and have asked their permission to share some with you.
Thank you so much for keeping me updated. I was getting worried with the weather we in Tennessee where expecting. Everything stopped Monday because of ice, but it's just cold and snow now. You have been so helpful and I really appreciate everything you have done to help me with this order. You have went above and beyond. Again Thank You.
"Diane, We received the replacements yesterday! Thank you so much for helping me and the quick turnaround. The company has great customer service and I would be happy to recommend it to others as well order again. Thank you.
K. Schryer, Cheboygan, MI 07-24-13"
I am extremely happy with our order, and the fastest shipment I've ever received!
You have been soooooo incredibly responsive and helpful, which is so rare these days. I can assure you that I will definitely order from you again, and will recommend you to my friends. Thanks so much.
Hi, Diane! We just received the last two of the three boxes you shipped today. It is a pleasure doing business with you as well as having the nice conversation we shared. I hope we can work together again real soon.
Thank you for the fast and efficient service in shipping the cute teapots/cups. Daughter Alexis (the bride) is really pleased.
Diane, My replacement sets arrived today in perfect condition. Thank you for taking care of this right away. It was a pleasure dealing with your company. I appreciated the personal touch you gave me. Happy Holidays!
I just had to send you a note to let you know how thrilled I am not only with your products, but also the service I received! Imagine, ordering things the week of Thanksgiving and then receiving them the very next week!...and I was afraid they wouldn't arrive in time for our Christmas party. The quality of products is superb as was my interaction with the owner herself when there was a billing question. Thank you so much for making at least one part of holiday party planning a joy! Happy Holidays and I will definitely be ordering from you again!
Diane, Again, thank you so much. Your follow thru is great! Customer service----outstanding. You will be at the top of my referral list for future customer/clients. I am always looking for something different with each wedding/event that I plan. I look forward to doing business with you. I am most impressed by the short turn around from the order, proofing and delivery of the final product. WHAT SERVICE! I must admit, I was a little hesitant about ordering candles on-line. But I was impressed with your products and thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did.
Thank you so much for a quick, informative, complete response!!! It is so nice to deal with a business that caters so well to even the smallest of orders which is rare these days. We will search your site for any other needs for our upcoming wedding and keep you in mind for other occasions as well as tout your business to what I know will be very impressed guests at our wedding.
"You are the most efficient company I have done business with in a long time - I am a teacher and a drama/sign language instructor and KNOW retail and business industry! Thanks for your polite manner and your efficient help meeting my needs!
I first found Wax Wizard Candles when searching for table arrangements for my daughter's wedding two years ago. The expertise and advice I received from Diane with this purchase, as well as the timely delivery and great prices, made me comfortable enough to order much more complicated table arrangements for my son's reception this summer as well. Diane handled my very late request with professionalism and courtesy and made sure that all of my materials arrived on time and in great condition. I am highly recommending Wax Wizard Candles to all my friends and have complete confidence in their products, prices and efficiency.
Order received in excellent shape today! What great service. The staff here at the agency (Marketplace Travel) was so impressed with the products and service, that the owner will be contacting to place a nice little order with you as well. We all love the little boats and the detail in the plumeria was much better than expected. Thanks again! Its been a pleasure doing business with you.
I want to take a moment to thank you. I've owned my own very successfull businesses for years and I would do anything to have customer service and support such as you have shown. Keep up the good work. It's hard to find now a days.
Thank you so much for your prompt response to my order. You have, without a doubt, the most efficent customer service I have ever seen before. Cory was most helpful when I placed my order and was very willing to make every effort possible for me to receive the coaches in time for my wedding. To be posted on the shipment process is unbelievable and most appreciated. For this to have been such a small order, I feel as though I had ordered thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all companies handled customers as you do! Your efforts will bring you many customers I'm sure.
I got the notification today that the candle I ordered was already shipped. I just wanted to say thank you very much! Due to your busy schedule, which I knew about when I placed my order, I didn't expect to see the candle until sometime in January. According to this e-mail I will have it in time for the twins birthday. I am so excited and can't wait to see it. Thank you again for your prompt replies to all my questions and for making my candle so quickly during such a busy time for you. Your customer service is outstanding!
I just wanted to let you know that I received the candles and the cylinders in excellent condition! Thank you again for all your help in making this decision and for your extra help in getting them to me in plenty of time. They are even more beautiful than I expected and will be fantastic on the tables at my daughter's wedding. I really appreciate the way you helped make this easier for me. Best of luck with your business, Diane!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I am going to be sure to recommend your site to anyone I know who needs party goods - you have no idea how wonderful it is to work with people you can rely on!
Yesterday I received the candles - days before I expected. They look wonderful and were packaged so carefully! I am very impressed with your product, customer service and speed of processing my order.
"Diane~ Several years ago I purchased a Personalized Hand Carved Anniversary Countdown Candle for some friends of ours. When it arrived it was awesome!! It was bigger and better than I had expected. The couple love it and have used it for many years now. My daughter is getting married this summer and I could not think of a better gift than one of these beautiful candles. It just arrived this weekend and I have to say it is spectacular! You did a wonderful job with the colors and carvings. I am thrilled!! Thanks for doing such a wonderful job. J. Brill 06-18-13"
I received my candle yesterday and it was beautiful---it makes such a nice, unique anniversary/wedding gift. I will definitely be using you again. I truthfully think you are the only place where one can purchase an anniversary countdown candle. I searched all over and could not even find a more "mass produced" version of this. I bought one 21 years ago in a gift shop when I got married and then was able to order one 7 or 8 years ago through a retail candle shop for a wedding gift, but last year when I searched the internet you were the only people I could find who did them.
Wishing you the best in this business & hoping to do more business with you in the near future.
"Hello Diane - So sorry that I didn't call you today... I was so busy showing everyone at work and talking about my beautiful candles that I forgot to call. What a beautiful job you did. The pictures really don't do them justice. They are bright and just the color of the ocean waters. I can't wait to take them to Hawaii and show them off. They are something I shall treasure for all time, and was definitely worth all the work and effort. I hope that more people order them for anniversaries. They are a real special gift. The packaging was great and protected them just right. Also, we sure lucked out with the cooler temperatures (90's). Have a great weekend."
"It was great doing business with you! The candles were amazing. Everyone at my parents 25th [anniversary] could not get over the beauty and the craftsmanship. I highly recommend Wax Wizard for anyone looking a unique gift"
"Diane, Got the candle yesterday - looks great - thank you. What I liked best about dealing with this company is their flexibility and to meet my specific needs in a very timely manner."
"Diane, We received the 50th Wedding Anniversary candle yesterday. It looks great! I know that my mom and dad will really enjoy it. Thanks for helping to make their 50th very special. Thank you again,"
"Just wanted to tell you I received the candle today and it's just beautiful. I was very please with the product, the person that helped me, Diane Barton, and the appearance of my purchase. Diane made me feel like she was part of my family and I was a special person to her. I would highly recommend this company to anyone."
"Diane, I GOT IT TODAY !!! It couldn't have been more perfect. It is truly beautiful!!!! I can't wait to give it to my daughter next week."
"Hi - I received the candles yesterday. They came out very good. Great product and service. E-mail communication was excellent and delivery was prompt. Thank you."
"Just want to let you know that I recieved my candle today. It's great. People at work love it too, so I gave them your cards.
"Hi Diane, My mom got the candle yesterday. Safe and sound. She loved it!
Q: I'd like to know if the candle performs well?
A: The candle is perfect and does not drip!
Q: Do you burn it each year?
A: Yes, during my son's birthday dinner, and again during his party.
Q: Can you estimate how long it burns between the imprinted numbers?
A: I think it's about 4 hours.
Q: Do you find it requires much trimming to keep the top..well, more-or-less "flat"...trimming the top when the wax is still warm (after burning the candle) is the best time to trim the top.
A: The candle burns very evenly and does not require much trimming at all - just a bit off the top to even it out.
A: My son's candle is blue and white and we haven't noticed any fading. It is still in pristine shape. I store it in my bedroom closet in the original packaging it was shipped in, so it's well-protected.
"Feel free to use any of this information as a testimonial. As I said above, the candle is of high quality, burns slowly and evenly, and is beautifully hand-carved. My son gets so excited about his special candle in the weeks leading up to his birthday, and family and friends agree it is a special family tradition. My daughter just turned 1 and I would love for her to have a matching candle since your work is so unique. I'll order the other countdown candle after Christmas, and hope that we'll order a personalized candle from you at a later date. Take care, and good wished to you and your family."
"I received the [second] candle last Friday, and it's beautiful! It was worth the wait. Thanks again!"
Received in excellent condition. The candle is so much more beautiful than I imaged... Or the website illustrated! Thank you.
I wanted you to know that I received my grandson's candle yesterday in perfect condition. Thanks for getting it shipped so quickly, I appreciate it greatly! The candle is awesome, as was the one for my granddaughter in 2010 - thanks again - keep up the good work!!
Got the candle and it is even more beautiful than expected! Thank you so much!
just wanted to thank you so much for getting my candle to me on time -- even early!!!
This is the 5th candle I've ordered from you and it is, of course, beautiful!!!
Dear Diane, I received my candle and I wanted to tell you how pleased I am. It is beautiful!!! I can't wait 'til my daughter receives hers.
Hi Diane, I just wanted to let you know that the candle you made for my granddaughter's first birthday is absolutely gorgeous! It's so beautiful, and the detail was unbelievable! What great service your company provided to me! The candle was the hit of the party (besides my granddaughter). Everyone was raving and oooooing and ahhhhhhing over it. I just can't say enough good words about your company and about the quality of work of the candle. My granddaughter will have this very special candle to burn at her birthdays through age 21! What a special treat this will be. And, I'm sure that whenever she gets married and has children, she will want one for them, so be sure and stay in business for a very long time, please!
With so much thankfulness and appreciation!
This note is to thank you for my beautiful candle. I just received my personalized birthday candle for my granddaughter and it was definitely worth the wait. The candle is gorgeous and is going to help keep a birthday tradition in our family. I have another grandchild on the way and will definitely be ordering again. Thank you again.
"Thanks so much Diane. The candle is beautiful. I love it! I can not thank you enough. It really means allot to me. thanks again!"
"I received the candle today. It is beautiful....actually way beyond my expectations!!! Thank you for such a wonderful product! I will definitely use you again and tell others about your products! Sincerely,"
"I have just received my Wax Wizard Birthday Countdown Candle for my Granddaughter. It is absolutely delightful and feminine and will be a treasured part of our Birthday celebrations for her for quite a while.
The pink and white wax scroll work and the silk rosebud and ribbons make this candle like a fairyland creation. You are a genius and I will not only use Wax Wizard when ever I want a special candle, I will also recommend Wax Wizard to anyone who wants that special candle for any occasion.
Hi, Diane, The candles arrived yesterday and they are absolutely beautiful and perfect! Just what I was hoping for! My sisters and I grew up with countdown birthday candles back in the 50's and while I could never find one while my daughter was growing up for her, it's a delight to find them for my little nieces and nephews. Thank you so much again for all your hard work. I can guarantee you'll be hearing from me again! Take care!
"I was so please with the 13" 1-21 year candle I purchased. I was surprised at how big the candle actually was. I received the personalized candle in about a week. I was shocked at how fast I got it!! I have told friends about my son's candle and they couldn't believe I spent $44 on a candle, until they saw it! My family will enjoy this candle for my son's next 21 YEARS!!! WELL WORTH THE $$!!"
customer-oriented and friendly. And their products are excellent! I purchased two, personalized birthday candles for my twin neice and nephew's first birthday party. The candles received raves by almost everyone at the party! And they will surely be treasured by the twins as the celebrate their birthday in the years to come. I highly recommend Wax Wizard to anyone looking for special candles!
"Diane, Thanks for the information about the tracking. We received the candle over the Christmas holidays and we love it. The candle is beautiful! Thanks so much for all of your help. I have your site bookmarked for the next time we need a candle. Thanks again,"
"I was very satisfied with the personal candle I received from Wax Wizard. I searched everywhere for this item & this company had the best choices. I highly recommend purchasing from them!!"
"I found that the attention to detail was extraordinary. The company was very attentive and had outstanding customr service. I intend to spread the word."
"I would prefer to pay directly to the company rather than through PayPal service (which confused me when I received my credit card bill). The product (candle) arrived damaged, and I was very impressed with the personalized level of customer service and attention that Diane provided to me. Although it took a while to get the replacement candle (since one accessory was not available), it was worth the wait."
"Diane, Candle arrived on time & it's beautiful. Thanks for all your help."
"Hi Diane - I got the candle! Thanks! I love it."
Hey Diane!! I wanted to let you know that the candle arrived in perfect shape, and it's absolutely beautiful!! I LOVE IT!!! Thank you.
"I received my order today and am very pleased with it. Your work is beautiful! Thank you so much."
" I just wanted to let you know that the candles arrived today. I can't tell you how pleased I am to have them. They are everything that I have ever wanted for my unity candles. I cannot thank you enough for the awesome job that ya'll did. Anyway, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
"Ms. Diane, I have to thank you sooo much for the wonderful job you did on the candles. We presented them last night at our closing banquet and our advisors were very much surprised and pleased. They were so beautiful, even better than I had imagined. I will be looking forward to placing more orders from you in the near future and many have already asked, "where did you get those from. Thanks again!!!"
"Diane, Thanks for everything. Candle was beautiful. My sister loved it, and when my niece is older she will too. Thnaks again, I look forward to doing business with you in the future. The candle I order definitely exceeded my expectations. My representative was with me every step and did a great job in directing me to choose what would look great. I will absolutely continue to shop with this company in the future!"
"Diane - The candles arrived and they are great! Thanks so much for taking care of me... I know it was a hassle, but I'll be back at ya when we burn through these.
"Thank you for the elephants I really like how they turned out. I may be buying another set in May. I was really happy with the quick response I got from Diane. And she answered all the questions I asked and my items were delivered on the day specified. And they were really cute. I look forward to ordering from your company in the future and have showed my aunt your work and gave it as a gift. Thanks again I am glad I chose your company for my gift."
"Hi Diane! Just wanted to let you know that the "strawberry pie" candle that you had shipped to California was received yesterday, and the accolades have not stopped since she received it! Thank you from the both of us!!! We have BOTH added your web site to our favorites list and look forward to another great deal.
I bought a "strawberry pie" candle as a gift for a friend of mine and she was absolutely "overwhelmed" by this gift. She continues to praise Wax Wizards and, along with myself, we now have found our ONLY source for wax/candle supplies! I would also like to say that I REALLY appreciate the "personal touch" that the customer gets through email correspondence!! Thanks!! Sincerely,"
Just wanted to let you know that I got my order, in perfect condition and they are beautiful - I LOVE THEM !!!"
few more for my collection."
"Diane was the greatest. She took my order,explained what i would be getting and price .I got what i asked for and was very,very,very pleased. Will be ordering again and have already referred some of my friends to WAX Wizard to order too. Thanks Diane."
"Hello, Diane, I just want to tell you how much I am enjoying the cake candles that I purchased from your company. One of the candles stays on my dining table - in a dessert plate, with a fork on the plate. It looks good enough to eat! It adds a special touch and is a conversation starter, too. Most certainly, I will be ordering again!
"dear diane - i want to thank you for the hamburgercandles . they came out great.
"I just wanted to thank you guys. And tell you how amazed I am that I just ordered these candles two days ago and received them this morning. They are cute and have exceeded my expectations, as have you.
I will be highly recommending you to family and friends and will definitely order from you in the future.
"I just received my wedding favors from ups they are perfect thank you so much."
"Today we received the snowflake glass coasters they are beautiful. Thank you very much for rapid delivery. I will definitely use your website to order again..thank you"
I just wanted to thank you so much for shipping the placecard/votive holders so quickly. I received them Tuesday and, so far, they're all PERFECT! They are even better "live" (and the website makes them look terrific).
Thank you so much for the exemplary service and product!
"I was totally pleased with not only the product, but the service that I received. I needed favors for a shower ASAP and Diane from WaxWizards came through for me beyond any expectation I could have had. Not only did the candles come in personalized within a few days of my ordring them, Diane spent time with me on the phone to get exactly what I wanted. Her availability to me and her follow-up were amazing. She knew I was nervous about getting them on time so she let me know each step along the way to ease my concern, and it did. She provided me with choice of the graphics used immediately so I could get exactly what I wanted down to the color of the design and lettering. The best part that was when I gave out the favors at the shower, everyone loved them and were very excited to put them out and use them. They were absolutely the right favors to give and a big hit. Thank you Diane for helping to make my party a success."
"Thanks again. The candles were exactly what we were looking for and a big hit with our guests. We also very much appreciated your timely responses and personal attention to our order. We'd be happy to fill out your "report card." Feel free to use any comments you wish. Looking forward to doing business with you again soon."
"Hello Diane, I received the candles today,they arrived in good condition. I love them, they are perfect for the bridal shower. Thank you very much for everything. I will definately recommend your company. Thanks again.
"Sorry this has taken so long, but the candles were sent to Philly, and I just went there this weekend to finally see them. Everything looks perfect ! The tags are ribbons are lovely. Thanks so much for helping to make our wedding special ! Thank you also for the wedding CD. I am going to try it right after I finish my emailing."
"Wax Wizard was one of the easiest merchants to deal with EVER! - Responses to inquiries were almost immediate, information was complete. Diane was patient and knowledgeable and helped me order exactly the shower favors I was imagining. The order came promptly, custom packaged as I requested. It was a pleasure to deal with them. "
" Diane: I am getting back to you to let you know that Krystal's souvenirs are beautiful. She loves them. Due to the hurricane, we had to move our event to November 13, but that is ok, we are ready and resting it out. Thanks so much for a fabulous job! I have added your website to my favorites for future use and to refer to my friends."
"Hi Diane, Just wanted to say thanks again ~ everything arrived in perfect condition on Friday afternoon, and the arrangements were beautiful at the reception last night. I appreciate the great job you did getting these things to me on time.
We received the order yesterday and they are beautiful. They're going to be perfect! Thanks again for your help. I'll definitely keep your company in mind the next time we need something like this."
using you to decorate the centerpieces for my wedding! thank you so much!
- talk to you soon,"
floaters I've seen are tiny. I really like them. Thanks a bunch!"
"Hello Diane...Your correct, they are a perfect match. Thank You Very much for getting these changed and back to me for the wedding. I really appreciate your service. We even have little flowers to go around the globes that look like these candles. Everything is going to be beautiful, It's hard to believe I only have 8 days left. Thanks Again,"
"I have received all of my candles and everything is great. Thank you"
"DIANE, MY MOTHER RECEIVED THE BUTTERFLY CANDLES YESTERDAY. I HAVE NOT SEEN THEM YET BUT SHE SAID THEY WERE VERY NICE. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP.
"I recieved my candles today. They look really nice! I'm going to take these to the flower shop and see how well they match my flowers so I'll be putting in the big order shortly. Thanks again!"
"Diane, I received my candles today. They are beautiful. They are for centerpieces for my daughter's wedding. I hope they burn for 3-4 hours, as advertised. Thanks."
"Diane, I received the candles today and they are beautiful! Waxwizard has a beautiful product that I would recommend to anyone. I enjoyed working with Diane and am very pleased with her product."
"Dear Diane, I received the heart candles and love them! I will be making an order soon for the heart untiy candles we'd discussed. Thank you for the refund. Talk to you soon!
"I was extremely happy with the service I received, it was very personal, (one on one). I was always informed and aware of where my order was and when I was to expect it. The candles are of excellent quality and thanks to talking with Diane I was able to make them even more fabulous by adding glitter - great idea. Now I have wonderful centerpieces for my wedding with a added personal touch. Thanks again."
"Oh my gosh - the candle arrived today and is absolutely gorgeous! It is perfect for the Sweet Sixteen party! We are so excited to show it off!! Thank you, C. Forge, Casselberry, FL 06-26-08"
"We contacted Wax Wizard Candles as we have opened a shop in the UK and through all the sites we visited wax wizard had everything we needed for our cut and curl range. quality, looks and excellent help from diane barton who has been a god send to us helping us in many ways and not just with the candles. she has now because of her help become a friend as well as our candlemaker. We recomend her honesty and helpfullness and tallent."
"Hi Diane.. Thanks so much.. I received the candle today and must say it's a work of art!!!.. It's almost a shame to put a light to the wick!.. Anyway I cannot believe how hard it is to find these "cut & curl" style candles, even at some of the most well known candles store such as "Illuminations, etc, etc.."
"Dear Diane, Our candle arrived safely today. The more we look at it the more we like it and are very pleased with the quality. Thank you for getting it done and to us so very quickly. I appriciate all of your help!!! "
Once again thanks so much and I look forward to doing business with you again in the near future."
"Thanks so much for the beautiful candle. It arrived yesterday.
"Dear Diane: The candles arrived today-two days after the original delivery estimate, but the estimate was modified early so that I knew they would be later than planned. The box was pretty beat up, but the candles were well packed and survived without a problem. They are really beautiful. Thank you so much for all your help.
"Hello, sorry been working alot got the candles wed. wife loves them and they are beautiful, you do good work! Great products, Great service, Fast delivery, Would recommend to anyone"
"I have had the pleasure of previously seeing this lady's candle work before she went on the web. As, I knew I could trust her, I just sent a check with my order. I still need to find out about PayPal for billing on other sites. I'm a baby when it comes to putting my CC# on line. To any gentle reader that wishes to try out some wonderful candle work, I could not reccomend her more."
"I recently purchased a memorial candle from the Wax Wizard. While it was somewhat difficult to make contact by phone for questions, email was answered promptly and sufficiently. Once the picture to be em-bedded in the candle was received it was made and returned promptly and I was very satisfied with the result."
"Hi Diane: We received your package today. You packed the items with great care, and the candles are beautiful. We enjoyed doing business with you and know where to get our next candles and where to tell our friends to shop for candles online!"
"hi, got the candles yesterday, things have been hectic, meant to write. thanks they look and smell great.
"Hi!! this is Barbara H. - the coffee candle arrived safely. it smells delicious.
"Found this company through response.net. I was looking, they provided me with the information I needed.This company and its owner far exceeded my wants and I will be ordering from her again. I have also told others about her and hope they will do the same. I am new to the internet and found this to be a very good first experience."
Dear Diane, I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that the favors forCarolyn's shower were a big hit! I filled the small bags with birdseed and tied them on, and the favors made a wonderful presentation. Carolyn was very excited about the Cinderella motif. Thank you for all the special attention, and I'll be back if the need arises again!
"This purchase was made for work. We were unable to find the product we needed from usual suppliers. Out of frustration we surfed the net. Wax Wizard was a life-saver. Our traditional plans will continue without a hitch because of Wax Wizard."
"I was thrilled when by wedding candles arrived in perfect order in plenty of time before the date!! These were hard to find candles that the Wax Wizard had and very price competitive. The owner of the company was wonderful to work with and I recommend purchasing from the Wax Wizard!!! I certainly will be !!!
"I ordered a pair of sculptured candles from this company. When I placed my order, Customer service contacted me within two hours with a question about the colors I had chosen. They suggested an alternative pattern, which turned out to be gorgeous. It was nice to deal with knowledgeable people who cared about customer service and product satisfaction."
"Excellent communication, fast and easy transaction. Would highly recommend to others."
I am coordinating a wedding for a professional basketball player. It will be well attended with high visibility, so I only wanted the best for their special day. I was EXTREMELY impressed with the personal, professional, quick and quality service I've received from Wax Wizard Candles & Bridal Shop. They will always be my first contact for future events and I'll highly recommend them to others. They were the BEST!
I just wanted to let you know how much I love the unity candles you made for my wedding. They are unbelievable! I looked all over malls, and wedding stores at unity candles and came up with nothing that caught my attention and said "BUY ME!!". However a couple of minutes on your website and I found the set for me. Again, thank you SO much and especially for getting them to me in time...considering I ordered them a bit late.
wedding theme perfectly. I am recommending you to all my friends.
"Diane, I wanted to make sure I got back to you regarding the candles. I received them yesterday, and they are beautiful. I am not good at saying goodbye, so I will just have to buy more in the near future. There are also pictures that will have to be sent. I want to thank you for all your wonderful candles and all the little chats we have had. :)"
"Diane, I received the canldes yesterday. They are beautiful. Thank you for the time you spent on them. They will always be a memory to us. Thanks again."
"Hi Diane, The candles are absolutely gorgeous! I've never seen anything like them anywhere! They were beautiful on the web-site, but I never imagined they'd be this beautiful! Thanks so much!
I ordered the unity candle and tapers from Wax Wizard for my upcoming wedding. I have searched both on the internet and in stores for candles. I found the Wax Wizard web site and browsed the catalog. I've never seen any canles as beautiful. Still, it's difficult to tell by looking at pictures. I spoke with Dianne at length and she customized the candles to my specifications. I never imagined how beautiful they would be! I have obsessed over every detail of this wedding and I think the candles were the one thing that exceeded my expectations."
"They are here and they are just gorgeous. I can't thank you enough. I will give your website out to anyone I know who is in the market for candles. Thanks again!
I was so pleased with WaxWizard and particularly Diane Barton. The candles turned out beautifully and the graphics were awesome. Diane was a delight to work with and kept me informed every step of the way. I will have no problem recommending this website to any of my friends and associates."
"DIANE - I JUST RECIEVED MY CANDLES AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU IT IS EVERYTHING I EVER DREAMED IT WOULD BE! IT IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS AND I AM GOING TO BE SO PROUD TO DISPLAY THEM AT MY CEREMONY! YOU HAVE TOTALLY MADE MY DAY!!!!!!! I AM GOING TO REFER YOU TO EVERYBODY I KNOW! EXCELLENT WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!! HAVE A WONERFUL WEEKEND.
I HAD A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WITH WAX WIZARD. DIANE WAS MY CANDLEMAKER AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT HER. THE CANDLE IS A UNITY SET AND I WILL BE VERY PROUD TO DISPLAY THIS WORK OF ART AT MY WEDDING. I DID EVERYTHING BY EMAIL WITH DIANE-AND IT WAS EASY AND FUN.I AM VERY HAPPY WITH MY WHOLE EXPERIENCE. I WILL BE REFERRING WAX WIZARDS ALL OVER TOWN."
"Hi Diane, Yes, I have received the candles. They are great. I think that Donna and Bill will be very pleased with them as well. I was going to give them to them at their shower next Saturday night, but she wants me instead to let it be a surprise when they light them at the church on their wedding day. Thank you so much. I will look at your new site. Sincerely, Charlene H."
"Hi Diane, I picked up the candle yesterday. It is absolutely beautiful, I couldn't be happier with it. Thank you so much for getting it done so quickly. Thanks Again,"
"Diane, we did receive the candles on the 26th and they turned out lovely we both thought you did a superb job in making them the way we wanted them.
"Hi Diane!!! My candles arrived today while I was at lunch. OMG! They are gorgeous! THANK YOU!!!! You also did a great job wrapping them - took me about 1/2 hour to get them out of the bubble wrap - LOL -- Thats cool - no chance of them breaking that way....... Anyway, they arrived here safe and sound, and I absolutely love them! I am VERY happy with my purchase and the service. My Unity candle and tapers are gorgeous! They arrived from FL to KS in perfect condition and were wrapped very carefully. I was also very impressed with the service. My emails were responded to directly by Diane, within a short time after I sent them, and she was VERY friendly, personable and helpful."
"Diane, My candle and holder arrived yesterday. The bride and groom will love it, I'm sure. And thank you, Diane, for your excellent customer service. I will pass your name and that of your Company to all my friends who are looking for a unique gift. THANK YOU, again!"
"Hi Diane, Well my prayers were answered as the candles arrived this afternoon !! I was so worried as Mum leaves in the morning and it would have been too late for the next mail delivery. Anyway they look absolutely beautiful thankyou for doing such a beautfiful job. Take Care"
"Hi Diane, Just wanted you to know I received the candle. It is perfect. Thank you."
"GREETINGS WAXY - Thou princess of the candle drippings, thou talented artiste of the Graphic machine. As you will see, your mastery of the candle art has once again delighted the hearts and eyes of the bridal pair. Thank you for your extra effort I really do appreciate it.
"Thank you for the beautiful Wax Wizard candles! I received mine on Thursday night. Vi says "thank you very much" for hers, too. They are quite exquisite! There is a large pillar candle and two matching candle sticks."
"OH MY!!! They are GORGEOUS!!! I am in tears!!!!!!!!!! Thank You So MUCH!"
"Diane, I just received my candle this weekend, it looks great. I love it!"
"Yes, and it is wonderful! Larry couldn't believe how lovely it is. I'm taking pictures of everything and sending to the author or Everything Irish an Tradional Irish Wedding she very interested in my dress. Thanks again and it was wonderful working with you,"
"Hello! I justed wanted to let you know that we got the candle and it is absolutely beautiful!! IT is so big, we were surprised! But it will be the perfect wedding gift for my fiance's Mom. I will hold onto the cards because I am getting married next June and I will definitely be contacting you for my wedding candles!!! Thank you again! "
"HEY, I RECEIVED MY CANDLE! I LOVE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP! I CAN'T WAIT TO USE IT! THANKS AGAIN!
"Just wanted to let you know that we received the candles, and they are beautiful. Thanks allot.
"I just wanted to send this email to let you guys know that I received my candle and it was so beautiful. Thank you so very much for my wonderful Unity Candle.
"Diane, I opened my front door this morning to find a huge box at the step, and about six hours later I got all the tape off and got each box out from inside the other (lol). I was so happy that it was wrapped up so well, though! The caketop could not have broken if it was dropped out of a window. I was completely amazed when I opened the box and saw the castle for the first time, and everyone was mesmerized at how beautiful it looks with the light kit turned on. I had been worried that the batteries or wires would be showing, but they are completely hidden under the lace base. This is the perfect, magical touch to our fairy tale wedding. Thank you so much for all of your help - emailing me day and night and even on weekends to reassure me that I would receive it on time and intact. I have been on the internet for 7 1/2 years, and have been ordering items online for almst 5 from many different vendors. However, I have never encountered an online store as considerate, prompt, and professional as yours. Thanks again for everything! You have helped make my wedding a beautiful and memorable day.
"Diane, the candle holder arrived this morning. I was surprised and so thankful. Thank you so much for all of your help. It is beautiful and I think the bride will be very pleased!
Diane at Wax Wizard was so nice and helpful. She did everything she possibly could to get me the item I needed for my son's wedding. She understood the urgency and kept in close contact with me. Even with the tragedy in New York this week, my items arrived on the day it was expected. I am so grateful to her. I highly recommend this company."
to respond - usually within 24 hours.


text:
TANIA MAXWELL MP
Member for Northern Victoria | Derryn Hinch's Justice Party
About Tania
About Northern Victoria
Tag Archive for: domestic violence
Domestic violence ads shy on home truths
January 10, 2022 /in Media, News /by Tania Maxwell
Federal government advertising is falling short on domestic violence messaging, with bad jokes and sledges at sports matches barely scratching the surface of the real problem, according to Northern Victorian MP Tania Maxwell.
"We are very used to seeing confronting road trauma violence in advertising from the Transport Accident Commission," she said.
"But the ads about domestic violence – which is lethal for one woman a week in Australia – are all about calling out bad language when you see it or off-colour jokes about women and girls.
"If the problem of domestic violence was limited to degrading language – these ads would be spot on. But we know we have a much bigger problem than that."
The 'Unmute yourself' ads, funded by the federal government, are a part of the Stop it at the Start campaign on domestic violence. One of the most recent ads features two men talking about girls and sport.
The older man asks a younger male "what's wrong with playing like a girl?"
Ms Maxwell, who has campaigned against domestic and family violence for many years, said the advertising needed to reflect the realities of trauma – just as road safety messages did.
"The softly, softly approach to this issue is not appropriate," she said.
"A lot of the messaging is silent on what men can do apart from reject degrading language."
Coercive control should be shown in the ads to educate the audience about healthy expectations in relationships, Ms Maxwell said.
"I think an ad that told men 'Your partner is allowed to disagree with you – or say no to you – without being punished for it' would probably be eye-opening for a lot of people," she said.
"There is an expectation that it's ok to pressure a woman into going to parties she doesn't want to attend, or use her money on things she objects to, and people need to know that mental and emotional abuse is domestic violence, too."
Ms Maxwell said Australians should also reject soap operas as an instructional life guide.
"Children are like sponges and their perception of what is real in some TV shows can have lasting effects," she said.
"Education is the key here in determining what is and isn't real life.
"These are dramas – they are written and acted to entertain you – not teach you about how boyfriends and girlfriends should behave towards each other," Ms Maxwell said.
"A lot of fictional television programs – not just the soap operas – are about grumpy, controlling men and sad, stressed women. We need to reject those role models and change the narrative.
"There is often a lot of conflict in the relationships on screen as part of the storytelling but it needs to be seen in its context as fictional entertainment, not as an expectation-setting tool.
"All those men who are respectful and treat everyone equally and there are, from my experience, thousands of them out there, should be thanked. It is a shame that the minority who display reprehensible behaviours don't learn from the majority of men in our society."
This story was first reported in The Bendigo Advertiser on January 6, 2022.
https://media.taniamaxwell.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/10105538/Screen-Shot-2022-01-10-at-10.53.27-1.png 734 1118 Tania Maxwell https://media.taniamaxwell.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/30133823/PoV-Crest-White.png Tania Maxwell2022-01-10 10:58:562022-01-10 10:59:56Domestic violence ads shy on home truths
Call for rapid antigen test availability in regional Victoria
Victoria Police school program comeback welcome
Vote defeats public agency scrutiny
Ombudsman damns cross-border permit system
(03) 4700 1787 | 2, 27-29 Faithfull Street, Wangaratta | Email Tania
Copyright © 2019 Tania Maxwell | Authorised by Tania Maxwell MP, 2/27-29 Faithfull St Wangaratta | Funded from Parliamentary Budget | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Website by Dutch Media

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"Small, very small. Drink! Drink! Drink! 2nd of 3 shows Family Tree has jipt us. Small stage, wrong PA. Joe had to rebuild the whole system. Beautiful day, though. I have in my hand a pint of Long Trail Ale so I have to go to work. Should we, shouldn't we, we did. When we started the first set there were 50 or more people. Before we finished there were 10 at the most. Good time, though."


The Food Network's Giada de Laurentiis. The only way you can get that smile off her face is with a screwdriver.
I LOVE Giada! I want to be in kitchen. I want to go to her house for Christmas!
I couldn't go to her place for Christmas because I'd probably be caught trying to look down her blouse. Although Italian food is a pretty good distraction.
I've almost bought her new book for the cover alone! It makes me swoon.
LOL, oh my. She'd have to wear something higher cut.
She is a very pretty lady.


First day of class means a lot to both the students and the instructors. But I think, being a student for a long time myself, it means more to the students. They want to know what they are getting themselves into. They are anxious to know if their instructor is going to make this semester easy and smooth on them or not. Is he another [stupid] boring professor or smart and funny?
The culture of building rapport in the first day in class in Jordanian universities is rarely practiced. In its best scenario it involves the instructor explaining the syllabus and telling the students what textbook is used as a reading material or reference. Also, if the class size is manageable the instructor reads the students names as a way of breaking the ice and knowing their names. In the four years of my bachelor degree I never knew anything about any of the professors other than their names. Believe it or not, many of them don't even bother telling their names to students. They don't think it plays any role in the advancement of learning.
In American universities, the issue of building rapport is well practiced but of course it varies a lot from one instructor to another. But mainly, it involves the instructor telling or revealing to students more about him/her than just his/her name. Some instructors tell their students how long they have been teaching, where did they study, where they came from, etc. This information helps break the ice and establishes some kind of socializing with students.
In the first day of class I use the world map and tell students that I am from Jordan and show them where it is in the map and complain how far it is from here. I tell them that Arabic is my first language not English "if you are wondering about the accent".
Back home I used to think that my instructors were from a different planet because most of them rarely socialize with their students.
This is a script of a scene from the German movie Stroszek (1977). The movie got 100% positive reviews from approved Tomatometer Critics.
Eva: Nobody kicks you here.
Bruno: No, not physically. Here they do it spiritually.
Eva: What do you mean?
Bruno: In the reformatory it was just like here. If someone wet his bed, this was under the Nazis instead of hanging the sheet on the clothesline; they used to make the person who did it, stand holding it up like this all day and the teacher would stand behind him with a stick and boy, if his arms started getting tired from standing so long he got a beating. … They hurt you openly then. Today they do it differently. They don't go like this, or like this (beating). They do it ever so politely, and with a smile. It's much worse. You can smell it in the air, and you can see it, too. Who knows what fate will bring?


TU VUO' FA' L AMERICANO.STRUMENTALE.
Больной мужик показал член ( 18).
First Review! Pirmais skats uz Zofiju!
Geometry Dash Can't Let Go lvl 6 Sin Morir!!!
After 6 moths Iam BACK !!! :D.
This is Geometry Dash Level 6, Cant Let Go. DJVI made this music, easy but hard.


text:
Q: AppCrash when trying to install Skype I am trying to install Skype 5.5 for Windows, but I keep getting a crash in the installer program. I first tried the small (900k) auto-download installer, which failed. I then downloaded the SkypeSetupFull.exe full installer, but whenever I try and run it, I get a Windows error dialogue saying: "Skype has stopped working", with the 'check online', 'close', and 'debug' options. The problem details shown in the dialogue are:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name:   SkypeSetupFull.exe
Application Version:    5.5.0.124
Application Timestamp:  4e96cbf7
Fault Module Name:  ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version:   6.1.7600.16385
Fault Module Timestamp: 4a5bdadb
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset:   0006a7c9
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID:  7177
Additional Information 1:   0a9e
Additional Information 2:   0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3:   0a9e
Additional Information 4:   0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

I have searched online quite extensively with no joy. What can I try to fix, or at least diagnose, this issue? I am running Win 7 Pro.

A: You can try to install the beta version, with which many people have had better luck.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Graduate from Bologna Alma mater studiorum with a major in Mechanical engineer after a classic study at Gymnasium, at Liceo Minghetti in Bologna as well.
Luca is involved already from his summer jobs during his height school, in the packaging area, During his university period he started to develop new projects for boxes erecting machines integrating field experience with specific studies on the industrial automatization at Unibo. Once graduated in "Automatic Drivers and machines", Luca joined in Bini&C, his family company, as a designer and project manager, as a production manager, and finally as sales manager.
From 2013 Luca is collaborating with Teco Company as new area sales manager, Also with his experience Teco today becomes worldwide leader in carton packaging erecting machines.


text:
Pakistan High Commission official summoned to lodge strong protest at incidents of cross LoC terrorist
New Delhi-Pakistan High Commission official was summoned and a strong protest was lodged at the incidents of cross LoC terrorist infiltration and targeting of Indian civilians and security forces on 21 and 26 December 2018, leading to loss of lives on the Indian side.
Our grave concern was conveyed at Pakistan's continued support to cross border terrorist infiltration into India, including supporting cover fire provided by Pakistan forces. This year, despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquility, Pakistan forces have carried out over 1962 incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations in which 50 Indians have lost their lives.
Pakistan was once again asked to fulfill its bilateral commitment to not allow any territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India in any manner.


text:
namespace et = envitools;
namespace fs = boost::filesystem;
namespace po = boost::program_options;

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    ///// Setup program options /////
    // clang-format off
    po::options_description options("Options");
    options.add_options()
        ("help,h","Show this message")
        ("input-file,i", po::value<std::string>()->required(),
            "Path to the ENVI header file")
        ("print-band-ids", "If enabled, print the band IDs");
    // clang-format on

    po::variables_map parsed;
    po::store(
        po::command_line_parser(argc, argv).options(options).run(), parsed);

    // show the help message
    if (parsed.count("help") || argc < 2) {
        std::cout << options << std::endl;
        return EXIT_SUCCESS;
    }

    // warn of missing options
    try {
        po::notify(parsed);
    } catch (po::error& e) {
        std::cerr << "Error: " << e.what() << std::endl;
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    ///// Get important paths /////
    fs::path enviPath;
    enviPath = parsed["input-file"].as<std::string>();
    if (!fs::exists(enviPath)) {
        std::cerr << "Error: File path does not exist." << std::endl;
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    std::cout << "Filename: " << enviPath << std::endl;
    et::ENVI::Pointer envi;
    try {
        envi = et::ENVI::New(enviPath);
    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
        std::cerr << "Cannot open file as ENVI: ";
        std::cerr << e.what() << std::endl;
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    std::cout << "DataType: " << static_cast<int>(envi->datatype())
              << std::endl;

    std::cout << "Endianness: " << static_cast<int>(envi->endianness())
              << std::endl;

    std::cout << "Interleave: ";
    switch (envi->interleave()) {
        case et::ENVI::Interleave::BandSequential:
            std::cout << "BSQ";
            break;
        case et::ENVI::Interleave::BandByPixel:
            std::cout << "BIP";
            break;
        case et::ENVI::Interleave::BandByLine:
            std::cout << "BIL";
            break;
    }
    std::cout << std::endl;

    std::cout << "Samples (Width): " << envi->width() << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Lines (Height): " << envi->height() << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Bands (Depth): " << envi->bands() << std::endl;

    // Print Band IDs
    std::cout << "Band ID count: " << envi->getWavelengths().size()
              << std::endl;
    if (parsed.count("print-band-ids") > 0) {
        std::cout << "IDs:" << std::endl;
        int count = 0;
        for (const auto& w : envi->getWavelengths()) {
            std::cout << "  " << count++ << ": " << w << std::endl;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Cold War Patriots, a community resource organization that is the nation's strongest and most sustained voice advocating for worker benefits, has announced that the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health has approved a special exposure cohort (SEC) petition to expand benefits coverage for Y-12 workers. CWP is hosting free informational meetings in Tennessee on Feb. 5-8 (see schedule below) to share the new information and help workers determine if they are eligible for new monetary compensation or expanded health benefits under the new standards.
Lerew adds that those who already have a white card could be eligible for even more benefits under the expanded list of cancers the SEC covers.
Any employee of the U.S. Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Y-12 Plant between Jan. 1, 1958, and Dec. 31, 1976, could be eligible for fast-tracked benefits.
"We encourage anyone who worked at the Y-12 Plant during this timeframe to come to our meeting to learn more about this expanded SEC. There are a few qualifications you must meet, and we will be educating attendees on those qualifications as well as letting them know what steps they need to take to apply," says Lerew.
The SEC is a uniquely defined category of employees established under The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA).
The SEC is comprised of classes of employees who have at least one of the 22 SEC cancers and have worked for a specific period of time at the Y-12 Plant. Claims compensated under the SEC do not have to go through the dose reconstruction process, as is required for other cancer claims covered by the EEOICPA.
The SEC will not be official until the Department of Energy's formal process of two, 30-day waiting periods is over and the SEC has been signed by the Department of Health and Human Services. While it is estimated this will happen in mid-February, it is not clear how the government shutdown will affect the approval process.
• 10 a.m. morning meetings are for those who have their U.S. Department of Labor white medical benefits card, have an EEOICPA claim pending, or have been denied for benefits.
• The afternoon meetings, at 1 p.m., are for those who have never applied for benefits or those who previously believed they were not eligible for benefits.
1085 E. Tri County Blvd.
The EEOICPA program is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and offers monetary compensation and health benefits to workers who participated in the nuclear weapons program from 1942 until the present day and became sick because of radiation exposure. Learn more at dol.gov/owcp/energy.
Cold War Patriots (CWP) is a division of Professional Case Management (PCM), which provides specialized in-home healthcare services to nuclear weapons and uranium workers.
CWP is a community resource and advocacy organization and the nation's strongest and most sustained voice to advocate for worker benefits.
CWP helps former nuclear weapons and uranium workers get the recognition, compensation and care they have earned. CWP, the first national organization to connect workers with benefits, does this work for free on behalf of its members.
Visit www.coldwarpatriots.org or call 888-903-8989 for more information.


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As we're just two short weeks away from Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share a peek at the tablescape that I put together for a challenge for Best Wedding Sites. All participants were provided with the color palette of fuchsia and black with instructions to incorporate something sweet. I'm always up for a challenge and worked with some great vendors to help me pull off my vision.
I wanted a fireplace backdrop as they can be so romantic. I also wanted to do a napkin fold that I've been dying to do. Have a look!
The photography was courtesy of The Studio B Photography, Menus by Distinctive Calligraphy, Popcorn by Popcorn Palladium, the venue was the lovely Windermere Golf and Country Club, and the design of course, was by me (Enraptured Events). I hope you like and find some inspiration for your Valentine's Day!


It's almost a week since our leaders' event at Edenmore Golf and Country Club. Anyone expecting to hear five tips for guaranteed leadership success from perfect and saintly leaders was in for a surprise!
What they got was searing honesty and pertinent challenge from three seasoned leaders; there was also a bit of humour – hardly surprising to those who know the members of the panel! It was a privilege for all who were there to listen to these leaders (I reckon a good century of experience between them) as they made themselves vulnerable in reflecting on their leadership journeys.
…incredibly moving, humbling and thought-provoking … a significant marker in my own journey.
Trevor Morrow, minister emeritus at Lucan Presbyterian Church, a congregation he served for over 30 years talked about the dangerous idolatries of ministry that can lead to the damaging neglect of family. He talked about the 'wilderness' of Lucan – a tiny church of 12 members when he went there, having left a congregation of a thousand in Northern Ireland. He talked about people God put in his path as he began to carve out a unique (and controversial) ministry as a Presbyterian in a Catholic context.
Ken (Fanta) Clarke reflected on some of the powerful experiences that have shaped him along the way. The realisation that he had been living as a bachelor in the early years of his marriage; a deeply powerful, cleansing encounter with God just weeks before his election as a bishop; a memorable, if frightening, time with God on a prayer mountain in Uganda. The latter two of these experiences reinforced Bible verses which he has had inscribed on his bishop's ring.
Ros Stirling talked honestly about the crucible of singleness, challenging both single people and everyone in the room to be accountable. She talked about the encounter with a school pupil who was disillusioned by the Church – an encounter that would later be significant as she worked for 21 years for the Presbyterian Church, leading their youth department. She spoke passionately about her conviction that ministry needs to flow from a leader's relationship with God – God aches for us to have such a relationship with him, but our culture tends to be so much more driven. Her conviction around this has been expressed in the establishment of Cleopas – a ministry that aims to provide space for the cultivation of this relationship.
All three spoke of people who had been influential along thew way. Trevor and Roz each spoke of the powerful impact of their father and other people, such as ministers, youth leaders and other mentor figures. Ken spoke about youth leaders and a school teacher, now quite elderly, who has continued to encourage him through the years.
We had a full room, with an audience that spanned generations and church backgrounds. People spoke about how they had been refreshed by the morning. One leader wrote that he had found the morning 'incredibly moving, humbling and thought-provoking … a significant marker in my own journey.' Another said that it had been 'good for my soul' and valued the insight of the speakers: as a young leader he is eager to glean from the wisdom and guidance of more mature leaders. Others found it timely and helpful.
If you'd like to know more about any similar future events or workshops (there might even be a related podcast in the future), get in touch using the contact form.


The Ministry of Human Source Development has decided to just take speedy ways to carry out the tips of a committee, which it experienced constituted in 2018 to make a report for the advertising and defense of Maithili language and its scripts.
The committee has submitted its report to the Ministry. In the report, it has designed numerous suggestions for the promotion and security of the Maithili language. The report was examined in the Ministry and it has been determined to consider instant action on some of the recommendations of the committee.
• To build a script and manuscript centre at Darbhanga in any a person of the Universities specifically Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University or Lalit Narayan Mithila Unviersity.
• To guarantee early completion of the do the job pertaining to unicode scripts of Mithilakshar by Technological innovation Enhancement of Indian Languages (TDIL).
• To put together audio-visible training supplies for instructing the Mithilakshar scripts.
Mithilakshar or Tirhuta is the script of broader cultural Mithila. The scripts of Mithilaksar, Bangla, Assamese, Nebari, Odia and Tibetan are component of the loved ones.
It is an incredibly ancient script and it is one of the scripts of the broader North Eastern India.
Mithilakshar experienced appear to its existing form by 10th Century Advert. The oldest kind of Mithilakshar is located in the Sahodara stone inscriptions of 950 Ad.
In the subsequent yrs, the scripts were being discovered to have been utilised in the course of Mithila from Champaran to Deoghar.
Nevertheless, the use of the script observed a decrease in the final 100 many years, elevating fears of society getting decimated.
As the script is not becoming used, the Maithili language is currently being created in a composite method despite obtaining been accorded a constitutional standing in the constitution.
To safeguard the exact, the Human Means Ministry experienced constituted the committee in 2018 for creating a report for the marketing and security of Maithili Language and its scripts.


10 speakers are arranged in pairs alongside a corridor. for each pair, a drone was composed, slightly differing in pitch and harmonics. overlaying sound fields occur, direct sound and reflections alternate, a sound-complex is formed which changes in the visitors perception as he moves along. the composition is made out of five loops of various length, one for each pair. each loop is a transition from stability to instability, each with his climax at a specific moment. the composition as a whole is arranged that once an hour, the climaxes clash.


Parapsychology is concerned with the scientific investigation of the ways that organisms communicate and interact with each other and with the environment, that appear to be inexplicable within current scientific models. Stories of the paranormal (apparitions, prophetic dreams and visions, inexplicable awareness of events faraway, divination, miraculous cures etc) have been with us since antiquity, but it was only in the 19th century that the subject began to be studied in a systematic and scientific way.
Some of the top Parapsychologists in the world are Psychologists, Neuroscientists, Physicists and Nobel Prize winners.
Several historians have persuasively demonstrated the influence of Psychical Research on the development of concepts in what is todays mainstream Psychology.
In the 1940's, Neuroscience was considered and received funding as Psychical Research.
A New Quantum Theoretical Framework for Parapsychology – by Chris Clarke, School of Mathematics, University of Southampton.
Arguing for an Observational Theory of Paranormal Phenomena – Journal of Scientific Exploration – by J.M. Houtkooper.
Anomalies and Constraints: Can Clairvoyance, Precognition, and Psychokinesis be Accommodated Within Known Physics? – Journal of Scientific Exploration – by R. Shoup.
Mind Matters: a New Scientific Era – by Roger D. Nelson, Journal of Parapsychology.
Parapsychology's Contribution to Psychology: A View from the Front Line – by Caroline Watt, Journal of Parapsychology.
Guest Editorial: Why Parapsychology Now? – by James Carpenter, Journal of Parapsychology.
Controversy and the Problems of Parapsychology – by Nancy L. Zingrone, Journal of Parapsychology.
Hans In Luck: The Currency Of Evidence In Parapsychology – Statistical Data Included – by Walter V. Lucadou, Journal of Parapsychology.
Parapsychology and Quantum Entanglement – by W.G. Roll and B.J. Williams,Proceedings of The Parapsychological Association Convention 2008.
To Be or Not to Be! A 'Paraphysics' for the New Millennium – by James E. Beichler, Journal of Scientific Exploration.
Parapsychology FAQ – This FAQ was originally written for the web in 1995. For more detail on all of these topics, see The Conscious Universe (HarperEdge, 1997), or Entangled Minds (April 2006, Simon & Schuster).
Paranormal Phenomena – The starting place for exploring paranormal phenomena and the unexplained, including ghosts, ESP, psychic phenomena, strange science, and more paranormal phenomena.
ESP and Psychokinesis Articles – About.com, ESP, telepathy, telekinesis, channeling, remote viewing and more.
National Paranormal Research Association – We are an association of Paranormal research groups. Our goal is to open communication between all types of paranormal researchers so we can share ideas, techniques and stories. Anyone interested in the field can become a member.
Parapsychology SIG of MENSA – This group was formed in 1982 as a forum in which to share the investigation and use of our sixth sense and to understand, develop, and refine our psychic potential. Additionally, this group serves as a "safe haven" in which to openly discuss all aspects of the paranormal, without fear of ridicule. All who are interested in this subject matter are welcome.
Strange Science – Examining topics such as: Psychic Abilities, Time Travel, Cold Fusion, Paranormal Phenomena, Occult, Eugenics, Astral Projection, UFOs and Extraterrestrial Life, Parapsychology, Alchemy, NDE, Life After Death, etc; Reincarnation, Conspiracies, The Science of Magick, Cryptozoology, Mysticism, Cryonics, Human Transcendence, and other subjects on the edges of science.


text:
Roberto Concina (3 November 1969 – 9 May 2017), known professionally as Robert Miles, was an Italian record producer, composer, musician and DJ. His 1995 composition "Children" sold more than 5 million copies and topped the charts worldwide.

Early life
Robert Miles was born in Fleurier, Switzerland, to Italian parents.

Miles became proficient at playing the piano during his youth in Friuli, Italy, in the small town of Fagagna, where his family moved when he was young, and had been in the music scene since 1984. He worked as a DJ in some Italian clubs and private radio networks, and in 1990 he used his savings to establish his own recording studio and a pirate radio station.

Music career

1994–1997: Breakthrough and Dreamland

In 1994, Miles wrote a trance and chill-out piece based on acoustic guitar chords and soft synthesizer effects, "Children", which was later developed into a dream house song featuring a piano theme on top. The single picked up sales slowly, but within two weeks of its official release in 1995, it had sold more than 350,000 copies all over Europe and topped the charts in many countries. The single received an unprecedented "Essential Tune of The Week" three weeks in a row on Pete Tong's show, causing a furious bidding war. It was then signed to Deconstruction Records in the UK by Giles Goodman of Dynamik Music (who represented Platipus Records the initial UK licensee). After occupying the Euro Top 100 chart number 1 spot for thirteen consecutive weeks , by 1997, "Children" had sold more than five million copies worldwide. It earned Miles platinum records in many countries, a Brit Award (Robert Miles is, to date, October 2022, the only Italian artist who has received the award) as Best International Male Newcomer 1997, a World Music Award as World's Best Selling Male Newcomer, and various other awards.

Miles' next single was "Fable". Part of this song was used in the theatrical trailer for the U.S. movie Ever After  starring Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott. His debut album Dreamland was released on 7 June 1996 in Europe, and released in the United States about a month later. The album included a cover of "One and One" featuring British singer Maria Nayler. This cover became very popular (it reached number 1 in the Euro Top 100 Singles Chart during the Christmas period and remained in the top spot for six consecutive weeks) and was later released as a single in Europe and the U.S.

1997–1998: 23am
In November 1997, Miles released another track, "Freedom", which was one of the key tracks on his second album 23am, featuring vocals provided by Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge. Containing a different feel from the previously more club-oriented Dreamland, 23am incorporated more lyrics-driven songs than its predecessor while maintaining Miles' trademark piano sound from the first album.

1998–2002: Departure from label and Organik
After splitting from Deconstruction, BMG and his former management in London, he set up his own independent record label Salt Records (stylised as S:alt Records, with S:alt being short for suitably:alternative) in 2001 and released his third album, Organik, featuring the new single "Paths" with vocals provided by Nina Miranda of Smoke City. Guests on the album included Trilok Gurtu, Bill Laswell and Nitin Sawhney. Music from Organik was used on various movie soundtracks such as The Bourne Identity, Derrida, and City of Ghosts. It was licensed to Narada Productions' Shakti Records label in the USA. In 2002, an album containing mainly remixes of songs found on Organik was released. The album, appropriately entitled Organik Remixes, contained remixes by the winners of the remixing contest held on Robert Miles's Web site, as well as remixes from well-known artists such as Future Sound of London, Riton, and Alexkid among others. The album also had one new track, "Bhairav", which featured the vocals of Amelia Cuni.

2004–2005: Miles_Gurtu
In 2004, Miles released Miles Gurtu, his fourth album, which was a collaboration with percussionist Trilok Gurtu and included jazz and electronica elements. Also guesting on the album were Nitin Sawhney, Jon Thorne, Mike Patto and Paul Falloon.

2011–2012: Thirteen
Miles' fifth album, entitled Thirteen, was released worldwide on Salt Records in February 2011. For this album, Miles produced a blend of alternative and progressive rock with ambient and electronic soundscapes.

In 2012 Miles finished working on the soundtrack for the movie documentary The Turn of THIS Century, directed by Peter Beyak and featuring the photography of Life Magazine. He founded a new FM and online alternative radio station, Open Lab, broadcasting from Ibiza, a project bringing together culture, arts, media, technology and innovation.

Death
Miles died from cancer in Ibiza, Spain, on 9 May 2017 at the age of 47.

Miles' Open Lab station was taken off-air shortly afterwards, pending discussions on the future of the station.  After receiving many messages from people expressing dismay at the station's suspension, it was announced that the station would be returning soon in 2019, starting with a live radio stream in January 2019 and followed by a reboot to radio on 106.4 FM in Ibiza in April 2019.

Discography

Studio albums
 Dreamland (1996)
 23am (1997)
 Organik (2001)
 Miles_Gurtu (with Trilok Gurtu) (2004)
 Thirteen (2011)

See also
 List of ambient music artists
 List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
 List of number-one dance hits (United States)

References

Further reading

External links

1969 births
2017 deaths
People from Neuchâtel
Italian trance musicians
Italian dance musicians
Arista Records artists
Narada Productions artists
Brit Award winners
Italian DJs
People from Fagagna
People of Friulian descent
Deaths from cancer in Spain
Swiss emigrants to Italy
Italian expatriates in Spain
Electronic dance music DJs
Bertelsmann Music Group artists
Virgin Records artists
EMI Records artists

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Peter Sutovsky poses with copies of Vinotéka, the Slovakian wine magazine. He writes bi-monthly columns for the publication called "Wine Gossips from America." Photo by Nate Compton.
Peter Sutovsky poses with copies of Vinotéka, the Slovakian… Expand ▸
Wise on Wine
Reproductive biologist doubles as a wine columnist
Written by Eleanor Hasenbeck · November 20, 2015
It's fair to say that Peter Sutovsky is a man of varied tastes. He knows his way around bovine sperm cells and Cabernet Sauvignon. At the University of Missouri, Sutovsky does double duty as a professor and award-winning researcher of reproductive physiology in the Division of Animal Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health in the School of Medicine. Yet, he still finds time outside of the lab to be a self-identified "wine guy."
Roots in Riesling
Sutovsky grew up in Western Slovakia in Central Europe. He hails from the edge of prime wine country, at the northern border of a patch of a cool climate viticulture covering parts of Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. It's an area famous for its white wines, specifically its Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.
After a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, Sutovsky and his wife, Miriam, relocated to Portland, Oregon. The couple lived in the Willamette Valley, a designated American Viticulture Area.
Peter Sutovsky, a professor of animal sciences, snaps a photo of himself at Viña Santa Rita vineyard in Chile. Photo courtesy of Sutovsky.
"It's essentially the Burgundy of America. Some of the best Pinot Noir in the world comes from exactly that area, so I literally had it in my backyard," Sutovsky says. "That culture obviously cares about wine a lot."
Wine was everywhere. Sutovsky sampled Pinot Noir while grocery shopping. He read about it. On television, people talked about how the grapes would fare impending weather. He and his wife became more interested in wine as they attended more tastings and began to read about it. The pair didn't start collecting wine, though, until they moved to Missouri.
"Wine buying is a disease," Sutovsky says. "The saying is that 'Wine drinking in small doses is good for your health, but wine buying is an incurable disease.'"
Publishing his passion
Around 2008, Sutovsky reconnected with an old friend who had become an owner and publisher of agricultural magazines in Slovakia. They went to wine tastings together, and Sutovsky suggested starting a wine magazine. "He told me that he was already thinking about that."
Thus, Vinotéka was formed. In 2010, Sutovsky wrote an article for the first issue. He contributed many more articles to the magazine here and there, before he was asked to become a columnist. Today, he writes a column called "Wine Gossip from America" for the bi-monthly publication. He covers a variety of "gossips" from the States, as varied as the etiquette of bringing wine to a swimming pool and the overturning of a truck carrying 1,000 cases of champagne.
Sutovsky sees wine very similarly to entomology. "Wine is like a caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly," he says.
Sutovsky stores many bottles of wine in a humidity- and temperature-controlled cellar in the basement of his home. Photo courtesy of Sutovsky.
When it is stored in the right conditions, for example, a wine rack in Sutovsky's humidity- and temperature-controlled cellar, chemical reactions between tannins in the grapes and the oxygen slipping through the cork change the wine's flavor and make it more aromatic.
This is the wine's chrysalis stage. When it becomes a butterfly, it has reached its peak and will decline if it continues to age. There is only one way to find out when a bottle is a butterfly. You have to drink it.
Sutovsky buys his favorite wines by the case. Each year, to track its progress, one bottle is opened. With each opened bottle, Sutovsky analyzes his wine. To realize when the wine has peaked, he has to remember exactly what the wine tasted like before. Once it is perfect, he finishes the case, paired with his wife's cooking and sharing with family and friends.
"It's such a wonderful luxury to have to basically just walk down to your basement to the wine cellar and pick bottle that's six, seven years old and probably just at its peak and have that wine," Sutovsky says. Most people buy wine for immediate consumption, so the wine found on the shelves of liquor and grocery stores is usually intended to be drank soon after purchase. "Unless you go to specialty shops, you don't get those older vintages of those wines," he says.
For novice wine lovers, Sutovsky has a few recommendations. He suggests finding a good wine shop with knowledgeable personnel who are willing to speak to you and educate you without being snobby about it. It may take some time to find the right people in the right spot. Finally, he says you should have a good time.
"Just enjoy. That's my advice. Have a good time. Drink in moderation, so you can actually remember what you had the night before," Sutovsky says. "If you can travel to wine country, do it, because it's always amazing."


If you live in Florida and have thought about getting solar panels for your rooftop, did you go to the bank and try to get a loan for the cost? And if you did, what happened? Our guess is that your bank said they weren't able to extend this type of financing for your project, and perhaps that prevented you from moving forward.
Instead of being limited by finances, there's potentially a new option on the horizon. Florida Senator Bill Nelson has just filed legislation to change the way that banks work with the solar industry, and if passed, it would mean good news all around.
As it stands, banks are not allowed to invest and own more than 5% of a company that's not in the financial industry. Nelson's proposal would allow financial institutions to own up to 20% of a renewable energy company, creating a two-fold opportunity.
First, it would allow solar companies to access the type of capital they need to grow their business and offer more jobs to Florida locals, and it would also create a relationship between banking and solar that wasn't previously around. That means when a homeowner wants to take out a loan for solar panels, there's a higher chance that their bank will be able to underwrite this kind of financing.
The bill was just recently proposed, so it's anyone's guess whether it will pass and how long it might be before we start to see its effects, however, it's a promising start for growing solar in the Sunshine State.


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Drive-Thru They Come In Some Funny, Unique Shapes and Sizes
General by Penske Automotive Group on August 11, 2011 add comment 1339 views
You are in your car, but stuck there. You cannot leave the car even to buy yourself coffee or stop by a library to drop books. For many drive-thru windows are salvation.
Our slow descent into automotive laziness started in 1928. America at that time was a land of opportunity and promise. It was also a land that was about to be dominated by the automobile. Surprisingly, it actually wasn't a restaurant but a bank that blazed the trail. A Midwest bank opened what is claimed to be the first "drive-up" window in 1928.
As far as food goes, the watershed moment happened in 1947 with Sheldon Red's Giant Hamburg along Route 66 in Springfield, Mo. The drive thru was born when the owner replaced his carhop service with a drive-thru window.
The rest is history. Fast food drive-thru windows are now part of everyday life. Hold the pickles, mustard, ketchup, tomatoes, buns, burgers and french fries. The drive thru concept has expanded and very strange drive thrus have appeared.
Check out our drive thru tidbits, the options are endless.
In 2009, Pennsylvania politician Kevin Murphy opened and operated a drive-thru window designed to speed constituent service at his district office.
Your car can be an effective examination room-one that prevents the spread of infectious diseases from patient to patient, and from patient to caregiver. Stanford Hospital & Clinics of California tested a model of drive-through emergency department. What's more, instead of taking 90 minutes to examine patients, as typically happens, physicians completed their evaluations in an average of 26 minutes. Automobiles, it turned out, made excellent moving examination rooms, as well as self-contained isolation compartments.
Robert L. Adams Mortuary in Compton, Calif., features drive-thru viewing of the dearly departed. You can come by after work, you don't need to deal with parking, you can sign the book outside and the family knows that you paid your respects.
"Pull over for Prayer!" In L.A. come Sunday church goers don't even have to get out of your cars. Patrons rolled down their windows, and the Rev. Chris Martin or another minister held their hands and prayed while the cars idled.
A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas features the drive-thru Tunnel of Love marriage service. Some things that happen in Vegas really do need to stay in Vegas.
There are several locations around North America that have open a convenient and quick way to drop library books with a drive-thru to drop books open 24hrs.
The world's largest specialty coffee chain once shunned the drive-thru concept, fearing it might alienate customers who like to come inside and sip their lattes while listening to music in cozy chairs. About a quarter to fifty percent drive-thrus comprise the Starbucks operated stores. Starbucks drive-thrus are nearly twice as efficient as typical fast food chains drive thrus.
McDonald's opened its first drive-thru in Sierra Vista, Ariz., in 1975, because soldiers from nearby Fort Huachuca were not allowed to get out of their cars while wearing army fatigues. McDonalds was also revolutionary in 2005 when they started experimenting with drive-thru call centers. Workers took orders remotely from McDonald's outlets around the country, which were then sent back to the restaurants via the Internet, to be filled a few yards from where they were placed.
Car Insurance a Costly Must Have
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Times of Change
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World War II Leadership Series
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The Many Faces of Leadership
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Clearing the Bottleneck
Organizational speed is crucial during times of change. The ability to innovate or pivot quickly in volatile environments can often make the difference between success or failure. Many leaders, however, are unwitting bottlenecks to this potential when business process requires the majority of decisions go through them. But how do we make the switch from decision making to decision enabling? The answer, and our historical inspiration, might surprise you.
Most of the world remembers Albert Einstein as the brilliant German-born theoretical physicist known for developing the theory of relativity. In fact, his mass-energy equivalence formula, E=mc2, is considered the world's most famous equation. What's less known about Einstein is that, in addition to his work within the scientific community, he had a brief career as a rather unconventional college professor. Shortly after publishing several papers on relativity physics, Einstein was invited to lecture at the University of Bern in Switzerland. His reception, however, was lukewarm. "Einstein was never an inspired teacher," biographer Walter Isaacson summarized bluntly. His first lecture was attended by only two people—both friends from his former job in the patent office—and his second lecture had to be cancelled after only one student enrolled.
Einstein, however, didn't give up. He began offering to work with students on his own time, slowly shifting his approach from the traditional lecture format to a more informal, mentoring style of teaching. By the time he was hired to teach theoretical physics at Zurich University, nearly 6 months after his cancelled lecture at Bern, he had completely abandoned the traditional classroom structure. His new students, having experienced only polished professors and strict, nearly sterile classroom etiquette, didn't know what to make of Einstein's teaching style.
"When he took his chair in shabby attire with trousers too short for him, we were skeptical," said student Hans Tanner, who attended most classes Einstein taught at Zurich. As the semester went on, however, the students grew to appreciate his more casual and accessible approach. While other professors taught finished, linear concepts, Einstein thoroughly explained his thought process—including his mistakes—so his students could understand how each of his ideas moved from germination, through development, and into final decision. He often paused to ensure every student understood not only the concepts presented, but also the process behind his decisions, and he encouraged them to interrupt his teaching whenever they didn't—an unprecedented classroom behavior at that time.
As the university discouraged casual interaction between professors and students, Einstein began holding weekly "office hours" at the nearby Café Terrasse, where students could sit with him to discuss physics and mathematics and ask him any questions they had not voiced during class. Often he brought newly published, theoretical papers and invited his students to deconstruct the concepts with him, challenging them to find mistakes before he could. More importantly, Einstein encouraged his students to trust their knowledge, take chances, and practice making scientific decisions on their own.
While Einstein's peers never approved of his accessible, mentor-style approach to teaching, and though his skill as a formal lecturer never improved, his students were among the most confident and high producing at Zurich University. By providing a substantial level of guidance during the early teaching phases, making himself accessible, then challenging his students to act on what they learned, he empowered a young group of scientists to make decisions on their own, rather than constantly looking to him for guidance.
There is a lot we can learn from his approach. While there will always be decisions that must pass through leadership, there are many day-to-day decisions we can delegate successfully, if only we provide the right training and support. Einstein often told his class, "The main thing is the content, not the mathematics," as he believed they could learn more by focusing on the decision-making process than the decision, itself. As we strive to redefine "business as usual" in the wake of this global pandemic, organizational speed could not be more important. Making the leadership shift from decision making to decision enabling might just be the fuel we need.
Are you looking for ways to speed up your business process? Would you like to equip your teams to make more decisions on their own? Let us share more leadership lessons from insightful leaders in an online workshop. You bring the team members, and we'll create an immersive learning program, linking real-life examples with your individual workplace issues.
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Are your teams able to make quick decisions without oversight? Have you developed methods which have helped you on your leadership journey? Please share your ideas and stories, below.
Ian Cook
Another fascinating brief gem of historical information, Antigone. I love how lucidly you write. And what interesting vignettes about Einstein's coaching style.
Keep these coming. Better yet, what about a book?
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Thunder cracked the sky when a lightning bolt ripped through the roof of our home, igniting a fire that redefined our normal that Tuesday night in March. The house snapped dark and shook. It was as if a bomb had gone off.
"I think we got hit!" Hunter screamed from the family room.
The next few minutes were a blurry race against the clock. Get the dogs out! Get the cars out! I'll grab the computers!
And that's pretty much all we had time for.
The flames and smoke kicked us out of our home and far from warmth or comfort.
Fear and helplessness stood in the rain right beside me as I watched it all play out from across the street.
My feet were naked. In the chaos and commotion I didn't think to put any on. Someone noticed and placed a pair of leather boat shoes before me. I had no idea whose they were, but I gratefully slipped them on.
The minutes seemed like months in the moments between the arrival of the fire fighters and the point at which they had the hoses hooked up to a water source. Hurry up, guys! Flames raged wildly from my closet window. The house glowed bright with orange. Was this really happening?
Two trucks. Three. Four. Firemen running and shouting. Police on the scene. News cameras and reporters.
Neighbors everywhere. Soaked. Stunned. Standing in support. Offering prayers and a place to stay. They'd all felt the earth shake within their homes when ours was hit.
Once the fire was contained and fully out, we were allowed to go back in to grab any personal items. It was almost 1am. Darkness hung thick in the air. It is standard procedure for the power to be cut, so the firemen led us through the ashes, debris and water with handheld lights.
The upstairs looked like a smoldering freight train had passed through, hurling darkness and destruction. Soot and debris was all around. Water and smoke everywhere. And ashes. Heaps and heaps of ashes. Could this really be our home?
To say that the night of the fire was surreal scarcely begins to describe it. Since then, my family and I have been in a holding pattern of sorts. A series of hurry-up-and-wait scenarios that tenderize and stretch a heart like a steel mallet.
Displaced is such an odd term.
Recover. Reject. Repair. Replace. Restore.
The smoke and smells seared my eyes for days. People I'd never seen from companies I'd never heard of were sifting through the ashes of our personal items, determining what was salvageable and what was damaged beyond repair.
Strangers. In my home. After the most horrific, traumatizing night of my family's life. Tearing down walls. Ripping up carpet. Packing up box after box after box.
I felt exposed. Vulnerable. Uncomfortable. Did they know they were throwing away and packing up memories?
Did they realize that the big red hatbox in my closet was filled with personalized birthday and anniversary cards from my husband and crayon-written notes from my now grown children?
It was all too personal. Surely this was just a bad dream I would wake up from.
Now, many months later, our home is being rebuilt and we are grateful. We've seen and are in the process of witnessing beauty rise from the ashes on many levels.
We're thankful for the ways we have seen the Lord protect and provide for our family.
We're grateful for the ways we've seen our neighbors and the body of Christ rise up in love, and for the ways we've experienced a depth of community that we will treasure for life.
The lessons from the fire are being seared like tattoos on the hearts of my family. And the learning continues each day as we press through the trials of construction. Delays, mistakes, sub-contractors that don't show… a move in date as fickle as the Carolina weather.
I want to learn every lesson that the Lord has for me - I really do - but the waiting can sure discourage a heart. Do we need to learn so much, God?
But through it all, in this season of hurry-up-and-wait, God is bidding me to trust Him. To trust His timing, His plan, His sovereignty and His ability to restore and make new.
Maybe He's bidding you to trust Him today to? Perhaps not with a house fire, but with a prodigal child, a crumbling marriage or an aging parent? Maybe your waiting involves a health battle, singleness, an employment frustration or a financial burden.
In spite of our struggles, God is at work. Even when questions loom and pain is present. He is faithful and powerful, able to do more than you and I can even ask or imagine. Let's ask for and imagine a fresh rising of strength and hope today as we trust God's goodness even when our circumstances burn like fire and smell like smoke.
Dear Lord, Thank You for promising to never leave or forsake Your children. Please strengthen me to face the fires before me today with courage and honor. Help me to trust You.
Read what God told His people in Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." How does this speak to you today? Tell me - or write a prayer of response - in the comments section of my blog.
PERSONAL UPDATE: So many of you have prayed for my family since the fire. I can't thank you enough. We have just moved back into our home and are swimming in a deep sea of boxes and in an even deeper sea of gratitude. God is faithful and always good. Love you guys! Thanks for doing life with Sharon, Mary and me!


The basic foundation without doubt is Black Metal, but the architecture of the album is really original and if you consider the band-name and album-title it is almost schizoid due to it's musical bandwidth. You can attest THANATOSCHIZO a really very interesting and promising debut, which shows the big potential of this band and should be welcomed with open arms by fans of SOLEFALD and consorts. And as the whole thing comes with a very nice DigiPak one can only conclude that this album really deserves the attention of the fans!


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Questions on Donovan linger ahead of tonight's CONCACAF Champions League match in Costa Rica
By Steve DavisSep 25, 2013, 5:25 PM EDT
The pursuit of ultimate glamour may be fading a bit in L.A. Galaxy Valley – signing Omar Gonzalez to that DP deal rather than chasing the next marketing boon from abroad tells us so – but the Galaxy remains a club on the hunt for big things.
For instance, everyone around the organization would still love the one prize that has been quite elusive, a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.
To get there Bruce Arena's team needs to successfully navigate CONCACAF Champions League, and the club could take a big step in that direction tonight in Costa Rica. The Galaxy faces Cartaginés at Costa Rica's Estadio Nacional, the country's new national ground.
Landon Donovan's status remains in question; the Galaxy's and U.S. national team's all-time leading scorer made the trip into Costa Rica, but his ankle injury is proving more bothersome than expected, apparently.
Fortunately for the Galaxy, wins in its two previous CCL group stage contests have Arena's team well-positioned. A victory earlier over Cartaginés and another over El Salvador's Isidro Metapán mean the Galaxy needs only a point tonight against the Costa Ricans. If the Galaxy secures a point, all that complaining done by Arena over scheduling and such can then be seen in a completely different light. Because, in that case, the schedule will actually be working for Arena's team.
Clinching tonight would mean Arena could actually put himself in the lineup for the club's CCL group play finale in El Salvador if he wanted to – because the result will be absolutely meaningless. And that means critical additional rest for his own team ahead of a potentially huge MLS date (at Seattle, thousands of miles away) just three nights later. (The Galaxy schedule us here.)
Truly, Arena might field the youngest Galaxy lineup ever down in El Salvador in late October if he gets the desired result tonight. But first things first; tonight's match from Costa Rica kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on Fox Soccer Plus.