text:
Thank you for coming tonight. I know there were a lot of things working against it. This is an oddball weekend with all the things that are happening and then freeway traffic and then rain but we're so glad that you're here. And I'm going to do what I've...was...when I was young told not to do. I was told a story by my own father who...who said that a rainy day came on a Sunday and only two people showed up at church. And the pastor went ahead and preached his full hour sermon and gave an invitation to the two people and at the end he said, "This is what I had prepared to do," and he said, "I hope it was all right with you." He said, "Well," he said, "I...I can only say I'm a farmer and if only two cows show up, I don't make them eat all the hay." So I think I'll make you eat some of it, but not all of it tonight as we talk about this matter of sanctification and look at Romans chapter 7 and the battle in which we are engaged in the process of being conformed to the image of Christ, being sanctified, Romans 7.
We're all aware of a warfare in our lives. We know it. We know it well. We are intimately acquainted with it, a raging conflict that never existed before we came to Christ and never ceased since. All Christians are in the battle, don't feel alone, you're not alone, everybody's there. And the most magnificent and, of course, inspired articulation of this battle, of this struggle is given here in Romans chapter 7 in the words of the Apostle Paul. And I want to read verses 14 to 25...Romans 7:14 to 25, and then for a couple of Sunday nights, anyway, I want to talk our way through this.
Verse 14, "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For that which I am doing, I do not understand for I am not practicing what I would like to do but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. So now no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh, for the wishing is present in me but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I'm no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good, for I joyfully concur with the Law of God in the inner man but I see a different law in the members of my body waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner a law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am, who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so then on the one hand, I myself with my mind am serving the Law of God but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin."
This is real schizophrenia, isn't it? The real deal. This is not psychological, it's not artificial, it's not trumped up, it's not imaginary, it's reality. This is a very poignant description of somebody who cares deeply about the Word of God, cares deeply about Scripture, who cares deeply about God's righteous Law. This is about somebody who desires greatly to obey that Law, live that Law. But is disappointed with himself or herself because in spite of what this person desires, he is pulled and pushed away from that he wants to do into the very thing he hates. It is the personal conflict of a soul in turmoil. And the conflict is real. It is so intense and so strong that it dominates the life of Paul and it dominates our lives also.
We as believers are not any longer dominated by sin. Nor are we in all honesty dominated by righteousness. We are rather dominated by a conflict...a very intense one. And even the text itself has been a battleground for interpreters and theologians and expositors of Scripture. Some say that these are the musings, these are the expressions of a non-Christian. Others say they are the expressions of a Christian.
Well, you say, "Paul wrote this." Yes, but some say he is reflecting on his life before Christ when he had some regard for the Law of God but couldn't fulfill it, not on his life after Christ. One says there's too much bondage to sin here for this to be the testimony of a Christian. And the other says there's too much desire for obedience here for this to be the testimony of a non-Christian. Those who would say this is a non-Christian, this is Paul looking at himself before Christ, seek to support that with statements such as in verse 14, "I am of the flesh, sold into bondage to sin," literally, sold under sin. Verse 18, "I know that nothing good dwells in me." Verse 24, "Wretched man that I am." And so they conclude this is a man who is under the power of sin, operating in the flesh, sees nothing good in himself, only recognizes his own wretchedness. Can't be a believer, they say because this is all past tense. Verse 5, "We were in the flesh." Verse 6, "But now we have been released from the Law having died to that which we were bound so that we serve in newness of the Spirit." Or in chapter 6 verse 14, "Sin shall not be master over you." If sin is no longer our master, if sin no longer dominates us, if we have been released from the Law having died to that which we were bound and now serve in the newness of the Spirit, how can this describe a believer? Where's the fruit of the Spirit? No one in Christ should be so impotent. No one in Christ should be so powerless.
It seems to be very far from where we are to understand salvation. According to chapter 6, for example, chapter 2, we have died to sin. Verse 6, the old self was crucified, the body of sin done away with, no longer are we slaves of sin. Verse 7, we've died and are freed from sin. Verse 11, dead to sin. Verse 12, no need to let sin reign in our mortal bodies. Verse 13, no need to go on presenting the members of our body as instruments of unrighteousness. And verse 17, you were the slaves of sin, you've become obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed and you've been freed from sin and become slaves of righteousness. Verse 22, having been freed from sin, enslaved to God.
All of these passages seem to say that sin is dethroned, it has lost its dominating power, it has lost its ruling force and it cannot therefore remain in such a power posture as is described in the experience of the writer of chapter 7 verses 14 to 25.
But on the other hand, we are very clear that in chapter 6 there is an indication that the battle will still go on. Whatever all of that means, and we've gone through all of that, notice verse 12, "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts. Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead." Well there is instruction that indicates that even though sin no longer dominates, even though sin is no longer master of you, you still have to make a choice not to let sin reign, not to present the members of your body as instruments of unrighteousness.
In the nineteenth verse of the sixth chapter, again, "Just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness resulting in sanctification." Sanctification isn't automatic in its fullest sense. It comes as a result of you ongoing in the constant obedience presenting of your members as instruments or slaves to righteousness. This implies that there's going to be responsibility to act against the sin that no longer totally dominates you.
Those who say this is a Christian, look at the other side of the issue. Verse 22, Romans 7, "I joyfully concur with the Law of God in the inner man." That is a very, very significant statement. Not externally, not superficially, not on the surface, but down deep in the soul, down deep in the inner man I joyfully concur with the Law of God. This is what's called heart obedience and this reflects a new heart and a new spirit. This is New Covenant talk. This is Ezekiel 37 language, to delight in the Law of God down deep in the inner man. In a sense, this is like Romans 8:7. The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, it is not subject, it does not subject itself to the Law of God, it is not even able to do so. The man who is still unconverted, still in the flesh, hostile toward God is not able to subject himself to the Law of God, let alone to rejoice in it. In fact, in the original King James of that verse, it says, "The mind of the flesh is enmity with God." That's the opposite of delight and joy. The unregenerate do not delight in the Law of God down deep in the inner man.
In verse 25 he says, "On the one hand, I myself with my mind, that is in the interior, am serving the Law of God." And again indicates a changed heart, a changed inside. This is the service of a will and a heart that is regenerate, that is subject to the Law of God. And whoever is in the flesh cannot be subject to the Law of God, as we read a moment ago in chapter 8. Look again verse 15, he says, "I...I like to do certain things, but I don't do them. I hate to do other things, and I do them." Verse 16, "I agree with the Law, I confess that it is good." He says in verse 19, "The good that I wish I don't do and I practice the very evil I do not wish." That indicates that down in the inner man is a powerful desire for obedience, to honor God, to obey God, to serve God. These are all beatitudes that arise from a regenerate heart. I am, he says at the end of verse 21, "The one who wishes to do good." That's what I want. Very unlike the non-Christian, the non-Christian lives, verse 5, of Romans 8, according to the flesh, sets his mind on the things of the flesh because that's all he can do, verse 7, because he's hostile toward God. This is very strong language and it presents to us not an easy solution. A case can be made that this is a non-believer by looking at all of those elements of the text. A case can be made that this is a believer by looking at all of the elements that we just looked at. The bottom line is, whoever this is has both elements operating. It is the very conflict itself that defines this soul. The battle here, says Paul, is between what he delights in, what he loves, what he approves of, what he desires and what he does. And this has to be the battle of a transformed soul. These two complexes in him, righteousness on the one hand, sin on the other are contradictory. And the more sensitive he is to the demands of God's Law and the demands of Scripture and the demands of God's holiness and righteousness, the more he will see the contradiction existing in himself. And the more he grows in grace, the more sanctified this person becomes, the more painful it is for him to see what he really is in spite of what he wants. That's why he bursts out in verse 24, "Wretched man that I am." That is an honest expression of pain over this inability to fulfill your deepest longings. This can only occur in a believer. This is the tension that is inevitable and it doesn't help to ignore it or write it off.
Now at this point, some other suggestions enter the discussion. And some people say, "Well yes this is a believer, but this is a Carnal believer," with a big C, capital C upper case, this is a Carnal believer. This is a description of a low-level Christian. This is a Christian who is barely in the door. One writer says, "It describes the abject misery and failure of a Christian who is attempting to please God under the Mosaic system." This is a lowlife Christian. This is a Christian who has never moved to second-level Christianity. This is the carnal Christian. But the problem with that view is, the carnal Christian, the one who is superficial and shallow, whoever this is, this is a fabrication of those theologians, but whoever this carnal Christian is who is saved but has no aspirations toward holiness and no aspirations toward righteousness, he can't be being described here. This has to be a very spiritual man, or woman, who fits into this category. Somebody who understands that the Law is spiritual, who understands what is right, who loves it, longs for it, wills to do it, lives with immense disappointment in regard to his own failure.
No, the only way to understand this is that this is a believer, this is every believer, this is every believer who is truly regenerated, who feels the agony of the struggle. And, in fact, this is Paul...this is Paul, who when he wrote this was mature. He is in Christ, strong in the faith and never got over his sinfulness. First Corinthians 15:9, he said, "I'm the least of the Apostles, I'm not even fit to be an Apostle." In Ephesians 3:8 he says about himself, "To me, the very least of all saints, was grace given to preach." First Timothy 1, he says, "I was shown mercy and the grace of God, grace of our Lord is more abundant to me and Christ came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost." In his maturity at the end of his life, 1 Timothy, at the end of all of his years of walking with Christ, nothing had changed about how he had viewed himself. He was a massive disappointment to himself. He was the foremost sinner that he knew. The person speaking here hates sin, according to verse 15. The person here loves righteousness, according to verses 19 and 21. The person speaking here in his inner being delights in God's Law, verse 22, finds joy in it. The person speaking here deeply regrets his sins, and that's strong through the whole text. And the person speaking here thanks God that ultimately there will be a deliverance, verse 25, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Even though it hasn't come yet, and that's why he says, "So I go on on the one hand with my mind serving the Law of God, with my flesh, the law of sin." This is a very mature Christian. This is as mature as you can get and see yourself as a Christian really is. Don't try to kid anybody, this is you, this is me, we're all here. We live in two extremes. They're held in tension in our lives. Temporally we live in this world as people of flesh and blood and we're subject to all the conditions of mortal life. We are sons of Adam, by our first birth. Spiritually by our second birth, however, we have passed from death into a new realm, a realm not of darkness but a realm of light, a realm not of sin but a realm of righteousness. We now walk in newness of life. We are new creations. We are no longer in Adam, we are in Christ. And yet the flesh remains. Here then is the self-portrait of a man who is conscious of the presence and power of indwelling sin in his life and he sees it as there still dictating things opposite of his own desires. And he will struggle all his life against this power and in this life never overcome it finally or fully.
Paul's words in Galatians 5 sum it up. "The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you can't do the things you desire." That's the Christian life. This mature spiritual Apostle fought the battle just the way you do and I do and everybody does.
Now there are some keys to this interpretation in the text. The first one is a change in the verb tense. Verses 7 through 13 is past tense emphasis. And all of a sudden in verse 14 changes into a present tense. When he was talking bout himself before his conversion it was past tense. Verse 9, "I was once alive." This is in the past. "And then I died when I truly saw myself in the Law as a sinner, crushed under the weight of the Law," of course that's what led him to salvation. He's describing how it was in the past in verses 7 to 13 and all of a sudden the verbs come into the present tense. I am...verse 14, I do not, I am, I am doing, I do, I agree, I am the one doing it, I know, I wish, I'm doing, I find, I joyfully concur, I see...all present tense. This is post-conversion in the immediate presence. And there's a change also in the circumstance. Verses 7 to 13, "Sin killed him." Here he is pictured fighting with sin and refusing to give in. There's a sense in which our sin does kill us at our salvation. We die in Christ to rise in newness of life. And yet there's a sense in which even now in our new life we go on fighting with sin, refusing to give in.
So this is Paul's testimony as a Christian. And it's very, very important for us to understand that because what's here is what we live with every day...every day. Now I want you to understand the sort of spiritual pathology of all of this. So let me see if I can at least tonight in the next few minutes tell you some things that may at first startle you. What I am going to say may be at first a little startling and then I hope it will eventually transition into something encouraging and then something liberating and then something joyful. And it's based essentially on two great realities that we've been carefully considering in our doctrinal series which has been going on for months, and I'm going to have you reach back a little bit.
There are two foundational doctrines that we have repeatedly talked about specifically and as a whole in single messages and multiple messages and gone back to. Those two great foundational doctrines...the doctrine of human depravity and divine regeneration. Or to put it another way, the doctrines of our two births. Our first birth was into sin, our second birth into righteousness. Our first birth was physical, our second birth spiritual. Our first birth made us sinners until we leave this world. Our second birth makes us righteous and fit for the world to come. We are then the product of these two births. We live two lives melded into one. And that is the source of our conflict. All the faculties that come out of that first birth wage war against all the faculties that come out of that second birth. And though we may not understand the theological elements that are going on, we really do understand the conflict. We understand the effects, the relentless power and influence of our righteous longings and desires and we also understand the relentless power and influence of our sin. We go from high to low. We come to church, we hear the Word of God, we worship God, we go home, we read our Bibles, we read a good book, we do ministry and we feel like we're on top and then we find ourselves saying things or doing things or thinking things that plunge us into despair. And we're very much aware of the battle that we fight.
We live trapped somewhere between our highs and our lows, our profound joys of spiritual heights and sinful depths. It was Martin Luther who certainly understood this and he said, "Not reading or speculating but living, dying and being condemned makes a real theologian." You want to be a real theologian? Then you've got to go through this, you can't stand outside and be a speculative theologian. You live and you die and you feel the condemnation of your violated conscience and the disappointment of sin breaching your holy desires. And it's in that war you really become a real theologian, you sort out the truth.
Luther was very vivid, and very verbal. His sin was a struggle for him that was constant, it was even tormenting to him, as to many others. And we understand that. I mean, I don't need to say a lot about that because it's our experience. And because it is such a common experience to live in disappointment, because it is such a common experience for us to desire heaven just so we can get rid of the bad that's in us that debilitates the good that we long for, we know that, we feel that, we experience that. I don't need to spend a lot of time rehearsing again how wretched we are.
I want to talk about the other side of it. It is crucial and it is certainly at least equally crucial, if not as it is in my mind more crucial that you understand your righteousness. You need to understand your newness of life. You need to understand the divine nature that is in you. You need to understand this, you have been regenerated, you have been born again. You have died and come to life. You now walk in newness of life. You are a new creation. You have eternal life. You are now made fit for the presence of God. You possess a holy and divine nature. It is from that that all those holy longings come.
A good place for us to grasp this and I think this will help us is in 1 Peter 1. Turn to 1 Peter 1 to the end of the chapter. This is very insightful when you look at it perhaps a little more technically, a little more closely than you might normally. Verse 22, I don't know if you ever sort of let this phrase pop out at you. He's writing to believers and he says, "Since you have an obedience to the truth," that is you obey the gospel, you believe, you repented, you embraced Christ. And what happened? "In obedience to the truth you have purified your souls." Wow! That is a...that is a shocking statement. You have purified your souls, hagnotes, perfect tense, past action with continuing results. You were purified with continuing results. You now possess a purified soul. That's pretty shocking.
See, we're much more familiar with the flesh than we are with the new life. In James 4:8 James says, "Draw near to God and He'll draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts." God offers you heart purification. God offers you soul purification. This again is the regeneration of New Covenant life. This is the new heart, the new spirit. This is the washing of regeneration. This is the new birth. And the language of the New Testament is...is magnificent when it comes to this. We are washed, we are cleansed, we are purified, we are given new life. We could go through many Scriptures, I'll resist the impulse. But this is what it says. "Your souls have been purified." How in the world did that happen? How did it happen? Verse 23, "For you have been born again." How did this purification take place? You were born again, the work of regeneration. Another perfect participle, past action with continuing results. This is your spiritual birth. When you had your spiritual birth, your soul was cleansed, your soul was purged, your soul was purified. Wow. You have been born again, monorgistic(???), solely the work of the Holy Spirit. You didn't cooperate in your physical birth and you didn't cooperate in your spiritual birth. The Holy Spirit moves where He will and does what He will in regeneration, as John 3:8 says. It is the sovereign work of God.
Paul says in Ephesians 4:24 that when this happened, this is so amazing, you put on the new man, listen to this, which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. Staggering words. You have a purified soul, the New Testament says. You have a purified heart. You are a new person, created by God in true righteousness and holiness, Ephesians 4:24. Wow. You know, from the standpoint of our experience, that just seems so overstated because we are so used to our sin, so used to our failings, to used to being disappointed. We, and justifiably so, hammer on ourselves as did the Apostle Paul, we're the chief, we're the worst, we're the foremost, we're unworthy. It's true. But it's equally true we need to understand the other reality that we have been made new creations and that that new life is pure and righteous and holy. And it is the result of regeneration by, verse 23, not a seed which is perishable, but imperishable. That is just another powerful reality. We have been born again not by a seed which is perishable, human seed, human birth, but by a seed which is imperishable, that is the seed of God, if you will, that comes through the living and abiding Word of God. God by His Word creates that life. And we are, in essence, a different kind of creature. If you're a believer, you're a completely different creature than non-believers. They don't see it yet, as Romans 8 says, the glorious manifestation of the children of God hasn't happened. They think they're looking at ordinary people, they're not.
We're a different kind of being. This new nature is the result of a seed that cannot perish. It is an incorruptible seed. It is the creation of God and whatever God creates is perfect. Follow me. Whatever He creates is perfect, whatever He creates is pure, whatever He creates is holy, whatever He creates is righteous, whatever He creates can only be holy and do what is holy. You were saved, it doesn't mean your fallen heart was tweaked a little bit to make it better. You were made new and God did it and God doesn't create anything unholy. As the Father lives in His children, physically, so God lives in His children spiritually. You possess in you the physical life of your parents and the spiritual life of God. You are a partaker of the divine nature just as much as you are a partaker of human nature. And as there are faculties and characteristics of life that come from our first birth, there are faculties and characteristics of life that come from our second birth and each case consistent with our nature. From our parents we received a nature that is sinful, from God we receive a nature that is sinless. That new life which God creates which is imperishable, incorruptible is holy, righteous, pure. It cannot decay. It is free from sin. It has to be because it is eternal. And sin always produces...what?...death. Peter is saying amazing things, the living and abiding Word of God has given you a life that is holy, incorruptible, imperishable. It can only love God. It can only serve God. It can only honor Christ. It can only follow the Spirit. It can only obey the Word. It's very different than our physical life.
Our physical life he describes in verse 24. "All flesh is like grass, all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, the flower falls off." Our human life is subject to death. Our divine life is not. Our human life is subject to death because it is infected with sin. Our divine life is not subject to death, therefore it cannot be affected by sin. The Word of the Lord, the created Word of God that has begotten you again abides forever. And it was that Word, that gospel Word, that gospel seed that regenerated you that was preached and you heard and it did its work.
Now some of you may say, "Wow, this is something I haven't heard much." Well, this isn't new. Charles Spurgeon June 30, 1861 says this of the new nature. "It has aspirations which time cannot satisfy, desires which earth cannot satisfy, longings which heaven itself alone can gratify." He goes on in that sermon to say this, "No sin exists in the newborn nature. It cannot sin because it is from God Himself. It is as impossible for that new nature to sin as for the deity Himself to be defiled." Then he says, "In the first birth, partakers of corruption. In the next, heirs of incorruption. In the first, depravity. In the second, perfection."
He's reading the same Bible I'm reading. In the new creation there's no taint of sin. In the new creation there is no transgression for what comes down from God created by His incorruptible Word is holy. It is like Him. It is pure, undefiled and separate from sin. And what is the proof? That the new life never dies, it is eternal life. This is the truest and purest part of us.
So when you think about yourself and when you get caught up in all the agonies of your failures, turn a corner somewhere and remember that your disappointment is coming cause there is an incorruptible life in you that has such pure, holy, longings that no sin exists there. And that life is eternal. In James 1:18, "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the Word of truth so that we might be, as it were, the firstfruits among His creatures." We are God's creation. We are new creations. By His will He gave us birth, brought us into existence. We are different kind of creatures. Physical life, verses 24 and 25, tell us in 1 Peter, like grass, withers and falls off. The life which we have in regeneration abides forever.
If I could sum it up I would say this, every true Christian, every person who has been genuinely saved has been given an imperishable, incorruptible new life by the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God which itself cannot die. Not only can it not die, but all its impulses and all its longings and all its desires are holy and righteous and pure. We're not talking now about imputed righteousness, that's a different issue. We're talking about real righteousness. We are both of these. We are sons of Adam and sons of God. Both births are at work in us and we live in the tension of that conflict, but only believers live in that conflict because only believers have holy longings.
Well you can go back to Romans 7, remembering what we just saw in 1 Peter 1. And you come back into verses 14 to 25 and all of a sudden maybe now it begins to make a little more sense. Here is the battle waged between that fallen, temporal death and that eternal heavenly life. And I think it's really healthy and I think it's wholesome for you as a believer to give the weight of consideration as you think about yourself to that which God has wrought in you rather than that which Adam has wrought in you. I'm not saying you shouldn't feel humble about your sin. You do, you will, you must. I'm not saying you shouldn't be aware of your sin and be eager to confess it, I am saying to you that you must come to understand that sin is not the truest you. And you can live in the joy and the exhilaration and the liberation of knowing that you are a new creation incarcerated, yes, in that fallenness but nonetheless the truest and purest you is the new creation and you're already the possessor of the life that will never end because it is unstained and fits you to enter the presence of God.
I don't think most Christians understand that. I...I think it's tragic because I think it steals the great glory of God and the wonder of what He has made us. I choose to live my life not spending all my time saying, "Woe is me, woe is me, woe is me," but rather saying, "Boy, where did that come from? That's not what I desire." I choose to live my life the way Paul does in Romans 7. You know what? I find myself doing things I don't want to do. I find myself doing things that are absolutely inconsistent with who I am. What an outrage that stuff is in my life. This is simply Paul reinforcing the reality of that new life. You must see your sin as an intrusion into who you really are in Christ. You need to do what Paul did. You need to hate the sin you see and you need to treat it as if it were some foreign intruder, as if it were some alien attitude, as if it were some unwelcome guest, or worst, some unexpected invasion by a fierce and threatening enemy. But as a believer, you're never treated as if it's you. I...I want to do what is good, I don't want to do what is evil. I...I...I joyfully concur with the Law of God, I want to serve the Law of God. This is who I am in Christ. Now once all I was was who I was in Adam, there was no battle. But now in Christ that remaining sin, that residual flesh is alien to me.
In fact, in verse 24, I'll give you a hint of what's coming. "Who will set me free from this body of death?" He is like a man who has a corpse strapped to his back. In the ancient times, one of the ways they punished murderers was to take the victim, the dead corpse, and strap them to the back of the murderer. And eventually the rotting body would cause the rotting of the murderer...a horrific way to suffer for your crime. Paul says that's how I feel, here I am this whole healthy, vital, vibrant, living being and there's this alien corpse tied to me. I think if we don't consider this, we underestimate the greatness of the work that God has done.
Another way to say it, and I'll close, is to say you are already fitted for heaven. The big change has already comes. Death is a secondary thing. In a sense, the transformation has already happened. What happens at death is just subtraction, separation. Transformation is the big issue, separation is the secondary. And what happens when you die and go to heaven is you are liberated, you are separated from the body, the corpse, the rotting flesh that's tied to you and you are set free to be everything you were created to be when you were created in Christ...unto purity and holiness and righteousness. This is where we live, we live in the conflict. But to engage ourselves in the conflict and to be triumphant in the conflict, we have to understand the glory of the new creation. Believers love God's Law, rejoice in it. Believers desire to serve God, they hate sin, they hate iniquity and mostly in themselves. They see it as foreign and alien and disturbing and invasive and inconsistent because they know who they really are. What a wonder has happened in our lives in regeneration and sets us on a course for triumph in our sanctification. We'll stop there, that was the introduction and we'll actually look at the text itself next Sunday. Let's pray.
It's awesome, our Father, it's just awesome to consider these vast and far-reaching and yet intimate truths. The spiritual wild factor is just over the top. It's incomprehensible that this is who we are, but it's true. Thank You and may we live up to who we are, may we never forget who we are and may we act like it. Thank You for what You've done in us in preparing us to live forever. We thank You that we are already the possessors of a life that will never die because it is pure, our souls have been purified, our hearts have been purified, we are new and that new life that is in us is forever. It can never, ever die. Therein lies our joy, therein lies our sense of self-understanding, and therein lies our security and our assurance and our hope for eternity, that we have a life that can never end. Give us confidence in the power of that righteousness to triumph over the remaining sin in our flesh that we might live to Your glory. Deliver us from that wretched body of death. Give us victory until one day we are set free and we will thank You in Your Son's name. Amen.
This article is also available and sold as a booklet.
This sermon series includes the following messages:
Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource.Publisher Information


text:
Here's a startling story about the extent of the lack of self-awareness in Silicon Valley these days, as well as the lengths tech companies are willing to go to win favor and buzz...
A leading technology journalist, Adam Lashinsky, writes that he was just offered pre-IPO stock in Arista Networks, a company that makes a new networking technology.
The offer came directly and personally from the company's CEO, Jayshree Ullal:
I was surprised but not completely flabbergasted by the phone call I received a few weeks ago. A representative of Arista Networks, a networking company I've written about recently, phoned to inform me that the company's chief executive wanted to offer me "friends and family" shares in Arista's upcoming initial public offering. The offer was explicit, down to the number of shares I'd have the opportunity to purchase at the IPO price. The caller specifically wanted me to understand this offer came directly from CEO Jayshree Ullal.
Lashinsky, like any good journalist, called Arista and asked whether the company was bribing other journalists, too. The answer, it sounds like, was, "yes":
I phoned Wednesday to ask if other journalists had been offered IPO shares; a spokeswoman pointed me to a section of its Form S-1 filing which states that a directed share program exists -- and nothing more.
This response suggests that many people at Arista are involved in the journalist-bribery program, not just the company's CEO. It appears to be an organized public-relations campaign, dreamed up or at least actively supported by the most senior people at the company (who apparently didn't consider the possibility that the company might accidentally offer stock to a journalist with integrity).
Lashinsky views this program as proof that Silicon Valley is once again caught up in the throes of a bubble — a mass delusion in which an entire community has become so enveloped by its own echo chamber that it believes normal rules no longer apply.
This attitude, Lashinsky and others recall, is exactly like the arrogance, delusion, and programmatic wheel-greasing that infected the Valley last time around.
(As just one of many examples, in 2000, a San Jose Mercury journalist was "reprimanded" for accepting a similar offer of pre-IPO stock in a Valley company.)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It always helps to be reminded of a salient fact when dealing with the fundamentalist extremist: literally every single aspect of their lives is governed by fear. It is a dark and frightening world in which they live, made all the more grim by the way the dark fearfulness of it is so easily embraced by the believer, who disguises it under a thin veneer of righteousness and the sense of empowerment that comes from believing one is part of an oppressed minority.
I have brought up Brannon Howse and his personal neurosis factory, the Christian Worldview Network, for mockery here many times. I regularly get their email newsletters, and believe me, this guy has never met an over-the-top paranoid Obama conspiracy theory he didn't like. His contributors are a rogue's gallery of the spiritually psychotic: David Noebel, Ray Comfort, Phyllis Schlafly, David Barton, Kan Ham.
Howse's latest ridiculous rant is one of those revealing moments in fundie bloviation that serves to remind those of us in the reality-based community just what this country has to deal with. It has the ominous title "Is America at a Dangerous Tipping Point for Receiving God's Judgment?", which is entirely in character, as Howse only does ominous titles. Remember when I said that every aspect of the extremist's life is governed by fear? Well, that doesn't just apply to Obama, teh gayz, libruls, evilutionists, or (Howse's favorite villain-of-the-week) "Fabian Socialists." There's one thing the Howses of the world are even more scared of than all those things: their God. This week, Howse cannot stop wringing his hands (mostly in fear, but one detects a hint of sadistic glee as well) over the destruction he is sure God is about to wreak upon America, because, apparently…
…our nation has murdered nearly 50 million unborn children, states are rushing toward homosexual marriage, God is outlawed in our nation's public schools, the criminalization of Christianity is greatly increasing, only 1% of adults have a Christian worldview and false-teaching and pagan spirituality has become mainstream.
I must say I found a lot of that surprising. Only 1% of American adults are Christians? If only! Of course, Howse really means that, by his estimation (and it's one that lets him play the "me so persecuted" card with shameless impunity), only 1% of Americans are True Christians like him. The others are all misled fools who've embraced false teachings and "pagan spirituality." Hmm. Okay. Though I must admit, this imaginary Scary America that exists between Howse's ears is one I wouldn't mind living in.
And what's all this about the "criminalization of Christianity"? Seriously? You'd think if this were the case, then law enforcement would have a hard time overlooking all these hundreds of churches that appear on every fucking block in every town in the country, and be about raiding them Waco-style with greater efficiency than they seem to be employing at present. I mean, let's look at something in our country that is criminalized, like drugs. So if we lived in some bizarro parallel universe in which drugs were "criminalized" to the same degree Howse thinks Christianity is, then this would be a parallel universe in which meth labs operated on every street corner like drive-in burger joints, vending machines sold both Coke and…coke, and you could pick up Master Kush and Purple Haze marijuana buds at your local nursery or Home Depot.
Truly, Howse is a silly, silly man. But the kind of fear he spouts — an all-consuming, comprehensive existential terror in which you are literally never safe from anything, including the God you profess to love — somehow hits huge numbers of people where they live. It speaks to them. And that, more than anything, is the tragedy of the religious mind. The brighter the beliefs look to the believer, the darker the abyss they actually inhabit.
PS: I just remembered…Howse did one of his Code Blue rallies here in Austin two days ago. No idea how it went yet. I'll do some digging.


text:
Toulouse, 29th October 2010.The IGE+XAO Group announces:
Consolidated accounts for 2009/2010 (in IFRS norms)
Good performance and significant increase in net income
Against a difficult economic background in 2009/2010, the IGE+XAO Group posted annual consolidated revenues of €21,306,152, marked by a return to growth in the last two quarters (+0.8% and +1.3% respectively) after a 5.4% drop in the first half year. This business recovery is attributable to the Group's diversification strategy in terms of clientele and good international dynamics.
At the same time, IGE+XAO significantly improved its operating profitability, with current operating income and operating income increasing 14.2% and 15.9% respectively. This favorable trend is the fruit of effective control of operating costs and the improvement of the business model. Those two factors notably enabled the Group to maintain its innovation efforts while optimising costs, and conquer new markets. Net income amounts to €2,999,596 versus €2,740,330 a year earlier, for a net margin rate** of 14.1% versus 12.6% the previous year.
Moreover, IGE+XAO has solid fundamentals with a diversified client portfolio, extensive international presence, as well as high profitability and a net cash position of €17 M. In this context, while remaining vigilant over changes in the economic situation, IGE+XAO intends to maintain a significant level of investment in Research and Development while preserving all of its growth capacities. Thus, for fiscal 2010/2011, the Group is planning the launch of major new versions of its leading software (SEE Electrical, SEE Electrical Expert and SEE Electrical Harness PLM) as well as their marketing in new countries.
** Net margin: net income / revenues
Consolidated accounts for 2009/2010 (in IFRS norms)
Toulouse, 29th October 2010.The IGE+XAO Group announces:


text:
Alone with My Thoughts
It is, of course, a sound and biblical truth that what comes out of our mouths reveals what is in our hearts. And, in turn, it is true that what is in our hearts is desperate wickedness. To be sure …Read More
Encourage One Another
Our words to one another about one another not only describe reality. They also create reality. "You idiot!" does not simply assess what is objectively true to the speaker. It also produces, in the one spoken to, death and darkness …Read More
Flattery and Foolish Talk
We are witnessing the deconstruction of a civilization. Across our land, the major institutions that are foundational to any nation are in a downward spiral, whether we speak of education, government, business, or the family. Isaiah and Jeremiah were observers …Read More
The Heart of Words
Words are powerful. They transform lives and make history. They birth nations and topple empires. They make peace and fuel wars. They make covenants in marriage and wound those we most cherish. They change hearts and give news of eternal …Read More
The Ninth Commandment
The Ten Commandments draw a straight line from love of God to love of neighbor. The two parties are distinguished, to be sure, but in the life of obedience they are inseparable. As Luther pointed out, to disobey any of …Read More
Speaking the Truth in Love
We live in a world where people love to talk. Studies suggest that the average American adult speaks approximately 16,000 words per day. Multiply that by a lifespan of 70 years, for a total of nearly 409 million words …Read More
Sticks and Stones
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Really? Let's not kid ourselves. Words are potent. Words start with God, who spoke galaxies into being. "God said … and there was" (Gen. 1:3). God …Read More
Who Are You, O Man?
"Why would God allow this to happen?" is commonly heard when people see devastation in the world or experience a tragedy. I have been a Christian long enough to see some of my friends question and even abandon the faith …Read More


text:
Veterans in the outdoor-graphics industry discuss how their companies have dealt with changes in the market and how other recent issues, such as the economic recession and the push for sustainability, have impacted their businesses.
By Lori Leaman
MCDANIEL: Yes. Some of the new pieces of equipment in both screen and digital that PSP installed have allowed us to provide customers with outdoor graphics that we could not previously produce. The digital equipment has allowed us to be able to compete for small test-market signage, and this ability has opened the door in screen printing for large national campaigns.
RENDA: Again, I think it is the evolution of digital machines becoming faster and cheaper has had an impact. Of course, large-format inline screen printing is still important, and you need a combination of both to be able to satisfy customer requirements.
GARCIA: The technological advance in the digital-printing industry (print quality, speed, and price) enables printers like us to offer our customer quicker turnaround on products that require customization by region for national campaigns.
SP: Can you identify any specific outdoor applications that recently have seen growth or decline?
GABRIEL: We have seen an increase in our ability to bring our creative efforts into the outdoor world. Different applications and materials are on the rise, which play into creativity with different bump outs, clear, foil, reflective, LED, and how to incorporate all of them and make it very interactive. Standard applications using flatbeds to minimize the usage of materials also are on the rise. I haven't personally experienced a large decline in billboards because we haven't focused on billboards per se, so we're actually starting to see growth in that area.
NORRIS: I am still going with the concept of a wrap. Not only are the number of vehicle wraps increasing, just about anything else is a candidate for a wrap if it will hold still long enough. Anything with wheels from 18 down to two, boats, planes, ATMs, bus-stop kiosks, park benches, buildings—everything seems to be fair game.
RENDA: Some municipalities now limit the size of outdoor banners. In the past, there were no limits, and the banner size could be quite large. Outdoor banners using four-color-process art are real eye catchers and bring in additional business for our customers that use them.
SP: What types of clients are the major buyers of outdoor graphics from your company? Has this customer mix or their buying habits changed during the last five years, and, if so, what factors do think have driven the changes?
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.


text:
Olli Booster Seat w/ LATCH
Now with detachable cup holder.
The Big-Kid Portable Seat Without Numb-Bum
Olli is an award-winning belt-positioning backless booster. It says to your 6-12 year-old that it's still cool to be safe in the car. Olli boosts your child's height ensuring that the vehicle's seat belt fits them just right while an additional layer of padding eliminates numb-bum syndrome. Easily transportable from vehicle to vehicle and especially handy while traveling from airport to rental car or even the taxi.
Peace of Mind — Ride Safe!
The Clek LATCH system locks the booster seat into place quickly and easily using your vehicle's LATCH anchorage system.
LATCH (Lower Anchor and Tethers for Children) refers
to the pair of fixed lower anchors built into the crease
between the seat back and seat cushion. LATCH comes
standard in some vehicles manufactured in 2001 and
2002 and all vehicles in 2003 and newer.
If your vehicle does not have a LATCH anchorage system, you can still use Olli unlatched.
Olli Booster Seat Safety Highlights
- Raises your child 4 in./10 cm. to improve in-vehicle shoulder belt fit
- Better positions the seat belt on the child's hips to improve safety
- Locks into place to provide additional booster seat stability in a collision
- Confirms that latches are locked with an audible "click"
- Provides a secure connection even when booster seat is not occupied
- Meets all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
Who should use Olli?
- 40-47 inches
- 40-120 lbs.
- 4 years and up


text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology
On-line version ISSN 1445-7377
Print version ISSN 2079-7222
Indo-Pac. j. phenomenol. (Online) vol.11 n.2 Grahamstown Oct. 2011
Childhood as a mirror of culture
Willem Koops
Inspired by J. H. Van den Berg's book 'Dubious Maternal Affection' the author illustrates the changing nature of the concept of 'child'. Throughout history, opinions and ideas about child development and pedagogy have changed dramatically. These normative views are shaped by the cultural context of the time. An understanding of cultural history, rather than a focus on linear scientific progress, is needed to understand such changing opinions concerning the approach towards children and their behaviours. Beginning in the thirteenth century there has been an on-going increase in the length of infancy. This increasing infantilisation can be observed in the representation of children in historical paintings. Empirical findings provide evidence for this by showing that children, depicted in paintings between the thirteenth and the twentieth century, have become increasingly infantile. The eighteenth century marks an enlightened approach towards the child with a focus on keeping children separate from the adults' world. Spontaneous development was seen to occur in a separate 'garden' for children. In the second half of the twentieth century infantilisation was replaced by the 'childless period'. Inventions such as the television, mass media and the internet have removed the clear distinction between children and adults. As a result children have become equal discussion partners. This has significant implications for their upbringing and education. A cultural historical background is valuable in understanding changes in the way society thinks about children.
"Full text available only in PDF format"
Ariès, P. (1960). L'enfant et la vie familiale sous l'ancien régime [The child and family life during the old regime]. [ Links ] Paris, France: Libraire Plon.
Bordewijk, F. (1934). Bint. Roman van een zender [Bint. [ Links ] Novel of a missionary]. Utrecht, The Netherlands: De gemeenschap.
Dekkers, M. (2005). De larf. Over hinderen en metamorphose [The larva. [ Links ] On children and metamorphoses]. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Pandora.
Hanawalt, B. A. (2003). The child in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In W. Koops & M. Zuckerman (Eds.), Beyond the century of the child: Cultural history and developmental psychology (pp. 21-42). Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. [ Links ]
Imelman, J. D., & Meijer, W. A. J., (1986) De nieuwe school gisteren en vandaag. Amsterdam: Elsevier. [ Links ]
Koops, W. (1980). Social development and naivety of experimental subjects. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, University Groningen, The Netherlands. [ Links ]
Koops, W. (2004). Imaging childhood in European history and developmental psychology. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 1, 1-18. [ Links ]
Koops, W., & Zuckerman, M. (Eds.) (2003a). Beyond the century of the child: Cultural history and developmental psychology. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. [ Links ]
Koops, W., & Zuckerman, M. (Eds.) (2003). A historical developmental approach to adolescence. The History of the Family, 8(Special issue), 345-421. [ Links ]
Postman, N. (1992/1982). The disappearance of childhood. New York, NY: Dell Publishing Co. [ Links ]
Van den Berg, J. H. (1958). Dubieuze liefde in de omgang met het kind [Dubious maternal affection]. [ Links ] Nijkerk, The Netherlands: Callenbach.
Van der Veer, R. (1985). Cultuur en cognitie [Culture and cognition]. [ Links ] Groningen, the Netherlands: Wolters-Noordhoff.
Watson, J. B. (1928). Psychological care of infant and child. New York, NY: W.W. Norton Company, Inc. [ Links ]


text:
Call 02 6685 4280 or 0417 413 774
"Everything has arrived!!!!! Thank you so much for your time and patience. I'm really happy with each item. I just wanted to tell you that the promo stuff I took to the conference and workshop was such a hit! The delegates loved the USB's. "
Travel Company
Read more...
Belgian chocolate 3D fortune egg, dipped with sprinkles and up to 5 custom message inserts.
Packaging: Clear packaging
Branding: Custom message insert (up to 5 messages). Optional sticker.
Minimum order: 250
Win prizes, view latest trends and receive promotional product ideas.
Sign up
Don't miss out! Our product specials are very popular and don't last long!
View Specials
Browse and click to add products to your quote request now.
Get a Quote


text:
Mobile tagging is an emerging solution that you can use to help your customers develop their brands and enable them to create a rich and robust experience for their end users.
Imagine printing an outdoor sign, P-O-P display, or product package that creates an interactive experience for those who view it and delivers additional content on demand—content that is portable and easy to share with friends. Mobile tagging is a technology platform that can give these and many other types of printed graphics a voice and facilitate meaningful dialog between information-hungry consumers and retailers, manufacturers, customer-service operations, and more.
Screen Printing recently discussed this technology with Stephen Shannon, chief marketing officer and president of enterprise media services for InnoMark Communications; and Dave Cottman, director of premedia and digital printing for InnoMark's Concept Imaging Group Division.
What is a mobile tag, and why did you select the Microsoft Tag format instead of the many others in use?
Dave Cottman The Microsoft Tag is a type of two-dimensional bar code—a high-color-contrast bar code (HCCB), basically. The reason we selected this over the QR-Code and others is because you can take the size from 0.75 in. all the way up to 120 in., and because you can take a shot of it with your cell-phone camera and it can be out of focus and still actually work and activate the interactive part of the bar code. With the QR-Code, it's all based on pixel data. If you have blurriness with a QR-Code, a lot of times the QR-Code will not read. There are many cell phones, smart phones, that use camera systems that aren't up to spec.
For example, we prototyped on static cling. The static cling through glass would not read properly with the QR-Code. With the HCCB, it read every time. You can also be at a slight angle with the tag and it reads. Besides that, QR-Codes and others are black and white. You cannot colorize those. With the Microsoft Tag, you can colorize it and you can brand it to fit the brand's needs, so you can have logos and create color schemes (Figure 1). It makes packaging materials and signage a lot more attractive to the consumer. Also, being able to take that up to 120 in., a passenger—not the driver in the car, mind you—can actually take a picture of that tag and interact electronically with a billboard.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.


text:
Retirement Jobs
Older workers are getting back in the game and searching for retirement jobs. Some need a full-time job to help support a spouse or children, while others are looking for part-time jobs to pick up a little extra money.
Whatever your reason, it is important to know that seeking a job after age 55 can be challenging. It takes twice as long, on average, for an older adult to find a job. You might also find that you must accept a job at a lower wage than you might have thought, in spite of the experience and knowledge you bring to the table. Employers sometimes think that older job applicants are overqualified or lack the technical skills needed for the job.
Prove them wrong! We'll show you how.
Popular retirement jobs


text:
Have you ever smelled any of the scents that Frederick Bouchardy created for Opening Ceremony, Rodarte, or Alexis Bittar? The third Joya scent Ames Sœurs created by this scent whisperer is to be released soon and I want one of these limited beautifully 22kt gold encrusted porcelain candles! Since my blog is not a scratch n' sniff, his description will have to do for now (my heart is swooning):
The top notes are tamarind, Cyprus and grapefruit; the middle is rose bulgur, ginger and orange blossom, and the dry-down is cedar wood, incense, amber and sweet musk, so the overall effect is orange blossoms, wrapped in smoke, incense and musk.
Read more here!
(bottom image borrowed from W magazine)


text:
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Dancing with Ambiguity
(NEW YORK, NY – November 29, 2010) As the grand finale of "Dancing with the Stars" unfolded with Bristol Palin at the center of controversy, the talent-challenged contestant stumbled through her last opportunity at eliciting love from the fans with a remark unbecoming a show business diva.
"It would be like a big middle finger to all the people out there that hate my mom and hate me," Bristol said when asked what the significance of winning would mean to her.
Bristol possessed no more qualifications to be in the top three of a dance contest in which Jennifer Grey and Brandy competed than her mother Sarah has for a run at the presidency. Yet, through great perseverance, and perhaps Tea Party voting machinery, she became a live dark horse.
Palin needn't have commented on her improbable ascendancy in Terpsichore. Votes led to confusing results in several elections this past fortnight, so the public was already inured to the unfathomable. When humans are required to cast ballots for prizes that are ill-defined, anything is possible. Had the rules of the competition clearly stated that people with two left feet aren't eligible, none of the ruckus, which was good for the ratings, would have happened.
To explain at least one of the developments, the writers who decide on each league's Most Valuable Player must first come to grips with what "valuable" means. Josh Hamilton's record of a .359 league-leading batting average, 32 homers and 100 RBIs may not have meant enough to earn him the honor had not his Texas Rangers team won the American League Central Division. Miguel Cabrera hit .328 with 38 home runs and a league-leading 126 RBIs for Detroit, but the Tigers didn't qualify for post-season play and, thus, the slugging first baseman finished lengths in back of "The Natural."
On the other hand, without the word "valuable" to worry about, Cy Young Award voters paid little attention to team affiliation. Pitcher Felix Fernandez could barely muster more wins than losses for the hapless Seattle Mariners. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old right-hander drew 75 percent of the first-place votes by leading the Majors with a 2.27 ERA, topping the AL in innings and finishing second in strikeouts. Two pitchers on playoff teams - the 19-game winner David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays and 21-game winner C.C. Sabathia of the New York Yankees - nabbed the place and the show slots in the balloting.
"Dancing with the Stars" throws the voting wide open and lets anyone who has time to dial in determine who should win, notwithstanding his talent. Major League Baseball provides loose rules to voters that help them decide how to vote. But none of the rules is restricting. Coincidentally, Thoroughbred racing offers little concrete to define what a Horse of the Year should be. The Eclipse Awards ballot is purposely ambiguous. Is it too much to think that the people in charge understand that a difference of opinion is what followers of the sport really want?
Voters for Blame will hinge their decision on the fact that Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's homebred son of Arch lost only once, but not to the mare that's his number one competitor. They'll take seriously the "World Championships" tag that the Breeders' Cup uses to describe the multi-million dollar end-of-year event in which the colt triumphed. They'll cite Blame's near perfect record against horses in first-level competition on several different racetracks as credentials that are representative of supremacy. To them, the short head by which Blame beat the 2009 Classic winner to the finish line at Churchill Downs is decisive.
Voters for Zenyatta will contend that in falling short of Blame, despite a slow start, foreign soil and an untimely ride, the mare lost none of her luster. They believe that her body of work deserves recognition, especially in light of the circumstances. It's unarguable that Zenyatta has done more for the sport than any horse since Barbaro and that the light shed by her was 100 percent positive. It seems inconceivable to them that history would deny the game's biggest star with the game's ultimate accolade.
One set of Eclipse Award voters sees duty in black and white options while the other chooses grey. One set is leading with the head while the other with the heart. The one time that Zenyatta and Blame met, Blame won – that's what it basically comes down to for some people. To others, the sum of Zenyatta's achievements is greater than its parts; one race does not define a year – a campaign and the fallout created from the campaign should count.
As long as no hard criteria exist for electing a Horse of the Year, there will be a question about what Horse of the Year means. Is the Horse of the Year the Horse with the Best Statistics or the Most Valuable Horse?
In 1947, Boston's Ted Williams won baseball's Triple Crown and finished first in slugging, OBP, doubles and runs scored. Yet, the voters determined that Joe DiMaggio provided more intangibles to his pennant-winning Yankees and deserved to be MVP instead. Rabid "Dancing with the Stars" followers can't comprehend that Sabrina Bryan, one of "The Cheetah Girls," was eliminated in 2007 and that Shawn Johnson, a 17-year-old gymnast, won the glitter ball trophy in 2009. But that's what happens when things are left to interpretation. We should be happy for that.
You can contact Vic Zast on Facebook and Twitter. He votes for Horse of the Year but keeps his ballot private.
Written by Vic Zast


text:
Nasser Al-Helaifi commented on Neymar's desire to leave PSG. The president of PSG Nasser Al-Helaifi told that he waits from the players of full return on the football field. Speaking about Neymar, the president emphasized that the Brazilian consciously went on a transfer from Barcelona and did not force to sign the contract it. "I want that players...
Date: 3 weeks ago 2019-05-25 22:00 Category: Football
UPL: The Carpathians missed a victory over Olympique, Arsenal Kyiv - the last
Goals: Hongla, 15, Myakushko, 75, 79 (foams.) — Matar, 3, 89, Guy, 83 Carpathians: Kuchinsky — Miroshnichenko, Nesterov, Kovtun, Mekhremich — Di Franco (Tolochko, 88), Klets, Hongla — Myakushko, Ponde, Gutsulyak (Debelko, 90 3). Olympique: Krynsky — Ksenz, Grishko, Tsymbalyuk, Klimenchuk (E. Pasich, 46) — Guy, Politylo (Degtyarev, 79) — Kravchuk (Valeev, 53), Teixeira, Vantukh — Matar. Preventions: Show off — Matar. Gum — Arsenal Kyiv of 1:0
the Goal: Bogdanov, 31. Gum: Pastes — D. Favorov, Imerekov, Nemchaninov, the Pavement — Ogir (Starenky, 78), Bogdanov — Volkov, A. Favorov (Belich, 90 2), Kartushov — Filippov (Bezborodko, 83). Arsenal Kyiv: Pydkyvka — Zhichikov, Vakulenko, Bashlay, Dubinchak — Dombrovsky, Tankovsky, Orikhovsky (Lipartiya, 34) — Kadimyan (Mudrik, 46), to Meuse (Kovpak, 46), Kalitvintsev. Preventions: A pavement, A. Favorov, D. Favorov, Kartushov — Pidkivka. Vorskla — Chornomorets of 1:2
Goals: Kolomoyets, 54 — Koval, 26, Tanchik, 63 Vorskla: Tkachenko — Perduta, Martynenko, Chesnakov, Sapay — Sklyar, Petroviç — Vasin, Gabelok (Kobakhidze, 90), the Child (Artur, 46) — Kareka (Kolomoyets, 46) Chornomorets: Litovchenko — Golikov, Ryzhuk, Goshkoder, Norenkov (Trubochkin, 72) — Babenko — Tanchik, Hamelyuk, Arzhanov, Vilkhamsson (Chorny, 65) — Koval (Pavlov, 78) Preventions: Garlic — Ryzhuk, Trubochkin, Babenko Udaleniye: Garlic, 68 (the second yellow card)
URL: http://newswell.info/articles/upl_the_carpathians_missed_a_victory_over_olympique_1558807828
The rate of cryptocurrency is still significantly lower than the peak levels noted at the end of 2017 when it was close to $20 thousand. The rate of bitcoin on Sunday, June 17, rose above in 9 thousan...
Filaret distributed invitations to the cathedral; Groysman criticized Poroshenko. The correspondent.net marks out the main events of yesterday. Biden overtook Trump in the rating of U.S. presidential...
The Chief of Presidential Administration Andrey Bogdan said that on Bank it is possible to make the museum of the old building of AP. can open the New museum in the building of Presidential Administr...
Results 16.06: Filaret's revolt and Groysman's cha...
Date: 7 hrs ago
Filaret distributed invitations to the cathedral; Groysman criticized Poroshenko. The correspondent.net marks out the main events of yesterday. Biden overtook Trump in the rating of U.S. presidential candidates the Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden (Democratic party) bypassed the head of state Donald Trump (Republican Party) in...View
The building of Presidential Administration will b...
Date: 10 hrs ago
The Chief of Presidential Administration Andrey Bogdan said that on Bank it is possible to make the museum of the old building of AP. can open the New museum in the building of Presidential Administration. About it the TV channel Ukraine was told by the head of administration of Vladimir Zelensky Andrey Bogdan. according to him, the team of the n...View
Saakashvili admitted lack of protection
Date: 13 hrs ago
The former head of the Odessa Regional State Administration Mikheil Saakashvili considers that protection will not help him. the Former president of Georgia, the former head of the Odessa RSA Mikheil Saakashvili on air of 112 Ukraine on Sunday, June 16, admitted lack of protection. According to the politician, protection will not help him. Saakash...View
Results 15.06: A victory of Ukraine, Zelensky in M...
Date: yesterday
The national team of Ukraine won U-20 FIFA World Cup; the president visited Mariupol: The correspondent.net marks out the main events of yesterday. Ukraine won U-20 FIFA World Cup Combined Ukraine of a vyigal U-20 FIFA World Cup, having beaten in the final the national team of South Korea with the score 3:1. The final match took place in the Polish...View
In Russia eight people died in road accident
Date: 2 days ago
In the Voronezh region of the Russian Federation the car and the minibus met head-on: seven died at once, one more person died in hospital. In the Voronezh region of the Russian Federation as a result of collision of the car and the minibus seven people died at once. Two more were traumatized, one of them died in hospital, the press service of a ce...View
On Krymsky Bridge closed rails of the first way
Date: 3 days ago
The construction of the first way of a railway part of the bridge through the Kerch Strait is completed. Builders finished laying of cross ties and rails on the first way of a railway part of the transport passage which connects Russia to the annexed Crimea. On Friday, June 14, reported about it in an info center Krymsky Bridge. "In the nearest fut...View
Russia reacted to placement of the American drones...
Date: 4 days ago
Unmanned aerial vehicles of a shock class are comparable to medium-range missiles, Vladimir Shamanov considers. The American UAVs of a shock class are capable to carry nuclear weapon. Therefore Russia will take the answer-back measures because of placement in Poland of UAVs of the U.S. Air Force. The Chairman of the State Duma Committee of the Russ...View
Putin said that he does not see Zelensky's activit...
Date: 4 days ago
The Russian President hoped for fast adaptation of the president of Ukraine to a position, new to it. The President of Russia Vladimir Putin expects that Vladimir Zelensky will be able quickly to get into the role of the president of Ukraine and to begin to show results. He said it on Thursday, June 13, in an interview of TV company the World. Puti...View
The rate of bitcoin updated a maximum since May, 2...
Date: 2 hrs ago
The rate of cryptocurrency is still significantly lower than the peak levels noted at the end of 2017 when it was close to $20 thousand. The rate of bitcoin on Sunday, June 17, rose above in 9 thousand a mark of $ that occurred for the first time since May, 2018. According to data of CoinDesk, cryptocurrency cost reached on June 16 $9,385. On Monda...View
In the Crimea in large quantities sell substitute...
Date: 23 hrs ago
The diesel fuel which is not conforming to requirements is revealed in 47% of the carried-out inspections, counterfeited gasoline – in 20%, Rosstandart reports. In the annexed Crimea the diesel fuel which is not conforming to requirements is revealed in 47% of checks, and counterfeited gasoline – in 20%. The press service of Rosstandart reports abo...View
Ukrainians were warned about rise in price of fuel...
Date: 24 hrs ago
Experts of the petromarket advise drivers to prepare for rise in price of autogas which besides can become deficiency. In Ukraine fuel began to rise in price: as experts of the petromarket — because of the Russian restrictions for its delivery since June 1 claim. Experts advise our drivers to prepare for rise in price of autogas which besides can b...View
Ministers of the G20 agreed about oil market stabi...
Date: yesterday
Ministers of Energy of the countries of the Group of Twenty gathered in connection with attacks on tankers in the region of the Persian Gulf. Ministers of Energy of the countries of the Group of Twenty (G20) agreed in common to work for stabilization of the world market of oil. It was said by the Japanese minister of the industry Hiroshige Seko, RB...View
President of PSG: Neymar consciously made the choi...
Date: just now
Nasser Al-Helaifi commented on Neymar's desire to leave PSG. The president of PSG Nasser Al-Helaifi told that he waits from the players of full return on the football field. Speaking about Neymar, the president emphasized that the Brazilian consciously went on a transfer from Barcelona and did not force to sign the contract it. "I want that players...View
Buletsa got a silver ball of a junior WC
Date: yesterday
Daniil Sikan received "a silver boot". Football players of the national team of Ukraine of U-20 Sergey Buletsa and Daniil Sikan received individual awards after triumph in the World Cup-2019, is reported on the official site of FIFA. Buletsa became the owner of a silver ball as the second best player Mundialya. On its account three goals and two as...View
Lakers and New Orléans agreed about Anthony Davies...
Date: yesterday
In the opposite direction the group of players will go to Louisiana. The forward of New Orléans Anthony Davies will become the player of Lakers in the nearest future, the authoritative insider Adrian Voynarovski reports. According to a source, will receive for the 26-year-old basketball player Pelikans the forward Brandon Ingram, defenders Lonzo Ba...View
Argentina lost to Colombia the opening match on th...
Date: yesterday
Messi's team started with defeat in Brazil. In the next tour she will play with Paraguay. Argentina national team lost to Colombia in a match of the first round of a group stage of the Cup of America with the score 0:2. The account in a match was opened in the 71st minute by Roger Martinez, and in 5 minutes prior to the end of the main time Duvan Z...View
Bella Hadid acted in a stylish retroimage
Date: 3 days ago
Pictures of the model in few hours gained more than 350 thousand likes in Instagram social network. The American model Bella Hadid published a series of pictures in which it is imprinted in an effective retroimage. Photos gained in several hours more than 350 thousand likes in inflorescence of Instagram. On a photo Bella Hadid appears in the fittin...View
There were details about cryptocurrency of Faceboo...
Date: 3 days ago
Creators already attracted investments of the large companies. Have to present new currency in the nearest future. The Facebook company is engaged in creation of own cryptocurrency. In Network some details of what this development will be, is written by The Wall Street Journal appeared. According to the edition, Facebook attracted investments more...View
Why those who appreciate quality of the image, cho...
Date: 3 days ago
In 2019 the Samsung company presented the QLED TV, the first at the market, with the record resolution of 8K. The unique feature of a novelty turns on the Quantum 8K processor which thanks to technology of artificial intelligence can improve considerably quality of initial content, optimize a sound under each scene and change TV brightness dependin...View
Found a new way of fraud in WhatsApp
Date: 3 days ago
Malefactors collect data of users thanks to a bait in the form of 1 TB free Internet. Malefactors invented a new type of fraud in the popular WhatsApp messenger. They entice trustful users into the networks by means of a bait in the form of 1 TB free Internet traffic. Writes Tecmundo about it. The trap calculated on credulous users, in fact, is beh...View
Voice. Children 5: to watch online the 4th release...
Date: yesterday
In the fifth release of the show Voice. Children the fifth season will undergo the last blind dryings. Who will take the remained places in the teams of star trainers, look on the Correspondent 16.06.2019. New season of the vocal show Voice. Children the 5th season approached final release of blind listenings. More than twenty children apply for th...View
Alain Delon was hospitalized
Date: 3 days ago
In France the actor Alain Delon was hospitalized. He was taken to hospital of the Parisian suburb with headaches. the Famous French 83-year-old actor Alain Delon is hospitalized, reported BFMTV TV channel on Friday, June 14. the Actor is in the American hospital in the prestigious suburb of Paris of Neyi-sur-Saint because of complaints to headach...View
John Snow apologized for the final of Game of Thro...
Date: 3 days ago
Comic video was posted in Network. In it the actors who played leading roles in series are shown. In Network comic video with heroes of series Game of Thrones in which John Snow apologizes for the eighth season of a TV show was posted. Rolikbylopublikovanna Youtube-kanale Eating Things With Famous People. The roller is the fourth series of a final...View
The Madonna presented a new album of Madam H
Date: 3 days ago
The star conducted active advertizing campaign of a new plate, practically all the time appearing in public in an image of Madam H. The famous singer Madonna released a new album under the name Madame X. The album is available to listening, including in Music Apple. It is the fourteenth studio album of the singer. It included 15 songs sung in the E...View
China found traces of a dinosaur to which about 10...
Date: 13 hrs ago
The group of paleontologists found four fossilized traces of a dinosaur in east province of China of Jiangsu. Scientists found four fossilized traces of a dinosaur, age about 100 million years, in east province of China of Jiangsu, reports the Xinhua agency. It is noted that excavation was carried out by research group as a part of the Chinese and...View
On Everest established the highest meteorological...
Date: 16 hrs ago
Meteorological stations will fix temperature, relative humidity, pressure, speed and the direction of wind. Data will be available to researchers, climbers and everyone in real time. The international scientific expedition of National Geographic Society and the Nepalese University Tribkhuvana established five meteorological stations on Everest, Nat...View
At the ISS the device for anti-matter search broke
Date: 2 days ago
The AMS-02 device is intended for studying of structure of space beams, search of anti-matter and dark matter. Repair of the cooling system of the device for the search of AMS-02 anti-matter which is outside of the International Space Station (ISS) will demand at the end of 2019 five extravehicular activity from the American segment of the station...View
NASA estimated presence cost on the Moon
Date: 2 days ago
The head of NASA told about plans of implementation of the Artemis program which assumes creation of all conditions for constant presence on the Moon. Creation of all conditions for constant presence on the Moon will cost approximately 20-30 billion dollars. About the head of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jim Braydenstayn in...View


text:
A large saltwater pond that also spans the town of Oak Bluffs, the Vineyard Haven side of Lagoon Pond is flanked by a commercial/industrial district along the Vineyard Haven harbor. On the landward side lies a large and varied residential area that includes Hines Point, an old collection of summer and year-round homes fronting the pond, and Skiff Avenue, a pleasant Vineyard Haven neighborhood of mostly year-round homes where you will still find the occasional flock of chickens scratching in backyards.
Vineyard Haven Lagoon in the News
Museum Unveils Designs for New Site
Commercial Scallop Season Begins
Commission Approves Vineyard Haven Movie Theatre
Trouble in Lagoon Pond Adds Urgency to Recovery Efforts
Estuaries Study Finds Lagoon Pond Significantly Impaired
As Hospital Parking Lots Grow, Neighbors Fret
Marine Hospital Restoration Delayed


text:
adjective; satisfied, contented, happy, pleased.
Due to a family emergency we will not be able to process your orders from our site for the foreseeable future. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience.
New item
Fun hand screen printed pillowcase featuring the Welsh for 'Wake up lazybones' - Dihuna pwdryn. Exclusive to Bodlon.
50cm x 70cm.
Machine washable
Do you dream about a pint of beer? Hand printed strong Egyptian cotton pillowcase.
50cm x 70cm.
Do you dream about chocolate? Hand printed strong Egyptian cotton pillowcase.
50cm x 70cm.
All website content & copy: Bodlon 2012. Copying any part of the site or its content is strictly prohibited.
Contact us Bodlon Shop & Coffee Shop, 12 Park Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 7BQ Email: email@example.com | Telephone: 02920 650 564 | 07825 444 233


text:
Beautiful Napkins: Stylish Ideas for Your Table
Running Press, 1999 - Cooking - 151 pages
This guide offers more than 40 innovative techniques on the art of napkin folding. Includes suggestions for designing, embroidering, and monogramming your own napkins, 175 stylish color photographs, and 8 fold-out, easy-to-follow projects.
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Common terms and phrases
accessories Avenue New York blanket stitch blue bone china border bowl braid bright colors checked napkin chopsticks Christian Lacroix cloth colored napkins combination complementary colors contemporary cotton or linen Crate and Barrel Crease the fold crisply starched cross stitch damask napkin diagonally dinner napkins double damask effect embroidered embroidery floss embroidery stitch etiquette fabric fashioned finger finish flap flatware flowers Fold the napkin Folded napkins form a square French gingham green guests half to form herbs ideal lacquered linen napkins meal monogram napkin in half napkin ring organdy organza parties pattern perfect pink place setting placecard placemat plain napkin pleats rectangle restaurants ribbon Robin Hood roll roses satin shades shape shells side simple soft Street New York style table decoration table linen table mat table setting tablecloth tableware textures theme thread three Fold top point traditional triangle trims tuck Turn the napkin unusual white napkin


text: High-Speed, High-Capacity 512 MB Compact Memory Media for Digital Cameras Melville, New York, November 28, 2005 - Olympus Imaging America Inc. proudly introduces the new H512 MB Type H-Series xD-Picture Card™, an advanced memory media designed for ultra-compact digital cameras. The H512 MB card has the highest speed performance in the xD-Picture Card™ series of media cards, and is scheduled to go on sale at the end of December 2005 with plans of introducing 256 MB and 1 GB capacities later on. The H512 MB Type H-Series xD-Picture Card uses the latest high-capacity storage technology to pack 512 MB of memory and high speed performance onto an ultra-compact media card measuring just 25.0mm (W) x 20.0mm (H) x 1.7mm (D) in size. The Type H-series xD-Picture Card TM is being developed using this advanced technology. The H512 MB enables users to take and store approximately 250 shots averaging an image size of 8 megapixels with an Olympus digital still camera in HQ mode (the default high-quality image setting). The card features high-speed data-transfer capabilities, achieving write speeds up to 2-3 times faster than the Standard and Type M xD-Picture CardTM when used with Olympus digital cameras.* "The rising pixel count and the advanced video-recording functions for digital still cameras are driving demand for digital camera memory media with higher speed performance," said John D. Blakeslee, Business Manager, Digital Memory Products. "Olympus plans to apply this high-capacity, high speed memory technology to develop the xD-Picture CardTM for Olympus digital cameras with memory capacities of up to 8GB." The letter "H" is printed on the new H-Series media cards alongside their memory capacity. The xD-Picture Card logo is printed on the product in a distinctive blue (rather than in gold/silver, as with earlier series). *Write speeds will differ from camera to camera, with shooting modes and shooting conditions. The H512 MB does not work with all digital camera models. Please check the Olympus web site for details. www.olympusamerica.com. ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC. Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets. Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhances peoples lives every day. These include:


text:
In need of a little gift inspiration? How about a few inspired gift ideas? Want to make a smart choice that'll wow the boss? Don't worry, shop Shari's! Look no further than our dedicated Boss' Day store and you'll discover plenty of appropriate boss day gift ideas like our delicious cookie arrangements and cookie selections, or even our fun chocolate brownie pops. Talk about whimsical way to feed that 4 pm sugar craving!
Shake up the 11 am snack time with a few of our sweet delights like our hand-dipped salted caramel pretzels, chocolate covered snack sampler packs, caramel apples, or stunning hand-decorated thank you cookie bouquets.
If you're looking for a little something different, why not consider a bosses day delivery gift baskets? We offer a huge array of different gift baskets including deluxe tea and cookie selections and rich coffee gift packs. They're just the thing for giving his or her morning cup of Joe a fresh twist. Thinking more of a happy hour style surprise? Then, give the boss a little something to enjoy when he or she is off the clock with one of premium wine and cheese assortments. There's no better way to enjoy the cocktail hour and unwind after a hard day's work.
Nuts for nuts? You'll find plenty of those too. Including our wonderful chocolate covered walnuts. And of course let's not forget our farm-fresh fruit hampers. We feature a wide variety of harvest-fresh fruit baskets featuring sweet, juicy and delectable pears, oranges and apples. Then come some of the best chocolate covered strawberries around. They're sweet, they're fruity, they're wonderfully hand-decorated with chocolate and they're the smart choice for any one truly wanting to impress a boss! Choose from boxes of 6 or 12 and you'll sure to wow any deserving boss or supervisor!
Better yet, we've got plenty more Boss' Day celebration ideas where that came from! Just take a peek at our amazing assortment of gifts and you're guaranteed to come up with a great option to suit your hard-working boss. We've got hundreds of cool and contemporary cookie and cake assortments at prices you'll love.
So whether you're planning a little token of your appreciation, or a big surprise courtesy of the entire team, shop now! We've got deliciousness defined. Check out online gifts for your boss at Shari's Berries today, you won't be disappointed.


text:
Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.
Thursday, December 27th 2001, 6:00am
Location: USA
Tuesday, January 1st 2002, 1:11pm
Supreme Member
Location: USA
Monday, May 19th 2003, 9:53am
Advanced Member
Location: USA
Friday, March 12th 2004, 11:57am
Saturday, December 31st 2005, 10:38am
Monday, June 22nd 2009, 11:09pm


text:
Author: Fred Kahn, MD, FRCS(C) and David Kunashko, DC
Source: Meditech International Inc.
Over the years, the neck is subjected to repeated stress, trauma, wear and tear. Often injuries may not cause pain at the time of the event; however, they become symptomatic many years later.
Repeated injuries have a cumulative effect, eventually resulting in degeneration of the cervical spine components. The majority of cases of neck pain are secondary to degenerative change. The individual's overall physical condition often dictates how rapidly one can recover from an injury and whether the neck will become a chronic problem.
Recent Findings Regarding Neck Pain: Etiology, Treatment, Prognosis
The treatment of cervical pain has long been overlooked by clinicians and researchers, particularly compared to low back pain. The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders1 clarified our understanding of this problem. This project involved seven years of work compiled from a database of more than 50 researchers from nine different countries and representing 19 specialized clinical and scientific disciplines.
Based on the Task Force's findings regarding epidemiology, risk factors, course prognosis, etc., treatment guidance was established. According to the Task Force: "Educational videos, mobilization, manual therapy, exercises, low-level laser therapy, and perhaps acupuncture appeared to have some benefit." (Emphasis added)
Over the course of any single year, the prevalence of neck pain in the general population ranges from 12.1-75.5 percent and when associated with disability, ranges from 1.7-11.5 percent. The number of people seeking care for whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) has been on the rise over the past three decades.
Based on this information, it is evident that neck pain and its associated symptoms, including headaches, radiation of pain to the extremities, numbness and tingling, etc., are more prevalent than previously recognized.
Neck pain is the end result of a variety of etiological factors, including the following, some of which are modifiable, i.e., high-level quantitative job demands, sedentary work positions and repetitive, precise working positions.
Non-modifiable risk factors include age, gender and genetics. There is a lack of evidence that workplace interventions are effective in decreasing the incidence of neck pain in the work force.
Most instances of neck pain are caused by disorders of the spine involving some type of mechanical derangement. Typically, the subjective sensation of pain is the result of muscle strain, spasm and/or ligamentous injury. Other sources include disc herniation, osteoarthritis, spinal / foraminal stenosis and degenerative disc disease (DDD).
The majority of individuals with chronic or acute neck pain do not experience a significant degree of resolution of symptoms with conventional therapeutic methods. In fact, between 50-85 percent of those affected experience recurrent neck pain between 1-5 years after diagnosis. The prognosis associated with this condition, along with increasing age, poor physical and often mental health, predicates a poor prognosis with regard to activity levels and quality of life.
Laser Therapy as a Treatment Option: Research Support
More than 21 randomized, controlled clinical trials have investigated the efficacy of laser therapy in relation to neck pain. Chow, et al.,2 performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled clinical trials to assess the efficacy of laser therapy when utilized in the treatment of neck pain. Her ground-breaking research was published in Lancet in 2009. Dr. Chow concluded that laser therapy reduces pain immediately after treatment in acute cases and up to 22 weeks after completion of treatment in patients with chronic neck pain.
Konstantinovic, et al.,3 reported that acute neck pain with radiculopathy treated with laser therapy provided effective short-term relief of pain in the arms and an increased range of neck extension compared to placebo procedures.
Ozdemir, et al.,4 performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study and concluded that laser therapy is successful in relieving pain and improving function in osteoarthritic disease.
At the cellular level, laser therapy demonstrates improvement in cellular metabolism, an increased production of ATP and collagen, enhanced neurological transmission and significant regeneration of the cellular components of the tissues. At the systemic level, there is stimulation of the immune response and increased production of endorphins and cortisol, the precursor of cortisone.
Case Profile: Laser Therapy for Disc Herniation
Disc herniation with right nerve-root irritation.
The patient is a 21-year-old pro golfer who injured his cervical spine performing exercises. This resulted in radiation of pain to the right scapular area, shoulder and lateral aspect of the arm. In addition, there was numbness and tingling in the extremity. The patient suffered from constant severe pain, had difficulty sleeping and was unable to engage in any meaningful physical activity for several weeks. An MRI revealed a right paracentral disc herniation at the C5-6 level. Prior to the patient receiving laser therapy, his pain continued to increase in severity and necessitated taking six or more Tylenol tablets each day.
Physical Examination:
A moderate degree of tenderness was noted from C3-T1. Range of motion of the cervical spine with regard to flexion, extension, lateral rotation and lateral flexion was less than 10 percent of normal. Paracervical muscle spasm was pronounced. There was no evidence of gross motor impairment and no sensory deficit; however, reflexes on the right were hypoactive.
Treatment Program:
Laser therapy was applied initially for five consecutive days and subsequently every 2-3 days over the succeeding three weeks, for a total of 13 treatments. The following parameters were used: 180 mW 830 nm laser diode, 750 mW 660 nm superluminous LED array and 1500 mW 840 nm superluminous LED array. Frequency of the wavelengths used varied from 50 to 100 Hz and duty cycle from 50-90 percent.
After five treatments, subjective improvement achieved was in excess of 80 percent. Range of motion of the cervical spine had increased to 50 percent of normal range and paracervical muscle spasm was minimal. After 13 treatments the patient was asymptomatic. Range of motion of the cervical spine was within normal limits. No tenderness was noted and the utilization of analgesics had been completely discontinued. The patient was fully functional.
Frequency and duration of treatment, along with correct positioning of the treatment arrays and probes, are critical to the process of achieving optimal therapeutic results. Indications are that the cervical spine is best treated in a relatively neutral position with the patient comfortably seated in a chair. Customization of protocols, as required, includes pulse frequency, duty cycle, wave form and duration. Based on our knowledge and experience, we recommend that laser therapy be utilized as one of the preferred treatments of choice in dealing with pathologies of the cervical spine.
- Haldeman S, Carroll L, Cassidy JD, Schubert J, Nygren A. The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders: executive summary. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 2009 Feb;32(2 Suppl):S7-9.
- Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, Bjordal JM. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet, 2009 Dec 5;374(9705):1897-908.
- Konstantinovic LM, Cutovic MR, Milovanovic AN, Jovic SJ, Dragin AS, Letic MDj, Miler VM. Low-level laser therapy for acute neck pain with radiculopathy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study. Pain Med, 2010 Aug;11(8):1169-78.
- Ozdemir F, Birtane M, Kokino S. The clinical efficacy of low-power laser therapy on pain and function in cervical osteoarthritis. Clin Rheumatol, 2001;20(3):181-4.
Dr. Fred Kahn is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and the diplomate of the American Board of Surgery. He is the founder of Meditech International, Inc.
Dr. David Kunashko received an honours bachelor's of science degree in molecular biology and molecular genetics from the University of Toronto. He then completed his chiropractic training at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, Ontario, as well as a diploma in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Dr. Kunashko has lectured extensively for several colleges including the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and is involved in clinical education and research for Meditech International (www.bioflexlaser.com).