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The Art of Writing
Working with Arabic Schools and Students
Your Arabic (and other) partners may well surprise you with their knowledge of and enthusiasm for poetry. Arabic poetry is extremely important to Arabic speakers in Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon, and the Arabic poets have included here, Mahmoud Darwish and Tamim Al -Bargouti have immense, rock-star status.
There are many reasons for this – it might be a good idea to have your Arabic students tell your UK students!) but some of them are: Classical Arabic is ancient – poems go back a thousand years – but has not changed very much. Students today can read and understand classical Arabic, and do, when they read the Koran. This keeps them in touch with their history and religion and with their fellow Arabs. Arabic is a shared language – though students in Palestine and Iraq speak different dialects, they can understand each other through Arabic. So poems are a shared culture and code, but also modern and exciting; Homer and Kanye West.
Because they have read quite a lot of poetry, and learned lots of the Koran, you may well find that your Arabic students readily produce verse which sounds grand and sophisticated, and also quite like the Koran – your challenge may be to get them to express themselves simply, about their own lives.
Classical Arabic form are heavily rhymed, often around a caesura (break) in the middle of the line. There are also many forms which use repeated and patterned rhymes. These are all forms which are very hard to reproduce in English, which is poor in rhyme. However, in the last sixty years much great Arabic poetry has also been written in 'prose' (informal verse) and in dialect. We will be encouraging Arabic students to write in this form, as we will be encouraging English students to avoid rhyme because we are focussing on sharing images. In the ghazal exercise, we will all share a simplified version of a form.
- 1Introduction
- 2Working with Translation
- 3Working with Arabic Schools and Students
- 4Working with Farsi, Bengali, and Urdu students
- 5The Surrealist's Game
- 6The Feelings/Food or Feelings/Colours Game
- 7Moving on from the Surrealist Game
- 8Translation Time
- 9Magic Box Poems
- 10The Table
- 11Last Year, This Year
- 12I Don't Remember
- 13Ghazal غَزَل : A Shared Form
- 14Write Your Own

subset: commoncrawl


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So after lots of dilly dallying me and my friends finally decided to take that pending Goa Trip. Though it wasn't our first visit to the place, it definitely was on our minds ever since we came back from a memorable trip from 30 Dec 2012 to 3 Jan 2013. We promised each other that after everyone gets placed in the campus placements, we'll plan asap. So after 2014, it took us 3 years but we finally made it! Though a few of our homies couldn't make it as they were either outside India or married, the 4 of us made sure that we have helluva fun.
The serenity of Palolem Beach is something that I miss dearly. One of the cleanest beaches in Goa, its the most happening places of the southern part and is filled with amazing cafes that serve delicious food and of course, the Beer! I have a feeling I spent more on Beer than drinking water!
As a die hard Shah Rukh Khan fan, I try to visit the places he has in his movies. Ever since I watched Chennai Express, I wanted to go to these beautiful waterfalls. The train starts from Kulem in Goa and you can get off at the very first station in Karnataka if you want to catch a view of the falls from the train. We waited around 4 hours for any train but nothing came except a few freight trains and the driver wouldn't let us board!
Anjuna and Vagator Beaches are again some of the most beautiful beaches of Goa and at the greenery all around welcomed the spring of 2017. The place is full of cozy cafes that serve the best pizzas, falafels, pancakes and waffles. Its truly a foodie's delight!
The Candolim Area is again one of the most happening areas of North Goa. While the beaches of Baga and Calangute are overcrowded and always busy, the Candolim provided a rather quiet environment and the market is full of bars with great music and cafes with delicious food. You will get all types of cuisine in the world you can imagine and the place also has some great backpacking hostels just in case you want to hangout with people from different places of the world and India.
For the last day, we just wanted to spend it as lazily as we could and from the morning till evening, we just sat at a shack and gazed lazily into the Arabian while sipping cocktails and beers!


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A Familiar Verse
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Fourth gospel 3:16). Most churchgoers have heard this verse quoted many times. However, familiarity with a passage should not keep us from doing our due diligence (a temptation more likely to occur when it comes to frequently quoted verses).
Get your Bible and read the verse in its context. Apply your normal study method and write down your thoughts about what you think the verse is saying. Afterwards, come back to this study and see if your current method of assessing truth on biblical issues led you to miss insights on the verse that God's word has to offer.
The Case of God's Gift
"For God So Loved"
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Fourth gospel 3:16). Two ideas are often emphasized when teachers cite this verse. Almost without exception they will say something like, 'the verse teaches God loved the world so much that it moved him to send Jesus to die for the world.' They also typically add, 'this tells us God's love is unconditional.' A version of one or both of those ideas will usually be included when this verse is taught in churches today.
If "For God so loved the world" is the most well-known Bible verse in our era and if it is routinely taught incorrectly, then this might make it the most misunderstood verse of scripture (in quantity terms at least). If this is true, then it raises another question: why is this verse not taught correctly? There is no reason to consider the second question unless scripture can show the verse is routinely misunderstood and taught incorrectly, so this is what we will look at first.
God's Unconditional Love?
A Better Bible Study Method, Book One offered these comments on the verse in question:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." When this verse is quoted, it is common to hear comments like, 'This speaks of God's unconditional love for you.' But why would people allow this claim to go unchallenged when it is contrary to the plain reading of the text? To say the verse informs everyone about God's unconditional love for them is to twist the verse beyond recognition – since it is a conditional statement and the condition is clearly stated in the verse.
Should a person conclude the blessing of "not perish, but have everlasting life" applies to those who do not "believe in him?" Not according to the verse. We are not talking about whatever scripture says elsewhere, but about faithfully communicating what this verse actually says. It tells us the reason God "gave his only begotten Son" was "that" those who meet the condition ("believeth in him") should "not perish." So, the condition is vital to the verse.
People may get various insights from the verse, but it does not say God's love is unconditional. So, linking the idea of unconditional love to the verse undermines the authority of the words of the verse itself.
What about the "Whosoever?"
Many assume the word "whosoever" makes the verse unconditional. While many claim the word "whosoever" means the verse is directed to everyone without condition, what happens if one puts this claim to the test? Consider the following sample of five verses where the word "whosoever" was used:
· "I [Aaron] said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off" (Ex 32:24);
· "Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God" (Lv 21:17);
· "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine [Jesus], and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock" (Mt 7:24);
· "Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have" (Lk 8:18);
· "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God" (1 Jo 4:15).
Does "whosoever" refer to any and every person without condition?
Let Scripture Light the Way
If we want to learn the meaning of a word in scripture, we should be careful not to let the opinions of others prejudice our view of scripture. Rather, we should let scripture teach us the meaning of the words, phrases, and word pictures used in the Bible. If we let scripture show us how to view the word "whosoever" here is what we can learn from the verses cited above:
· "I [Aaron] said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off" – In this verse the word "whosoever" introduced a condition that defined a specific subset of people (those with "any gold");
"Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish…" – "Whosoever" cannot include everyone in this case, for not everyone was of Aaron's seed. Rather, the word introduced a condition that defined a subset of people among the seed of Aaron;
"Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them…" – "Whosoever" refers only to those who meet the condition (i.e., hears Jesus' sayings and does them) and it excludes everyone else;
"whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not…" – It is impossible for everybody to be in both groups! Here the word "whosoever" was used twice in order to define two distinct groups, based on two distinct conditions (the condition "hath" defines one group and "hath not" defines a different group);
"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God…" – Here only those who "confess that Jesus is the Son of God" are included, since this is the specified condition.
In each verse the word "whosoever" introduced a condition. So, those who claim "whosoever" makes a verse unconditional are leaning on their own understanding and ignoring biblical evidence. A quick look shows similar terms like, "whoso," "whomsoever," "whatsoever," and "soever," are all tied to a condition:
"Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord" (Ps 107:43);
"he [Judas] that betrayed him [Jesus] gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he" (Mt 26:48);
"Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark" (Gn 8:19);
"And he [Jesus] said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart…" (Mk 6:10).
In the Bible those words always designate a grouping based on some condition(s) or trait(s) that define who or what is included in the group being discussed. The word "whosoever" appears 163 times in the KJV and it always introduces a condition or set of conditions. It is not specifying who can or cannot meet the condition. All it does is define a set (and the set includes those who meet or have already met the condition(s) that are specified in the verse or passage).
How to Verify the Meaning of a Word
Now we will venture beneath the surface data to further establish how scripture itself clarifies the meaning of the words we find in the Bible. It takes a little time to look into the words, but knowing how the writers of scripture used a word can reveal things we might otherwise miss.
Our English Bible is a translation of the Hebrew or Greek words used by the writers of scripture. When we are uncertain about the meaning of a word or passage, those Hebrew or Greek words can help us to clear up or prevent misunderstandings even if we do not speak those languages. How? By looking at other verses that have the same word and letting scripture's use of a word teach us things about that word.
While this may sound difficult, it is surprisingly easy to do thanks to a numbering system that helps us identify those words. A tool called Strong's Concordance has assigned different numbers to the Greek and Hebrew words. This lets us see how each word was translated in every verse where it was used.
For example, if three Greek words are translated by a single English word, then the three different Strong's numbers for those words call our attention to this fact. Or if we are unsure of the proper meaning of a particular word in our Bible, then the number of the original word lets us identify all of the other verses where the same word was used – and we can gain insight about a word by seeing how it is used in other verses. [Numerous free online Bible study tools make it easy to access the Strong's number for any word.]
That said, only one Greek word number will be cited in this case, and it will show how scripture itself can establish the meaning of a word. Seeing how a word was used in scripture helps us to understand what was written, and the time it takes to look at the original words is well worth it. [The format G#### will be used so you can easily follow the Strong's number of the Greek word being discussed.]
Many English words have multiple meanings. If we associate a word with the wrong meaning when reading scripture, it will skew our view of God's word until we realize and correct our mistake. The word "so" has multiple meanings and here are a few examples:
· indicates a quantity; i.e., a large amount or extreme degree
(he so loves the smell of coffee; he has so much money);
· indicates a quality; i.e., the way a thing is or was done
(he takes his coffee like so; it happened just so)
· consequently, therefore
(he had too much coffee, so he is unable to sleep)
· in order that
(he drinks coffee so he can stay awake)
· indeed, certainly
(he does so drink coffee)
In these two examples the word "so" refers to a quantity:
· "When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel" (Mt 8:10);
· "his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?" (Mt 15:33).
In these two examples the word "so" refers to a quality:
· "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled" (Acts 3:18);
· "they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (1 Cor 9:24).
In the four verses
above, the word "so" translates two Greek words, one refers to quantity, the other refers to quality. Quantity and quality are different ideas. If we assign the wrong meaning to the word "so," we will misunderstand scripture. Looking at the Strong's number for the word which was translated as "so" gives us an easy way to verify the correct meaning of the word, because quantity and quality were expressed by different Greek words (with different word numbers).
In the verses just cited, the phrase "so fulfilled" (Acts 3:18) does not refer to the amount of fulfillment. Rather, it refers to the manner in which "those things" were fulfilled. Likewise, the phrase "so run" (1 Cor 9:24) was not urging a lot of running. It referred to how one runs and urged running in a way that resulted in victory. In those verses the word "so" is translating the Greek word with the number G3779 and this word always refers to a quality. For example, "if then God so G3779 clothe the grass" (Lk 12:28) and "for so G3779 is the will of God" (1 Pt 2:15) are speaking about the quality of the design that is seen in the grass and a quality of God's will, not the quantity of those things.
Let Scripture Light the Way Once Again
"Let every one of you in particular so G3779 love his wife even as himself" (Eph 5:33) refers to the way a husband should "love his wife," not how much love he should send her way. Similarly, "Beloved, if God so G3779 loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1 Jo 4:11) is a reference to a quality, not a quantity – the "beloved" were urged to "love one another" just as God loved them – and this refers to how God loved them, not how much.
In those verses the context lets us know what meaning is attached to the word "so," but this is not always the case. Sometimes the context does not clearly establish whether the word "so" refers to a quantity (intensity) or a quality (manner). However, today there is no reason to be confused because we can verify if the word "so" is translating a Greek word that refers to quantity or quality.
The easiest way to confirm scripture's use of word number G3779 is to look at the first ten verses where this word appears:
· "the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise G3779" (Mt 1:18);
· "thus G3779 it is written by the prophet" (Mt 2:5);
· "thus G3779 it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (Mt 3:15);
· "great is your reward in heaven: for so G3779 persecuted they the prophets" (Mt 5:12);
· "Let your light so G3779 shine before men, that they may see your good works" (Mt 5:16);
· "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so G3779" (Mt 5:19);
· "if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so G3779?" (Mt 5:47);
· "After this manner G3779 therefore pray ye" (Mt 6:9);
· "if God so G3779 clothe the grass of the field" (Mt 6:30);
· "whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so G3779 to them" (Mt 7:12).
Anyone who looks at just the first ten uses of word number G3779 will have to admit this Greek word refers to a quality, not to a quantity.
How Much? Or How?
The foregoing evidence exposes a view of the word "so" that leads many to misunderstand the phrase, "God so G3779 loved the world." When we are taught a verse means one thing, but scripture can prove otherwise, it proves those who unknowingly teach the erroneous view have relied on a method of assessing truth which is not reliable.
An interlinear KJV Bible has a literal translation of the words and word number G3779 will be translated as 'in this manner,' 'thus,' etc. because this is what the word means. This is confirmed by the way it was used elsewhere in scripture. Moreover, the New Testament writers had Greek words to use if they wanted to designate a quantity or intensity, and they did so many times. (Search for words like "much," "many," "exceeding(ly)," or "great(ly)," for examples of such verses.) However, none of those Greek
words appear in the verse in question.
If we bought into the false view of "for God so loved the world," then we need to change our method of assessing truth on biblical issues. When we have believed something and it turns out not to be true, we need to ask, 'why did I believe the Bible said something it never said?' Gaining a right understanding of "for God so loved the world" is good, but if we were wrong about this verse, then we must also figure out why we thought the verse said something it does not say.
Do Not Pass the Blame
Since the word "so" has multiple meanings, quantity (i.e., 'so much') is one possible meaning. But why would a person assume that was the right meaning? With all the Bible study tools available in our day, there really is no good reason for associating the wrong meaning with the word "so" in this verse.
Those who assign a wrong meaning of the word "so" cannot blame the Bible translators, since "so" is a perfectly proper way to translate word number G3779. While people can read a wrong meaning into the word "so," scripture always indicated the correct meaning of the word "so" in the phrase, "for God so loved the world."
"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar" (Prv 30:5-6). In this case, scripture can correct us if we have a wrong view of the word "so" and all it takes is a simple word search. Moreover, the Bible offers other evidence against the common misconceptions about the verse in question.
Still More Evidence
Now let us consider what scripture says immediately before and after the words, "God so loved the world":
"as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (Fourth gospel 3:14-18).
The condition "whosoever believeth in him" appears twice (before it shows up in verse 16, it shows up in verse 15). Unless one reads only verse 16 or hears it quoted out of context, it is clear the author meant to focus his readers on the condition since he repeated it. In addition, verse 15 has to do with how people get saved. When "Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness," it provided a means by which men who had been bitten by a serpent could be saved (cf. Nm 21:7-9). Also in verse 17, the words "that the world through him might be saved" refer to how the world "might be saved" (i.e., "through him").
The word "so" in verse 14 refers to the manner in which "the Son of man" would "be lifted up" and this is the very same Greek word (G3779) translated "so" in verse 16. Thus, the way the word "so" was used in verse 14 testifies against those who falsely claim the same word has a completely different meaning in verse 16.
Look for Similar Verses
Finally, if we want to see if our belief about a passage is true, then we should see if the same idea is expressed elsewhere in scripture. If "for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" is about the way God expressed his love, then this idea will line up with other verses on the same topic. Do any other verses explicitly tell us how God expressed his love? Yes. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him" (1 Jo 4:9).
"In this was manifested the love of God" refers to the way "the love of God" was expressed. How was it "manifested?" "God sent his only begotten Son into the world" – this is how God's love was expressed. Why did God do it? "That we might live through him" (and the "we" is those who believe in Jesus, the condition spelled out in all the verses where phrases like "whosoever believeth in him" appear).
Moreover, the term "God so loved" was only used in one other verse: "Beloved, if God so G3779 loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1 Jo 4:11). This verse details an obligation for the "beloved"/"brethren" (cf. 1 Jo 3:13, 4:7), and it was not about the amount of love they "ought" to have for "one another." Here is 1 John 4:11 in context:
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1 Jo 4:7-11).
Here too, scripture provides a check against a commonly promoted misunderstanding of the phrase "so loved."
Is It a Big Deal?
Because correction requires us to admit we have been wrong, many people downplay their mistakes by saying things like, 'it's no big deal,' 'what difference does it make,' 'it doesn't really matter,' etc. Doing so serves to downplay one's misunderstanding of God's word by acting as if the truth is sometimes unimportant. Acting as if false beliefs are inconsequential is something people do to avoid having to deal with a bigger issue: errors are symptoms, they indicate and are caused by a false measure of truth.
Think about the common teaching of "for God so loved the world" and ask yourself if switching the meaning of the word "so" from a quality to a quantity is no big deal or a critical mistake? While many problems are caused by adopting a 'God loves you so much' view of the verse, let us look at just one such problem and, hopefully, this will show why it is never a good to ignore truth in order to hold on to error.
Consider the focus of the verse. If the verse means, 'God loves you so much that if you were the only person in the world he still would have sent his son to die for you,' then where is the focus? It is on you (i.e., 'God's love for you is so great he just had to rescue you'). But is this what the verse means? No. If we do not twist the words to fit the teachings of men, where is the focus of the verse? It is on the gift! "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" puts the focus on Jesus, not us. Seeing ourselves at the center of the verse and thinking it revolves around us boosts our ego. While such themes may 'win friends and influence people', those people will be influenced in a way that inflates their self-esteem at the expense of the truth.
When the verse is understood correctly it presents Jesus as the way a person can experience the love of God. This aligns with the words of Jesus, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (Fourth gospel 14:6). The condition set forth in the verse ("believeth in him") makes it clear that believing in Jesus is how one can "have everlasting life." Here too, the proper understanding of the passage is confirmed by other verses like, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life" (Fourth gospel 3:36) and "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1Jo 5:12).
When "God so loved the world…" is rightly understood, it is consistent with what is said elsewhere in scripture. But the harmony is ruined if we say a conditional statement is unconditional or if we put ourselves at the center of a verse instead of realizing how it focused on Jesus. If that is not enough to make this a big deal, consider what this says about the Bible study practices of today.
Being Faithful to God's Word
In Jeremiah 23:28 the Lord said, "he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully," and there is no reason to think this admonition is less important now. We should never say scripture says something it does not say. So, the next time someone talks to you about 'God's unconditional love', ask them to cite a verse that has no condition.
One way to avoid being deceived by teachings that are not faithful to scripture is to heed this advice: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Th 5:21). Put this to the test on "for God so loved the world." If a teacher says, 'that verse teaches God loves you' or 'that means God loves you, he always has and always will,' what would you see if you compare their words to the words of the verse? Besides the fact the words are strikingly different, did you catch the tense change?
The word "loved" is in the past tense because it referred to something that already occurred (i.e., when God "gave his only begotten Son"). Notice "gave" is also past tense. The verse says "loved," not 'loves,' and we should not reword scripture to make it conform to our beliefs. The benefits of God's gift are still available to anyone who satisfies the condition ("believeth in him"). However, the past tense was used because the verse told
of a love that had already been expressed through a gift already given. For the same reason the past tense also shows up in this verse, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him" (1 Jo 4:9). The terms "was manifested" and "sent" let us know the manifestation of God's love occurred prior to the time the verse was written.
Bumper Sticker Theology
'Warm-and-fuzzy' may sell bumper stickers, but it usually fails the test of scripture. 'God loves everybody' is an idea promoted frequently by teachers, broadcasts, and books. Yet, if it is right for someone to say 'God loves you' to anyone and everyone, then why did Jesus and the apostles not do so?
Scripture records many times when Jesus, and later the apostles, spoke to crowds. Not once did they ever declare 'God loves you' to those in attendance! Therefore, if we were to judge using the method of Jesus and the apostles as our measure, what would we conclude? We would have to conclude making indiscriminate and unconditional public declarations of 'God loves you' is a practice that is not in line with the public messages delivered by Jesus and the apostles.
Moreover, if a verse does not support the 'God loves everybody' idea, what do we do? Can we pretend verses like Psalm 5:5 do not exist? In speaking of the Lord it says, "thou hatest all workers of iniquity." When ideas are promoted which are contrary to the whole counsel of God's word, it undermines the effect and authority of the word of God.
Also, Jesus once said, "Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mt 7:23). Does this suggest those workers of iniquity were once loved by Jesus, but later fell out of favor? If not, then it cannot be right for preachers to say things like, 'God loves you, he always has and he always will' as if this is true for anybody and everybody, regardless of if they "work iniquity" or not.
Bad Methods Corrupt Good Data
Scripture is profitable for correction. It can set us straight, if we will submit to the authority of God's word. Yet a false view of the verse in question is not the only thing we need to correct. Health problems are best resolved by dealing with the root cause rather than suppressing the symptoms. In the same way, we need to deal with the cause of our false beliefs.
If our method of assessing truth has led us to think something is true when it is not true, then we need to correct both what we believed (the false idea) and why we believed it (the error-prone methodology). Unless we deal with the flaw in our method of assessing truth, our faulty approach to God's word will lead us to fall prey to other errors.
If biblical evidence can prove the popular teachings about "for God so loved the world" do not come from scripture, then those ideas are founded on something else. It is this problem (i.e., relying on a source other than God's word) that must be dealt with if the body of Christ is going to be best served.
The difference between quality and quantity is no little matter. So why do so many who claim to know Greek still teach this verse incorrectly, especially since the Greek is not ambiguous?
The difference between conditional and unconditional is also not a little matter. So why do many teachers link this verse to the notion of 'unconditional love' when the verse itself has an explicit condition?
Of course, holding a wrong belief about "for God so loved the world" does not mean everything else a person believes is wrong. However, when a verse as well-known as this verse is routinely misunderstood and/or misrepresented by those who read the Bible, it suggests the source of the problem has a common link. That link is the practice of promoting the teachings of men.
Think Inside the Book
We do not need to understand everything about a passage to see if an idea fails the test of scripture. When we are considering any idea, belief, or teaching we should ask ourselves things like: Is it contrary to anything in God's word? Does it line up with the life and the words of Jesus? Would it apply to the apostles? In other words, we should get in the habit of letting scripture serve as a litmus test for truth.
The term 'think outside the box' is used to encourage thinking that is not limited by assumptions which may be untrue. This kind of thinking is needed for us to receive biblical correction, because we have to be willing to have our assumptions challenged. Yet people can also be creative in finding ways to make scripture seem to mean what they want it to say. So, we need to make sure we do not deceive ourselves with such thinking. How can we avoid falling into that trap?
Think inside the book!
Obviously, the book in this case is the Bible. The point is to remind us to make sure our standard for assessing truth on biblical issues is what God's word has to say on the matter (and not what is said by our favorite teacher(s) or some group).
The Conclusion to the Case of God's Gift
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This tells us what God did ("gave his only begotten Son") and why God did it ("that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"). Therefore, telling people the verse means 'God loves everyone,' 'God loves you so much and he loves you just the way you are,' etc. turns them away from the verse's true meaning.
If people judged teachings only by what scripture says, then the most commonly taught errors would be rejected. When we let the words of scripture lead us to the truth (and note the context so we do not read a wrong meaning into them), then the truth presents itself.
The real danger of the teachings of men is their power to blind people to the truths in the word of God. As this case proved, truths that are set forth in the plain text of scripture can become hidden to us when we base our understanding of scripture on the teachings of men.
Not long before his death, Jesus told his disciples:
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" (Fourth gospel 15:13-14).
Notice two things:
(A) Jesus indicated he was laying down his life for his friends, and
(B) he told them what it takes to be his friend.
Scripture does not suggest everybody is going to be a friend of Jesus and we need to take account of this fact.
Proverbs 30:5-6 says:
"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."
This passage is repeated here because it points to the right standard and it warns us against being careless and/or getting creative when it comes to God's word.
A final word on the problem of
assuming God is unconditional in his grace, mercy, love, etc. The Lord said, "[I] will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy" (Ex 33:19). To/on "whom I will" is a condition, and Romans 9:15-18 proves
this limiting factor
still applies. Also, Proverbs 14:26 says "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence." But, people have nothing to fear if the Lord accepts everyone unconditionally, and if fear is eliminated, then people are cut-off from the
benefits of the
"the fear of the Lord."
The end of the Case of God's Gift
Read: Chapter 7 – Who Says So?
Other options:
- Free printable download of Chapter 6 – The Case of God's Gift
- Free Bible study eBook versions


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Kevin Sloane cut his teeth in footwear design, logos, branding, industrial design, pattern making, product development, wearable technology, sign making and illustration
"Always be useful" the words of Kevin's late grandfather John Sloane, resonated heavily with Kevin through his life. This mentality formed his thirst for knowledge in anything he pursued, particularly design. His processes for creating are scrupulous, meticulous and precise
He gets his inspiration from all things vintage, motorcycles, streetwear, graffiti, hip hop, high fashion and smart people


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WP Article/AnthonyFaiola: Great Picture ! "German Pastor Gregor Hohberg, Israeli Rabbi Tovia Ben-Chorin and German-Turkish Imam Kadir Sanei hold three bricks in the vacant lot where they hope to build a multifaith prayer building. The House of One is expected to cost $55 million, and a crowdsourcing campaign isunderway. "
((Would recommend GEN run Picture and Whole Article - Story made my day ! ) Al
Added by Al LeBlanc on September 28, 2014 at 8:20am — No Comments
"There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind,"
Napoleon Bonaparte
(The power of an idea ! Wonder what Napoleon would say say about today's social media personal cyber power ?) Al
Added by Al LeBlanc on September 24, 2014 at 10:29am — 5 Comments
We are our memories of the past, our imagination for a better future
and our actions in the present to make a little difference.
Nowadays, we possess a unique social media/personal cyberpower
The means to create a world peace uprising/tsunami
"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me." and u/us/all"
Added by Al LeBlanc on September 14, 2014 at 5:39am — 2 Comments
"To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,
One clover, and a bee
And revery,
The revery alone will do,
If bees are few.
(Be the Bee.)
Added by Al LeBlanc on September 4, 2014 at 9:34am — 1 Comment
Need take My Cyberpower in my fingers, in my thumbs, in my hands
On my smart phone, on my tablet, on my laptop
Need express My Outrage over human decapitations.
World is spinning round in chaos and terrorism
Cannot standby Indifferent ! Powerless !
Need Exprress My CyberPower !
Need Become CyberPeaceCitizen !
Added by Al LeBlanc on September 3, 2014 at 7:00am — 14 Comments


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Its been a long hot summer and I've been loving the weather and enjoying family time and using up some real gems. Here are my empties for the last few months. Bodycare Korres Santorini Vine Shower Gel 250ml £8 I bought this one as part of my supermarket shop and didn't think to take a… Continue reading [Unpaid AD Includes Gifted & Affiliate Links] Empties August 2019
Tag: Shower gel
[AD – Gifted & Affiliate Links] Empties – January & February 2019
I've been catching up on things and so I've merged the empties for January and February into one for you this time around. Caudalie Beauty Elixir £32 (100ml) This time I used up my mini size Beauty Elixir that came in a Christmas bauble style pack. I've featured it before here if you'd like to read… Continue reading [AD – Gifted & Affiliate Links] Empties – January & February 2019
Empties – May 2018
I've been getting some great feedback from readers saying that they really love these empties posts. I'm guessing that's because they know that I've really experienced these products over a period of time rather than just snapping a photo before selling the products on Depop or e-bay. So let's kick off with May's empties -… Continue reading Empties – May 2018
Empties – April 2018
I don't really know why but I've been a little bit lazy about blogging recently - don't get me wrong - I've been trialing all the best products, going to events and being sociable on-line but just haven't been in the mood to sit down and write-up the posts. Might be because I spend way… Continue reading Empties – April 2018
Empties February 2018
February may be the shortest month but it's been a fabulous one for products. I've used up and discovered some brilliant products that I want to tell you about - so let's kick off! The Skimono Beauty Face Mask for Advanced Moisturisation (£14,99) is AMAZING! I honestly think that this it the first time I've used capital letters… Continue reading Empties February 2018
Last minute Christmas gift ideas for her
So when you all started talking about Christmas and other bloggers started writing their gift guides back in September I was telling myself it was way to early. So I waited till after Halloween, then I waited until after my daughter's birthday at the end of November and then I got to the week before… Continue reading Last minute Christmas gift ideas for her
Empties September 2016
There used to be a time when I published my empties posts right on time at the end of each month but these days I always seen to be playing catch up! Not too long a list this month but there's some really good products on it! Om Skincare No Lines Nourishing Cream Love this… Continue reading Empties September 2016
Empties – July 2016
Time for a nosey at what I've been using up this month! In fact I'm a little late with this but I'm hoping you won't mind too much. Skinceuticals Metacell Renewal B3 Loved this luxurious emulsion which I used at the serum stage of my skincare routine. I've reviewed it previously here and it's available… Continue reading Empties – July 2016
Empties March 2016
There's something satisfying about reaching the end of the month and looking back at what you've used up. Or is that me just being weird? I don't keep the empty bottles all month anymore, I just list the item on a draft post and throw the bottle away. I used to try and take photos… Continue reading Empties March 2016
Roger & Gallet at Christmas
Armand Roger & Charles Gallet established a perfumery in 1862 - so I figure that this is a brand that knows a lot about what makes good perfume! There's more about the history stuff here but I really just wanted to tell you a bit about a couple of their products that I tried recently.… Continue reading Roger & Gallet at Christmas


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$46at the door
$36.80Adult From (Child $26.40)
- Pick a date and time slot for standard 1 day admission
- Skip the queue with mobile ticket entry
- Prices vary by date and time - book in advance to save up to 20% in off peak or 10% in peak
What are you looking for?
Take advantage of cheap parking rates with your ticket.Find out more
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Our Location
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
1-5 Wheat Road, Darling Harbour
Sydney 2000
Open Times
01 May 2019 09:18:11
We are spoiling all Mums this Mother's Day weekend and inviting them to be our guest of honour with a special Mothers Go Free ticket starting this Saturday 11th May.
Mums come in all different forms and styles - be it Grandmothers, Aunties, Stepmums or even Dad's that have to be both mum and dad so we want to thank these primary caregivers for the tireless work they do raising children with Free entry to the aquarium! Enjoy a day on us and enter an underwater world where you will get up close and personal to our new sharks, rescue turtles, penguins and thousands of other amazing creatures.
Offer is valid for Saturday 11 to Sunday 12 May, last entry being at 5 pm, and is redeemable with each individual child's admission purchase.
Terms and Conditions apply:
$46at the door
$36.80Adult From (Child $26.40)
$134Full Price
$55Per Adult (Child $39)


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Doug Adams OC Barnes & Noble Appearance
Tracy sends this in: In connection with "Lord of the Rings in Concert" at the Honda Center, author Doug Adams will join us to sign his book, a comprehensive look at Howard Shore's score featuring an Exclusive Rarities CD of unreleased LOTR music — must for all LOTR fans. Thursday September 29, 2011 7:00 PM. Orange Town & Country, 791 South Main Street Suite 100, Orange, CA 92868, 714-558-0028. More..Posted in Books Publications, Events, Fans, Merchandise on September 21, 2011 by xoanon


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Repair Shop Marketing Tools
Company Overview
Repair Shop Marketing Tools is a leading full-service digital marketing and web design agency for Auto Repair Shops. Our digital marketing experts, use strategic best practices to build impeccable marketing programs, including CRM, data analysis, lead nurturing, campaign consulting, campaign management and more.
Repair Shop Marketing Tools has offices in Minnesota, Michigan and New York, and serves clients nationwide. Repair Shop Marketing Tools specializes in digital marketing including SEO, SEM, Social Media, Content Marketing, E-mail Marketing & Marketing Automation.
- Integration with most Repair Shop Management POS databases
- Strategic planning of vehicle repair and maintenance-specific marketing campaigns
- Fully-managed marketing campaigns based on the Automotive Repair Customer Journey
- No more waiting for website or marketing updates … 24-hour turnaround on most requests
- We are not a set-it-and-forget-it; we meet with you every month to inspire new thought
- One monthly fee covers content and page creation as you need them, not just on the initial build
- Maintain ongoing communication with your customers, to keep your Repair Shop top-of-mind
- Information in one place for all of your customers and their vehicles


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Luxembourg is basically the country with the highest minimum age in Europe. In fact for any kind of job, it doesn't matter how qualified it's, you're not gonna earn almost 2000 euros. Let's just see the top 10 in Europe:
Super trusted source: Wikipedia, what's in the web is always truth
Check the VAT information, it's the 4th cheapest in the entire Europe, 17%. I'm afraid to say how
much we pay in Brazil for VAT.
VAT is based consumption tax assessed on the value added to goods and services. Check the European commission website to have more informations about it.
But I don't wanna go deeper in this subject as I'm not expert and I don't wanna be more brilliant person to spread fake informations in the web.
Even with the highest minimum salary Luxembourg doesn't have the highest average of salary as some countries in Europe doesn't have a fixed minimum wage like Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries. Here is the list:
The second position isn't that bad. Just $5583 dollar. Wikipedia provides this information is dollar as it was a global comparison. I don't like to compare with my country statistics, but in Brazil the minimum wage it's almost 10 times lower than in Luxembourg. You're good with math, that's obvious, but think about that for each hour that I worked here cleaning dishes in a bakery, you that spent 4 years in the university to get a diploma need to work almost 10h to earn the same as me.
I'm not proud of it at all, it's sad to see how the economic are weak in my country, in South and Central America, Africa, Asia....
A lot of countries in the world don't have minimum wage defined, mainly in Africa. It means that the employees can pay how much they want. Curious? Google: "List of minimum wage country".
In Brazil we have $1,5 per hour as minimum age. It has no comparison when we talk about these countries:
This time wasn't wikipedia. Source: HDR
Well the answer why there is this huge different between countries is not a easy answer. You can start from history books until arrive in the currently global politics. You're gonna have a big tour between feudalism, colonization to modern capitalism.
Au revoir


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Pair Of Large Antique Carved Bathstone Capitols
A pair of large 19th Century Corinthian Bathstone capitols. These could work well as a table base etc. Each measures - 22"/56cm wide x 22"/56cm deep x 15.5"/39.5cm tall Very good "as found" condition. £850 plus vat for the pair.
Item Details
Provenance: no
Send a message
Phone : UK 0044 7974 579 694 and France 0033 7 86 08 60 70
Mobile : 01761 420 293 0r 07974 579694
Address : Visits by appointment only, Radstock area, Nr. Bath, Somerset, UK, Registered for business in both the UK and France. Trading from South West France and Nr. Bath, Somerset, UK


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Founded in 2012, our 501(c)(3) organization advocates and empowers "at risk" youth, from the ages of 12 – 21, whom are plagued by violence and urban lifestyles, to become positive role models and leaders in their communities. We stand by Dr. Martin Luther King's "6 Principles of Non-Violence."
Basketball Court
Grand Opening
September 7, 2019
YG Event
September 28, 2019
to be a Vendor or Sponsor
PROJECT T.R.A.P. (Teens Rising Above Poverty)
We need your help building the YG Movement Community Resource Center.
Tomorrow is what Today makes! That's why a better world tomorrow depends upon what we do today.
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
our sponsors & partners
Thank You for your generous gifts, time, and unwavering commitment to the YG Movement cause!


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The Emerge youth program at Richmond First United Methodist Church hosts an after-school program for middle- and high-schoolers two days a week. This program occurs from 3:15-5 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday that Madison County Schools is in session. Any changes from this schedule will be publicized.
The program includes open gym, games, devotions, snacks and soda for sale for a good cause, and a room (MMC 114) set aside for homework and tutoring, with tutors available (talk to Jonathan if your kid needs tutoring help!). The homework/tutoring room includes snacks that are free for those doing work in that room.
Pickup from school is available, but arrangements need to be made ahead of time to ensure we have enough seats and that we can accommodate the schedule. Currently regular pickups occur at Caudill Middle, Madison Central, Clark Moores, and Model. To arrange pickup from school, contact youth pastor Jonathan Kleppinger (email@example.com).
The program is made possible by the support of our church family through providing drivers, tutors, snacks and our space. If you're interested in helping in any of these ways or any other way, contact Jonathan.


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We are today pleased to release the April edition of our newsletter.
Download your copy from the Download attachments section below.
Following the advice issued by HM Government, Public Health England, Sport England and the NHS the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) have over the past few days been looking at ways to best support clubs that have been actively engaging with their programmes (Club Development Programme, Play Bowls Packages and the Women Can Initiative) through this difficult and unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak.
With that in mind we have today decided to take the following action:
Club Development Programme
The Club Development team remain 'open for business' however, our Club Development Officers will not be able to visit clubs for face to face meetings and therefore any meetings or workshops planned until the end of April 2020 are postponed. We are also recommending to all clubs that are part of the Club Development Programme and have any open days planned from today until the end of April that they are also postponed.
The Club Development Team are all at the end of the phone and will be working to continue to support clubs on any aspects of a clubs Club Development Plan that do not require face to face meetings. We are also able to hold skype meetings or conference calls if appropriate.
Your appointed Club Development Officer will be calling the nominated contact within the club over the next seven days to discuss the support we can offer to the club and to agree a plan moving forward.
Play Bowls Packages including Women Can Packages.
Women Can and WI Groups
We are again recommending from today that all activities are postponed until the end of April 2020. We suggest that clubs keep the communications between the club and the WI group ongoing so as soon as the advice is changed activity can restart.
It should be noted we are currently working on a month by month approach to ensure that we are as flexible as we can be in this situation so that as soon as the advice from the relevant bodies changes, we are ready to support clubs with recruitment and development. We will be issuing a further statement regarding events already in the diary in May, on the 17th April 2020.
Please keep an eye on our website www.playbowls.org and our social media accounts on twitter and facebook for the latest advice. We will also be publishing any information we receive from Sport England regarding any support available to clubs from central sources to help you through this challenging time.
Keep safe everyone.
The BDA Team
The Bowls Development Alliance [BDA] are delighted to announce that the 2020 Spring Play Bowls package application window has now opened. The window will remain open until 5pm, Thursday 30th April 2020.
In addition to postal applications, clubs can also apply online using the following link: http://playbowls.org/clubs/online-play-bowls-package-application-form
For more details about BDA package funding visit http://playbowls.org/clubs/play-bowls-package-funding
The 2019 Love Fisher Brown Award, sponsored by Para Handy and Drakes Pride, was created to recognise clubs that provide disabled participation opportunities for their bowlers. This award, named after the remarkable and inspiring Commonwealth Games achievements of Bob Love, David Fisher and Paul Brown, showcases the excellent work being undertaken by clubs with disabled bowlers around the country, and provide a benchmark for other clubs to aspire to. The Disability Steering Group panel, comprised of representatives from the Activity Alliance, Bowls Development Alliance, Bowls England, Disability Bowls England and English Indoor Bowling Association, assessed each of the 12 strong nominations, and after much discussion and thought are delighted to announced that the following entries have been selected as this year's prize winners:
• 2019 Love Fisher Brown Award Winners – The Griffin Bowls Club
• 2019 Love Fisher Brown Award Runner Up – Kempston Park Indoor Bowls Club
• 2019 Love Fisher Brown Award Runner Up – Lincoln & District Indoor Bowls Club
Furthermore, for their outstanding achievements over the past year and the quality of their nominations, the following clubs have been Highly Commended: Charnwood IBC, Oundle BC, Desborough IBC.
Ann King, the Griffin Bowls Club's secretary reacted to the news on behalf of the club: "We are very excited to have won this award. So many people have worked very hard this year to achieve so much in such a short time!"
On behalf of the award panel, George Babalev (Club Development Co-ordinator and Disability Lead for the Bowls Development Alliance) said: "For a second year in a row the standard of the nominations was exceptionally high and the nature of the activities detailed within them were both inspiring and humbling. I congratulate all of this year's nominated clubs for their commendable efforts towards making the sport and their clubs more inclusive. I hope they all continue to build on the successes of 2019 and progress even further next year in their endeavour to provide opportunities for disabled people to participate in bowls."
Over the next few months, we will release more information about the Griffin Bowls Club, the two runners-up and some of the other nominated clubs, to showcase their fantastic achievements.
The Bowls Development Alliance is inviting all Bowls England and EIBA affiliated clubs to apply to be part of the Club Development Programme.
Is your club losing members? Are you finding new member recruitment challenging? If yes, then…
Join the programme that helps bowls clubs recruit an average of 20 new members per season!
Since 2017 we have worked with over 100 clubs and used our expertise to inspire committees and volunteers to promote, transform and modernise their clubs and help them kick-start successful recruitment campaigns that bring new members.
If you wish to apply, get in touch with us as soon as possible! We have a limited capacity and we will be accepting applications only until:
• For outdoor clubs – end of March 2020.
• For indoor clubs – end of August 2020.
The Club Development Programme offers Bowls England and EIBA-affiliated clubs across the country unique support to develop and better sustain their current membership numbers and recruit new members into the sport. Each club involved is allocated one of our Club Development Officers who will be working with the club committee throughout their engagement in the programme to:
• Generate enthusiasm amongst club members and motivate them to volunteer and support the committee in its initiatives.
• Promote and raise awareness about the club in its locality.
• Target potential new members and introduce new bowlers to the sport.
• Train the club volunteers to organise and facilitate fun open days that will leave a lasting positive influence on those completely new to the sport.
• Re-structure the club and its activities to allow for the smooth integration of all new members.
• Provide additional bespoke support depending on the club's needs, including towards funding applications, issuing club surveys, improving the club's accessibility, ensuring continuity in the work of the committee and more.
Every club that is part of the programme is eligible for funding worth of up to £500 towards their engagement in the initiative.
If you think that your club would benefit from being involved in the Club Development Programme, then please find the criteria for application below:
• Clubs must be affiliated to either Bowls England or the English Indoor Bowling Association.
• Clubs must have seen a net membership decline of 3% or more over the past 2 years.
• Clubs must be willing to be proactive and take on tasks set out in a Development Plan.
• Clubs must have a demonstrable capacity for membership growth.
We encourage every club that meets the above criteria to apply to become part of the programme. The size and level of the club does not matter. We have worked successfully with a diverse range of clubs: indoor and outdoor, small and large, elite and social/recreational. To apply, clubs need to fill in and email us a simple online application form, which is also accessible as a word document on our website.
THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE for clubs to apply to the programme before the end of the Sport England funded 2017-2021 Play Bowls strategy by the BDA.
• Outdoor clubs must apply by the end of March 2020.
• Indoor clubs must apply by the end of August 2020.
As we are expecting a high number of applications, we encourage clubs to apply as soon as possible to ensure a timely start. All applications will be reviewed periodically, and clubs will be informed about the outcome of their application in due course. Successful clubs will be approached by a BDA Club Development Officer to arrange an initial meeting and begin the engagement.
We are delighted to announce the publication of the 2019 Disability Bowls Advisory Guide. The guide has been developed by the Disability Bowls Steering Group, which is formed by representatives from the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA), Disability Bowls England (DBE), Bowls England (BE), English Indoor Bowling Association (EIBA), Coach Bowls, and with support from Activity Alliance, to deliver a strategic action plan that aims to make the sport more accessible for those with a range of differing impairments.
The aim of the advisory guide is to provide clubs, volunteers and coaches with ideas and guidance on ensuring that everyone, regardless of disability or health condition, has access to the sport of bowls, whether as a beginner or an elite performer.
The Advisory Guide has been developed as a handbook for club officials, coaches, volunteers and bowlers who:
• Are committed to making their clubs more accessible to disabled people/bowlers
• Are experiencing barriers to their own or their fellow members' participation
• Want to learn more about how their clubs can offer a more inclusive environment for disabled bowlers
The new guide encompasses all of these topics in greater detail including information about:
• Using inclusive language when communicating to disabled bowlers.
• Impairment specific adaptions that clubs may consider making to ensure the sport is as accessible as possible for disabled bowlers.
• Case studies from clubs and organisations across the country who are already providing excellent participation opportunity for disabled people.
• Disability Bowls England and the participation pathways which disabled bowlers may wish to follow.
• Adaptive Equipment, with contact details of equipment providers.
• Coach Bowls courses, including the "Working with Disabled Bowlers module".
• Advice on Safeguarding including details of the "Safeguarding in Bowls" module.
• Useful contacts across a range of key organisations.
We are today pleased to release a special edition of our newsletter focusing on the funding opportunities that we have available to all affiliated clubs of Bowls England and EIBA Ltd.
Download your copy from the Download attachments section below
The Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) are delighted to announce the launch of the National Participation Survey which allows current and former players, alongside those who have not played the sport of bowls before, to tell the BDA why they do, what they do.
Understanding the key motivating factors which influence how, why and where people spend their leisure time will greatly assist the BDA in ensuring that the marketing, branding and products offered, align in such a way that they can best connect with the relevant target markets.
The Survey is also a chance for current and former players to donate a small amount of their time back into bowls in order to make a big difference to the future direction of the sport, particularly at grass roots level where the BDA focuses its activities.
Jon Hart, Development Manager for the BDA, "For the survey to be fully effective, it is vital that it is promoted as widely as possible, not just through the traditional networks to the current bowls community but further to the general public so we can receive responses from those outside the sport currently. This will enable the BDA to significantly enhance its position when working to increase the numbers of people playing bowls. More than 4,000 people completed the survey last year and we hope that even more of you will do so this time around, which will help us to shape our future work in the development of the sport of bowls.
To complete the survey, please visit the following link before the closing date of Friday, 31st December 2019 - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TJN98L2
The Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) is delighted to announce the launch of the exciting new project with the National Federation of Women's Institute (NFWI)which aims to introduce more women into the sport of bowls.
This project is part of the BDA's national WOMEN CAN project which aims to encourage more women to play bowls, coach bowls and volunteer in bowls.
Currently only 39% of the bowling club population in England are women, and this campaign has been developed to increase that number to 45% by 2021.
The project will see 140 WI groups mapped with local bowls clubs who will take the women through six FUN weekly sessions introducing them to the game. 237 bowls clubs have expressed an interest in taking part (196 outdoor clubs and 41 indoor clubs)
Susan Cooper, Development Director of the BDA, said:
"The BDA are delighted to be working with the National Federation of Women's Institute (NFWI) to provide more opportunities for women of all ages to get active. It is also a fantastic opportunity for bowls clubs to grow their female membership and to re-address the current gender unbalance"
Lynne Stubbings, Chair of the NFWI, said:
"This is an exciting new project which will inspire and empower WI members to become involved and participate in the sport of bowls. This programme is open to all members, regardless of age or ability and we hope that it'll be successful in increasing the percentage of women in the English bowling community. For members who already have an interest in bowls, and others that have never played the game before, the programme will offer fun, friendship and a chance to get active outside of WI meetings."
Does your club need more women members? Have you thought about running a special event just for women?
If you have now is the chance to apply for £250 to help you set up and run the event.
We are inviting 50 clubs to apply for a Women Can Funding Package to support an exciting women only event at your club.
It might be a Prosecco & Bowls evening , Cappuccino & Bowls morning or Cake & Bowls on a lovely sunny afternoon all focused on introducing new women into your club.
To for more details and to download the application form please click here or call Kara in the BDA office 01664 777001 for more information.
The event needs to be run by the end of November 2019. Applications are open to clubs that may have applied this year for a Play Bowls Package but is not available to clubs that are working with the Women's Institute programme.
All clubs must be affiliated to Bowls England and/or the EIBA.
Let us know how it goes!
Calling all clubs!
You may or may not be aware that we recently (the BDA) announced an exciting new partnership with the National Federation of Women's Institute (NFWI)
The partnership aims to provide opportunities for WI members to get involved in the sport of bowls through our WOMEN CAN campaign.
Currently, only 32% of the bowling club population in England are women and this campaign has been developed to increase that number to 45% by 2021 and of course bring more members to your bowls club.
The programme invites WIs and Federations to take part in a 6-week bowls programme, hosted by a bowls club like yours, local to the applicant WI. Members will be required to pay a small nominal weekly fee of £3 per person, per week to take part (payable to hosting club).
Your club will need to identify someone to communicate with the local WI to make all the necessary arrangements
What is required from your club?
We are now inviting all affiliated clubs to express an interest in hosting a WI group. This is not a guarantee that you will be selected to be part of a programme as there may not be any groups in your area, but we aim to get as many clubs involved as possible.
Once the deadline has passed Kara, our WOMEN CAN project lead, will start the process of putting the club contact in touch with the lead WI contact so that both parties can agree that best day/times for the group to come down to the club. We currently have over 125 WI Groups looking to get involved.
Thank you.
The Bowls Development Alliance is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with the National Women's Institute.
The partners will be working together across the country to provide opportunities for WI members to get involved in the sport of bowls. This project is part of the national WOMEN CAN project which aims to encourage more women to play bowls, coach bowls and volunteer in bowls.
Currently only 39% of the bowling club population in England are women, and this campaign has been developed to increase that number to 45% by 2021.
Anna Coulson, WOMEN CAN lead, said:
"We are very excited to be working with the Women's Institute on this project to encourage more women to become involved in the sport. We hope that we can inspire more women to join the bowling community and enjoy the playing and social opportunities the sport has to offer."
Lynne Stubbings, Chair of the NFWI, said:
"We are delighted to be working with the Bowls Development Alliance on this exciting new project which will inspire and empower WI members to become involved and participate in the sport of bowls. This programme is open to all members, regardless of age or ability and we hope that it'll be successful in increasing the percentage of women in the English bowling community. For members who already have an interest in bowls, and others that have never played the game before, the programme will offer fun, friendship and a chance to get active outside of WI meetings."
We have now launched our WOMEN CAN resource pack! We would love for clubs to keep us updated with the great work you are doing whether it be taster sessions, open days, events and don't forget to sign up to our campaign by going to www.playbowls.org/womencan.
How do I get my hands on a WOMEN CAN pack you asked? Sign up now!


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The very first origins of Kalliope duo reach back to 2008 when Alja Petric and Tina Čeh met for the first time at the Music Conservatory Klagenfurt (Austria). They shared the same thoughts about music and life, and felt even stronger affection towards each other when they discovered that they grew up on the same part of Slovenia – by the melancholic River Mura valley. Soon they went their separate ways and met again in 2013 at the Etno HISTeRIA Festival, where the idea for the duo was born. Because of different musical backgrounds, they inspire each other to even greater creativity. Both members of Kalliope – mostly with their own musical compositions – intimately present their view of the world with subtle vocal and instrumental performances.
Alja Petric (vocal, guitar, flute, kalimba)
Tina Čeh (violin, viola, vocal, kalimba)
Leur page Facebook :
Des vidéos :
LA LOBA : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtDrvjBWSIo&feature=youtu.be
LE KDO VE : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRSOelAMQZ8
METULJ : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyes2yLDPkk
A L'Harmonium : Kalliope Duo était en concert à L'Harmonium le 6 décembre 2014 pour le Vernissage de l'Exposition de Marie-Noëlle Sesboué. CD bientôt disponible !


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UN Women Deputy Executive Director attends meeting of the G7 Advisory Council for Gender Equality in Paris
Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2019
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Åsa Regnér attended the meeting of the G7 Advisory Council for Gender Equality in the Elysée Palace on 19 February, on behalf of UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The Council is tasked to provide advice to the G7 Presidency on the Biarritz Partnership for Gender Equality, a legislative package and good practices in favour of gender equality and women's rights, as well as supporting the inclusion of gender equality as a cross-cutting issue in G7 initiatives.
Family photo of all #G7France Advisory Council members ending this day of work on gender equality! pic.twitter.com/u1pq04sbRj— G7 France (@G7) February 19, 2019
The three thematic priorities of the Advisory Council are the protection of women from all forms of violence, access to education for girls and women and women's economic empowerment.
Following its first meeting, the Council presented to French President Emmanuel Macron an initial set of findings and recommendations.
The Gender Equality Advisory Council is composed of around 30 prominent women's rights and gender equality experts and advocates, including Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson and Nobel Peace Prize winners Denis Mukwege Mukengere, Nadia Murad.
The Council will continue its work through regular meetings, which will feed into the upcoming G7 Ministerial meeting dedicated to gender equality in May 2019.
During her visit to Paris, Ms. Regnér also met Mr. Alexis Lamek, Director for the United Nations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed the partnership between France and UN Women. Ms. Regnèr also met representatives of the UN Women French National Committee, a French independent non-governmental organization that support the mission of UN Women through public awareness initiatives and fundraising efforts.


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A Funny Story
Jack Dvorak (13, USA)
One day I was competing at a Science Olympiad competition, and to past my time I brought my Moyu 3×3. I went into the cafeteria and this one kid that I was supposed to compete against, came over to me.
We were talking about cubes and such, and I told him how my cube never ever pops. So I gave it to him, and at that time my best time was 54 seconds, and his was 35. He took his first move, and it popped and went all over the place. We both started laughing and searching for the pieces.
That day was a great day, because I met a fellow cuber. Later that day I was eating some cereal, and my mom had somehow gotten my cube, and tried to put it on top of my head. It fell off right into my cereal. I got mad or course, but now we laugh it off.


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Last month, the California Supreme Court handed down a decision that held that businesses must pay employees that "retire" in the same manner as prescribed by the Labor Code for employees who "quit." (McLean v. California, 1 Cal. 5th 615 (2016).)
Under current California law, businesses have certain obligations to provide final compensation to employees when they are discharged or resign. (Labor Code §§ 201, 202.) Willful failure to pay wages due to the employee can result "waiting time penalties" equal to the employee's daily rate of pay for up to 30 days. (Labor Code § 203.)
In McLean, the California Supreme Court considered whether Sections 202 and 2013 of the Labor Code apply when employees retire (as opposed to resignation or discharge). The Court concluded that the word "quit" was not defined within the California Labor Code or its applicable regulations, which meant that an ordinary definition should be applied. The Court found the ordinary usage of "quit" to mean: "'to stop doing a thing; to cease,' and, in the employment context, 'to leave one's employment.'" (McLean, 1 Cal. 5th at 622.) In the context of retirement, the Court found that "the ordinary meaning of the word 'quit' is broad enough to encompass a voluntary departure from a particular employment, whatever its motivation." (Id.) As a result, the Court held that "the meaning of the word 'quit' accords with the role section 202 plays in the statutory scheme." (Id.)
In other words, the Court held that regardless of whether an employee resigns or retires, employers are required to pay final wages to the employee in accordance with the California Labor Code provisions and may be subject to waiting-period penalties if prompt payment is not provided by the employer. This case serves as a good reminder to businesses, both large and small, to proactively re-evaluate their compensation practices to ensure such penalties never become an costly issue down the road.
Ben Schwefel is an Associate Attorney at The Loftin Firm. For questions relating to a business, nonprofit, real estate, or estate planning matter, contact Ben at (760) 814-9649.


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Dodge and the all new 2013 Dodge Dart has "New Rules". Great new 90 second commercial for the Dart created by ad agency W+K Portland, "How To Change Cars Forever" is a brilliant piece of work that all starts with an idea.
Watch for quick celebrity appearances by Tom Brady, Travis Pastrana and of course The Nerds.
Ad Agency: W+K Portland
Creative Directors: Aaron Allen/Joe Staples/Michael Tabtabi
Copywriter: Matt Rivitz/Justin Armour/Jared Elms
Art Director: Tyler Magnussen/Devin Gillepsie
Executive Producer: Corey Bartha
Account Team: Thomas Harvey/Lani Riechenbach/Corey Woodson
Executive Creative Directors: Mark Fitzloff/Susan Hoffman
Agency Head of Production: Ben Grylewicz


text: I think we knew this: a few findings on the stress-relief power of yoga. Amplify'd from altmedicine.about.com Taking up yoga may boost your mood and ease your anxiety, a new study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine shows. In tests on 34 healthy adults, researchers found that those who practiced yoga for 12 weeks had greater improvements in … [Read more...]


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Wiki Spaces
Get Help from Others
Q&A: Ask OpenMRS
Discussion: OpenMRS Talk
Real-Time: IRC Chat | Slack
We use save handlers in the OpenMRS API to do a lot of the grunt work of setting values like creator, changed by, date voided, etc.
This saves us from having to rewrite all of the setCreator(Context.getAuthenticatedUser(); setDateCreated(new Date()) in many many places.
How it Works
The RequiredDataAdvice (add link) class is AOP'd around all methods that start with save/(un)void/(un)retire. (create/update are also in there for backwards compatibility to pre 1.5 modules).
If a method starts with that string and takes in an OpenmrsObject as the first parameter, it will be "handled".
A "handled" class will automatically have appropriate values put in like the creator, date changed, etc.
Which attributes are filled in depends on what interfaces the object extends.
In core, there are handlers for Auditable, Voidable, and Retireable.
Recursion on OpenmrsObject child collections is done on an object prior to it being "handled". E.g If a Patient is saved with a call to savePatient(patient), the save handlers will be used. Before calling the save handler for the Patient object though, the patient.patientIdentifiers list is iterated and each identifier gets passed to all save handlers. The changedBy/dateChanged objects are handled differently, see below.
Using the Handlers in your own Service
The handlers are automatically called around your own module's service methods if you follow a few simple steps:
1. Make sure your object extends the right parent class from openmrs core: Auditable, Voidable, or Retireable.
2. Make sure the method name starts with the right phrase. It should be "save__" or "void__", "unvoid_", "retire__", or "unretire___"
3. Add the "listener" with id="requiredDataInterceptor" to your service definition in the spring module application context file:
<property name="preInterceptors">
<ref bean="serviceInterceptors" />
Disabling Handlers
All RequiredDataHandlers are called on all child collections the OpenmrsObject being handled. Therefore, for instance, if you void an Encounter, the VoidHandler is called for all Obs associated with that Encounter. In a one-to-many relationship, this is the functionality we want, but it is not necessarily what we want in a many-to-many case. For instance, in the Provider Management module, there is a "ProviderRole" object that contains the collection of RelationshipTypes that the particular ProviderRole can support. As more than one ProviderRole can support the same relationship type, when retiring a ProviderRole we do NOT want to retire the associated RelationshipTypes.
By annotating a Collection with a @DisableHandlers annotation, you specific that RequiredDataAdvice should NOT apply the specified handler(s) to a child collection. For example:
private class ClassWithDisableHandlersAnnotation extends BaseOpenmrsData {
@DisableHandlers(handlerTypes = {VoidHandler.class, SaveHandler.class})
private List<Person> persons;
Note: @DisableHandlers requires OpenMRS 1.9.0+, or 1.8.4+
Creating Your Own Handler
To add in your own handler, simply create a class in your module that extends SaveHandler/RetireHandler/VoidHandler and annotate it with the appropriate Handler annotation for the handled class.
Example Save Handler Code


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|Date start
|01/17/2018 08:00 PM (813 days ago)
|Date end
|01/17/2018 09:30 PM (813 days ago)
REGISTER for this free webinar or use the Registration URL: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/717538376858013185
Co-sponsored by: The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and the Northeast Waste Management Official's Association (NEWMOA)
C&D materials are generated in new construction, remodeling, deconstruction and demolition. Common components of new construction in the U.S. include: wood; concrete/masonry; wallboard; metal; corrugated cardboard; bottles and cans; and trash. Demolition debris includes: concrete; wood; trash; scrap iron; asphalt; brick; and roofing. There is an increased emphasis on the processing and reuse of C&D materials. Many of these materials can be recycled and made into new products — clean, untreated wood can be made into new wood products (i.e., furniture, and wood chips and mulch for landscaping purposes); gypsum wallboard can be ground into a gypsum powder that is then manufactured into new plasterboard or applied as a soil amendment; and asphalt shingles can be recycled into cold patch, new shingles, or hot mix asphalt.
This joint NEWMOA and NERC webinar will include presentations on:
The results of a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) funded study that evaluated the current and future status of construction and demolition (C&D) debris management in Massachusetts, and identified and recommended potential opportunities for the diversion of a greater proportion of recyclable materials to recycling markets. NERC administered and contracted with DSM Environmental Services (DSM) to conduct the project. MassDEP has established a goal of diverting 50 percent of C&D materials from disposal, but in recent years the actual diversion rate has plateaued at around 30 percent. The primary objective of the analysis undertaken by DSM was to first assess incoming and outgoing materials at Massachusetts C&D processors and handling facilities, and to determine what the opportunities and constraints are to increase materials diversion beyond 30 percent.
For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, NERC or Terri Goldberg, NEWMOA.