Tag Archives: New Year

by Guestspeaker | 2022/12/27 · 9:01 am

Between Christmas and New Year or between New Year and Christmas

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She complained
about the many kilos she would regain
between Christmas and New Year
and passed those between New Year and Christmas
with regal grace.
~ Markus M. Ronner
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Evergreen trees and Decorations with festive foliage

For the festive events throughout the year, there are lots of people who not think about the reason why those celebrations are there. Others perhaps do know the origin of the festivals but consider it not so important anymore for what reason there was a celebration or why we should not take it as an ordinary civil celebration without any connotation to earlier connections.

There are people who consider it a special day for a special event of which the actual day itself is not important and as such Jesus might be born in October though many celebrate his birthday in December. They forget that the day they celebrate the birth of Christ is really a day celebrated by heathen people for the god of light. That is also one of the reasons real Christians would abstain from celebrating December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ.

Legalistic people are very scrupulous about observing a festival on the exact day. Others consider every day as a gift from God, to be equally received with thanksgiving. {Christmas is Tammuz’s Birthday?}

Later, even people came to believe that they were celebrating the birth of God, forgetting that the Only One True God had never a birth and is an eternal being (= having no beginning or birth and no end or death).

It is wrong to think that early Christians would have taken over the pagan festival and converted it into a celebration of their lord’s birth. It was only many centuries later that the Roman Catholic Church, to gain more baptisms, introduced those Celtic festivals into their own year circle so that the people could continue their long traditions.

The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the Devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmastime. It survived further in the custom, also observed in Germany, of placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house during the midwinter holidays. {Christmas tree holiday decoration – encyc. Britannica}

Silver fir (Abies alba)

The evergreen tree for many people has something special, it’s resisting warm and cold weather, seemingly growing for ages, in a certain way as many people surviving tree, declared possession of eternity. Those evergreen trees were and still are considered to provide oxygen, beauty, wood, paper, food, and medicine. Some people thought that by cutting down such an ‘eternal tree’ they could bring over endless life to themselves when they made it more beautiful with decorations and honoured it. By worshipping that decorated tree they hoped to show the gods how much they appreciated that tree and as such recognised their god’s creation and showed how it had become part of their life.

The Divine Creator did not create those evergreens to be cut to decorate it and not to use it for proper things, like using the wood for heating or making houses and furniture. Jehovah God knows the world loves those evergreens in another way than He wanted. But He wants His people not to do like the majority of mankind.

“2 Thus says the LORD,

“Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; 3 For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

4 “They decorate [it] with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter.” (Jer 10:2-4 NAS)

Today too, we see people adorn the evergreen tree, with the idea it will not rot and stand long enough to pass the darker days, with silver and gold, like their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands, as is written in the Scriptures. (Ps 115:4 135:15 Esa 40:19,20) Many people bear it upon their shoulder or carry it into their house, and set it in its place, and it stands, from its place shall it not remove. They put gifts around it and have nice times around it, but also moments that they may cry unto it, yet can it not answer, nor save them out of their trouble. (Isa 46:7)

When we undertake such an action, we must be very careful how we have that decorated tree in the house and how we stand before it.

In many nations so-called Christians sing hymns to the Christmas tree, making it clear that in a certain way they are adoring it. How many on Christmas Eve do not sing: O Tannenbaum (Oh pine tree/O fir tree) It might well be that

When winter days are dark and drear
You bring us hope for all the year.

and as such one could agree that having the green tree with its lovely smell in the house, full of little light or small candles, it cheers the dark days up. We do agree that it can

bring us light in winter’s gloom

Some people do think those evergreen fir trees do not much good to our planet, because they do not clean the air like trees and shrubs with leaves. For them it does not matter so much to cut down such trees because that will not have a lot of impact on the carbon footprint.

Others who want to excuse themselves for keeping up that tradition of putting up all those lights at the end of the year and saying that they celebrate the light God has given us, claim that Jews do that too around this time. Probably they think of Chanukkah, which is by some Christians called the “Jewish Christmas”, though they are mistaken to connect it with Christmas, where many Christian also have a Santa bringing gifts. Historically the Jewish festival Hanukkah, which begins on Kislev 25, historically may have become one of the most popular Jewish religious observances that this year is celebrated from Monday, December 19 to Monday, December 26. It is not a big gift-giving event, so you won’t find massive “post-Hanukkah” sales on the Internet. Similarly, there are also no stockings hung by the chimney or anywhere else.

In Jewish and Jeshuaist families you shall mostly not find cut and decorated trees in the house. It can very well be, that dried flowers can be found in the living room here and there throughout the year, but that has nothing to do with Christmas or to be part of glorification. Though for Jeshuaists and Jehudiem that are married to a Christian it can be a “Hanukkah bush” or some Christmas decorations can also be found in the house. For them, it is 8 days for commemorating the miracle of the long-lasting oil in the rededicated Temple. It is not a high holiday as Christmas is for several Christians, but a minor holiday. Most of them choose a candle whose light is strong and beautiful and place it at the window so that it can be seen from outside as a sign that in the house lives a person who believes in the miracle of the single vial of oil that burned for the eight days of Chanukah during the time of the Second Temple. In a spiritual sense, oil represents Chochmah, or knowledge.

Further similarities might be the gathering and sharing of nice food. On Hanukkah, it is e.g., latkes or laht-kuh(s) (fried potato pancakes and sufganiyot (donuts).

Nothing beats the smell of fresh pine and spruce in the house.
The innate cosiness of twinkling lights is unbeatable when the sun sets before 4pm and by those extra lights we do not feel so depressed by the darkness of the season.

Christmas trees are not as bad for the planet as some might think, but their carbon footprints are still not great. It is hard to beat the smell of fresh pine and spruce at this time of year, so gardening writer Alice Vincent enlisted the help of florist Katie Isitt to help her dress her home for the festivities without relying on a tree.

Photo by Vladimir Konoplev on Pexels.com

Making wreaths and hanging them up in the house brings something from mother earth in the house. You can make them in such a variety and with so many sorts of plants and grasses that none has to be the same. We only may not forget to have a balance of lots of different things.

For colouring and decorating the house so that it feels “warmer” you can use a lot of materials. You can use as much home-grown, recycled and edible decoration as we could, and to go for different ideas, discuss it with friends and amateur gardeners.

Many gardeners have a selection of evergreens, and most of them use it to decorate their and other’s houses. when having selected armfuls of foliage, both deciduous and evergreen, you can recut the stems and put them in deep water to condition them.

Pooling foliage, flowers and decorating ideas, would be a perfect start to the festive season.

Photo by Vladimir Konoplev on Pexels.com

You also shall come to see how making decorations your self attributes so much more to the end of year season and fun. You shall come to feel thaa half the fun is trying different additions and deliberating what to discard and what to keep. It is tempting to throw too much in, and there you shall have to decide for certain pieces to definitely avoid evergreens and berries, just to ring the changes.

Katie comes up with some innovative suggestions – and five top tips you might like to try.

Don’t be a fashion slave
Rummage around for what you’ve got
Don’t be afraid to let the mechanics show
Speak to a florist
Compost or keep it afterwards

Please consider finding our more, reading

about making your home into a feast for the senses with seasonal greenery – and yes, that includes sprouts. Emily Watson (emilytallulah.com), who specialises in flowers for weddings, events and weekly contracts, magnanimously offered to come and share a few pearls of design wisdom and artful techniques,: The Christmas decorations hiding in your garden

to fill your home with fragrant festive foliage – with a little help from innovative floral designer Katie Isitt, com to read the article: Forget the Christmas tree, here’s how to decorate with festive foliage

From stocking up on winter vegetables to protecting plants from frost, there is plenty to keep you busy in the garden this month: Gardening in December: what to plant and tidy in your garden this month

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Preceding

Solstice, Saturnalia and Christmas-stress

The True Significance of Jesus’ Birth

Sunshine for a New Year

The Proper Place of Excess

Additional reading

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Tagged as 25 December, 25 Kislev, Alice Vincent, Birth of God, Birth of Jesus, Birthday of Jesus, Carbon footprint, Celebrations, Celtic festival(s), Chanukah or Hanukkah (wintertime Festival of lights), Chinese, Chochmah = knowledge, Christmas Eve, Christmas tree, Christmastime, Customs of the peoples, Egyptians, Endless life, Eternal Life, Eternity, Evergreen tree(s), Festivals, Festive event(s), God of light, Hanukkah bush, Human tradition, Jeremiah 10:2-4, Katie Isitt, Kislev 25, New Year, New Year festival, O Tannenbaum, Old Scandinavian religion, Pagan European(s), Pagan festivals, Real Christians, Scandinavian custom(s), Sufganiyot = (sort of ) donuts, Tree decoration, Tree worship, Yule tree

by Guestspeaker | 2022/01/05 · 5:34 pm

Dear 2021,

Whichever way we turn, in 2021 we were able to experience another year that tried to undermine mankind.

In the New Year, never forget to thank your past years because they enabled you to reach today! Without the stairs of the past, you cannot arrive at the future!
― Mehmet Murat ildan

It was already an understatement to say that 2020 swept us off our feet, 2021 gave us a run for our money. (Perhaps even literally as well figuratively)

100 years ago another virus had after that terrible Great War tried to reduce the population by large numbers as if that horrible 4 years of war was not sufficient. It had brought down mankind to its knees by a microscopic being. And as if it has to come back every century, we too could feel what it is when a dangerous disease spreads around like mad.

But like the previous 2 years, we could find lightbulbs burning in the darkness.
Set against a backdrop of human loss and misery, many could continue their journey that started off a year before. Several people found new opportunities in this time of malaise. We could see changes in people’s lifestyles, and it was as if man now, at last, gave some rest to nature, having lesser cars driving around. In any case, the Corona period proved beneficial to the environment, with pollution rates decreasing drastically.

Set against a backdrop of human loss and misery was a journey of discovery and realisation that many were just learning to undertake. It brought about a tremendous change in people’s lifestyles, perspectives and proved beneficial to the environment, with pollution rates decreasing drastically. Adoption of minimalistic living practices became the norm in view of the virus’ indefinite tenure. As death tolls rose in a staggering manner, people dwelled in a constant state of apprehension of what the future would bring….. {Dear 2020}

For many, 2021 was a difficult ride, but we all have grown and gotten through it, hopefully learning lessons and making memories in the process. And as you say, we also think, that’s something to be grateful for.

Random Specific Thoughts

In the New Year, never forget to thank your past years because they enabled you to reach today! Without the stairs of the past, you cannot arrive at the future!
―Mehmet Murat ildan

Gosh, I’m almost certainly sure I’m going blind from all the screens. I keep wanting to say it is your fault. Is it?

I’m sorry – where are my manners?

Dear 2021,

I hope you’re well and the packing is going great. You have but mere minutes before you turn into yet another history chapter. Unlike your predecessor, you weren’t cruel or a fan of surprises but you were clever and cunning. This has been quite the rollercoaster of a year and well, to be honest – I’m not going to blame you for it. I was rather harsh towards 2020 now that I think about i,t and I feel terrible about it.

You see, as humans…

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Tagged as 2021, 2022, Corona virus, Coronacrisis, Coronavirus, Environment, Failure, Forgiveness, Inadequac, Mankind, Mehmet Murat Ildan, New Year, Opportunities, Pollution

by Guestspeaker | 2022/01/05 · 5:05 pm

Dear 2021,

So many might be cross with 2021 and by taking on such a negative view on that Corona year miss out on all the blessings they had that year.

It is true many of us would have wished it would have gone differently, but no matter what came over this world, a naughty virus, limiting us in many ways, it also created many opportunities.

Let it be known, in a few years time everything of 2019, 2020 and 2021 might be forgotten as in a sealed book somewhere up high in the bookcase or in a bookshelf in a dark corner.

The good things of it we carry with us with pleasure and hope soon to be relieved from that virus, but in the meantime, we shall not let us bring down.

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Preceding

Let’s count…

Musings of a Bookworm

Before I start I have to thank Deepthy from Random Specific Thoughts for coming up with this idea and then letting me borrow it for a post. You should definitely check out her post here.

So here goes…

Dear 2021,

The things we experience in life change us, they shape our understanding and the way we view the world. And so, for me 2021, a year that can only be described as a rollercoaster of a year, wasn’t all bad.

Of course at times I wished things were different, and, to be perfectly honest, I still do. However that isn’t your fault 2021, it’s not the actual events that cause these feelings, it’s my perception and the experience I have of them. This may seem like an odd thing to say, especially taking in to consideration the pandemic and all its effects, but…

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Tagged as 2021, 2022, Blessings, Corona virus, Corona-measures, Coronacrisis, Coronavirus, CoViD-19 pandemic, Experience, New Year, Perception, Relevance to life

by Marcus Ampe | 2022/01/04 · 11:30 am

Being on the road in my dreams or with a Tin Can Traveler

In 2009 I was placed in retirement and had to find an end to my artistic dreams and (to be honest) also to my dreams to become someone. In the previous years, like I still do, I had worked under several names. There was the choreographer, the teacher and the writer, plus the one who had many dreams, not having the money but in those dreams going to many places.

Like some American blogwriter

I used to inspire my students by giving them what I considered to be the ten most important two letter words for having a dream life. {About Annie How It All Started #1}

that blogger had decided it was time she granted herself permission to take on the power of the words:

“If it is to be, it is up to me” in living my own dream life. {About Annie How It All Started #1}

Would that be not marvellous if we all could do that, just going our own way, free in the world.

Limited by my health and by finances, I just seem to keep it to dreams only. Luckily on the net, we may find people who are able to travel a lot and do not mind sharing those lovely experiences they might have while going from one place to another.

For Annie who lives in a home on wheels (the Tin Can Cottage), a Winnebago Mini Motorhome, her dream life is:

living in a motor home aka recreational vehicle (RV), working at jobs around the country, and experiencing a never-ending journey of adventure and discovery via the open road. It entailed selling my house and furniture, walking away from my career, and in short, learning a brand new way of life..

Would that not be the dream of many:

having and learning to have a brand new life?

I would say, even if Omicron wants to waltz with us, let us keep far away from it, and though we might then be a bit isolated, let us enjoy the beauties of nature. That nature which has so much to offer, but is also, like us, in danger of a terrible disease, the “greed of man”, the bodies who do not mind destroying their own planet. But when we and each other individual making his ow bit to safeguard that nature, for sure we must be able to get some candle burning, shedding some light onto the necessity to do something against global warming.

We do not have to sell a home, sell all our belongings like Annie did, but we perhaps could use some similar mindset as she has.

The most unsettling list was the one with all the things I wanted to keep. I was delirious with materialistic greed, thinking I could still harbor all the flotsam and jetsam from 40+ years of pack rat proclivity.

Mentally, I had attached the stuff to me as so many outer coats that now had to be peeled away one by one. The only way to do it was to adopt a spirit of philanthropy. I saw most of my possessions off to good homes; only keeping what I thought I needed or would be useful.

It took me most of the summer and multiple parings but my home finally took on a cavernous look. {About Annie How It All Started #1}

This Annie is now living in an RV and travelling the country is her dream life, which is lovely she can build up such a dream life. We can enjoy her travels with a 26′ Winnebago, Class C which has been her home since 2007. It’s 25 feet long with one slide-out. Her tow car is a Subaru Impreza Outback with manual drive.

It’s also my “toy hauler” and totes my 10 foot kayak on the roof and my bicycle, Big Blue inside with the back seat down. {RV Living / Work Camping}

For 2022 I would advise you to have great days full of inspiration

enjoying the day and the road, autumn colors, beyond blue skies. {Bald Eagle’s Message (#755)}

let us have our eyes on the plants and animals around us, and yes … let us be carried away by a Bald Eagle who takes off into the air, flying off into the beckoning blue skies.

Many happy and pleasant dreams for 2022

feeling transported to another realm; spirit time; a time to walk with those on the other side of the veil.

Like this Annie Tin Can Traveler writes:

There is magic in immersing oneself in a personal reality without and within. It super-charges the soul, brings forth creative forces and that forever feeling of joy.

When I open myself to it, that is when I find the most incredible gifts only imagined in my mind’s eye. {Imagine Hearts… (#786)}

Hearts from Cape Cod

Sunshine for a New Year

Even when so many celebrate the birth of Jesus not on his real date of birth (October 17) but on the birthday of the goddess of light (December 25), at the end of the civic year we, before going into a new year, can bring our thoughts to him and his heavenly Father, the Divine Creator and giver of all good things around us. Let us in these darker days remember and be thankful for the light given to the world.

praise2worshipdotnet

Milk Eggs and Worry in the New Year by Peter Caligiuri

That is why I say to you, don’t worry about living—wondering what you are going to eat or drink, or what you are going to wear. Surely life is more important than food, and the body more important than the clothes you wear. Look at the birds in the sky. They never sow nor reap nor store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Matthew 6:25- 26 Phillips

I must confess that we New Englanders brag a lot about how tough we are when it comes to winter. We laugh uproariously at stories of school districts in the South shutting down because of a couple of inches of snow. But no matter how many New England snowstorms we have lived through, often our conversation at home when it starts falling, begins with the words, “Honey, can…

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by Guestspeaker | 2021/01/03 · 4:56 pm

Let’s change

THE SEMPILL THINGS

The worst year yet? A lot of people would say so: “I’m glad to leave 2020 behind”, or “F*ck you 2020”, or whatever the trending caption of the moment is. 2020 has been a difficult year, but without it we wouldn’t be where are now. It’s shaken up all of us. And sometimes we need a shake-up. 2020 changed be me for the better in many ways –some good things, some great things, and some painful things that I wish would have panned out in a different way. I haven’t even come to the pandemic thing yet.

I’m hopeful for 2021, just as hopeful as I was at the start of last year. 2020 delivered in many ways and I’m pushing for ’21 to do the same. The attitude of wishing last year to go to hell is beyond me; the shift from one day to another makes no difference……

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by Guestspeaker | 2021/01/03 · 4:20 pm

Happy New Year. SIGH.

Being chained for some more months we should be happy when we are still not infected by that terrible disease. Though we shall still have to be on the safe side, avoiding contact with too many people.

When staying in our little bubble, what do we want more. Today there are so many technological wonders that can bring people from all over the world to our doorstep.

We have the facility to be in contact with so many people all over the world and can share our thoughts with them. But we now have also much more time to read books and to watch films on our small or big screen.

So, let’s enjoy the life that we are privileged to have!

Coronavirus Diaries

It’s January 2021. We are way into the future and China has unleashed a whole load of hell into the world with Covid-19. We’re all still social distancing like mad, washing our hands, wearing masks, going nowhere, doing nothing, getting fat and lonely. No holidays, no hugs with friends, no eating in restaurants or going out dancing. We’re not even popping out for a cup of tea in a café. It’s a shitty life and I don’t see how it can change any time soon what with the new, ultra-transmissible mutation of the virus in rampant circulation.

But there is hope. Vaccines are being given. Snowdrop shoots are peeping out of the muddy grass, and I’ve bought a new armchair and sofa bed on a 0% finance deal from DFS. You’ve got to take happiness where you can get it. Plus:-

The children are healthy
I am healthy
We have…

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by Guestspeaker | 2021/01/02 · 4:40 pm

In the New Year…

Purplerays

In the New Year, you carry all the experiences of the past years
and that is the greatest power of every New Year.

Mehmet Murat Ildan

photo credit: Jim Ridley Photography

Text and image source: The birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=221420302876142&id=100050245220194

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Tagged as Experience, Mehmet Murat Ildan, New Year

by Marcus Ampe | 2021/01/01 · 6:37 pm

Wishing you a Happy New Year in this time of Corona

Happy new year!

I do not now how the year 2020 went for you. For me it was like a rollercoaster ride having to bring over all the pages from the old Google sites into different multiple New Google sites.

It took months to transfer all the pages manually (because the website was to huge to convert,hence now divided in sites for each of the four languages.

It looks like the year took only two months, for me.

For everybody it was a year of isolation and perhaps also some coronastress. I have put on some corona kilos.

I do hope you were not to badly affected by the corona crisis.

We are not yet rid of this virus which took the whole world. With vaccinations started we may look forward to some better times. Though we shall still have to be patient until next Summer.

For now I send you and your family our warmest wishes for 2021. May this new start give each of us fresh inspiration and determination for the year ahead.

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by Guestspeaker | 2021/01/01 · 10:30 am

3 Keys to Reading the Bible with a Fresh Perspective

It is a new year, and no doubt many have made it their ambition to read the Bible more often this year. What nobler resolution could someone have?

But many people will give up in mid-February, when they are slogging through Leviticus and are halfway through their third straight gospel tour. The passages that seem redundant and unexciting tend to drown our Bible reading goals.

How can we keep our Bible reading fresh – even the parts that don’t stir us at first reading – so that we don’t give up on our resolution to read more? Allow me to share a few suggestions.

1. Remember that God’s word is alive

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active.” Just like God himself, his word is full of life and is always doing something. That means, to state the obvious, that God’s word is never dead or inactive. And that is just as true for Leviticus 3:16 as it is for John 3:16.

The implication is that we can come to every passage with a sense of anticipation that God will work through it. That doesn’t mean we will necessarily finish our Bible reading with intense spiritual feelings. But it does mean that we can be assured that no matter what we read on a given day his word will not return void (Isa. 55:11).

2. Pray for God to open your eyes, and trust that he will

The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psa. 119:18). He recognized that without God’s help, it would be very easy for him to read God’s law and not come away marveling at how great God is. He needed God to give him eyes to see the wonders of his word.

The same is true for us, of course. We must not read our Bibles without asking God to enable us to see the amazing things in it. I confess that this is something that I sometimes forget. Being somewhat of a task oriented type of person, I’ll sometimes sit down at my desk to begin preparing a sermon only to realize an hour later that I had forgotten to ask God to speak to me and lead me to the message he wants delivered on Sunday. It is by God’s grace that I can even recognize my self-sufficiency. I must stop and repent of my prayerlessness, and then ask God to “open my eyes” before I resume my study.

3. Read with a God-centered attitude

It’s very easy to read God’s word with an emphasis on you. What am I going to learn? What am I going to get out of this? How am I going to apply this?

But as you grow as a Christian, you grow less concerned with yourself, and more interested in loving God and neighbors. This gradual self-emptying process gives a perspective that comes to Scripture with a desire to see more of God and less of yourself.

Take, for example, Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Instead of focusing on the “I can do” part, what if you meditated on the “him who strengthens me” part? Your mind will be prodded to meditate in a fresh way of God’s grace to enable you to make it through your trials and empower you for your successes.

Don’t let dull days get you down

As much as it would be great to have an amazing spiritual encounter every time we read the Bible, I admit that is not always my experience. Sometimes nothing “hits” me. But I know that my emotional response is not what makes God’s word do its work in my life. That’s the Spirit’s job.

So if you find that there are some days where your Bible reading seems less impactful, don’t be discouraged. You and I have only to be faithful to read God’s word with the thirst of a deer panting for water. More times than not, when we open the Bible with that kind of neediness the streams will taste quite fresh.

Eric McKiddie serves as Pastor for Gospel Community at the Chapel Hill Bible Church He helps pastors grow as well-rounded ministers of the gospel at his blog, Pastoralized, and through sermon coaching.

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by Guestspeaker | 2020/12/31 · 7:07 am

New Beginnings

To get to feel a better year we shall need to take a huge jump, because we shall still have to be patient until enough people would be vaccinated and before we shall be able to say goodbye to the Corona pandemic.
Let us look forward to bettering safe times.

Life Is Full of Sweet Spots

“Celebrate endings —

for they precede

new beginnings.”

— Jonathan Lockwood Huie

change defines new year

prospect of fresh start invites

robust leap ahead

* * *

Puma breaks free of underbrush ~ Flamingo Botanical Gardens, Davie, Florida, photo and “New Beginnings” haiku by Mary O’Connor. With best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!

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by Guestspeaker | 2020/01/14 · 12:34 pm

2020 presents itself as a new year and a new decade

Every year when one year comes to an end and a new one presents itself people remind themself to reflect on the past year and take stock. It allows them to review their goals for the year and ask themself a few questions.

‘How am I doing? Who am I becoming? If I stay on this present track, will I accomplish my goals?

It is also the time to reflect on how we could cope with situations but also with other people. We take a look at our relationships and analyse them. You could ask:

Am I an asset? Do I add to the lives around me? Am I ‘swift to hear, slow to speak’?

A new year allows time to flash back and gives people an inkling of the changes they may need to make in the future.

How many put into practice the plans that will ensure their goals are accomplished?

When you look at people, how many do not continue on the very same path, even when they made so many nice promises at the change of year.

Perhaps it will not be bad to not only set some goals but also to take certain steps in order to claim victory.

It would not be bad to Write down the goals and to place them in a very visible place.

It also would not be bad to speak about your desires and goals with the Most High Elohim. Surrender them to The Almighty God, allowing Him to do the best for us.

Make a commitment to the goals before the Lord and to an accountability partner. Most often when we expressed our intentions at the beginning of the year, later on we do not repeat them to others. Often we forget them ourself. By not remembering what we promised or by not thinking of those promises we give ourself a way out. Everyday we have to cope with other confrontations and as such life is not always as easy as we would love it to be. On the days, when we don’t feel like going on; when we want to give up, then it is a good moment to be reminded of the reasons we chose those goals at the beginning of the year in the first place. We want to be encouraged to keep reaching toward that prize. At such moments of discouragements prayer should be the first on your doorstep to welcome.

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Being and Feeling, Knowledge & Wisdom, Lifestyle, Reflection Texts, Social affairs, Spiritual affairs, Welfare matters

Tagged as 2020, Accomplishing, Accomplishing tasks, Asking questions, Change, Discouragement, Future, Goal reaching, Goal setting, Goals, Making changes, New Year, time to Flash back, to Accomplish

by Guestspeaker | 2018/12/31 · 2:07 pm

Inspiration to Boost your Karma in the New Year

In a world where there is a growing decease of indifference let us make sure we are ready to be there for and to help others.

Find Your Middle Ground

Every year I like to review this list to bring good Karma to the year ahead, and beyond. This year I have added more self compassion and kindness towards others. Let me know what resonates with you this year.

Keep your word.
Be curious. Listen to understand.
Show respect to everyone you encounter.
Be respectful of those you haven’t met.
Be a good friend.
Look for the best in everyone.
Be kind to others.
Be kind to yourself.
Forgive others.
Forgive yourself.
When you make a mistake say, “I’m sorry.
Pour out your love when someone asks for it.
Put your children’s needs before your own.
When someone is speaking to you, be fully present and listen.
Express yourself joyfully.
Don’t be cruel with your words.
Be grateful for everything you have. It is more than enough.
Share your wisdom with those who ask for it.
Give away what you…

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Lifestyle, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs

Tagged as Happiness, Indifference, Karma, Kindness, New Year, New Year’s Resolutions, Personal growth, Self compassion

by Immanuel Verbondskind | 2018/12/31 · 12:01 am

Coming to the end of 2018

The last day of 2018 presents itself.

Manny forget that there has been a time when there was no time. There was nothing to measure the passage of moments. Everything was in a space without time notation. Everything was empty and void in the darkness.

Only after the Voice of the Unseen spoke there came order in the chaos and everything came into being. The Divine Maker of all things created light and darkness so that time could be measured.

Today one can say

The experience of the passage of time is one of the most foundational experiences of being human. {Is Time Real?}

If we want it or not. The days pass in front of our eyes. We can not stop to become older. All that rest us is to remember past days.

We remember the past, we experience the immediacy of the present, and we imagine the possibilities of the future. {Is Time Real?}

Lots of people shall come together with friends and/or family and shall take moments to remember the previous months. And when the clock ticks 12 all shall bring their best wishes for a new year to those around them and to those further away. The distance may bring other hours, but also there the time comes and goes.

The notion of reality being beyond time has been challenged by different thinkers in different ages. At the end of the year we would like to stand still for a moment and think about that element: T I M E.

And what shall bring us Tomorrow?

> Please find to read: Is Time Real? by Jeff Carreira

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Filed under Being and Feeling, History, Lifestyle, Reflection Texts, Religious affairs, Social affairs, World affairs

Tagged as Ageing, Darkness, End of year, Getting older, Jeff Carreira, New Year, Passage of time, Time, Time notation, Tomorrow, Void

by Guestspeaker | 2017/01/14 · 6:59 pm

From Guestwriters 2016 in review

Each day million articles are published, looking to find a reading eye. Every day thousands of new articles appear on WordPress. In 2016 one hundred seventeen billion nine hundred thirteen million one hundred forty-eight thousand three hundred fifty seven words got published on WordPress. {Automattic WordPress year-in-review-2016}

2016 in view

The year that David Bowie and Prince passed away, like several very well known figures of the arts world, it looked like some people who made it in their life did not want to stay here any longer. It was also the year of lots of terrorism and political correctness, where those who are different than the mainstream (disabled, transgender, refugees, extreme religious and non religious groups, jihad fighters,) got lots of attention.
In the United States of America Obama Care which at last had become a reality came back under threat. North America saw in Boston in November, the Disability Policy Consortium accepted proposals and held a Disability Intersectionality Summit. Presentations included topics on the intersections of being undocumented, being LGBTQ+, being a person of colour, having mental health disabilities, on #DisabilityTooWhite – the hashtag and movement around the the disability community’s failure to represent racially diverse voices – and more. Lots of things came on the American roller-coaster, having Michigan banned non-emergency restraint and seclusion for disabled students and Georgia’s governor speaking in favour of Employment First policies for disabled people in Georgia.

Route of the attacker from west to east at the Promenade des Anglais, Nice

With the 15th anniversary of 9/11 the jihadi‘s made sure they would not be forgotten; ISIS/ISIL and BokoHaram being the new strongholders. In Europe the fear took so many people that politicians saw the opportunity to fuel the extreme right and come with absurd laws, like banning burkini‘s. All the fearmongering having fueled by the March 22 suicide bombings at Brussel’s Zaventem airport and Maelbeek metro station, leaving around 35 victims dead and 360 seriously injured, ISIS claiming responsibility.
America also got its portion of ISIS-madness with a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State opens fire at gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49, injuring 53 – one of the bigger mass shootings in the U.S.A.. September 17 a terror bomb in Chelsea, New York injured 29 people. Lots of Americans got so frightened of Muslim people, looking at them if they all would be terrorist, though they under their own white Christian population had more victims by weapon violence this year than by terrorism. Several times the world could see how racism is still a big problem in the States and how police can not keep themselves in control when arresting black people. (African American Alton Sterling shot by Louisiana police in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile shot by police in St Paul Black on July 6; American Keith Lamont Scott September 20)
The Islamic militants for sure where very active all over the world. Some events called for more attention worldwide, having foreigners also under the victims or by being considered the country’s worse terror attack for the year, like at a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where a fighter killed 20 hostages and 2 police on July 1. The next day (July 2) a large lorry bomb in Baghdad killing at least 125 people and wounding 150, Islamic State claiming once more responsibility. On December 11 a bombing at a chapel in Cairo, Egypt, killed 25 and wounded 45. December 19 again a truck was used to kill many people, like in Nice on the 14th of July now the target was a Christmas market in Berlin killing 12, injuring 48.

Aftermath of the 2016 Berlin attack

In the States of America on January 17 the Fourth Democratic presidential candidates debate showed how Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clashed over healthcare and gun control in Charleston, South Carolina, and gave us an idea that though perhaps the best candidate of all Bernie Sanders would not going to make it to president elect. Two days later Sarah Palin officially endorsed Donald Trump‘s presidential bid at a Trump rally in Ames, Iowa. What nobody thought possible occurred when this man made it to the preselections, then to the selection to finally become what nobody would ever dreamed possible, him becoming president elect. November 8 Republican Donald Trump became elected President of The United States of America, defeating democrat Hillary Clinton despite Clinton winning 2.9 million more votes. Europe fell on its back for the second time, the first one having been the vote for the Brexit (June 23), who nobody had thought would come through. These two unexpected events show clearly how careful we must be when we think it not necessary to spend time on such personalities and situations.

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Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

For that reason we should much more react on what is going on on ecological level. The Paris Agreement on climate change signed in New York (on April 22) binding 195 nations to an increase in the global average temperature to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C is only the beginning of a long road to run. Global warming is not only blamed the cause of many people having to flee for the rising water-level. On August 1 there was an anthrax outbreak in the Russian district Yamalo-Nenets, Siberia killing one and infecting 8 others, also killing 2,300 reindeer. Indian government declared levels of air pollution in Delhi an emergency situation, closing schools and construction sites on November 6.

Though 2016 seemed to be the year that people where more concerned about the whereabouts and the look of their friends on Facebook and Twitter. Social media being the major interest gainer of the year. Most people more concerned about their outfit, fashion, style and strangely enough books and films again.

Astronaut Scott Kelly

Lots of people running with their heads in the skies did not notice that US astronauts Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko returned to earth, on March the 2nd, after nearly a year (340 days), setting an ISS record. For the earthly matters it became time that the U.S.A. did something positive to restore the relations between them and Cuba. March 20 Barack Obama became the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a 2 day tour.

The ‘Big Joke of the year’ (in April) was to see how many politicians who said something had to be done against fraud and how people had to pay honestly their taxes, their names could be found on the 11.5 million confidential documents from offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca , the Panama Papers exposing widespread illegal activities including fraud, kleptocracy, tax evasion and the violation of international sanctions by the world’s elite in the world’s largest ever data leak.

On April 11 UN-backed ceasefire came into effect in Yemen conflict between Iranian-backed Houthis rebels and government forces.

June 7 with a car bomb attack on a police bus in central Istanbul killing 11 was just a beginning of a whole series of bombings in Turkey of which there is no clarity if they are orchestrated by some political forces to have Erdogan in an even stronger dictatorial position. June 28 presented again a suicide bombings and gun attacks, at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport killing 42 and wounding more than 200. We have no idea if the coup d’etat was something set up by Erdogan himself. It gave him way to hold a big clean up and to get rid of all those who stood in his way.

In Colombia more than 50 years of conflict came in its last stadium, the governement and Farc rebels signing a ceasefire agreement on June the 23rd, followed by many talks to have the rebels not being sued.

2016 for this platform

WordPress Administration (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of the 595,795,035 posts written on WordPress we only presented a mere 358 articles, hoping our humble little site could catch some interest by the many people who are scanning the worldwide internet for something interesting to read. From our tiny country not having any funds, not having serious backing and not able to afford much money on writers, designers or even having our own publishing space, just using the private limited funds of the editor and responsible publisher Mr. Marcus Ampe, we sincerely try to find some interesting literature on the net and present it to our readers and visitors. Because not having much GBites we are limited in re-blogging because pictorial content eats our internet data space, but when a must read is found with lots of photos we still do hope to be able to discuss it or to present it in one of our articles.

English: Stats on Cross-ideological Blogging

Stats on Cross-ideological Blogging (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We must confess that we did not catch many readers for the many work-hours we invest searching for additional and further reading material. Luckily this was the first year we did not very angry letters of people being onerous that we included their article in the listing. In 2016 for the first time we even got a letter thanking us for having brought 1000 readers to someone’s site. Though we put a lot of work in creating all the links in the articles and in the accompanying list of interesting articles, to our sense or liking not enough people make use of those links and referential titles. For that reason from now on we shall perhaps start putting less url-backgroundlinks to words or tags, but still shall continue to try to offer you a list of noteworthy article by other bloggers.

It is a pity we only could find 7 782 views of only 4 827 visitors coming along.
Officially opened to the public on 2014/03/2 we got 1 847 visitors the first year and 2 764 visitors in 2015, so we may be satisfied it is a line going upwards. Though published from Belgium in the European Union, our ‘home-country’ only delivered 269 views. The United States being at the top with giving us 3745 views, followed by the United Kingdom delivering 852 views and our northern neighbours the Netherlands offering us 532 views may encourage us to continue.

The home page caught 2 118 views, followed by 349 for the About page. Of the articles “Religious celebrations in May 2016” got the most views (only 103) and got only 4 likes.

People naturally have to find us. 1 437 do so by using search machines, whilst 783 use the WordPress facilities. 155 come along by Facebook. But we too are happy to find other WordPress users referring to us and bringing readers to our site. Naturally our own authors or own sites like our ecclesia site (9 views), the Belgian Biblestudents and the Bijbelvorsers (each 8) and Stepping Toes (7), but non connected writers like ridzerdvandijk.wordpress.com with 8 views and sneakytwistedlittlewildheart.wordpress.com (good for 6), entering the promissedland (5), discoveronething (5), eternalhunt (5) and some others bringing us each 4 or less viewers.

U.S. advertisement for the 11th edition from the May 1913 issue of National Geographic Magazine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The most used search terms were ‘hoopvolle slogans’ and ‘bezinningsteksten zelfkritiek’ with each 3 hits.
We ourselves brought 110 readers to our other site “Our World” and for for other sources Wikipedia got 56 readers from us, whilst the Collins dictionary got 21 and the very good Encyclopaedia Britannica only 18 views. Abortion and crime rates by wordlifeandlight managed to get 6 views from us and Lizaborstlap received also 6 visitors, as far as we can see from our statistics.

This last person who has always been a person with a to-do list is also one of the people who wanted to share some writing on this platform. But there were many days when she became a slave to her lists and she had to face that things don’t always happen as planned and that she would feel like a failure if she wasn’t able to cross out all the tasks that she allocated to a specific day.{a goal should scare you a little and excite you a Lot!}

She may perhaps had to become, like us, more specific and to be realistic in what she can (and can’t) achieve in one day; but we did want to reach so much and sometimes got frustrated not seeing our accomplishment for the day.

We are still looking for authors who would not mind to write about lifestyle, interior design, fashion, cooking, family life, gardening, nature and ecological matters and some persons who would not mind tackling the history and people who would love to write about education and health. There are so many subjects not covered yet by people who can tell more about it than we can.

From the end of 2016 onwards we added two viewpoints, namely two comparators, on one site the Muslim world and on the other site the Judaic world and traditions.

The Lastige Vragensteller or Troublesome Inquirer – Vragensteller-Inquirer in the short time on this platform got 112 views,
whilst the Jewish counterpart Immanuel Verbondskind with his two articles got 39 views.
Success Insprirers’ world with N.Gobesingromanus offered some poems which gave him 3 views
Also written contributed only one article which in 2016 only caught 4 views
Liza Borstlap who presented some reblogs of her own site articles in Afrikaans got 40 views
the Belgian Biblestudents could attract 99 views
Relating to God drew to himself 120 views
Bijbelvorser allured 177 views
the Christadelphians getting 415 views
Marcus Ampe writing under his personal name receiving 1325 views
and reviews from us about writings and authors their work we wanted to share with you by the Guestpeaker got 3330 views
Next, should your name not be here too? Are you not the one who can write about subjects which are not covered yet enough?

English: Monkeys Blogging Español: Simios bloggeando (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We do know that certain subjects are not tackled here. Marcus Ampe would love to find some one talking about family matters, family life being one of the cornerstones of our society. To his regret he must also establish that in 2016 not enough regard was given to ecological matters. Man having to live in surroundings which are too polluted and which are filled with buildings and cars, but not given the freedom to have enough green to bring enlightenment and fresh air to people. It is really getting time that more people warn others about us, man, to take care of mother earth, before it is too late.

Whilst on WordPress in general 112 million posts were liked, we did not have many likes. 8 billion e-mails were send on WordPress, but in those there are not counted the very many e-mails we got in our own e-mail box, instead of reacting on the blog articles themselves. This is a pity, because other readers can not read the reactions and oh so often we have to reply to very similar questions, which is more time consuming than having a reply which can be read by thousands on the internet.

For 2017 may we hope that if there are even more articles written on the internet than the 595,795,035 posted on WordPress in 2016 and the huge amount of comments, making it up to 457,596,906 comments on WordPress, you shall be able to find some very interesting articles and comments here too.

Donald Trump enters the Oscar De LA Renta Fashion Show, New York. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 2016 we saw that it is possible that those with the biggest mouth and do not mind trampling over many can get their cause. 2016 may have been a disastrous year on several issues and lots of important issues where not even mentioned or got not the right attention. For this new year we love to repeat our call to get more people daring to come out for the poor and the maltreated. We also once more want to ask people to wake up the majority of the population who still keeps their eyes closed for what is really going on in this world. There is a need of more people who are willing to stand up to preserve and encourage the progress of humanity while resisting the forces that threaten to turn it backwards.

We have to be very cautious for what certain people try to do with their nation but also with the world. As citizen we should be aware that politicians are nothing without their people and that folks if they really want can be much stronger than those politicians, who dare to look away from the citizen who needs help and encouragement. Those who call themselves Christian should be there to give a hand to all that need help, not forgetting nature, plants and animals who do not have a voice. therefore we do hope to find more blogs tackling their problem, and would love to have an author on ecology writing for us from this year onwards.

Without you reader we are nothing and can do nothing. We thank you for being here with us and for the followers we are grateful and do hope we can please you with a varied menu.

Wishing everyone a great 2017.

Preceding article

2014 in review

In 2015 finishing our first year: From Guestwriters 2015 in review

Pokémon craziness

2016 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Children of Men

Max Lucado: I Had a Dream That Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Reached a Truce

Leaders in disguise

Looking at man’s closest friend

Looking at an American nightmare

The twist of politics and expression

Tribes Redux

Darkest just before dawn

Bruxelles Ma Belle

Mountains of information, disinformation and breaking away

Women in France running with naked bosom all right but with covered bosom penalised

An American Embassy to the Eternal Capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem

Humanity Quote for Pax Populi

When will it stop

Not limiting others but sharing peace with all

Not missing your appointment in 2017

Additional reading

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Other WordPress bloggers looking back at 2016

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by Immanuel Verbondskind | 2016/12/31 · 12:09 pm

Not missing your appointment in 2017

Soon we will turn over the page of the dark year 2016.

These past days and the coming days lots of people had very important gatherings they would not like to miss. This time of season it are days of appointments which have us looking forward to pleasant cosy being together moments.

In the new year, people shall again make and keep lots of different appointments that they would never miss. For many the people are so important, they would never cancel. The circumstance may also be so pressing that those meetings cannot be put off.

The need so urgent, we cannot afford to overlook it. The desire so great, it cannot be denied or postponed. {Don’t Trade Away God’s Help Today}

But what about the most important meeting of the year, the season or even of the day?

Lots of Christians say this is the season of the year and that they are celebrating the birth of their god. Those Christians also say the bible is the word of their god, though most of those Christians do not read that Word of God. For sure then they would perhaps not worship Jesus as their god and would not take part in the heathen Christmas events.

Many Christians far too quickly dismiss their daily appointment with the God of the universe as soon as life gets a little busy. The other appointments stack up, and our time to sit with the Most High and heavenly Father of our Saviour, seems to fade away so quickly and easily. Not many of those Christians who have Jesus as their god know his words or know the Words of his heavenly Father. Though those Words are very important and each follower of Christ should know them very well.

Perhaps it is

Arrogance, because we don’t think we need God’s help and wisdom enough to consistently ask him for it (James 1:5). Apathy, because we’ve let other things drown out the call to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). {Don’t Trade Away God’s Help Today}

book-1209805_6401 Not many people do know why and how important it is to come to read the Bible. Many have no idea how to start doing it. At my first series I look on this matter “Reading the Holy Scriptures“. In it I try to show how reading the Bible is a way of hearing God’s Word and a way to let us be strengthened. It is a way to allow ourselves to grow whilst we are guided by the One Who knows everything. He is the Omnipotent Who is pervasive, extensive, omnipresent and willing to help us at any moment of the day and night. He is the Most Trustworthy Supreme Being Who is prepared to be there for us whenever we need Him. He is the One Who can tell us how to prepare for life and is willing to show us what to do and how to serve Him. We can turn to the Bible in times of sadness, joy, worry or bereavement and receive comfort from Gods word.

Too many are not aware how easy it is to have the most super guidebook in the world and the most intense appointment with the Most High Person in this world. We may wonder why so many Christians miss such an appointment regularly. Because their God has asked them to remember Him and to take time for Him. He told them to take a Sabbath, a day of rest to give and share it with Him. But we do not see many accepting that invitation or going to that appointment.

Many Christian churches are running empty today. There are not many worship places where Christians are really worshipping the Most High Elohim. We may find lots of churches where false gods are worshipped, but also they are having difficulties to keep their members. Many Christian even have no place for God on the day that they say would be especially for Him. At Christmas most energy is put in the cooking and preparing for the festivities and the presents. But there is no place for many Christians and not much thought about the Most High Present, namely the Saviour Jesus Christ. That child in the mangler is mostly forgotten or a detail in their life which is consumed by all the material things around them.

Moshe had given a task, like Jeshua also has given a task to his followers. They told the task of the leader is to remove that Din and bring everlasting Chesed and Rachamim to us. We should do away with all wrong traditions, all heathen connections. Believers in, and lovers of God should be different than atheists. Their way of life should be pure and according to the wishes of the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and to know those wishes God has given the best manual for life: the Bible, the Book of books. We should read it, making time to have close and fine words with the One who we should love and honour as the most Important One.

Taking up the Bible is taking up and keeping your appointment with God. Do not forget to meet Him and His Word in 2017.

Please come to find following articles on Immanuel Verbondskind:

Best to read and study the Bible
How to Read the Bible
How to Read the Bible (sequel 1)
How to Read the Bible (sequel 2)
Making time for God is crucial
How to Read the Bible (sequel 3)
and find sequels 4 and 5 later, in the New Year

***

Wishing you a happy and blessed spiritual New Year

***

Did you come to read already our Vision and mission. Have a look at our page: Our Vision and mission.

Find additionally

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The Door is Open

The Open Door EP (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Summer has come to its end and the white sands, pristine sun-streaked skies,with radiant horizons stretching forever, may stay in our head for ever, now we have to close some doors to open new ones.

We only can hope they will uncover new interesting things. Though that we never forget were we came from and how we wanted to grow. Let us see that beauty in growth, the resilient effort toward understanding who we are in the moment.

And when the clouds pass our eyes we can see the trees who bow down in front of their Maker, knowing that lots of people just walk by and do not see the wonders of nature which are the witnesses of their Creator.

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Related articles

Winter weather events in fall and spring cause tree trouble in Denver (kdvr.com)

About lions and babies (christadelphianworld.blogspot.com)

A Theatre Website

How remarkable to imagine

another period of our lives

measured in time, in knowledge,

in hopes, in tribulations, in grief,

in discovery, in coming of age,

the doors are opening

all across the horizon,

in each avenue of growth,

in every challenge to our passion.

the doors are opening

to allow minds to become alert

to a world that begins with their eyes,

while guided by principles we offer

in humble contrast to our own

quiet ignorance with allowance.

the doors are opening,

and in walk our lives

as a young child or old messenger,

we each might enjoy the bounty

we offer one another in peace.

the doors are opening,

let’s welcome the stroll.

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Filed under Being and Feeling, Poetry - Poems, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs

Tagged as Doors, Finding the self, New academic year, New Year, Sky, the Self, Wonders of the world

by Christadelphians | 2015/09/03 · 5:08 pm

Helping each other with prayer to start the new academic year

It is a tragedy, as we will read tomorrow, that

“the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel …” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

We have no other choice than to live in this world where so many are blinded. We also do have to do with the many pains we may have to endure. Though we should know many pains and discomforts could be helped to be lessened or being softened by others.
Each of us is here in this world to help the other. Though not many are interested in doing that.

2014 – 2015 school year opening ceremony at Hanoi – Amsterdam High School

Once again a new academic year has started and we are off again on the roads, having the children back to school, having the parents back to work after their Summer holiday.

How many of them can see which wondrous blessings we have that

“God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’,

has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ? (verse 6).

2 Corinthians 4:5-10 UKJV (5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. (6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (8) We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; (9) Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; (10) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Our world was created out of the void when there was only darkness, but God called for light. That ‘light’ shone physically as creation began so long ago, but the wondrous fact for us is, as we will read in chapter 5,

“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (verse 17).

The apostle Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians makes so many points which also requires our attention in this 21st century. He shows the interaction of events and the great value of prayers in all the difficulties they and he are experiencing.

All the kids who went back, or for the first time to a ‘new’ school’ shall have to learn to face different situations which are not always pleasant. Even for those who became a Christian there is no escape, they too shall have to share abundantly in Christ’s suffering. But we can give our kids some hope because we also do know that through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:2-5 UKJV (2) Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (4) Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (5) For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.

It is, writes Paul,

“the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction …” (verses 3,4).

This is a comfort we have a responsibility to pass on to others.

This passing on to others is too much and too often forgotten. Many do want to have the blessings, but do not want to do anything in return. They want the grace but do not ask them to tell others about it.

To find people who are willing to preach is very difficult. To find people who are willing to share their knowledge about certain things of this world, like geography, history, ways of constructing a house, or how to keep a healthy family seems to be very difficult. For some time we have been looking for some extra writers on this website, though nobody seems to be interested to join us and to share his or her knowledge for free.

Let us meditate and reflect on the interaction of events we have personally experienced. It seems when we start talking about God and about his son and show others our love for them, we seem to get a negative response and to be kept aside. Suddenly co-operation or interest seems to stop at all sides.
The more we have been active in the service of Christ, the more clearly we will perceive this.

In Paul, the Corinthians saw the most outstanding example of service.

“The afflictions we experienced”,

writes Paul, was such that they were so utterly burdened beyond their strength that they despaired of life itself. We in our regions do not have to be worried so much about that, but several people in several countries, like Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and many African countries are facing prosecution. We may not be unaware of the affliction many experienced in Asia and Africa.

2 Corinthians 1:6-8 UKJV (6) And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. (7) And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as all of you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall all of you be also of the consolation. (8) For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

We, in our safer regions also have to undergo problems, shunning and are not always facing a nice life. But we have set our hope that Jesus will return and that he and his God, Who is also our God (the God of Abraham), will deliver us again. Though we have to remember that like at the time of the apostles, they had to be helped by prayer, so that many will give thanks on their behalf for the blessing granted them through the prayers of many, we too need such help.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 UKJV (9) But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead: (10) Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

We cannot just rely on people. We like Paul have to realize that we must rely not on ourselves but on God (verse 9).

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 UKJV (9) But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead: (10) Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; (11) All of you also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

Having set our hope that he will deliver us again, (verse 10), does not mean that we do not need each other, and that we should not help each other. We still have to be loving for each other and helping each other.

Paul makes an appeal that we should specially take notice of. He tells the Corinthians,

2 Corinthians 1:11-12 UKJV (11) All of you also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. (12) For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

Other apostles came with similar requests to their flock.

Romans 15:30-32 UKJV Now I plead to you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love (o. agape) of the Spirit, (o. pneuma) that all of you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; (31) That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; (32) That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

As in the early centuries of this common era there was a need of preaching, the apostles going around in the region to tell the Good News, we too today need some people full of hope who are willing to go into the ‘fields’ and to let others know about that Good News. We do want to tell others the Gospel of the Good News, but we too need help from others. We can use some backing.
Not only could we use some additional authors willing to share writings with people from all over the world. We, like the apostles need also your help with prayer.

As the apostles asked for help we also dare to say like the apostle Paul did:

“You also must help us by prayer so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us by the prayers of many” (verse 11).

Many are aware today through the almost instant communication the internet provides of the desperate situations some Iranian believers have experienced. There are also Pakistani believers who are experiencing persecution, and a few truth seekers who have felt it wise to return to Afghanistan. Let us help them by prayer.

Also, may we, as Paul writes in chapter 2, spread

“the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved …” (verses 14,15).

We may be unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish, but should we also not show that we are willing to step in the footsteps of that masterful rabbi?

As of God, in the sight of God we should not hesitate to speak in Christ and to show others the Way to God.

It is not because we can see so much tragedy, having so many people living in a way God would turn His eyes away, that we can not live according to His ordinances and want to show others there is a different way than the way this world has chosen.

On this platform we do want to show others this different way. To do it just on our own is not so easy. We could do with some extra hands.

Everybody has some field in which he or she is good. So everybody should be able to find something to write about which could be enlightening and educating for the others.

Having a new academic year, would this not be a good start to provide your input?

From your professionalism is there nothing you can contribute to our community and to bring some more knowledge to others, believers and non-believers in God?

Is the time not ripe to take up the pen and to join those who believe we should share more with others? It is out of love that we should share more with others. And believe it, there is lots to share about, and it has not all to do with religion.

In case you are not good at writing, you too can help, by praying for us and by letting others know our site. Promotion is always something that can help as well and motivate to continue our work. (Be sure it does not harm to motivate others now and a while.)

We do hope we can go into a fruitful new academic year in which we shall find some interested souls to join us and to share with us the love for this globe where we may reside in peace.

Please do pray for all those in need and also pray for our work, that we also may reach people in need and help them.

You may find about prayer:

Praying and thinking positively

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything

God, my father, my closest friend

Laboring in the Vineyard or Sitting on the Hillside with Jonah?

What moves mountains?

Trust!

Additional readings:

+++

Happy Chinese New Year

Goat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are so many calendars a man can follow. Facing the months that pass by regularly we can celebrate regularly in the year a new year.
Losar is the Tibetan meaning “new year.” ‘Lo‘ means year and ‘sar‘ means new. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, today is the first day of the new year! Following the Chinese Zodiac, 2015 is the year of the Sheep!

In Antwerp like in many international cities the Chinese community shall ago wild. They believe that each animal has a special attribute that will bring man some sort of good luck in the new year, particularly if that person were born in the year of that Zodiac animal. For 2015 they think they can expect fortune, as this is the symbol of the Sheep. Compared to the other animals in the Zodiac, the Sheep is also known as the healer, and is associated with creative arts.

The Sheep is the eighth animal of the Chinese Zodiac. People born in 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, and of course 2015 are all born in the year of the Sheep!

From those of 1955 (Bruce Willis, Rowan Atkinson) Steve Jobs has not to complain about fortune.
It is said that the Sheep is a Yin energy (part of Yin and Yang), which is a symbol of tranquillity. Therefore the best points of such personality are that they are polite, imaginative, and filial. However the negative side is that they also can be pessimistic, unrealistic and slow in behaviour, probably because the Sheep have Romantic ideals.

A sheep looks nice to cuddle, but do you know there has been give a shepherd for all those sheep in the world? And some may wonder if we are in the year of the goats.

All of those animals need some one to bring them into the den or leave them in the wild.

All sheep need a shepherd, else they become lost, frightened, helpless. For some people, this shepherd may have religious connotations; for others, the shepherd represents a best friend, or family member, or a person in a role of great responsibility.

If we are sheep or goats we should know that there is some one out there who is willing to take care of us. Even the sheep not of the year of the goats/sheep are looked for and is the shepherd willing to feed. That good shepherd has offered himself as a servant for the Master Shepherd. And that Most High Shepherd can give so much more than any human fortune can provide.

All the real sheep are also asked to follow their leader, the good shepherd and to help those gone astray. All believers in that good shepherd, Jeshua, Jesus Christ, should especially this week think about the other sheep and goats. Be a shepherd for the rest of the week: take people into your care; steer someone back onto the right path; offer help when it is required. Who knows – you may decide to keep at it.

Happy New Year to all Chinese and all the others as well.

+

Of interest:

Doubting and going astray

This is an amazing thing

Atonement And Fellowship 6/8

His Life for the Sheep

+++

On the net to read:

Happy Chinese New Year!

Year of the Sheep or Goat? Depends on who you ask

Celebrating the ‘Year of the Goat’ (or ‘Sheep’, or ‘Ram’) today–with one-sixth of the world

Year Of The Goat

when holidays collide.

To: Goat and Sheep From: Horse

New Zealand animals – January 2015

The Internet of Sheep: WiFi-connected flock to eat grass and transmit data

Euphegenia got a very strong hunch

….of ‘Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo’…

Well Cared For. Well protected. Today and Forever.

What God desires

Stuff I like

Related articles

We Pinned It: Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year 2015: The Year of the Goat

China’s Lunar New Year Holiday Rush in Full Swing

What animal to worship this Chinese New Year?

Welcoming the Chinese Year of the… Goat? Ram? Sheep?

Tikoy: Chinese New Year’s Cake

Chinese couples shun Year of the Sheep babies

Superstitious couples shun ‘sheep’ babies

Chinese couples shun ‘sheep’ babies

Chinese couples shun ‘sheep’ babies

Christina Cole Romance

It’s started off as “one of those days”. I seem to be having a lot of those lately, don’t I! I’ll blame it on the wintry weather. Most of my frustrations involve networks and connectivity issues, and it’s likely that the bad weather has been a factor. Actually, I should consider myself lucky that the problems haven’t been worse. Despite the snow and cold temperatures, we haven’t had any power outages, frozen pipes, or other winter-related problems here.

After a lot of frustrations with email problems, my spirits did brighten considerably when I realized that today marks the beginning of the lunar new year. It’s “The Year of the Sheep”, and a quick trip to Google images made me smile.

I love this cheery fellow, don’t you?

I’ve seen 2015 referred to as “The Year of the Sheep”, “The Year of the Ram”, and “The Year of the Goat”.

What…

View original post 319 more words

2 Comments

Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Lifestyle, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Social affairs

Tagged as Astrological sign, Chinese calendar, Chinese community, Chinese mythology, Chinese zodiac, Goat (zodiac), Goats, Good shepherd, Losar, Lunar calendar, Master Shepherd, Most High Shepherd, New Year, Responsibility, Sheep, Tranquillity, Year of the Sheep, Yin energy, Zodiac animals

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Tag Archives: New Year

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“Celebrate endings —

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— Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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