text:
Do We Still Beg Jesus To Go Away? Why?
Devotional/ Discussion thought of the day
28 When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes,* two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no one could go through that area. 29 They began screaming at him, "Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us befoe God's appointed time?" 30 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. 31 So the demons begged, "If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs." 32 "All right, go!" Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone. New Living Translation (Mt 8:28–34).
But when theological discussion ceases to be a striving for truth and becomes, instead, a struggle for power in the Church, then the nature of theology has been radically falsified; it introduces party politics into the Church and becomes the medium of party power; it divides the Church. Wherever theology generates theological parties and these parties become Church parties, it has become a false wisdom. It creates enmities and embitters people. I must admit that what shocks me most deeply in many letters and publications is the rank hatred of the Church and her members that speaks through them. The role of true wisdom and hence of the authentic teacher of theology in the Church is to create peace, not strife, to create goodness and inner openness, not embitterment.
As I've read verse 33 above, I have always wondered what was in the people's minds. They saw Jesus deal with the person in their village who was most in need, and he completely rescued and healed the man. Because of his actions, the villagers were safe.
And they drove Jesus away… they pleaded with Him to leave them, to leave them alone!
I wonder if the church today is more sophisticated than that, but to the same effect. Within our theological discussions, the last thing we look for is the presence of Christ, or His desire, reconciliation, health and wholeness. You can see it in the refusal to meet at the altar and start theological dialogues there, in His presence, together as His body. You see it in the nature of forming political parties in a church, or in a denomination. (we won't call it that, but we have planks and litmus tests, and budgets and political machines )
We relegate the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the Redeemer, Reconciler to the back room, to some closet or chapel, while tempers flare, and sides square off, and everyone battles for power. We would rather talk about purity of doctrine and purging ourselves from anything false (like we could!) or faithfulness to our mission. (as if we are ready to go out on our own, with a bunch of web articles and expert consultants)
In the meantime, we are so busy arguing what often boils down to semantics, that we forget the Lord can deliver us from all that crap. We forget that this is work based in His will, in His desire. We forget that we are led by the Holy Spirit, not some negotiated consensus.
That is how these reconciliation happens. True reconciliation that isn't based in compromise, but in Jesus,
May we stop running from the one who will rid us of our demons, bring healing to our souls, bind us together as one body as we celebrate being in His presence,
Ratzinger, J. (1992). Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year. (M. F. McCarthy & L. Krauth, Trans., I. Grassl, Ed.) (p. 242). San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
Reforming and Revitalizing the Church, and the Soul
Reforming and Revitalizing the Church, and the Soul
2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect. Romans 12:2 (TEV)
Hence, true "reform" does not mean to take great pains to erect new facades (contrary to what certain ecclesiologies think). Real "reform" is to strive to let what is ours disappear as much as possible so what belongs to Christ may become more visible. It is a truth well known to the saints. Saints, in fact, reformed the Church in depth, not by working up plans for new structures, but by reforming themselves. What the Church needs in order to respond to the needs of man in every age is holiness, not management.[1]
760 Here is a thought that brings peace and that the Holy Spirit provides ready-made for those who seek the will of God: Dominus regit me, et nihil mihi deerit—"The Lord rules me, and I shall want nothing." What can upset a soul who sincerely repeats these words?
2 Good works follow such faith, renewal, and forgiveness. Whatever is still sinful or imperfect in these works will not be reckoned as sin or defect for the sake of the same Christ. The whole man, in respect both of his person and of his works, shall be accounted and shall be righteous and holy through the pure grace and mercy which have been poured out upon us so abundantly in Christ.
3 Accordingly we cannot boast of the great merit in our works if they are considered apart from God's grace and mercy, but, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:31). That is to say, all is well if we boast that we have a gracious God. To this we must add that if good works do not follow, our faith is false and not true.[2]
It is not a day that goes by that I don't receive some offer from someone to teach my church how to come alive. As well as some advice on what that looks life. Some say you will see unprecedented growth, others say that you will become more like the church in the past, others say they guarantee the church will give more. Some even suggest that the church will be more multi-cultural or multi-ethnic. All tis two can be yours with a complete set of spiritual Ginsu knives (helpful for circumcising the heart of course) Heck, there are other that talk about bein the cause-driven church. If your church promotes the right cause, if it is involved in feeding the hungry, helping people choose life,, if it is involved in missions, and everything will be perfect. There are even missions societies, and non-profit ministries all geared to helping you manage your church.
Yet we know better than this, we know that individual renewal doesn't come from some slick portfolio, or some manaed duplication of what worked somewhere else. Even Pope Ratzinger noted that the plans of some in church leadership is needed, for such are nothing but facades. It doesn't matter whether the façade is new, or old.
Renewal happens as we see the transformation that happens when we trust in God's work renewing us. It happenns as mercy flows over us, as the Spirit provides us with peace. As we descrease and Christ increases in us, Paul says something similar when he says it is not I that lives, but Christ that lives in me. And as individuals in the church grow spiritually, as they are renewed, as they are conformed to the image of Christ, it is the church that is renewed as well. We sacifice all that we are, and find out who we really and truly are.
It is as we hear the promises sin the gospel and in the proises made in the sacraments. Promises we need to know because God's law, shows us how broken we are, how in need we are of such healing.
Renewal comes from abiding in Christ, walking with God, knowing, simply put that He is with you always, even to the edge of the age.
[1] Ratzinger, J. (1992). Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year. (M. F. McCarthy & L. Krauth, Trans., I. Grassl, Ed.) (p. 241). San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 1769-1771). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edi
[2] Tappert, T. G. (Ed.). (1959). The Book of Concord the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. (p. 315). Philadelphia: Mühlenberg Press.
What Do You Invest in?
Devotional Thought of the day
5 "The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.
7 "The words of a priest's lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.(Mal 2:5–7 NLT
758 The wholehearted acceptance of the will of God is the sure way of finding joy and peace: happiness in the cross. It's then we realize that Christ's yoke is sweet and that his burden is not heavy. (1)
Yesterday I ha the blessing of baptizing a young man named Aiden.
And then I was able to give to 60 or more people Christ's body and blood. Somewhere in the middle I delivered a sermon, This is what I live for in life when I am consistent with the Spirit given me in baptism some 50 years ago.
It's what i do, it is, in many ways, what I've invested my life in, at least the investment that is worthwhile.
I have invested time in other things, some that were fun, some that were silly, some that caused suffering, my own or someone else's. Are some of those things good? Well, God promises that all will work for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.
It is when we see God's will when we see His presence, His mercy, and His love made manifest, those are the times of the greatest peace, the most incredible joy. Which is why giving and yes receiving the sacraments, or studying God's revelation of love is so much a time of blessed peace. It is when we are praying with someone, asking for God to reveal Himself, to reveal His mercy, whether that person is 98 and on their death bed, or 2 years old and crying because she doesn't want to leave church, or with a bunch of friends at lunch that we see this.
You see the work of a pastor/priest is different, but no different in that God is working through us all, reconciling the world to Himself. That is His desire, that none should perish, but that all are transformed into this life.
He is here, He is with us, He brings us life and peace… this is what we all are to pass on, That is the greatest investment we can make… giving someone else the peace of God, found in life united to Christ.
And may we rejoice as we turn many from their sin because of this gospel message, lived out in Christ.
Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 1766-1767). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Being Made Complete Experiencing His Love – A Sermon on Ephesians 3:11-42
Being Made Complete
Experiencing His Love
Ephesians 3:11-42
† In Jesus Name †
© Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus is one we can have for each other. "I pray that from God's glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong!
The Parable of the Old Spike ©
It was found on a pile with a ton of others. Pitted, rusted, considered by most to be worthless trash.
And one day a man named Jim found it. As he stared at this piece of useless steel, he saw something in it, and carefully and lovingly gave it a new identity. What was of no value, not only was given a new identity but was transformed into a piece of art. A piece of art that testified to the skill and craftsmanship of the one who found it, purchased it, and transformed it.
Here is what the rusty pitted railroad spike now looks like, after Jim transformed it.
These railroad spike knives provide for us a picture of the work of God in our lives, a work that doesn't just change how we appear on the outside. God's work does all I prayed for, as I asked God to bless you a moment ago. For we are transformed much like the spike is…..
Inner strength
Several times in this passage, the concept of strength is mentioned. The words that lay under the surface mean everything from the ability to fortitude, from the capability to internal strength that will result in completing the task, the trial. It is physical and mental, psychological. It is to have the will and determination, the patience and the stubborn nature that will see you overcome the power of temptation, the power sin and Satan, and even the fear of death. ©
If we look at our lives, who can claim to be that strong? ©
Which of us looked at temptation in the eye this week, and didn't sin at all?
Which one of us loved every neighbor as ourselves?
©Did anyone of us honor God in every single thing we did? What about in every word we said or typed? Did we gossip about others? Did we
What about in every word we thought?
Did we reach out, stretch ourselves beyond our own comfort to help those in need?
We don't naturally have that strength.
And who has enough inner strength to out wait death…
Which of us enjoys going to the doctors, enjoys the tests and prods and pokes and blood draws, and doesn't for a moment worry about the results?
Paul understood this well, as he wrote ©
54 So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: "Death is destroyed; victory is complete!" 55 "Where, Death, is your victory? Where, Death, is your power to hurt?" 56 Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. 1 Corinthians 15:54-56 (TEV)
© I need you to note something Paul said "then the scriptures will come true." I've heard this passage misused a time or two to say that we shouldn't grieve, we shouldn't struggle, and that is wrong.
But there will be a day, when the power of sin is so shattered, that death will no longer have the power to hurt us.
A day we need to have the strength, the ability to wait for, trusting in the promises of God that it will come.
We need that strength, an inner strength that is based on hope…
The Way God Empowers us.
One of the commentators I read this week, commented about this passage in a way that brought the railroad spike to mind. ©
As fire penetrates iron, and seems to change it into itself, so does God penetrate the soul and fill her with himself; and though she never loses her own being, yet she becomes so penetrated and absorbed by that immense ocean of the divine substance, that she remains, as it were, annihilated, and as if she ceased to exist. The Apostle prayed for this happy lot for his disciples when he said: That you may be filled unto all the fulness of God. (de Ligouri)
© Or to put it into a picture, look at this picture…
The spike is you, the red glow is the glory of God, dwelling within you, empowering you, transforming you. Think of the pictures in this incredible passage
© He will empower you with inner strength thorgh His Spirit
© Christ will make His home in your hearts
© Your roots will grow deep into God's love… there is the sourceof your strength!
All of this pictures the presence of God invading your life, becoming part of you, even as the energy and heat of the blacksmith's fire consumes the spike and transforms it into a strong, sharp knife…
Even more the experience that Paul describes,
© 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
When God unites us to Jesus in Baptism, when we take and consume the bread and the wine, this picture of the knife, glowing because of the power it is immersed in is perfect. Where the metal and the fire have so united that you can't tell which is absorbing and consuming the other.
This love of His is that in which we live, and even thogh we may never be able to completely put into words how incredible this love is, we will understand it far more deeply than we understand anything else.
This is the empowering that Paul tells us occurs as the Holy Spirit works within us.
It is what Aiden will grow up knowing, as he is reminded of it by Jason and Jennifer, by Tammie and Mark, and by Wanda and Kay and the rest of us.
God is not just working in us, He has made us His home in us,
This is how we are made complete. Not by any other way but experiencing the incredible, unmeasurable love of God in Christ Jesus. A love which transforms us as we experience it, a love that becomes as much us, as well…. Us.
That gloriously transforms us, as the Holy Spirit transforms us into image of Jesus.
This is how we have "inner strength" that will enable us to oversome sin and temptation, the power of Satan and even death. He dwells in us, and nothing can separate us from His love, from His glory, from Him.
This is His work, His promise to us, His children, the people among whom He makes His home,
Once again, hear the prayer of Paul the apostle, that he prayed for the people of God, that we can pray for each other
© "I pray that from God's glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong!"
?? Is the Church Asking the Right Quesion as It Tries to Share its Hope??
Discussion/Devotional Thought of the Day
10 God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (TEV)
15 But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, 1 Peter 3:15 (TEV)
"If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven?" "why?" (1)
"The only preparation which multitudes seem to make for heaven is for its judgment bar," (2)
Nearly 30 years ago, my pastor and I were trained in what was known as Evangelism Explosion. The goal of the ministry was to prepare people with a scripted message that they could share the Christian faith. Tens of thousands of pastors and people were trained in the method. The scripts basic concept (as with most evangelism methods ) was to give peopel the assurance of eternal life in heaven, rather than eternal damnation/annihilation/punishment and the wrath of God.
In fact, last week someone asked those very questions to me via social media.
And this blog has been simmering ever since. The key was the quote from my devotions this morning, which brought it home. is our evangelistic work as believers primarily focused on making sure people get into heaven? Or is it about giving them the life, the peace, and the knowledge of God's presence in this life, that is our hope for eternity?
If it is evangelism to prevent them from being sent to hell, there is strong motivation that would cause us to share God's love with those we care for, with those we love. But that mission accomplished, is there the tight communion that you should see, is there the shared life, is there a willingness to stay together through thick and thin. To be blunt, does create a life that struggles with sin, and strives to love others as Christ did?
If our questions and manuscripts lead people only to get past the St Peter and those who guard the gates of heaven, what are we really doing? is conversion something that happens in a twinkling of an eye? You were going to hell, woops now you are going to heaven?
Or is our hope, our expectation based on a promise that we have a hint, a glimpse of in this life, and that glimpse changes everything? A promise that is repeated time and time in the scriptures. "You will be my people, and I will be your God."
isn't that where our hope lies? In the fact that who weren't once a people, are now a people? Isn't our hope seen in the promise that God will transform us and cause us to walk in ways that are incredible and blessed. (even though they might include suffering)
The evangelism explosion questions have their place, much of the material I still use to this day. Even so, the direction of our evangelism must be more than selling eternal fire insurance. What our hope is based on is one promise, that is as true now as it will be then. That gives us hope for this world, when it seems like it is falling apart, and yes for eternity.
The hope that is found when we know that the Lord is with us, and will never abandon us.
May the questions you ask lead people to realize this.
(1) paraphrase of the two questions from Evangelism Explosion used in many evangelism training seminars
(2) Celtic Daily Prayer, Harper 1 Publcishing – the devotion for this day
The Only Thing That Matters in the End…. His Love NEVER fails
Devotional Thought of the Day
8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NLT)
17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Almost all men are infected with the disease of wanting to acquire useless knowledge, but one thing alone is sufficient: the knowledge of the love of Christ.57[i]
You are standing at the shoreline at the ocean. The waves occasionally wash over your feet, the salt water foaming around them. But you can't stand in one place all too long. For the water and sand, and your own weight work against you standing in place. The sand shifts, your heels and toes sink in, and soon you find yourself off balance.
There is an old hymn about that, On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, and a contemporary version of it called Cornerstone.
Despite the warning in 1 Corinthians 8, I wonder if the church treasures knowledge above love at times. Do we treasure the theologians and their systems that amaze us than the simplicity of hearing the words of Scripture testifying to God's unending love? Do we treasure those that reveal the deep theological knowledge of theologians like Augustine and Chemnitz, or those who reveal the secrets of the end times, or the errors of all other theologies and the superiority of their own?
When we minimize our faith to knowledge, when that is what we treasure, then we have to be careful as the sands shift under our feet. For the Kingdom of God is beyond any man's ability to understand, never mind explain. We are all struggling, and we can have the right knowledge, and do all the right things, and still be worthless, spending our days trying to find the next moment of illumination, the next winning argument, the next solid theological fact that makes us that much more…
Not because the fact is wrong, but because we put our roots, our trust, into the wrong thing.
We need something permanent, more stable; that doesn't swing like a pendulum, or ebb and flow like the tide that erodes where we stand.
We need our roots to go deep into the love of God. For it never fails. It is our constant, our basis.
For when we talk of love not failing, we aren't talking about a grade for a semester, We are talking about failing as in fading, as in weakening, as in failing to support and be stable. It doesn't fail like the sand underneath our feet at the beach. It is far greater in every dimension than we can ever understand.
But it is something we experience, that we can know with our hearts far more than our tongues can explain. It is the constant in our life, as the God who is defined as love takes up resident within us. Never will His love abandon or forsake us. Never will it weaken or fade, never will we be separated from it. His love will always support us and it can and will flow through us to others.
Love simply is..
Because God is love.. and that love is revealed to us daily…
May we remember that His love is where our roots take hold, our foundation, our basis of life and may remember that because it will never fail.
57 Quoted by A. Mitchell Hunter, The Teaching of Calvin: A Modern Interpretation, 2d ed. (London: James Clarke, 1950), p. 82. But Hunter adds that Calvin "did not burn his classics; nor did he cease to peruse them" (pp. 82–83). Hunter's quotation is from Comm. Eph. 3:19 (C.O. 51:188).
[i] Gerrish, B. A. (2004). The old Protestantism and the new: essays on the Reformation heritage (p. 61). London; New York: T&T Clark.
Y'all Come Back Now, You Hear? A sermon on Ephesians 2 (manuscript)
Y'all Come Back Now, You Hear?
Ephesian 211-22
† In Jesus Name †
May the grace and mercy of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ assure you of the peace that is found as the world comes back, reconciled to Him!
Concordia Hillbillies
Another Pastor Parker Parable….but one that needs a bit of a set up…
They were gathered, at the end, around a pool that reminded you of a Roman Villa.
As the credits rolled past, the cast of the sitcom would, with a hospitality that seems somewhat unknown today, invite us to watch next week with the words,
Y'all come back now, you hear?
You might call this pastor Parker parable, "The Kingdom of God is like the Beverly Hillbillies!"
Another way to put it is that if we made a television show about our church, it could be called the Concordia Hillbillies!
We certainly are a diverse group of characters, and there is no one that would walk in our doors, that wouldn't be welcome.
If you are unfamiliar with the show, here is the basic plot, a poor family of people from somewhere in the Appalachia strikes it rich with oil on their property. They load up their truck and move to the Beverly Hills, the place of dreams and where rich people belong.
Of course, there are some things they had to get used to, As the slide says, Ma, somethings just ain't going to be the way they used to be! Things like indoor plumbing, a pool in the backward instead of a creek and a pond, and the manners of the rich and infamous they would need o learn to deal with, and quickly. It was a study of cultural anthropology, and conflict resolution between peoples of different cultures and backgrounds done with great humor.
As we hear the words of Paul to the church in Ephesus, we see similar cultural issues, and we see a community being formed, as the people become one. There were things that the Gentiles and the Jews would need to learn, as they were brought together in Christ.
This is our goal for today. That we would begin to desire that all people would come and hear our plea, "be reconciled to God!" No matter their place of birth, their native language, their gender or economic status, that they would come, and that they would all come back to God, you hear?
Did We Worry About Fitting In? Or Did we Look Down on the newbies
The first plea to be reconciled goes to those who are new to the community. Those who were, and you have to here the "were" aliens. They weren't part of the community, they weren't governed by the law of the covenant, they were considered outsiders.
Some of us have experienced that feeling once or twice in our lives. We were born in a different place, some even on a different continent, like South America, or Asia. Some have come from Africa or Europe Some of us came from really strange places, like the lakes region of New Hampshire. We may have had people mock us, and California natives tell us we weren't welcome or we felt like we would never fit in. Hear Paul's words again, and see if the feeling sounds familiar,
- "11 Don't forget that you – used to be outsiders.
- You were called "heathens" by the others
- In those days you were living apart.
- You were excluded from bein part of the community
- You did not know the rules and benefits of bein a part
- Therefore, you lived in this world without God and without hope"
For the Gentiles, it was just a matter of being held without the hope of fitting in,
I love Paul's concern for these new believers that they will fit into the community of God. But part of that is helping them understand that they aren't unbelievers anymore. These things were true – but they aren't anymore.
It is as if he said, "Clampetts – you used to go to the bathroom out back, but Jethro, you don't need to anymore." Paul says, "Gentiles – remember you were like that before, but now you have hope, now you are part of the covenant, now you are in the community, no longer separated, no longer aliens!" They were now saints.. and that means something.
But they weren't the only one's who needed to learn!
Does anyone remember the name of Miss Hathaway's boss? You know the rich banker who used to try and acquire the Clampett's money? Was it Clydesdale?
Whatever his name, I think they modeled him after the older brother in the story of the prodigal son. He had trouble, serious trouble, adjusting to the fact that someone whom he didn't think was worthy ended up with more blessings than he did. The Jews had the same struggle. Their pride in their circumcision and the other traditions they counted on caused them to lose contact with God's vision.
It's a problem we all struggle with at times, as our faith isn't focused on Christ, but on something of us. I love how this translation puts it, "even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts."
Do we let our religious lives get like that at times, where they affect our body, but not our souls? Do we get to the point where we go through the motions and say the words, but don't rejoice over the incredible mercy and love God shows us? The point when our traditions, or our preferences become more important than others coming to know God's love?
What will it take for the new folk and the old folk, for the Jew and the Gentile, for all the cultures, all languages, all life to be at home together?
What Makes it Home
It happens when the same way it did in the Clampett household. It happens as we feast together.
It happens when we remember the life, death and resurrection of Christ includes us. We come home as we are joined together with Christ's death and resurrection.
That's how we know when we are home… home together. Hear Paul's words again,
17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
to His home together
19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
We belong together, we have been made one people, one holy people as we are God's family. He is making His home out of us. People from every background imaginable, people who've committed every sin and been forgiven, people who are broken, who've come to be healed. God will work with people who've even come, like the apostle Paul did, to fight God, He can heal those who come to persecute God's people, and like Paul was filled with awe, God can reach them! We can welcome, and even love them, and shown glimpses of the glory of God which we shall share in, together.
That is the power of God, seen as He makes us one….in Christ…
And y'all come back now, to His table for there will be a feast, celebrating His death and resurrection, the power of which is at work in us.
7/19 Sermon on Eph 2:11-22 Yall Come Back Now, Ya Hear? ( Audio/Video)
The sermon from Concordia Lutheran Church in Cerritos Ca.
The subtitle could be The Kingdom of God is Like the Beverly Hillbillies
Will we stop them from coming… and knowing Jesus?
Devotional Thought of the Day
36 As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 So he said to his disciples, "The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in. 38 Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest." Matthew 9:36-38 (TEV)
28 Then the woman left her water jar, went back to the town, and said to the people there, 29 "Come and see the man who told me everything I have ever done. Could he be the Messiah?" 30 So they left the town and went to Jesus. 31 In the meantime the disciples were begging Jesus, "Teacher, have something to eat!" 32 But he answered, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33 So the disciples started asking among themselves, "Could somebody have brought him food?" 34 "My food," Jesus said to them, "is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. 35 You have a saying, 'Four more months and then the harvest.' But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! 36 The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. 37 For the saying is true, 'Someone plants, someone else reaps.' 38 I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work." 39 Many of the Samaritans in that town believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I have ever done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them, and Jesus stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of his message, 42 and they told the woman, "We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world." John 4:28-42 (TEV)
54 Meanwhile they neither hear nor preach the Gospel about the free forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake, about the righteousness of faith, about true penitence, about works that have the command of God. But they spend their time either on philosophical discussions or on ceremonial traditions that obscure Christ.
800 The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few. Rogate ergo!—"Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his vineyard." Prayer is the most effective means of winning other apostles.
I have to wonder what the disciples thought when people who were typically antagonistic towards Jewish peopel started streaming out fo the town towards Jesus. Were they frightened, were they on edge, considering their need to defend themselves? Were they concerned about Jesus reputation, what if the good people saw him hanging out with Samaritans? (Remember they had enough problems when Jesus hung out with Jewish Tax collectors and hookers!)
There is no doubt people are flocking to the United States. We have people trying to legally enter and people trying to come across both borders. There are people that come here on tourist visas and student visas and they expire. They are coming for hope, but like the people coming from the Samaritan Village, they may not understand what they hope they seek is found in Jesus. They come for an opportunity, yet the opportunity they seek may not be the one they need. Even so, they are coming here, looking for something. They may even be looking to do harm, as Paul was, as he travelled to Damascus.
The problem is that they won't find the hope they seek, just by coming to the USA. As nation we don't have what they need. The opportunity, the hope they need is here.
We, the people who follow Jesus, have the hope they don't know how to find. What they need is the exact same thing we need, a relationship with God, with our creator. A relationship where love and mercy overwhelmed guilt and shame and anger. A relationship so tight that nothing can get in its way. A relationship that doesn't depend on ethnicity, or gender, or economic status.
They are coming to find that relationship.
Our work, our calling to share with them the new of God's love starts in prayer. It starts not with philosophical reasoning or with a worship service that impresses God or man. (whether traditional liturgical worship or freestyle or attractional concert.
It starts in knowing the very love of God that resulted in our being delivered from sin into His presence. It starts in spending time in prayer and awe before God, and realizing how incredible the Lord we trust in is, how deep His love is. As we spend time looking to Christ we become conformed to His image, an image that would die to see people share that hope that we have.
A pretty famous Christian has looked at the crowds heading toward America and pleaded with the public to urge our government to stop them from coming. People responding to him have brought back the ideas of camps like Manzanar, about rounding up these people and basically imprisoning them. Many have echoed their sentiments. Those sentiments, those ideas are wrong. I would even say they are sinful, as we put up a protective barrier that would keep them from hearing of God's love.
Think about this, from the book of Revelation
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now God's salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority! For the one who stood before our God and accused believers day and night has been thrown out of heaven. 11 They won the victory over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed; and they were willing to give up their lives and die. Revelation 12:10-11 (TEV)
As people look at us, as they come to our communities looking for something, may they see the hope we have in Christ, and may we lovingly, patiently share it with them…. as we know Jesus would.
Tappert, T. G. (Ed.). (1959). The Book of Concord the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. (p. 278). Philadelphia: Mühlenberg Press.
Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 1843-1845). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Yes, "she" would be welcome at my church, for all are…
Devotional Thought of the Day
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NLT)
32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." John 12:32 (NLT)
. 21 I will pardon my people's crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the LORD, will make my home in Jerusalem with my people." Joel 3:21 (NLT)
There is a lady who's name, face and voice have been plastered all over the internet lately.
She has been compared to Nazi doctors; she has been termed a devil, she has been called evil, her sin has been paraded all over the world.
And she is welcome to come to my church. She is welcome to come and know she is safe. Her sin will not be the only focus of the sermon and the message. People will welcome her, we might even rejoice that she has come! We want her to come to Concordia, and hear a message of hope, a message of love, a message of mercy, that all of us desperately need to hear. Not just her, not just that one sin either a mercy that covers every sin, for He died to forgive every sin.
Some may hear this in disbelief. You don't mean the doctor from Planned Parenthood. The one who was involved in the selling of body parts? You surely wouldn't welcome her into your church? Don't you realize how guilty she is?
Yes, I do, Christ didn't come to save the good people. He came to save sinners, people broken by guilt and shame, He came to save her. He came to save you and I. he came to save every one of us that has chosen evil over good at some time in our lives. Jesus came so we could be granted repentance and trust in Him, and given hope. This lady needs to know that God is still willing to reach out to her! He not only wants, He desires to bring her back to Him! Jesus died to make her reconciliation to the Father possible, as He has for every sinner.
You and I included.
For this is what the church does, it reveals hope to the sinner. It is i the church's mission. We exist to give sinners hope. We exist to bring them into the Father's presence. We exist to see everyone be cleansed of all sin and welcomed into the family of God.
And if God can do that for me, he can surely do it for her. For she is not a worse sinner than I am. Or for that matter Paul the Apostle who said,
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NLT)
That is how powerful the mercy of God is. He desires that she would know His love and mercy. And fellow sinner, we need to be so in awe of God's love for her, that we don't get in her way, that we don't block her way to the Father.
He can work with her, she needs to know that, as does every other sinner we know. That Jesus has done this for us, we who are of all sinners the foremost, should give them hope.
I pray she comes into one of our churches this weekend, along with every other person who needs hope. And I pray she find it.
For that is God's desire… and it should be ours
Lord have mercy on us all!


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Judging Amy 1999 | TV Show Watchlist
Season 4, Episode 15 Maxine, Interrupted
First Aired: February 11, 2003
Maxine's college roommate (Sharon Gless), a rising politico, uses catching up with Maxine as a pretext for visiting DCF, but later reveals she's that evaluating Maxine's job performance. Elsewhere, Amy's taken by surprise when a father testifies on behalf of his teen daughter, who's on trial for attempting to kill him; and Bruce mediates a divorce case in which parrot custody is involved. Also, Kyle treats a 4-year-old girl with a sexually transmitted disease. Edgar Cobbs: Jeffrey Pierce. Lily: Kristin Lehman. Sean: Timothy Omundson.
Guest Cast
Kurt Fuller Kurt Fuller Leonard Zook
Ashlee Turner Ashlee Turner Joanna Bowden
Maxine Stuart Maxine Stuart Jane Lenkin
Francesca P. Roberts Francesca P. Roberts ASA Teresa Willings
Elle Fanning Rochelle Cobbs
Sharon Gless Sally Godwin
Alice Dodd Alice Dodd Kimberly Fallon
Timmy Deters Timmy Deters Gregory Bozovich
Jeffrey Pierce Jeffrey Pierce Edgar Cobbs
Eric Barry Eric Barry Zane Hanley
Connie Jackson Connie Jackson Teacher
Bryan Anthony Bryan Anthony Waiter
Kristin Lehman Dr. Lily Reddicker
Inny Clemons Inny Clemons Robert Clifton
Harold Gould Arthur Lenkin
Cast & Details See all »
- Premiered: September 19, 1999
- Rating: TV-PG
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- Premise: A newly divorced lawyer-turned-judge returns home to live with her opinionated mom in an appealing, at times moving, series that finds her juggling the pressures of a demanding new career and single parenthood. Based on the experiences of star Amy Brennema… (more)
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subset: commoncrawl


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An Old Story
In Shakespeare's Othello, the title character strangles his wife, Desdemona, in a fit of jealous rage; manipulated by the liar Iago, Othello believes she has been unfaithful. For Jennifer McCray Rincon, writer and director of The Othello Project: Phase 2, this story is well suited for a modern audience. "I've always thought it was about domestic violence," says Rincon, the artistic director for Visionbox. "There are two people murdered, and they are wives."
Rincon got the idea for this project when she was subpoenaed to appear in a domestic-violence trial. She met people who wanted to tell her about their own experience with violence, and those stories came to represent a contemporary window into the play: The Othello Project splices Rincon's adaptation of Othello with modern scenes from her interviews.
But it does a lot more than that. Each night, the 7 p.m. performance is preceded by an art exhibition that includes works by local artists who put the play's themes into visual context and followed by a talk from the Crime Victims Advisory Council.
The Othello Project is the first full-length production of the Visionbox actors' studio; it runs through June 9 at the L2 Arts & Culture Center, 1477 Columbine Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, $10 to $20, go to www.visionbox.org or call 720-810-1641
Thursdays-Saturdays, 7 p.m. Starts: May 31. Continues through June 9, 2012
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How to bust your tomboy image around guys
8 types of besties that are actually the worst
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10 girl struggles guys will never understand
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When it comes to periods, your body has a mind of its own. What's "normal" for one gal may be totally different for the next. For most, the heaviest days are usually somewhere between days one and three.
Pads, no doubt, can be kinda a pain. Handling worries of leakage, not to mention how uncomfortable they can be, is no walk in the park. Next time you wear a pad, try one with "wings." These side flaps will hold it in place (hopefully). If you've got a heavy flow, make sure to get one that's extra long and a li'l thicker: It should say "heavy" on the package.
When you're ready, it's def worth considering tampons. As long as you change them when the box says, you'll spend your day a bit more stress-free. Unfortunately, there's always a chance of leakage when you have your monthly visitor, so stop by the restroom when you've got a chance to make sure everything's A-OK or wear a panty liner or pad in addition as backup. Another hint: wear dark undies and bottoms. That way, if there's a leak, you'll be sure to know before your classmates.
POSTED IN period 101, tampons, pads
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litigation associate jobs near San Antonio, TX
Coomercial/ Mortgage Lending Litigation Associate
Avalon Legal Search- San Antonio , TX
office of a multi-office firm seeks an associate with a minimum of five years of ... The ideal candidate must have commercial litigation experience, preferably dealing...30+ days ago from Avalon Legal Search
Litigation Associate
Preferred Counsel Legal Placement Services- San Antonio , TX
an associate with 2 to 5 years of defense litigation experience, preferrably personal injury defense experience. This is an excellent opportunity to join a firm with a long...30+ days ago from BullhornReach.com
Litigation Attorney
Wegman Partners- San Antonio , TX
law firm is seeking a 5+ year Commercial Litigation Attorney for its San Antonio ... will work within the firm's commercial litigation section handling matters involving...7 days ago from Wegman Partners LLC
Attorney (W9) - Litigation Attorney Manager
Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys- San Antonio , TX
firm's San Antonio office. Job Duties: The associate attorney manager is a ... results-driven individual who has plaintiff litigation experience, strong interpersonal...30+ days ago from Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys
Associate Attorney - 7 to 10 years of Experience
Curney, Farmer, House & Osuna, PC- San Antonio , TX
San Antonio Insurance Defense Firm seeks an Associate Attorney with 7 to 10 years of ... opportunity for exposure to all aspects of civil litigation in state and federal...7 days ago from State Bar of Texas
Litigation IP Paralegal
Special Counsel- San Antonio , TX
Litigation IP Paralegal job in San Antonio Texas courtesy of Special Counsel. If you have ... Litigation Paralegal duties: Research and working on all litigation matters Preparing for...27 days ago from Special Counsel
Associate Attorney
Mauze' Law Firm- San Antonio , TX
Small Plaintiffs' personal injury and civil litigation firm. Associate Attorney will work ... while only participating in a few cases. The Associate must have a strong work ethic, be...19 days ago from State Bar of Texas
Associate Counsel
Compliance Search International- San Antonio , TX
and State Attorney General's Office in litigation matters; provide legal counsel on a wide variety of legal issues, laws and regulations; research, develop, amend, evaluate and...30+ days ago from Compliance Search Group
(G1) Personal Injury Pre Litigation Attorney
Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys- San Antonio , TX
Personal Injury Pre-Litigation Attorney San Antonio, TX About the Organization: Since its ... the opportunity for promotions in the pre-litigation case development department or to...30+ days ago from State Bar of Texas
Paralegal/Legal Assistant
Cordell & Cordell, P.C.- San Antonio , TX
The position requires knowledge of the litigation process and extensive discovery ... experience in Texas Defense-side civil litigation and family law experience is a major...6 days ago from Cordell & Cordell, P.C.
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- Chris Jericho wrote on Twitter that his favorite WWE stars currently on the roster are The Miz, Dolph Ziggler and Damien Sandow.
- WWE Champion CM Punk wrote the following on Twitter about his upcoming WWE DVD release:
"Got a real special trick up my sleeve for my fans regarding my DVD. Going to be fun. #Chicago"
- WWE Divas Champion Layla posted a Tout video last night congratulating Kelly Kelly on returning. Layla teased that the two would be teaming up. You can check it out below:
Got a news tip or correction? Send it to us by clicking here.
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Undertaker Rumor Killer, Early Brock Lesnar Vs. Undertaker Betting Odds, Mascot No-Sells Kevin Nash
Bret Hart Reacts To "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's Death


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This is one of the prettiest lipstick holders with a mirror that I have seen. Just lovely. See photos.
Vintage Lipstick Holder and Makeup Mirror in purple pink
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Keep 'em on all 4!
Hey CT. Jeepers! Going out tonight to bring in the New Year? Be safe if you're taking your jeep out tonight and keep 'em on all four. Happy New Year!!:dance:
Ohh darn... I have to park in my friends backyard because of the "winter" parking ban... I was gonna park on a tree stump or something... bring in the new year on 3 wheels...
Happy New Year CT !!!
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We're No Angels (1989)
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A good movie
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A couple of escaped convicts on the run find refuge with the Church when they are mistaken for two priests. The two are keen to flee but are unable to do so without the help of Molly.
Release date: 15 December 1989
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Funfetti Sugar Cookie Popsicles
Delicious and easy to make sugar cookie popsicles.
Nutritional Benefits of Nuts and Seeds for a High
What If You Stopped Drinking Water?
Eggs and Diabetes
Just a single egg a week may increase the risk of diabetes, the leading cause of lower-limb amputations, and kidney failure.
My Raw Vegan Pregnancy and What I Ate Today
Rebecca talks about her morning sickness and what she eats to alleviate her symptoms.
Quick & Simple Lunch Recipes Using Avocado
Avocados are an amazing superfood packed with heart-healthy oleic acid, plant-based protein, fiber, folate, vitamin K, potassium and copper.
Uneven Skin Tone
Uneven skin tone can be caused by either hormonal or physical reactions.
30 Days Without Sugar
The negative health effects of international air travel are well documented but now it seems that the common elderberry can provide some relief.
Intercontinental air travel can be stressful and affect a passenger's physical and psychological wellbeing. Whilst jet lag and fatigue remain the best known problems, holidaymakers also often experience upper respiratory symptoms.
Researchers from Griffith's Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ) have just completed a clinical trial showing that an elderberry supplement can provide some protection from cold and flu-like symptoms following long-haul flights. Presenting their results at the 21st Annual International Integrative Medicine Conference in Melbourne, the research team showed how elderberry appears to reduce the duration and severity of the cold.
I am 48 and my hair is starting to thin around the edges what would you recommend? I like to keep my hair braided and use gels to keep the edges down.
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MSI MX440 8x - Graphics on a Budget - Benchmarks - Direct3DWhile graphics designers, programmers, and hardcore enthusiasts await the retail launch of the upcoming GeForce FX from nVidia, many forget the huge and very lively value market, with users who have a budget to consider. One of the current value solutions on the market is the GeForce 4 MX, and today Cameron "Sov" Johnson takes a look at MSI's MSI MX440 8x graphics card based on this very chip from nVidia.
Real-World Direct3D Benchmarks
Max Payne
Max Payne is a new generation DirectX 7/8 game. This game is based on Hardware T&L advancements as well as many other features of the Intel Pentium 4 and Athlon XP.
While being a GeForce 4 branded card, the core of the MX440 8x is still based on the NV17 (GeForce 2) architecture, and not fully supportive of DX8. This alone drops the GeForce 4 MX440 8x down a few notches in DirectX 8.x games and applications.
Aquanox is the latest instalment of our benchmark software. This game is based heavily on DirectX 8 and 8.1 advancements and is designed to stress video cards to their ultimate limit, in all the best D3D benchmark to date.
Aquanox is very heavy on even the most powerful 3D accelerator. nVidia's MX440 8x being somewhat under powered in DirectX 8.x gives it a handicap coming into this benchmark, and with ATI's strong presence in DirectX shows the MSI card in a poor light.
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2003 continues the success that Unreal Tournament generated as an online game and benchmark. UT2003 pulls all of its weight on to the 3D and Memory subsystems, pushing graphics reality to the maximum is its game, and you need some serious power to pull this one off
Once again, due to the lack of DirectX 8.x features from nVidia and MSI, it slows things down and gives ATI the lead, again.
PRICING: You can find products similar to this one for sale below.
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- MSI MX440 8x - Page 1 [Introduction]
- MSI MX440 8x - Page 2 [Specifications]
- MSI MX440 8x - Page 3 [Features]
- MSI MX440 8x - Page 4 [Benchmarks - Test Setup and Synthetics]
- MSI MX440 8x - Page 5 [Benchmarks - OpenGL]
- MSI MX440 8x - Page 6 [Benchmarks - Direct3D]
- MSI MX440 8x - Page 6 [Conclusion]
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Local Area Attractions
City of Leavenworth
Leavenworth is the outdoor recreational gateway to the Majestic Cascade Mountains. It is located one mile from the park. Attractions include Bavarian Village shops, weekly outdoor art exhibits, melody of Carillon Bells and fine restaurants and drive-ins.
Leavenworth/Pine Village KOA offers firewood ($), free shuttle to Leavenworth, and free cable TV. We also have a stunning pool area, a beautiful playground, a Recreation Room, and a large shelter area for group gatherings.
Aplets and Cotlets
Tour the famous Candy Kitchen and Country Store. Handmade goodies from a secret family recipe with natural flavors from wholesome ingredients like pure fruit juices and premium nutmeats. Open April through December from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. January through March hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Slide Waters -- Lake Chelan Waterpark
Attractions include 10 waterslides, gift shop, 60 person spa, arcade, volleyball, great food, group area and kiddies aqua zoo. Open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day (closing at 6 p.m. weekdays late May to mid-June).
Lake Chelan Boat Tour - "Lady of the Lake and Lady Express"
Your gateway to world-class outdoor recreation like camping, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, canoeing, river rafting, wildlife, sightseeing, fishing and birdwatching. For more information on times and rates please call 1-800-4CHELAN.
Local Area EventsListing Calendar
Art In The Park- May to September
The Pacific Northwests longest continually-running outdoor art show. Thursday through Sunday from May to October.
Leavenworth Summer Theater-July 3rd through August 29th
Into the Woods, Anything Goes, Godspell
Join us for theater in Leavenworth!
An experience worth sharing.
Leavenworth 20th Annual Quilt Show- September 9th-13th
Once again featuring hundreds of quilts displayed
in the various shops. Visitors will meander throughout
the show, enjoying the antique quilts,
wearable quilted art, wall quilts, table runners and
new quilts, all on display for your enjoyment.
Wenatchee River Salmon Festival- September 17th-19th
Connect your family to nature in a fun and entertaining way. Soak up the beauty under a canopy of beautiful fall colors and evergreens. Enjoy learning about our natural resources and the incredible environment in which we live.The Salmon Festival is fun for all ages, and admission and activities are FREE.Come and take part in the many inter-generational hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, wildlife edu-tainment, music, art, and experience a meaningful cultural exchange with Native Americans in their tribal village.
Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival- September 25th-27th
Parade, marching bands, floats, entertainers, food booths!


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This property allows you to book online with a credit card. After submitting a reservation request, the owner or manager has 24 hours to accept, at which time your card will be charged and you will receive an email confirmation
Recent Sanibel Island reviews
"We had a fantastic time at your wonderful beach cottage. It contained anything we could possibly need, from kitchen utensils, beach toys, linens, WIFI and a Sonus sound system. The owners were warm and welcoming always and just an E-mail away. My favorite area was the Master Suite with a sitting area that opened to the pool, very private!"Guest: Clare A. Date of Stay: February 2015 Review Submitted: March 4, 2015View listing
"My husband and I cannot say enough about how much we enjoyed saying at the Coquina Cottage. Upon arrival it was immaculately clean, offered tons of amenities (such as washer dryer, refrigerator, microwave, full kitchen, dishes, towels, sheets, etc), a personal hot tub and our own little beach area where we spent most of our days! We even brought along our two dogs who enjoyed it as much as we did! The walk to the gulf was short and the beach wasn't very crowded which was nice. There is a convenient store and a couple nice restaurants within walking distance and the "downtown" Captiva area was only 3 miles away. Our view was amazing, our vacation relaxing, and the house was perfect! I would love to go back every year!"Guest: Honeymooners Date of Stay: June 2015 Review Submitted: July 8, 2015View listing
"This is our first time on the island and my family and I love it here. The room cannot be any better. The location is perfect with an ocean view but not an ocean front price! The condo is in amazing shape and has everything a family would need. Frank and Jeanne have made this place special and family friendly. I would recommend this place to anyone that wants something special at a discounted price. My family will definitely be back to visit the island and this unit. Thanks Frank and Jeanne for making our stay perfect!"Guest: Robert K. Date of Stay: July 2015 Review Submitted: July 15, 2015View listing
"We stayed at this condo during our Christmas break in 2014. It is a wonderfully warm and inviting place that made us feel at home immediately. Well kept, clean, with a very beachy vibe! I can't think of a single thing the condo did not have... Literally everything from towels to boogey boards were there! We LOVED it! Its literally 5 mins walk to the beach from the condo doorstep and the beach is just to die for!! The owners were super nice and accommodating. Helped out with suggestions for good restaurants and grocery stores as well. We hope we can make this our annual Christmas getaway!!"Guest: air Date of Stay: December 2014 Review Submitted: January 24, 2015View listing
Featured Destinations: Dauphin Island, Isle of Palms, Bald Head Island, Destin Condo Rentals


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A family-owned daily newspaper serving Riverton, Lander and Fremont County, Wyoming since 1949
Jun 4, 2013 - Ron Albright, Riverton
Here are some facts and figures about the "Penny Power"sign:
One green sign --$260.
One steel post, 12 feet tall ...
There is more! Read the rest of the story - subscribe today!


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Communism Publications
319. The Albanian Experience of Communism in the Fiction of Ismail KadareJul 07, 2011
February 2005 - In his 1978 novel The Great Winter, Ismail Kadare paints a chilling picture of a family that doctors its personal photo albums with ink to remove (most of) the faces and figures of people who have fallen out of favor with the Party of Labor. Readers might find themselves immediately reminded of Milan Kundera's great work from the same year, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, in which the Czechoslovak party boss Klement Gottwald appears first in company, and then alone, on a balcony, wearing the hat of a colleague airbrushed from the photograph after his fall from grace. There is, indeed another novel that underscores these themes of manipulation and expendability: The Taste of Power (1967) by the Slovak writer and journalist Ladislav Mnacko, in which a "major retouching department" in the state press office tweaks photos and "rubs out" people who are now undesirable. That Stalin's regime made widespread use of tactics such as these has also been demonstrated by David King in his 1997 study The Commissar Vanishes. Kadare, an internationally famous, prolific and highly regarded author from Albania, has written a number of works about communism that show similarities to fiction from other East European countries and can be fruitfully examined in a comparative context. It is my assertion in this essay, however, that he also makes use of innovative and unique modes of writing about his homeland under the Hoxha dictatorship. more
11. Soviet Economic Impact on Czechoslovakia and Romania in the Early Postwar Period: 1944-56Jul 07, 2011
This paper examines the conditions under which the so-called Soviet model of industrialization was introduced into East Central Europe. While it is difficult to define direct Soviet economic policy, one can discern the Soviet interest and its direct economic impact by analyzing Czechoslovakia and Romania in terms of both their internal development and their relations with the Soviet Union. No doubt, the primacy of politics is the main component of the Soviet relationship to East Central Europe; this paper, however, will focus on the economic side of that relationship. more
33. Romania's Unfinished RevolutionJul 07, 2011
From the moment the megalomaniac "Great Leader" Nicolae Ceausescu, who turned his onetime maverick country into the new basket case of Europe, was overthrown, Romania became a special case again. It has opted for neither the gradual transformation chosen by Poland and Hungary nor the "velvet" revolutions of Czechoslovakia and the now defunct German Democratic Republic; even in Bulgaria, the coup that toppled Todor Zhivkov was not violent. But in Romania, the popular uprising that led to Ceausescu's overthrow on 22 December 1989 cost 1,033 lives, inflicted heavy suffering to a further 2,198 people, and damaged buildings, some of them historically significant. This paper analyzes the role disillusionment, credibility, revisionist history, and legitimacy play in the unstable result of an unfinished revolution. more
239. Loyalty Amidst Treachery: Austrian-Hungarian Relations, 1955-1956Jul 07, 2011
October 2001- During October 1956, Hungarians reached out to join the West and found that, by intent and purpose, they were alone. Even the international community appeared to have abandoned their call for freedom. By the second invasion of the Red Army on November 4, the Hungarians seemed to stand alone, refugees in their own country. Yet throughout the fight, the Austrians remained loyal to their historic neighbors and the ideals that drove the uprising. more
298. Romania: The Difficult Apprenticeship of Liberty (1989-2004)Jul 07, 2011
June 2004 - As eight post-communist countries entered the EU last May, Romania was among the few applicant countries that did not manage to implement the accession criteria. Like the other applicant countries, Romania has been aggressively lobbying to enter Western institutions and it has been successful in arguing for its geostrategic importance in Europe, as is reflected by the fact that it was admitted to NATO last June. Yet, despite the strides it has taken and its commitment to recreating the western ideal at home, Romania is still far behind most of its neighbors in its transition from communism to liberal democracy. Here, I will attempt to address the major obstacles to Romania's progress and the country's prospects for stepping up the pace of reforms in the near future. more
Political Transition in Hungary, 1989-1990Jul 07, 2011
A CWIHP Document Reader compiled for the international conference "Political Transition in Hungary, 1989-1990," Budapest, Hungary, 12 June 1999 more
The Oil Prince's Legacy: Rockefeller Philanthropy in ChinaMay 01, 2011
The Oil Prince's Legacy traces Rockefeller philanthropy in China from the nineteenth century to today. Family diaries, letters, interviews in China, and institutional archival records are used to tell a compelling story about successive Rockefeller generations and U.S.–China cultural relations. more
Stalin and Togliatti: Italy and the Origins of the Cold WarOct 01, 2010
Stalin and Togliatti reveals the dependence of the Italian Communist Party on Soviet decisionmaking in the early Cold War and the willingness of Stalin to sacrifice the interests of the Italian Communist Party to Soviet foreign interests. It explores the connection between the domestic Italian politics and the international affairs during the final phases of the Second World War and in the first years of the Cold War. more
A Distant Front in the Cold War: The USSR in West Africa and the Congo, 1956–1964Oct 01, 2010
A Distant Front in the Cold War reveals West Africa as a significant site of Cold War conflict in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although the region avoided the extreme tensions of the standoff in Eastern Europe or in the Cuban missile crisis, it nevertheless offers a vivid example of political, economic, and propagandistic rivalry between the US and the USSR. more
Rock and Roll in the Rocket City: The West, Identity, and Ideology in Soviet Dniepropetrovsk, 1960–1985May 01, 2010
In Rock and Roll in the Rocket City, Sergei I. Zhuk assesses the impact of Westernization on the city's youth, examining the degree to which the consumption of Western music, movies, and literature ultimately challenged the ideological control maintained by state officials. more


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EU Micro-USB charging standard allows iPhone adapter
Two European standards bodies have released the final specs for a new universal cell phone charging standard based on Micro-USB. In a European Commission press release, the CEN-CENELEC and ETSI announced that the "harmonised standards needed for the manufacture of data-enabled mobile phones compatible with a new common charger" are now available. "I am very happy that the European Standardisation Bodies have met our request to develop within a short space of time the technical standards necessary for a common mobile phone charger based on the work done by industry," said European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship. "Now it is time for industry to show its commitment to sell mobile phones for the new charger. The common charger will make life easier for consumers, reduce waste and benefit businesses. It is a true win-win situation."
In June, Apple, along with Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, NEC, Qualcomm, RIM, Samsung, and Texas Instruments, signed an agreement aimed at standardizing all data-enabled cell phone chargers beginning in 2011; although Micro-USB has been chosen as the standard connector, the agreement allows Apple to bundle some form of Dock Connector to Micro-USB charging adapter with the iPhone in the EU, instead of adding a separate Micro-USB port to the device or abandoning the Dock Connector in favor of the new standard. Given the continued popularity of full-sized USB ports and Apple's use of the same cables for non-mobile phone products including the iPod and iPad, this adapter most likely will take the form of a USB to Micro-USB adapter for current cables, rather than a redesigned Dock Connector to Micro-USB cable. [via Mac Rumors]
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I never did get the appeal of this initiative. I'd much rather have a standard where devices/phones charge off of USB and rather than worry about the connector on the device, make the cable on the charger removable. That way I have one charger that can use multiple cables to charge whatever USB chargeable device I have. Be it an iPhone, Kindle, Flip Mino, whatever…..ONE charger.
Posted by Charles Starrett on December 30, 2010 at 5:50 PM (CST)
What a punt. By allowing Apple and others to not have a universal connector, there is no actual new standard. 99% of these devices already will charge off of a USB port voltage - it's the 37 different connectors to the device that turn everything into a mess.
Posted by Charles Starrett on December 30, 2010 at 5:56 PM (CST)
The EU is very progressive when it comes to environmental matters, and I admire that. They have already banned 6 toxic substances (including lead) with their RoHS initiative, and 20+ more substances with their REACH initiative. The intent of this one is to reduce the reasons for people to discard their charger when they get a new phone.
But by letting manufacturers provide an adapter cable, people will now be throwing out adapter cables when they get a new device that doesn't fit their cable. This is less bulk e-waste than an entire charger, but Code Monkey is right in that this is a punt. You watch, in a few years there will be another move to eliminate the adapter cables that kids and snow pup seals are choking on.
OK, so if adapter cables will be allowed—why not make the standard just the charging head with no cable and a standard (full-size) USB-A port? That way the "adapter cable" can be a normal USB-A to micro-USB (for devices with that interface) or USB-A to dock connector (for iPhones) or any type of connector on the other end of the cable? Smart phones are commonly connected to computers via such cables anyway, and the de-facto standard is USB-A.
As a result of this decision, Apple's response is to provide EU iPhone users with an intermediate adapter cable to connect their dock connector cable with a micro USB connector on the new standard charger. If the standard charger was just a charging head with a USB-A port, this wouldn't be required by Apple, or other companies who use a non-standard port on their device.
Posted by Charles Starrett on December 30, 2010 at 7:46 PM (CST)
So basically Apple will start packaging a sendstation adapter?
Posted by Charles Starrett on January 2, 2011 at 1:47 PM (CST)
@4: Would that were the case. Somehow the EU got it in their collective head that the key problem was the wall charger unit itself with the permanently affixed and usually proprietary charging cord.
For reasons we can only scratch our heads over, their solution was a single wall charger standard… with a micro USB port and not a standard USB port. And then no requirement that the devices must accept s standard charging connection.
So, basically, Apple will include dongles with their devices that are female micro-USB to male micro-USB so people will be able to plug their iPod into one of these standard wall chargers.
It's things like this that give our wingnuts fuel. I'd wager I could have taken any 20 15 y.o.'s from an average American high school and given them 3 days and they would have arrived at the sensible solution: Everything accepts micro-USB, but don't prohibit propietary data connectors, and all wall chargers use the standard USB female port just like are found on 99.9% of computers. Ban wall charger + permanently affixed corde. Poof, problem greatly alleviated AND simplified, but no.
Posted by Charles Starrett on January 3, 2011 at 8:20 AM (CST)
^correction because I was apparently still asleep this morning: a female standard USB to male micro USB dongle is the solution…
Posted by Charles Starrett on January 3, 2011 at 4:24 PM (CST)
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Entertainment News Pop: Vin Diesel: Dungeons & Dragons Fueled Creativity
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Entertainment News Pop: Vin Diesel: Dungeons & Dragons Fueled Creativity
Boy Who Lost Limbs Gets Double-Hand Transplant
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Dungeons & Dragons inspired Vin Diesel as a child, and having children of his own changed how he sees his killer characters. In light of the devastating passing of beloved Glee star Cory Monteith, officials at FOX have decided to postpone the premiere of the show's fifth season. Jennifer Lawrence went from famous to super?-famous when she signed on to play Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games movies. Jen encouraged Shailene Woodley to take on the role of Tris in the upcoming film, "Divergent' mixed in with a lil career advice. "It will be the best thing that ever happened," Lawrence told her. "But don't be an idiot, do a sex tape, or do drugs. And go to Whole Foods when your movie opens."
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An 8-year-old boy who lost his hands and feet to a serious infection has become the youngest patient to receive a double-hand transplant, surgeons said Tuesday. (July 29)
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A US Coast Guard C-130 plane searched for two missing 14-year-old boys off the Florida coastline on Tuesday. An AP camera joined the crew on the flight. (July 29)
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Serves 1
Boiling water
Hot coffee
2 sugar cubes or 1 teaspoon brown sugar
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1½ ounces Irish whiskey
¼ cup heavy or whipping cream, lightly beaten (but still pourable)
1. Fill a large coffee cup with boiling water to preheat it. Let it stand for about one minute, then empty the glass.
2. Fill the glass three-quarters full with hot coffee. Add the sugar, then stir until dissolved. Stir in the whiskey.
3. Top the coffee-whiskey blend with the lightly whipped cream. To do this, hold an overturned spoon over the coffee, then slowly pour the cream over it. The goal is for the cream to float on top of the coffee; do not mix it in. Part of the Irish coffee experience is drinking the hot coffee through a layer of cool cream.
Adapted from The Buena Vista Cafe, San Francisco


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Amidst all of the recent moral and ethical corruption scandals in Congress comes news of what appears to be even more patently dishonest behavior. Representative John "Jack" Murtha (D-PA) holds one of the most powerful positions in the House of Representatives, Chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. As such, he controls enormous amounts of taxpayer dollars and can distribute them to whom he pleases under the appropriations system Congress uses to fund projects in Congressional districts. And whom, specifically, does it please Murtha to reward with earmarks? Why, his political donors, of course!
Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, recently reported that every private entity Murtha favored with an earmark in this year's defense bill has given money to his campaign in the last two years. Political Action Committees (PACs) and employees of the 26 groups in Murtha's district that received Federal monies have contributed $413,250 to him, $100,750 of which was donated in the two weeks leading up to March 16, the original deadline for lawmakers to file their earmark requests.
Murtha rewarded these groups for their political contributions by allocating $114.5 million to them.
Representative Norm Dicks (D-WA), who is also on the Defense Subcommittee, likewise received some political money from each one of the private entities for which he helped secure Federal taxpayers' dollars.
Nor are these two alone. Most other members of the 15-person panel recently pocketed campaign donations from the majority of groups for which they earmarked projects this year, according to ROLL CALL. Representatives Bud Cramer (D-AL), Bill Young (R-FL) and David Hobson (R-OH) each received campaign donations from all but one or two of the private groups to whom they earmarked Federal funds.
What happened to the Democrats' pledge to rid Congress of the "culture of corruption" instituted, they claimed, by the Republicans? It appears they have been bought off, or at least Representative Murtha and some of his colleagues have.
This is very serious. Lawmakers are distributing millions of taxpayer dollars to reward private groups which donate to their political campaigns. As Murtha's case shows, the monetary rewards for cutting a Congressman a check are quite lucrative. What we have here borders on bribery. Those who give are rewarded; those who do not give to political campaigns are not.
Paul M. Weyrich is the late Chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation.
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In Honor of His 103rd Birthday, Here Are The 20 Best Quotes From The Late, Great Milton Friedman | John Hawkins
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text: Reason for Trip:Sales calls First of all. I have stayed at this Hotel probably 30 times over the years. But it has gone down hill repeatedly. This time was the straw that broke the camels back. I had a great big spot of about twenty inches of mold on the ceiling in the bathroom. Room smelled bad when i entered.... More


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Payneless 415 Caswell Beach Road
From $2,650 / week
Description from the manager
Description from the manager
Bedrooms: 4/
Bathrooms: 4/
Sleeps: 10/
Type: House
4 Bedrooms/ 4 Baths: 1 King, 2 Queens, 2 Singles, 1 set of bunks. 2 CCTVs (extended cable with HBO), 2 VCRs, 2 DVD players, wirless internet, newly remodeled gourmet kitchen with ALL the neccessities, completely equipped, wetbar, carpet, elevator. Upper & lower decks with rockers, 2 porches, covered porch, outdoor shower. Beautiful panoramic ocean, harbor & marsh views. Just a short walk to Oak Island Lighthouse. Oak Island Golf Club is nearby. Part. Handicap Accessible: Grab bars in upstairs master bath area.
Additional amenities include: outside shower, shell amenities, partial handicap accessible, elevator, non smoking unit.TripAdvisor property ID 2024214
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Spendapalooza: The Obamas' vacation at Martha's Vineyard
The ABC News Business Unit does some recession math and compares other luxury vacation resorts to Martha's Vineyard, where the Obama family will travel next week for an end-of-summer stay.
FYI, you're footing some of the bill:
…Caroline Taylor, another Martha's Vineyard realtor, estimated that the property would go for $35,000 to $50,000 a week. The Obamas will pay for at least a portion of the rental, but taxpayer funds will be used to pay for Secret Service and staff housing on the property.
Shared sacrifice for thee, but not for He.
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i Editor's Letter: Opposed or in favour?
Too many angry words have been spilled about gay marriage. Those opposed tend to be older and religious, those in favour younger and not. The former are on the wrong side of history here.
It doesn't seem that difficult. It depends on your view of the Bible in governing Britain or any other modern-day country. Unlike some, I do not believe people who oppose gay marriage are automatically bigots, but I can't accept people who refer to the Bible in connection with the law. The significant majority of Britons do not go to church, do not believe that the Bible's teachings are to be taken literally. Still more believe it wrong to quote selectively from, say, Leviticus to justify prejudice.
That said, I do believe religions should be able not to marry gay people if they wish. I'd question why any couple turned away by a religion would wish to be part of it. That "marriage is between a man and a woman" is not an argument, just an observation about the commonplace. Letting gay people marry does not change or weaken the institution any more than allowing Catholics and others to marry in their own, rather than Anglican, churches did. Surely it strengthens and enriches marriage to have equality for all before the law?
I don't accept all naysayers are bigots, but the debate revealed the true colours of those like Roger Gale MP who equated gay marriage with incest. Shame on him, and on those like him.
It's simple: religion should not govern us, neither mine nor yours, but representatives of the people should. And tomorrow's adults want equal marriage.
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London - Music superstar Lady Gaga will share a peace prize in memory of John Lennon to honour her work campaigning for equality for gay, lesbian and transgender people.
The American singer has been chosen along with four others - including Russian punk band Pussy Riot and the late writer Christopher Hitchens -to receive the biennial LennonOno Grant For Peace.
Gaga is expected to accept the award and a donation from Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 9 October - the birthday of John Lennon and his son, Sean.
Ono said in a statement on Friday that while Gaga is "one of the biggest living artists of our time" she is also an activist whose album "Born This Way" altered "the mental map of the world."
24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment.
Charlize Theron has adopted her second child, an African-American newborn named August, reports say. Read More »
The royal palace has responded after a UK tabloid published images of Queen Elizabeth giving the Nazi salute as a young girl. Read More »
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Triple OG Kush (Hybrid)
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Triple OG Kush (Reseda Discount Caregivers)
4I try as much OG Kush as possible and this is one that sort of caught me off guard because the budtender at RDC did not real say much about
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Discover our range of collectable and second-hand dolls and bears from Oxfam's Online Shop.
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BNIB - LoTR - Deluxe Poseable Witch-King RingWraith Toy Biz
BNIB - LoTR Deluxe Poseable Gimli Toy Biz
Sylvanian Famiilies - US Beagle Dog Family Sylvanian Families
Vintage Souvenir Doll Souvenir
Harrods, Police Teddy Bear
Bearhouse Bears by Charlie Bears "Chatsworth" Charlie Bears
Original hand-made 12" Wombles - Tobermory and Madame Cholet Bespoke
Porcelain Clown Marionette Doll 17" Unknown
Porcelain Clown Marionette Doll 21"
Decorative Porcelain Doll in Brown Dress
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