I didn't want to jinx him. Just really proud of him — he's a great teammate and an even better friend."
Johnson, the Sprint Cup Series points leader who was hoping to tie Formula One's Michael Schumacher as the only five-time winners in Indy history, finished 2.657 seconds behind Newman in second.
"There's definitely disappointment there, but that's racing. It happens," Johnson said. "We win as a team, lose as a team. There's been some late race mistakes on my behalf that have taken race wins away from us. Granted, not a major event like this. We still ended up second.
"We have a lot to be proud of over the course of the weekend. We'll do the best to let it roll off our shoulders by tomorrow afternoon."
Kasey Kahne, Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, was third and Stewart was fourth as Chevrolet swept the top four spots. All four cars were also powered by Hendrick Motorsports.
"We had pretty good power all day long. There were a lot of scenarios where I noticed how good it was," Stewart said. "That's what you expect out of the Hendrick engine department. That's the standard that they set."
Matt Kenseth was fifth in a Toyota and followed by Hendrick's Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, as all four Hendrick entries landed inside the top seven. Earnhardt rallied from a loose wheel on the opening run of the race to grab his top-10 finish.
"I knew it was loose," said Earnhardt, adding it was a no-brainer to pit. "You have a wheel falling off, you have something serious happening. Come in, it's dangerous staying out there. You can hit the wall, or wreck something, or wreck some other people. I don't want to do that. It is a long race. We had an early chance to fix that, and that is fine. It gave us an opportunity to try some different strategies, and it worked out for us."
Joey Logano was eighth in a Ford, and followed by Juan Pablo Montoya and Kyle Busch, who picked up his first career win at the Brickyard in Saturday's Nationwide Series race.
Hungarian GP
At Budapest, Hungary, Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position to clinch his first victory of a frustrating season.
Kimi Raikkonen was second after holding off a strong late challenge from Sebastian Vettel, who was third ahead of Red Bull teammate Mark Webber.
Hamilton's first year with Mercedes has been tricky, and he came into the race with low expectations despite securing his fourth pole this season.
He managed his tires wisely to get the 22nd GP win of his career and the first since the United States GP last November. Prior to Hungary, he had been third three times.
Hamilton remains too far behind to mount a serious title challenge as the season takes its mid-season summer break. Alonso finished fifth to slip further behind Vettel overall.
Hoosier Newman takes home Brickyard 400 at Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — A born and bred Hoosier, Ryan Newman spent his childhood racing everywhere from Anderson to Winchester and every short track he could find in a state mad about racing.


text:
Where does the time go? This "mouth-puckering extravaganza" snuck up, sold out, and left me high and dry! Did you get tickets? Please fill us in afterwards. Did you miss out like me? Follow the link below to see a complete draft and bottle list, go buy a bottle or two off the list, and have your own Sour Fest this weekend. That's what I'm going to do!
Stone Sour Fest
Sunday, 10:00am-7:00pm
Escondido, CA
I'll see you there... next year!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Why lie, I need a beer!!!
Honesty is the best policy. We learned this when we were young, but don't always follow it. I recently saw a homeless guy on the corner taking the advice, holding up a sign that read "Why lie, I need a beer!!!" A truck pulled up beside him, and out popped a Steel Reserve. The man very happily accepted the offering, and the truck drove away. Honesty truly is the best policy!
Posted by The Hop Daddy at 5:42 PM No comments:
Labels: Beer Life
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)