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Establishing a Healthy Church – Part 3
Focusing on Paul's letter to Titus, this series shows us that a healthy church is a church with healthy leadership—leadership that teaches the gospel, nurtures an understanding and belief in the gospel and lives out the gospel in daily life.
Topic : Nature of the Church | Scripture: Titus2:1
This is our third week of four in our series on the book of Titus. Paul was writing Titus and teaching him how to take these young churches that had been planted on the island of Crete and to get them established and healthy to a degree that they are making God and the Christian faith attractive to their non-Christian neighbors. Last week, we talked about how a healthy church is a church that has healthy leadership. Healthy leadership is leadership that teaches the church the true gospel and nurtures an understanding and belief in the true gospel. Tonight, we're going to talk about how a healthy church is a church that lives in light of the gospel that they have come to believe. So let's read through Titus 2 together and then come back around, take it verse by verse and see what God has to say by His Spirit to us as a church and as individuals tonight.
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be soberminded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Let's pray together. "Father, again tonight we thank You for this portion of Your Scripture that You've left us. More so, we thank You for Your Holy Spirit that You have left us who leads us into truth, teaches us, clarifies Your Word for us, leads us to repentance and gives us encouragement. So Holy Spirit, we love You and we pray tonight that You would speak to us through these Words that Paul wrote, that You would impress upon our hearts what You know we need. Individually and corporately, we want to hear from You. We're not here to just be here, but we're here to experience You, to know You and to hear you. So I pray that You would help us to set aside the distractions of the day or the week ahead or the anxieties and fears we come into this room with. I pray that You would enable us and empower us to put a pause thoughts and that we might hear from You. Soften our hearts. Give us ears to hear. We pray and do all these things for Your glory and for our joy. In Jesus' name we ask. Amen."
Like many of you, when I was in high school, I was an athlete. . .or at least I did athletics. I played basketball at a small school in Lubbock, Texas. If you've ever been to Lubbock, you were probably underwhelmed. West Texas is kind of the armpit of America. Because we won a state championship my junior year, our basketball team was really the most visible representative of the high school. We were out and about in the community. We played in various tournaments. We had different games. We interacted with the public schools a lot. We didn't have a baseball or football team, so the basketball team was kind of the sport at our school. So we were the ambassador, the representatives for our school. So of course, we took that privilege and responsibility seriously, at least we tried to. Our coach did a great job of helping us
take that seriously, and he established some different rules to live by that would guide us and help us in remembering that we're representing our school. And as a Christian school, we weren't just representing our school, but we were representing Christianity to some degree. We thought about that a lot and developed these rules. One of the rule we had was that, when we played away games, we would the place we were visiting cleaner than we found it. So in terms of the locker room, we would leave that cleaner than we found it. We would pick up trash and do different things to make sure it was in ship shape before we left. We would just try to make it nice and neat. And that was a simple way among other different ways that we tried to be good ambassadors for the school. So my senior year we went to the state tournament and got dominated. I was so disappointed. For eighteen years, I had spent my entire life putting my hope in basketball and the achievement, notoriety and validation that basketball brought me. It was my functional god. So here we are at the big game and we lost. I was the leader of the team. After the game we went through the line and shook hands. And then we went back to the locker room. For some reason, my coach and I were the last to go back. The bench we sat on was trashed, and so being the last ones, we picked up some trash and set the chairs back. Then we went back to the locker room, our coach gave us the speech and we went back home and tried to move on. I was going to play in this small college, so I started setting my attention on that. About four weeks after the game, our coach got a letter in the mail. The letter was from the coach of the team that had beaten us in the semi-final game. What he had written in the letter was essentially, "After the game, I was watching as you and Beau did this. I just wanted to write and say that I noticed and was encouraged by what you did and how you represented both your school and the gospel." The lesson that I took from that is that people are always watching. Whether we know it or not, people are always watching. They're noticing how we live.
That is exactly the point I think Paul wants to get across in Titus 2. That's the framework by which he's operating as he's going to give a list of commands here to Titus on how to instruct these young churches. He knows that the non- Christians on the island of Crete are watching the Christians. They're watching the church. In fact, many of the people on the island of Crete had never seen a Christian, much less seen a Christian community begin to be organized and begin to grow up around them. So they are watching the young Christians on this island. They are watching these young developing churches on this island. And as they are watching, they are drawing their entire understanding of the Christian God, of the gospel and of the Christian life based on what they're seeing these young Christians on the island do, based on their behavior. So they're looking at these Christians and basing everything they know about Christianity on them. And so what Paul going to tell Titus in this chapter comes from the fact that he knows people are watching the church so the church needs to live in such a way that it's teaching these nonChristians who are watching what's true about the God of Christianity, what's true about the gospel. In other words, their lifestyle needs to match up with their message. And this is Paul's burden as he writes to Titus in chapter 2. Essentially he's saying is, if the church wants to mature and become a healthy church, it must recognize that the non-Christians are watching, and it must feel a sense of burden of responsibility and privilege in this. Now as we become Christians, we have an opportunity, a responsibility and a privilege to make God and the gospel attractive to those who our non-Christians who look in on our lives. And that's exactly what Paul is going to say here in Titus 2.
So let's pick it up in verse 1. He says to Titus, "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine." So he's contrasting what he wants Titus to do with the false teachers mentioned in chapter 1. In Titus 1, he talks about the false teachers, how they were teaching wrongly and how it wasn't a good thing. But now he's saying, "But you, Titus, I want you to teach what accords with sound doctrine. I want you to teach the true gospel, and also I want you to teach the church what it means to live in light of believing the true gospel." That's what he means when he writes, "Teach what accords with sound doctrine." In other words, "What accompanies right belief is right living." If you really believe, if you really understand the gospel, it compels you to live in a certain way. And that's what he's saying here. He's saying, "I want you to teach the young Christians how they should live in light of the gospel."
And then he goes into telling Titus who he needs to teach what to. Fittingly, he starts with telling Titus what he needs to teach the older men in the church. And when Paul says "older men," I think he's talking about men who are over 50 years of age. I've studied and looked at the history. That word that he uses for "older men" really talks about men who are in their last stage of life, so I think that's who he's talking to. The older men on the island of Crete are those who may be in their 50's or older. But as we talked about a couple weeks ago, if you're over 30 years old in our church here, you're an older man/woman here. I know that's crazy, but it's true. Older here starts at 30. 60% of our covenant members are under the age of 30 years old. 40% are under the age of 25 years old. So when he says "older men/ women" here, if you're older in terms of what it means to be older here, I want you to hear it for you. So don't just dismiss it for the 50 year olds. He says, "Older men are to be sober-minded. . ." So this is what the older men should exhibit. One commentary I read said that Paul is basically telling the older men in the church is that they are to exhibit a certain gravitas, a certain seriousness or soberness, which is both appropriate to their seniority within the church and also expressive of their inner self-control. It doesn't mean that they're a stick in the mud, but it means that they are sober- minded. The word "self-control" is a word you're going to hear again and again in chapter 2. Paul uses it four times. He means to get a point across by repetitively using this word. So self-control is one of those virtues that the Christians
on the island must exhibit in order to distinguish themselves from the culture around them. The culture around them was not self-controlled in terms of what Paul has in mind here. "Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self- controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness." These are three words that Paul uses together often in the Scriptures. The word "steadfast" here carries with it the same idea as the word "hope" that Paul often marries to the words "faith" and "love." Steadfastness carries with it the same idea as the word "hope," except it also connotes an added emphasis on perseverance that the word "hope" doesn't always do. Many think these three words to be the cardinal virtues in Paul's mind of what it means to live out the gospel. When he thought about the qualities that displayed the gospel and made it attractive, he thought about faith hope and love. He's telling the young men here, "If that's true, you older men in the church need to exemplify for everyone else the cardinal virtues and characteristics of our faith. You should walk in faith and trust and depend on God. You should exemplify what it means to love, to serve and care for others. You should exemplify what it means to be steadfast and persevere in hope through the circumstances, situations and persecutions that threaten your faith along the way. You endure through that and finish the race." It's unbelievable how many male leaders in the Bible do not finish the race. Most of them do not finish the race well. So what Paul is saying here to the older men is no small thing. He's saying, "I want you to exemplify the Christian life. I want you to
be sound in faith, love and steadfastness and walk with a soberness, self control and dignity about you. Exemplify the Christian life."
Then he turns his attention to the older women in verse 3. "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,. . ." The word "reverent" here means "holy," and even more specifically it may carry with it the idea of acting like a priestess. So it is a word that would have been used in connection with the life of a priestess. So what he may be meaning to communicate is, "You need to live like a priestess. You need to practice the presence of God in your daily lives, in your daily activities, in your daily interactions with people." He goes on to add, ". . .not slanderers or slaves to much wine." Both of these things, in the culture of the day, would have been things that older women did and were esteemed for doing. It was a popular thing to just join in with the slander. It was a well thought of thing that you could hold your own in terms of drinking wine. Paul is saying, "As one who has been saved by grace, you don't do that any longer. In fact, you live radically counter-cultural to those around you who aren't Christians." Christians live differently, and these are two areas that Paul picks out for the older women. He continues, "They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women. . ." The word "teach" here doesn't mean formal teaching. Paul is not talking about formal teaching. Rather what he's talking about is the type of teaching that happens on a day to day basis when you're around other people and you're teaching them by your example and through your conversations. It doesn't mean that the older women are to be leading formal Bible studies within the church, although I'm sure he wouldn't have been opposed to that. But that's just not what he's trying to get across. He's trying to say, "Part of the healthy discipleship culture of a church is that the older
women are intentionally involved in the lives of the younger women and they're teaching and training them by their lives and by their example." That's what he means to get across to the older women here. "By your conversations, by your inviting younger women into your life, you are to be teaching and training." The word "train" means to urge or encourage. I just loved John Stott's commentary on this chapter. He said, "It is noteworthy that, although Titus is himself to teach the older men and older women, and later the younger men, it is the older women who are given the task of teaching the younger women. . .There is a great need in every congregation for the ministry of mature women, whom The Book of Common Prayer calls "holy and godly matrons." They can share their wisdom and experience with the rising generation." This is what Paul is calling the older women of the church to, to help nurture this culture of discipleship within this church so the church would grow and mature as both of them mature together.
And then Paul actually tells what he wants the older women to be teaching the younger women. The list that we're going to go through is not exhaustive. This is not everything that Paul wanted the older women to teach the younger women. These are just things that hes had on his mind. Also, Paul is going to assume that the younger women on the island of Crete are married and have children. So you'll see everything on the list that Paul writes here is geared toward the home, geared toward marriage and geared toward family. So Paul is assuming that the younger and older women are all married and have children. So because he's writing to people who are married with children, he's naturally going to list out those things. But most of you who are younger women in our church are not married and don't have children. I'm a little bit nervous that you would realize that he's speaking to people who are married and have kids and since that doesn't have anything to do with you, you would turn him off. I think that would be a mistake. Some of what he's going to say currently does not directly bear on you because of the stage of life you're in, but as you listen to what Paul is saying here, you can think through the implications for the stage of life you are in. So don't turn him off. Just contextualize what he's saying for your life. The reason that he's writing to wives and to mothers is because that's who the younger women were in the church he's writing to. But for us, we're not a church with a bunch of young women who are married and
have children. But just listen to what Paul is saying and draw implications for your own life. The same goes for you older women. Just because Paul doesn't give you any framework for how to teach the younger women in our congregation who aren't married and don't have children, that doesn't mean you don't need to be doing it. The idea is that, regardless of stage of life, the older women should be teaching the younger women how to live in the light of the gospel and to face the unique challenges, opportunities and circumstances that come with their particular stage of life.
So this is what he says the older women should be teaching the younger women in these churches. He says, "They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,. . ." Because this is the primary responsibility of those who are married and have children. He goes on to say older women are to teach younger women how, "to be self-controlled, pure, working at home,. . ." There is quite the dialogue that has happened historically about what this little phrase "working at home" actually means. Many take working or busy at home to mean that the woman's job is not to be out in the marketplace or in the professional world, but to be home. They teach that all women who are married and have children should be working at home. That's their job. They are to be stay-at-home moms, all of them. In our culture that is heavily influenced by feminism, by achievement and by individual freedom, this has been met with quite the controversy. I've actually heard it from women in our own church who have differing opinions about this. I feel like it could slowly become a point of division among our own church where we have disagreement about what this verse is teaching. For that reason, I just felt compelled to stop here and teach for just a minute about what he's saying and what I don't think he's saying. I want to quote Stott again, because I agree with what he said. In regards to what "working at home means, Stott says, "It would not be legitimate to base on this word either a stay-at-home stereotype for all women, or a prohibition of wives being also professional women. What is rather affirmed is that if a woman accepts the vocation of marriage, and has a husband and children, she will love and not neglect them." That's the main point Paul is trying to get across. What he is opposing is not a wife's pursuit of a profession, but rather the habit of being idle and going from house to house. So I personally don't think that Paul is commanding all mothers and wives to be
stay-at-home moms and wives. I don't think that you can be dogmatic about that. I don't think you can say that and draw out that implication. However, what I definitely think Paul is teaching here is that the women who have entered into the vocation of marriage and children have been given as a primary responsibility before God to love and not neglect their husband and their children. They are to be busy taking care of them and taking care of the home front in a unique way. This is for the wife and mother the primary responsibility that they now have before the Lord. And nothing should get in the way of this responsibility, not a profession, not idleness, not laziness. So although Paul is not commanding all women who have children to stay at home, he is saying and putting a lot of weight behind, "This is your primary responsibility. So important is this that older women need to teach and train the younger women what this looks like." We're all going to give an account before the Lord for how we've raised our families. That's a weighty, beautiful thing. So if a profession or anything is getting in the way of this primary responsibility before the Lord, it's worth a discussion, not just for women but for men as well. I think Paul is saying, "Older women need to teach younger women how to love their husbands and children, how to be busy at home, how to be busy doing this work, which is primary before the Lord." It doesn't necessarily mean they can't do this or that.
He goes on to say that the older women should teach the younger women to be kind. What Paul may have in mind here is kindness to guests who are in the home. The wives and mothers need to be kind to those who are staying. And then he rounds out his list by saying, "Teach them teach them to be submissive to their own husbands." So he ends by saying that the women are to do their part to model the gospel in a marriage. He's saying that men and women should be treating their spouses and responding to their spouses in such a way that people, both Christians and non-Christians, are able look in on their marriage relationship and learn about Christ's relationship with the church as Paul talks about in other letters. So this is what Paul says to older women. "You need to be teaching and training the younger women how to do these things." And this is the nonexhaustive list that he gives.
There is so much more we could dive in to detail wise, but what I want to do is take you above the details and intricacies of the list and help you to see that he's saying that if a culture of discipleship is ever going to exist among our church, the older women are going to have to pour into the younger women and the older men are pouring into the younger men. Now men, I know he doesn't specifically say, "You need to be training and teaching the younger men," like he did for the women here, but I think based on other Scriptures and common sense, you could say the same for the men. The older men and women in our congregation, for us to be a healthy church, need to see it their responsibility to pour into, care for, teach and train by their example, by their conversation and by just welcoming the younger people into their lives, teach them how to live in light of the gospel. This is something that I hope stick with us as a church. If we ever want to continue in the health that God has established here by His grace, this has to continue. The reason that we're as healthy as we are right now is because there have been older men and women within our church who have felt this burden that God places on them through the Scriptures like this and others to be doing this. So we have had so many faithful older men and women who have engaged the younger here, brought them into their lives, into their homes and just poured into them. And that's the reason I think we're in the place we are where we are healthy. But I think there is still a long way to go, because there are many of you in here who are older who are still so bent on being ministered to by others (which is not a bad thing) that you've never even given any thought to doing this. You're so busy looking for a mentor for yourself that you've never stopped to think about the fact that maybe you should be mentoring somebody else and being yourself what you're looking for in other people. I think this is a good word for us. Whatever
it is that's stopping you, if it's fear, if it's feeling inadequate, join the club. I feel fear and inadequacy every single day. We are inadequate. If we try to engage people the way Paul is outlining here, we're going to fail. But part of a healthy discipleship culture in a church is when the older pour into the younger and the young are receiving that. You who are younger need to position yourself in a way that you can receive that. I'm not going to go into how this looks here, because it could look a hundred different ways for a hundred different people. I'm just saying that Paul is putting a
command on the older within the church to live in this sort of way, and it's really beautiful. So I'm just praying that God would continue to do this among us as He's done.
At the end of verse 5, Paul say why this is so important. ". . .that the word of God may not be reviled." So he's saying, "Older women, teach and train the younger women how to live godly lives. Why? So that the Word of God may not be reviled." So as those who are not Christians look at the church and see the younger Christians being poured into by the older Christians, their reasons for reviling the faith are dissipating because the church is maturing in such a way that they're living faithfully. They're not giving non-Christians any reason to look in on their lives and say, "See? They say this with their mouth, but their lives look like this." So even here his mind is toward those who are outside not being able to look in and revile the word of God.
And then in verse 6 here, Paul actually turns his attention to address the young men in the church. He says, "Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled." Paul has one word for the young men of the church. That one word is "self-controlled." It is amazing to me how little has changed in 2000 years. It's amazing to me that the one word Paul chose here still cuts right to the heart of the primary struggles of young men today. It's unbelievably relevant. Not a lot has changed. So he's saying, "Young men, you are not to be controlled by your stomach and your appetites. You are not to be controlled by a lust of the flesh, a lust for comfort, approval, notoriety, control, power or glory. These things cannot control you. You are to live a life that is different than every other young man around you who is not a Christian." Now our culture is the opposite of this. So Paul is saying something radical here. He's saying, "Young men, if you want to show people what the gospel is like, live self-controlled. And when you do that amid a culture that does not live self- controlled, you make much of God." The implication for the rest of one's life that comes from being faithful in just this one thing Paul says here is unbelievable. If by God's grace, through the power of His Spirit, with the encouragement
and help of the church, we could learn to live self-controlled, the ramifications of the rest of our lives would be unreal. That's why he only needs to put one word. Young men, I have just a few thoughts about this verse. I think from this verse we see that self-control is possible, even for you, if you're a Christian. I know you don't always feel like that, but it is possible. Otherwise, Paul would never instruct Titus to encourage the young men toward self-control. If it were an impossibility, why would he instruct him to tell the young men to be self-controlled? He wouldn't. So in Paul's mind, this is a possibility. Also, what helps lead to this is encouragement. So encouragement helps you be selfcontrolled. That's why he tells Titus, "Encourage them." Encouragement is a means of grace God gives us to cultivate and nurture self-control. That's why it's so important for you to be part of a church and walking with other men who can encourage you. I don't know if you can be self-controlled if you're not doing that. I'm not going to say it's impossible, but it is far less probable. Which is why being part of a church so you can be encouraged in your self-control is so crucial. And it's not just encouragement you need, but it's also an example. That's why he has already said it to the older men, and it's why he's going to say it again in verse 7 to Titus. He tells Titus, "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works. . ." In other words, Paul is saying, "What I'm telling you to encourage the younger men in, you should exemplify for them what this looks like. Imperfectly? Yes, but you do that. Because they need encouragement, but they also need an example in this."
And then he goes with specific instructions for Titus. He's transitioning now to the lifestyle of the pastor/leader of the church. He says this, ". . .and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned. . ." He's telling Titus, "As you're teaching, know what you're teaching about. Be articulate, intelligent and winsome. Don't be the teacher who has no idea how to articulate the faith." And here's why. Again Paul is looking and thinking of outsiders. He says, ". . .so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us." So that no one would be able to look in at the pastor's life and, by his haphazard living and teaching, say, "Well that faith isn't viable. Look at this guy. He's the one leading the whole church. Look at how he's living. The man can't even articulate his faith. Look at this." Paul is saying, "It's so important that you are sound in your speech and character, so that those who are outsiders look in,
even though they would want to condemn us, they'll be put to shame and have nothing evil to say about us." So he talks about the leaders of the church and their lifestyle there.
And then in verses 9-10, he turns and talks about slaves, what it looks like to live in a distinctively Christian way if you're a slave. Before we read what Paul has to say, I want to say a couple things about slavery. As you read here about slavery or if you read other letters that Paul wrote about slaves, you might think that Paul is condoning slavery. I did a series (part 1, part 2) last year on the book of Philemon. That letter is actually a letter about a runaway slave who Paul is sending back to the master. Both the master and slave are Christians. So Paul has profound things to say about the institution of slavery. I think what he says in Philemon are the seeds that undermine the entire institution of slavery altogether. So if you want to read those, I go into detail there about slavery. But I just want to say a couple things about slavery. Slavery
in the 1 st century was different than slavery in the early American colonies. They are not the same. Slavery in the 1 st century was not based on race like it was in the early colonies. When we think of slavery, we think of colonial America and we think immediately of race, and we should. What happened there was horrible, despicable and sinful. But that's not the same type of slavery. It wasn't based on race in the 1 st century. It also wasn't based on social class or intelligence. In fact, Aristotle was actually a slave of Alexander the Great. One of the most brilliant men in the history of the world was a slave, but not the type of slave that we think of obviously. He was a teacher, and he would provide a function for this family and Alexander would be taught by him. So it wasn't based on intelligence or social class. The treatment of slaves in the 1 st century varied as well. Some slaves were treated really, really well to the point where they were almost treated like family, so much so that some slaves, once they paid off their debt, would actually want to stay on as slaves because they were treated so well. Their role there was better than any job they could get out in society. So it ranged from that to what we do think of in the early colonial period where there was just despicable and horrible treatment of those who were slaves. So I don't want to overstate how different slavery in early colonial America was compared to slavery in the 1 st century, but it was different. So just know that as we read this. And then also know that these commands that Paul makes to the slaves is not Paul endorsing slavery. Nowhere does Paul condone or endorse slavery. So don't hear it that way. In fact one of the historians I read this week said, "The commands to slaves in Titus 2:9-10 are to be seen, of course, in the setting of ordinary daily life in the first century. Slavery was a fact of life and there was no point pretending it wasn't. You could no more abolish slavery overnight in the first century than you could invent space travel. The fact that you might hope it would happen one day, and wished it would, wouldn't justify giving slaves the impression that now they were Christians they could disobey their masters." So Paul is not here endorsing slavery. Rather what he's doing is looking in the face of the reality of 1 st century life and saying to these men and women who were slaves, "Listen, you have an unbelievably powerful opportunity in the way that you live and function as a slave to display the gospel."
And it is powerful what he says in verse 9. He says, "Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith. . ." So essentially he's saying, "Don't argue with your masters and don't steal." These two things would have been the primary temptation for slaves in the 1 st century. Can you imagine, when you're being persecuted and mistreated by your master, the temptation there would be to respond in anger, frustration and insubordination? Paul is saying, "Don't do that. You suffer well." And of course, Jesus Christ is the example for having suffered well. Even though He was reviled, He did not revile back. But He entrusted Himself to the Father. Paul is saying the same thing. "Don't argue. Be peaceable. Don't argue with your masters. Non- Christian slaves do that. As Christians, it changes the way we live in this area. You don't argue. And you also don't steal," which is super common in the 1 st century. You can imagine these slaves would be sent off to the market or wherever and they would be given money to go buy goods for the household and bring them back. So the temptation for them to steal the money or the goods they were sent to purchase would be great. And Paul is saying, "You don't do that either. I know all the other slaves around you are doing that, but you, informed by what it means to be a Christian, live differently in this area." And again, here's why he says that they're to this in the end of verse 10. ". . .so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior." Why is he instructing slaves to live this way? Because it makes God look good.
Can you possibly imagine how powerful a witness to the watching world for slaves to live like this? People who were not Christians would have looked at this behavior and thought, "What in the world has gotten into these people that they're not stealing and they're not insubordinate? Why in the world? How in the world are they doing this?" The answer of course would be that what's gotten into them is the God of Christianity, and He has radically and powerfully transformed them to the point where they can endure suffering if it means that it makes God attractive to those who are watching. That is unbelievably powerful.
So three times in verses 1-10, Paul speaks about the effect and witness that Christian living has on the watching world. That's obviously at the forefront of his mind as he is instructing these Christians how to live in light of the gospel. He's knows that the world is watching and they're making judgments about Christianity. And so how these young churches and young Christians function, live and behave in light of the gospel is crucial. As we mentioned earlier, the same is true today in Denton just like it was in Crete. As Christians, we are the minority in our city, especially in this neighborhood. And the nonChristians in our city are watching whether we know it or not, and many of them are drawing conclusions about Christianity based on how we live. And I wonder, what are we teaching them? What are non-Christians learning about Christianity by watching how we function in our homes? What are they learning from the way you talk to and
treat your spouse? What are they learning by watching the way that you treat your children? What are they learning from the way you interact with your parents or sibling? What are they learning from the way you care for or serve your roommate? What are they learning from the way you interact with your neighbors? What are they learning about the gospel by how you live? What are non-Christians learning about the Christian God from our actions in the workplace or classroom? Paul's instruction to slaves, even though it's radically different, still has a lot of implications for how we work and function as employees and students. So how do you respond to your supervisor, teacher or coach? Are you argumentative? Are you peaceable? Are you a hard worker? Are you lazy? Do you fuel the gossip around the office? Are you quick to speak well of others even if they have wronged you? Do you stretch the truth? Do you cheat on your homework? When no one is looking, to you quit working and surf the web? Do you tell the truth? Do you work honestly? Do you tell the truth even if it costs you a bonus, a grade or your reputation? What are non-Christians learning from the way we function in the office and in the classroom? What are they learning about the gospel by watching how we hang out with our friends? How do you handle the freedom that you have in Christ? Are you selfcontrolled and sober-minded or do you cheapen grace and abuse grace by doing what the Scriptures say Christians ought not to do? Do you profess with your mouth that you're a Christian and then live in a way that would absolutely preach the contrary to everyone around you? When you're at the dinner table, do you join in with the slanderer when they're talking about this person or that friend? Or are you the one who actually stays silent or possibly turns the conversation to a more positive direction? What or who controls you? "Make no mistake," Paul is saying, "the world is watching." The nonChristians in our city and in our neighborhood are watching and drawing conclusions about God from us.
Just by way on confession, I've been reading and rereading this letter, and I have been extremely convicted as I have done so, particularly as I have read this chapter and this section. On so many fronts, as an older man in the congregation, as a leader of the congregation, as a husband and a father, I've had to look at these verses, and it's like a mirror. And as I have looked into the mirror, I have been reminded of what it looks like to live in light of the gospel in these different roles. And I've also just been clearly shown how much I am failing. And I am failing to obey God and failing to make Him attractive in these various ways. Now I'm not wholesale failing, but as I have read this, I've been really convicted about the ways that I am failing. There have been times where I've been studying and I've had to put it down and just pray.
As I've been convicted and sought to repent, I have been unbelievably grateful that Titus 2 doesn't end in verse 10. I have been overwhelmed for verses 11-14. Because in those verses, Paul lays out the gospel, the good news, the central message of Christianity. In these verses, I have found a few things. I have found forgiveness for the myriad of ways I personally and our church corporately have failed to obey God. And as we have failed to obey Him, we have failed to
make Him attractive to the watching world. I have found forgiveness for that in guilt and failure. I have also found all of the reason, motivation, strength, power and grace that I and we as a church need to obey God and to live in such a way that makes Him attractive. So I've found forgiveness for the ways I'm not doing that and the strength and the motivation that I need to do it in verses 11-14. So you might say that verses 11-14 are the fuel to do what Paul says in verses 1-10.
The fuel for living in light of the gospel is the gospel, and that's what he says in verses 11-14. Let's read them together and thank God for them. "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." The degree to which our hearts are changed continually by verses 11-14 is the degree to which we as individuals and as a church will be able to do what Paul tells the churches to do in verses 1-10. Paul is saying is, "The grace of God, personified in the person of Jesus the Christ, has appeared. He came in response to all of our sin, all of our failure and all of our rebellion, and on the cross, through His substitutionary death where He stood in our place for our sins, He gave Himself for us to ransom us, to buy us back from slavery to sin.
So we don't live in bondage to sin anymore. He came to rescue us from the wrath of God. He's coming back. One day this Christ will return. He will reappear. And this is where the Christian's hope is set. And until He returns, we, trained, motivated and sustained by His grace, live as His people in the city. And in light of what He has done for us, in light of Him laying down and giving Himself for us, we now make much of His grace by living selfcontrolled, upright and godly lives together in the hopes that our neighbors will be attracted to our God through our lives. And this is what His life, death and resurrection have saved us for." We've been saved from a lot, but we've been saved to something as well. And what we've been saved to is to increasingly display His glory and character to those around us until He returns. And as Paul said to be a purified people who are zealous for good works. And that is where we will pick up next week. Let's pray together.


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There are currently 1 Rue21 coupons, promo codes and promotions for October 2020. Copy coupon codes and apply them at checkout on rue21 or follow a promotion link to find discounted items or get free shipping.
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subset: commoncrawl


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BasketballMaui and The Grand Wailea are presenting the inaugural Maui screening of the 2013 film LINSANITY this Saturday, June 20 at Hope Chapel. The film follows the career and life of basketball player Jeremy Lin, looking at the Chinese-American's journey from high school to Harvard and, eventually, the NBA. Attendees will also have a chance to win autographed giveaways. Food will be available for purchase. Free. 6pm. Hope Chapel (300 E. Welakahao Rd., Kihei); Basketballmaui.com
-Marina Satoafaiga (@sandtothecity)
Photo of Jeremy Lin cookies: Ingrid Richter/Wikimedia Commons


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I was recently in a meeting talking to a 'Handyman'. This particular gent works for Broadland District Council and told me it can be hard to get the message out. To tell people there is a subsidised / free service for older people, to support independent living and staying safe at home.
Six of the Seven Norfolk District Councils offer the Service supporting Independent Living
So I looked into it. Six of the seven District Councils in Norfolk offer a Handyperson Service (Breckland Council doesn't). Eligibility and cost vary slightly over the rest of Norfolk but the remit is the same. If you are elderly and need a small job doing in your home your local HandyPerson service can help you. This could be fitting grab rails, putting up shelves or installing a keysafe. Maybe fitting an access ramp, moving heavy furniture or fixing leaking tap.
South Norfolk District Council offer their Handyman Service to everyone (any age) for £20 / hr, subsidized if you are over 65. Norwich City Council's Handy Van Scheme is only for over 65's and charges £15 / hr. This is the same as Broadland D.C.s Handy Person +, although these also offer signposting and information as part of their service. North Norfolk D.C. use the Benjamin Foundation to deliver their scheme, Ben's Workforce, to the over 65's.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council's Handyperson Service is delivered by Safe at Home for £20 / hr to over 60's, as is the Handyperson Service in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, delivered by the Careline Community Service.
In all cases these prices are lowered or waived if you are on means-tested benefits.
So stop looking at the front door that needs repainting, wondering how to get it done. Try your local council, get it done for a fixed rate by a trustworthy Handyperson.
Kat Navarro
Contact Care Lifeline Alarms aid Independent Living in Norfolk and Suffolk.


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Mini Cleanser
$4.99 $9.99
Ingredients: Organic Rosewater, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Tea Tree Oil
When did scrubbing your face with harsh chemicals become the standard way to get clean? Save the suds for the dishes and be nice to your face! Next to rinsing with water, S.W. Basics Cleanser is about as simple as you can get.
It's perfect for problem and sensitive skin. It's gentle, non-drying, and contains no alcohol. Plus it's USDA Certified Organic. And it smells awesome. We start with a traditional organic rosewater-and-glycerin base and add a tiny bit of organic tea tree oil. No soap, no harsh detergents, no para-sulfate-whatchamacallits.
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Job seekers and employers can use the information on the website to help them choose a provider, they can also give feedback on their experiences with individual employment services providers.
Employment services providers can use Connections for Quality to promote their services to job seekers, employers and the wider community.
Service Delivery Plans for jobactive providers are published on Connections for Quality. Service Delivery Plans outline the services job seekers and employers can expect to receive from their jobactive provider. Plans can also be found on the services tab for each provider at JobSearch.
Want to know more?
- visit the Australian JobSearch website.


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- Format: PC
- Unleashed: Out Now
- Developer: Relic Entertainment
- Players: 1-6
- Site: https://www.dawnofwar.com/
- Game code provided by the publisher
Crikey, it's been six whole years since the last installment of Dawn of War. Unfortunately, (Warhammer 40,000) Dawn of War 3 probably isn't the sequel you were looking for. It takes bits from both Dawn of War and Dawn of War 2 but hasn't made a distinction between what was good or bad about either, and seems to have just chucked it all together with a few new things to boot. It's by no means an awful game – far from it in fact – but it lacks identity, and has gone for simplified tactics yet made controlling everything much more complex. We can't help but think they didn't know what they wanted to do with this one.
Three forces, Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks; all fighting on one planet, waiting for another planet to fight on to appear from the Warp. It crosses the stories of three Dawn of War faction leaders that we've seen in past games, fighting against each other in an entwined story.
It's alright.
The Eldar are cunning, the Space Marines are loyal to their fellow servants of the Emperor, and the Orks are fighty and surprisingly cunnin' too. The Orks are also fairly amusing, which is half of what Orks should always be (the other half is fighty) so it's a spot-on depiction of them here.
The campaign is a mixed bag. The worst missions are the ones with base building and all the time in the world to complete your objectives. They border on being too easy for their respective difficulties. They also telegraph the bits where you might have to defend by yelling "They're sending enemies to your base right now" to you. It makes it easier to tell whenever you're about to be attacked, but in an RTS game with base building maybe it shouldn't treat you like a child quite so much.
The best missions are the ones which just give you a few troops – like in Dawn of War 2. You get to pick your Elite troops (a new feature where you get powerful, specialised units to summon into the battlefield) with maybe a few standard troops, and potter about a level that's fairly challenging and makes you think about what you're doing. These levels stand out most when they are more or less just focussed on the Elites – because the Elites are awesome. You're limited to three and aren't allowed duplicates because they are very powerful. They're also much more fun than your standard troops.
Elites are a big part of the campaign but they're also a big part of multiplayer. You still get to pick three, but you won't be stuck with the faction leader if you don't want them. The other thing you get to pick is Doctrines, which give new abilities or bonuses to normal units, buildings or armies depending on what they are. They include things such as letting troops fire on the move, granting shields on an ability activation, or perhaps mutating an existing ability to function differently instead. It's all quite interesting but it also makes some things even more difficult to manage mid-battle.
It's an impressive game at times; huge armies look fantastic when they're fighting each other, and give a real sense of scale. The issue is that, well, big armies are cumbersome and it's easy to get lost in the fray. Especially when there are so many larger units that have joined now. Admittedly many of these are late-game Elite units, but they still take up a lot of screen real estate and the game doesn't zoom out to show all that much for whatever reason. It's all very micromanagey and not as tactically minded as previous games.
The cover systems from previous games are gone. Now we have captureable, hard cover, and stealth cover. Take a wild guess at how those work. This is where the game really does a disservice to itself. While both are tactically useful they're also really boring, especially the hard cover. Putting a unit in captureable cover lets you create a shield that protects any units inside from damage until the shield is broken. Melee units can invade said cover, but if they are too large then they'll sit outside smacking it instead, which is far less helpful and frankly annoying. Stealth acts as bushes do in most MOBAs; run in and you're invisible unless someone else is in there with you. It's useful, but why is there stealth cover there in the first place? Surely vantage points and fog of war would be better alternatives?
Some other stuff has changed too. Heavy weapons units that need to set up their weapons before firing can now fire in any direction without the use of firing arcs or anything like that. Thing is, that was part of what made Dawn of War 2 really good. That, cover for your squads, suppression (proper suppression, not the tiny bit of suppression you might get in this one), morale, fleeing, squads which actually work as squads, and more – all gone. Multiplayer seems to be almost dead already too, which might be due to there only being one game mode which involves a weird three-part defense rather than a total annihilation game type, or capture and hold, or something victory point based, or literally anything else. Even more surprisingly there isn't a Last Stand mode (horde mode) which seemed to be one of the most popular bits of Dawn of War 2.
Dawn of War 3 says it's trying to be more like the original, but it feels more like it's trying to appeal to Starcraft fans. Company of Heroes is still Relic's finest hour and the influence it's had over this is, unfortunately, negligible. Dawn of War 3 promises bigger and better by giving you big fights, bigger armies, and even bigger weapons; but delivers that with fewer races, fewer game modes, and fewer tactical choices. It's quite fun at times, but it's a troublesome third entry to the series and doesn't really directly appeal to anyone.


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>> I mix classic and current electronic tunes LIVE on Tilderadio. Listen to me LIVE: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed - 01:00-02:00 UTC --> https://tilderadio.org
>> I had an Internet radio show on anonradio.net from August of 2015 until June 14, 2020 and so the mixes you see here prior to June 14, 2020 were all livestreamed on anonradio.net.
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Aberdeen01224 291176
Stockton on Tees 01642 130300
Since February 2017, Primat has provided resourcing support to our
client for commissioning works as part of a Journey Reduction Project in Wales.
The project aimed to reduce the rail journey time between North and South Wales
by re-doubling the line around Rossett on the outskirts of Wrexham.
The commissioning phase focused on completing four level crossings that
were updated with a new object detection system. These object detection systems are part of
Network Rail's investment to improve safety at level crossings.
Primat has been the main labour supplier to our client throughout
project, which commenced in 2017 and was granted
exclusivity to supply the bulk of the workforce for a week-long blockade. This focused around the provision of safety
critical contractors as well as on-track labour and logistical support, such as
drivers and storemen.
in depth research, Primat's resourcing and marketing teams collaborated closely
in order to meet client requirements. The team developed an integrated attraction
campaign plan, aimed at maximising awareness of the project and job
opportunities to a new audience, as well as re-engaging with rail contractors
who were supplied at an earlier phase in the project. The team developed the
messaging for this campaign – opting for simple but effective recruitment messaging,
while ensuring a seamless candidate application and a safety-first induction
Through the execution of the marketing campaign and contractor
re-engagement efforts, Primat achieved a 100% fill rate during the week-long
blockade. Following excellent feedback from our client, Primat was requested to
supply further rail contractors during the blockade.
In total, Primat supplied 68 contractors to the blockade,
who completed a total of 401 shifts between them. Given the number of contractors supplied on
site during the blockade, Primat also provided onsite support to our client,
which included checking-in the workforce, issuing PPE and instructing and
directing the team around site.


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Kari Solomon Brown was born in Lake Forest, Illinois, on September 8, 1970, and resided in the state of Florida since the age of five. She attended Tampa Preparatory High School where she graduated in 1988. Kari graduated from the University of Florida in 1992 and went on to graduate from the Stetson University College of Law in 1997. She is married to a local attorney and has two teenaged children along with Buster, a rescue dog from the Pet Resource Center.
Kari first developed her passion for family law when she served as a Guardian Ad Litem for an abused child who suffered life-threatening injuries at the hands of her Mother, during law school. For almost two decades, Kari tirelessly serves as a zealous and resourceful advocate for her clients, guiding men and women through the many emotionally and physically taxing aspects of a family law case. Kari analyzes and approaches each case differently, and never takes the cynical approach that each case is the same. She recognizes how important it is to spend a great deal of time with her clients to explain each step of the case process, the laws and how it affects the facts of the case, and critically, prepare the case with the client input.
Kari's deep commitment to her clients enables her to serve them in a powerful way, protecting their interests and assisting them in meeting their goals in their cases, whether it resolves prior to litigation, or proceeds to Court for decision by a Judge. Life changing legal issues require representation that will guide clients to best meet their objectives for themselves and their families, where applicable. Kari believes that it is paramount to first determine all possibilities of settlement. If settlement is not a likely result, Kari is a seasoned family law litigator who handled hundreds of hearings and trials to date.
Kari Brown has a very strong commitment to protecting children who are possibly suffering from abuse or neglect, whether it is emotional or physical. Kari received her certification as a Guardian Ad Litem where she advocates for the best interests of children in family law cases in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk Counties.
Kari's extensive knowledge of local court systems and Florida Family Law has established her as a highly recognized attorney in the Tampa community and one of the "10 Best Attorneys in Florida" in 2018 based on Client Satisfaction (American Institute of Family Law Attorneys).
Attorney Kari Brown's commitment to the Tampa Bay community is steadfast. With passion and vigor, she acts as a Guardian Ad Litem, serving on a volunteer basis in Hillsborough County, specifically, the Juvenile Dependency Division for foster children who have been abused or neglected. Kari actively supports charities such as the Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Best Friends Society. Kari further recognizes the great contributions by our police officers, firefighters, nurses, school teachers, and military, and by showing her gratitude, she offers a discounted hourly rate.
Contact Us
The Brown Law Offices, P.A., invites you to schedule a consultation with Attorney Kari Brown, who will consider it a privilege to answer any questions or address any concerns that you may have. Kindly contact the Brown Law Offices, P.A. today, by calling (813) 247-2600, or via e mail, [email protected], or [email protected]


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1. What are my chances of getting accepted
That depends on many variables. In 2019 we received over 160 completed applications from well-qualified students for twelve positions. Successful applicants typically have a 3.0 GPA or better (on a four-point scale); solid performance and completion of several upper-level science courses; strong letters of recommendation; and, most importantly, a thoughtful personal statement that clearly defines how participation in the CNUP summer program will help achieve their career goals in neuroscience research.
2. I have no research experience. Can I still apply?
Yes! A principal goal of the CNUP summer program is to provide research opportunities to qualified undergraduates who lack such opportunities at their home institution.
3. I am not an American citizen. Can I still apply?
We only accept applications from students who currently are enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at a U.S. college or university, or who are citizens of the U.S. or her protectorates, including residents of Puerto Rico. In all cases, international applicants will be required to provide official authorization for Optional Practical Training (OPT) from their home institution, prior to their arrival in Pittsburgh.
4. Can I register for other coursework while I'm a summer fellow?
No. We expect that each fellow will devote most of his or her time to laboratory research.
5. My school is on the quarter system (or the term does not end until after the start date of the CNUP summer program), Can I still apply?
We realize that our program does not fit all college schedules, and that this may be limiting. Since our fellows meet one another and the training faculty during orientation on the very first day, it is required that all fellows begin and complete the program at the same time. All summer fellows are required to participate in chemical hygiene and laboratory safety training, and in small animal IACUC training. Training sessions are scheduled on campus during the first two days of the program. You must be able to complete this training to be considered for a fellowship. In addition, formal research presentations by the fellows are held on the final day of the program, and all fellows are expected to attend.
6. I am a freshman (or senior/recent graduate), Can I still apply?
Our program is designed to provide an intensive research experience to qualified undergraduate students who are beginning to formulate future career plans, which potentially include neuroscience research. Thus, most successful applicants to the CNUP summer program have recently completed their sophomore or junior years and are actively preparing for postgraduate training. In unusual cases, we have funded younger students with exceptional backgrounds.
7. I am a nontraditional student. Can I still apply?
In principle, yes. Note that a desirable and valuable aspect of our program is the camaraderie that develops among the fellows, who mostly are 18- to 20-year-old college undergraduates. Fellows are housed in a common dormitory and spend a great deal of time together discussing their laboratory experiences and exploring the Pittsburgh area. In special circumstances, however, we can accommodate a committed non-traditional student.
8. I'm going to apply to medical school and will be studying for my MCATs during the summer. Will this work out OK if I'm accepted into your program?
The goal of our summer program is to help students decide if a scientific research career is right for them, and to enhance students' ability to compete successfully for admission to graduate training programs in neuroscience-related disciplines. In our experience it is not possible for students to fully participate in our summer program and simultaneously study for the MCAT exam. Our program also is not appropriate for students who are considering a clinical career in medicine that does not include a laboratory research component.
9. How many hours per week do we have to work in the lab?
The precise number of hours-and when they fall during the day- will be dictated by the nature of the experiments that you undertake. Be prepared to immerse yourself full-time in your research project, and enjoy this unique opportunity.
10. If I am accepted into the program, can I start a little late (or finish a little early)?
Generally, no. As noted above, there are essential training sessions that take place during the first several days of the program; formal research presentations by the fellows are held on the final day of the program.
11. I received an independent award for summer research. Can I still receive a CNUP fellowship?
No. In order to be considered for participation in the CNUP program, you would need to relinquish the other funding. The CNUP summer program provides funds for a maximum of ten qualified undergraduates who do not otherwise have an opportunity to engage in summer research. We also want our fellows to spend almost all of their time working in the laboratory, rather than attending classes or meetings that sometimes are required by other programs. If you would like to retain your independent funding while pursuing neuroscience research, we can advise you on potential summer mentors on the Pitt or Carnegie Mellon campuses.
12. I don't wish to have a roommate. Can I get a single room?
This often is possible, if you are willing to pay the single-room surcharge out of your own pocket. We encourage students to share a room because this increases the opportunity to you to form long-lasting collegial relationships with your peers.
13. I want to bring my car to campus. Where will I park?
Parking permits are available through the University. Students are responsible for their own parking expenses. Pittsburgh has an excellent public transportation system, and students can get just about anywhere they need to go on the bus.


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Designed to withstand mine detonations - Being originally designed for one task only – humanitarian demining, MV-4 system is primarily designed for clearance of Anti-Personnel mines, but there is always a possibility of encountering Anti-Tank mines during its operation. The MV-4 strongest ability to withstand Anti-Tank mine detonations has been proved at the Swedish EOD and Demining Center (SWEDEC) in July 2004.
Safety - Being remotely controlled by an operator from a distance of up to 2000 m, MV-4 system has approved record of safety of demining personnel and third parties - no mine accident in more than 15 years of operation
Productivity - Small dimensions, very good maneuverability, high engine power, and low track-ground pressure, allows the MV-4 system to work year round in almost all conditions. The clearing productivity goes up to 2200 m² per hour.
Protection - Due to the Hardox steel plates, the MV-4 is highly resistant to the fragmentation of landmines, and it's low profile reduces its susceptibility to shrapnel damage.
Mobility & maneuverability - Small dimensions and low track-ground pressure and the working tool that can be raised, lowered, extended and retracted enable the MV-4 system to navigate over difficult terrain such as ditches, obstacles, canals, etc. It is able to pass over a ditch 50 cm wide and 30 cm deep, and vertical obstacles of about 30 cm in height. Additionaly, it is also able to perform self-recovery from a ditch/channel by using its hydraulic arms (extend/retract positions).
MV-4 can drive and work on highly inclined terrain both transversely and longitudinally:clearing of transverse slopes of 35° up and down, driving on transversal slopes of 45° up and down, clearing longitudinal slopes of 20°driving on longitudinal slopes of 35°.
MV-4 can drive through water to a depth of 45 cm without any special actions taken by the operator and can turn 360° on a single point.
Maintenance - Since its low profile reduces the exposure to shrapnel damage, the majority of repairs can be carried out by the operator and mechanic in the field. Any sections that are damaged by blasts can be easily replaced.


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Alan, I would be interested in collaborating with you on this. Please feel free to contact me directly and we can discuss. Best Regards, Mike Bevil Manager, Web and Database Technology Innovation Merck Research Laboratories Research Information Services 770 Sumneytown Pike, West Point, PA 19486 telephone: 215.652.2134 interoffice: WP1-9 1157 email: firstname.lastname@example.com -----Original Message----- From: email@example.com [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com] On Behalf Of Alan Ruttenberg Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 1:56 AM To: public-semweb-lifesci hcls Subject: Any takers for reviewing and presenting to group evaluation of open source drug database? The DrugDB database, http://www.e-mds.com/solutions/drug_database/ drugdb.html is open source, and I have applied and received access to it. The initial format is Microsoft SQL Server backup file, and Colin Knep from the Alzforum has kindly converted it to MySQL, so it can either be loaded into MySQL or parsed as text (lots of SQL inserts). The goal of the evaluation is to review the contents of the database and the data model and present it to the group (or find adequate existing documentation on this), as a preliminary to evaluating whether we should convert it into RDF. Someone familiar with what is available in current drug databases and able to assess the quality and thoroughness of the contents would be very helpful in this effort. Let me know if you are interested, and I can give access to the files (assuming you accept the terms of the license) Best, Alan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. (One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA 08889), and/or its affiliates (which may be known outside the United States as Merck Frosst, Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD and in Japan, as Banyu - direct contact information for affiliates is available at http://www.merck.com/contact/contacts.html) that may be confidential, proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged. It is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named on this message. If you are not the intended recipient, and have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by reply e-mail and then delete it from your system. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Received on Wednesday, 27 June 2007 12:09:22 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Friday, 17 January 2020 17:20:28 UTC


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Booking Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions – Trilby Station
Booking confirmation:
- Overseer's Cottage, Jillaroo's cottage and Shearer's Bunkhouse: A 50% deposit is required to confirm your booking. Payment of this deposit is via EFT or Credit Card. Balance payable on arrival via cash or credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Eftpos)
- Powered Sites and River Campsites: Credit card details required for guarantee.
- Louth Races week: All accommodation and camping attracts a premium for the week of Louth Races. Payment is required in full to confirm any booking. We do not refund cancelled bookings.
Checking in and out:
- Check in is from 2pm and Departure time is 10am for all accommodation, caravan and camping sites.
- Late check out will incur an automatic $30 charge that will be added to your bill.
- An additional cleaning fee of $40 will be incurred if cottages/Bunkhouse are not left in a clean and tidy state. Guests should ensure dishes are washed, dried and put away.
Cancellations and Refunds:
- We do not refund cancelled bookings, however you may reschedule your dates. Cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to arrival cannot be rescheduled and payment is forfeited.
- Where cancellation of your booking occurs due to weather conditions locally that are beyond our control we are happy to renegotiate your booking, or you may cancel without any loss to you.
Please contact us for details for paying deposit.


text: mompells #1 Posted January 25, 2019 We are going on the new Sunrise on 6/10/19/. We usually like the early dining. When I booked our cruise, they didn't have any early dining left. We are now on the waitlist for YOUR TIME dining. What are our chances of getting this? We DO NOT want late seating dining. Carnival told me on the phone that I might not get an answer until I am on the ship. They said that I would have to go to the maitre d' once we get on the ship. This really worries me. We will be VERY un-happy if we don't get the YOUR TIME dining. Anyone have any insight or experience with this situation? We are only a table for 2. TIA 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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We have already told you about MapmyIndia's RoadPilot which is a slim, pocket friendly 3.5″ navigation device loaded with all India maps for turn-by-turn voice guided navigation across India. MapMyIndia has now launched a special city guide for Commonwealth Games 2010 venue – Delhi.
Located at MapMyIndia.com/CWG, this website offers detailed maps and information about the dedicated Games lanes, road maps to venues and stadiums, location of hotels, events schedule and other places of utility such as ATMs, malls, restaurants, historical monuments and tourist attractions which people might want to visit while in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games.


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President Obama Hits The GOP, Takes His Voting Rights Message To The People
Using Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network conference as a platform, President Obama slammed the GOP for their recent voter restricting efforts.
On Friday, President Obama appeared at the White House to announce the resignation of Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, Kathleen Sebelius. You'd think healthcare would be on his mind all day. Instead, hours later, he was talking about voting rights at the National Action Network annual conference.
The conference, an event hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton's civil rights organization, was certainly an appropriate place to broach the topic. And the way he used his speech to present the topic is actually one that will extend beyond the Sheraton ballroom where he delivered it.
"I thought we settled this 50 years ago," the President said at one point, making sure to tie the recent efforts to curb the ability to vote to the Republican party.
Opening the discussion by highlighting how rare voter fraud is — 40 voters out of 197 million have been indicted on the charge, he said — President Obama made it an issue that would be close to the hearts of the people in the audience, many of them African American. But on top of that, with so many other issues to tackle during these midterm elections, it raises the broader question of why this should be one of them. Certainly, the Supreme Court's ruling that gutted the Voting Rights law opened the door to new (and mostly unfair) rules. But President Obama pointed out exactly who was was walking through that door — Republican lawmakers.
"We should not be having an argument about this. What kind of political platform is that?" Obama added.
And in tying the GOP to the wrong side of the voting rights issue, the President made it clear that this isn't the party that voters should align themselves with.
"The principle of one person, one vote is the single greatest tool we have to undo injustice," he said. And later he added, "The real voter fraud is the people who try to deny us our rights with bogus arguments."
And creating an issue where there isn't one "is "not a sign of strength, it's a sign of weakness" on the part of the GOP. Indeed, the President painted this as a flat out, wrongheaded political maneuver by Republicans, some of which have "not been shy that they're doing this for political reasons."
The Dems can benefit from Obama's stance as well. "The voting rights argument is a key element of the White House's strategy to have the president focus on boosting base turnout for the midterms, especially among core Obama voters," Politico writes.
The right to vote is one that all Americans can get behind and by framing it in this way, the President was clear that Republicans are misguided in their efforts.
[Image by Tonya Garcia]


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The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) of Sri Lanka has asked SUEZ to design and construct an additional phase of theKelani Right Bank drinking water production plant,near the capital, Colombo. The aim of the contract is to double the plant's existing capacity, in order to supply the population in the north-eastern zone of the city and its surrounding area (the right bank of the Kelani River). The contract represents a total amount of EUR 168 million.
When you browse our site, data may be saved or read from your browser or device. Certain technical cookies are necessary to ensure the site works correctly. These are used for areas such as security, ergonomics and language choice, and are therefore always active. They do not contain any personal data. You can deactivate them using your browser's cookie settings.
Only the "SC_ANALYTICS_GLOBAL_COOKIE" may store personal details (your IP address). SUEZ uses this cookie to analyse your browsing and measure the website's audience. The button below allows you to deactivate or reactivate this cookie at any time.


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Newsday dramatically understated the demands for the edTPA, the new portfolio assessment now required for student teachers .
For example, Newsday claimed the video portions are scored for "positive, respectful response of students." In fact, the videos will be graded according to five detailed scoring guides that go far beyond these criteria. There are another 10 detailed scoring guides for other portions of the edTPA.
I can't share specific information with the public. As a public university employee, I was required to sign a proprietary, nondisclosure agreement with Pearson Inc., to read the assessment requirements.
The implementation of the edTPA has been rushed and incomplete. It is a counterproductive, anxiety-producing burden for would-be teachers that has transformed what should be a full semester of learning into a semester-long exam. It requires full teaching expertise before student-teachers have had a fair chance to develop that expertise.
The new requirements also include a $300 fee from each student-teacher, which goes to a private corporation. The state Education Department should immediately remove the edTPA as a certification requirement.
Ken Lindblom, Shoreham
Editor's note: The writer is an associate professor and director of English teacher education at Stony Brook University.


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White Collar Reset: How far are you willing to go to get a job?
For every hyper-educated, super-technologically-evolved twenty- or early-thirty-something with a stranglehold on a coveted information-economy job, there are at least as many millennials who risk being marginalized in the lowest-wage tiers of the service sector.
As The New York Times (NYT) recently pointed out, with hundreds of thousands of young men being forced to move in with their parents or take in extra roommates, even the bachelor pad has come under assault. Bye-bye black leather sofa. Hello twin bed and little league trophies.
But just as some Baby Boomers and Generation X'ers are taking extraordinary measures to claim their stake in the neo-Mad Max recovery, it seems Y'ers are going to equally historic lengths. And Kevin Lee, 27, may hold the record.
A Wormhole to Paradise
Lee, an Irish Catholic product of Yonkers, N.Y., with a B.A. in political science from Marymount University, could be tending bar or wallpapering cyberspace with his resume or vying for the ever-diminishing number of teaching jobs (he also has a teacher's certificate). Instead, he's identified a wormhole in the dessicated jobscape that will allow him to earn a comfortable living working as a full professor teaching business writing to eager college students in the most paradisiacal of settings.
Ok, so the job is in Indonesia, but to Lee that's a plus. "One of the main reasons I got my teacher's certificate in the first place was to see the world," he says. "I just like to move to a completely strange country, learn the language and everything I can about the place, and see where the opportunities take me."
Lee ferreted out the opportunity at Andalas University in Padang on the southern shore of Sumatra while traveling through Indonesia this fall after two years teaching fifth grade in Suzhou, China. Recent 7.6 earthquake aside, "it's absolutely beautiful," he said of Padang. "The weather is 80 degrees all year round. In fifteen minutes you're at some of the most amazing beaches you've ever seen. And the people are so friendly." It also doesn't hurt that a meal at some of the city's best restaurants runs about 70 cents and "they're just dying for foreigners with any business experience who speak English."
Padang as His Oyster
First, though, Lee had to figure out a way to capitalize his move. He was due in Yonkers for Christmas ("I haven't missed one yet"), which meant he needed enough money for more airline tickets and to help fund his still-indeterminate adventures. Fortunately, he had a plan taking shape, the seeds of which had been planted when he'd befriended several of the cultured pearl dealers in Suzhou. Already awaiting him back in Yonkers were two enormous boxes of freshwater cultured pearl bracelets, necklaces, earrings and brooches in every color, shape and size imaginable. Lee had run the numbers and even at the rock-bottom prices he planned to charge, the return was astronomical. Sell all 500-plus pieces by January, and Padang would literally be his oyster.
But where to sell 500 items of Chinese freshwater-pearl jewelry during the second-slowest Christmas shopping season in recent memory? Lee quickly realized that while he needed a Web presence (K2pearls.com), most of its activity would likely involve repeat customers and referrals. "Would you buy pearls off the Internet if you'd never heard of the company before?"
Through a friend he got a bead on a table in the holiday bazaar at the Cross County Mall in Yonkers. The suburban retail malaise being what it is, though, it soon became clear that to meet his sales projections he'd need to break into the big leagues of New York area guerrilla retailing: a sidewalk stand in Soho.
But this is where Lee encountered his last, and perhaps highest, hurdle. New York City has some of the most antiquated and tortured sidewalk vending regulations on earth. For the average citizen applying for a permit to ply his wares on Manhattan's teeming sidewalks, the estimated wait time is somewhere between 65 and 70 years. Lee didn't have that long.
There is, however, one exception to the Jarndycean permitting process. If you're a veteran of the armed services, you're jumped to the front of the line. The loophole, a relic of a late-19-century ordinance intended as a kind of stimulus bill for disabled Civil War veterans, has created the rather bizarre scenario in which many sidewalk vendors in New York City "rent" a veteran with an official permit to work beside them at their stand. To abide by the letter of the law, the veteran must quote all prices to customers and handle all exchange of money. The going rate for this rent-a-vet service: $80 to $100 per vet per day, depending on location.
Lee was directed to the best corner for finding his veteran and given instructions on separating the reliable wingmen from the grifters and junkies, and finally his plan was complete: To find a job in the new post-financial meltdown economy, all he had to do was set up a table in Soho and rent a veteran to sell the cultured pearls he bought in China so he could raise enough money to relocate to Indonesia.
And who said the American spirit of ingenuity is dead?
If You Sell It, They Will Come
Last week, I stopped by Lee's table on Prince Street to visit with him and his vet, Eddie Washington, a lanky African-American Vietnam-era former Army corporal who served in Germany from 1966-68. ("I lucked out," he said. "Those would've been bad years to be in Vietnam.") As of 2 P.M., Lee had yet to sell any pearls. "Give it time," Washington said, looking up from his New York Post. "Things usually pick up right about now."
Sure enough, as if he'd waved a wand, a gaggle of customers formed at the table. Montana Triplett, marketing director for Tremor Media, scooped up a thin pearl necklace for $25, a three-strand perfect pearl bracelet for $20 and a pair of teardrop earrings with sterling silver backing for another $20. "I'm going to a Mad Men party tonight," she explained. "These are perfect!"
A German couple lingered in furtive discussion at the end of the table warily eying the $10 price tag on the cuff-style pearl and magnet bracelets. "The young man may want to think about raising his prices the next time out," noted Washington. "He's new, so people look at these low prices, and they're not sure yet he's legit."
Only in New York
As the afternoon wore on, traffic continued to build, but not everyone was in a buying mood. One fashionably dressed young woman popped out of the Club Monaco store across their patch of sidewalk and strode purposefully to the table, only to look up and ask Lee and Washington, "Do you know where the Burberry store is?"
After she'd headed off in the direction of Broadway, Washington turned to Lee: "Well, I guess the recession isn't hurting everybody, is it?"
Kevin Lee and Eddie Washington will be manning their booth on Prince Street between Greene and Wooster streets on Monday and Tuesday December 14-15 from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. You can also visit K2 Pearls this weekend at Cross County Mall or at K2pearls.com.


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Some diversified funds do well despite markets' wreckage
-- Whenever you survey the scene of incredible wreckage — a 50-car pileup, for example, or a 6-year-old's birthday party — your eye is always drawn to the few things that survived. Look! That car didn't have a scratch! Look! The turtles are still here!
Surveying the wreckage of the mutual fund industry this year, a few funds have survived remarkably intact. What's even more remarkable is that a few might even be worth investing in.
The bear market has toppled many of the mightiest funds: The Growth Fund of America, the largest mutual fund in the galaxy, is down 35% this year; the Vanguard 500 fund, down 34%; Fidelity Magellan, down 46%.
But a tiny handful of diversified funds have managed to fall less than 10% — and a few have even eked out gains. For the purposes of this discussion, we're not talking about bear funds, which are designed to rise when the stock market falls. A bear fund that rises in a bear market isn't noteworthy.
Bears vs. bulls
The top two funds, Comstock Capital Value and the Prudent Bear funds, aren't bear funds per se, because they can bet on a market rise, if they choose to. Nevertheless, they are run by longtime, perennially bearish managers. Comstock Capital Value, for example, was started in April 1987 by Charles Minter and Stan Salvigsen, both of whom were bearish on the market. When the Dow fell more than 20% in one heart-stopping day in October 1987, the fund held up well.
Management never really got over its bearishness, which was unfortunate, because the stock market often rose in the intervening years. Comstock Capital Value has lost an average of 0.49% a year since its inception, according to Morningstar, the Chicago mutual fund trackers. Nevertheless, the fund's 47% gain this year deserves noting. Its largest holding is a bet against the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index.
Similarly, the Prudent Bear fund has been hating on the stock market for more than a decade. The fund has huge amounts of money market securities, or cash, in its portfolio, as well as a smattering of gold-mining stocks. What the fund earns in bear markets, however, it loses in bull markets: It's virtually unchanged since its inception.
Three funds that have held up well are long/short funds, which bears some explaining. When you buy a stock, you're "going long," in Wall Street parlance. When you bet that a stock will fall, you're "going short."
Long/short funds buy the stocks they like and short the ones they don't. In theory, this can help the manager make money in good markets and bad. Unfortunately, a long/short fund gives you opportunities to lose money on stocks that rise and stocks that fall. ICON Long/Short A, for example, has plunged 37% this year.
But the three remaining funds in the chart are all long/short funds, and all three have performed decently in this market — as has the category as a whole, which is down 13.9% this year. (The past five years, the category has averaged 2.12% a year — nothing to write home about, but still better than the S&P 500.)
Two similar funds, the Merger fund and Gabelli ABC fund, have also fared well in the downturn. That's because the funds hold staggering amounts of cash — 31% in the case of Merger and 61% in the case of Gabelli.
It's also because they use a fairly safe form of investing called merger arbitrage, buying the stocks of companies being taken over and shorting the stock of the acquiring company. (It's more complicated than it sounds.)
Conservative by nature
A few diversified funds deserve special mention, however:
•Forester Value FVALX has eked out a 2.9% gain through October. The fund couldn't find many stocks cheap enough to meet its criteria — at least until recently. Forester Value has gained 28% the past five years.
•Hussman Strategic Growth HSGFX looks for stocks that are cheap relative to earnings, but also looks at overall market action when it buys stocks. It's down 1.2% this year and up 23% the past five years.
•Heartland Value Plus HRVIX, another long-tem value fund, is down 11.1% this year, but it will be a good fund to own when the market turns around. It's up 40% the past five years.
Bear in mind that all of these funds are conservative by nature, and if another wild market bubble appears, these funds will probably miss it. On the other hand, when the next bubble pops, it's likely that these will be spared in the wreckage.
John Waggoner is a personal finance columnist for USA TODAY. His Investing column appears Fridays. new book, Bailout: What the Rescue of Bear Stearns and the Credit Crisis Mean for Your Investments, is available through John Wiley & Sons. Click here for an index of Investing columns. His e-mail is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The PK31™ sofa is a prime example of Poul Kjaerholm's ability to work with exquisite materials and minimalisme.
In the search for the ideal form, he has created the PK31 - a combination of elegant luxury and comfort. The PK31™ series is available as an armchair and a 2- or 3-seater sofa. It comes in a limited range of leather types. The frame is made of matt chromed spring steel. Additional units can be added.
Poul Kjærholm
Poul Kjærholm was a trained carpenter and continued his studies at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts. He had a particular interest in different construction materials; especially steel which he considered a natural material with the same artistic fineness as other natural materials. Poul Kjærholm was employed at Fritz Hansen for about a year, where he designed a number of noteworthy chair prototypes. In 1955 Poul Kjærholm initiated his collaboration with manufacturer Ejvind Kold Christensen, which lasted until Poul Kjærholm's death in 1980. In 1982, Fritz Hansen took over the production and sales of "The Kjærholm Collection", developed from 1951 to 1967, designs, which are logical to the minute detail with an aura of exclusivity. In 2007 Fritz Hansen added two new pieces to the Kjærholm Collection. Pieces that were never in production before, the PK8™ side chair and PK58™ dining table.
Fritz Hansen is an exclusive, international design brand whose timeless collection unites world-famous classic and contemporary furniture, lightning and accessories.


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Advanced Optimizer Duo
Product details
Yon-Ka Paris Skincare Advanced Optimizer Duo works to revitalize the skin, infuse superb hydration and visibly diminish the appearance of fatigue lines and wrinkles. The "lift" effect of the fluid works to reshape the facial contours while the creme delivers supreme resiliency. Skin looks instantly brighter and radiant, an impressive treatment for pre- and post-menopausal needs.
Kit Includes:
- Yon-Ka Paris Skincare Advanced Optimizer Serum, 1oz - Reactivates the skin components responsible for firmness.
- Yon-Ka Paris Skincare Advanced Optimizer Creme, 1.4oz - Preserves the infrastructure of the epidermis.


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Le Meridien Delfina Santa MonicaStar Rating
Santa Monica
Our 4-Star classification designates those properties with well-appointed, deluxe accommodations, extensive amenities and comprehensive guest services. Expect attention to detail and a warm and hospitable staff ready to cater to your needs. These superb properties offer a truly refined getaway.
This Santa Monica hotel is perfect for guests who want to be just a few blocks from the beach and walking distance to shopping, exciting entertainment, and fine dining. The oversized guestrooms with private balconies afford cool ocean breezes and spectacular views. The hotel features poolside cabanas, a fitness center, and outdoor heated pool, and easy access to the beach.
530 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA, USA 90405
Located about four blocks from the beach and a 15-minute walk to downtown Santa Monica.
Hotel Amenities
- Elevator(s)
- Gym/Fitness Center
- In Room Dining
- Laundry Service
- Luggage Storage
- Meeting Facilities
- Non-Smoking Property
- Parking
- Pets Allowed
- Pool Cabana
- Valet Service
Hotel Activities
- Outdoor Pool
Room Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Climate Control
- Coffee Maker
- Complimentary Newspaper
- Cribs Available
- Data Ports
- Desk
- Direct Dial Phone
- Hairdryer
- High Speed Internet Access
- In Room Movies
- In Room Safe
- Iron and Ironing Board
- Non-Smoking Rooms Available
- Rollaway Bed
- Telephone
- Television
- Video Check-Out
- Voice Mail
Hotel Dining
Longitude Bar + Restaurant - Continental cuisine; SandBox - Beverages
Nearby Attractions
Third Street Promenade, Venice Boardwalk, Marina del Rey, Beverly Hills, Hollywood
Need Help?
Call us toll free at 1-800-742-9244