Posts tagged " thou shall prosper "
If you know what your car engine sounds like when running normally, you will instantly pick up early signs of mechanical problems. If you know the sound your baby makes when he's hungry, you will immediately recognize a cry of pain. Departure from pattern is a warning sign.
In forensic accounting, false expense submissions are often picked out because the culprit tends to make up numbers randomly. However, in the real world there are predictable patterns regarding the occurrences of various digits (The interested can pursue this phenomenon by exploring Benford's Law). Departure from predictable patterns alerts us to something possibly significant.
The Lord's language, Hebrew is a beautifully precise language, often conveying not only the meaning of the word but also the emotion behind the meaning.
Consider, for instance, the word "perhaps"; on the surface, a simple word. It indicates that something may or may not happen.
Tom ruefully contemplated his dismal sales reports and realized that perhaps he faced termination.
From the point of view of Tom and Jane's emotions, those two underlined words mean two very different things. Jane hopes that something wonderful will happen while Tom dreads the possibility of something awful happening.
However, in Hebrew, there are two different words for perhaps. The word ULai is used in circumstances when the speaker devoutly wishes for the event to occur, while the word PeN is used when he hopes it won't.
And from the tree in the middle of the garden, God said you shall not eat of it or touch it, [or else] perhaps (PeN) you'll die.
Once we understand this difference, we can be alert for any examples in Scripture when it appears that the wrong word is being used.
When Abraham dispatches his Chief of Staff, Eliezer, to find a bride for his son, Isaac, we spot such an unexpected usage.
Abraham directs Eliezer to travel to his birthplace and bring back a bride. Eliezer reasonably inquires what is to be done in the event of a problem.
Since this would be a most undesirable outcome, we'd expect Eliezer to have used the word PeN. Yet, inexplicably he says ULai.
This informs us that deep down, Eliezer desired his mission to fail. He subconsciously hoped that no girl would come back with him to marry Isaac.
When Abraham didn't suggest this, Eliezer forlornly held one remaining hope. Perhaps no woman would be willing to accompany him to Canaan. Perhaps then Isaac would marry his daughter.
Abraham's next words dashed his hopes by making clear that Eliezer's daughter was not an option for Isaac. It is to the credit of Eliezer that after this big disappointment, he nonetheless carried out his mission faithfully and successfully.
Once we know the general rules, any departure from those rules attracts our attention like a flaring Fourth of July firework rocket arcing through a dark night sky.
For this reason it pays to know the rules; knowing how the world REALLY works makes it easy to spot exceptions. Spotting exceptions helps provide early warning of forthcoming problems whether in business or in social interactions. Forty rules of how the world REALLY works form the basis of my new book Business Secrets from the Bible-Spiritual Success Strategies for Financial Abundance. Join my many friends who have already elevated the trajectory of their earnings. Loving money is a bad idea but making money is wonderful. I'd like to see you (or someone you care for) make more money. Can I send you your own copy of Business Secrets from the Bible?
Is it a coincidence that countries with healthy Jewish populations tend to enjoy far greater economic success than those without? King Edward I expelled the Jews from England in 1290. For about two hundred years prior, England's economy had been growing dramatically with Jews playing a significant role in the development of silver mining, currency and banking. With their departure, the English economy went into decline.
In his wonderful book, History of the English Speaking Peoples, Winston Churchill explains that as bankers and lenders Jews held the mortgages on a great deal of English land on which they had loaned money to the crown or aristocratic landowners. Edward I realized he could transfer all those instruments to himself by expelling the Jews. He did exactly that. It may have helped Edward but it hurt the country.
Almost immediately, English economic vitality plummeted. Twenty five years later there was a terrible famine that decimated the population. For about 350 years England's economy languished, only to recover when Oliver Cromwell encouraged Dutch Jews to move to England.
A similar scenario played out when Spain expelled its Jews in 1492. After centuries of glittering economic prowess, Spain went into decline. Though the expulsion order was officially revoked in 1968, until very recently Spain never invited its Jews back and it remains one of the most conspicuous failures of the European Economic Union.
The truth is that when countries expel Jewish Biblical values by adopting socialism, either through revolution as in Russia, China, and Cuba or through a sad slide as in a number of European countries and perhaps even the United States, their economies fade and fail just as surely as did those of England and Spain.
Conversely, countries that reopen themselves, at least on some level, to Biblical values, inevitably see their economies begin to thrive. Think of South Korea. China has definitely become more open to Christianity with over a hundred million Christians and, not surprisingly, a rapidly growing economy. The jury is still out on Russia but I am seeing a new openness towards Christianity and Judaism in that troubled land so I expect to see their economy starting to improve quite noticeably.
In my resource package, The Income Abundance Set, I explain this far more extensively and with far more attention to practical suggestions for your life. However, for the purposes of this Thought Tool let's examine three characteristics that traditional Jewish values impart to the culture in which they live. Trust. Ownership. Being nice.
Trust: When a Jewish merchant in Amsterdam shipped goods to a co-religionist in Paramaribo he could be confident that when the ship arrived, he would be paid. When Quakers established Barclays Bank in London at the end of the 17th century, people deposited money because Quakers who adhered to Biblical values were trusted.
Ancient Jewish wisdom teaches that the first question we will all be asked when we arrive in judgment before the Heavenly Throne is "Did you conduct your business affairs in a trustworthy way?" Trust flourishes among those guided by principles such as exact weights and measures from Leviticus 19, leading to prosperity.
Ownership: The Torah has many laws that only make sense in a culture that allows individuals to own property. For instance, we are warned against infringing on the boundaries of our neighbors' property. (Deuteronomy 19:14). The Tenth Commandment prohibits us from even wanting other's property.
Decency: Admonitions that include being kind to the orphan and widow, not gossiping and being grateful are incumbent on each individual. Not surprisingly, people prefer dealing with others who treat them kindly, courteously and considerately.
Business means serving others in exchange for their payment and being in business incentivizes us to become a little more trustworthy, more aware of the importance of people's possessions, and a little more kind, courteous, and considerate. Truly, if we are faithful to God's system, doing well is proof of doing good.
Right now the most devastating obstacle to increasing your income is when you subconsciously buy into today's relentless cultural message that having a lot of money is evidence that you're not a good person. The only way to expiate your sins, they tell you, is for the government to take more of your money in an effort to introduce the fairness that your success violated. Unless you can extirpate this belief from your heart, your efforts will be handicapped. Please get hold of my Income Abundance Set while there's still time to make 2014 a great year. Discover ways to counter the anti-business psychology while learning dozens of real-life business applications from ancient Jewish wisdom that have helped Jews succeed at so many different times and in so many different places.
I never knew what the job of 'community organizer' entailed. I knew what a bus driver, a plumber, a bookkeeper, or a ballerina do. But, what does a community organizer do? I found out by reading a little book called Rules for Radicals written by Saul Alinsky, a Chicago political activist. (And no, I'm not sure what activists do either.) At any rate, Alinsky explained that a community organizer should "…rub raw the resentments of the people of the community; to fan latent hostilities of many of the people to the point of overt expressions." Okay, now I know.
Ancient Jewish wisdom teaches that one definition of wisdom is being able to learn something from everyone. I guess I'm not so wise because I am not sure what I could learn from community organizers. However, I know I have much to learn from bus drivers, plumbers, bookkeepers and ballerinas. Around Memorial Day each year, I think about things I learn from soldiers.
for the service of one's Creator.
Don't just rise in the morning like a lion but rise in the morning like a lion for the purpose of serving one's Creator. The question is, how do we best serve our Creator?
What a stunning insight! Taking care of our customers, clients, and employers is doing God's work!
Interestingly, an English word that describes taking care of business speedily and diligently is enthusiastically.
Here is the etymological source of the word enthusiastic.
From the Greek "entheos" meaning inspired by God.
Admiral McRaven had it just right. Being diligent in the tasks we undertake in our day, even ones that seem minor, leads us to end our day looking back at a string of accomplishments. When we recognize that performing work for which we are paid is God's work, our accomplishments grow even more.
I know that it utterly changed my life when ancient Jewish wisdom first taught me that taking care of my boss, my customers and my clients is also serving God. It transformed workdays from drudgery to ministry. It transformed servitude to service. It transformed lethargic indifference to passion and enthusiasm. As a side benefit, I started making much more money.
That's God's work. Contributing to other people's lives. It might even be the life of your commanding officer. If you're a bus driver, plumber, bookkeeper, or ballerina it's very clear how you help other people. Community organizers? Not so much.
Some people tell me that they want to offer their services to others but don't know how. Others fumble job interviews or excuse themselves as simply not "people people." Then there are those who have great business ideas but can't interest others in them and those who insist that they work hard but don't seem to be progressing. For all of you, I recorded my 2 audio CD set Prosperity Power: Connect for Success. Starting your day listening to these CDs as you make your bed, work out or travel to work will propel you to do enthusiastically what is necessary to power up your work life.
A dear friend who pastors an inspiring church in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex wrote me asking about the significance of various numbers in ancient Jewish wisdom. Since he will be marrying soon, two seemed an appropriate number to explore.
And of all that lives, of all flesh, two of each you shall bring into the ark to keep alive with you, male and female they should be.
This reveals that the fundamental "two-ness" in the universe is male and female. Since the ultimate act of human creativity is creating a baby, we understand that two people can be far more creative than merely one, particularly if there is a male/female dynamic. However, two men or two women can have a male/female dynamic as well, for example in brainstorming a business idea. At any given moment one of the participants, whether male or female biologically speaking, is implanting the seed of an idea while the other is absorbing it. A moment later they exchange roles as the conversation continues.
Another aspect of the number two is that the Hebrew root of two = tooth.
Even the very sound of the English word "tooth" carries within itself the sound of the number two (2-th). This highlights the point that two things complement one another. We have both upper and lower teeth and we need them both. Having only upper teeth or only lower teeth is worse than having no teeth at all.
One of the best Biblical examples of two is the Two Tablets that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Bible rarely refers to the Ten Commandments but calls them the Two Tablets about thirty times. This is because the quality of two they possess is so important. The two tablets complement one another and make it possible for us to create our moral matrix by consulting them both.
Lastly, the Hebrew word for two is the same as the Hebrew word for years. This informs us that there is some common feature linking the concept of two to the idea of years.
Each passing year naturally possesses similarities to its predecessor on both a global and very personal level. Nonetheless, nobody experiences two successive years as being identical.
Similarly, when we think of the power of two we think of two things close enough to be counted together, but not so identical as to be duplicates. Our spouses are incredibly close to us, we can often complete their sentences. But they are also sufficiently different to make the connection meaningful. I may consult two books for guidance in repairing my plumbing. They will both be about the problem I am experiencing but, to be helpful, each should tackle the project in a different way.
We understand that if we wish to change our oneness into a two, whether in seeking a spouse or a business partner, we need to find someone close and similar but not identical.
Essentially, the number two speaks to the fundamental duality which is so much a part of life. Day/Night. Good/Evil. Man/Woman. Light/Darkness. Plus/Minus. Hot/Cold. Yes, many things do exist on a spectrum, but they are easier to analyze and understand when we know the two dualities that anchor the ends of the spectrum.
I hope that this will be useful to our pastor friend who will soon be marrying. I know it will be useful to you as you form relationships both social and business and as you explore how the world really works through Bible study.
Read more about our Ten Commandment CD here.
However you may have reacted, I hope you're intrigued enough by this proposition of ancient Jewish wisdom to try it out for size. I think you'll be surprised at how precisely it accounts for your experiences in the real world.
We read of three men whose wisdom was admired and whose guidance and leadership was sought: Joseph, Daniel, and Mordechai. Each withstood alluring attempts to get them to abandon restraint.
Watch Joseph as his employer's wife, by all accounts a most attractive woman, tries to seduce him.
…after these things, his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, lie with me. But he refused… '[saying] because you are his wife, how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?' And she spoke to Joseph day by day but he did not listen to her to lie with her or be with her.
Soon after, we find that Joseph's wisdom and leadership qualities become evident to all.
We encounter Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in the court of King Nebuchadnezar. The Babylonian King, intending to entice them into the Babylonian aristocracy, arranged for them to be fed his royal, but unkosher, food.
And the king appointed them a daily portion of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank; and to bring them up during three years, that at its end they might stand before the king. Among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
And the king talked with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah…in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
Finally, we meet Mordechai who refused to bow to the wicked Haman. Each day, courtiers tried to persuade Mordechai to submit.
It came to pass as they spoke daily to him and he did not listen to them, that they told Haman…And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow, nor did him obeisance, then was Haman full of wrath.
What phenomenon is playing out in all these cases? Leviticus 11:43 sheds light.
…nor shall you make yourselves impure with them [forbidden non-kosher foods] that you should be made impure by them.
Ancient Jewish wisdom asks what the repetition of the root word TaM adds to the verse. The response is that in addition to impure, the word also means unintelligent, dull or– dumb. In fact, T' and 'D' are both dental consonants, produced by placing the tongue behind the upper teeth causing considerable etymological ambiguity between these two letters. Many scholars believe that the English word 'dumb' derived from the Hebrew source TaM.
The message is that yielding to pressure, including bodily appetites, reduces the chances of a happy and fulfilled life. What is more, submitting to hedonistic urges gradually makes one stupid. If practiced multi-generationally, it eventually produces very dumb people. The process of exercising restraint and saying 'no' makes people smarter and better suited to leadership.
In other words, adhering to Biblical faith, its rituals of restraint and its principles, is a key to wisdom, leadership and success. This is an inconvenient truth because so many who have cast their lot in with the camp of the secular fundamentalists, America's current government-sponsored religion, are dismayed to discover the very real and practical benefits of the twin Biblical faiths, Judaism and Christianity.
These benefits occur in both the social and economic arenas. My books Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money and Business Secrets from the Bible give practical, concrete guidance for applying these spiritual success strategies to your financial life. This is a great opportunity to invest in yourself as well as to bless a soon-to-be graduate. Help them enter the real world with Godly wisdom on their side.
… my spirit recognized new truths in your teaching. I am grateful. Cathy P.
The aftermath to my appearance on The 700 Club with my friend Pat Robertson last Monday astounded me. Like noxious mushrooms after a rain, articles suddenly sprang up condemning Pat for something people thought he said, and condemning me for not condemning him. Also, I received a bunch of negative communications, almost all of them from self-proclaimed Jews. I find myself sadly amused by hostile letters written to a rabbi that are filled with Yiddish curses.
They ranged from one or two politely critical ones to the majority, featuring vile and vulgar expletives about me and my family; two contained explicit death threats. I am not complaining, I'm a big boy and can take care of myself. I am accustomed to telling the Truth and living my life accordingly in spite of the anger this occasionally generates among fervent and extremist secular fundamentalists of all ethnic backgrounds.
What drives people with extremely limited data to rush to judgment and quickly criticize, condemn, and excoriate others? What happened to giving people the benefit of the doubt? I think it is collateral damage from the retreat of religion. I believe that it is Biblical wisdom that lubricates human social and economic interaction and when that becomes eroded, people rush to judge one another harshly.
…in righteousness you shall judge your friend.
Thus we see juxtaposed two parallel ideas (1) judge one another righteously, and, (2) love one another as you love yourself.
In other words, judge others the way you'd like them to judge you—giving the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, those who wrote angry denunciations were rushing to draw the very worst of conclusions. They were hardly judging the way they'd like to be judged themselves.
I do have to say that the impact of these few vitriolic letters was utterly overwhelmed by the colossal cascade of positive and enthusiastic letters from friends and fans who saw the 700 Club interview on CBN.
Which brings me to an interesting aspect of most of the vituperative letters: most of those who scrawled them did not bother to view the twenty-minute show. They wrote to me after reading Internet reports written by ideologues not shy about their hatred for religious conservatives such as Dr. Robertson and me.
Disregarding the obscenities and threats they contain, these letters revealed that their authors view Pat Robertson as virulently anti-Semitic and me as a hateful and unworthy member of the Jewish people for associating with him.
Let's see what the interview was about and what Dr. Robertson actually said. We were discussing my new book Business Secrets from the Bible which is a sequel to the best-seller from 2002, Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money.
In this new book, I reveal forty business secrets from the Bible, but in a short interview, I focused on only a few examples. One of which was that many start-up entrepreneurs mistakenly try to do everything themselves. I explain that you should try to do those things that only you can do while hiring others to do everything else.
Attempting a humorous example, I observed that you seldom find Jews tinkering with their cars or mowing their lawns on weekends. I did not say that there are no Jewish lawn landscapers or Jewish car mechanics. That would be nonsense; like other successful groups, Judaism does not view any form of work as menial.
My point was that auto-mechanics should hire plumbers to fix their water pipes, and lawn maintenance specialists should hire auto-mechanics to fix their cars. This frees each to become more competent in his own field and better able to serve his fellow humans. I explained that not only would my mechanic repair my car more competently and more quickly than I could but that in the time he did so, I could probably make more money than he would charge me if I applied myself effectively to my own trade.
During the 700 Club interview I mentioned the Biblical foundations for this principle of the morality of specialization which western economics only grasped when Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations at the end of the 18th century.
Responding to me, Dr. Robertson laughingly alluded to diamond polishing as a popular Jewish specialty. This is to say that diamond polishers should not repair their own cars any more than auto mechanics should spend months polishing a raw diamond to present to their fiancées. Instead, they allow the diamond specialist to do the polishing while they pursue their own work.
There was nothing troubling in this conversation. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the industry knows that over 90% of the diamond business, whether in Manhattan, Antwerp, or Tel Aviv, is conducted by Jews. So what?
There was nothing anti-Semitic in this conversation. There was no suggestion that all Jews are rich. I explicitly stated that obviously there are poor Jews but at the same time, it is hard to ignore that Jews are disproportionately represented among the Forbes Four Hundred and other listings of the financially successful.
The entire point of much I have written and published is that Jewish financial success is not racial and genetic but cultural. Furthermore I demonstrate how anybody can learn, understand and apply the cultural principles rooted in the Bible just as so many Jews have done over the centuries.
However, there are always a few bitter and hateful individuals. People whose loathing of Judeo-Christian tradition and repugnance for Biblically based conservatives makes them abandon facts and focus with frenzied fanaticism on microscopic morsels they scoop up and transform into bogus evidence to justify their hate.
Pat Robertson, regularly honored and loved by Israelis for his remarkable generosity to the Jewish state has yet to be shown to have ever caused harm to any Jew. It is a frighteningly dangerous precedent for Jews to abuse the terrible term anti-Semite in order to bludgeon those with whom they disagree into silence and submission. It is not only dangerous but it is also stupid and evil. Some of my fellow Jews should be ashamed of themselves. I know I was embarrassed to see a friend so insulted by those to whom he has always been kind and gracious.
The only people left in the whole world who still openly like Jews and support Israel are America's Evangelical Christians. I sometimes worry that God might wonder whether we Jews really do deserve these good friends.
Meanwhile, let's remember that we unnecessarily jeopardize relationships by failing to judge others the way we'd like to be judged. Furthermore, those to whom you do extend the benefit of the doubt will never forget your goodness.
3,326 years ago, God judged the Egyptians while bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Each year, we relive this Exodus by celebrating Passover, including refraining from work and earning money on the first and last two days. See the sidebar for next week's details. Take advantage now of our remaining open hours to enjoy holiday savings on our Library Pack and Library Pack PLUS (including free shipping in the continental U.S.). These packages provide hours of stimulation, enjoyment and growth, improving your economic, family and social life at an unbeatable price. Enjoy!
"I'm sure you're doing your best." This is a subjective statement.
"Your grade dropped to a 'D' this semester." This is an objective fact.
"Management is satisfied with the company's 2013 performance which was in accordance with expectations" Subjective.
The company lost $3.7 million in fiscal year 2013. Objective.
Measuring performance objectively brings success whether the goal is competing in the Olympics, losing weight, or increasing profit. Or, yes, learning.
Let me give you an example from Singapore, a tiny island nation with a racially and culturally diverse population that until 1965 was dependent upon Great Britain. Back then, less than fifty years ago, it was a sort of international welfare case with a Gross Domestic Product per capita about one twentieth of the United States. This means that on average, each Singaporean produced less than one twentieth of the economic value that the average American produced. Today, Singapore's per capita GDP is slightly higher than that of the United States. What brought about that miracle?
Lee Kuan Yew, who served as Singapore's first prime minister for thirty years and is still known as the Father of Singapore, stated that it happened because of their education system. How does it differ from education in America?
Among other factors, Singapore places a heavy emphasis on objective subjects like mathematics and science as opposed to subjects that have the word "studies" in their titles. They don't do social studies, earth studies, and environmental studies in Singapore. The country routinely scores at the very top of each year's International Mathematics and Science Study while the United States according to recent data, scored at number 23, well behind countries like Thailand, Russia, Slovenia, Hungary, and Belgium.
Lest you respond that we must spend more on education, another objective fact tells us that Singapore spends about $2,000 a year per student while in the United States the comparable figure is about $12,000.
There is much data that those who care about children should examine. Focusing on objective facts rather than subjective fantasizing would be a good place to start.
Concentrating on objective actions and behaviors also helped transform a rag-tag band of slaves into the Hebrew nation about 3,326 years ago. You see, little about life as a slave encourages objective analysis. Foolishly, a slave master's goal is often to keep the slave working endlessly. The slave's time loses all meaning since a high level of accomplishment rarely betters his situation.
The Exodus was surrounded by many of God's rules and rituals for the precise purpose of introducing the concept of an objective way of looking at reality. Rather than fuzzy generalities, Exodus chapter 12 contains hundreds of specific details defining exactly what the Israelites must do before and during the Exodus from Egypt.
Also, membership in the group that was to be delivered from Egypt was not left to subjective feeling. "Aw, c'mon, I really, really feel like an Israelite." Instead, each male was to be circumcised, surely a very objective indicator. Either you are or you're not. (Exodus 12:48) Then in precisely 49 days they were to be standing at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Not 48 days and not 50 days. Precise and objective detail. It is no wonder that the Israelites transformed from slaves to one of the most successful people in the world.
Understanding how details in the Bible reveal underlying vital messages such as this one, is an example of the type of ancient Jewish wisdom that I share in my brand new book Business Secrets from the Bible: Spiritual Success Strategies for Financial Abundance. I would love for this book to bless you and those you love and I can't wait to hear your feedback. Find out more about it here and see how you or someone you know can greatly benefit from it, available now at a reduced price.
Please be aware that I will be conducting teaching on these and other Exodus topics at a special 8 day Passover Conference Retreat at the beautiful Rancho Bernardo Inn resort in San Diego from April 14 to April 22. I would love to share the Pesach festival with you.
Would you enjoy working with an investment advisor who is paid for the number of trades she recommends whether or not you make any profit? What do you think of a teacher who is paid even if his students learn nothing? Would you frequent a store that charges you for trying on clothes whether or not you buy anything? These are examples of simple transactions in which the interests of the two parties are not aligned.
The sales professional who works on a commission-only basis with no salary ceiling is a great example of interests that are aligned. When his employer prospers, so does he. When he prospers, so does his employer. Whether you are interviewing job-seeking candidates or whether you are applying for a position, clearly understanding this powerful principle is invaluable. It is equally valuable in running a marriage or family. Part of effective leadership is persuading people that you are all 'on the same team.' In any interaction, focusing on merging everyone's interests increases the probability of a successful outcome.
This vision of economic interaction in which both sides prosper is completely at odds with the socialistic worldview in which every economic transaction is viewed with suspicion. According to the secular materialist, if a storekeeper is happy with the sale, the customer was exploited. If a customer walks out smiling, he must surely have ripped off the storekeeper. However, in God's view of human economic interaction, the ideal transaction benefits both parties.
We learn this idea from a surprising source. Ancient Jewish wisdom teaches that in the stages of life, fifty years old is well suited for imparting advice. The Scriptural basis for this stems from the few verses declaring that Levites should actively serve in the Temple from the ages of twenty-five to fifty. Knowing that a chapter in my book Thou Shall Prosper disparages retirement, many people have written to me asking if the Levites retire at age fifty. Nothing could be further from fact. After their fiftieth birthdays, their tasks changed. No longer involved in the day-to-day responsibilities of the Temple, they were busier than ever advising and guiding their brethren. (Numbers 8:24-26) They were uniquely suited to this assignment. Why?
Here is the key fact about the Levites: They received no portion of ownership in the Land of Israel. Instead, they lived exclusively on a tithe from the income of the rest of the nation. (Numbers 18:21). Their interests were perfectly aligned with those of all Israel. When they blessed Israel, the blessing was genuine and whole-hearted. When Israel prospered, so did the Levites.
Would you rather seek advice from someone who cares for your success as much as you do or from someone who views you as unimportant or a rival? Clearly, advice from someone whose interests are aligned with yours is worth more than advice from an indifferent stranger, or worse, from someone who benefits when you fail.
After twenty-five years of prospering or suffering based on the financial successes or failures of others, the Levites completely internalized the message that their interests paralleled those of the children of Israel. They were ideally poised to offer sincere advice to others from an attitude of genuine concern. While the Temple no longer stands and while we are not all Levites, we can all benefit by learning from their experience. Before offering advice to anyone, whether our children or our business colleagues, we must be sure that our interests are aligned with theirs. Just as importantly, we must be sure that they know and believe this to be true. The more our happiness and achievements mesh with the happiness and achievements of others, the more we all thrive.
This type of Biblical principle is highlighted in my hot-off-the-press book, released this week. Business Secrets from the Bible: Spiritual Success Strategies for Financial Abundance picks up where Thou Shall Prosper: The Ten Commandments for Making Money leaves off and reveals God's plan for personal prosperity. It's not that God wants us to be rich, but He does want us all to behave in ways that produce prosperity. Among these ways is recognizing that our economic well-being is intertwined with the economic well-being of others. I am delighted to make it possible for everyone to tap into ancient Jewish wisdom and discover tips and techniques for success. In these difficult economic times, going back to the Source is priceless.
She responded to his warmth, she basked in his company. They shared a sense of humor and agreed on life goals. But every time she thought he would propose, something sidelined him. A new work assignment, a friend going through a rough time…all seemingly reasonable reasons for him to pay her less attention, but somehow she was troubled.
Her parents urged her to cut her losses. She'd already devoted much time to the relationship.
"You need to move on," her parents said.
She asked me. What did I advise her to do?
Then there was the young sales professional optimistically embarking on his first career. He was representing a good company with a good product. He reported to a well-regarded sales manager and he made his call quotas but he just wasn't breaking through. Five months went by with only a few closings and commissions to show. Nobody wants to be a quitter, and he was no exception, but his spirits were drooping. He found it increasingly difficult to keep a smile on his face and a bounce in his step.
How did I respond to his request for guidance?
You've seen many similar situations, haven't you? Perhaps you've even been in one yourself. Trying to break through into teaching; a career in fashion; starting your own small business; hanging in there with a long-term dating situation that isn't moving toward marriage; writing a book. Persevere and persist? Or quit, move on to something more promising and cut the losses? How to know?
Ancient Jewish wisdom springs to our assistance. Here are two versions of one verse. Without peeking into a Bible, which do you think is correct?
And Jacob worked seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him like just a few days because of his love for her.
because of his love for her.
Surely the second verse, right? Imagine being head-over-heels in love with beautiful Rachel, but not being able to clasp her into your arms for seven long years. Surely those seven years felt like forty.
But no; in reality the first verse is correct. The difference between my two versions of the verse is the difference between love and infatuation. When infatuated, delaying consummation is intolerable. When in love, each day of progress is thrilling.
Infatuation we pursue regardless of physical, emotional, or financial depletion. Love doesn't deplete—it regenerates. An infatuation distorts reality and dominates life; love integrates into one's life.
The young lady I described above was in a state of infatuation. She was ignoring negative clues because she wanted the relationship to work. On that basis, I sided with her parents. The sales professional, however, was seeing monthly improvement in his numbers; it was slow but it was steady. There were real skills he could work on that would lead to his goal. My advice to stick it out paid off handsomely.
Are you in love with your project, your ambition or a person? Or are they infatuations? Are you goal-oriented and clearly see the path to your aim, or are you fantasizing upon the outcome without seeing steps on the way to getting there? Jacob was in love, not infatuated. He didn't relish the delay, but each day gave him opportunity to become more of the man that he wanted Rachel to marry. He stuck it out with excellent results.
We read of best-selling authors, prosperous business professionals and enviable relationships. We didn't witness the obstacles they faced and overcame, but they persevered for a goal they loved. In Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money I help you set a path for a real economic future. Invest in yourself or jumpstart the life of someone you wish to bless.
P.S. I'd like to invite you to sign up for the FREE live webinar that Susan and I will be hosting this Friday. We will be discussing my new series, "10 Commandments to Achieve FINANCIAL PROSPERITY," as well as the intersection of marriage and business. Join us on Friday, August 30th, from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Eastern Time (Noon – 5:00 pm Central Time, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Mountain Time, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Pacific Time).
We expect the Webcast to be exciting, informative, and it will definitely change the way you think about what "money" really means! Plus, we have lined up some great surprises.
To join the free Webcast just sign up here.
Tod. Sidney. Montague. Glen. These are a few of my true loves, complete with my husband's blessing. In fact, he is in love with them as well. Their full names are Tod Inlet, Sidney Spit, Montague Harbour and Glenthorne Passage. They are among our favorite stopping points when we boat around the Canadian Gulf Islands.
Her parents urged her to cut her losses. She'd already devoted much time to the relationship they reminded her.
And Jacob worked seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him like forty years because of his love for her.
It is no fun to be roped into a game whose rules are a bewildering mystery. It's positively painful to start a new job and discover that nobody's in charge and lines of communication and authority are as temporary as jet contrails in a windy sky. It's rough on children to grow up amidst arbitrary rules and capricious consequences. It is downright depressing and alienating to try and function in a system that makes no sense at all.
Before the advent of the Global Positioning System, otherwise known as GPS, roadmaps were ubiquitous. I have heard that (before my time), gas stations used to hand them out for free. To this day when I arrive in a new city for the first time, I feel uneasy until I have acquired a large-scale street map on which I can locate my surroundings. Boating without a chart and a compass is quite unthinkable. Maps help me make sense of otherwise confusing environments that can feel almost unknowable.
The study of physics, chemistry, biology, and other authentic sciences help us feel less alienated from the physical world in which we live. Things happen for a reason and we don't need to fall back on mythical monsters and vengeful deities to explain why thunder follows lightening, how microbes help our digestion and why certain elements undergo radioactive decay.
While science is clearly a vital tool in trying to understand how the world REALLY works, it cannot provide information about those things not measurable by scientific method. It can tell us little about the role honesty and integrity play in the life of a person and a culture. It provides no reliable data on the sources of profound human happiness and it often provides contradictory information on how to marry successfully and how best to raise the progeny of that marriage. For these and countless other questions vital to human survival, we have to turn to another system every bit as powerful and just as reliable as the scientific system.
I think of this system as the general theory on the totality of all existence, otherwise known as the Torah system of knowledge. It makes our world as comprehensible as a roadmap makes a new city and allows us to anchor ourselves to a unifying integrity.
In Hebrew, the number one, ECHaD, has no ordinal form. If we need to say first, we use an entirely different word RiSHoN, that literally means, "head of" as in the head of the line. Each of the subsequent Hebrew numbers follows a pattern similar to four/fourth or seven/seventh.
The reason that the Lord's language doesn't admit an ordinal form of one is that when we use numbers such as sixth or eighth we imply that there are more of whatever we are counting coming along. However, ancient Jewish wisdom views one as unique by definition. It always references the singleness of God and the unifying integrity of His creation. There is nothing like it coming down the road to make it only the first (of several). Since one is associated with God, it is one and only one.
Yet, accessing this system of knowledge takes time and perseverance. Perhaps our best resource for sculpting your spiritual roadmap to reality is our Biblical Blueprint Set. This set of five powerful audio CDs provides many hours of Torah teaching unavailable anywhere else. The global grasp is hinted at by topics ranging from verbal vulgarity to Torah tips on time maximization and from spiritual serenity to escaping the strait jackets that sap our energies and prevent us reaching our objectives. I know you'll be thrilled to access these teachings repeatedly in order to consistently rejuvenate your soul and revitalize your life's purpose. Order the physical Biblical Blueprint Set or save even more by downloading.
Where to begin? The most recently reported American scandal? Older scandals that the administration is hoping citizens will ignore? The newly released Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that pretty much turns us into a nation of troubled people? Iraq? Syria? China?
I am a young Christian college student and I have a question about healing. I was taught in church that God heals people from their illness with prayer. How does this work since most people don't get healed?


But Robert McCullough, a spokesman with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, said the court decision might spell the end of mass cormorant hunts in South Carolina.
"We've got time to reassess, and that is what we are looking at,'' he said. "Today, we could not have a cormorant season'' because of the ruling.
Double-crested cormorants are dark, fish-eating birds with wingspans of more than two feet. They are native to South Carolina.
Wednesday's court decision was in response to a legal challenge by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, an organization that represents federal natural resource agency workers.
The group argues in court documents that cormorants are not the threat to important fish that many people make them out to be. Cormorants, rather than eating up prized game fish, tend to eat more invasive species, the group says.
The court said Wednesday that suspending the federal killing orders won't hurt the environment, but it will save cormorants until more study can be conducted. The court in March ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to come up with a plan to address the issue.
"It goes without saying that if these orders are left in place, additional cormorants will be killed,'' Judge John Bates wrote.
Laura Dumais, an attorney for the public employees organization, said her group is pleased with the court ruling. The issue centered on whether the program could go forward with what her group said were limited environmental studies. It's possible the cormorant killing programs could be re-approved if studies justify them.


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Schedule for WLX-TV "The St. Lucie Education Channel" 12/15-12/22
District NewsBy Kerry Padrick December 18, 2017
WLX-TV – The Education Channel for St. Lucie Public Schools Comcast Channel 13 (Ft. Pierce) Channel 19 (Port St. Lucie) Home Town Cable Channel 19 (Tradition) AT&T U-verse Channel 99, Litestream Cable Channel 65 (St. James) School District Wireless Channel 36 (In schools) http://www.stlucie.k12.fl.us/Media/Weekly.pdf Watch an all new episode of Community Connections hosted by Ashley…
SLWCHS Students Attend MarineLab
School NewsBy Kerry Padrick December 18, 2017
Four students from St. Lucie West Centennial High School were invited to join students from Broward County Public Schools to participate in an instructional camp at MarineLab in Key Largo, FL in November. The students, who are identified as deaf or hard of hearing, had the opportunity to engage in marine science activities and perform…
Jazz Ensemble of Florida Baptist College visits White City Elementary
School NewsBy ASHLEY JEUNE December 18, 2017
White City Elementary students enjoyed a special performance. The Jazz Ensemble of Florida Baptist College visited White City Elementary and played some familiar, uplifting songs. Students enjoyed the selections and they enhanced their understanding of various instruments and rhythms.
Student Led Conferences at White City Elementary
White City Elementary families participated in Student Led Conference Night. Students shared their learning goals, assessment data, and their action plan with their parents. Parents received specific information regarding their students' academic performance.
TCHS Senior Gains Early Admission to University of Chicago
Congratulations to Treasure Coast High School Senior Gustavo Delgado on his early admission to the University of Chicago. In addition to gaining early admission to the prestigious university, he was also awarded a full four-year scholarship covering tuition, room and board and other expenses. University of Chicago is ranked number three in National Universities by…
Speakers Bureau at Northport: Peer Pressure and Integrity
School NewsBy LYNNE Gruszka December 14, 2017
Northport was so pleased to host SLPS School Board Chair Dr. Donna Mills at our Speakers Bureau. The theme for the program for the month of December was peer pressure and integrity. The program was kicked off with a skit on peer pressure and bullying by eighth grade drama students Ryan Gilbert and Elaina Ledford. …
TCHS Graduate Receives Top in Country Award
Treasure Coast High School graduate, Bailer Magers '17, received notification this week from Cambridge that he achieved the 'Top in Country' award for the Economics AS Exam. 'Top in Country' refers to the learner who has gained the highest standard mark in the United States for the AICE Economics AS level exams in June 2017.…
Substitute Teaching Rate Increase
Substitute Teaching for St. Lucie Public Schools has just gotten better! Rates as high as $100 per day. Incentive pay for Critical Need areas. Take a closer look at SLPS…..You'll like what you see! St. Lucie Public Schools has opportunities for qualified candidates to join our substitute teaching team. Interested candidates will hold a…
The Aaron Project Grants Awarded
Several members of the St. Lucie Public Schools community who submitted applications to the Aaron Project received grant funding to support classroom and school-wide projects. The following awards were announced at the December 12th School Board Meeting. Colleen Wilson – Village Green Elementary, Art and the Environment Brittany Buckley – Village Green Elementary Kindergarten…
STAR Recognitions
St. Lucie Public Schools honored two individuals from the Transportation team at the December School Board Meeting.
Venetia Brice and Giovanni Calzolano were nominated for STAR Award recognition based on their commitment to keeping children safe and going above and beyond to provide stellar service.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Although Spiritualism is still around, it had its heyday from the mid-1800s to the early-1900s. The religion, which had nearly eight million members across the United States and Europe during that time, attracted members of the upper and middle classes, and with the use of séances and psychic mediums they talked with the spirits of the dead. Mediums Kate and Maggie Fox, Florence Cook, and Pearl Curran made worldwide headlines with their communications with the spirit world.
The Ouija board became a popular Spiritualist tool in the early 1900s, and mediums began to conjure up what they claimed were the thoughts of famous people long since departed. People like Mark Twain.
Samuel Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain, died in 1910. During the mid-to late-1800s, Twain's novels, essays and short stories made him a worldwide celebrity. Through financial failures and personal tragedy, Twain, who in 1875 pecked out the first novel ever written on a typewriter, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," never stopped writing. Maybe even after death.
Emily Grant Hutchings, a struggling novelist, teacher and writer for St. Louis, Missouri, newspapers, claimed Twain dictated his last novel, "The Coming of Jap Herron," and two short stories – "Daughter of Mars" and "Up the Furrow to Fortune" – to her one letter at a time between 1915 and 1917 through a Ouija board. "They got on the Ouija board and supposedly had this conversation," said Henry Sweets, curator of the Twain Museum in Hannibal, Missouri.
Many conversations. Twain supposedly dictated chapter after chapter – including revisions – to Hutchings and spiritualist medium Lola V. Hays, according to Hutchings' forward in the novel. "That the story of Jap Herron and the two short stories which preceded it are the actual post-mortem work of Samuel L. Clemens, known to the world as Mark Twain, we do not for one moment doubt," Hutchings wrote.
Why would Twain pick Hutchings to pen his new works? She was from Twain's boyhood home of Hannibal.
The book, "Jap Herron," was published by Mitchell Kennerley in 1917 as "a novel written from the Ouija board – Mark Twain via Emily Grant Hutchings." Twain's daughter Clara Clemens and Harper & Brothers, owners of the copyright on the pen name "Mark Twain," sued Kennerley in 1918.
The case never went to trial and life after death remains in the realm of religion. Kennerley and Hutchings agreed to stop distribution of "Jap Herron" and destroy all known copies and Harper & Brothers dropped the lawsuit. Most, but not all copies were destroyed. One copy is on display in the Mark Twain Museum in Hannibal, Missouri.
So the question remains, was the novel written by Mark Twain? In "Contact with the Other World," by James H. Hyslop (1919), Hyslop details many sessions with Hays and Hutchings at a Ouija board and saw evidence Mark Twain had dictated a novel from the Great Beyond. But, really, who knows?
Houdini: Magician, Spiritualist, or Skeptic?


The Organized Grant Writer offers resources and training to help you find funding, write grants, and manage the proposal process.
Have you been searching for an inexpensive digital tool to manage your grant proposals? Our Evernote-based proposal development templates may be just what you've been looking for!
We've created 19 templates (each template is a "note" in Evernote terminology) to organize the proposal process from beginning to end.
After you complete your purchase, you'll receive a PDF with a link to the templates, which are accessed through a shared Evernote notebook. You'll also receive detailed instructions covering how to copy and customize the notes from within Evernote.
For a simple proposal, you might use a handful of the templates. For more complex proposals, such as a proposal to a federal agency, you might use all of them. The system is scaleable and adaptable to your needs. All of the templates are fully customizable.
If you're new to grant writing or proposal management, the templates will help you to identify and collect the information you need to move from Point A (identifying an opportunity) all the way to Point B (submitting a proposal). Through the power of Evernote, the templates can easily be shared with others, turned into PDFs, or printed.
For more information on the benefits of using Evernote and to download a sample template, please see the details below.
Customization: A template in Evernote is easy to customize. If you are familiar with Word or Google Docs, you'll feel right at home making edits to the tables and checklists so the templates work best for you.
Collaboration: With Evernote, you can share individual notes or entire notebook via email or through a link. To protect your work, you can set the permission level on both notes and notebooks to read-only access. In the case of our templates, you might give your colleagues editing privileges for the task trackers, which will allow everyone to enter updates, but limit the proposal calendar to read-only access so only you can make edits. If you prefer to share the notes as PDFs, Evernote gives you the option to convert and print notes as PDFs.
Timeliness: Evernote updates are instantaneous, which is ideal for project and proposal management. If someone completes a task and marks it as done, the whole team will have access to this information in real time.
Mobility: With Evernote, you can access your notes and notebooks from wherever you are—on your mobile device, your computer, or from your browser.
Flexibility: Evernote gives you control over your notes and notebooks. From sharing to customizing to archiving, Evernote makes it easy to test out a system and adapt it to meet your needs.
If you would like a preview of what you'll receive, you can download a PDF version of our Go/No-Go Template. The Go/No-Go template can be printed and filled in by hand, or you can add text using Adobe Pro. If you purchase the templates, from within Evernote, you'll be able to enter information directly into the tables and customize all of the fields.


Infocus A2 was launched on 1st February, 2018 in India. The device is powered by a quad-core processor and offers 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Regarding cameras, the smartphone packs a 5-megapixel primary camera on the rear and 5-megapixel on the front. The device runs Android 7.0, and is boosted by a 2400mah battery. The connectivity options include Wi Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and FM. Infocus A2 is available in Black and Champagne Gold.
The smartphone comes with a 5.0 inches Capacitive Touchscreen display with a screen resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels.
The smartphone makes use of an Quad Core Spreadtrum SC9832 that is coupled with Mali 400 MP2 GPU, and is clubbed with 2GB RAM and 16GB Storage default memory capacity. This storage can be expanded up to 64GB with the help of a microSD Card.
For imaging, the device sports a 5MP Camera with LED Flash. Up front, the smartphone makes use of a 5MP Camera.
The connectivity aspects on board includes Wi-Fi 802.11, b/g/n, Mobile Hotspot, v4.0, microUSB 2.0, GPS. Dual Sim.
The device packs a Li-Po 2400mah battery.
The smartphone runs Android 7.0( Nougat ) out of the box.
Infocus A2 price in India starts from Rs 5,199 for the 2GB and 16GB variant.


Today* we celebrate our country's 242d birthday! The fourth of July holiday is called "Independence Day" as a reminder that it was the day our founding fathers declared the American colonies as being independent of the British Empire. Looking back on the events which led up to their decision to break away from British rule and form an independent nation, we see that religious freedom was an important reason for the American patriots. Freedom of religion from state control was the primary reason the pilgrims came to America in the 17thcentury. The founding fathers of this country were, contrary to what is taught in schools today, overwhelmingly evangelical Christians. Some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were ordained pastors and at least 29 of the 56 signers had been trained in schools whose primary purpose was the preparation of ministers. America has a deeply rooted foundation as a nation based on Christian principles. Some of you have enjoyed studying the American Heritage series with me on Wednesday evenings, but for those of you who haven't, I encourage you to talk to me about viewing this video series. Additionally, I recommend you visit wallbuilders.com (the organization which produces the series) so you can learn the truth about America's Christian heritage.
As a nation, we have fallen far away from the Christian ideals set forth by our forefathers. On this day where we celebrate America's independence, let us also renew our commitment to America's dependence on God. If you need a reminder of where to put your faith, just look at your money…In GOD we trust!
*Message originally distributed by Pastor Dave on the 4th; posted by church clerk on the 5th.
As we continue to enjoy our short Alaskan summer, please be in prayer this week to prepare yourselves for Holy Communion which will be observed this Sunday, July 1. Spend some extra time in the next few days, getting your heart right with Jesus so you can commune with Him and remember WHOSE you are. See you all Sunday!
As always, we have SOOO Much for which to be grateful! Let us never forget the PRIVILEGE we have to enjoy a personal audience with the Creator and Ruler of The Universe. Please praise and lift up your cares to HIM who sustains the universe and loves each of us intimately.
Also, join us Sunday for Worship and fellowship lunch as we continue on our journey together!
Today (June 14) is a GREAT day to Celebrate!! It is our Nation's Flag Day and the Army's 243d Birthday, but most importantly, this is the day that THE LORD has made so let us rejoice and be glad in it! Several national polls indicate that more Americans than ever suffer from depression, anxiety, worry, and general discontent with our lives. At the same time quality of life statistics such as income levels, unemployment, access to healthcare, education, and government services indicate that most Americans are better off than our parents' generation was. If our quality of life is better than it used to be, why are we more consumed by our "woes?" The answer, I believe, is largely because we have drastically plummeted in one major quality of life area – GRATITUDE! We have become a nation of "complainers" who are seemingly dissatisfied with our lives regardless of the circumstances.
According to one top economist nearly half of the world's richest 1% live in America. That may make one believe we have a LOT of Millionaires, but that's not true. The threshold for being in the top 1% of income in the world is only $34,000 annually. The world's median family income is roughly $1,225 per year. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. UNICEF statistics indicate that over 20,000 children die each day due to poverty. While these statistics vary from year to year and from different sources, they all point to one thing – Americans are extremely blessed compared to the rest of the world. If we are so well off by world standards, why are we so miserable? Again, the ugly monster of ingratitude rears its head. We almost seem intent on being discontent!
The good news is there is GOOD NEWS! Developing an attitude of gratitude and living a joy-filled life requires just one thing – Jesus. When we allow Jesus to become Lord and Master of our lives and truly put our lives in His hands, we develop a new perspective on life. Paul reminds believers that we have "died to sin and are alive in Christ" (Rom. 6:11) and that we should be "content in whatever circumstances we are in" (Phil. 4:11-13). The guiding principle is to understand the source of joy and contentment…Jesus, The Way, The Truth, and The Life. This, and every other, is the day that The Lord has made, let us DETERMINE to rejoice and be glad in it. Take the time to praise God for His Goodness and His bountiful blessings in your life today.
Those are sweet words to most of us who are used to non-stop toiling to try to keep the boss happy! It is truly enlightening and encouraging to know that our REAL BOSS COMMANDS us to rest one day each week. Last Sunday we discussed the fourth command in our Ten Commandments series enjoining us to "remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy." The Jewish faith observes Sabbath on Saturdays while Christians, following the New Testament church, observe it on Sundays and refer to it as "The Lord's Day." As we discussed, the Bible does not direct which day of the week (e.g., Saturday, Sunday, etc.) is to be regarded as "the Sabbath," it simply tells us to observe it one day each week. That day is to be "Holy" and it is blessed by God.
The Bible spends a great deal of time promoting the value of hard work while, in Proverbs particularly, it also makes multiple mentions of the dangers of laziness. So why does God single out this requirement to command us to take a day a week to rest? Because He designed us, created us, and knows what we need to function at our best. Those of us who have worked more than 24 hours straight know He was Right! After a certain point without rest, your brain turns to jell-o, your cognitive powers are sharply reduced, your emotions become uncontrollable, and you just shut down.
It will draw us closer to God.
When we obediently follow God's directives we find ourselves far more productive and joyful. So how are you doing in the "rest" department?
As we move into the Summer season in Alaska, our schedules and routines tend to change as dramatically as the daylight! We naturally yearn to be outside more to enjoy our brief summer season. The change is good for us as we, like God's creation, are renewed by the daylight and warmer temperatures of Summer. Change CAN be good as we are told NOT to become complacent in our lives but to be always seeking to grow in our faith and in our desire to do good works for others. While a change in routine is helpful in many ways, we must also guard against abandoning good and necessary habits which enrich our lives and draw us closer to God. One of those habits is a personal daily "quiet time" or "devotional." During this "alone" time, it should be just you and God and His Word. Spending even 15 minutes a day studying and reflecting on God's Word will deepen your faith dramatically. As you spend time in His Word, He will speak to you through it and grant you understanding and wisdom. In addition to studying Scripture, be sure to spend time in prayer – it is a POWERFUL tool! It is your personal opportunity to interface directly with The Creator and sustainer of the Universe. Prayer is a GREAT PRIVILEGE – don't pass it up!
As you pray this week, please remember the praises and petitions of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30.
It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. Local springtime tributes to the Civil War dead already had been held in various places. One of the first occurred in Columbus, Mississippi, April 25, 1866, when a group of women visited a cemetery to decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers who had fallen in battle at Shiloh.
Nearby were the graves of Union soldiers, neglected because they were the enemy. Disturbed at the sight of the bare graves, the women placed some of their flowers on those graves, as well. By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. State legislatures passed proclamations designating the day, and the Army and Navy adopted regulations for proper observance at their facilities.
As I reflected on my own life in the Army, I tried to recall the names of all the servicemen and women I knew personally who had died in the line of duty. The result was sobering and emotional. Even more sobering was the thought that there were another 1.3 Million (plus) in the history of the United States whom I didn't know personally. Memorial Day is a tribute to each and every one of these men and women who fought and died for our country. These Servicemen and Women placed honor, freedom, and love of country above their own personal desires and comforts. They served selflessly regarding their country, and their countrymen, as more important than their own lives.
Not all of us are asked to make the sacrifice of physically laying down our lives for our friends, but we are all commanded to love each other to the extent that we would. One of the greatest acts of love we can show others is to save their lives by sharing with them The Way, The Truth, and The Life which is found ONLY in the work and Person of Jesus Christ.
This Memorial Day, let us honor our fallen in a special way – by doing what they did: selflessly giving their all to help save others. Our actions can save countless lives for eternity. Go out and show how much you love your neighbor.
Last Sunday was Mother's Day. My own dear mother went home to be with The Lord ten years ago and I still miss her. She was the best Christian role model I have ever known and one of the most gentle souls God ever created. I adored my mom, I loved my mom, I would do anything for my mom…well, almost anything. You see, one of the things she taught me was the second commandment which told me NOT to WORSHIP my mom (or anything else but God). No matter how much we may cherish, respect, adore, or honor someone or something, NOTHING should be higher in our adoration than God.
Most Christians say they don't worship anything but God, but their actions often bely their words. It is a simple test to determine where your highest allegiances lie: With whom or what do you spend most of your time, energy, and money. For instance, take a look at your checkbook and determine how much money you spent last year on recreation versus funding Christian ministries. How many hours did you spend hunting, fishing, watching TV or surfing the internet versus time spent in church, Bible study, or engaged in active ministry? Wherever your time and money are found will tell you where you priorities are. Which brings us back to our question, What is your greatest desire? Whatever is most important to you is where you will spend your time and money.
No, you don't need to give up all your hobbies and recreation or liquidate all your assets and give the money to the poor (unless you happen to be the rich young ruler), you simply need to focus your life on Him Who provided it to you. Galatians 2:20 says I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Who or what are you living for? Is it someone or something which could be gone tomorrow or is it The Eternal Living Lord who is earnestly seeking your eternal well-being? Food for thought.


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Home > Policy Manual > Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status > Part B - 245(a) Adjustment > Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows certain aliens who are physically present in the United States to adjust status to that of a lawful permanent resident (LPR). Most adjustment applicants file their adjustment of status applications based on INA 245(a).
The Immigration Act of 1924 required all intending immigrants to obtain an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad [1] (commonly known as "consular processing"). An alien physically present in the United States could not become an LPR without leaving the United States to consular process abroad.
By 1935, immigration authorities had developed an administrative process of "pre-examination" that enabled an alien temporarily in the United States to obtain LPR status more quickly and easily. [2] Pre-examination consisted of an official determination in the United States of the alien's eligibility for an immigrant visa, the immigrant's travel to Canada or elsewhere for an arranged immigrant visa appointment at a U.S. consulate, and the immigrant's prompt return and admission to the United States as a LPR. From 1935 to 1950, the government processed over 45,000 pre-examination cases. [3]
In 1952, Congress made the pre-examination process unnecessary by creating INA 245, which allowed eligible aliens to obtain LPR status through adjustment of status without leaving the United States. [4] Congress indicated that adjustment should be used for purposes of family unity or otherwise be in the public interest. [5]
Over time, Congress revised and consolidated the eligibility requirements for adjustment of status into the current INA 245(a). The bars, restrictions, and special considerations to adjustment are found in INA 245(c) through INA 245(k). Applicable inadmissibility grounds, including public safety and security concerns are found in INA 212.
C. Scope
The guidance in this Policy Manual part only addresses adjustment of status under INA 245(a). [6] Certain aliens may be eligible to adjust under other provisions of law, as detailed in other parts of this volume.
D. Legal Authorities
INA 245(a); 8 CFR 245 – Adjustment of status to that of person admitted for permanent residence
INA 245(c) – Bars to adjustment of status
INA 245(k) – Inapplicability of certain provisions for certain employment-based immigrants
1. [^] See Section 13 of the Immigration Act of 1924, Pub. L. 68-139 (May 26, 1924).
2. [^] See 2 C. Gordon & H. Rosenfield, Immigration Law and Procedure, Section 7.3a. See Jain v. Immigration and Naturalization Service, 612 F.2d 683 (2nd Cir. 1979).
3. [^] See Sofaer, The Change of Status Adjudication: A Case Study of the Informal Agency Process, 1 J. Legal Studies 349, 351 (1971).
4. [^] See Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, Pub. L. 82-414 (PDF) (June 27, 1952).
5. [^] See H.R. Rep. 82-1365 (Feb. 14, 1952).
6. [^] There are many statutory bases for adjustment. For instance, refugees and asylees may adjust status under INA 209(c), which outlines slightly different rules and requirements for adjustment than under INA 245(a). The basis under which an applicant seeks adjustment of status is therefore key in determining the eligibility requirements for adjustment as well as exceptions, exemptions, waivers, and any other program-specific laws or benefits that may apply.
INA 212(a) - Excludable aliens; classes of aliens ineligible for visas or admission
INA 245, 8 CFR 245 - Adjustment of status of nonimmigrant to that of person admitted for permanent residence
← Part B - 245(a) Adjustment


Guilford County Pets: Lost and Found was created in 2011 by Ann and Curtis Adkins in honor of their late dog "Molly". They found "Molly" in the spring of 1995 and searched tiresly for her owners but were unable to return her to her original home. Since then, they have participated in many searches for displaced pets in the area, many of them unsuccessful. It is their hope that by encouraging the community to actively use this website for communicating the status of displaced pets, families will be reunited.


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Harold C. Hutchison
Aug. 02, 2018 03:48PM EST
Why this old biplane from the 1940s is still hanging around
(Dung Tran)
There are some planes that hang onto service even though time and technology have long passed them by. One of these planes, which first flew in 1947, is something that could've once been considered state-of-the-art... in 1918.
And yet, somehow, this plane is still in service with militaries today. The Antonov An-2 Colt is, arguably, an outdated junk-heap. Even the UH-60 Black Hawk is faster than this fixed-wing plane (the Black Hawk has a top speed of 183 mph, the Colt maxes out at a paltry 160). Additionally, the An-2 can haul a dozen passengers while the UH-60 can, in some cases, carry 22. Can you say "outclassed?"
Only in terms of maximum range does the An-2 take an edge over the ubiquitous Black Hawk (it's got a range of 525 miles, which is longer than UH-60's 363). So, how has this plane survived so long?
This recognition drawing shows just how state of the art the An-2 is... for 1918.
(DOD)
As history has proved, there's strength in numbers. This plane was in production for over 50 years with the Soviet Union, Poland, and Communist China. A production run that long was responsible for the creation of at least 18,000 airframes. No matter what you use them for, that staggering number of planes won't be simply disappearing any time soon.
As you might have guessed by now, the An-2 is also very popular because it's extremely cheap, especially second-hand (some are for sale for as little as $6,170).
The last thing you'd expect from a cheap, fragile aircraft is a combat role — but over its long career, it's seen plenty of action. This plane was used primarily by communist forces in the Korean War and Vietnam War. It also played the part of a makeshift bomber in the 1991 Croatian War for Independence.
An-2s are getting upgrades - this An-2-100 has a turboprop engine.
(Doomych)
Like the famous C-47 Skytrain, the An-2 has been continually upgraded throughout its storied career to keep it flying for decades to come. Modern Colts make use of turboprop engines and composite wings.
Learn more about this very common (and somewhat antiquated) biplane cargo hauler in the video below!
This legendary pilot fought to his last bullet after being shot down ... ›
This biplane could be one of the deadliest North Korean weapons ... ›
Here's an insane video of what you can do with an old Russian An-2 ... ›
BBC - Future - The plane that can fly backwards ›
Antonov An-2 Colt | The Museum of Flight ›
3 reasons why yelling cadences will get you through a tough workout
The 13 funniest military memes for the week of May 17th


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Home » CIPL Monthly Talks - International law in Australian domestic law and vice-versa
CIPL Monthly Talks - International law in Australian domestic law and vice-versa
11am–12pm Thursday 16 June 2016
The Dialogue Meeting Room, Attorney-General's Department, 4 National Circuit, Barton, ACT.
Henry Burmester AO QC - Australian Government Solicitor
Anthea Roberts - Centre for International Governance and Justice, ANU
Stephanie Ierino - Office of International Law, Attorney-General's Department
Part of the CIPL Monthly Talk series series
The Centre for International and Public Law – in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Attorney-General's Department – will hold a panel discussion on the consideration of international law in Australian domestic courts, and the incorporation of decisions of international courts and tribunals into domestic law and vice-versa. The panel members will each share their experiences and insights on recent cases and issues, and their thoughts on the future direction of this relationship.
Mr Henry Burmester AO QC has been a senior legal adviser to successive Australian Governments, including in the field of international law. He has served as Acting Solicitor-General, Chief General Counsel in AGS and was the founding head of the Office of International Law in the Attorney-General's Department. He is currently Consultant Counsel to the AGS.
Associate Professor Anthea Roberts is a specialist in public international law, investment treaty law and arbitration, and comparative international law. She has served as an international arbitrator and as a testifying and consulting legal expert in international law cases, including those before national courts and international tribunals, on issues such as the interpretation of Chinese investment treaties and the availability of sovereign immunity.
Ms Stephanie Ierino is a Principal Legal Officer in the Office of International Law. In that role, she has advised the Government on issues including law of the sea, international humanitarian law, the use of force and international dispute settlement. Prior to joining OIL in 2008, she worked as a Research Associate at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at the University of Cambridge.
Flyer: flyer-cipl-monthly-talk-f (pdf 381.73 KB)


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New sanctions boost talk of war with Iran
By Sue Pleming
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration's decision on Thursday to slap more sanctions on Tehran is aimed at hiking diplomatic pressure over its nuclear program but experts say it will be seen by many as a step closer to war.
Talk of war and anti-Iranian rhetoric has mounted in recent months over Tehran's refusal to give up sensitive nuclear work the West says is aimed at building a bomb, with so-called hawks in the administration pushing for action before President George W. Bush's term ends in January, 2009.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, while repeating that "all options remain on the table", says the focus is on diplomacy but Iran analysts said the new measures will be viewed by Russia and others as a precursor to confrontation.
"While this will probably be interpreted as move towards war, the people behind this probably are trying to avert military confrontation," said Iran analyst Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Russia, which has the power to block a third sanctions resolution the United States is pushing in the United Nations Security Council, ridiculed U.S. tactics on Iran.
"Running around like a mad man with a blade in one's hand is not the best way to solve such problems," Russian President Vladimir Putin said when told of the new sanctions.
Democratic presidential contenders John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich, both critics of the Iraq war, accused the administration of plotting a war against Iran.
"Today, George Bush and (Vice President) Dick Cheney again rattled the sabres in their march toward military action against Iran," said Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina.
Ohio Representative Kucinich was more blunt: "This latest stunt is nothing more than an attempt to deceive Americans into yet another war -- this time with Iran."
Trita Parsi, head of the National Iranian American Council and commentator on Middle East Affairs, said Rice was "playing defence" and losing the battle against the Iran hawks.
"This decision only pushes Iran and the U.S. further into a paradigm of enmity that makes it harder for future administrations to resolve Washington's problems with Iran," said Parsi.
"Every time she (Rice) seeks to appease the hawks through measures like these, she undermines the prospects for diplomacy," he added.
PRECONDITIONS
In her announcement on Thursday, Rice tried to squash talk of war by saying Washington was still open to direct talks with Tehran, but with the long-time caveat that it suspend uranium enrichment beforehand.
Non-proliferation expert Joseph Cirincione advised Rice to drop preconditions and conduct direct negotiations with Iran, just as Washington did with North Korea before it had promised to give up its nuclear weapons program.
He said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could not afford to suspend his country's nuclear program because of strong domestic pressure.
"You have to find a compromise position here that allows the Iranian government to save face and slowly back down from this programme," said Cirincione of the Center for American Progress, a Washington think-tank.
Sadjadpour said the United States should actively pursue more talks with Iran over Iraq, where both have common interests.
The United States has accused Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq and of using its Qods force to train and provide material support to militants who are attacking U.S. forces there.
The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, has held several rounds of talks with his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad but Rice said recently these meetings showed no sign of progress.
"It's still a viable, open channel," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, although he added there were no plans at the moment for further talks.


I've blogged many times about how one of the great things about all this blogging business is the feeling of belonging.
When I first began doing this posting, visiting, commenting, meeting of bloggers, one of the blogs I followed over from a comment on another site, was SluiterNation.
I followed Kate home because the comment she had left was smart, I could tell she had read the post, and there was a humorous quippy tone to her voice.
She was someone I could see myself being friends with.
SluiterNation, written by Kate Sluiter, is that type of blog: you feel you would be welcome anytime. She has that way about her posts: you feel part of something.
I was flattered and eager to contribute a guest post to SluiterNation, when Kate invited me to her site.
The topic she chose for me?
What a perfect post choice for a blog like SluiterNation.
I hope you click over and visit me, or come meet Kate, if you haven't already.


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Knosys and Microsoft Partner With Compaq to Deliver Complete Analytic Application Product Bundles
Boise, Idaho, March 30, 2000 ? Knosys, Inc. and Microsoft announced a turnkey product bundle to provide customers with a complete and cost-effective data warehousing and analytic application platform solution. In addition to the product bundle, a campaign with 19 analytical application partners and systems integrators was launched to deliver both custom and canned analytical applications built on Microsoft and Knosys technology. The program is being promoted via an analytical applications resource CD-ROM and a supporting multi- city seminar series. More than 90,000 CDs will be distributed via the participating sponsors, partners, DM Review magazine and Knowledge Management magazine.
The bundle, comprised of Knosys, Microsoft and Compaq technology, is designed to help large organizations recognize significant savings in their initiative to deploy analytical applications in support of measuring key business performance attributes. It provides an ideal springboard for deploying customized and vertical-focused analytical applications from best-in-class companies focusing on sales, marketing, financial services, healthcare, legal, insurance, e-commerce, retail and education applications.
The bundles are available to customers through Integrated Information Systems and to resellers through Hall-Mark Integrated Solutions, a division of Avnet CMG. For more information on this joint product offering, or a complete list of available custom analytical applications, visit www.knosysinc.com/aarzone/ind ex.html.


House Underwater? Court May Force you to Work it out with your Ex.
In strong economic times, divorce cases are often litigated over the division of assets. Parties spend thousands and thousands of dollars arguing over who gets the house, the car, or even the family dog. In more difficult economic times like those we are experiencing today, parties and their attorneys have to pick their battles carefully in order to limit the costs of litigation. And when deciding whether something should be litigated or settled, they also may need to get creative.
In no circumstance is this more true than with respect to the division of marital debt; particularly debt from the purchase of a home. Following the bursting of the real estate bubble, countless families have found themselves underwater on their mortgages. In other words, the amount they owe on their mortgage is more than the house is worth. This is not a problem if the owners of the home intend to stay together and remain in their residence (as long as they can make their monthly mortgage payments). But when two parties wish to divorce, apportioning this debt can be very difficult.
The Virginia Court of Appeals recently took up the issue of apportioning "residential debt" in the case of Fox v. Fox. In this case, the Court of Appeals upheld the lower Circuit Court's decision to decline to divide or allocate two parcels that were "underwater." The Appeals Court affirmed that Virginia Code §20-107.3 (C) is "permissive," rather than mandatory. In other words, after reviewing all of the relevant factors under the statute with respect to equitable distribution, the Circuit Court had the discretion to decline to do anything with the two pieces of property.
As a practical matter, this was probably not a satisfactory result for either party. Following the entry of their divorce decree, the parties retain ownership of the properties "as tenants in common, subject to foreclosure or sale." The parties may well have worked something out following the decree to avoid this (or they may be in the process of doing so as of the time of this writing), but had they been able to anticipate the Court's treatment of these particular properties, they may have been able to save some legal expenses along the way.
Life Lesson: When dealing with the issue of marital debt, it is probably best for the parties to work it out as best they can—if not, the courts may force them to do so anyway!


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Q: PHPMyAdmin has retained a bad query I typed as the default "browse" query Yesterday I typed a bad query into the SQL box of PHPMyAdmin.
Ever since, when I click on my database table in the bar on the left, or click the Browse button, my query is used as the default query. Or rather the part I typed at the end is added to every query.
I get an error dialog reading
#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;
check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server
version for the right syntax to use near 'offset1000
LIMIT 0, 30' at line 1

which is my bad query. How can I get rid of this? Is there a cache with this query in it somewhere?
Details: PHPMyAdmin 4.0.10deb1ubuntu0.1 / Apache/2.4.7 (Ubuntu) / Ubuntu 14.04.1 and yes, I've logged out and even rebooted the server.

A: I have found the answer to this after a lot of searching.
PHPMyAdmin 4 has a table for this helpful feature.
It's in the database phpmyadmin, table pma_table_uiprefs. Stored against my username, that table and database was the bad query. I deleted it, which didn't help right away, but when I logged out and back in, it was gone.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange