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Descending Theology: The Garden
by Mary Karr
We know he was a man because, once doomed,
he begged for reprieve. See him
grieving on his rock under olive trees,
his companions asleep
on the hard ground around him
wrapped in old hides.
Not one stayed awake as he'd asked.
That went through him like a sword.
He wished with all his being to stay
but gave up
bargaining at the sky. He knew
it was all mercy anyhow,
unearned as breath. The Father couldn't intervene,
though that gaze was never
not rapt, a mantle around him. This
was our doing, our death.
The dark prince had poured the vial of poison
into the betrayer's ear,
and it was done. Around the oasis where Jesus wept,
the cracked earth radiated out for miles.
In the green center, Jesus prayed for the pardon
of Judas, who was approaching
with soldiers, glancing up–as Christ was–into
the punctured sky till his neck bones
ached. Here is his tear-riven face come
to press a kiss on his brother.
-Mary Karr, Sinners Welcome, HarperCollins, 2006
Untitled (An ancient Celtic prayer for sleep)
O Jesu without sin,
King of the poor,
Who were sorely subdued
Under the ban of the wicked,
Shield Thou me this night
From Judas.
My soul on Thine own arm, O Christ,
Thou the King of the City of Heaven,
Thou it was who bought'st my soul O Jesu,
Thou it was who didst sacrifice Thy life for me.
Protect Thou me because of my sorrow,
For the sake of Thy passion, Thy wounds, and Thy blood,
And take me in safety to-night
Near to the City of God.
From The Celtic Way of Prayer by Esther de Waal, Doubleday, 1997.
For more from Jan Richardson, find her website here and be sure to visit the Lenten series on her blog.


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Blackbeard's Morning Star is a budget-friendly option for divers wanting to get the most out of their time in the Bahamas. Offering as many as 19 dives in a single week, this liveaboard takes guests to all the world-famous dive sites that the Bahamas has to offer, offering exceptional value for money and the chance to explore blue holes, wall dives, shark sightings and intense drift dives. Blackbeard's Morning Star is the identical sister ship to Blackbeard's Sea Explorer, and both liveaboards operate throughout the year, taking advantage of the year-round diving opportunities and temperate weather in the Bahamas. Blackbeard's Morning Star accommodates guests in 3 dormitory-type cabins that share a total of 3 bathrooms. The cabins offer air-conditioned, comfortable lodging with either a single size or double bunk bed option. The common areas onboard include the bow or the indoor saloon which is air-conditioned and spacious enough to accommodate all guests comfortably.
All meals, beverages and snacks are included onboard Blackbeard's Morning Star, including Rum Punch, beer and wine. With no particular itinerary set beforehand, the competent captain and crew will show guests the best of the Bahamas based on the conditions and the time available.

subset: commoncrawl


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strange little dolls, jewellery, vintage, geekery & fairy tales
I wanted to share with you my moo mini cards that arrived the other week. Most of the pictures I used were ones through instagram, and a few from a secret project I'm very excited about. I know I'm totally obsessed with instagram, I even added an app on the right hand side of my blog that links to my instagram. I'm really pleased with this set of cards and wish that I had ordered more, next time huh? Anyway I must run off and get some housework done or at least put the coffee machine on while petting my moo mini cards...definitely the latter option.


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Many agents ask what a field marketing organization (FMO) can do for them outside of offering a contract to sell. We like to think of an FMO as an independent agent's personal supply closet and support team.
While every organization operates by their own philosophy, the top FMOs are ones that have adopted a newer, more forward-thinking philosophy than most. These select FMOs believe in the importance of developing stronger partnerships with their agents with an understanding that the success of both sides is directly correlated.
Listen to this article:
What Should an FMO Do?
Traditional FMOs recruit agents to contract with a new carrier, and the relationship ends there. In contrast, leading FMO insurance companies realize that partnership is about much more than contracts.
FMOs that view their relationships with agents as true partnerships are driven to provide tools and services to assist them with all aspects of their businesses, including contracts, marketing dollars, commissions, education, technology and back-office support.
Many FMOs spend the majority of their resources on recruiting new agents, but few focus on helping their existing agents grow their businesses and rewarding their partnership.
FMOs that believe in partnering with their agents are more likely to devote the majority of their resources to supporting existing agents and less to recruiting new ones. Why? Because FMOs aren't making money if agents aren't! When choosing an FMO, agents should look for one that invests 75 percent of its resources into providing their agents with sales tools and services and 25 percent into recruiting new agents.
FAQs About FMOs
To give you a better understanding of what FMOs do for their agents, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions agents have about working with FMOs.
Q: How would an FMO describe the relationship between itself and its agents?
A: It's a partnership. An FMO's existence is dependent upon its agents, so it should provide more than a contract to an agent in order for it to be a true partnership. An FMO doesn't succeed unless the agent is succeeding, so the agent really is top priority.
Q: If I use an FMO, will my commissions be reduced?
A: No, FMOs use a hierarchy system that allows them to offer the same commission level to general agents that they would receive directly from the carrier. The commissions you'd get with an FMO are the same you're getting without one. But with an FMO, you're also getting a full support staff and various other perks.
Q: Did I hear perks?
A: Yes! FMOs offer additional value that you may not receive from a carrier. For instance, Ritter Insurance Marketing) offers online contracting, Medicareful.com, the Agent Survival Guide, one-to-one support, supplies, and co-op marketing dollars.
Q: Do I have to assign my commissions to an FMO if I go through them?
A: In most cases, you would sign a direct contract with the carrier and get paid through them. There are some situations in which an FMO would want you to assign your commissions to them (for example, if they provided you with an office, leads, or appointments).
Q: What happens to my commissions if I choose to leave my current FMO and go through another FMO or direct through a carrier?
A: Since most contracts are between you and the carrier, you would continue to receive renewal commissions from the business you issued through the previous FMO. If you were contracted with a carrier that pays your commissions through the FMO, the contract between you and the FMO would end and you would be paid your renewal commissions.
Q: How does an FMO make money?
A: FMOs receive compensation above the general agent level to perform a variety of functions, including recruiting, training, commission payments, application submission, etc.
● ● ●
Are you ready to have a company of experts working to help your business? Imagine the impact and success you would see in your community and sales. Regardless of whether you're just establishing yourself or are an experienced agent, there are serious benefits to consider in joining an FMO.
Ritter Insurance Marketing provides all the things you should seek from an FMO; true partnership and relationship invested in your success. Register with RitterIM.com to start something great today.


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Jennifer Lopez can wear anything and look good, but when she leans towards a look that is pastel and feminine, it wins our hearts every time. Case in point: Wednesday night's episode of American Idol, where the judge wooed us with her sherbet dress ($87) and sexy neon Sophia Webster shoes.
She completed the look with a dewy glow and a wispy updo. "To create tonight's look, we blow dried her hair straight with a Mason Pearson brush," hairstylist Lorenzo Martin said. "Then we flat-ironed it and sprayed in Oribe beach spray. After that we put her hair in a ponytail and wrapped it around as a bun and pinned in. Then we pulled out a few front pieces and used hairspray to finish off the look. The updo worked perfectly to accentuate the details of the back of her dress."
She's certainly curvaceous, and Jennifer Lopez showed she's got it in all the right places as she donned a skin-tight scarlet dress for American Idol on Thursday.
The quirky frock featured an asymmetric hemline that was cut high above the 44-year-old's left thigh, revealing her shapely legs.
The 5ft 5ins singer-actress boosted her height in towering nude stilettos.
J-Lo's luxuriant dark hair, high-lighted with streaks of honey blonde, was styled in loose curls that reached her ample bust and framed her expertly made-up face.
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Rezidor announces the Park Inn Sochi Riviera in Russia
The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel groups worldwide, announces the Park Inn Sochi Riviera in Russia. The mid market property featuring 198 rooms will welcome the first guests in 2013 – just in time for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
"Rezidor has now five hotels in operation and under development in and around Sochi, and is very well positioned for the big games and the further development of this emerging tourist destination", commented Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
The Park Inn Sochi Riviera will be located within Rivera Park, which is Sochi's most popular park and features a lovely beach along the Black Sea. While known internationally for winter sports like skiing, Sochi is also Russia's most popular summer vacation spot, thanks to its miles of Black Sea beaches, warm climate (summer temperatures averaging 25 degrees Celsius), excellent shopping and vibrant nightlife. In addition to the Olympics, Sochi will also host matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Besides 198 comfortable and colourful guest rooms, the new Park Inn Sochi Riviera will comprise a restaurant, a bar and extensive meeting facilities. For the leisure traveller, a wellness centre with indoor swimming pool, sauna, hammam and fitness room will be available.
Rezidor is one of the leading international hotel operators in Russia and has defined this emerging region as a key growth market, offering almost unlimited development opportunities for entrepreneurial companies. Rezidor has opened a fully fledged branch office in Moscow and currently has 36 hotels with nearly 10,000 rooms in operation and under development in Russia. The group's portfolio ranges from landmark properties like the Radisson hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg to Park Inn hotels in a variety of secondary cities which previously had lacked internationally-branded hotels.
For further information please contact:
Christiane Reiter, Director Corporate Communication
+32 2 702 9331, firstname.lastname@example.com
Renu Snehi, Director Corporate Communication
+32 2 702 9241, email@example.com
About The Rezidor Hotel Group
The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of more than 400 hotels in operation and under development with 86,300 rooms in over 60 countries.
Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plusSM loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Under a worldwide licence agreement with the iconic Italian fashion house Missoni, Rezidor also operates and develops the new lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni.
In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, based in Minneapolis (USA), is the majority shareholder.
The Corporate office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium.
For more information on Rezidor, visit www.rezidor.com