text:
My friend Anna is an artist who lives in Berlin and publishes her own journal, simply called Letters to the Editor. Earlier in the summer I contributed a short piece that involves women, books, solo adventures, the desert mothers, and a minor critique of the selfie generation. There's no motorcycles involved, but you can essentially think of the desert mothers as precursors to the senior citizen female biker gang who lived in the wastelands (I believe they were called the Vuvalini of Many Mothers) in the latest Mad Max film!
Here's the content of the article, and if you would like to read more I've started up a booklist about female pilgrims, pioneers, and adventurers.
"Women in the wilderness: the legacy of the desert mothers"
Our western culture has been accused of being full of entitlement, greed and selfishness, with few tools to cope with any sort of trial, set back or suffering besides medication. Simultaneously, there is this on-going banter by those around me who want to "get away from it all," to seek out nature, wilderness, silence and solace, and to be cut-off from technology. Granted this movement has already been packaged and merchandized, but at the root of this sentiment is a genuine and valid desire for peace and contentment through simplicity.
Further evidence of our restless, yet seeking culture can even be found in mainstream media, and I have even discovered a few inspiring female role models as a result. I've always been suspicious of Hollywood's intent, but lately I've been pleasantly surprised with the adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's book Wild and Robyn Davidson's classic book Tracks. What I find most appealing about Strayed and Davidson's writings is that they are memoirs featuring women who were not necessarily outdoor enthusiasts or experts, but individuals who needed to upheave their lives and find solace in nature and in the desert. They also took great risks in accomplishing their task.
The adaptations of the books into film were timely and inspiring. I think most people enjoy stories of transformation, where others overcome adversity and change their destiny, as well as films that showcase the beauty of the wilderness. The other unspoken reason for the films' success is possibly because they reflect our generation's desire to reclaim a sense of wonder, explore nature, and integrate spirituality into our lives. Spirituality and faith have been tainted by history, considering that those who have committed violence in the name of their religion get the most press. Meanwhile, those of actual integrity have a tendency to go about their acts of humility in quiet fashion, such as the desert mothers and fathers.
This pursuit of isolation and redemption in the wilderness is not remotely a modern occurrence, even for women. The earliest record I can find is the desert mothers or ammas from 235 C.E. to 600 C.E. living around Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Palestine and Israel. I'm currently reading The Forgotten Desert Mothers by Laura Swan, as a kind of guide regarding the mysterious lives, stories and wisdom of women. Swan writes, "We are a generation of questioners… that yearns for wisdom figures, heroes and heroines, ammas and abbas who will show us the way. While maintaining fierce independence, we desire interdependence and community. We want our lives to have depth of meaning and purpose. We want to be connected. We secretly want someone to challenge us toward the transcendent" (151 – 152). Swan believes that the desert ammas can play this role of mentor, as they sought enlightenment away from the noisy mobs through simple clothes, foods, practises and routines.
The ammas were sometimes rich nobility who rejected arranged marriages or their social position, prostitutes, devout daughters, seekers, intellectuals, or simple peasants. Instead of being attached to relationships, material things, popularity, success, and even old hurts and jealousies, the ammas aimed to detach themselves from such burdens and slow down. The desert was the ideal setting to learn humility because of its vastness, silence and power. Swan explains that not only did the ammas face the natural desert, their greatest challenge was facing the inner desert. She writes, "Our inner desert is the place of encounter with our selves and God – not escape. It is in our own inner desert that our deepest self comes radically face to face with the Divine" (156 – 157). They believed that there is no long-term fulfilment in temporary pleasures and performances, and it's only when the desert burns off our pride and removes our masks do we actually discover true compassion and empathy for the world.
Cheryl Strayed recognized that her path of marital deceit and drug addiction was doomed to self destruct, and in her quiet way, Robyn Davidson needed to disconnect from a society full of racism and sexism in Australia during the 1970s, and also to heal from the loss of her mother. From these positions of brokenness, these women turned to a different kind of suffering to gather strength. They actually chose the path less travelled – the path that brought them vulnerability, where they had nothing to hide behind. The ammas would call this "apatheia" – a kind of quality that results after undergoing a spiritual journey when the inner struggle towards attachments has ceased and all the clutter from our world is eliminated (Swan 25).
In the end, this stripping away of falseness and pretence brings the traveller freedom and joy, and a renewed sense of identity that the dominant culture can not offer. A wilderness journey has the ability to nourish and restore the hermit within. The path most travelled claims to offer the individual control and safety, but in truth, the exposure of being in the wilderness brings true contentment. There's the saying that you can "find yourself" in the wilderness, and while it seems cliche, without external distractions and pressures, in nature we can actually become ourselves again.
Not everyone is called to undergo extensive physical ordeals through deserts and along mountain paths to find solace. Fortunately, Amma Syncletica of Egypt (circa 380 – 460 AD) states that, "There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one's mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is solitary to live in the crowd of personal thoughts" (Swan 58). Essentially, if you can find a way to clear your mind and find peace in the quiet of your thoughts, you can discover a wilderness of awe and wonder that will sustain you no matter where you are.
Humans are naturally curious beings who also want to explain and dissect their world, but I can really appreciate those who let go of control and choose a journey that may be full of hardship and full of mystery. More is not better, whether it is knowledge or possessions, and perfection will never be obtained. I have met individuals of great intellect and wordiness, but without love or humility, they find themselves alienated and bitter. The ammas were not seeking superiority and piety through isolation in the desert, they were searching for a better way to love each other. When we start to see the world and the people around us as sacred and unique, it will be more likely that we can cultivate compassion and leave behind the accusations that our generation is pure vanity and completely self-absorbed.


text:
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Day 17
Today is Sunday and I am at work. I hate working on weekends. I never get to see my hubbie. He's at home, probably watching NASCAR...something we really like to do together. Oh well....
I found a friend from high school on line yesterday! It was so cool. The last we saw each other was about 10 years ago. Now I have another motivation to get my fitness act together! She will be here in Prescott in July!
I did my workout this morning. Another bout of Fat Loss circuit. Legs today, along with shoulders and triceps.
Have you ever wondered if you are lifting heavy enough weight? Me too. When I'm lifting, I'm thinking, whoa, this is pretty heavy. Then after the workout, I'm second guessing myself thinking it was too easy??? Strange perception. I guess as long as I'm progressing and moving up in weight I'll be okay. My weights are definitely heavier than when I did this round two weeks ago. For example my leg extensions are 90 lbs this week versus 80 lbs two weeks ago. My shoulder are up 2 lbs, triceps up 2 lbs.
I am eating the Low Carb thing today. Tomorrow is a rest day--also an all protein day. Tuesday will be all fruit.
Not much to say today--not feeling particularly wise and witty. :)
Weight today is 190
Tomorrow is pic day and I just don't feel like it. I don't see any changes. We'll see, won't we?
Posted by Shari Kraft at 2:02 PM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Beacon Robe
Code: 59243
Product Details
Vintage Beacon camp robe. Art deco Asian inspired design. Patch pockets. Braid trimmed collar and belt. Classic Beacon cotton flannel blanket material. Very good condition- a couple tiny holes otherwise excellent. Fits chest of 42" with ease, Shoulders 18" outside sleeve 23" Length 45"


text:
Monday, November 21, 2011
Here are two more
And for those of you old enough to be nostalgic or who would like a little historical perspective, try looking up some stuff about the Continental Walk for Disarmament and Social Justice. Just for the heck of it.
Posted by Larry E at 7:01 PM
Labels: activism, nonviolence, Occupy, resistance
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Photo of the Day 16 October 2007
Australian Sea Lion off Adelaide, 2000
Photograph by David Doubilet
An Australian sea lion mugs for the camera off Adelaide, Australia. These highly endangered sea mammals have been hurt by decades of overhunting.
Email This
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
Newer Post
Older Post


text:
We were sitting in the free "Spanish for Social Work" class my school decided to offer during the last seven weeks of the semester. I was there because I've paid so much for this education -- I'm going to grab any freebie I can get. Also because Spanish is a useful language to speak, even badly, when you work with the underprivileged in New York City. Also because it's taught by a really nice physician, and I'm touched that he's giving up his time to teach social workers, who normally aren't all that valued by doctors (and I feel guilty that attendance is dwindling along with the semester).
"I'm not so focused at home," I said. "There I'm focused on watching movies on my computer instead of doing my reading."
These days, it's hard to imagine how someone could look at exhausted, cranky Ayelet and see an idealistic, enthusiastic lifetime learner. But I must be looking better than I feel these days. Today I felt like a huge blubbery whale with frizzy hair, but when Ruth came into DBT class she said, "Ayelet, you look so pretty today!"
Ruth's awesome -- and not just because she thinks I'm pretty. She asked me to be her licensing exam study buddy -- which is great, because it will probably keep me on track and focused. And she already bought all the materials. Total win-win.
Unfortunately, Ruth is being run ragged at The Other Bad Place. At 5:00, after running three therapy groups and seeing two individual patients, her supervisor says, very nicely, "Oh, Ruth, you should go home!" But Ruth still has to do a huge pile of progress notes and paperwork. She's there until 7 or 8 every night.
It's called "passive aggression." I sure dodged a bullet. And apparently I'm not the only student they declined to enroll, so I'll take their incredibly unethical
Copyright (c) "Ayelet Survivor"


text:
When initially being introduced to Transformational Coaching, it is common for people to assume coaching sessions should be done in person. That is the most effective way, wouldn't you agree? Actually, the majority of lifestyle coaches find it more beneficial for the coaching process to be done remotely.
Now, why is that?
The fact is, technology gives us access to coaches worldwide and enables you to find a coach that is right for you. In reality, phone sessions are more effective and convenient.
With the ability to schedule the session for a time that is best for the client, avoiding any traffic jams, and eliminating commute times, coaching over the phone makes it much more convenient. Not having to meet Person-to-person gives the client the option to speak in the comfort of their own home or place of choice. This also avoids in obstacles of picking children up from school as well as more optional time choices. Understanding that many clients have a tight schedule in their busy lives, calls can be scheduled after business hours or on weekends, allowing more flexibility.
Phone sessions are effective because often you bypass any of the normal day-to-day situations and you can get right to business, no wasting time. Clients are able to enjoy their coaching sessions by being in their comfort zone. You control your environment settings by eliminating any distractions and making sure that you are focused on yourself and your session.
One great advantage of phone sessions is that it is more economical. It is less expensive to conduct business, therefore you pay less for sessions. Clients will receive the same quality service without all of the additional fees.
Are you hesitant about holding coaching sessions over the phone?
Don't be! Many of my clients have similar concerns before beginning, however, by the second or third call they began to see the benefits. Often, I hear from clients that they enjoy being in a place that allows them to be comfortable and at ease. Also, they feel like they can open up and be who they are with no one judging their physical reactions or emotions. This is huge in coaching because clients that allow themselves to open up receive the most benefits and those benefits are for a life time.
Below is a list of benefits and advantages of personal coaching via phone.
- Access To Coaches Worldwide. You will be able to find a coach that is right for you
- Economical. Clients pay less for phone sessions than they would person-to-person.
- Increased Coaching Choices And Decreased Limitations. You have tons of more coaches to choose from, not just the ones that are in your local area.
- The ability to locate a coach that may specialize in your needs.
- Not settling for a coach that is local that may not be the right fit
- Time Constraints Are Avoided. You have less worries about traffic or rushing to the coaching location, rather you can do the coaching in the comfort of your own home or place of choice.
Success coaching can make a positive impact on your life, no matter how you choose to, whether you do it in person or over the phone. We are all different and may require different paths, but if you are ready to change your life then transformational coaching is for you!
If you have not yet been exposed to coaching before, try to contact different coaches and get a feel for what they can offer you. It is most important that you are comfortable with your coach. Find someone that connects with you, and that you will be able to partner with, even if they are not in the same city as you, or even in the same state or country because coaching techniques are just as powerful during phone sessions.
If you are interested or would like additional information about my coaching services or lifestyle coaching in general, please visit Life Coaching By Phone. Have a beautiful day!


text:
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first cleveland.com user to add photos or videos of Ashbrooki Center For Pub Affrs
Ashbrooki Center for Pub Affrs is located at 401 College Ave, Ashland, OH. This business specializes in Continuing Education.


text:
Problems in paradise / How making new parks and wildlife preserves creates millions of conservation refugees around the world
2006-06-11 04:00:00 PDT Bangkok, Thailand -- Against the wall of a large meeting room packed with committed environmentalists stands Martin Saning'o. The Masai leader from Tanzania listens intently to a panel discussing the human factor in conservation, and patiently awaits an invitation to comment. He stands out as the only black man in the room. When his turn comes, Saning'o speaks softly in slightly accented but perfect English, describing how nomadic herdsmen once protected the vast range in eastern Africa they had lost during the past 30 years.
"Our ways of farming pollinated diverse seed species and maintained corridors between ecosystems," he explains to an audience he knows to be schooled in Western ecological sciences. He then tries to fathom the strange version of land management that had been imposed on and impoverished his people, more than 100,000 of whom have been displaced from northern Kenya and the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania. Their culture is destroyed and they live in poverty because none of them was fairly compensated for their land. This has all been done, Saning'o says, in the interest of conservation, which saddens him, he says, because he truly believes that "we were the original conservationists." Now he tells the room of stunned enviros, "you have made us enemies of conservation."
This was not what 6,000 wildlife biologists and conservation activists from over 100 countries had come to Bangkok to hear in autumn 2004. They were at the Third Congress of the World Conservation Union to explore new ways to stem the troubling loss of biological diversity on an ecologically challenged planet.
Saning'o was speaking for a growing worldwide movement of native people who share a common plight in conservation. The movement began in 1920 when a small delegation of pastoral nomads showed up at the door of the newly instituted League of Nations. All they sought was recognition and some protection from this new international body. They were turned away.
- San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer talks about taking a caviar bump at SF restaurant Avery Drew Costley/San Francisco Chronicle
- The Regulars: The Painter San Francisco Chronicle
- Why do some murders go unsolved? Drew Costley/San Francisco Chronicle
- How will cannabis legalization in California affect drug arrests? Drew Costley/San Francisco Chronicle
- The new Highway 1 road at Mud Creek The Chronicle
- The new Highway 1 road at Mud Creek The Chronicle
- The new Highway 1 road at Mud Creek Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle
- Berkeley attack on July 6, 2018 Berkeley Police Department
- Drone video shows how far Jeep crashed down Big Sur cliff George Krieger
- Star Athlete loses scholarship after anti-gay rant Abdul Lasaing, Facebook
Undeterred, indigenous people from every nation have since been traveling in increasing numbers to international conventions like the Earth Summit in Rio and to the World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, in September 2003, where Nelson Mandela pled with conservationists not to turn their backs on rural economies, and to treat Africa's native people as fairly as they would their own.
Encouraged by his remarks, the Indigenous Peoples' Forum, created expressly for the Congress, declared: "First we were dispossessed in the name of kings and emperors, later in the name of state development, and now in the name of conservation."
National parks, they said, were a good thing, but the parks-without-people approach to park management "is violating our rights." Forced expulsions like the Masai experience were, some said, nothing short of cultural genocide. Others called it a classic taking. But they all consider themselves conservation refugees.
Not to be confused with ecological refugees -- people forced to abandon their homelands as a result of unbearable heat, drought, desertification, flooding, disease, or other consequences of climate chaos -- conservation refugees are removed from their lands involuntarily, either forcibly or through a variety of less-coercive measures.
The gentler, more benign methods are sometimes called soft eviction or voluntary resettlement, although in two years of international travel researching this subject, I have been unable to find a single new settlement of indigenous people who voluntarily agreed to relocate.
Soft or hard, the main complaint heard in the makeshift villages bordering parks and game reserves is that relocation often occurs with the tacit approval or benign neglect of European and American conservation organizations.
The principal five, which increasingly set and define the global conservation agenda, are the Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, the Worldwide Fund for Nature, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the African Wildlife Foundation. Those five organizations, affectionately nicknamed "the BINGOs" (Big International Non-Governmental Organizations) have captured almost 40 percent of all funds donated from all sources to conservation worldwide.
The rationale for internal displacements, as these takings and evictions are officially called, usually involves a perceived threat to the biological diversity of a larger geographical area, variously designated by one or more BINGOs as an ecological hot spot, an eco-region, a vulnerable eco-system, a biological corridor, or a living landscape.
The huge parks and reserves that are created by a host country's government often involve a debt-for-nature swap (some national debt paid off or retired in exchange for a parcel of sensitive land) or similar financial incentive provided by the Global Environmental Facility and one or more of its eight executing agencies (bilateral and multilateral banks) combined with an offer made by the funding organization to pay for the management of the park or reserve. Broad rules for human use and habitation of the protected area are set and enforced by the host nation, often following the advice and counsel of a BINGO, which might even be given management powers over the area. It's a system that too often leaves local people entirely out of the process.
The response of big conservation has been to deny they are party to the evictions while generating inspired promotional material about their affection for and close relationships with native people.
"We recognize that indigenous people have perhaps the deepest understanding of the Earth's living resources," concedes Conservation International's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter Seligmann, and "our planet's ecological health is inextricably linked to human health, security and ability to prosper. Conservation simply cannot be achieved without full recognition of this basic truth. ... We firmly believe that indigenous people must have ownership, control and title of their lands."
The Nature Conservancy's "Commitment to People" statement says, "We respect indigenous peoples by developing ways to conserve biological diversity while at the same time enabling humans to live productively and sustainably on the landscape."
The World Wildlife Fund adopted its own statement of principles which uphold the rights of indigenous people to own, manage and control their lands and territories -- a radical and discomforting notion for many governments.
In 1999, the World Commission on Protected Areas formally recognized indigenous peoples' rights to "sustainable traditional use" of their lands and territories. The following year, World Conservation Congress adopted a bold set of principles for establishing protected areas, which state unequivocally, "The establishment of new protected areas on indigenous and other traditional peoples' domains should be based on the legal recognition of collective rights of communities living within them to the lands, territories, waters, coastal seas and other resources they traditionally own or otherwise occupy or use."
Tribal people, who tend to think and plan in generations rather than weeks, months and years, are still waiting to be paid the consideration promised in those thoughtful pronouncements. But there is no concrete evidence of any BINGO respecting "the needs of local communities ... to live productively and sustainably on the landscape." And if they were really sincere about their support of indigenous people, they would today be opposing the eviction of thousands in Gabon from 8 of 13 new national parks formed largely at their behest. In a world where money is power, the influence over global conservation policy and strategy held by five organizations with more than $5 billion in assets and over $1 billion combined annual revenue is considerable, particularly when measured against the economic strength of communities effected by their actions.
The BINGOs, with chapters in almost every country of the world, millions of loyal members and nine-figure budgets, have undertaken a hugely expanded global push to increase the number of protected areas -- parks, reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and corridors created to preserve biological diversity.
In 1962, there were about 1,000 official protected areas worldwide. Today, there are 108,000, with more being added every day. The total amount of land now under conservation protection has doubled since 1990, when the World Parks Commission set a goal of protecting 10 percent of the planet's land surface -- a goal that has been exceeded. Including marine preserves, nearly 12 million square miles is under conservation protection, an area bigger than Africa.
During the 1990s, the African nation of Chad, with the encouragement of organized conservation, increased its protected area from 1 percent to 9.1 percent of its national land. That land had been occupied by what are now an estimated 600,000 conservation refugees.
No country besides India, which officially admits to almost 700,000 (and climbing), is even counting this growing new class of refugee. World estimates offered by the United Nations and a few anthropologists who study the problem range widely from 5 million to tens of millions. Charles Geisler, a rural sociologist at Cornell University who has studied displacements in Africa for two decades believes the number on that continent alone now exceeds 14 million.
The true worldwide figure, if it were ever known, would depend on the semantics of words like "eviction," "displacement" and "refugee" over which parties on all sides of the issue argue endlessly. Regardless of which estimate or definition is chosen, the larger point is that conservation refugees exist on every continent but Antarctica, and by most accounts live far more difficult lives than they once did, banished from lands they thrived on, often, like the Masai, for thousands of years in ways that many conservationists who supported the displacements have since admitted were ecologically sustainable.
It has taken big conservation a decade or more to glimpse the folly of some of its heroes, like paleontologist Richard Leaky, who at the 2003 World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, set off a firestorm of protest by denying the very existence of indigenous people in his homeland, Kenya, calling for the removal of settlers from game reserves and other protected areas throughout Africa, then arguing that "the global interest in biodiversity might sometimes trump the rights of local people."
Although he has his following, and still raises millions for conservation at elite soirees in Europe and America, few of Leaky's professional colleagues agree with him. Younger, enlightened conservationists are now willing to admit that wrecking the lives of 10 million or more poor, powerless people, has been an enormous mistake; not only a moral, social, philosophical and economic mistake, but an ecological one as well. They have learned from bitter experience that national parks and protected areas surrounded by angry, hungry people, who describe themselves as "enemies of conservation," are generally doomed to fail.
Wildlife conservationists may finally be heeding the question anthropologists have been asking for decades: "If in the course of saving biological diversity you destroy cultural diversity, what have you accomplished?" And more and more conservationists are asking themselves another question:
When global biodiversity continues to decline, might there not be something terribly wrong with "fortress conservation," particularly after the Convention on Biological Diversity has documented the astounding fact that in Africa, where so many parks and reserves have been created and where indigenous evictions run highest, 90 percent of biodiversity lies outside of protected areas, most of it in places occupied by human beings?
If we want those people to live in harmony with nature, history is showing us that the dumbest thing we can do is kick them out of it.


text: We have answers for your frequently asked questions. Red Dog Cooling, Heating, & Plumbing in Selbyville can answer all your HVAC-related questions. Before you get on the phone, look to see if we already responded to your question online. If you don't see your question listed or want more information on a particular topic, give us a call at 302-436-2922. Our techs can provide the information you're looking for in an instant.


text:
Steven S. Davis
13295 North Illinois Street Suite 328
Carmel, IN 44115
Three more ways to find the lawyer you need:
Check out our Featured Attorney.
Search for the attorney you're looking for.
Fill out the simple Direct Connect form and get a call back TODAY!
4930 Reed Road
Columbus, OH 43220
No Hassles, No Worries, No Obligations, and it's 100% Free.
Your Information is 100% Secure with us and we will only share it with attorneys in your area.


text:
He recently retired from many years in a prominent leadership position in a venerable institution. We are having coffee discussing how he feels about retiring.
"I have one real regret," he says. "I always knew that there had to be major changes in the way we did things. I knew we could not go on the way things were. The thing that makes me sad is that I never really got to be part of the new thing. And I still can't imagine what it is going to look like when the new way of doing things begins to unfold."
Every institution and every facet of our culture is caught up in a tidal wave of change. The rate of change in the past twenty years has increased exponentially. Institutions must adapt or die. No institution can afford to continue doing business today as it did fifty years ago.
I work in an institution that is the caretaker of a long and honourable tradition. We are the inheritors of a once revered way of doing things. It is difficult for such an organization to view change as anything other than a threat.
Someone said to me recently, "If the 1950's ever return, the church will be totally ready".
But we will not survive the changes that are upon us if our dominant desire is to recreate a fondly remembered past. At the same time we will not move forward with any depth or integrity if we merely jettison our past simply because we hope something new will give us greater appeal.
There is a trite type of change that renders some communities captive to the latest fashion. "Flavour of the month" church will always lack depth and seldom have the staying power to survive in unstable times.
So how is the church to find its way between the rigidity that resists any change simply because it is change and the superficiality that embraces every change simply because it is change?
Our only hope in answering this question is to be deeply rooted in our awareness of the presence and action of God in all of life.
Ironically, the call to resist change at all costs and the call to embrace change simply because it is change, both emerge from the same place. They are driven, not by a structural organizational imperative, but by a failure of the heart. When I rush off after every change or put obstacles in the way of every change, I am driven by my failure to perceive the deep inner connection with God which is the true longing of my heart.
The only way for the church to navigate the treacherous territory between too much change and too little change is to be absolutely clear about our core priority.
Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God cogently articulates the core priority church exists to embody saying
I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.(Jeremiah 24:7)
Church exists to support hearts returning to an awareness of God and of our identity as God's people. Everything needs to flow from this fundamental commitment. All we do needs to be aimed at supporting hearts in softening and opening to an awareness of Divine Presence.
If we get this right the question of change will begin to lose much of its urgency. And we will discover that the "new thing" for which we long is happening every day.


text:
Developing leaders at
the speed of change.
Valuable Resources on Regulatory Matters
Resources to help you and your members deal with data breaches.
Feel the Difference
A PR campaign for credit unions to acquire and retain members.
Learn More
New Report for League Members
Average Retail Fees
View CU Statistics & Reports
Go to:
Select Month
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
You are not currently subscribed. Click Subscribe below to receive the Leaguer email.
Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Tom Ridge has been added to the line-up of high-profile speakers at the Credit Union National Association's 2015 Governmental Affairs Conference. Ridge joins former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer and nationally syndicated columnist and Huffington Post Media Group chair, president, and editor-in-chief, Arianna Huffington, as keynoters.
Following the events of September, 11, 2001, Ridge became the first Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and shortly after became the first Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He is also former governor of Pennsylvania, a former congressman, and a decorated Vietnam veteran. He has extensive experience understanding cybersecurity and the growing threats it poses nationally and globally.
As the CEO of Ridge Global, Ridge currently leads a team of international experts that help businesses and governments address risk management, global trade security, emergency preparedness and response, strategic growth, infrastructure protection and crisis management, in addition to other issues.
The CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference, set for March 8-12, is the credit union movement's premiere event. The event gathers more than 4,000 credit union professionals, supporters and activists in the nation's capital to advance the credit union movement by creating awareness, removing barriers, and discussing topics and techniques that foster service excellence to credit union members.
Cornerstone has secured a block of rooms at the Renaissance Hotel, conveniently located across the street from the Washington Convention Center. To reserve your room or register for the 2015 CUNA GAC, visit Cornerstone's website.
For questions about room reservations or CUNA's 2015 Governmental Affairs Conference and Hike the Hill, contact Gretchen Ziegler at email@example.com.


text:
A couple of weeks ago, there was an uproar over a poster used by a local church to incentivize the youth to attend its services and learn from God on various aspects of their sexuality. This uproar got a group of friends of mine talking about how our society seems to have become numb to the lost. We seem not to have a heart for the lost, almost like the lost are the lost; we are the good ones so their loss does not affect us. One of the people in this discussion said something profound that has been in my head since, that if we are not surrounded by the lost, if we do not have around us people who we know desperately need the Lord, then we will also lose our heart for the lost.
I got thinking how true this is. You see if you are used to fishing in a clean, fresh river, you very fast dislike the smell of fish from sewage. You will therefore do everything within your power to keep off fish from the sewage and will instead always go for the better smelling fish from the fresh river.
Why would anyone want to fish from a smelly sewage anyway? The answer is simply because this is the heart of our calling, to fish at the sewage, smelly as they may be. It is the reason Jesus says "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Jesus gives this response when the Pharisees find Him having dinner with tax collectors and they ask, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" I find that question humorous; these guys are saying if Jesus was a good teacher then he would have nothing to do with bad people. But Jesus reminded His disciples that He had come like a doctor, not to reassure the healthy but to heal people who were morally sick. Jesus came for the fish in that smelly sewage.
The struggle
It always is encouraging to meet with a guy in the bible who struggles with the things we do. Jonah struggled with fishing in the smelly rivers. When God sends Him with a message of repentance to Nineveh, He does not get it and so chose to run from God.
Yet in between the struggle, I hear Christ saying "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
I am one of the 99 sheep most of the time and so often I don't get why the Shepherd would leave the 99 of us for the lost 1, mathematically it isn't right! What about the rest of us, we need you too. Yet God has been convicting me that the reason He will leave the rest 99 of us is because we can tend for ourselves. He has walked with us long enough and given us all we need to tend for ourselves. Yet out there is a lost sheep, one without a Father. This sheep probably thinks they are better off alone, yet God knows better. He knows the dangers that this sheep faces. He knows that if He stays with the 99 there is no hope for this 1.
He has been reminding me I was once this 1. And He left the 99 for me! As He reminds me this, I say Shepherd of my soul, go find that other 1, that He may know the joy of being one of the 99, that He may know you as His Shepherd. Go walk with Him. And Lord, if I can do anything, if I can go with you to that smelly sewage where this lost 1 is in, with your help I will. I will walk with this lost 1 from the sewage, much as I hate the smell of the sewage, till they find their way back to the freshest river I know.
And so the question is….
How do I guard my heart from becoming cold towards the smelly fish? How do I ensure that I never get tempted to only fish in the fresh nice smelling rivers? The reality is I have to be intentional with this calling because it really is not the default of any of us. Like the Pharisees, we will find ourselves asking why any Christian would be eating with tax collectors and sinners.
I have been thinking of the times I have had a heart for the lost, the times when my heart has broken for a person in need of healing, and I am realizing it is when I have exposed my heart to them. It never is when I watch from far, it always is when I have shared a meal with them. It is when I have a meal with a lady whose marriage is in tatters and is in desperate need of healing that I can cry with them; it is when I have had a meal with the person who is looking for acceptance in all the wrong places that I can lead them to the Healer. I do not automatically have a heart for the lost; yet as I have a meal with them, as I ask the Lord to break me with the things that break His heart, He makes fishing at the smelly sewage the best thing I could ever do.
Do I still have a heart for the lost? Truly. Does your heart-break for the things that break our Saviour's heart? Do you hear the pain in His children's cry? My prayer is that the Lord would teach us to follow after the one lost sheep, that He would break our heart for what breaks His. That we may never be afraid to go to fish in the sewage; that we may never be Jonah, more comfortable watching Nineveh burn than preach the good news to them.


text:
Are you looking for a Psychic Near Me in Rowland Pennsylvania 18457.
Psychic Near Me Rowland Pennsylvania 18457
Let's take a couple of minutes and talk about a few of the different methods to discover a psychic or medium – either regional to you, or that is accessible to you in a practical and comfortable way. Keep in mind, just because a reader is close and practical, however … it doesn't necessarily mean that the experience is going to ready. (or visa versa – in some cases you need to extend yourself a bit to have an actually extraordinary experience, and the exact same uses to the spiritual field also)
That stated – all the tips below are easy, affordable (as long as you stay expense mindful) and are attempted and real techniques for the real blue followers, in addition to the curious … but not encouraged:-)
Join a Meetup
Every city, and state has spiritual meet ups that deal with the psychic exploration neighborhood and in all likelihood, you will NOT have trouble discovering one near you. (depending a bit on where you live and how big your community is, you may discover you have to own a bit to get there, however for the majority of our readership, this is a good choice) Check out meetup.com and merely use their search function to psychic and spiritual fulfill ups that are geographical hassle-free for you.Join a Spiritist church or organization Spiritist churches( and spiritualist churches, similar focus, different organizations) both offer access to spiritual mediums as part and parcel of their "prayer" procedure. Some areas have more of these churches than others, however many big cities will have one near … and NO, you do not have to change your underlying faiths to sign up with. (or to have some insane cool experiences with some extremely special mediums, at portion of a portion of the rate you 'd pay to see a real "star" reader also)
Referrals and buddies
Referrals and suggestions remain among the very best methods to find great, knowledgeable and credible psychics and mediums. You might have to push and prod a bit … as often our loved ones don't desire us to know that they have actually seen or spoken to a psychic or a medium. (something I always find ridiculous … however it impresses me how many individuals will try to decrease the concept, up until they later are comfy adequate to confess they've had the experience, and it moved them deeply)
Online directories
Obviously we are discriminative since THIS is our online psychic directory.:–RRB- But a good, reliable directory site that notes psychic and spiritual specialists in your area or geographical location is a fantastic method to find regional assistance, and with sites like this one, and even other local directory sites that accommodate more generalized audiences, you'll discover excellent "gems" in the spiritual marketplace that are well worth exploring.Craigslist Take care-
but Craigslist CAN be an excellent place to find cost effective regional readers Do not provide your credit card details out over the phone to a complete stranger, and DO do some due diligence initially, but there are numerous genuine psychics and mediums who advertise on Craigslist because it's totally free and popular, and we have actually had some good experience discovering some quality readers to discuss from online classifieds like CL.Review Sites Again- take care as numerous psychic evaluation websites are rip-offs,( and are written by marketers and NOT mediums) but you can find local evaluation directory sites like Yelp and similar to assist you find extremely rated and examined psychics and mediums where you live, work and play.TV and print media Last but not least, do not undervalue the TELEVISION, or local magazines (especially if you live in a bigger metropolitan area )in addition to any and all other media that has an area on lifestyle for the spiritual set. For instance, I found among my preferred mediums ever from a profile written in a local magazine, and among my closest good friends swears by a medium she found who does local astrological charts for a small town paper. (but whose focus is NOT astrology, however rather … her obviously amazing user-friendly capability and her constant track record of offering evidential information from the opposite … to ALL of my pals hesitant and negative peers, loved ones) Remember -if you are seriously looking for a fun, evidential and entertaining psychic reading- stick to a budget- do a bit of due diligence- DO N'T over analyze or waste weeks searching for excellence,
and just dive in and indulge your interest.( if you are anything like countless our own readers throughout the years … it's a decision that COULD change what you think forever ).
psychic mediums near me in Rowland Pennsylvania 18457
reputable psychics in Rowland Pennsylvania 18457
Back to the Vialucis us


text:
What Occurs After the Lasik Treatment?
After you are totally prepared, the Lasik treatment takes much less compared to fifteen minutes to complete for both eyes. This will certainly appear a remarkably brief time to have a long-term modification to your vision, as well as here Lasik seems nearly too great to be real. In addition, most Lasik individuals discover enhanced vision immediately or within a few hours after the Lasik procedure has actually been executed.
This does not imply that you should expect to go out of the Lasik facility with perfect vision and without any need to treat your eyes carefully for the next several days. It likewise suggests that some Lasik individuals will require even more time to see the overall outcomes for the Lasik procedure, sometimes as long as 6 months for their vision to support permanently. Expect great vision, and also make the effort as well as care for the operation to generate its finest result.
Generally the Lasik physician will certainly provide the post-procedure individual a protective guard for their eyes. This should be worn as long as the physician defines, and also generally just at night for a couple of evenings. If you experience sensitivity to light after the Lasik procedure is done, he could also advise sunglasses during the day. Discuss these alternatives in detail at the Lasik facility before the procedure, so you understand the best ways to finest take care of your eyes.
Numerous patients at the Lasik facilities commonly obtain eye drops to maintain their eyes moist for a long time after the Lasik procedure is done. Once again, this differs by client and by medical professional, so inquire about your specific situation, specifically if you are susceptible to eye dryness on an occasional basis also prior to the Lasik treatment. Likewise, it could be valuable to keep any kind of ceiling followers or other air circulation gadgets off in the family for the initial couple of days.
The majority of customers could return to work and normal daily activities discover this the day after the Lasik treatment is done, and do not call for any added aid from various other friends or family members. There is usually little to no post-operative pain after Lasik has been done. It is advised that clients go to sleep as rapidly as feasible after the Lasik surgical treatment in order to reduce any type of post-operative discomfort. Upon waking, boosted vision from the Lasik modifications must already start to be visible.
This boosted vision could not be the end product of the Lasik treatment. The renovation to nearsightedness after Lasik is generally fast and also dramatic, though there may be some problems in reading conveniently for the initial couple of days after the Lasik operation. This is perfectly normal, and should clear prior to the week is out.
Individuals that utilize Lasik to improve their farsightedness generally locate a remarkable enhancement the day after the Lasik surgical treatment. It may be that there is a temporary obscuring of items in the distance, but this will certainly solve itself. The Lasik doctor can advise and suggest short-term glasses until vision is supported if this condition continues to be for more compared to a couple of days.
These are all normal post-operative recommends for a Lasik person, in order to feel comfy with exactly what to anticipate after the Lasik procedure. As with any type of medical therapy, obtain all of your concerns addressed by the staff of your Lasik center for your specific case.
In addition, most Lasik individuals notice enhanced vision quickly or within a few hours after the Lasik treatment has actually been performed.
It likewise indicates that some Lasik people will need more time to see the overall outcomes for the Lasik treatment, occasionally as much as six months for their vision to stabilize permanently. Lots of people at the Lasik facilities often get eye drops to keep their eyes moist for some time after the Lasik procedure is done. Clients that utilize Lasik to enhance their farsightedness normally discover a remarkable enhancement the day after the Lasik surgical procedure.


text:
I blog about whatever is on my mind. Places I go, Things I see, The people I love, etc....
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
And Away We Go!
Since the weather has been so gorgeous the past few weeks, my two youngest sons have been enjoying being able to go outside and play after they finish their school work. I usually let them play for about an hour or more while I finish up dinner. I am always nervous about them playing out in front because we live on a busy main street and for some reason, little boys and asphalt always seem to meet. So as they play, I pray.
So today, as I am sitting in the kitchen, my 9 year old runs in the house. "Mommy, mommy come quick"! I instantly go into "which voice is this" mode. He is smiling and happy so the panic subsides. I race to the door to see what has him so excited. I step outside to see my 7 year old riding his bike for the first time without training wheels! His dad is proudly running behind him. Wow! Look at my baby go. I can't believe he is riding.In my head I am transported to 1994 when my now 21 year old son took his first solo 2 wheel ride. My how the time does fly. Now my youngest is out there, just pedaling away like he has been doing it for years. I ran in the house to grab my camera. As I downloaded the pictures to see what I had captured, my eyes filled with tears. My 9 year old was riding side by side with his little brother. He looked up at me for a moment and gave me a thumbs up. Way to go guys! Mommy loves you so much!
Posted by J.A. Dorsey at 10:34 PM
Labels: family
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text: On Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 9-12 we will be hosting Barbells for Boobs at CrossFit Newton. This is a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. On this date we will all be participating in the WOD "Grace" 30 Clean & Jerks for time to show our support. Create your own fundraising page here and join the CrossFit Newton Fundraising Team today. Let's see how much we can raise together to support this great cause!


text:
Front page
Nasmyth Group delivers critical solutions to in flight refuelling for BAE Systems
Simon Beech, Chief Operating Office (UK) of Nasmyth Group attended BAE Systems' prestigious Chairman's Award scheme to celebrate the delivery of a key component for an aircraft in-flight refuelling system.
The in-flight refuelling (IFR) coupling was classed as a critical risk factor which could delay delivery of BAE Systems' programme if consistency of supply could not be achieved. BAE Systems investigated several options and in April 2015Nasmyth Metallics Bullwell embarked on the mission to deliver the IFR coupling as a machine-from-solid componentusing a complex 5-axis machining. This method offers 100% consistency and accuracy and elimated all the issues associated with casting the part.
Having designed, developed, tested and refined their solution, Nasmyth Metallics Bullwell delivered its first production unit IFR coupling to BAE Systems in December 2015. Since then, the company has continued to deliver consistently machined components, so that the IFR coupling is no longer seen as a production issue for the BAE Systemsprogramme.
Simon Beech said "Nasmyth Metallics demonstrates our engineering skills, expertise and commitment to problem solving. I am delighted that our team's deep understanding of BAE Systems' position and challenges has been recognised as a critical part of the Hawk programme's success. Nasmyth Group continually invests in deliveringinnovations in engineering technology, processes and design which meet our customers'' requirements. Seeing such a successful outcome acknowledged with a tangible award is immensely satisfying and encouraging for us."
The IFR coupling project was nominated in the "Exceeding Customer Expectation" category and the BAE SystemsProcurement team that managed the Nasmyth Group project was selected from 280 nominations. The BAE Systems Chairman's Award was presented by Steve Vandersteen, BAE Systems Vice President of Procurement and Air Frame Supply Chain Director.
Press release issued by Bulwell Precision Engineers Ltd (Nasmyth Group) on March 30, 2017
Enhanced listings:
See our advertising tariff.
data pages remaining in monthly quota for non-subscribers


text:
I have been forced to buy some Old Glory robot insurance. Those comment bots have been awfully pesky, and although I don't like the tackiness of it, I've turned on the word verification for comments option.
I don't even know why the scientists make them.
now playing:
Explosions in the Sky Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die/Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever


text:
Hi There! Is this Your First Time?
Did you know if you Register you have access to free search tools including the ability to save listings and property searches? Did you know that you can bypass the search altogether and have listings sent directly to your email address? Check out our how-to page for more info.
- Price$650,000
- Beds3
- Baths2
- Acres37.95
- Built2006
980 Norfolk County 28 Road, Langton
PRICE REDUCED!!! Great opportunity to purchase this beautiful 37 acre farm with custom built home (2006) that includes an upstairs loft, majestic fireplace, wrap-around upper level deck and pine kitchen in open concept living area located in beautiful treed setting. Also substantial cash flow opportunities from second home that can be rented out as well as 2 hog finishing barns. 2000 head barn ready for contract finishing immediately while 1000 head barn needs some repairs in order to once again raise hogs. Ample feed and manure storage. 15 acres of workable ground. Quonset building and horse paddock round out this unique property.
Essential Information
- Listing #111556
- Price$650,000
- Bedrooms3
- Bathrooms2.00
- Acres37.95
- Year Built2006
- TypeAgriculture
- Sub-TypeFreehold
- FeaturesHobby farm, Recreational
- ExteriorWood
- FoundationPoured Concrete
Community Information
- Address980 Norfolk County 28 Road
- CityLangton
- StateOntario
- Zip CodeN0E1G0
- AppliancesDishwasher, Stove, Refrigerator
- HeatingNatural gas Forced air
- CoolingNone
- Has BasementYes
- BasementSeparate entrance
- FireplaceYes
- FireplacesGas
- # of Stories3
Listing Details
- Listing OfficeRE/MAX CENTRE CITY RON STEENBERGEN REALTY, BROKERAGE
MLS®, REALTOR®, and the associated logos are trademarks of The Canadian Real Estate Association.