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House Painting Tips

I recently painted my home and found several products helpful as well as absolutely indispensable to performing a professional looking paint job on my homes cedar shingle siding.

I decided to paint my house myself because the cost of having a professional do it is ridiculous and to replace or just cover the siding with aluminum or plastic siding is also too expensive. After completing the front and sides I am actually happy I painted it instead of siding over the cedar shingles that my house is covered with because it looks fantastic.

When looking into painting my home I had a lot of decisions as well as a lot of preparation work to get done before I picked up a paint brush. I looked at my two story home and did research not only in preparation and which paint to use but how I was actually going to get to all the areas that needed paint without killing myself.

I have a two story home and needed to get to the peak which is about 22 feet of actual siding and 24 feet from the ground but I also have a front porch to deal with. I had to be able to reach that 24 foot height with an extension ladder safely so a safety harness and some way to secure a ladder on a porch roof was necessary.

I decided to buy a safety harness and a D ring from a local hardware store called Northern Tool along with a 20 foot 17,000 pound capacity tow rope as my main safety equipment. I used the D ring to attach the harness to the tow rope that was attached to a 3 stack of 2 by 4’s that were in turn screwed to the inside of my attic.

My house has a front porch and to get to the front second story siding I needed to place the bottom of my extension ladder on the roof of my porch. This meant not only standing the ladder up on the roof and securing the base to the roof with 2 x 4’s anchored to the roof and a strap tied to the ladders bottom rung but some way to secure the top to the building.

I used one end of the tow rope and tied off the ladder so it would not be able to come away from the building and then the other end of the tow rope was secured to my harness so I would not fall. I could fall off the ladder but I would not have gone more than a couple of feet because of the tow rope secured to my harness.

I could have bought a six foot fall prevention lanyard but it would not have been able to secure the ladder to my building as well as the harness I was wearing. I can also use the tow rope later on when I finish my painting and for other jobs in the future which makes more sense than buying a lanyard.

I always look to the future when buying things and wanted to make the most out of the required equipment for this job and for the future on other work. I also needed some way to level my ladder to the sides of my porch roof as well as those odd spots on my driveway that are not quite as level as some other areas so I looked into ladder levelers and found Levelok.

They sent me two ladder leveler sets which worked out extremely well, for my review on Levelok Ladder Levelers just click on the highlighted title. The levelers allowed me to set my extension ladder and a multipurpose ladder on the roof with one leg longer than the other so the ladder was level on the uneven parts of my roof and ground.

The paint for the main part of my house is Sherwin Williams Duration satin finish while the trim work was Benjamin Moore Aura flat finish. I used Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 water based primer tinted with 2 ounces of black per gallon on the whole house before painting and used about 10 gallons for a 750 square foot side of my home.

When figuring how much paint you’re going to use measure the walls of your home to get the square area, if you can’t figure height simply measure the siding slats in inches and count how many are on the side of the wall. I have shingles with eight inches showing and just counted how many shingles are going up the side of my house to measure the height of my walls.

You also need to measure and subtract the windows and doors in your calculations but the amount of paint you use will also vary according to how much the siding soaks up the paint. Rough siding like shingles will take up more paint in the nooks and crannies than wood siding that is horizontal on your house.

The Zinsser Primer instructions say it covers about 350 square feet but my siding was in desperate need of a good coat of primer along with the top coat of paint. The cedar shingles were previously painted but much of the paint was peeling off so the primer soaked in a lot and it took a lot to get the whole house primed.

I used about four gallons of Duration to paint on the same 750 square feet of siding to give an idea of coverage in a real world example and was very impressed with the paint and its qualities. The Duration paint went on easily and I was painting in October with temperatures down to 35 degrees so the coverage and temperature range is excellent.

The Duration paint went on easily and looks like a plastic coating over the siding after all is said and done so the house looks great when you look at it closely. I chose the Duration paint for several reasons; its quality as mentioned by many painters and a couple of websites along with the sale that lowered the overall cost.

When I was deciding what to use for the main paint I learned a sale was upcoming and Sherwin Williams also has annual sales every spring and fall so I got the paint at 40% off. I purchased ten gallons of Duration which cost me $380; I also had a $10 off coupon for the paint which you can find online as well.

The cost of the Duration without the sale or any coupons is about $58 a gallon which is quite pricy for house paint but when the quality of a good exterior paint is needed this is the way to go. I looked into not only the warranty but in getting cheaper paint and found from both do it yourself sites and Consumer Reports that Duration is the best and most recommended.

I also did not follow the recommendations by Sherwin Williams in applying the paint but cost was a big factor in this job, they say to use the Duration as both a primer and the top coat of paint. Duration Satin costs about $58 per gallon while Zinsser primer costs about $10 to $15 per gallon depending on sales like the one at Menards that I used.

There was no hesitating in my choice at painting my house with a less expensive primer like the Zinsser Bulls Eye instead of the more expensive Duration paint. I purchased about 25 gallons of primer for the three walls of my house and will be needing a few more gallons this spring when I finish the last wall.

I did not get to finish the back of my house because winter and cold weather was quickly coming and the temperature was getting below 30 degrees at night so I will finish that up in the spring. I did have a lot of work but it actually went quickly with me doing a lot of scrapping and repairing the siding before I actually got to the painting.

I set up my ladder on the part I was working on and went up to start scraping at the top and worked my way downward, I scrapped peeling paint and got everything that was loose off the siding. I scrapped the underside of the rows of siding to get the previous drips off and used the edge of a scrapper to get between the shingles to get peeling paint out.

I then went and repaired any shingles that were falling off by both gluing with paintable caulk and nailing them up; I actually started out with non-paintable caulk though. I bought the wrong caulk and used several tubes of non-paintable caulk around the front windows and for fixing the shingles but it worked out just fine with the good quality paint I used for both the trim and the main top coat.

I did not caulk the main windows and over all the areas like where the siding meets the roof before priming the whole side of the house. Priming does work well for both wood and caulk so after repairing the shingles that were coming off or gone totally I caulked and then primed the siding and other parts.

I caulked around all windows and any odd seams and joints, especially along the roof line of the porch where it meets the wall and along all the overhang boards or eaves. I used a lot of caulk, three boxes of twelve tubes each for around windows to seal up my home for help in weatherization.

I painted the primer coat then the top coat of Duration paint and then after that dried I painted the trim work with the Benjamin Moore Flat Aura trim paint. I did not have to use two coats of any of the paints other than a few spots here and there and the section where I removed a door.

The top coat as well as the primer and trim work all covered well and only required one coat of paint so this wound up being the best at both cost and quality in my opinion. Using the Duration for a primer would have just been too expensive and using a good quality primer and doing a good job before going to the top coat and trim work ensured good coverage and a good final job.

While I am not quite done with the house painting I am done with the main part and only have one wall to finish this spring, the job took about four weeks from actually starting work to where I was finished for the year. I did not work eight hours a day but I usually worked for four to six hours depending on weather and convenient stopping points.

I spent at least $1000 for the work already done and will be spending more but that is not all just paint and caulk; I bought brushes, a paint bucket, the harness and D ring, tow rope along with two short axle straps and some quick links with screw on closures. I purchased the Duration paint, Zinsser primer, caulk and a box of replacement shingles for repair and a door I removed and replaced with the new shingles.

The job went well and looks great as well as a very satisfying job for this home owner, I have had several people comment on how good it looks. Some of these comments are not even people I know, just people passing by saying it looks great and they just had to stop and comment on it.

I also had one guy ask if he could help and get paid for his efforts but this was not only a one man job because of the reviews, I also did not want to risk other problems. I did not want to pay someone else for work I could easily do but insurance could be an issue if he got hurt which I did not want to deal with.

I had no problems working by myself for the most of the job and did get help positioning ladders and other quick tasks from my sons from time to time. Painting the house and actually working from one small section to the next worked out well even on the higher parts of the house near the peak and eaves.

Although I did have a few moments of “Why am I doing this?” the job went well and I quickly transformed my house from white with splotches of grey and weathered looking cedar to pristine Olive Grove green with Sierra Mist Trim. The Sherwin Williams Duration and Benjamin Moore Aura paints both worked extremely well and are my highest recommended paints for exterior painting.

If you need to tackle a job as big as painting your house you might as well spend the time and effort to do a good job, this also means getting the best paint you can afford. Both paints can be purchased on sale and are well worth the extra cost that a better paint comes at and is well worth the extra money.

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Bruce Lee’s Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life’s Greatest Lessons

Bruce Lee Writings On Life Lessons

Legend. Icon. Fighter. Unparalleled. Irreplaceable. Greatest Ever. These are just some of the words that come to people’s minds when they think of the great Bruce Lee. Even though he died at a very young age, he is still remembered as one of the greatest martial artists and actors of all time. His legacy will always remain as the greatest ever.

Even though he was predominantly known for this martial arts skills and acting in movies, not many people know that he was also one of the most underappreciated and underrated philosophers of the 20th century, who played a huge part in establishing and advocating Eastern traditions to the Western world and audiences.

Bruce Lee was a philosophy major when he was in college, where he took his own ideas and thoughts and combined them with ancient philosophies. He never failed to emphasize the strength of resilience, and how important of an attribute it was to possess it. It is from here that he came up with his famous water metaphor for resilience.

Related: 6 Ways To Build Emotional Resilience and become Unfuckwithable

When he initially stepped foot in Hollywood, he was subjected to a lot of racial bias and was constantly sidelined due to his Asian heritage. During that time, white actors used to practice yellowface to play Asian characters, which were based on many hurtful and narrow-minded stereotypes. Lee was constantly told that the audience (which was mostly white) would never come to watch a movie that had an Asian in the lead role.

Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

Even after he was cast in a lead role, several film studios refused to take him, his skills and emotional and mental depth seriously, and simply saw him as someone who is there to entertain everyone with his Kung-Fu skills. When they planned to edit out all the philosophical parts from Enter the Dragon, because they wanted the movie to be entertaining, Lee stopped going to the sets for two straight weeks.

He insisted and emphasized the fact that philosophy and Kung-Fu were intricately related to each other, and there is no point of one without the other. The studio had to finally give in to his vision, and that was one of the biggest driving factors behind the success of Enter the Dragon. The perfect and now timeless combination of Kung-Fu and philosophy did not just make the movie a humongous success, it established Lee as a torch-bearer of racial empowerment, and a cultural icon.

For Bruce Lee, philosophy was an inseparable and integral part of daily life, just like the mind is inseparable from the body.

For him, his philosophical meditations and meticulous workout routines were equally important, and he never took any of it for granted. He always carried a small notebook with him wherever he went, which was filled with the phone numbers of his students (which included Steve McQueen and Chuck Norris), his workout regimens, affirmations, philosophical thoughts, and poems.

Lee’s handwriting was always very measured and neat which was the perfect reflection of his strict discipline and purposefulness.

Bruce Lee (Photograph courtesy of the Bruce Lee Foundation archive)
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

The most interesting and notable parts of his tiny notebooks were the affirmations he wrote in them. He used to write these notes to himself by articulating his personal opinions and philosophies aimed at his own personal growth but were at the same time, universal in nature, providing insights into human psychology, nature, and behavior.

Here is a look at the contents of the pages of his 1968 notebook, which were written shortly before Bruce Lee’s 28th birthday. The contents are transcribed below, starting with Napoleon Hill’s ‘Daily Success Creed’, which Lee used to write down in his pocketbooks.

“Recognizing that the power of will is the supreme court over all other departments of my mind, I will exercise it daily when I need the urge to action for any purpose, and I will form HABIT designed to bring the power of my will into action at least once daily.”

Related: 3 Powerful Methods To Help Create The Results You Want And Succeed Faster

“Realizing that my emotions are both POSITIVE and negative I will form daily HABITS which will encourage the development of the POSITIVE EMOTIONS, and aid me in converting the negative emotions into some form of useful action.”

Bruce Lee Writings On Life Lessons letter2
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

“Recognizing that both my positive & negative emotions may be dangerous if they are not controlled and guided to desirable ends, I will submit all my desires, aims, and purposes to my faculty of reason, and I will be guided by it in giving expression to these.”

“Recognizing the need for sound PLANS and IDEAS for the attainment of my desires, I will develop my imagination by calling upon it daily for help in the formation of my plans.”

“Recognizing the value of an alert memory, I will encourage mine to become alert by taking care to impress it clearly with all thoughts I wish to recall, and by associating those thoughts with related subjects which I may call to mind frequently.”

Bruce Lee Writings On Life Lessons letter
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

Subconscious mind:-

“Recognizing the influence of my subconscious mind over my power of will, I shall take care to submit to it a clear and definite picture of my MAJOR PURPOSE in life and all minor purposes leading to my major purpose, and I shall keep this picture CONSTANTLY BEFORE my subconscious mind by REPEATING IT DAILY.”

Related: 4 Ways To Unlock Your Subconscious Mind

“Recognizing that my emotions often err in their over-enthusiasm, and my faculty of reason often is without the warmth of feeling that is necessary to enable me to combine justice with mercy in my judgments, I will encourage my conscience to guide me as to what is right & what is wrong, but I will never set aside the verdicts it renders, no matter what may be the cost of carrying them out.”

Bruce Lee Writings On Life Lessons letter3
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

When Bruce Lee believed that he had an amazing idea, he instantly noted it down on the back of a plain lined yellow notecard, at the end of which he always put down his signature. It was almost like he signed a contract with himself, or maybe like a will.

Interestingly, Lee’s affirmations were always very notable and insightful and this was because he successfully managed to combine both spiritual traditions (especially Zen Buddhism’s ideas about the ego, the self, and character) and ancient philosophical traditions, along with questioning dubious New Age thinking.

Archival material with exclusive permission from the Bruce Lee Foundation archive
Bruce Lee on Life’s Greatest Lessons

“You will never get any more out of life than you expect

Keep your mind on the things you want and off those you don’t

Things live by moving and gain strength as they go

Be a calm beholder of what is happening around you

There is a difference a) the world b) our reaction to it

Be aware of our conditioning! Drop and dissolve inner blockage

Inner to outer ~~~ we start by dissolving our attitude not by altering outer condition

See that there is no one to fight, only an illusion to see through

No one can hurt you unless you allow him to

Inwardly, psychologically, be a nobody”

Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

“I know that I have the ability to ACHIEVE the object of my DEFINITE PURPOSE in life; therefore I DEMAND of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.

I realize the DOMINATING THOUGHTS of my mind will eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action, and gradually transform themselves into physical reality; therefore I will CONCENTRATE my thoughts for 30 min. daily upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear MENTAL PICTURE.

I know through the principle of autosuggestion, any desire that I PERSISTENTLY hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it; therefore, I will devote 10 min. daily to DEMANDING of myself the development of SELF-CONFIDENCE.

I have clearly written down a description of my DEFINITE CHIEF AIM in life, and I will never stop trying until I shall have developed sufficient self-confidence for its attainment.”

Inspirational and motivational doesn’t even begin to describe Bruce Lee, and the more you read and know about him, the more amazed you will be.

Credits: Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee Writings On Life Lessons pin
Bruce Lee's Never-Before-Seen Writings On Life's Greatest Lessons

Alexandra Hall

Hi there! I am someone who is trying to navigate through life, one day at a time. Writing is my passion and my job, and I am happiest when I am writing. I love reading comic books, watching drama movies, playing with my dogs and generally lazing around. An introvert by nature, you can find me in the farthest corner of the room in every party, playing with the dog and having my own party.View Author posts

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Delight the skin with the freshness of this fine foaming gel that combines gentle botanical emulsifiers with purifying and cleansing ingredients. For flawless skin as soon as you wake up.

Benefit: Cleanses the skin without drying it.

Essential ingredients: liquorice, copper and iris, sweet lime essential oil and Yon-Ka Quintessence*.


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Exploring a hilltop village in France

A hilltop village on the edge of the French Riviera and the Alpes Maritimes, fortified since medieval times and presently boasting with an art collection within its narrow streets to make you weep.  The hilltop village of St. Paul de Vence is the perfect escape for a busy mind.

Hilltop Villages1St. Paul de Vence in perfectly preserved in time, with the narrow streets still exactly the same as it was in medieval times and in 16th century when the village fortifications were added.  It is easily reachable from Nice and Antibes and a morning or day spent here will be well worth your time.  When I researched my trip to the Cote d’Azur, St. Paul de Vence was not a place I was particularly interested in.  Other hilltop towns on the Cote d’Azur like Eze village, is much more publicized (what a waste of money in my opinion!) than St. Paul de Vence.  It was only when the wise owner of the B&B we stayed at in Nice advised as to rather go to St. Paul de Vence first, as we won’t be disappointed.  We followed her advise and took the bus to the village.  You can take the Vence->Nice line 400 to the village.  Going by car is probably faster, if you have one, otherwise the bus is a perfect budget option.  Go early, before the rush and maybe take some time to have breakfast once you’re there.

Firstly, you’ll be greeted by the canon and a big stone arch entrance.

The best part about St. Paul de Vence in not all the old structures that’s still standing, but the fact that almost every shop in the narrow streets has been transformed into some form of art gallery.  You can find high-end pieces here up to artwork that will suit a budget traveler’s pocket.  It’s possible to stroll around for hours, without a map and go from gallery to gallery to just explore then artist mind.  Looking is free, of course.

Why did a fortified strategic town end up as a mini art hub?  Well, there used to be only one restaurant in town, Cafe Robinson, that was frequent by the big names of the Riviera Art Trail like Picasso, Matisse, Signac, Renoir, Chagall, Soutine and Braque.  Apparently the owner accepted painting for compensation for dining at the restaurant and built up quite the collection.

DSC00479DSC00474*Photos of artwork taken with permission of shop owners.

What else you should not miss:

– The narrow streets and beautiful views of the area

– ‘Cave shops’

– Landmarks: The Grand Fontaine, Place de la Mairie, Eglise Collegiale, Pontis and the Local History Museum

– Stylish souvenirs

I was so happy that I followed the advice of our host!  St. Paul de Vence really surprised me.  It’s not filled with tacky souvenir shops, nor is it overrun by massive Asian tour groups.  I guess it’s touristic without being touristic, or even trying.

This is part of the #AllAboutFrance linkup

Lou Messugo


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It was over quickly. A little too quickly. Like lightning without thunder, a cake without icing, a novel with the last page torn out: a little too… unsatisfying. How arduous the work was as first, and how dedicated you were to the requisite time to prepare. How you dropped to your knees as if in prayer, hands clasped and breath held, ready to take on the world. Yet, somehow, you failed. The question remains: who is at fault? But this equation has no solution; the variable remains unknown. Now, sitting outside, alone in your chair, watching the smoke curl upward, you wonder again how you wound up here. And with a cleansing cough, a graphic expulsion of air—and every feeling you have ever felt, forcing its way out—you grip yourself steady and reach for your glass, thinking: Yes… somehow, this too shall pass.

waning moon…
another night without
the muse

Elizabeth Alford

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Converse X Moncler X Fragment

Introducing the next edition in the ongoing partnership between Converse and streetwear legend Hiroshi Fujiwara, elevated through the bold lens of Moncler’s Genius project.
 Showing artistic restraint and sophistication, this take on the Chuck 70 makes a statement through minimalist design and black and white color blocking. Simple touches like contrast stitching on black canvas and camouflage on white stand out but the real heavy lifting is done by the marks on the heel. Three style legends. One shoe. It’s an iconic collaboration.

Key features:

  • Low top sneaker
  • Black rubber foxing with white branding
  • Canvas upper
  • Vintage co-branded license plate
  • Moncler Genius logo
  • Fragment Design logo
  • Contrast or camouflage stitching
  • Pro Leather wordmark

The Converse X Moncler X Fragment sneakers will launch exclusively at Shelflife and Lemkus and online at from Thursday, 3 September 2020.

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Obama Stare And The Romney Sweat

I managed to see some replayed TV clips of Debate #3 today and got a look at the stare President Obama beamed at Mitt Romney.

That had to be disconcerting - - after all, that's the President of the United States (a/k/a/ "Most Powerful Man In The Free World") directing that icy eye contact your way - - and I'd say there was a direct relationship between that mind game and the sweat popping out on Romney's face.

Cameras caught that same Obama glare aimed Romney's way in Debate #2 when Romney was in the middle of his "acts of terror" FUBAR and asked the President a question - - to which Obama said, simply, "Governor, proceed."

So Obama proceeded to use the tactic in Debate #3, where Romney was over-matched on the facts and appearances.

I'm sure Romney is on a behind-closed-doors Apology Tour with donors today.

Algore is right!!!!!!!! said...

What the hell is going on!!!???? The most important issue in the history of the world was not even mentioned once during the presidential debate!!!!! The earth is heating up uncontrollably due to our use of carbon fuels which will soon lead to the death of our entire civilization and the destruction of all life on earth and Barrack Obama doesn’t even bring the subject up!!!! He has abandoned the only cause which is important!!!! We will soon all burn up and die because of global warming and we can avoid it by not using energy, but he no longer cares???!!!

You summertime environmentalists who only talk about global warming when it is hot out in the summer and refuse to even think about it when we are freezing our asses off the rest of the year are truly pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Good luck as a full-time environmentalist that does not use energy.


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black history month

Stacey Abrams Lashes Out At Critics Of Her Maskless Photo Op Surrounded By Masked Children

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams slammed critics of a photo showing her maskless surrounded by a masked-up class of small…

10 months ago

MSNBC’s Joy Reid Claims She Worried That Rioters Would Destroy Black History Museum On January 6

Far-left MSNBC host Joy Reid claims that she was worried that the protesters-turned-rioters at the Capitol riot would vandalize the…

11 months ago

Melania Is Bashed Over Her Tweet About Black History Month

America's first lady can't even celebrate diversity without other people immediately mocking her and criticizing her

4 years ago


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Local. Family Owned. Trusted.

A portion of all proceeds goes to the Connecticut Foodbank/Foodcare

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We are the House Washing Professionals

We are the House Washing Professionals

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We believe your home is your castle, one of your most precious items in your life. It protects you from the elements, keeps you warm, and where many special memories are made. Isn’t it time you showed your home the same care and love it provides for you?

Why The Powerwashing Kings…..

At The Powerwashing Kings we understand your house is one of if not your biggest investment. We have over 15 years experience and over 10,000 units washed. All day every day all we do is wash, washing is our only business. We are highly trained to clean your house with 100% no damage to your house.  One mistake could cause thousands to tens of thousand of dollars in damage or a major injury. We know you do not want to risk doing this job on your own or trusting an untrained uninsured relative or friend. Nor do you want to risk having an unskilled low cost handyman without the proper know-how, who does any and all work and you have wonder what job he is actually good at. At The Powerwashing Kings there is no guessing, you already know others wash we clean. Please do not trust your house with just anyone, they can destroy your siding, create leaks in your house.

Our Unique Pressure-less Wash System….

Our pressure-less wash system is safer then power washing, soft washing, pressure washing, or power cleaning. When we wash your house we can not break a peddle off a flower that is how gentle our wash is. Please call us with more information about this system. Call now- 860-839-1000.

Over the years your home begins to suffer from green stains and dark blotches. Cobwebs, mud, and bird droppings are just a handful of messes that contribute to a dirty exterior. Without proper cleaning, your home will become an eyesore, and the source of frustration for many of your neighbors. Your home exterior requires regular cleaning, and we hope you will choose us to be your consistent helpers.

Next time you leave your house, take a moment to look at the exterior. We mean REALLY look at it. Is the siding no longer as bright as it once was? Do you suddenly notice the spider webs have taken over? Are the dirt stains prominent? If the answer is yes, remember to give us a call.

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I know you’re probably thinking, “I’d love to do this course, but how will I find the time?”

Well, although the 10-Day SEO Challenge is guided over ten days, it doesn’t stop there.

You get ongoing access, which means if you fall behind, have a busy week or life gets in the way, don’t worry.

You can access the content anytime to review modules, re-watch videos, check the glossary and access links.

While other SEO trainers talk the talk, I’ve walked the walk.

I’m an award-winning SEO copywriter and SEO consultant with over two decades of experience in all things advertising and digital.

I’ve worked hard to make my sites rank number one for more keyword phrases than you’ve had hot dinners (including super-tricky single-word terms like ‘copywriter’).

And let me tell you, that ain’t easy!

I’ve also helped countless small businesses and huge corporates like Kmart, Curash, The RTA, O’Brien Glass, Pedigree Chum and more, improve their ranking, traffic and conversions.

I don’t talk about lofty principles or waffle on about strategy.

I roll up my sleeves and get stuck in, offering you no-nonsense SEO advice and practical tactics that get results fast.

At last count 3482 students have taken this course

Kate is an in-demand speaker around the world, speaking regularly at WordCamp events, as well as at Yoast Con (Holland), The Copywriter Conference (New York), The Copywriting Conference (Australia), Digital Marketing Australia, The Digital Marketing Conference, Creative North and a string of other high-profile conferences.

Her podcast The Recipe of SEO Success is recommended by Google, sponsored by premier SEO tool Ahrefs and garners more than 10k downloads a month. And she’s guested on over 60 podcasts talking all things SEO.

Kate’s is lucky enough to speak to some of the best minds in SEO and she gets to pass on their tips and tactics directly to you.

Kate Toon and Rand Fishkin

“I just completed Kate’s 10 Day SEO Challenge. I can’t recommend it and Kate highly enough for anyone wanting to get a clear, but fun understanding of how SEO works. Her obvious knowledge of, and passion for, SEO made learning truly enjoyable, despite the technical nature of the subject.”

Andrea Davies

“I can vouch for Kate’s 10 Day SEO Challenge – I jumped from spot 9 to spot 3 on some of my keywords and Number 1 for others! As a result i am getting more website traffic and more work. If you are on the fence about taking the challenge, as Nike says: “Just do it”! You won’t regret it!”

Tiffany Gouge

Brand Identity Design Specialist

“I recently completed Kate’s 10 day SEO challenge and loved it so much that I’ve signed up for her full 8-week eCourse. Before starting the challenge, I felt overwhelmed by SEO and didn’t know where to start. It just seemed too hard and scary, so I put it on my “think about that later” list. But through the challenge, Kate breaks down SEO into easy to understand – and more importantly, easy to implement – chunks. The 10 day challenge is an excellent intro for complete beginners and I’m looking forward to the 8-week course. SEO no longer scares me, and that is thanks to Kate!”

Angela Denly

“I would just like to say a massive thank you for creating such an easy to follow and informative e-course. Our website was non existent before and I just did a random keyword check and a few of our pages have popped up on page 5 and page 2. So THANK YOU!”

Clementine Holman

Total Integrated Security

“I knew that SEO would be THE thing to help my new site stand out in a crowded niche. But knowing where to start was overwhelming – I just wanted someone trustworthy to tell me what to do, and in what order.

As a total SEO newbie, I loved that Kate Toon’s 10-day SEO Challenge simplified complex SEO concepts without dumbing them down. Kate offered plenty of actionable advice to set my site up right from the beginning and avoid costly rookie mistakes.

At under $30 this is a course everyone can afford, even if you’re just starting out. It will save you hours of wasted time searching for free but possibly dubious advice from random internet sources. I feel like I “get” SEO now – I’m still learning but it’s not the scary beast I’d previously thought! “

Find Early Childcare

“I recently completed Kate’s 10 day SEO Challenge. I’ve been blogging for nearly 5 years and thought I knew a fair bit about SEO but even in her free course, Kate was able to share information that I genuinely learned and benefited from. I would definitely recommend this challenge for bloggers and business owners overwhelmed by the very thought of SEO and will be looking to take on her full SEO course in 2016.”

Kirsty Russell

“I’ve recently been on Kate’s “10 Day SEO Challenge” and couldn’t recommend her highly enough. There’s a saying often attributed to Einstein; “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” and it could not be more apt here. SEO might be regarded as something tremendously complicated, scary and even a dark art, but Kate Toon’s mastery of her craft is evident in the way she makes it all sound so straightforward that you forget what all that big scary fuss was about as you’re drawn in by her lighthearted lessons, delivered in congenial style and with minimal jargon. Look no further and get straight into making your website Bezzies with Google!”

Chris Ellison

GKR Karate

“What Kate doesn’t know about SEO and copywriting isn’t worth knowing. She is generous and innovative. I just completed her 10 Day SEO course and I feel confident that my site will rise above Google’s 2nd page graveyard.”

Sandra Muller

Silk Interiors

“I cannot recommend this course enough! Kate explains everything you need to know in laymen’s terms. She gives lots of practical tips to improve your SEO, and also answers your questions in the private Facebook group.”

Layla Roberts

Founder and CEO, Sydney Concierge

“Just a heartfelt thank you Kate Toon for providing such genuine advice in your 10 day SEO challenge. There are very few courses and people who deliver like you do.

From me being a novice to being confident about doing a complete overhaul of my website (my geeky friend is doing a major chunk of it of course but I am helping/ making informed decisions, doing the homework;-)) Couldn’t have done it if not for that course. Still taking baby steps, but glad I am doing it, and boy am I seeing a difference in the inquiries coming through already, and all this when I’ve not even completed redoing the home page yet.
Thank you, thank you, & thank you.”
Fatema Kathiria

Alfa Embroidery

“Hi Kate, thanks so much for the great course! I just completed your 10 Day SEO challenge. I learned A LOT! So much useful tips and awesome resources. Took me bit longer to finish it, because 2 kids, but I managed 🙂 So thanks again, for the epic challenge.”

Basia Gucwa

Fence Makeovers

Do I need to be technical to do the course?
Nope, the course is aimed at absolute beginners.
Is the course just for WordPress websites?

No. The course is not focused on any particular platform, we’ve had previous students who have Squarespace, Big Commerce, Wix, Weebly, Shopify, Magento, Drupal and Joomla websites.

How is the course delivered?

You’ll log into your course membership email to enjoy the content and also be sent daily email prompts for the 10 days.

Do I need to have a website to do the course?

Nope, in fact, it’s a good idea to do the course before you build your website.

Does the course come with support?

No. This is a self-guided course. There are FAQs within it however and you can head to the I LOVE SEO group for extra support.
I’m afraid we cannot answer individual questions via email.

Can I do the course at my own pace?
Yes. The course is structured across 10 days, and you’ll receive email prompts that guide you through this.
However, these are just prompts and there’s no pressure to stick to this format. If you want to take it at your own pace that’s fine too. I give you lifetime access to all the materials because I know that life sometimes gets in the way.

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Are We Guilty Of Embracing The Cult Of Judgmentalism?

One of the accusations thrown at Christians is that we are amongst the most judgemental people in the world. Interestingly enough that accusation comes equally from churched folks as it does from the none churched. Why do we have such a reputation? I don’t think that we aim to judge others – or ourselves, rather I believe that we simply don’t understand grace. For that matter I wonder if we actually believe in grace?

Before I get a few nasty notes let me say this first. I do believe that we need to make character and situational judgment calls. I’m not against judging in the right circumstances and appropriate ways. What I am talking about is ‘judgmentalism’. I believe that there is a huge difference and that I’m not simply splitting hairs. I wrote on this judging thing in another blog which you can check out by following this link:

It’s almost like we are embracing a cult of judgmentalism instead of embracing the gospel of grace. Some time ago a Christian friend came to me in distress. He’d had too much to drink while out with some friends. He’d known them for years and would regularly drink in moderation with them, but on this occasion, he’d lapsed in his self-control. As far as he was concerned, he’d just blown several years of witnessing to them.

We have a prayer ministry offered every Sunday at the end of the service, called the connection corner. We were thinking about how we could encourage more people to make use of it, when one lady said, “Well I’d never use it. I’d hate for other people to assume that I had a problem.” Seriously? Unfortunately, it was serious.

Both these incidents reveal an underlying malaise in many of our churches. I’m not sure we really believe in grace. We do, in the sense that we teach it and assent to it in our confessions. But perhaps we don’t, in the sense of really living it. The issue, I suspect, is something of a misstep in our formula of what it means to live for Christ. It’s like we think we’re Jesus’ PR agents. “If I look good, then Jesus looks good.”So, we hate the thought of not looking good. That’s what Christian failure looks like to the average person I think.

Here’s our problem though. If this mindset of being Jesus’ PR agent permeates a whole church family, our life together becomes a matter of performance. What results is a bunch of underperforming, over expecting Christians putting on their best Christian masks, taking deep breaths, and then heading out to church wondering how long they can keep this charade up. It becomes unbearably exhausting. I know – I’ve done this too many times in the past.

Listen, if Christian parents adopt this mindset, parenting becomes about trying to perform well in front of the kids, making sure they only see the highest standard of Christian behaviour from us. This may be a common way of thinking, but it’s disastrous. It leads to hypocrisy. The reality is, we’re not good, and we can only keep up the façade for a little while before the cracks begin to show.

We all know that our little mini-me’s see it right away anyways. They know what we’re really like and can immediately tell when we try to put a Christian sheen over it. And when we really make a mess of things, the last place we want go to is a church gathering. We’re supposed to look Christian there, so when we know we can’t remotely pretend things are together, it’s easier simply not to go. Best to keep the mess away from the other well put together folks – except that they’re not.

All this is a sign that while we may be professing grace, we’re not actually inhabiting a culture of grace. We’re not Jesus’s PR agents, and he is not our client. We are broken men and women, and he is our Saviour. It’s not the case that I need to look good so Jesus can look good; instead I need to be honest about my colossal spiritual need so he can look all-sufficient so that Jesus can look awesome.

The fact of the matter is that I don’t need to look good so Jesus can look good. In fact, the true reality that I need to wrap my head around is that I need to get really honest about my messiness of life and my colossal spiritual need in order that Jesus can look all-sufficient to everyone else around me.

Bottom line is that I don’t increase so he can increase; Instead I need to speak and live like John the Baptist who said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:30. Decreasing means being honest about my flaws, not embarrassed about them. But imagine the difference this would make to our witness. Rather than thinking I have to constantly be looking good and shiny, less sinful than every non-Christian I know, I am instead liberated to be myself, warts and all, so that I can show that my confidence is not in me.

So instead of my friend beating up on himself or for that matter me beating up on my friend who had too much to drink, he now has an amazing opportunity to be an authentic witness to Christ – not by pretending we Christians don’t have any sin, but by demonstrating what we dowith it.

If it’s about performance, then my friend really has blown it and will be too embarrassed to see his friends. But if it’s about repentance, and about forgiveness, then he gets to model that repentance and to show brokenness about sin and sheer relief in a Saviour. That’s the gospel after all.

Envision the difference this would make to our church life. Rather than having a stigma about being anything less than spiritually holy, we can come together as a group of people who are open and free about our colossal spiritual needs. The assumption stops being “We have to be good if we’re coming here,”and instead becomes “You have to be a real mess to show up here – thank goodness I’m not the only one.” Which do you think sounds more inviting? Which is going to foster deeper confession and public repentance?

Imagine a church community that repents often, forgives freely and extends grace continually as a matter of habitual living. Instead of feeling embarrassed about going forward to receive prayer, that would invite us to experience the joy and relief of knowing we’re all ultimately in the same boat. Grace, then, becomes not just a formal doctrine but a felt reality.

We should foster our discipleship machine’s in such a way that the DNA’s of our church gatherings become places where no one is too low, too far gone, too needy – too anything – to worry about not fitting in. Our testimony should not be “I was a mess, then Jesus showed up, and now I’ve got everything together,” but “I was a mess – and I still am – but I’m a mess who belongs to Jesus, a mess he is committed to sorting out. He came to me, has stuck with me, and continues to be my all in all.”

I resonate with John Newton who said, “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world – but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.”

 So Christian friend, let’s give up this cult of judgmentalism and let us live out the gospel of grace. We’ll all be glad we did.

Why We Should Talk About Hell

A while back I read Rob Bell’s book ‘Love Wins’ and it caused me to re-think a lot about how I view hell, even causing me to have some concerns about what I had been taught all my life. That fallback position to go back to ‘what I’ve always been taught’ isn’t the best standard to judge the legitimacy of an idea, though, like comfort food, can be a good starting point. I will admit that I even had some doubt about what I believe. What is hell? What is its purpose? Is it a place? Is it forever? Should we fear it? Does it cause people to turn away from God? Does it make it hard if not impossible for us to share the love of Christ with someone else? Is it a problem for Christianity?

I think that the whole idea of hell is one of Christianity’s most offensive doctrines. Peter Kreeft writes: “Of all the doctrines in Christianity, Hell is probably the most difficult to defend, the most burdensome to believe and the first to be abandoned.”

 Many are repulsed, sickened and appalled by the idea of an eternal place of punishment, especially if someone suggests that includes themselves, friends & family. “Hitler maybe, but not my grandmother.”

Because of these angsts, many Christians will avoid the topic of Hell altogether. We don’t hear it talked about from the pulpit in may churches anymore and it isn’t usually a part of the conversation around a shared meal. We don’t want to rock the boat maybe or we think that Hell isn’t a required subject when sharing the gospel.

I propose however, that we need to talk about Hell more than we do. I believe that it is integral to the Gospel message and is doing the church a disservice when we hide it away as though it is the crazy uncle we’re embarrassed to talk about.

So, I did what I always do when faced with a spiritual and / or theological question. No, I didn’t ask Siri or head to the theological depths of Wikipedia, I went to God’s word… and even more specifically the Word made flesh. If we want to answer the question of hell, then we need to look at Jesus and what he had to say on the subject.

He’s a great place to start for a few reasons. The first is that people in the West think Jesus is a pretty good guy so if you want to help others understand a particular subject it helps if you can ‘name drop’ someone they like. Oprah likes him, at least the non-confrontational Jesus, and Deepak Chopra has even written books about Jesus as a great mystic and guru of Eastern religion.

In our culture we find that Jesus isn’t painted with the same brush as that angry, vengeful, cranky God of the Old Testament who hadn’t matured out of his confusing puberty years yet. But when God finally grew up and entered his college years in the New Testament, he reemerged as the party guy named Jesus. Good times! Parties in Cana, lots of talk about love and compassion and grace, and of course helpful spiritual sound bites. Selfies all round!

The problem with this view though is that it’s not true, which is another reason why I find it helpful to go to Jesus. We get most of our understanding of hell, not from the Old Testament, but from Jesus own words. When you start reading the Gospels, you find that Jesus speaks about hell more than anyone else. About 13% of his teachings and half of his parables are about hell, judgment, punishment, and the wrath of God.

Jesus talked about hell and it follows that we should too. First though, how do we reconcile a Jesus of grace & mercy & love with a Jesus’ of wrath, punishment & hell?

I think that number one, we need to see that interwoven with the love of God is his mercy that requires justice. If a judge pardons an unrepentant child abuser without any good reason, we wouldn’t applaud his mercy and see it as an act of love, particularly when we consider the rights of the victim (and the safety of potential future victims). Mercy without justice is reckless and dangerous. True justice requires adequate payment for the crime or crimes committed.

“When a person goes through rape or child abuse, she needs to know that there is a God of such holiness and beauty that his reign can tolerate no evil.” – Tim Keller

Even if someone got off because of a loophole in the justice system, we’d call it “Injustice!” Why? Because we have something within us that tells us that injustice is wrong. It’s a universal belief that we know it has to be paid for.

If God is truly just, then there is punishment for offenses committed.

Yet, many people will demand God show them mercy while still refusing to love that very same God. “I will not follow you and obey your commands –  but don’t send me to hell.” However, the facts are that God’s mercy & love are inseparable.

The other concern I needed to address after reading Rob Bell’s book was the idea that hell was symbolic as opposed to a real cavernous abode of fire and brimstone… so I went back to the Word of God to see what is revealed there.

Some people get confused and will deduce that hell can’t be a physical place because of how it is described. For example, when scripture describes hell, it speaks about “eternal fire” “unquenchable fire”. But it also says that hell is a place of utter darkness.

So, what is it?

It’s all the above. It is fire, darkness and a real place hung in real time. Yet, because of our culture, we often imagine the fire and darkness as literal flames and literal inky blackness. Instead we need to understand the language was used to help us understand the magnitude of the place.

For example, when the bible speaks about a God of unquenchable fire, we don’t imagine him being a big ball of literal fire. Rather we understand that it’s giving us a picture of his holiness.

Likewise, when we read that God has blinded the eyes of the unbeliever in John 12:10, we don’t expect to see a bunch of unsaved people on the roads driving around with dark glasses on because they’re literally blind all of a sudden. We know that it’s speaking of their spiritual condition.

At the same time, in Luke 16, Jesus speaks about heaven and hell as being real places with hell as a place of separation from the presence of God. Yet it wasn’t utter darkness in a physical sense since the Rich man could see Lazarus (albeit through sweaty eyes). However, think about the following; Since God is the source of all spiritual light, and all joy and all wisdom and all love or good thing of any sort, and since we were originally created for God’s immediate presence, it is then only before him will we thrive, flourish, and achieve our highest potential.

So, if we were to lose his presence totally, that’d be the deepest darkness of the soul. Without his light, we can only expect the loss of our capability for giving or receiving love or joy and finding any kind of satisfaction.

Add to that the picture of fire which speaks to its nature as a degenerater, something that deteriorates to ash everything it touches. Even in this life we can see the kind of soul deterioration that self-centeredness creates.

We know how selfishness and self-absorption leads to piercing bitterness, nauseating envy, paralyzing anxiety, paranoid thoughts, and the mental denials and distortions that accompany them.

We see this process in a small way in addictions such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and pornography. First there is the degeneration, because as time goes on you need more and more of the addictive substance to get an equal kick, which leads to less and less satisfaction.

And then add the bitter darkness that isolation brings we had talked about in the Rich man’s situation, as increasingly you blame others and the surrounding environment or circumstances in order to justify your behaviour.

With that in mind ask the question:

“What if when we die we don’t end, but spiritually our life extends into eternity?”

With that picture in your mind’s eye you can see that Hell is the fire or the deterioration of a soul by living a self-absorbed, self-centred, angst driven, anxiety filled, blame shifting life – going on & on forever.

“Yeah, but I’m not all that bad. I haven’t murdered somebody, I’m not a drug addict, I don’t look at porn – often. I only get mad at ‘stupid’ drivers, God will be fair and let me into heaven.”

Jesus didn’t say the greatest commandment is to not murder, or to not commit adultery, though he did say that if you had anger in your heart you’ve committed murder, or if you’ve ever lusted after someone other than your spouse you’ve committed adultery.

But what Jesus did say was that the greatest commandment was, “to love God with all your heart soul and mind.” There is no greater evidence of the inability of man to obey God’s law than this one commandment. No human being with a fallen nature can possibly love God with all his heart, soul, and strength 24 hours a day. It’s humanly impossible.

Even without considering the sins we commit daily, we are all condemned by our inability to fulfill this one commandment. Further to that, the Bible declares that everyone sins, and that all sin is ultimately against God.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” – Psalm 51:4

Those verses are sobering enough, but then also understand that those who go to Hell aren’t going to be suddenly sinless and perfect. Those who go into eternity without Christ will be confirmed in their decision to not follow him while on earth.

Jesus said that there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” in Hell. The gnashing of teeth isn’t a picture of someone who is in sorrow and repentance but rather a picture of a continued defiance toward God.

In Hell there will be no repentance.

So, unless you surrender your life to God in this lifetime, you will not only be living in disobedience to God for 70, 80, 90, or 100 years, you will be in disobedience before him for eternity – which requires an eternal penalty.

Why did Jesus speak about hell more than anyone else in the Bible? Because he wanted us to see what he was going to endure on the cross on our behalf so that we might choose heaven – so that we might choose God.

On the cross, Jesus’s sacrifice was scarcely describable: this bloodied, disfigured remnant of a man was given a cross that was perhaps recycled, likely covered in the blood, feces, and urine of other men who had used it previously. Hanging there in immense pain, he slowly suffocated to death. All the while knowing he could end the suffering, but choosing not to for our benefit.

But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was the separation from the Father that Jesus felt, a separation that was like hell itself. “My God, my God,” he cried out, “Why have you forsaken me?” – Matthew 27:46

An eternity without God is hell.

Without the cleansing of sin that he provides, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of the redeemed, loving God to any degree is impossible.

But, when we receive the free gift of salvation offered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we are cleansed from sin and receive the Spirit of holiness to do the impossible. That being, a transformation of our hearts and minds to love God as we have been commanded to do, and as a result heaven becomes our home. This is great news!

That is why we talk about hell, because it allows us to talk about Jesus and his sacrifice… it allows us to make Jesus known, it brings clarity to the Gospel message about why Jesus died, and it lets us brag up our Saviour in order to bring him all the glory he deserves.

How Can We Forgive When We Can’t?

We all love to pull out the following verse from Matthew when someone doesn’t seem to forgive us and present it to them as if it was written ‘special’ for them. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’.” – Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV)

The reality is that when the shoe is on the other foot we often find It harder to accept that verse as written for ourselves. If truth be told I need to seek forgiveness much more often than I extend it. So, if I expect grace extended to me, I better extend grace to others, easily and willingly.

Still, I can’t think of a more difficult command given in scripture. It goes against our nature. Every pore of our body screams, “No, I won’t do it – I can’t do it!” And then Jesus says, “If you do not forgive, I will not forgive.” We know what is right to do. We even want to do what is right. But we feel paralyzed.

I read a story of Yoko Ono requesting that the anniversary of John Lennon’s death be made into an international day of forgiveness. What a wonderful thought, just imagine (do you like what I did there?). The thing is that Yoko added a disclaimer in the same conversation. She stated that though she wished for an international day, she herself couldn’t be led to absolve the murderer of John.

She herself couldn’t forgive. When it comes to us Christians however, forgiving others is not an option even if we feel we can’t. How can we forgive when faced with that dilemma – how can we forgive when we can’t?

First of all, Jesus gives us a great example of what our hearts should be like in the whole area of forgiveness found in John 13:3-17…

After washing the feet of his disciples, he drops a bombshell on the group, announcing that one of them is going to betray him. Our images of the last supper have largely been shaped by renaissance masters such as DaVinci who portray Jesus sitting at the centre of a long table with six disciples on either side, much like a team photo. But DaVinci got it wrong.

The last supper would have been eaten according to their custom’s and their cultural norms. The practice would have been in the fashion of a Greco-Roman triclinium which meant that the Jesus’ guys would have been reclining on their left hips and elbows, freeing up their right hands to eat from the settings on the floor or on slightly raised tables instead of sitting upright on chairs.

Place settings in this fashion would be shared by three people, where one diner could lean back to place his head on the chest of the person to his left, or if someone was to the right, lean forward into his neighbour’s back if he wanted to share a private word. It was certainly a much more intimate way of breaking bread than what we’re used to.

With that picture in mind imagine that at one point in the meal John leans back into Jesus’ chest to ask him a question. Knowing that Jesus was the host, this would place John in the “best man” position immediately in front of Jesus.

Meanwhile, Mark tells us that Judas shared the third spot in that place setting when he records, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.” – Mark 14:20

Given that the spot immediately in front of Jesus was taken up by John, the only spot left was immediately to Jesus’ back, the spot reserved for the guest of honour. And that was where Judas was breaking bread that night. Imagine that! Judas was Jesus’ guest of honour at the last supper. This seating arrangement was equivalent as saying… “I trust you my friend… you’ve got my back.”

Jesus knew who would betray him and yet he continued to extend grace to Judas, even washing his feet and giving him the honoured place at his table. Sadly, Judas was given the chance to repent all the way to the end but didn’t accept it, ultimately refusing Jesus’ amazing grace while leaving the party to carry out his plan of betrayal. When he did this act, he condemned himself.

Here’s my point. Should we not live in the same way as Jesus did with Judas, with those who may have wronged us? Should we not continue to extend grace and forgiveness and love no matter their response to us even if they reject us?

Rebecca Pippert relates the powerful story of the late Corrie ten Boom. This Dutch woman and her family were sent to Auschwitz for hiding Jews in their home during the Second World War. Corrie was a Christian woman and had been invited to speak at a conference in Portland Oregon. This is what she said,

“My name is Corrie ten Boom and I am a murderer.” There was total silence. “You see, when I was in prison camp I saw the same guard day in and day out. He was the one who mocked and sneered at us when we were stripped naked and taken into the showers. He spat on us in contempt, and I hated him. I hated him with every fiber of my being. And Jesus says when you hate someone you are guilty of murder.”

“When we were freed, I left Germany vowing never to return,” Corrie ten Boom continued. “But I was invited back there to speak. I didn’t want to go but I felt the Lord nudging me to. Very reluctantly I went. My first talk was on forgiveness. Suddenly, as I was speaking, I saw to my horror that same prison guard sitting in the audience. There was no way that he would have recognized me. But I could never forget his face, never. It was clear to me from the radiant look on his face while I spoke, that he had been converted since I saw him last. After I finished speaking he came up and said with a beaming smile, ‘Ah, dear sister Corrie, isn’t it wonderful how God forgives?” And he extended his hand for me to shake.

“All I felt as I looked at him was hate. I said to the Lord silently, “There is nothing in me that could ever love that man. I hate him for what he did to me and to my family. But you tell us that we are to love our enemies. That’s impossible for me, but nothing is impossible for you. So, if you expect me to love this man it’s going to have to come from you, because all I feel is hate.”

She went on to say that at that moment she felt nudged to do only one thing: “Put out your hand, Corrie,” the Lord seemed to say. Then she said, “It took all of the years that I had quietly obeyed God in obscurity to do the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I put out my hand.”

 Then, she said, something remarkable happened. “It was only after my simple act of obedience that I felt something almost like warm oil was being poured over me. And with it came the unmistakable message: ‘Well done, Corrie. That’s how my children behave.’ And the hate in my heart was absorbed and gone. And so, one murderer embraced another murderer, but in the love of Christ.” [Hope Has It’s Reasons p. 189, 190]

There is something deep within fallen human nature that thirsts for revenge and urges retaliation in kind. We just can’t seem to forgive – naturally. Someone seeks forgiveness and I think “Yeah, but don’t do it again”. In fact, we naturally want to inflict the same type of injury on the one who injured us – an eye for an eye seems only fair. But we must give up on the idea that we are the judge, jury and executioner and instead leave the judging to God.

I’ll admit to you that I have struggled to forgive someone who technically is on the same cosmic level with me and yet have expected God, who is light years above us in the same scale, to forgive me. But for the Christian, forgiving others is not an option. If I can’t forgive I guess the question is whether I am truly trusting in God’s transforming power – in my life and others’.  At the end of the day I need to forgive a human being who is like me with all the faults and weaknesses that come with being a human if I in turn expect God, coming from all his perfection and holiness, to forgive me.

That being the case, just how can I forgive someone when I can’t? Corrie got it right. What is impossible for us is completely possible for God, which is why forgiveness can only come about through the transformational power of God in our lives. We all need to rely on the Holy Spirit to forgive through us. That’s a God job and only God can do God jobs well.

To Judge Or Not To Judge – What Does The Bible Say?

Probably the most widely quoted saying of Jesus, and often quoted not only by many Christians but from those who don’t even believe in the scriptures is “Judge not, that you be not judged.” – Matthew 7:1

Frequently it’s used in a context such as: “Yeah, she left her husband, but who am I to judge? After all, Jesus said, ‘Judge not, lest you be judged.’” or “Don’t judge me, Jesus said you’re not supposed to judge”. The idea of being non-judgmental is used as a defence against any assertion that a given person’s behavior is wrong.

Basically, the meaning being presented is “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.” Ironic given the fact that those who are themselves condemning condemnation are judging others for doing what they themselves are doing – judging someone for being judgmental. In other words, they are ‘judging’ me for ‘judging’ them (or vice-versa).

But let’s get real for a moment. In a sinful world, no community can exist for long where nobody is ever held accountable; no teacher would grade a student’s performance; no citizen would sit on a jury or call a failed leader to account. Modern Canadians however suffer from a fear of judging. Passing judgment on the behavior of fellow human beings is considered an act of barbarous, savage, and uncivilised intolerance.

Why? Because, our culture tells us, we are all flawed, and people with flaws have no right to judge other people’s flaws. Furthermore, the modern westerner does not believe that there are objective standards by which to judge anyways. And where there are no standards, there is nothing by which to measure behaviour.

So, we (society) then seem to agree on a value of allowing everyone to do what is right in his or her own eyes, each person deciding for himself or herself what is right or wrong, telling each other through our social media’s to “tolerate” (which in their minds essentially means “celebrate”) sinful activities. In fact, the sentiment today is that if you don’t ‘celebrate’ a particular sin, you are then automatically condemning those who are. Those who take seriously the biblical warnings against sin and dare speak out against evil are written off as religious fanatics, and ironically “judged” as being “judgmental.”

So the average westerner now walks through their lives telling themselves (and anyone else who will listen) that they’ve evolved to a place of non judgmentalism. And because they are now so enlightened, they have risen above the need to commit the sin of judging others.

The reality though is that you’re only lying to yourself when you say that you don’t judge people. Yeah, I get it, you have Tupac’s “Only God Can Judge Me” tattooed on your upper back, but I guarantee you judge people more than you think. Everyone does it, so let’s stop beating around the bush and stop acting like we’re not engaging in the guilty pleasure. Let’s not judge others when we deem it necessary on our part, and then hide behind culture’s politically correct mantra to not judge others.

When Jesus said not to judge others, he didn’t mean that no one can identify sin for what it is. In fact, Jesus gives a direct command to judge in John’s gospel, “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” – John 7:24. Ok… so it appears that Jesus says not to judge but then he gives instruction about judging correctly. What to do? To Judge or not to judge? Taking this verse from John and some others in their proper context’s, what we discover is that it’s not the judging that is discouraged, rather it is the type or motive behind the judgement.

1) Hypocritical Judgement

Jesus follows up his warning against judgment in Mathew 7. “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you”. Matthew 7:2

That means then that if we can’t hold to the standard we use, we have no business applying that same standard to others. Jesus spoke about hypocrites in Matthew 6 before he subsequently followed it up by a warning against hypocrisy. “Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? … You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 7: 3, 5

When we point out the sin of others while we ourselves commit the same sin, we only condemn ourselves “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” – Romans 2:1

2) Self-righteous Judgment

“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” – John 7:24. Simon the Pharisee passed judgment on a woman based on her appearance and reputation, but he could not see that the woman had been forgiven; Simon drew Jesus’ rebuke as a result of his self-righteous judgment (Luke 7:36-50).

Self-righteous judgment is wrong. We are called to humility, “God opposes the proud” – James 4:6 and remember that, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”  – Isaiah 64:6

3) Harsh Judgment

The thing is we don’t want to be a society of push overs, do we? If life’s tough for us, should we not make it tough for others? Why should they have a free ride? Challenge – isn’t that what life’s all about? As I go down that path, I invariably get caught up short with words like mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, kindness. That’s what everyone wants. Then there’s King David – as tough as they get. To survive in those days and then excel was no small feat. And yet as he lays on his bed he says, “O Lord, please help me … listen to my prayer for mercy.” – Psalm 28: 1-2

It is the merciful who will be shown mercy, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”. – Matthew 5:7

I hate being judged unfairly and harshly – I much rather be shown a bit of mercy. That being the case I need to remember to extend mercy to others, first. As we judge we must remember that harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. “Always be gentle toward everyone” – Titus 3:2

4) Right Judgment

Yes, we’re warned against judging others when it’s done unfairly or unrighteously, but Jesus extols “right judgment” “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” – John 7:24.

Truth is, the Christian must “judge” or discern between good and evil, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” – Hebrews 5:14

There must be spiritual evaluations made of the words and behavior of others, not to find fault, but to effectively guard our hearts against error and sin. In fact, Jesus warns his disciples to, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” – Matthew 7:15-16

In the end do we judge, or don’t we? Yes, we do. But the true disciple of Jesus, judges in love. Love requires that we gently confront those in error with the truth about their sin with the hope of bringing them to repentance and faith, “Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death.” – James 5:20


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Her Golden Gaze

He stood at the brink
No cloud in the sky
Awatching the field of play
As shadows did rise
From actors unknown
His worries drifted away
A mist in his mind
Was lifted, removed
When beauty rose into place
A precious short time
‘Fore he was forced down
He could see the gold of her face
She lowered her gaze
To meet his eye
But smiled as he fell off the ledge
His dying tribute
He sang with the stars
Then he sank and she climbed to the edge
She looked at the world
And started to throw
A red light over it all
For well she perceived
How short was the time
‘Til also she must give in and fall
And the Moon in his grave
Not dead but asleep
Did not mourn over days of yore
For he knew in his dreams
That the hour drew near
When he would glimpse his beloved Sun once more.

This is an older piece that I wrote back in January 2007. By that time I had just become unemployed for the first time in my life and would soon (though I didn’t know it at the time) begin working as a freelance music journalist. That step has lead me to where I am today. Life’s certainly full of surprises.

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Chris is a non-binary writer and journalist from Sweden, struggling with the novel that will make them an author.

6 thoughts on “Her Golden Gaze”

      1. That’s a very beautiful way of putting it! I found your site through your comment and really liked your stuff. Will definitely be a recurring visitor 🙂

  1. Something comes up a decade later and sounds so amazing.
    It must have been tough, but you’re amazingly braze & amazing. 🙂

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Saudi Arabia to lift 35-year ban on cinemas, Ministry of Information confirms

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has announced to lift a decades-long ban on commercial cinemas as part of social reforms led by the crown prince. Cinema theaters will be allowed to operate in the Kingdom for the first time in 35 years.

Awwad Alawwad, the information minister on Monday in a statement said: “As the industry regulator, the General Commission for Audiovisual Media has started the process for licensing cinemas in the Kingdom. We expect the first cinemas to open in March 2018.”

The announcement comes as part of the Vision 2030 social and economic reform program in the Kingdom and follows the announcement that women in the Kingdom will be allowed to drive come June 2018.

“This marks a watershed moment in the development of the cultural economy in the kingdom”, said the minister.

The ban was made in the 1980s citing threat to cultural and religious identity. In January, proposals to reopen cinemas in Saudi Arabia have been strongly dismissed by the current head of the country’s religious authority.

“Motion pictures may broadcast shameless, immoral, atheistic or rotten films,” said the grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, on his weekly television programme.

Saudi filmmakers have long argued that a ban on cinemas does not make sense in the age of YouTube.

The ministry made it clear that the content of movies will be subject to the parameters of the Kingdom’s information policy. It also said that they will also ensure that the movies are enriching and purposeful and that they do not contradict with the Shariah rules or undermine the country’s moral values.

“Opening cinemas will act as a catalyst for economic growth and diversification; by developing the broader cultural sector we will create new employment and training opportunities, as well as enriching the Kingdom’s entertainment options”.

According to authorities, Vision 2030 aims to increase Saudi household spending on cultural and entertainment activities from 2.9 percent currently to six percent by 2030.

The announcement opens up a domestic market of more than 32 million people and it is forecast that, by 2030, Saudi Arabia will be home to more than 300 cinemas, according to the Board of the General Commission for Audiovisual Media.


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Machine Gun Kelly Net Worth 2022: He Gave an Expensive Engagement Ring to His Fiancé!

Machine Gun Kelly net worth

Machine Gun Kelly Net Worth 2022: Colson Baker, better known by his stage name Machine Gun Kelly (MGK), is an American rapper, singer, musician, and actor. He is known for fusing modern and alternative hip hop with rock in his compositions.

In this article, we will explore the net worth of Machine Gun Kelly.

Early Life of Machine Gun Kelly

Richard Colson Baker was born in Houston, Texas on April 22nd, 1990. While he was growing up, both of his parents were missionaries, so he spent a lot of time traveling with his family.

As a child, the family lived in Germany, Egypt, and a variety of other countries across the world. Baker also lived in a number of different states around the United States. After his mother left the family, he and his father eventually settled in Denver.

Baker was bullied as a teen and began fighting back with words. He eventually fell in love with rap and began creating his own music.

Baker moved into a neighbor’s basement after his father abandoned him to work for the Army in Kuwait. He began experimenting with narcotics. Stamp of Approval, his debut mixtape, was recorded around this time. Baker finally dropped out of school, causing his father to relocate him to Kuwait.

Machine Gun Kelly’s Career

Kelly’s fans dubbed him “Machine Gun Kelly” because of his lightning-quick delivery. His first mixtape, ‘Stamp of Approval,’ helped him break into the industry and get his name out there.

Even though he was producing mixtapes and building a following base, MGK was going through a rough patch. He was on the edge of being evicted and had no choice but to work at Chipotle to make ends meet.

A few years later, MGK released the Lace-Up Mix-tape, which featured a lot of affection for Cleveland. As a result of this, he immediately became well-known in his hometown.

He quickly climbed to fame after beginning to record entire studio albums.

Machine Gun Kelly’s Net Worth

Machine Gun Kelly has a net worth of $10 million as of 2022. His success as an artist is the source of his income. He has, however, worked in the film industry, making his feature debut in Beyond the Lights as Culprit, a rapper.

Since then, he’s acted in shows including The Land and Roadies, as well as the Netflix picture Bird Box. Machine Gun Kelly is continually honing his skill, and as his fan base expands, so should his fortune.

Gun-machine Kelly owns six real estate properties, five automobiles, and one luxury yacht. Machine Gun Kelly’s assets also include nearly $4 million in cash reserves. Machine Gun Kelly also has a $3 million investment portfolio consisting of seven stocks.

Machine Gun Kelly’s Car Collection

Machine Gun Kelly recently paid $66,000 USD for a Jaguar F-PACE. Machine Gun Kelly is also the proud owner of a $100,000 BMW X8.

He also has McLaren 720S, Range Rover, Aston Martin DBX

Machine Gun Kelly’s Instagram

Machine Gun Kelly’s Engagement Ring

Megan Fox‘s relationship with MGK is almost as well-known as he is. As a result, their engagement received a lot of attention. The almond-shaped emerald and diamond ring he used to propose to the Transformers actor, according to the musician, cost $340,000.

Who Is Machine Gun Kelly’s Wife?

Baker and his wife have a daughter, who was born in the summer of 2009.

Baker was in a relationship with Emma Cannon, who was the mother of his daughter when he was in his teens. Beginning in April 2015, he was in a two-month relationship with model and actress Amber Rose.

He began dating model Sommer Ray in March 2020, however, the couple broke up the following month. He has been dating actress Megan Fox since May 2020, after the two met while filming Midnight in the Switchgrass.  Fox announced the couple’s engagement on January 12, 2022.

Does Machine Gun Kelly Smoke Cannabis?

He has stated in numerous interviews that he smokes cannabis on a regular basis, describing it as a “source of happiness and a method people may feel a little more love [in their own right].”

He’s made numerous references to cannabis in his lyrics and rap persona, putting it at the forefront of both his lyrical and personal identity. He struggled with heroin addiction prior to the release of Lace Up.

Prior to 2020, he was also a serious cocaine and alcohol user. Baker stated in November 2020 that he has developed an Adderall addiction and is seeking therapy. In a 2012 interview, he indicated that he considers himself to be a political anarchist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Machine Gun Kelly’s age?

Machine Gun Kelly is 32 years old.

Who Is Machine Gun Kelly Dating?

Megan Fox

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2022 Lunar New Year Lucky Trades

Lunar New Year 2022 Lucky Rates

Welcome travelers! The 2022 Lunar New Year event has begun in Pokémon GO, and once again boosted lucky trade rates are part of the festivities. Just how boosted? Well, that’s what the Silph Researchers are seeking to discover!

As in past years (2019, 2020, 2021), we’ll be collecting data on trades throughout the event, and refreshing this post regularly with updated numbers.

[Latest update at 15:05 UTC, February 7.]

Since the beginning of this year’s Lunar Event, researchers have made 3762 trades of new Pokémon with other new Pokémon. 351 of those have gone lucky, for a rate of:

(99% CI 8.15 – 10.59%).

The normal, non-boosted lucky rate for trades involving two new (less than 365 days old) Pokémon is 5%. To ensure we’re focusing our efforts where we can get the most accurate data, researchers are only recording data for non-special trades involving two new Pokémon.

We’ll continue to update these numbers as researchers complete more trades. We hope you continue to enjoy the Lunar Festivities, and we’ll see you on the Road!