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Contact Information
Emma Krumbees Apple Orchard351 Enterprise Dr E
Belle Plaine, MN 56011
(952) 873-3006 (Phone)
(952) 873-4334 (Phone 2)
(952) 873-3721 (Fax)
Region: Minneapolis / St Paul
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- Admission to the apple orchard is free. Wagon tours $5.
Spring: nursery, U-pick strawberries, farmers market, general store (gifts, coffees, ice cream, fudge), restaurant, bakery, floral shop and lodging. Fall: Scarecrow Festival (9/12-10/31), U-pick apples and pumpkins, pony rides, camel rides, wagon rides and great fall fun hay pile.
More Information
- Located 20 miles south of the Twin Cities on Hwy 169, in Belle Plaine.
Other Date Information
- Nursery opens late April,with Rhubarb, Strawberries mid-June. Raspberries, blueberries, fresh produce market July. Retail and accommodations year around. U-pick apple mid-August 10am-6pm. Crop line 952-873-3006.
Green Practices
- Waste Reduction/Reuse/Recycling
- Water Conservation/Wastewater Mgmt Plan
- Energy Efficiency/Conservation
- Air Quality Improvements
- Eco-Friendly Landscape/Facility Design
- Transportation-Related Policies or Programs
- Eco-Friendly Purchasing Practices
- Organic or Local Food & Beverage Choices
Attraction Attributes
- Accessible to Disabled
- Can Accommodate Groups of 45 or more
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subset: commoncrawl


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CHELSEA have hit the woodwork 21 times in the Premier League this season – more than three times as many as Manchester United.
Eden Hazard was the latest Stamford Bridge star to be denied by the post during Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.
After 34 games, Chelsea have hit the woodwork more than any other team in the English top flight this season.
Manchester City are second in the table with 19, while league leaders Liverpool secured the final podium spot with 17.
Arsenal have only had seven shots denied by the post or crossbar, but United are bottom of the pile with just six.
Chelsea are slumped at fifth in the table and their only hope of lifting a trophy this year is in the Europa League.
Furious fans have called for Maurizio Sarri's men to start taking their chances in front of goal.
One said: "Hopefully next season we put those chances away, bring through youth and keep to a long term project."
After viewing the statistics, one fan added: "Lmao. F*****g end this season already."
How many times each Prem club have hit the woodwork
- Chelsea: 21
- Manchester City: 19
- Liverpool: 17
- Crystal Palace: 15
- Everton: 13
- Fulham: 12
- Newcastle: 12
- Tottenham: 12
- Bournmeouth: 11
- Burnley: 11
- Cardiff City: 11
- Huddersfield: 11
- West Ham: 10
- Leicester: 9
- Southampton: 9
- Wolves: 9
- Arsenal: 7
- Brigton: 6
- Manchester United: 6
- Watford: 6
And one concluded: "I've said it before, hitting the woodwork shows a lack of luck and skill. We need to be more clinical."
But some fans have managed to see the positive side of their team constantly smashing balls against the post.
One said: "At least we are top of a table."
Source: Read Full Article


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Nowadays, people are becoming more aware that it is important to protect the environment. Protect the environment and save money with green energy. The tips below will give you some great ideas on how you can make green energy work for your home.
Cutting back on your daily electricity usage is a simple way to conserve energy. Unplug appliances when you're not using them. When you are no longer using them, turn off lights and the television. This is a simple tip that can help you save money, too.
Instead of using A/C in the summer, wear natural fabrics. Fabrics, such as cotton, draw the moisture further from your skin and let it stay cooler. Also, choose lighter colors. Darker colors absorb heat, which makes you feel warmer, meaning you'll set your thermostat lower.
During the summer, you should try drying your clothes out in the sun instead of using a dryer. Your clothing will have a great smell from the sun. It is a fresher smell than you would get from the dryer. You will also be saving money on your utility bills.
Are you the owner of a farm? If you do, or if you are aware of someone that does, you may be able to rent some of the property to a local energy company that will install a type of wind turbine. The turbine will provide free energy to you and close neighbors, and won't take up much space.
If you use fuel oil to heat your home, ask a professional if you can use biodiesel. Many heating systems are able to change over to some biodiesel use without needing modifications or extra parts. Bio-diesel is more efficient and burns cleaner than conventional petroleum, which in turn, reduces the environmental impact from your home during the winter.
Discover all the different sources of energy in your community. Investigate costs for using those utilities, and be aware of any legislation about energy costs. It can benefit you to use natural gas instead of electricity, for example.
If you want to reduce your carbon footprint as well as save some money, do a load of dishwashing only when the dishwasher is filled to capacity. It's sacrilege to turn it on with just one or two dishes inside. You may be shocked to learn the number of dishes that can be loaded into a dishwasher. Experiment with different ways of loading the dishwasher in order to fit in as many dishes as possible.
Try to communicate more via email. In other words, choose paperless options anytime you can. This not only helps businesses you communicate with save on energy costs, but it also helps you save on energy costs as well. It also helps save the planet, of course.
If you, like many other people, wish to lead a greener life in order to help save our environment, there are many things you can start doing now. Perhaps you don't have money to spend on making your home more green, but it is possible to start by maintaining smaller things, like clean filters and regulated temperatures. Setting your water heater's temperature to a maximum 120 degrees will also save money. Each step you take, no matter how small, will count!
Dressing warmly can help you reduce energy and go green. You will feel 2 degrees warmer with a light sweater, and 4 degrees warmer with a heavy one. Add a hat, scarf and gloves for even more warmth. So, wear a sweater to save some money.
Replace aging major appliances with ENERGY STAR appliances. This rating will guarantee than your appliance is using less energy! Energy Star ratings promise 40% less energy for dishwashers and 50% less for washing machines.
Save energy by buying products that conserve energy. Ecologically friendly windows and doors can minimize the energy you need to operate your home efficiently. These kinds of products can cut down dramatically on your cooling and heating costs.
Make use of a solar-powered oven for baking. Solar ovens can be created with old windows, boxes, and foil. These types of oven can become very hot with adequate sunlight, and cook some foods without any additional energy source.
Heat each room separately to save heating costs. You can do this my getting a main board and a heating solution that will let you choose a certain temperature for each area. If you live in a large home, this is a wonderful solution.
Try collecting rainwater for use in appliances, like your toilet. Not only will your water bills be less, you will be helping the environment. It's very easy to collect rainwater; just place jars and buckets outside if it's about to rain, and when they are full, close the lid.
Consider bamboo items when making a wood purchase. Although bamboo is technically a grass, it has more strength than most commercial woods. Because it is fast-growing, bamboo resources are easier to replenish than slow-growing trees. That will save energy in production costs during manufacturing, as well as in recycling.
In your most active rooms, you should put motion detection lights. This turns the lights off in rooms that have nobody in them, which saves a lot of energy (and money). Remember the lighting outside, too.
To have a better understanding of your home energy uses, considering purchasing a monitor that keeps an eye on how much energy you use. These devices collect real-time measurements of your electricity usage and estimate what your bill will be. Studies suggest that if people know exactly how much it costs to use electrical equipment in their homes, they tend to be more vigilant about conserving energy.
A programmable thermostat is a wonderful tool for green energy. You can set these thermostats so that you can use less energy when no one is home or when you are asleep. In order to conserve power, the newest models allow you to program them for various start and end times for different days of the week.
Everyone should strive to use green energy. You can save on utility bills by doing simple things like turning the lights off when you aren't using them.
Is homegardenempire.com/free-power-secrets-reviews/ a new principle for you? Click http://homegardenempire.com/free-power-secrets-reviews/ for an explanation.


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A Good Man Struggles: Luke 7:18-23
Summary: Jesus' response to John the Baptist's doubts provide encouragement and hope for anyone who struggles with life and following God's will.
1. What "things" were John's disciples reporting to John as he was in prison? Luke 7:1-18
a. Why was John in prison? Luke 3:18-20
b. What can we glean from John's imprisonment about serving the Lord?
c. When are you tempted to compromise your faith in fear that you might be persecuted?
2. What surprises you about John's actions in verse 19?
a. What had John previously said about Jesus? Luke 3:15-17
b. Describe John's early faith and ministry. Luke 3:1-14
c. Why do you think John's faith was wavering about Jesus?
d. Evaluate your personal faith in light of your actions today compared to your actions as a new believer. How is your faith different?
3. Let's look at this text and ask the following questions about doubt: Who? What? When? Why?
Who struggles with doubt? What should we do about doubt? What does God do about doubt?
a. As you examine John's life and Jesus' assessment of him (Luke 7:28 ), what kind of people struggle with doubt?
b. Can you identify other OT/NT examples who struggled with doubt?
c. Jesus stated that even the apostles struggled (Matthew 16:6 ). Where do you struggle?
4. When do we struggle with doubt?
a. As you recount John's ministry (Luke 3 ) and observe Jesus' ministry (Luke 4-7), what has happened to each over these five chapters?
b. What caused John to doubt God's word about Jesus and His mission?
5. Why do we struggle with doubt?
a. What one thing marks us apart from God that would cause us to struggle with doubt? Genesis 1:26-27
b. As humans, what limitations do we face? Psalm 103:14
c. What three enemies do we constantly battle in our walk of faith?
6. What should we do about doubt?
a. How did Jesus respond to John's doubt? Luke 7:22-23
b. What practical steps can we take when we face doubt? Hebrews 4:14-16
c. Who do you know that you can encourage in their faith today?
7. What does God do about doubt?
a. How does god help you when you are facing doubt? Psalm 26:1-3, I Peter 5:5-7
b. Who has God given you for help? Romans 5:3-5; 8:26
c. How have you used God's Word as a source of help when your faith was weak?
Inerrancy: A Place to Live
Frame, John M. "Inerrancy: A Place to Live." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 57, no. 1 (2014): 29-39.
In the article "Inerrancy: A Place to Live" is centered on the belief that inerrancy is a Biblical doctrine that a Christian stands on and is a way of life. The Bible is the very words of God. Once you doubt the truthfulness of those words then you doubt the saving power of the gospel.
Brief Summary
Frame simply defines inerrancy as "simply propositional truth. To say that a sentence is inerrant is simply to say that it is true, as opposed to false."[1] The doctrine of inerrancy in some cases has become such a distraction that one forgets about the great stories of the Bible that point to how great God is and what God has done. The modern liberal and secularist approaches the Bible with difficulty because of its supernaturalistic worldview. "And for that matter, if someone asks how a book written by human beings can be inerrant, the answer is the same. If God wants such a book, he can arrange to provide one. We live in a supernaturalistic world; God's world."[2] Frame goes on with several quotes from Alvin Plantinga's 1984 article "Advice to Christian Philosophers" on how to best approach liberal theologians view of inerrancy.
Critical Interaction
Frame in his article states that inerrancy is a biblical doctrine as a member of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS). ETS defines inerrancy "in the form, 'Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written, and is therefore inerrant in the authographs. So I assume that most of you here today believe the doctrine of inerrancy. You do not believe it to be a recent theory, a speculation or overreaction to criticism, but to constitute one of the doctrines of orthodox Christianity. Further, since you believe that the doctrine of our faith are based on Scripture, you believe that the doctrine of biblical inerrancy is itself a biblical doctrine."[3] "Inerrancy pertains to what is affirmed or asserted rather than what is merely reported. We must judge the truthfulness of Scripture in terms of its meaning in the cultural setting in which its statements were expressed. The Bible's assertions are fully true when judged in accordance with the purpose for which they were written. Reports of historical events and scientific matters are in phenomenal rather than technical language. Difficulties in explaining the biblical text should not be prejudged as indications of error."[4]
The author gives many examples for a biblical basis of inerrancy. Several examples include the doctrine of the deity Christ, the deliverance of the Israelites at the Red Sea, and the feeding of the 5,000 just to name a few. "The inerrancy of the word of God enables us to state with confidence the most extraordinary fact—that the whole world is God's, and displays his glory. It enables us to say that Jesus is really Lord, that he really saved us from sin and its consequences, and that he is coming again to restore the whole universe to something pure and even more beautiful. And inerrancy assures us that we have a God who speaks to us in our own experience—the Lord of language who knows how to use symbols to talk to human beings."[5]
In the latter half of the article Frame focuses on the approach of inerrancy between liberals and evangelicals. It is important to note that "when you read the Bible without a believing heart, without a worldview centered on an absolute tri-personal God, problems appear and multiply. Virtually nothing seems plausible. Everything needs to be explained or explained away."[6] The liberal approaches theology as a non-Christian even though they profess to be Christians. Then what happens is a non-Christian worldview infiltrates the Christian worldview and evangelical theology slow but surely changes over time.
The Christian colleges and universities after World War II did not have as "high an academic reputation as those that were non-Christian, liberal, or secularist."[7] In order for the young scholar to challenge the liberal on the doctrine of inerrancy the scholar had to attend the non-Christian institution to combat the issue. "But what happened all too often was that the young scholar would return from his broadening experience with doubts about inerrancy and some sympathy for those who denied it. But as we have seen, that entailed sympathy for the naturalistic worldview that generated this rejection of inerrancy, even worse an embracing of that worldview, or some kind of inconsistent halfway house between orthodoxy and naturalism."[8] This in turn effects the way a scholar approaches research, exegesis, and even theology. The scholar is now approaching the Bible not as a book of sacred scripture but as a book of literature. God is then far removed from the divine causation of the Bible.
The Christian needs to guard their mind from the persuasion of liberal thinking. A young Christian scholar or Bible college students needs to surround themselves with scholars and mentors that have the same mind set. What goes into your mind comes out of your heart and mouth. So, if a student of the Word of God is taught misconceptions about inerrancy then the student in turn will believe those misconceptions. "As part of postmodernism, there has been an objection to the idea of foundationalism, which is the view that all beliefs are justified by their relationship to certain basic beliefs. With respect to Christian beliefs, this generally means that doctrines rest upon the authority of Scripture, and are established by demonstrating that Scripture teaches them."[9]
Inerrancy is not a dead topic. If anything it is becoming a very important doctrine that needs to be applied to the Christian worldview and challenge the postmodern liberal worldview. All inerrancy standards of criteria need to be based on a biblical world view. The standard needs to start with 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is God breathed…"
Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013.
Frame, John M. "Inerrancy: A Place to Live." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 57, no. 1 (2014): 29–39.
[1] John M. Frame, "Inerrancy: A Place to Live," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 57, no. 1 (2014), 29.
[2] Ibid., 31.
[3] Ibid., 29.
[4] Millard J Erickson, Christian Theology, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 204.
[5] Frame, 30.
[6] Ibid., 32.
[7] Ibid., 35.
[8] Ibid., 35.
[9] Erickson, 205.
The Psalms a Life Time of Learning
Schmutzer, Andrew J., and David M. Howard, eds. The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2013. 288 pages. Amazon $21.94
The book has a fourfold purpose: 1. to celebrate the enormous impact the Psalter has had and continues to have in Christian faith; 2. to highlight the insights and work of present-day scholars who have studied the Psalms and understand both its tradition and current trends; 3. to weave together some primary theological, literary, and canonical themes of the Psalter; and 4. to offer a book that both trained pastors and professors of the Psalms can use as a tool (pg. 15-16).
The book is divided into five parts: Part 1, Psalms Studies in the Twenty-First Century; Part 2, Psalms of Praise; Part 3, Psalms of Lament; Part 4, Considering the Canon; Part 5, Communication the Psalms. The book is a collection of papers that grew out of the Psalms and Hebrew Poetry Consultation of the Evangelical Theological Society which was established in 2009. Some of the contributors include Bruce Waltke, William VanGemeren, Francis Kimmitt, Robert Chisholm Jr., Andrew Schmutzer, Michael Travers, Walter Kaiser, Allen Ross, Daniel Estes, Randall Gauthier, Robert Cole, David Howard, Jr., Michael Snearly, Tremper Longman III, Mark Futato, David Ridder, and John Piper. As one can tell there are a lot of contributors across many disciplines but all with a vast amount of knowledge and experience.
Part 1 looks at the theology of the Psalms through the life of Bruce Waltke. The Psalms for Waltke have been a life time of study and at each part of his life he gained something in his Christian life from the Psalms. In Part 2, Kimmitt writes about Psalm 46, a Psalm of praise. "Hymns of praise are to be sung or spoken in those moments in life when all is well in the world, when our lives are trouble free and well ordered. We join with the psalmist in praising and thanking God for who he is and what he has done for his people" (pg. 64). In Part 3, Kaiser gives a great definition for a Psalm of lament. "The literary form of 'lament' is one of a number of special literary genres that exist in the Bible in a shared pattern of communication that alerts the reader and listener as to how a text or speech is to be interpreted or understood. Such a lament forms may be called compositions of complaint, forms of petition, or examples of prayers, which present a specific need to God, not only so that special need may be resolved, but also that it may often ultimately end to the praise of God's name and person" (pg. 127). In Part 4, the contributors look at the organization of the Psalms and how the entire book is divided up. Finally in Part 5, Futato, Ridder, and Piper teach the reader how to make the Psalms relevant for today's Christian. The book is one big strength. I could not find any weaknesses. The only weakness that I would mention is that the book is advanced level reading and not intended to just be a quick read.
I would recommend the book for anyone who wants to gain a greater knowledge of the Psalms. The book is geared toward the pastor, seminary student, or Bible college student. I received this book for free from Moody Publishers for this review.
Jesus Makes a House Call: Luke 5:27-39
Summary: Jesus said, "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." He is The Great Physician. He also said, "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." He is The Good Shepherd. The Good Physician came to where the people were sick and took time with them. He came "to seek and to save" the lost.
1. A. As you read the summary above, be reminded of what we have already seen Jesus do here in the book of Luke. Then read part of our passage, Luke 5:27-32. What does Jesus call Himself? Luke 5:13, 20, 24, 27-32
B. What is the deepest need of the paralytic and Matthew? Luke 5:20, 27, 32
2. A. Who was Matthew? How did his profession come off in that day? Luke 5:27-32 , Matthew 21:31b
B. What was Jesus accused of and why is that a good thing for the true believer? Luke 5:30 , 7:34
C. Have you responded to Jesus the way Matthew did? What pattern for the believer do you see in Matthew's response to Jesus' call? Luke 5:27-29 , II Corinthians 5:17
3. A. Did everyone react to Jesus the way Matthew did? Luke 5:30
B. Who is grumbling almost always against? Exodus 16:2, 6-7, Numbers 14:26-27 , John 6:41 , 7:12
C. What are you really doing when you grumble? Psalm 106:24-25 , Romans 8:28
D. What were the Pharisees like and who or what did they trust in? Who is the modern equivalent of Pharisees? Luke 5:21, 30
4. A. What is Jesus' response to the grumblings of the Pharisees? Luke 5:31-32
B. Who did Jesus come to call? Luke 5:29, 32 , 19:10 , Mark 2:15-17 , Romans 3:10-12 , Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3, John 9:41
5. A. Read Luke 5:33-39 then answer one overriding question: Can you mix your old self (before you came to really know Jesus as Savior) with the new self (after you received new life in Him)?
B. Is salvation a cause for celebration? Luke 5:33-34
C. In Luke 5:35 , what is mentioned for the first time in the book of Luke?
D. What examples does Jesus give concerning mixing the old life before Christ with the new life in Christ? Luke 5:36-38
E. What example is given concerning those who stick with their old life/religion? Luke 5:39
Jesus at Capernaum: Luke 4:31-44
Summary: In this passage, we will look at Jesus' home, His word, His identity, His authority, and His unyielding purpose. He was very aware of His purpose: "I must preach the kingdom of God." Have we submitted to His message that reveals His identity and authority and purpose?
1. Begin at the end of the passage, Luke 4:43-44. Why did Jesus come?
John 5:30, 15:13, Matthew 20:28, 28:18-20, Luke 19:10, I John 3:16
2. A. What was Jesus' home, or base of operation? Luke 4:31, Matthew 4:13, 9:1
B. Did Jesus consider Capernaum to be His "home?" Luke 9:58, John 13:3, 14:1-2
C. We say, "Home is where your heart is." Where is your real home?
3. Quickly review where Jesus is coming from when He "came down to Capernaum." Luke 4:16, 22, 28-30, Acts 7:52
4. A. What happened when He came to Capernaum? Luke 4:31-32, Mark 1:22
B. Who has real authority on earth and in heaven? Matthew 28:18
C. What will be the ultimate response to authority from all people? Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10-11
5. A. How it this authority demonstrated in scripture? Luke 4:33-37, Mark 4:39
B. What is known by all creation, including Heaven, Hell, and demons? Luke 4:34, Romans 1:20, 8:19-22
C. Is knowing who Jesus is, His identity, the same as submitting to Him? Does your knowledge of Jesus Christ cause you to love and trust Him? James 2:18-20
6. A. Look at the next demonstration of Jesus' authority. How is intercession defined in verse 38? Luke 4:38-39
B. What are we able to do, any time, any place? Philippians 4:6, Hebrews 4:14-16
C. Do you pray for others? Do you request prayer for others? I Thessalonians 5:25, II Thessalonians 3:1, Hebrews 13:18
7. A. What did Jesus do in verse 39 and how did Peter's mother-in-law respond?
B. That evening, what did Jesus continue to do and who was involved? Luke 4:40-41
C. Stop and "be amazed at His teaching" and authority and "do not be unbelieving, but believing." Matthew 7:28-29, John 5:36, 10:25
In summary, how serious is this, for you personally, us as a church body, and for us as a nation? Matthew 11:21-24
Jesus got away to a lonely place and when they found Him, He repeated His purpose. Do you get away to pray? Is your purpose the same as His? Is your home heaven? Is your heart where the Savior is? Have you marveled at His authority, His power, His word and His intention? Do you merely marvel or do you submit to His authority, power, word, and intention?
Luke 4:42-44, 5:16, 19:10, Hebrews 3:14-15, Acts 16:31, Matthew 28:18-20, Galatians 2:20
Jesus Proclaims the Gospel: Luke 4:14-22
Book Review "How God Makes Men" by Patrick Morley
Morley, Patrick M. How God Makes Men: Ten Epic Stories, Ten Proven Principles, One Huge Promise for Your Life. First edition. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books, 2013. Paperback $14.99.
The author Patrick Morley has ten principles on How God Makes Men. The ten principles are drawn from ten of the Bibles men. The ten men that the author has chosen include Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, David, Solomon, Nehemiah, Job, Peter, and Paul. The whole premise of the book is that if a man will follow the ten stores in the book and allow them to mentor you. Then you will become the man God created you to be (13).
The ten principles that are listed include the following: (1) The principle that is learned from Abraham is that God makes men by showing us how we can believe Him anyway in the face of what seem like impossible circumstances (16). (2) The principle that is learned from Joseph is that God makes men by orchestrating even the toughest circumstances of our lives for a greater good (26). (3) The principle that is learned from Moses is that God makes men by taking us through a humbling process that fundamentally changes the way we think (38). (4) Gideon teaches that God makes men by turning our weakness into strength in such a striking way that only He can get the glory (51). (5) The principle that is learned from David is that God makes men by doing whatever it takes to correct and restore us when we go astray (60). (6) The principle that is learned from Solomon is that God makes men by making it impossible for us to find lasting happiness in any pursuit apart from Him (72). (7) Nehemiah teaches that God makes men by turning what breaks our hearts into a passionate calling to help redeem some broken part of His world (84). (8) Job teaches that God makes men by allowing us to gain through suffering what can be gained no other way (95). (9) The principle that we learn from Peter is that God makes men by a process of calling, equipping, and sending us so we can call, equip, and send others (106). (10) Paul teaches that God makes men by forging us into humble servants who are increasingly surrendered to the lordship of Jesus (120).
Morley goes on to explain in each chapter the story of that particular man that God has used. Then Morley takes the life of the individual along with the principle and applies it to the modern man. You cannot but help see how God changed the lives of the men in the stories as well as how God can use those stores to change the modern Christian man as well.
The biggest weakness of the book is the questions for thought. The questions are more for review than anything else. It would have been better had the questions been an expansion upon the thoughts of the particular chapter. The study questions would also have been better if a little more thought had been placed on them. Even though the questions are weak they are a good starting point. Over all the book is very well written, easy to read, and also the major points of the book are very well explained.
I would recommend the book for any men's Bible Study. I would also recommended the book as a good book for devotions or even for use as a mentoring tool between a couple of men who want to meet together to grow in their walk with God. I learned a lot from reading the book and I be putting the principles learned into practice. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
The Gog and Magog prophecies are found in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The nation Gog will form the largest army ever assembled to wage war against Israel with the intent of wiping them off the face of the earth. The war will not primarily be between Gog and Israel but it will be between Gog and God. The culmination of the ultimate battle along with the outcome is all centered on God's absolute control of all the events of the great battle. The ultimate question to be answered is when the great battle will take place.
Historical-Cultural Context
After the death of King David his son Solomon became the king. The nation of Israel became a divided kingdom after the death of Solomon. The kingdom is divided between north and south. The northern kingdom is known as Israel and the southern kingdom is known as Judah. "The divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah had years of decline in every area of their national life. Moral and spiritual decadence reached its (climax) in the Northern Kingdom under the (kings) of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 17:1-22:40)."[1]
God judged the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. at the hands of the Assyrians. There is still hope for the Southern Kingdom under the new king of Josiah. Before Josiah became king of the Southern Kingdom, the moral & spiritual corruption would exceed the Northern Kingdom. Josiah set in motion a spiritual renewal by eradicating paganism and idolatry, by returning the people to worshiping God and to restore the spiritual and moral life of the nation (2 Kings 23:1-30).[2] Finally, in 597 B.C. God's judgment came upon the Southern Kingdom. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar led the Israelites out of their country. Among the captives is Ezekiel (2 Kings 24:14-17).[3]
The Israelites during the time of Ezekiel's prophecy has wondered so far away from God that they worshiped the gods of the cultures around them more than their own God. This in turn led to God's judgment for their sin. Hundreds of years prior to Ezekiel's prophecy God told the Israelites to eradicate all of the Canaanites that they came in contact with which they failed to do (Joshua 6:15-21). It is very important for the Israelites to be separate from the rest of the world and to maintain a holy lifestyle that God had setup. Deuteronomy 7:1-6 is such a great outline for the history of Israel:
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. 'For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.'"
"Ezekiel is a Zadokite priest of the Jerusalem temple, who was swept up in the deportation of leading citizens, including the young king Jehoiachin, to a settlement in Babylonia, after Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of the rebellious vassal state of Judah in 597 B.C."[4] Ezekiel who is now in Babylonia is called by God to be a prophet to the exiled Israelites. Not only are the Israelites exiled but they have been moved into an unknown land far removed from their culturally and religious center.
Ezekiel is a very gifted and highly intelligent prophet. He has a priestly background that stresses the holiness and the echoing of priestly moral and cultic traditions. Ezekiel is a very well cultured prophet who was use to interacting with the upper class. The early years of his ministry is spent associating with the upper class. Because of his association with the upper class he is well schooled in silver smelting, shipbuilding, looking back at the paradise of the Promised Land, and his reference to Egypt as the chaos monster. His extensive use of verbal communication sometimes is lost on the audience. The audience is so lost that they asked Ezekiel to speak plainly.[5]
Ezekiel's message is twofold, one about the judgment of God, and two about the salvation that God offered. The message about the judgment of God is expressed to the Israelites before the exile. Once the Israelites were exiled the message changed from one of judgment to one of salvation. The judgment is administered by the power and might of the Babylonian Empire. The exile of the Israelites challenged the belief that God is the one who is in ultimate control of all human events. At the time of the exile it seemed to the Israelites that Babylon is in control of history and not God. Human history for the Israelites is better understood if one "seriously take(s) into account the context of Israel, which witnessed the presence of the nations' competing religions. The victory of a people were the victories of their god (or gods).Thus to Ezekiel the exile was not a political but a theological problem."[6]
Genre and Structure of Ezekiel
The genre of Ezekiel is one of prophetic in nature. "The oracles in the book of Ezekiel are divided naturally on the basis of time and subject matter into four general parts: Ezekiel's call to prophetic service (1:1-3:27); pronouncements of doom upon Israel/Judah (4:1-24:27); pronouncements of doom upon the nations (25:1-32:32); pronouncements of hope for Israel/Judah (33:1-48:35)."[7] The three divisions show a logical development by the author of the book. The three sections together form a structural and thematic unity.
Chapters 1-3 start out with the call of Ezekiel and a display of the glory of God. Chapters 4-7 are a display of God's glory and without the display the judgment of God would be meaningless. Chapter 8-11 shows how Israel's sin is the cause of God's glory being removed from their presence and can only be restored through divine judgment. Chapters 12-19 is the announcement of God's coming judgment. Chapters 20-24 Ezekiel prepares Israel for the discipline that God is going to enact. Chapters 1-24 all take place in the Promised Land before the Israelites are exiled into Babylon. Chapters 25-32 is a condemnation to the nations around Judah/Israel who enjoyed to see the destruction of Israel. God is also going to set up a time when those nations will also be judged for their sins. Chapters 33-39 is a series of message about the fall of Jerusalem and messages about the restoration of Israel to the Promised Land.[8] The book ends with chapters 40-48 and the return of God's glory to the temple and to the Promised Land.
The oracles of Ezekiel 38 and 39 are like an eschatological literary cartoon strip. "The images portrayed become increasingly caricatured, reaching a climax in a bizarre picture of predatory birds and wild animals seated around a table gorging themselves on human flesh (39:17-20)."[9] As a person reads the oracles the divisions of the oracles become really clear. "While each of the divisions or sub-units has an identity and a character of its own, they are all thoroughly integrated to create a sequence of events whose total impact is much greater than the sum of its parts."[10]
Where the oracle of Gog of Magog lies in the book of Ezekiel is important. In Ezekiel 1-24 there is the pronouncement of judgment for the sins that Israel has committed against God. Next is Ezekiel 25-32 that center around the judgment of the nations who surround Israel and delight in Israel's downfall. "Then Ezekiel 33 records a turning point in the fortunes of God's people when the news of Jerusalem's fall came to the prophet. Now God's wrath has been satisfied and there is a prospect of a new beginning. That new beginning is outlined in terms of a restoration of the leadership of the people (the shepherds, ch. 24), the land itself (ch. 35-36), and the people who indwell the land (ch. 36-37)."[11]
The oracles of Gog in Ezekiel chapters 38-39 is about the fate of Israel once they have been restored and returned to the Promised Land. "The purpose of the oracle against Gog becomes clear in 39:21-29; it is intended as a word of reassurance to Israel that the new order of existence promised in chapters 34-37 is not reversible. God will never again turn his face away from his people. Though trials of all kinds, even the worst imaginable kind, may and will come, they will do so only under God's good and sovereign hand."[12]
Exegetical Analysis
Exegesis of Ezekiel 38
Gog from the land of Magog, is one of the greatest enemies of the Israelites. The enemy appears at the end of the Israelite historical process and has been bewildering scholars for centuries. Ezekiel is singling out an unrepentant nation whom God will place his judgment upon.[13] Ezekiel 38 is divided into five sections. Verse 2-9 is about the gathering of a giant army that will do battle against the Israelites. Verse 10-13 is about an explanation for the motives of Gog. Verse 14-16 is the great army of Gog that attacks the Israelites. Verse 17-22 is God's judgment upon Gog. Verse 23 is the conclusion of the great battle between Gog and the Israelites.
In verse 2 the name Gog is derived from the Greek name of Gyges a king of Lydia in Asia Minor. The name of Magog came from Genesis 10:2 where Magog is the second son of Japheth.[14] Japheth is the son of Noah. Gog is also a name for an "unidentified ruler whose name is from a Sumerian loan word gug, which means 'darkness'"[15] The oracle of Gog has been applied to more current events than any other passage in the Old Testament. The church father Ambrose referred to God as the Goths in the late fourth century. Gog of the seventh century became the Arabs. Then in the thirteenth century Gog became the Mongols. By the seventeenth century Gog is the Roman emperor, the Pope, or the Turks. The nineteenth century the people of Gog became the Russians. Finally with the rise in Communism and the large nation of China, Gog has been purported to be the large army of China. It seems throughout world history Gog has become whatever movement or country is threating world peace.[16]
The best interpretation for Gog is a symbol for Babylon. Since Ezekiel is writing to an audience who has been taken over by the great power. The interpretation is also extended as an eschatological one as well. Babylon is being a representation of the world powers who are against God in the end times. Ezekiel is concerned about the destruction of Babylon because without its destruction then the messianic restoration of Israel cannot happen. "If Gog is a symbol of the forces of Antichrist foreseen by Ezekiel. If the word Gog is from the Sumerian gug, that would be additional support for treating him as a symbol of 'the prince of this world' (John 12:31), an appropriate designation that fits the character of the ruler of end-time Babylon."[17]
In verses 10-16 Gog has gathered all of his forces from the far corners of the world and is heading to Israel to do battle. The battle will be the biggest battle of all times. Gog and his army are going to descend on a nation living in peace. The Israelites are living as a restored nation under the covenant relationship that they have with God. God is in absolute control of the great army that Gog has put together to do battle against the Israelites. "Once the unholy alliance has been prepared by God, he will summon them against his restored people at a time of his own choosing."[18] Even though Gog has a massive army to attack Israel it did not matter. An attack against God's chosen nation Israel is an attack against God himself. "Gog has fundamentally misread the match-up. It is not a matter, as he supposes, of his vast and well-equipped army ranged against a defenseless nation. The relationship between God, his people, and the land has been restored and such an assault will not go unchallenged."[19] In this great battle of all times God is allowing Gog to come against Israel for one reason only and that is to show the world his greatness and holiness. Not only will God show his holiness but the battle will show the world that God is in full control of all of history through his sovereignty.
Verses 17-23 is the ending of the great battle. Gog's military destination is to the land of Israel. Gog will be the recipient of God's judgment that will cause cataclysmic destruction against the people of Gog both in the battle and in Gog's homeland. The only victims of this great battle are Gog and his forces. God used the forces of nature through earthquakes, plagues, torrential rains, hailstones, fire and self-destruction to bring about the judgment upon Gog and his army.[20] "So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 38:23). The purpose of the great destruction by nature is to show the glory of God and his judgment upon the nations who want to destroy the Israelites.
Exegesis of Ezekiel 39
The battle that begins in Ezekiel 38 is now drawn to its conclusion in Ezekiel 39. Verses 1-8 is the total destruction of Gog. Verses 9-10 is about the spoilage from the great battle. Verses 11-16 Gog is given a place for Israel to bury the dead. Verses 17-20 are instructions for the beasts of the earth to devour the dead bodies of Gog. Verses 21-29 is the return of the glory of God to a fully restored Israelite nation.
Verses 1-8 is how God is going to destroy Gog. God did totally disarm the army of Gog. The disarmed Gog never fought against the Israelites. Instead God destroyed the army of Gog and spread the bodies all over the mountains and fields of the land of Israel. No nation would ever come against Israel again. Not only did God destroy the army of Gog in the land of Israel but he destroyed the homeland of Gog being Magog. "God would use Gog's defeat as a demonstration to the nations that he, the Holy One of Israel, is the only true God. He would not permit his holy name to be profaned again through the conquest and dispersion of Israel. Israel in turn would make the Lord's name holy in her midst.[21]
In this great battle of all battles Israel did not show up until verses 9-20 when the battle was over. Israel is now showing up to take part to plunder the nation that came to plunder them. There is so much plunder collected that the wood is used as fuel for the Israelites for seven years (verse 9). Following the collection of the plunder the beasts of the earth come to devour the dead and leave the clean bones. It took seven months to bury the bones of the dead. "The dominant concern of the burial of the remains is the cleanness of the land. The decontamination would be a fitting and necessary corollary to God's triumph and so bring credit to its executors. It underscores from a cultic perspective the vindication of Yahweh."[22]
Verses 17-20 is about Gog and his infamous hordes that have been slain and the Land is full of the dead bodies. The Promised Land now needs to be made holy again. The land is purified, through the grossest of defilements. Not only were the invaders buried but the bodies and blood became a feast for the birds and the beasts. The Temple is once again prepared for the return of God's glory. The world was just turned upside down by the great battle.[23]
After Israel repents of their sin and experience the discipline of God for their sin then the Israelites could be restored to the Promised Land. Verses 21-29 are about the full restoration of Israel to the Promised Land. In order for Israel to be restored to the Promised Land there are two conditions that Israel must be fulfill and are found in Deuteronomy 30:2. "(1) They must return to the Lord. (2) They must give heed to his voice with all their heart and soul."[24]
Once Israel is restored to the Promised Land God would give both promises and blessings and these can also be found in Deuteronomy 30:3-6. "(1) The Lord will restore their fortunes (v. 3). (2) He will have compassion on them (v. 3). He will gather them again from all the peoples where he had scattered them (v.3). (4) He will bring them into the land (v. 5). (5) They shall possess the land (v. 5). (6) He will prosper them (v. 5). (7) He will multiply them (v. 5). (8) He will circumcise their hearts so that they will love him (v. 6)."[25]
Fulfillment of Ezekiel in Revelations
The biggest question about the great battle between God and Gog, is when the battle will take place. There have been three possible times for the battle, pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation. The proponents that are for the pre-tribulation believe that Israel's secure dwelling that is mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39 could only occur at the beginning of the Tribulation. The complete restoration of Israel in Ezekiel is messianic and occurring at the end times. In Ezekiel 39:7, 22 God states his name will no longer be profaned which could not have occurred before the Tribulation. The fact that throughout Ezekiel 38-39 God states that the nations will know my name and recognize his sovereignty would fit best after the second coming then before the Tribulation. As a person has studied this position it is easy to come to the conclusion that this would not be a good fit for the events of Ezekiel 38-39.[26]
The proponents of the mid-tribulation argue that Gog's invasion is an extension of the invasion from the north mentioned in Daniel 11:40-41. The events of Daniel 11:40-41 is the breaking of the Antichrist's covenant with Israel in the middle of the Tribulation. Thus Israel is living in the Promised Land with a false security of relative peace through the covenant that was made with the Antichrist. In turn when Gog invades and attempts to destroy the Israelites it would cause them to turn to God. The turning to God and knowing God is a fulfillment of a prophecy made in Revelation that many will be saved during the time of the Tribulation. There have been six observations on whether the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39 is mid-tribulation or not. (1) There is no specific biblical text that matches Gog with the king of the north found in Daniel 11:40-41. (2) The use of false security as a concept would not match up with the whole purpose of the Tribulation. (3) The fact that Israel purifies the Promised Land by burning the weapons and burying the dead would seem impossible during the time that God was at the height of his final judgment. (4) Ezekiel 38:8, 16 declares that Israel has been restored from the sword into messianic blessing; yet this would not match up with the tribulation period. (5) There is no doubt in reading Ezekiel 38-39 that God is the one who destroys and not the Antichrist. (6) The fact that the Lord's name will no longer be profaned again does not fit with the mid-tribulation view. Again based upon the Biblical evidence it would be unlikely that the events of Ezekiel 38-39 occur during the mid-tribulation time period.[27]
The proponents of the post-tribulation argue that Gog is the army that have been described in Zechariah 12 and 14:1-14 and have come to do battle against the Messiah. Also the battle would occur at the end of the Tribulation, prior to the judgment that is described in Matthew 25, and prior to the Millennium. The majority of scholars that hold this view believe that the battle will occur after the Millennium that is described in Revelation 20:7-10. The strong argument for this position is the explicit reference to Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:8. This would sure fit Ezekiel 38-39 very well. The Millennium would definitely provide the time for Israel to live in peace, have a safe dwelling place, and have time to burn the weapons and bury the dead. There have also been three observations in regards to this view as being the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. (1) The Gog of Ezekiel 38-39 is an assimilation of armies from the four points of the earth verses the army that is assembled in Revelation from the four corners of the earth. The assimilation of the armies is very similar in both books. (2) It is maintained that Ezekiel says nothing of Jerusalem whereas John states that the nations encompassed the beloved city. It should be noted that Ezekiel mentions that Gog will attack the mountains of Israel which would most likely include Jerusalem. (3) It is believed that the burning of the weapons and burying of the bodies would fit with the Millennium time period.[28]
It would seem then that the events of Ezekiel 38-39 are a fulfillment of Revelation 19:17-21 and 20:7-10. The connection between the events of Ezekiel 38-39 and Revelation 19:17-21 and 20:7-10 lies on the singular concept of God's defeat of the great attempt of the Evil One to once again possess the land of Israel. The Evil One or Satan is the last and greatest enemy of Israel. John in Revelation only summarizes what is stated in Ezekiel. John mentions Gog in Revelation 20 so that the reader would make the connection between Satan of Revelation and Gog in Ezekiel 38-39. Satan's whole premise is to possess the land of Israel in order to nullify God's promise. However, God in both Ezekiel and Revelation has fully demonstrated himself as the immutable God who faithfully protects Israel in accord with his word.[29]
The great battle of Gog from Magog against the Israelites takes place post-tribulation. Through this great battle the glory of God will be shown to all nations that he is in control of all things past, present, and future. The name Gog being synonymous with the name of Satan as revealed in the book of Revelation will not win the battle. After the battle God's glory will once again return to the Promised Land and return to the Temple.
Alexander, Ralph H. Isaiah-Ezekiel. Volume 6. The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Edited by Frank E Gaebelein. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986.
Allen, Leslie C. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 29. Ezekiel 20-48. Dallas, Tex.: Word Books, 1990.
Block, Daniel Isaac. Ezekiel 1-24. Edited by Robert L Hubbard Jr. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997.
Block, Daniel Isaac. Ezekiel 25-48. Edited by Robert L Hubbard Jr. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998.
Block, Daniel I. "Gog in Prophetic Tradition: A New Look at Ezekiel XXXVIII 17." Vetus Testamentum 42, no. 2 (1992): 154–172.
Cooper, Lamar Eugene. The New American Commentary. Vol. 17. Ezekiel. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994.
Delitzsch, Franz, and Carl Friedrich Keil. Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 9. Ezekiel and Daniel. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.
Duguid, Iain M. The NIV Application Commentary: Ezekiel. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999. Kindle.
Luc, Alex. "A Theology of Ezekiel: God's Name and Israel's History." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 26, no. 2 (June 1983): 137–143.
Railton, Nicholas M. "Gog and Magog: The History of a Symbol." Evangelical Quarterly 75, no. 1 (January 2003): 23–43.
Tanner, J. Paul. "Rethinking Ezekiel's Invasion by Gog." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 39 (1996): 29–46.
[1] Lamar Eugene Cooper, The New American Commentary: Ezekiel, vol. 17, The New American commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 325, Kindle.
[2] Ibid., 325.
[3] Ibid., 355.
[4] Leslie C Allen, Ezekiel 20-48, vol. 29, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas, TX.: Word Books, 1990), xx.
[5] Ibid., xx-xxi.
[6] Alex Luc, "A Theology of Ezekiel: God's Name and Israel's History," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 26, no. 2 (June 1983): 137-143.
[7] Daniel Isaac Block, Ezekiel 1-24, ed. Robert L Hubbard Jr,, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997), 17.
[8] Ralph H. Alexander, The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Volume 6 Isaiah-Ezekiel, ed. Frank E Gaebelein, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 744.
[9] Daniel I. Block, "Gog in Prophetic Tradition: A New Look at Ezekiel XXXVIII 17," Vetus Testamentum 42, no. 2 (1992): 154-172.
[10] Ibid., 156.
[11] Iain M. Duguid, The NIV Application Commentary: Ezekiel, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999)., 411, Kindle.
[12] Ibid., 411.
[13] Nicholas M. Railton, "Gog and Magog: The History of a Symbol," Evangelical Quarterly 75, no. 1 (January 2003): 23-43.
[14] Daniel Isaac Block, Ezekiel 25-48, ed. Robert L Hubbard Jr, New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997), 433.
[15] Cooper, 8953.
[16] Duguid, 408.
[17] Cooper, 8986.
[18] Duguid, 404.
[19] Ibid., 406.
[20] Allen, 207.
[21] Alexander, 935.
[22] Allen, 208.
[23] Robert Alter and Frank Kermode, eds., The Literary Guide to the Bible (Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1987), 203.
[24] J. Paul Tanner, "Rethinking Ezekiel's Invasion by Gog," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 39 (1996): 29-46.
[25] Ibid., 37.
[26] Alexander, 938-939.
[27] Ibid., 939.
[28] Ibid., 939-940.
[29] Ibid., 940.
Lavish Grace
Text Used: Romans 3.22-25; Luke 15.11-32
Definition of Grace
Grace is God's FREE and unmerited favor shown to guilty sinners who deserve on JUDGEMENT.
Three questions to ask ourselves about grace
1. Do I know the GIVER of grace?
2. Do I understand the GIFT of grace?
3. Do I GRASP the lavishness of grace?
Genesis 6.5 – The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Isaiah 53.6 – All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 3.10-18 – 10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." 14"Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16in their paths are ruin and misery,17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Grace through human ACHIEVEMNT
Grace through divine ACCOMPLISHMENT
1. Grace ACCEPTED by Faith. (Romans 3.22)
2. Grace AVAILABLE to All Who Believe (Romans 2.22-23)
3. Grace AWARDED freely (Romans 3.24)
4. Grace ACQUIRED through redemption (Romans 3.24)
5. Grace ACCOMPLISHED through propitiation (Romans 3.25)
Luke 15.11-32
Luke 15.11-12 – 11 And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them.
Luke 15.12b – …And he divided his property between them.
Luke 15.13-16 – 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
Luke 15.17-19 – 17 "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."'
Luke 15.20-21 – 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
Luke 15.22-24 – 22 But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15.25-30 – 25 "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'
Luke 15:31-32 – 25 "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'
Take from a sermon by Pastor Ricky Le Mons
Trinity: Sovereignty of God
I. What does it mean that God is Sovereign?
Sovereign — adj. 1 : above or superior to all others; chief; greatest; supreme 2: supreme in power, rank or authority 3: of or holding the position of ruler; royal; reigning 4: independent of all others 5: excellent; outstanding — noun 1: a person who possesses sovereign authority or power; specifically, a monarch or ruler.
A. He is before all things!
Psalms 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Revelation 1:8 "/ am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. "
B. He created all things!
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
C. He upholdsall things!
Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
D. He is above all things!
Ephesians 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Isaiah 45:5-12
E. He knows all things!
Psalms 139:4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
Isaiah 46:10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose, '
F. He does all things !
Jeremiah 32:27 "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? Luke 1 :37 For nothing will be impossible with God. "
G. He accomplishes all things!
Isaiah 14:24 The LORD of hosts has sworn: "As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,
Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
H. He rules all things!
Daniel 4:34-35 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; (35) all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?"
1 Chronicles 29: 11-12 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. (12) Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
I. He is in control of all things!
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
• earthly kings – Pr. 21:1, Rev. 19:16
• human events – Dan. 2, 7, Ps. 33:9-11
• good angels – Col. 1:15-16, Rev. 4:8
• Satan & bad angels – Job 1:6, Eph. 1:21, Php. 2:10
• Human decisions – Eph. 1:11, Ro. 8:29-30, Acts 2:23; 13:48
II. How Does God Reveal His Sovereignty to Us?
Through His Titles
Through His Promises
• Romans 8:28-30
• Philippians 2:9-11
Through His Story – History
• Of Israel – Gen. 37-50:20 (Joseph)
• Of the Nations – Dan. 2, 7 (4 Kingdoms)
Through Prophecy – Dan. 2:27, Isa. 44:6-8 NLT
Through Christ
• His Birth – Gal. 4:4, Mat. 2:3-6
• His Life (fulfilled 100's of prophecies) – Mat. 4:14; 12:15-21
• His Teaching – Jn. 8:48-58
• His Death & Resurrection – Jn. 10:17-18
• His Ascension & Ultimate Reign – Acts 1:9-11, Rev. 19:11-21, Rev. 19:11-16
II. How Do We Respond to a Sovereign God?
a. Bow before the King of the universe!
Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
*Application = Absolute surrender of all you are and all you have!
b. Believe all that comes into your life is either allowed or decreed by a good God who will use it
for your benefit!
Romans 8.28-29
Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
*Application = Absolutely refuse to worry about anything!
c. Behold in awe the mystery and majesty of His kind, compassionate, just and sovereign
rule over all that is or will ever be!
Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (34) "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? " (35) "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? " (36) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
* Application = worship God for who He is, not merely for what He has done!


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If You Haven't Spent A Lifetime In Dallas, Choose The Realtor Who Has
The city of Mckinney is in the county seat of Collin County, Texas, and the second in population to Plano. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is located about 37 miles north of Dallas.
8401 N. Central Expwy, Suite 550, Dallas, TX 75225, US
Open today
Founded in 1992 | Copyright © 2017 | Dallas Native Team | Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate | Real Estate Services | All Rights Reserved


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About Us
The CSD department maintains contact with alumni through routine surveys after graduation, invitations to special departmental events, requests for CSD majors to observe alumni in professional practice in the Fort Wayne area, and through the departmental newsletter ApplAUSe.
- Applause Newsletter excerpts
Donation Information
The CSD department has several needs that alumni and community members may support. Donations are greatly appreciated.


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by ANDREW WILLIAMS
Theo Paphitis is Britain's 343rd richest man. The millionaire entrepreneur made his fortune thanks to his talent for turning failing businesses around, including Ryman and La Senza, and has been on hit BBC2 show Dragons' Den for the past three series.
His latest TV project, dog training extravaganza The Underdog Show, starts tonight on BBC2 at 8pm
Whatâs the programme about?
Eight celebrities have to train a dog from the charity the Dogs Trust over the course of a few weeks to take part in a show up to Crufts standard. Itâs not something Iâd normally do â Iâve turned down a lot of appearances â but I did it because my twin 11-year-old girls had been asking me to get a dog for a long time. One of them had already written to the Dogs Trust to get one anyway. They were driving me mad.
Whatâs the dog like?
I was given a choice of three and opted for the lovely Claudia, a black Afghan. The girls wanted a small dog, so I had some explaining to do when I got home. It was love at first sight, though. Sheâs an elegant lady. She flicks her head and prances around. There was a chemistry between us. It wasnât until I got the dog that the programme trainer told me Afghans donât train well, which is why you donât see them in agility shows, so Iâve got my work cut out.
Where do you stand on cats?
Iâm not into cats, they arenât my bag. Iâm not really into dogs either â Iâve been nagged into it.
Whatâs the best thing youâve seen on Dragonsâ Den?
The latest series in particular was very good. I invested in a guy who had developed some stationery products and another who designed an interactive teddy bear. In the last series, I did a really good deal with a guy whoâd developed a Web-based software business that mixes dance music. There have been some good investments but you never know how theyâre going to go. They all develop at different stages.
Whatâs the worst thing youâve seen on the programme?
There are so many horror stories, you wonder why people bother to turn up. There was one guy who wanted me to give him a fortune out of my childrenâs inheritance to invest in his glove â it looked like a golf glove and it was supposed to be for people to wear on their left hand when driving abroad so they could remember what side of the road to drive on⦠you wonder what goes through some peopleâs minds.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Go for it. Thereâs a lot of money out there at the moment. Dragonsâ Den and The Apprentice have opened peopleâs eyes to what they can do. Do your research and make sure thereâs a market for your product. Your friends and family will find it difficult to give the hard advice youâll need, though, so ask other entrepreneurs, bankers and accountants for their opinion â people who will give you the truth no matter how difficult it is to hear.
You were chairman of Millwall Football Club. Would you work in sport again?
The eight years I spent at Millwall were among the best times of my life. It was magnificent. If I had my time again, Iâd do it again but I donât know if Iâd go back to it now. Football is very time-consuming, it takes over your life and I had to find the balance between that, my personal life and my other businesses, which had grown very large over those years. I wasnât sure I wanted my whole life to revolve around football, so I left.
Does money buy happiness?
Iâd rather be rich and miserable than poor and miserable.
What are your top tips for turning a business around?
I canât give you a formula in ten seconds. There is no silver bullet â it has to do with a lot of factors. Does the business have a future at all? You have to do your research. Once youâve accepted it has a future, you have to plough a lot of time, money and good luck into it.


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Cheat Codes
IGN's Gunblood cheats and secrets guide gives you the inside scoop into every cheat, hidden code, helpful glitch, exploit, and secret in the game. Use the four Gunblood cheats listed below to give yourself a sure shot at victory, or simply turn to the beginner tips to really up your game as you gun down your rivals without stacking the deck.
Gunblood Cheats[edit]
On the character selection screen, there is a box labeled "Cheats," where you can enter one of the Gunblood cheats indicated below to activate the corresponding effect.
- NOHIT - You are invincible, but can still lose rounds if you fail the objectives.
- MOREAMMO - You have unlimited ammo, though you also must now shoot assistants in the relevant bonus rounds to end them.
- POINTER - Your gun now has a laser pointer to make it considerably easier to aim your shots.
- FASTFIRE - You have the ability to shoot more quickly, which could be all the advantage you need to win a shootout.
Gunblood Beginner Tips[edit]
If you would prefer to not use Gunblood cheats, you can improve your performance by keeping a few simple things in mind:
- Don't give up just because you take a bullet, which might well occur as the round begins. You may still be able to return fire and inflict your opponent with a more fatal wound, winning you the round.
- You lose and must restart from the beginning if you die before your opponent, but a draw game doesn't have that effect. You can keep going to the next round, albeit with a lower score.
- Aim for the chest, which is a large target. Your foe could drop if you hit the chest, or if your shot goes a bit high, you could get a headshot.
- Always be ready for your foe to keep firing even after he/she seems to have collapsed in defeat. Keep shooting the corpse until the timer expires and you're sure you've won.
- There are bonus rounds where you can score points, but make sure not to shoot the assistant who throws bottles your way (or take your time and aim carefully to shoot bottles off the assistant, in a later event).


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Last Sunday
We met at Red Cat early in the afternoon and played two games of chess together. When I beat him at the first game, I could tell he was pretty bummed about it.
"We can do this again," I said, "but I'm warning you — it may end up making you feel even badder."
"Alright girl," he said, shaking his head and resetting the board — luckily, he won that round. And I don't throw games, so he won it fair and square.
Anyways, leaving Red Cat, Matt drove us away from downtown and all around Hoover; we visited the mall, a bookstore, and Guitar Center. Not how I usually spend any of my off days (I don't like malls AT ALL; they smell like bad perfume and there are too many people and things EVERYWHERE), but he'd invited me to go Christmas shopping with him and I'd said yes. I enjoyed walking around with him, anyways — noticing what he noticed and laughing at this and that.
Well after all of the holiday shopping, he drove us back downtown for dinner at Rojo — my idea.
The parking right outside of Rojo usually stinks, so we parked at the park down the street — also my idea.
Inside of Rojo, we both enjoyed the meal (two plates of burritos, woohoo!) and then left the restaurant; he was going to take me back to my car and then follow me to my place to A. meet the shepherds and B. hook his bass up to some music recording software he'd been wanting to show me.
As we were winding our way back through the park, the front of Matt's car entered our line of sight, and right when it did, I started laughing very loudly at his terrible parking job — it looked as if he'd been really drunk when parking the thing.
But then, after a few more steps, we could see all of his car. Or what was left of it, rather.
Hole-eee-shit, I thought, my laughter tapering off. Matt had stopped walking, too, and was just standing there; staring, open-mouthed, at the scene.
Some clown-ass had barreled into the back of his car, ripping the fender or bender or whatever you call it off entirely. They hadn't left a note or anything. This was what you'd call a hit and run (although I think it would be more accurate to call it a hit and drive away since you DRIVE away from the scene — you do not run from it).
Regardless, the next hour really sucked for Matt; he phoned his insurance company as well as the police and then a big ole wrecker truck arrived to tow his car away. I felt terrible for him, fundamentally, but I felt super-EXTRA awful that he'd parked where I'd suggested he park. I had to remind myself that I wasn't the meanie who'd hit someone's car and then left without making it right. But sweet Matt was cool, calm, and collected throughout the whole ordeal.
Something I'll never forget: I stood there with him, in a cold, light rain, while he spoke with his insurance agent. It was dark already and a little windy out, and as he explained everything to the person, I watched leaves scatter through streetlight, shuffled my feet around, and snuck glances over at Matt every now and then. I wanted to pick the fender-bender-thing up and move it out of the street, but it seemed corpse-like to me, and I know you're supposed to leave things the way they are for a while before disturbing them. It felt like a crime scene and I guess it was, actually.
Anyways, I could tell when the conversation had ended because Matt said "bye" (duh) — but then, when I noticed him hanging on the line, I glanced up at him again, curious; he rolled his eyes at me. "Taking a survey," he explained. I wanted to hug him then. Like: Dude… this entirely sucks, but you're kind enough to stay on the line and take a 2-minute survey? REALLY? He colored a bit more of my heart then.
I walked back through the park to get a latte from the cafe beside Rojo (because it was already past my bedtime) and then I drove Matt back home to Tuscaloosa. I got to meet his apartment friends — two cats and an incredibly sweethearted shep mix — and then I drove myself back home.
And oh yeah — the police car! Hello!
When Matt told the cops we'd left my car at Railroad Park, they kindly offered to drive us there. I was SO excited about getting into the police car that I didn't even try to hide it (although I did resist singing/humming "bad boys bad boys, whatcha gonna doooooooo" — I wanted very badly to apply this song to our current situation).
When we arrived at Railroad Park, Matt exited the vehicle quickly, gently sliding his bass case off of my lap (we'd both been holding it). I tried to leave the vehicle, too, but could not figure out how to unbuckle myself. I struggled for about twenty, thirty seconds before squeaking out: "How do I leave the car? How do I REMOVE this buckle?"
The cop eyed me in her rear-view mirror. "Do you see the red button?" she asked gently.
"A red button?" I muttered, and then I found it. It was just like unbuckling any old seat belt. Duh.
I grabbed my pumpkin spice mug then (which, thankfully, hadn't been injured when Matt's car was destroyed) and exited the vehicle, thanking both cops (again) for their extreme kindness.
Sometime After Sunday
Remember when I mentioned hitting it off with an OK Cupid match before realizing the dude was a christian? Okay. So I canceled that dinner date with him as well as the lunch date I'd accidentally suggested having afterwards, explaining that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed right now and had a lot going on slash on my mind. He was super sweet about it, all no problemo, and I was all but I'll hold onto your info so we can get coffee together sometime.
Okay. Well here's what happened next.
Earlier this week, I got home from work on an evening when I knew that Charlie and Jordan (my two roommates) would both be closing. Jordan just brought a pup home in late November – a sweet pit bull mix named NuNu – and when he's at work, she stays in a kennel in the garage. I didn't want her to have to wait forever to go to the bathroom, so I shot Jordan a text: "Hey! Just got home; going to let tiny girl out of her cage for a bit." This way, he won't have to worry about her being uncomfortable, I thought to myself.
I set my phone down, hugged on my big fat shepherds for a minute, and then walked toward the garage, opening the door and calling "NuNuuuuuuuuu" out into the darkness. When I flipped the light switch on, I saw something very odd: her kennel door was already open, and the tiny girl was nowhere to be seen.
"NuNu?" I tried hopefully. Nothing; no stirring, no sounds. "Where's NuNu, you guys?" I asked both shepherds. They looked back at me first and then turned their eyes to the kennel, the floor, the walls; Tycho started padding about and sniffing around. They're so freakin smart.
I walked back into the kitchen, trying not to panic. "Sooooooo her cage is open and she's nowhere to be found — guess you took her w/you somewhere, so please disregard my first message, haha!" I texted. And I'm just going to have to assume that this is what happened, I told myself.
But Jordan messaged me right back: "Well I neither sleepwalk nor know enough about all of this to answer."
I paused, rereading the message a few times. What?
"WHAT?" I texted. "Are you saying I need to go on a pup hunt?" I immediately imagined the pup wandering the house alone, biting on a cord somewhere, and electrocuting herself to death. Oh shit hell, I breathed out (and this is one of my favorite curse expressions; I think I made it up). I was beginning to panic now and I think the shepherds (who'd followed me back into the kitchen) could feel it.
"I don't even know your dog," Jordan replied, which only made everything more bizarre.
"WHAT KIND OF DRUG ARE YOU ON," I cried out in the kitchen, shaking my head in disbelief. "My dog? This is YOUR pup, dude…"
Then, because all of this was just way too absurd, I scrolled up to the top of our conversation, to see where things had first gotten weird. The last message from Jordan (received on a different day) caught my attention. Then, my heart started racing in a different kind of way as another sort of panic settled in.
"Wait — noooooooo!" I'd texted the wrong Jordan; not ROOMIE Jordan (who is listed in my phone as Scorpio Jordan and who, btw, HAD taken the pup w/him to the grocery store), but CHRISTIAN JORDAN WHO I'D JUST CANCELED TWO DATES WITH.
Man oh man.
You can probably guess what happened from there; I apologized and clarified that the tiny girl I was letting out of a cage (CREEPY!) was actually a puppy and that I was worried my roommate's dog had gotten out and died, blah blah blah. He seemed extremely amused over everything and then asked me an unrelated question, and another, and mentioned that he'd listened to that album I'd recommended…
So we accidentally started talking again, and at this point, I felt like I was supposed to meet the guy. So we scheduled it: Date attempt number three!
We met at a noodle house two evenings later and I knew, right away, that he wasn't my type, but I was still glad that we'd finally met because I believe this dude and I can be good friends. Turns out that he identifies as an existentialist-agnostic-christian (wow! he's as confusing as I am!) and he's had some really GREAT book recommendations.
Something curious: During dinner, more than once, I heard him whisper: fucking trains.
"What was that?" I said, too intrigued to pretend I hadn't heard it.
"The trains in my head… they derail sometimes." I really loved that. Fucking trains! This might be my second favorite curse expression.
Eventually, we revisited the awkward conversation that had finally brought us here, facing each other in a red booth with steaming noodle bowls on the table and metal music playing near the walls.
"Yeah — I was just playing an online game with my friends when you texted and I was like, what the fuck is this girl talking about?" We laughed and laughed and laughed.
And while we were talking about religion (because I always bring it up), he asked, very nonchalantly, why I didn't have a religion anymore. I summarized my experience with it and then told him something that I don't think I've told you guys yet. It's a kinda recent revelation.
"What's funny is I don't worry about my salvation anymore," I said. "At all. But as a christian, I ALWAYS worried; every day, I was concerned that something I might do or say would 'keep me out of heaven'… because growing up, that was how my family talked about it; always worrying, and always nitpicking and preoccupied over panty hose and the minute the sun set and rose and whether or not a package of noodles had MSG in it…" I shook my head. "Essentially, it's like they were constantly checking themselves in the mirror and never, ever happy with what they saw. Never." I paused.
"While there isn't enough proof anywhere for me to base my life on anything, I think the heart of every religion out there is just saying: be kind. Be nice, and don't be a jerk. And I do that, naturally. It's what I strive for. So if there are any powerful god entities out there, and I definitely wouldn't rule the possibility of that out, I'm not worried about them, because I'm already doing what matters. I'm being kind — trying to be, anyways, and trying to be more kind always. And I'm not doing it so I can get something — salvation, eternal life, whatever. So I don't worry about what's happening next anymore. I'm not afraid to die, or to live… although living is pretty painful." I smiled, because everything I'd just said was completely and entirely true.
Wednesday Night
I was at the house with a friend earlier this week and we were watching anime together. At first, I was over here on the couch and he was over there on the couch and there were, at various times, either one or two or three dogs sharing the couch with us. Well this friend got up to get some juice once and then, when he came back, he sat closer to where I was. I noticed this, of course, because I notice everything, but I didn't think very much of it.
Then, as the episodes rolled by and the pups adjusted and readjusted themselves on the couch, I noticed that my friend's arm was suddenly touching mine. When did that happen? I wondered, but I didn't mind at all. I've had a bit of a crush on this friend for a few months now and love cuddling anyways — this was sort of like cuddling, so I said nothing.
Well eventually, his arm was around me and then his hand was resting on my knee and then his hand was beginning to slide up my shirt. Danger, danger! I had to say something.
"Sooooooooo," I began, awkwardly talking over one of the show's characters. "What's goin' on?"
"Huh?" he said, and then it was difficult for him to speak.
I admitted that I'd kinda, sorta liked him for a while and he said that he wasn't fit to be in a relationship with anyone right now. THEN WHY THE HECK WERE YOU TRYING TO CUDDLE WITH ME, I wanted to scream, but I was just like cool dude, no problemo. We went back to watching the show then and now, I'm still wondering: Was it just that I was there, or do you actually like me?
Either way, I'm proud of myself for demonstrating that I've learned to NOT get intimate with a guy under the assumption that he'll then love me and stick around forever. Yeah frickin RIGHT.
But after having lunch with Zach today, I don't really care anymore. And that's what I'm going to talk about next.
So this afternoon, I went on a second date with Zach. It was all very simple — we met at a cafe where he ordered a grilled cheese with tomato soup (it was actually chili) while I had a half stack. We stepped into a library afterwards, discovered the SciFi book I was looking for was at a different location, and Zach immediately offered to drive us there so I could get it. Very sweet.
We snagged the book, threw it in his backseat, and then walked around in the rain together, taking turns deciding, at intersections, whether we wanted to veer left or right or continue straight. At first, we paused to make and announce our decisions; then, we just started following the other person's lead.
And somehow, over the course of eating and walking and driving and talking, I saw something special in Zach. It was the combination of his voice, eyes, and smile, I think — and not just the way his smile looked, but the way he smiled. Does that make sense? He's got this innate goodness that you can feel, and he's also fun and he's also awkward and quirky and really, really smart.
I was thinking about visiting Tuscaloosa tomorrow (to see Matt again), but a girl friend has asked me to go do weekend yoga with her twice now. I made my decision re: tomorrow while spending time with Zach today.
"Hey — I'm going to be staying local tomorrow and doing yoga with a girlfriend in the afternoon; would you want to join us?"
"I'd rather embarrass myself later than tomorrow, but I'd like to see you right after yoga."
So we're making plans for tomorrow afternoon now, and I'm trying to stay super cool. Because you know how not-cool it gets when I don't play it cool.
One of my favorite things about Zach: His terrible jokes. Last weekend, I'd casually mentioned that one of my "hobbies" is initiating joke making competitions with friends at random times. He said he could come up with a few original jokes over the course of the week (before our second date rolled around) and then today, he brought it back up, saying he had some ready. I was surprised, and happy, that he had remembered.
The worst one: "What does a vegetarian employee at Shoe Locker eat?"
He smiled, waiting for me to guess.
"…what?" I repeated, laughing.
"Toe-fu," he said. Haha.
Later, I created a joke that he claimed was just as bad: "What did the beach magician make for lunch?" I asked (just as we were passing a Jimmy John's).
"A sandwich," he said.
"Dang it," I said. "If we hadn't of been passing a sandwich shop right now…" I sighed.
Something very terrible happened just as Zach was taking me back to my car; we were paused at an intersection when he asked: "Did they just HIT that man?"
"What?" I asked quickly, looking around. Sure enough, a man was lying down in the street and his friend was standing there beside his body, looking stunned.
"Will you wait here for a second?" I asked, grabbing my phone and then struggling to unlock the door (I am SO bad at doing that). I quickly walked over to the man; he'd made it to the sidewalk and then fallen down.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "Did that car just hit you?"
He was crying and moaning; yes, the car had hit him, and he believed his arm to be broken.
I looked at both of the men, considering the clothes they were wearing. "Do either of you have a phone?" No. "Do you want me to call 911?" Yes.
I stayed with Jason (the man who'd been hit) until the police and ambulance had arrived. I provided officers and paramedics with all of the information I'd slowly drawn out of the guy: His name was Jason, he did not have a phone, his right arm and elbow felt broken, and his left leg had also been hit during the incident. And no, I had no idea what the car looked like.
But one of the police officers took down Zach's name and number, as he'd actually witnessed the car hitting the man. I'm glad I didn't see it. I could not (and still can't) believe the indecency of the hitter… to just drive off after deeply hurting another human being. Wow. But people do this on a smaller scale all the time, when you think about it. It's interesting to think about it.
Before we left the scene, I noticed a paramedic take out a pair of scissors. "We'll have to cut through the jacket," he said, waiting for permission.
"Cut through everything," Jason said; his voice sounded so sad, so desperate.
Watching them slowly cut through a denim jacket and two thick sweatshirts, I took a twenty out of my wallet and walked over to one of the police officers.
"Hey — will you make sure this makes it into his pocket? So he can buy a new jacket later?" I made sure Jason had it tucked into his jeans before I walked away.
Zach brushed his hand against my arm once we were back in his car, saying I was a great first responder and would probably make a great paramedic, too.
"I feel things too deeply," I said, shaking my head. "Got too much empathy… it would break my heart."
He dropped me off ten feet from my car, like I'd asked him to; I didn't want him to catch even a glimpse of how chaotically messy it was.
When I got home, I spent twenty minutes cleaning the car out (the majority of the mess: books and clothes). He's the first guy I've actually cleaned my car out for… ha.
Since finals are over with and I've got three FULL weeks to read, write, and hike, I've just started on a new book that I picked up (secondhand) in Denver: Are you somebody? The foreword already has me on the brink of tears, it's so good! I'm sharing a few lines the author's friend wrote about her (the book is a memoir of sorts) because a lot of what he said resonates with me personally. I can already tell the late woman he's describing carried a lot of sorrow with her hope, and I get that completely.
"…when we consider the life of this woman who wore on her sleeve, not only her heart, but her mind and soul and whatever else she could offer… "
"…in her person and in her work there was an urgency – no time to waste – as if she knew…"
"…she loved love and in pursuit of it suffered; my aim in life was something to do with loving and being loved, she said…"
"…she lived intensely, and that, perhaps, is what frightened the men in her life, that and her sparkling intelligence…"
"…she was whistling in the dark, keeping at bay the demons of self-doubt…"
"…wherever she went she collected degrees – and men…"
Still here (not exactly sparkling with intelligence but definitely unintentionally collecting men… I JUST WANT ONE GUY WHO WILL NOT PULL A HIT AND RUN — FOR GOODNESS' SAKE!),
Aun Aqui


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An early hit in pickleball, the Pro Lite Impact Graphite continues to have a loyal following. Since its introduction, we've seen pickleball paddles continue to transform physically, in makeup, size and design. Larger heads, smaller heads, longer heads with shorter handles, wider heads with or without bumpers, rimless narrow heads and so on, you get the idea. Then the core; honeycomb, vertical chambers, horizontal chambers, aluminum, Nomex, and polycore to name a few. And of course the face and face treatment; graphite with texture, graphite without texture, composite with and without texture, fiberglass faces, woven faces, tacky faces and more.
Some pickleball paddles are discontinued as fast as they are launched, some never get approved by the "Pickleball Association" and so don't really make it past the pre-launch phase. Many have run into supplier / material issues and so manufacturing ceases and so you see, there are any number of reasons paddles have a short life-span on the market. A clear exception is the Pro Lite Impact Graphite, an early graphite paddle that continues to have an almost cult-like following of players who swear that the simply designed paddle plays better than the majority of the new entries to the market. With a unique head shape, it is easy to spot on the courts and you'll find many die hard "picklers" wielding it at all levels of the game.
Read about the Pro-Lite Impact Graphite here. At this price, you can buy two for the price of one of many of the newer paddles on the market!


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Instead of focusing on schoolwork, Great White put lots of his procrastination time into crafting the third and final Flavourite. He hopes that this tape will get out to someone that will help in furthering his musical hobby into a full-time career so he doesn't have to work in a box for the majority of his life. I will now stop speaking in third person... Spread this to anyone you know with a true respect for the culture of hip-hop to aid a rapper in want. And if you don't, then fuck you.
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