Array Completed - Monday, July 4, 20053. Have a picnic - either with a boy or with the girls.5. Completed - March 22, 200513. Completed - November 12, 200514. Completed - May 200518. Completed - July 9, 200520. Buy a nice pair of jeans. Completed - January 13, 200522. Completed - July 18, 200525. Completed - November/December 200627. Go on vacation - not to New York or London.28. (I can’t believe that I’ve never done this.) Completed - January, 1, 200729. Buy a gift for someone for no reason.33. Completed - December 200538. Go one month without buying Starbucks on weekday mornings.55. Completed - January 12, 200562. Completed - January 1, 200771. Completed - July 200572. Build a blanket fort - spend some time inside reading, snacking and relaxing. Completed - December 28, 200674. Buy fresh flowers for apartment once a month for six months.75. Completed - December 30, 200582. Completed - May 200583. Completed - March 23, 200585. Completed - February 14, 200687. Make edible Christmas gifts - truffles, cookies, crackers, jam, etc. Completed - December 200591. Buy a nice blazer or jacket that goes with everything. Completed - March 200592. Completed - July 7, 200599. Stop myself from crying - just once.101.
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The second incident relates to a story I read a long time ago - although recent research by the Galveston News cries ‘myth!’, as it is usual with these tales: The ‘myth’ was well-covered in ‘Blithering Antiquity’ (in its December 2003 issue): SOURCE FOR THIS PICTURE: Susan Kin Charles Coghlan was a professional actor who died while on tour in Galveston in 1899. Charles Coghlan the actor was a native son of Prince Edward Island. The website ‘Paranormal Canada’ tells us that Charles Coghlan was born in 1841 to a poor Irish family living on Prince Edward Island. Charles left Prince Edward Island, vowing never to return. This would happen in a city in the Southern United States, but that his body would not rest until it was returned home to Prince Edward Island. A week later, Coghlan was lowered into a granite vault in a lead lined coffin on Galveston Island. Almost seven thousand people died and the island was nearly washed into the Gulf of Mexico, including (supposedly) the cemetery where Coghlan was buried. Then, no less that eight years later, in October of 1908, a few fishermen off the coast of Prince Edward Island spotted something unusual in the cold Atlantic waters.
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Personal highlight: my in-the-bag 27 year old brother putting my 17 year old cousin in tears on Xmas eve after he bluntly tells her that she and her high school boyfriend won’t get married, will break up in 3 months or less, and tries to shake hands to bet on it. I also don’t know what I will do once my life changes from 10:00 wakeup calls and morning waffles to anticipated full time employment.
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Dear Fellow ToastMasters: It is not always possible to salute and acknowledge the achievements of our members. Opportunities to learn from the skills of fellow ToastMasters don’t often come by either. Together, we can make these objectives an integral part of District 80’s new traditions. Helping each other succeed, saluting success, and learning together - we need to continue to do more of this. So, on 22 January we will be celebrating District 80’s FIRST Achievers’ Day. It would be a great pleasure for me and the District Leaders to congratulate you personally on 22 Jan, and to present you with TI tokens to commemorate your success!
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Someone recently gave me a list of Bible verses on obedience. The most familiar passage to me was James 2:14-17 (ESV):
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him,link
I’ve taken up the offer from Interpretation journal to read it online for free for 7 days, and am enjoying ploughing through the more than 50 years of issues. It’s a good thing I’m on holidays!
The very first issue has a great article by H H Rowley on The Relevance of Biblical Interpretation, and in another 1947 issue there is an intriguing article by R B Woodworth on Jesus’ words to Mary at the wedding at Cana.
Most of us know that the way Jesus addresses Mary is not rude, though it sounds that way when woodenly translated into English.
But what about the puzzling words that he says to her?
It is translated various ways and here are a few:
King James Version: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
English Standard Version: And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with
me? …
New American Bible: (And) Jesus said to her, Woman, how does your
concern affect me?…
NET Bible: Jesus replied, Woman, why are you saying this to me?…
New International Version: Dear woman, why do you involve me? Jesus replied.
New Jerusalem Bible: Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me?…
Contemporary English Version and Good News Bible: You must not tell
me what to do…
But R B Woodworth, in the very first Readers Forum, has some interesting things to say. While commentators say that Jesus words do not imply a rebuke, many of the translations above come out like one.
But the expression is common in the Septuagint [the first Greek translation of the Old Testament] and is found in Judges
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I’m saddened by the news of the Tsunami that has claimed many, many innocent lives. Not one shore that the Indian Ocean touches is spared. Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia… and many remote islands that may have lives on it…. The death is still amounting, and I believe, there are many more deaths that is unaccountable for.
I’m seated at the edge of my seat, saying a prayer every now and then, making my very own personal troubles, a whimsical twist and utmost insignificant and pales drastically by comparison. It shames me to think that I have troubles after hearing this.
Just being with Winnie last night was enough to break my heart. She was all in tears late last night, as a group of her colleagues and friends have flown into Phuket two nights ago for a little party at the beach side. They are only due back to their offices at the end of this week. All her frantic calls to reach either one of them was futile. We are playing the waiting game now, not knowing what to think - great fear engulfed our senses - we fear to hear the worse, and yet we hope to hear from them. I don’t know any of her friends or colleagues, but I felt the burden. I cannot imagine the magnitude of the pain for those of the immediate family. It’s indescribeable. Still, we have not given up hope yet.
I’ve frowned half the day away, thinking about this… not knowing what else to think but to share this burden with God through prayers. I believe, everyone in the world is saddened, if not angered by this epidemic, and I hope they have an outlet to share their burden too, an outlet that would not claim any more lives than it already had.
Many will say that God is blind to allow such an epidemic to take place, and I fear of such ‘fire’ that will be tried on me or on anyone for that matter. The fear of losing more than what any one of us could bear, like the losses that Job encountered. Russell, John and I also spoke of this yesterday too - on not lose any more than we can bear to break us onto our knees to acknowledge that God is in charge. God gives many signs to each individual in their lifetime, atuned to our ears and our eyes alone … administered in ways that we ourselves alone, understand. Sometimes, we choose denial, and sometimes we acknowledge, we are just atuned to ourselves, our needs and our ways. How stubborn!
God gives His Salvation for free, we have the choice to either tune off, or just want things our way by ignoring the calling at times - the ways of the world is so tempting, yet we are never fully fulfilled. It seems like there’s a vessel within ourselves, that is just shaped for God to fit in, and no other things in any form could fit that vessel, except for the Holy Spirit. We are tried from a higher flame of fire to the next till we submit to this acknowledgement. In the Refiner’s crucible we are all at… and it’s out of God’s love, He never gave up on us, neither did He allow us to go through pain beyond our endurance, or let us slip into the dark side. I’m looking at this, with new eyes, a renewed heart and mind, that being tried by fire and soaked in cold water in God’s care is of God’s grace, and not a curse.
Tsunami, in the form of water, treacherous, unexpected, stole so many lives at this time. IT’s even said that there’ll be a second occurence in the next couple of days. In Malaysia, all people who believe in Feng Shui are buzzing with what Lilian too last spoke, about 2005 being swamped by epidemics stemming from Earthquakes and Floods. Its not even 2005 yet!!! How many more of these are coming!!!”, belows one of my colleagues this morning. I looked at him, my eyes round like saucers.
Even great floods, at any point of the earth, had too, usurped the lives out of many places. Bush fires and infernos as other forms of epidemics too, had claimed many lives over the course of the centuries. Truly, the physical bodies of water and fire have no mercy. Likewise, the devil, is just as merciless in stealing our souls and causing all sorts to make us fall further away from Gods grace. God allows this for us to mature and be stronger soldiers for Christ, in knowing the differences, in having the experience in dealing with higher levels of things after passing each trial. God also protects us from not allowing the devil to go beyond, in claiming our lives. God is all-seeing, all-caring, and all-knowing - the spiritual warfare is waging. One way or the other, we are tools for God, and perhaps, the death of these people should not be looked upon as so negatively as in our human understanding. Theres a reason, a reason that we in our human ways, cannot comprehend yet. Ive written this down in the tablet of my heart, I want to ask God of this. I too, felt the injustice and the pain that this has to happen, why? Still, Im submitting, and humbly seek Gods wisdom, because He knows better than I do, and in time to come, I will too, understand.
Still, in the course of this life on earth, we will never understand why epidemics have to occur, but God truly has His reasons. Its best not to analyse and try to play God in pointing our fingers and making judgements. This is the time that the devil rears its ugly head, in recruiting for more to be on his dark side. Negativity, hatred, shunning God, all sorts of creative ways will be injected to complete the picture of making God an emotionless, cruel liar that takes lives for fun.
Lets reflect this on ourselves, our lives, and how we have lived it. Are we epidemic-proof? Are we fully letting God be in charge of our lives, and by first submitting to obedience? Even to the extent of treating our bodies as the temple of God? Are we living in Gods words with joy and not behaving like a pharisee whos all talk but no actions? Are we only Christians bound to the pew, or we are walking Evangelitics through our actions and daily lives? Its not a talent-time show. Theres no race in this. Its our very own competition within ourselves, and not against anyone else out there. Are we to be clad in the Believers armour (Ephesians 6: 16-17) at all times - in full Commitment to God. Its time, at least I could say this to myself, Ive shunned it for years, afraid to take up my stand and stood by Gods side. I was afraid of the responsibilites then, now I am no longer.
Clad in this armour, we will not fear the first death, as theres the promise of eternal life. There will be constant spiritual warfare to tempt us in falling into sin. Mortal sins in the form of immoral doings, deceit, luke-warmth faith robs us of our eternal life, hence, resulting in a second death. Hence, Gods splashes of cold water on us, and his flame administered to us in the crucible, to remind us, and help us to be on our toes to repent, and to be obedient. There is no room for being a lukewarm Christian anymore, we are reminded in the scriptures to be actively partaking in serving God in our vocations in life.
He still has mercy and grace for us to repent in this lifetime, before our first death that will determine how our second death will be like. A choice of eternal life, or eternal death? Read the book of Revelations Chapter 2link
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