text:
Psalms: Our (Re)New Workout

Some books fill my mind. Others fill my heart.

This week, an excerpt from a MUST-READ for all believers.  N.T. Wright’s The Case for Psalms is eye-opening to the point of introducing the “more mature” Christ-follower, who thinks she’s tasted-and-seen-it-all, to the world of gourmet.

Psalms, dusted off, reinstated, is our renewed workout for transforming the mind, heart and body.  Wonder-full. psalms

For those who wonder if worship is happy-clappy praise all the time, this offers a broader picture. For those of us with concerns over worship devolving into self-focus, Wright explains clearly how this easily & quickly took root in Western culture.

The Psalms are the hymnbook collection of both Judaism and the early Church in private and corporate worship.  Our opportunity to be real and genuine before a loving, involved Creator.

Part of the strange work of the Psalms is to draw the terror and shame of all the ages together to a point where it becomes intense and unbearable, turning itself into a great scream of pain, the pain of Israel, the pain of Adam and Eve, the pain that shouts out, in the most paradoxical act of worship, to ask why God has abandoned it. And then of course the Psalms tell the story of strange vindication, of dramatic reversal, of wondrous rescue, comfort, and restoration.

Click HERE to find it on Amazon.

Resisting Consumer Worship

consumer_churchIn biblical worship, the Church offers an alternative to a me-centered culture.  It is accepting God’s invitation to encounter Him on His terms, to be reoriented to life in His Kingdom and to taste glimpses of heaven.   Yet in an effort to appear “relevant,” it is easy to turn Christ-centered community into entertainment that attracts consumers who hopefully will sign on to the organization.  Some of my thoughts, and best bits from research this past week…

On Victoria Osteen

“Out of the heart, the mouth speaks.” The Osteen gospel fits hand-in-glove with me-centered American philosophy. But it is worse than heresy; it is trivialization of the One in whom we live and move and have our being. Encased in a facade of spirituality, it is gobbled up like a delicious appetizer by tens of thousands in our culture who do not realize their dish was basted in poison.

From Marva Dawn’s Reaching Out without Dumbing Down

“It is urgent that the Church recognize how easily we assume the self-centered mind-set of the culture that surrounds us and work more deliberately to reject it…This focus on the self is a curious inversion, for in losing God as subject we lost exactly what we need to find genuine self-identity.”

We exist encased in a giant cultural condom.

From Joey Earl Horsman’s article “Channel Too: The Postmodern Yawn,” The Other Side 29

“Modern technology and media have proved to be Valium for our leisure time. They have turned the U.S. into a nation of spectators, more eager to watch life that to participate in it.  We want our art, for instance, to provide distraction rather than require concentration, asking it for either escape of knee-jerk political messages.  We want shock or sleep. Period.  We live in the age of simulation.  For just as shopping malls simulate the great outdoors, replacing sun and trees with fluorescent lights and green plastic “plants,” we simulate danger with amusement park rides, friends or enemies with talk-radio hosts, rebellion with torn jeans and black boots, sex with lewd phone conversations, revolution with improved fabric softeners, and freedom with the newest panty liner. We simulate real life by eliminating risk and commitment, and end up mistaking what is real for what is only artificial. We exist, that is, encased in a giant cultural condom.”

From  C. Welton Gaddy’s The Gift of Worship

“Worship is a gift between lovers who keep on giving to each other.”

A Pastor’s/Worship Leader’s Essential Checklist before Sunday:

  • Center on God
  • Glorify Christ
  • Involve the people
  • Express praise
  • Communicate the truth of the Bible
  • Encourage faith
  • Promise redemption
  • Reflect the Incarnation
  • Build up the Church
  • Instill vision
  • Make an offering
  • Nurture communion
  • Evoke an “Amen”

From John Piper’s, Brothers, We are Not Professionals

“It boils down to this: we either make much of Him, or much of us.”

Superstition, the Liturgy of Social Media, Chicken Sexers & Judaism

The best bits from this week: impacting excerpts that influence our worship and discipleship…

rabbits foot“If we participate in worship and simply hope that our being there will cause God to bless us, what we are doing in church really amounts to practicing something other than Christianity. We are practicing superstition, or hypocrisy— in which we sometimes even intentionally learn to say things to God that we do not mean. Spiritually speaking, the sin of hypocrisy is one of the most vexing antidotes to formation. In hypocrisy, our external actions are cut off from internal attitudes. We may even become well practiced at not meaning what we say or do.” (from James K. A. Smith, Imagining the Kingdom (Cultural Liturgies): How Worship Works)

Do I shape my image to appear like God, or allow God to shape me into His image?

fb“Users [of social media] can severely underestimate the (de) formative power of cultural artifacts, approaching them with just a little bit too much confidence, assured that they are masters of the technology when it might be the technology that is slowly mastering them. Social media— despite the good uses to which it can be put— might be just this sort of disordering liturgy. Signing up for Twitter or Facebook is not a neutral decision to simply employ a “medium”: it is to insert oneself in an environment of practice that inculcates in us certain habits that then shape our orientation to the world— indeed, they make our worlds.” (from James K. A. Smith, Imagining the Kingdom (Cultural Liturgies): How Worship Works, 2013)

In speaking of ways the Church and Christian University should work hand-in-hand to nurture and disciple the next generation of believers to experience and act out the way of Christ as second nature…

chick“These perceptual skills can be astonishingly subtle. Many chicken farms employ professional chicken sexers. They look at newly hatched chicks and tell whether the chicks are male or female even though, to the untrained eye, the chicks all look the same. Experienced sexers can look at eight hundred to one thousand chicks an hour and determine their gender with 99 percent accuracy. How do they figure it out? They couldn’t tell you. There is just something different about the males and females, and they know it when they see it.” ( David Brooks, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement, 2011)

Consistent, disciplined practice will help the heart catch up…

jew“Judaism stresses that if you begin with the right actions, you’ll come upon the right beliefs; Christianity works the other way around. In the Talmud, there is a passage that’s considered fundamental in Jewish education, ‘Let a man busy himself with observing the commandments and customs even if his heart is not in them, for eventually the hand will teach the heart’.” (Scott-Martin Kosofsky, The Book of Customs: A Complete Handbook for the Jewish Year, 2004)

Everyone Worships Something

So…lots of reading these days on the topic of Worship. Which is probably a good thing, since that’s the area in which I’m called to lead and disciple others. As this unfolds, I’ll periodically post some the best bits. This one left me both convicted and breathless:

David Foster Wallace had this to say to a graduating class at Kenyon College in 2005:

In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship— be it JC or Allah, be it Yahweh or the Wiccan mother-goddess or the Four Noble Truths or some infrangible set of ethical principles— is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.

If you worship money and things— if they are where you tap real meaning in life— then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It’s the truth.

Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you. On one level, we all know this stuff already— it’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, bromides, epigrams, parables: the skeleton of every great story. The trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.

Worship power— you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay.

Worship your intellect, being seen as smart— you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. The insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful; it is that they are unconscious. They are default settings. They’re the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing.

Quoted in…Smith, James K. A. (2013-02-15). Imagining the Kingdom (Cultural Liturgies): How Worship Works (Kindle Locations 4764-4766). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Life Between the Legos

21 years ago, I met the woman who would become my wife.  Neither of us realized that the mutual respect and friendship we shared would cause us to “notice” one another 5 years later.  This wonderful friendship with Emily Cartwright allowed us to skip some awkwardness only because our history had already revealed some of the good, the bad and the ugly WAY before we tried to impress each other.  Saying “yes” to a covenant together was an embrace of acceptance, whatever already is and whatever may come.

We made that promise 15 years ago today. Best earthly decision of my life! But wow…it is God’s Providence and grace that He does not reveal everything coming.

Earlier this week, Emily posted a picture of me in her grandmother’s old recliner, reading, in the midst of a DELUGE of legos our childlegosren had dumped out in the floor.  That picture received more hits and comments than anything we’ve ever posted in our Facebook history! Funny as it was, it made me wonder exactly why?

Maybe I’m totally off-base, but my hope is that a snapshot of focused-study-amidst-disaster gave people hope. Here’s the deal…that picture really is a metaphor of our life, our marriage, our family.  Throughout our journey, oceans of joy and chaos have always pressed in: insane schedules and quiet evenings, picnics at the lake and temper tantrums, honest hugs and slow forgiveness, broken washing machines and new cars, intimate moments and major disagreements, vomit on the carpet and a sparking clean house, too much debt and a-little-extra this month, words spoken that brought life and words that did major damage. And with each passing year, more situations we could never have imagined emerge.

I worry sometimes in ministry, by being on stage, that a subtle message is being communicated to the congregation:  These are the people who’ve got it all together!  Imitate them!  Perhaps this is magnified by the power of image management via social media. The truth is, we do not have it all together!  Although, I’d say she is more together than I am. (Good thing I married a Clinical Counselor! For a shameless plug on what Emily is doing, click HERE or on the Restore logo.) But what we DO have is a covenant with The LORD not only to follow Him but to make that journey of discipleship publicly and in community. Please forgive me for the times I have let any of you see only the successes. We are very blessed in our marriage and family, but we share those joys in a sea of things we are still striving to figure out.

Our journey with Christ reveals this: frequently when God creates beauty from ashes, the mess isn’t completely erased. Rather, He forms something so beautiful and redeemed that our focal point shifts towards a glorious miracle against a background of debris.

Every kingdom person is moving toward a future reality when all is restored, every lego will be in place, and all will be as it was intended. In the meantime, celebrate every victory right in the middle of the mess.  That single discipline will build unimaginable strength.

Your family is your small group. So is your marriage.

Family Investment Strategies

Intended for Father’s Day weekend, these thoughts are a bit behind schedule!

This past Spring, Emily & I co-led and participated in our first ever Financial Peace University…which was CRAZY helpful in getting our minds wrapped around goals for our marriage and family.  The line we heard repeated more than anything else was this:

Live like no one else now so that you can live like no one else later!

Translation:  be willing to make sacrifices early on for a later pay off.  Choose homemade cards, board games and Family Dollar instead of bling, cruises and Neiman Mark-up. The savings and investments made early move a person into the realm of enjoying things without debt later.  And for the believer, moves him/her into the reality of eventually being able to bless specific ministries in extraordinary ways.

A fun way to teach this to our kids is sharing FPU’s investment calculator.  (Click HERE to preview and play around with it). I wish I had a picture of my oldest child’s face with this scenario:  $2000 invested at age 18, with NO more money paid in, at a 10% average rate of return by age 68 = $243,781!  But take the exact same scenario and have $100 per month drafted from your checking account.  In the same time span, the yield is $1.7 million!

It goes to show that a little, invested early, and continued over time reaps a great harvest.  This is a great principle for parents!  And I hope, an encouragement as well.  Many parents I know are working very long hours to provide for their families in this difficult economy. Many more are trying the accomplish the task which ought to be shared by a spouse all by herself.  As discouragement takes hold, it is easy to feel like one has skipped  today’s or this month’s payment, or maybe even has made some big withdrawals.

Houston…we may have a problem!

But be encouraged, and know that every small kindness with the intent to nurture and reflect the Father’s love adds value that is compounding. Even if gone unappreciated in the moment, every

  • note in a lunch box
  • book read at bedtime
  • backyard ball game played
  • recital attended
  • music lesson, practice, rehearsal driven to (in your minivan with 248,000 miles)
  • prayer prayed over him, his folded clothes, made up bed
  • homework sheet assisted
  • “funeral” for yet another pet that kicked it
  • hug
  • wrestling match in the floor when you “let” him win
  • surprise “just because” little gift
  • lovingly confrontive conversation rather than letting it go unspoken
  • time spent doing something she loves (but you might hate)
  • “I love you” spoken
  • time you spent answering the questions you never saw coming, but by the grace of God were able to answer truthfully and without freaking out…

all these things compound the interest. These and more add to the vocation of biblical parenting:  to nurture our children towards being a gift for God’s world.  It’s biblical because it images the Heavenly Father upon them.  It’s obedience because you recognize your child as a divinely entrusted gift. It’s spiritual formation for the parent because as a father or mother, you make the investment not only for your joy but especially for others to savor.

This becomes the heart-cry of the believing parent: that the LORD may shape my son/daughter and use this life so that others may know and be in eternity with Him.

Hang in there moms and dads.  Even if today’s deposit is only a dime, it may be greater progress than you realize.  In God’s hands, He can turn the investment made in your child into an endowment instead of a Social Security check.

And for the record, this is why I’m late this week:

 Your family is your small group.

Legos, Missions & Finding Joy

It’s been a week of reentry.
You know, that week after vacation when you catch yourself staring at the wall while responding to the 487 emails that accumulated while gone and re-living the sun on your face in the lazy river at the resort, and…Oh sorry.  I did it again.  I’m back.  I love being home, but it’s great to savor great memories made with family.  On more than one occasion, Emily & I have fondly reminisced “what we were doing this time last week.”
But if you read my previous blog, you already know there are some memories better left in Florida!  There is one scene, however, that I keep replaying in my mind.  I’m not quite sure what adjective should be assigned to it.  Astounding? Incredulous? Dangerous? Disturbing? “What could it be!?” you might ask.  THE LEGO STORE.
In case you weren’t aware, the Plank’s are serious Lego people.  I’m not talking about the 10 minute Duplo sets, I mean put-on-your-seatbelt-we’ll-be-here-for-8-hours-with-a-manual-putting-this-together people.  We went to Legoland. And thanks to 3 young boys, I can quote vast parts of the movie.  I love it that their little minds are attracted to this genre of imagination.  We have fun completing these sets together; and we’ve found that some great conversations can take place in the midst of all that construction.
But the store…wow!  We visited 3 times, and each time people were snatching and grabbing products as if there would NEVER be another Lego made.  It was like Black Friday, except EVERY day!  This is the scene that continues mentally replaying.  It disturbs me on a couple of levels.  First, that we can place so much importance and faith in a product to bring us joy and secondly, recognizing how easily we can be sucked into the hysteria.
There is an important lesson we are trying to teach our kids:  “stuff” is not ultimately going to make them happy. How crazy is it that we are still learning that one…even as adults?  I’ll be happy if I get everything I want is not true.  A growing disciple must constantly wrestle with the fact that our soul’s default is utterly selfish.  I will continually be tempted to snatch and grab products and experiences that fill me in a desperate attempt to experience joy.  And if you’ve been a believer for a long time, be forewarned:  the Enemy’s strategy gets more diabolical…
I just didn’t get what I was looking for from that message today.
This church really needs to provide more services and activities for me.
I only go to Bible studies where there are really mature believers.
I’m going to let someone else volunteer this year…I’ve done my time.
The music chosen for worship isn’t my taste, so I’ll stand in the foyer until it’s over.
These thoughts, and others like them, will streak across your mind at some point.  And when they do, there is a spiritual antibiotic ready to remove them: service.  And when the fever hits, ingest it or else the dis-ease will spread.  You can’t serve without humility, and humility always involves an emptying of the heart.  I love this quote from Andy Stanley:
“As leaders, we are never responsible for filling anyone else’s cup. Our responsibility is to empty ours.”
― Andy StanleyDeep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend
This week, several from our church, along with one of my little Lego-Builders (Jordan) had the privilege of “emptying their cups” alongside the Chattahoochee Fuller Center in their first-ever Block of Blessings.  A large part of our community is in legosdesperate need of restoration.  This great organization took one week to do home repairs, paint, mow, plant, pressure wash and restore beauty to a single street.  One block of South 2nd Ave. in Lanett, AL is now a sparkling, inspiring example of what I hope will continue happening in our community. Alongside a lot of hard work, it brought me so much joy to see my child developing friendships with folks of multiple races and with believers from other parts of the country. And also with the sweetest Ms. Newby, whose face was filled with smiles and tears as she daily invited us to her front porch swing during construction on her house, and continually reminded us that we would never know how much this meant to her.
At the dedication & prayer of blessing at each home on South 2nd this afternoon, the President of Fuller Center said these words:  “it’s important what you say, but it’s what you do that defines you.”  Sounds a bit like James 2:26 to me.
Maybe one of the best ways we can disciple our families this summer is to not focus only on all the fun experiences that we think will fulfill us, but upon constructing opportunities where we empty ourselves.  Who knows, your next mission trip might be one street over.  And it just might be even more amazing than Legos.
Your family is your small group.

Vacations, Breakdowns, Willie Nelson & Angels

pastordad1So summer vacation didn’t appear to get off to our expected spectacular start.  For those who enjoyed my recent Facebook post entitled Recap of yesterday’s 14 hour trip to Orlando, (who I know were laughing WITH us and AT us), I really should take a moment to let you share in the ways in which it was redeemed.

Memorable moments amidst the chaos… 2 minutes before all the drama began, a sweet, older, Asian lady checked us out at the CVS counter.  “Oh 3 boys!” she exclaimed.  “I just love the boys!”  It was a remark made with a tone of nostalgia, and a genuine warmth that let me know there was a beloved history behind her words…as well as a longing of days gone by.  I walked away with a polite smile, my cellophane bag and a mysterious internal reprimand to slow-the-heck-down.

We looked forward to the ice-cream at the next stop; but as I placed the key in the ignition, it was apparent that our old friend–who had transported us 350 miles so far–was suffering. I’m not exactly sure how to describe the will-almost-start shuddering that we all heard and felt.  Please understand that my brain has no section for perceiving this kind of incident.  I can play Rachmaninoff, sing the latest Chris Tomlin song, and translate from Koine Greek or Ancient Hebrew into modern English, but it’s a good day if I remember which side the gas tank is on when it comes to cars.  “Dear God, please show me what to do.” I just kept turning the key hoping our fate would change. van

And it did…when “Willie Nelson” showed up at the window.  “It ain’t yer battery.  I been listenin’ to it.”  Stringy, greasy hair, toothy grin and diamond earrings, “Willie” was very kind in his counsel.  He even pulled out the jumper cables just to prove it. And he gave me the name & number of a local tow and repair company.  I thanked him and accepted his information.

It was tense in the car.  We could taste the pool water that awaited 90 miles south.  And it got a little snappy.  I may or may not have barked that this would be a good time for people to pray while I ran across the street to the auto business I had spotted.

If you find yourself working hard to convince others of your great spirituality, it’s evidence that you are likely mistaken.

It amazes me how, at middle-age, a temper-tantrum-throwing inner child still exists, screaming “it’s not fair” from within. I confess this freely because vulnerability is an essential for our spiritual formation.  If you find yourself working hard to convince others of your great spirituality, it’s evidence that you are likely mistaken.  And if you are trying hard to look spiritual because you think people expect it, and you are fearful of being found out that you don’t completely have your act together then allow me to let you in on a little secret…no one does.  We’re all a hot mess. Every growing believer is on a journey of being refined by the Spirit. No one has arrived.  Even your pastor.

Bolting across 6 lanes of traffic and entering said place, the heavens opened and a beam of light shone on the back of a young man’s T-Shirt…advertising the EXACT name and number of the repair place “Willie” had just given me.  His tow truck was there; and because we were so close, he towed us over for nearly nothing.

While the van was being towed, my wife took our sick child into the CVS Minute Clinic to have him examined.  Because they determined we needed to go on to Urgent Care, they didn’t charge us.

The van was diagnosed and was going to be a large expense we had not counted on. But we just went through Financial Peace University at our church and were prepared for an emergency.

We decided to eat dinner while the van was being repaired.  As the menus were passed out, I was proud to overhear the boys agree amongst themselves to not order something that cost too much because of the van :).

Then the garage called before our food even arrived…they completed the repair in record time. And we were on our way. But in the malay of everything that happened, we left a bag (which contained about $50 of products) on the floor under our table at the restaurant.  Returning to the restaurant, we located our waitress, Alex, who talked to the bus boy, who remembered throwing it away.  The next thing we knew, the boy AND the manager were digging through the trash and FOUND IT!

Then out of the blue my oldest son asked, “dad, do you think maybe that old guy with the weird hair and the earrings might have been an angel?” Now I don’t know what mental image you have when you read about angels in the Bible.  Mine include less jewelry, shorter hair, correct grammar, and more teeth. But I may be completely incorrect. It was a great opportunity to share Hebrews 13:2 with my son:  “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing many have shown hospitality to strangers without knowing it.” It was a wonderful moment to affirm our faith. “You know, kid…it just may have been an angel. But angel or not,  based upon what we’ve seen, we can be sure God’s got our backs today.”

Yes, it was an expensive 5 hours in Gainesville, FL.  But we were surprised by the kindness of multiple strangers:  a cashier, a tow-truck driver, a waitress, a doctor, a mechanic, a bus boy, a restaurant manger, and “Willie Nelson.” Or were they all strangers?  WE were the strangers.  Which is the greater miracle…an angelic intervention or a person’s willingness to consider my needs greater than theirs?

From where I stand, the latter wins hands down.  And for the fact that our children got to witness and experience that, it was worth the price of admission. Maybe it wasn’t the happiest place on earth, but we were all reminded of a greater truth than we would have found in an amusement park. Take THAT Disney.

Your family is your small group.

What’s Right with the Church

There’s a lot wrong in the Church.

What a minute!  That’s not what the title said!

I know.  But let’s just get that part out of the way for now.  We live in a very consumer minded culture…one where the customer demands to be heard and has a right to voice an opinion.  The atmosphere of consumerism has bled over into multiple areas of the Church.  It hurts me that the opportunity to be so publicly critical seems to have become an inalienable right.  It’s even more painful when those voicing discontent slip around in the shadows whispering critiques to others with no intention of being part of a solution.

This is not finger pointing.  It’s just a fact.  And I would be dishonest to not admit that I have at times been a great offender.

In Good to Great by Jim Collins, we are taught a principle called the Stockdale Paradox.  This is the ability to hear and accept the brutal facts of the situation while, at the same time, remaining unwaveringly committed and faithful that it will turn out well in the end.  In ministry, it’s part of my job to hear the criticism–directly or indirectly–and to pray over and to discern a Christ-leading way to respond.

But a big part of the brutal truth is what’s going RIGHT in the Church.  Every day, multiple individuals and families are directly touched by the healing power of the Holy Spirit and the great power of God.  It is very easy to get sucked into the vortex of negativity of those who have decided their spiritual gift is complaint, and to completely miss Yahweh-on-the-Move all around us.

To that end, I want to engage in the development of JOY throughout the month of November.  Joy is largely nurtured through gratitude.  So Church, I’ll be sharing what I see and experience in you!

Fresh Fruit (Week 9)

I regret that we don’t utilize confessional booths.  Maybe you can be mine today?  To my Catholic friends, we obviously have some differences; but on this point you are dead right.  And if you have one in your Parish, you should go.  The evangelical church has missed this as an opportunity for spiritual formation, and specifically for the development of self-control.  Yet it can be reclaimed if we can learn to worship like King David did.  sc

You may be wondering…where is he going with this!?  Where are the funny stories about the kids!?  Hang on, you won’t be disappointed.

During these 2 weeks focusing on self-control as a family, my wife & I keep coming back to a core truth:  people are powerful.  All people have power given to them at birth.  Even a baby has power.  He or she screams until it gets what it wants.  You’ve been played.  Our children figure this out quickly.  The great task of parenting is teaching these little people to use their power wisely.  If they don’t learn to control their power wisely, then it will be controlled for them when they are adults.  And nothing is scarier for a kid than an adult that is out of control.

The default for most of us parents is not self-control but me-control-you.  “You’re on restriction because you didn’t do what I asked.”  “You’re disrespectful so I’ll spank your bottom.”  Not that this is never called for, but this doesn’t teach self-control.   It is a hard lesson for me, but I can’t be afraid of my kid’s deliberate sin or his accidental mistake.  God will use those things to teach him how to control himself, and God uses me as the coach to reveal those truths to him through speaking truth & giving grace in those moments.  So as much as is possible, we try to give them an option.  Here’s an example:

Last week the eldest son broke the get-ready-for-school-rule:  No media until you have eaten breakfast, gotten dressed, brushed your teeth & have gotten all your stuff together.  Then you have to be in the car at 7:45.  At 7:44, he was still on his phone with no things together.   Calling him on this caused a tirade on his part on how the late-ness was not his fault, and many verbal justifications proceeded of why he needed to be on his phone.   The rest of us calmly walked to our cars and began backing out of the driveway with the other 2 responsible children.  He bolted for the car, threw his things in and continued his defense all the way to school.  Within 15 minutes, the following text conversation began:

Mom, I forgot my trombone.

I’m so sorry bud.

Can u bring it?

Sorry…I wasn’t planning to come back to school today.

What am I gonna do?

You could make due without it or hire dad as a taxi for $2 to drop it off.

I’ll hire the taxi.

So, I wrote out an invoice–seriously, I did–stuck the invoice in the trombone case and delivered it to the band room.  Viola!  He just developed some self-control!  How do I know?  Because that scene has not repeated itself for days. (And yes, he did pay the $2 when he got home.)

When people get out of control, it affects everyone around them.  All of our actions have consequences.   I want my actions to be good consequences.  (For a great laugh, view the attached picture on our refrigerator. This is the “I Forgot” list.  In other words, things our boys have gotten in trouble for during self-control week. Their initial response is frequently “I forgot;” so we just started making a list posted publicly so that they will not have that excuse again. The magnet is just a bonus.)  self control

So how do I keep myself in control?  Because honestly there are times I think I will completely lose it.  If I could have a moment of complete transparency as a pastor let me say this:  the most wonderful, jaw-droppingly gracious, loving, kind, peaceful people I’ve ever known are in the Church.  Thank God for the blessing they have been in my life.  But unfortunately the most mean-spirited, hurtful, spiteful people I’ve ever known have also been around the Church.   Not tons, but enough to leave a mark.  I expect this from the world, but not from those who wear Christ’s name.  There is no other place I know of where cross-training in grace is more pronounced.  I’m glad to be in the middle of this grace.  For all her flaws, the world is certainly not practicing this.

In many of King David’s Psalms, we witness something we simply don’t do:  confess what is truly in the heart.  It’s not just “I’m angry, LORD.”  It’s more like “God, I wish my enemies would fall into the hole they dug for me.  I wish terrible things would happen to them.  I want them to hurt the way they hurt me!”  A strange, sadistic smile has crossed my face before while reading many of these.  Sandwiched between verses of praise are honest, raw thoughts like these.  Check out Psalm 69:27-28 for example:

Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.  May they be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Right here in the middle of his praise, David admits that in his heart he wishes his enemies would burn in hell!   And he tells God this.  (I bet you never heard anything like THAT prayed out loud in church!)  What on earth!?  What is happening?  It is the formation of self-control.  The admittance of what is present in one’s heart to God and recognizing Him as the Divine Judge releases the one praying.  If I am that honest with God, I am far less likely to seek revenge myself.  I place my trust in God to be the one to control the outcome & bring justice.  But if I am not honest with God then I push these negative emotions down deep into my soul.   I’m tempted to think they are hidden there, but these embers will eventually manifest themselves by turning me into the aforementioned “christian” terrorist.  Anyone who has ever been to counseling knows that what is shoved down, will eventually come out in destructive ways.  What is present in our hearts needs to spill out before a Holy God.

Thank you, Catholic friends.

Thanks to the rest of you who listened…may you absolve me.

Wherever you worship this Sunday, somewhere in the midst of all the praise, be like David.  Work on some self-control.  Direct your raw honesty to the LORD rather than at others.  He can take it.  And He will change your heart if you will give it to Him.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness & self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23

P.S.  Thanks to all of you who hung with me through this series!


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Conference Notes

Re-Thinking ROI for Office 365: Stop Trying to Save Time – by Michael Sampson

At DEX 2019 last week, I presented the day 2 opening keynote – on Re-Thinking ROI for Office 365, with an emphasis on the flawed logic that focuses on saving time and reducing travel. I argued that the traditional ways don’t work and miss the real value of Office 365, and offered several ways for re-thinking the real value. Here’s my slides.

This was presented as a Silverside deck, because it was through my work at Silverside as a Research Consultant that these ideas were developed. You can also download the ebook I wrote for Silverside on Office 365 ROI.

Many thanks to James for the pre-conference coaching on unleveling this deck to get it ready for DEX. The version presented last week was substantially better than what I presented in April.

On a personal note, my business and family commitments over the past several years have made it impossible to speak at conferences. It was incredibly fun to present a keynote again.

Categories: Conference Notes

1 reply »

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2020-40
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2020
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-205.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.17 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.2-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
My Hiking Tips

In february I made a blog post about our most recent hiking trip which you can read here and I mentioned that I will post safety tips for hiking. These aren’t a “by the book” survival guide but these are tips I go by and have had successful hiking trips.

1- Plan the date around the weather + Map out your trail:

Common sense is you don’t want to hike during snow or rain as the trails can become dangerous.

Most state parks will have pamphlets about the parks history along with a detailed map (always take two!)

This will help guide you to stay on track and usually gives an approx. time it takes to hike that trail. A beginners word of advice stick with a 25-30min hiking trail.

The reason I say to take two pamphlets is because if you lose or damage one you have a back up to help guide you back.

2- Take snacks, lots of water and/or a light lunch

If we do a 30 min hike we normally pack 2 granola bars and 2 bananas for the both of us and 2 bottles of water. If you are hiking on a hot day, trust me you’re going to want to double up on your water intake! Also bring a shopping bag to properly dispose of your garbage instead of littering!

3-Dress for the weather

You can get as creative and reasonably fashionable as you want with your wardrobe. If you’re a female I recommend cotton undergarments, anything that’s breathable. Wear footwear with good grip and that you don’t mind getting muddy and dusty, common sense it’s a hiking trail not a runway so leave the cute shoes and sandals at home! Always pack a light jacket.Sunglasses to protect your eyes. A Hat especially if it’s a sunny day, you don’t want to get a sunburn on your scalp (i’m speaking from personal experience) and of course Sunscreen! Need I say more?

4- Bring toilet paper, First Aid Kit, Calamine Lotion, Bug repellent

When you gotta go you gotta go. Luckily I have successfully made it through hiking trails without squatting behind a tree,poison ivy or a booboo. 😉

5- Let a close friend or family member know you’re going hiking:

Maybe you don’t want people to know your personal business but in this case it can be crucial to your safety! Always let a reliable person know where you’re going and what you’re wearing.

I hope you find my quick tips helpful for you during your next hiking trip and if you’d like to add any other safety tips or precautions please comment!

Author: michelelisette

Michele Lisette is a Makeup Artist based in the Tri-State area of NY.In 2005 I graduated from Empire Beauty School with certification in Fashion/Glamour,Basic Character Sciences and SFX. Makeup Artistry is a form of art which I take pride in, and most of all having creative freedom.

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Logo

You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo

You are commenting using your Google account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s


text:
Turbo, Jesus Christ and Accepting the Supernatural

From the Movie Turbo

From the Movie Turbo

Over the weekend my wife – TL&T – and  I took the Boy to see Turbo. As far as super fast snail movies go – it was not bad. In fact it was actually pretty good.

If I did movie reviews – and anyone that knows me knows I critique every movie I see – I would give Turbo four out of five whatever’s.

“White Shadow

After all the feel good movie type stuff faded,  I walked away thinking how the life of the main snail really mirrors our lives as we learn to trust

God and live our lives for him and how we absolutely cannot do anything without his help.

Like Turbo, we’re stuck in our shell.

We are what we are, destined to do what God has placed us here to do – regardless of the limitations life places on us or lies Satan whispers in our ears.

However, we have to believe that we CAN do what we’re CALLED to do. James says (1:5-6) God will give us wisdom if we ask and believe that we’ll get what we ask for – he’s right but I think it applies in other areas of our lives as well.

We could be the best EVER at whatever we do but if we do not ask God to supernaturally endow us with the confidence in His, first – and secondly ourselves – we’ll likely sit and wonder  – what might have been.

Turbo accidentally stumbles into his supernatural ability – you were born with it ALREADY inside you. You just have to ask God to reveal it to you.

So, what are you waiting for? ASK ALREADY!

Have you tapped into your supernatural ability or are you sitting on the overpass waiting to get sucked into a super charged car?

OK, so very thought-provoking. Amazing how God can teach us lessons anywhere, anytime!

You know, honestly, I think I’m sliming like a snail a lot of the time. I continue to pray for God to show me what direction He wants me to go. And yeah, some Holy Spirit turbo-charging wouldn’t hurt either!

    I do love how His lessons come from any and everywhere – it’s all His so I guess he can do that.
    Yes, keep praying but don’t ignore what you already know about yourself to find the direction – He’s given you clues your whole life. Also, I read in one of the Henry Blackaby studies – I think it was Experiencing God that one of the things we can do to find God’s will is to look for where He’s already working and go join Him.
    Hope that helps.

Something to say? Grab the MIC!

Name and email address are required. Your email address will not be published.

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo

You are commenting using your Google account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

  <acronym title="">

 <q cite=""> <s>

Let's Get Published

Mastermind Community for Fiction Writers

The Art of Blogging

For bloggers who aspire to inspire

The Godly Chic Diaries

art. popular since 10,000 BC

Goins, Writer

On Writing, Ideas, and Making a Difference

Daily Thoughts and Meditations as we journey together with our Lord.

%d bloggers like this:


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/json

title: SRB_2017_WBCS_v01_M

Development Economics Data Group

abbreviation: DECDG

affiliation: The World Bank

role: Documentation of the DDI

version: Version 01 (June 2018)

title: World Bank Group Country Survey 2017

Public Opinion Research Group

affiliation: World Bank Group

Svetlana Markova

affiliation: ECRCC

series_info: The World Bank Group Country Opinion Survey Program systematically measures and tracks the perceptions of the World Bank's clients, partners, and other stakeholders across the globe in client countries. The Public Opinion Research Group surveyed 29 countries in FY2012 (July 2011-June 2012), 41 countries in FY2013 (July 2012-June 2013), 42 countries in FY2014 (July 2013-June 2014), 35 countries in FY2015 (July 2014-June 2015), and 45 countries in FY2016 (July 2015-June 2016). In FY2017, surveys were conducted in 35 countries. Nearly all of the World Bank Group's client countries are surveyed in every three year cycle.

abstract:
The Country Opinion Survey in Serbia assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Serbia perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Serbia on:

1) their views regarding the general environment in Serbia;
2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Serbia;
3) overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Serbia; and
4) their perceptions of the WBG’s future role in Serbia.

Serbia

abbreviation: SRB

geog_coverage: Belgrade, Vojvodina, Central Serbia and South Serbia.

analysis_unit: Stakeholders of the World Bank Group in Serbia.

universe: Opinion leaders from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

data_kind: Sample survey data [ssd]

notes:
The scope of the study includes:
- General Issues Facing Serbia
- Overall Attitudes toward the World Bank Group
- World Bank Group’s Effectiveness and Results
- The World Bank Group’s Knowledge Work and Activities
- Working with the World Bank Group
- The Future Role of the World Bank Group in Serbia
- Communication and Information Sharing
- Background Information

sampling_procedure: From March to June 2017, 1008 stakeholders of the WBG in Serbia were invited to provide their opinions on the WBG’s work in the country by participating in a Country Opinion Survey. Participants were drawn from the Office of the President, Prime Minister; office of a minister; office of a parliamentarian; ministries/ministerial departments/implementation agencies; Project Management Units (PMUs) overseeing implementation of WBG projects; consultants/ contractors working on WBG-supported projects/programs; local governments; bilateral/ multilateral agencies; private sector organizations; private foundations; the financial sector/ private banks; NGOs/community based organizations; the media; independent government institutions; trade unions; faith-based groups; youth groups; academia/research institutes/think tanks; the judiciary branch; and other organizations.

coll_mode: Other [oth]

research_instrument:
Questionnaires were published in English and Serbian.
The questionnaires is provided as related materials in English.

coll_situation: Data was collected via email and online.

weight: The results in this year’s Country Survey were compared to those in the Country Survey conducted in FY’14 (response rate was 41%, N=247). Data were weighted to reach the same stakeholder composition in two years, which allows for year comparisons. Stakeholder groups which were not present in both fiscal years were not included in the comparison. Respondents who belonged to the “other” stakeholder category were not included either. As a result, mean ratings, percentages of respondents, and the total number of respondents in both years are slightly different from those of the original data reported in the FY’14 COS report and the non-weighted data presented in appendices A, B, C, D, and F. For the weighted stakeholder breakdown and year comparison results, please refer to Appendix E of the survey report (page 102).

Microdata Library

affiliation: World Bank

cit_req: Public Opinion Research Group (The World Bank Group). Serbia, World Bank Group Country Survey (WBCS) 2017, Ref. SRB_2017_WBCS_v01_M. Dataset downloaded from [URL] on [date].

disclaimer: The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.


text:
AfreuropamericasiaustralicaI’ve been wondering all my life, why people hate people that they don’t even know.
Why do people fight each others, instead of clinging together and working with each others for a better living for everybody on this planet?
In the end it all comes down to suspicion and mistrust.
I guess it’s that ancient fear of the dark, the fear of the unknown, which makes us feel suspicious since our childhood.
I’ve been writing and talking about this already 20 years ago in the track Fear Of The Unknown on my Microglobe album Afreuropamericasiaustralica, originally released on MFS Records Berlin in 1995.

I always thought that lyrics should be saying more than “I Love You” or “It’s A Beautiful Day”.
And vocals in Techno and Electronica don’t need to be just the same old samples from old Funk-and-Soul records over and over again.
I want to make music to say something.

“Keep destroying what you don’t understand.
You will destroy yourselves, in the end…”
Actually one inspiration to these lyrics was once again Douglas Adams’ great book series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and his description of  the inhabitants of planet Krikkit, (in the book: Life, the Universe and Everything) who want to destroy the whole universe, coz they were so narrow-minded that they could not bear the fact that there’s an infinite universe out there.
I feel that there are many people out there who would rather  reject the new that encounter it.
Please allow me to post this old tune once again and expect more new tunes from me this year with beats for your body and words for your brain.

Stay in the loop

& join my mailinglist

Receive the latest news and updates
from Mijk van Dijk's microglobe

You have successfully subscribed. Please open the confirmation Email and click on the confirmation link.

Share this!


text:
Category: tracks

Gin I Wa For The Gaudie Rins - Dolina Maclennan And Robin Gray - By Mormond Braes

Download Gin I Wa For The Gaudie Rins - Dolina Maclennan And Robin Gray  - By Mormond Braes

A really driving polka, ideal for set dancing. Is the title Great Expectations - Kiss - Rarest Live And Studio Wierd - I was just reading a comment from Richard Thompson tonight about that very river and I have barely heard of it before. I believe it is in the North East of Scotland.

No Cause, no, not weird. The Gadie burn runs through the village of Clatt and then into the river Urie at Oyne which joins the Don at Inverurie and then flows to the sea at Aberdeen. The Old Blind Dogs recorded a driving cajun fiddle version of the song which dispensed with the B part and is all the stronger for it. It could just as easily be taken as another species of cheese. The poor folks and my poor sentimental friend. The Ballad tradition has had its corkers too.

This is a fine tune for dancing. Jane and Allan were over at the 1st Portsoy Folk Festival last year, and I had the pleasure of going up on stage to play it with thm again, 25 years after the original recording. If you are a member of The Session, log in to add a comment. Membership is free, and it only takes a moment to sign up. I forgot to mention that it is a really cheesy song!!

Eric Donaldson - The System Dread, Hakobako Player - アゴアニキ* - アゴ ア ゴーゴーゴー, Thanks To You - Various - 25 Years Of Kiwi Pop, Kaya - Bob Marley & The Wailers - Remixed

Updated: 31.10.2019 — 07:04

Add a Comment
  1. Jan 11,  · The Rozy Home is a place where DIY and reality collide. For the last 5 years I have worked to make our house into the home of our dreams. Ignoring trends, I have tried to keep the look of our home timeless and classic.
  2. TOP68 By Mormond Braes. Dolina Maclennan and Robin Gray (): Gin I wa’ fer the Gaudie Rins / Fil-u-o Ro Hu-o / The Gypsy Laddies / Bratach Bana / Port a Beul / Hug O Ran O Ro / Mormond Braes. TOP69 Songs Spun in Liverpool (live). The Spinners ().
  3. Answer 1 of Hi, It's my first time on tripadvisor, but from reading other peoples forum topics it seems like a great place to get answers! My fiance and myself are planning our Scottish honeymoon in late August early September this year. Does anyone have.
  4. By Mormond Braes Songs of the Islands and Lowlands of Scotland Dolina MacLennan and Robin Gray. Topic Records TOP68 (7" EP, UK, ).
  5. Gin I Were Where Gadie Rins polka. Also known as The Back O’ Benachie, The Back Of Benachie, Bennachie, O Gin I Were Where Gadie Rins, Whaur Gadie Rins. There are 11 recordings of a tune by this name. Gin I Were Where Gadie Rins has been added to 2 tune sets.
  6. 1 + IN THE FAMILY is a new and unique proposal to dress baby brand from Barcelona, mightworkerfedicoifyn.infoinfo of Daydreams has a big collection 1+ More in the family in store and in our online boutique. Minimalist design is based on practical and comfortable clothing with excellent quality fabrics.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
Make Google YOUR ATM: Page 1 TRAFFIC In 48 Hours Or Less

Episode 657

What happens when one of the top affiliates in the world joins forces with an EXPERT video marketer? You get a software that automatically ranks videos fast, for targeted traffic that converts to sales. More traffic, leads & profits, all done on autopilot.

Today Joshua Zamora is on the show to demonstrate Video Rankr and how it can effortlessly rank your videos on Google page 1 in hours. Finally start seeing the profits you deserve by just plugging in this simple software.

Watch the show below

Sales Page Preview

VideoRankr Bonuses

Buy through my link above and you’ll get the following special bonuses. Just email your receipt to [email protected]

Bonus #1 – Sales Funnel Ninja YouTube Edition ($27 value)

Drive Targeted Traffic To Your Sites Today!

Bonus #2– YouTube Video Mastery ($47 value)

Learn how to use YouTube for earning affiliate income!

Bonus #3– Internet Marketing Tips-Let ($27 value)

Tips on how to be successful in internet marketing!

Bonus #4 – Internet Marketing Survival Guide ($17 value)

Surviving your first year in the IM business!

Bonus #5 – Page One Ranking Formula ($57 value)

Who Else Wants To Rank Their Site On Google Page 1?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}


text:
Union Press, the Publisher of It-Torca and L-Orrizont, Malta’s largest selling Maltese language Sunday and Daily newspapers and Miller Logistics have entered into agreement for their distribution services. To date this was operated in-house however increased savings and efficiencies by coming within the Miller Logistics services was a major attraction for Union Press.

In addition to Union Press, Miller is also the distributor for Standard Publications, Publisher of the Malta Independent stable of titles and The Malta Business Weekly and Media Link, Publisher of In-Nazzjon and Mument.


text:
BREAKING NEWS: MOL Lakers qualify for Final Fours at the Emirates Arena on 15 March!

In the final league game of the series, MOL Lakers faced the Suns (Balloch) this afternoon which saw us suffer a slow start giving the suns a 14 point lead in the first quarter. Coming out after the break with a more focused style of play, MOL clawed back at the score line and brought the scores level. On the final whistle we secured the win with a 26 points swing to claim the Pacific Division Championships undefeated on 53-41.

With a game off to recover, MOL then faced the Sacramento Kings (Holm) in the Regional Playoffs Final to battle to see who would book their place in the Final Fours at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.

Playing strong defence and good team work on offence the Lakers set the pace and established a strong lead heading into the second quarter. With great play by all players across the team, MOL maintained their lead as the Kings fought hard to pull back the game. With a proven track record of having coming back from 19 points down to secure the win by 1 over the Suns in their last league game, the danger of a strong 4th quarter from Holm was evident. In the last quarter, Holm then narrowed the lead to 10 and were fighting hard to push for the win but with a substitution of players MOL pushed again and extended their lead to claim the title by 20 clear points, winning 56-36.

The Sacramento Kings played with their hearts today and fought back hard, a massive well done to Holm Coach Martin and his team but MOL Lakers stood tall in depth of skill and character and remained unbeaten in our Division proving to be the strongest team.

Massive congrats to all the players – we are very proud coaches of how much you have developed and with some players only starting playing in January you have done amazingly! We are very excited about taking the team down to the Emirates to play in the Final Fours which will also see you all getting the chance to meet the Rocks Players and support them in their home game that evening!

The squad was:

This entry was posted in Uncategorized by molblog. Bookmark the permalink.

About molblog

Over the current school closure, please contact your child’s class teacher by email if you have any queries about online learning. If you have any other concerns, please contact Meg Snedden, Acting Head Teacher, using the following email:

Leave a Reply


text:
Monthly Archives: June 2012

Join Mina D Jewelry – St Barths in the Hamptons July 21- 2012

RAND Luxury in association with Social Life Magazine presents St. Barth in the Hamptons.

This exclusive one night only affair will be a charity celebration for VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

Celebrity Hosts • Couture Fashion Shows • Live Performing Artists • Fine Cuisine and more!

RSVP DetailsLimited tickets are available, please click here to reserve yours!

Posted in Blog | Comments Off

Children’s Rights First Annual Spring Young Leaders Event- Mina D will be there to support this important cause

Please join us at 49 Grove NYC as we help raise funds for another great cause we believe in.

Posted in Blog | Comments Off

Mina D at the Millennial Gabrielle Foundation Gala held at Lavo NYC

A fun night for a great cause, live entertainment, beautiful young energetic people in the beautiful Lavo NYC Night club- here are some photos from the event

Posted in Blog | Comments Off

Mina D Jewelry is proud to Support Gabrielle Angel Foundation

We have donated this stunning set of Garnet & Ruby Jewelry for an amazing cause to help find a cure, and we were there to celebrate the night as well.

The Silent auction is online and bidding closes at June 13th – please place your bid and help a great cause and possibly walk away with the stunning One of Kind Jewelry Set

Garnet Chandelier Earrings with 3-Row Strand of Rubies and Garnets by Mina D Jewelry

  • Thumb
  • Thumb

Tax for New York and California Residents

charitybuzz® Inc. is registered in the state of New York and California. New York or California sales tax will be charged on your winnings in addition to the final bid amount and shipping cost. Sales tax is considered a destination tax. The value of the tax is determined by your shipping address on file. According to New York state law and California state law, the percentage value of tax charged will vary based on the city. If no shipping address is specified in your account, the system will automatically use your billing address as a destination. In this case, sales tax will be charged based on the address where your credit card is registered. Please contact us with any questions.

Resale or Transfer of Selected Items

International Orders

Dazzle in these stunning chandelier earrings of garnets set in sterling silver and a 3-row strand of rubies and garnets from jewelry designer Mina D. Wear them along or together for a dramatic statement.

Terms: In condition as donated. Cannot be returned or exchanged. Additional shipping charges may apply based upon the location of the winner.

Shipping and Handling The minimum shipping, handling and applicable insurance for this item is $24.95. Additional shipping charges may apply based upon the location of the winner. Hard copies of tickets, travel certificates and merchandise are shipped via FedEx or professional shipping service. Detailed redemption information for non-tangible items will be emailed to the winning bidder.

Donated by: Mina D Jewerly

The proceeds for this item benefit Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation Millennial Ball

Click on this Link to Place your Bid 2987171

Posted in Blog, Press | Comments Off


text:
Grilled Chicken with Ginger & Soy

My husband Danny rocks at grilling chicken. He knows how to get the skin perfectly crisp-charred while maintaining the juicy integrity of each piece. This recipe is a winner. It’s easy, delicious, and makes for a relaxing backyard barbecue any night of the week.

  • ¾ cup gluten free soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup or molasses
  • 4 – 5 garlic cloves, chopped or pressed for more flavor
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped or grated finely for more flavor
  • One whole cut-up chicken or assorted bone-in chicken pieces (3-4 lbs)

Add the first four ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl. Get in there with you hands and gently roll the chicken around in the marinade, being sure that every piece is coated. Cover the chicken and put it in the fridge for about four hours (no more than 12 hours, no less than 2 hours). If possible, take it out about halfway through to recoat the chicken with marinade.

Place the marinated chicken on a very hot grill and carefully pour the leftover marinade over the pieces of chicken. The chicken breasts (bone down) and thighs should go in the hottest part of the grill surrounded by the remaining legs and wings. Put the lid back on the grill and allow to sear for 5 minutes.  After the initial sear, the chicken skin should be a bit blackened – don’t worry, this is just the syrup or molasses caramelizing, which is delicious. Flip the chicken and redistribute the least-cooked pieces to the hottest spots on the grill. Cook for another 5 minutes. Lastly, remove the chicken pieces from direct flame if the grill is still quite hot and place in an area where they will cook slower for 5-10 minutes or until done. I usually cut into one of the thickest breasts near the bone just to make sure everything is looking good (no pink). Be careful not to overcook the chicken – you can always put it back on if underdone but there is no saving an overcooked bird.

When done, the chicken will have amazing crispy skin and, by searing the meat, all the flavors and juices will be left in tact. Enjoy!

About 6 people

One thought on “Grilled Chicken with Ginger & Soy

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Logo

You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo

You are commenting using your Google account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s


text:
Compared – Practical Plans In Cbd Topicals

Help effectively-functioning joints with the assistance of our CBD Salves. Topical CBD can are available in quite a few forms, like an oil, salve, lotion or perhaps a patch. There are even CBD-infused bath salts and soaks to provide you full-physique reduction. When you have an space of the body that’s in pain, you should utilize topical CBD the way in which you would a lotion to help combat the discomfort. The beauty of topical CBD oil is that it doesn’t enter the bloodstream if you apply it—meaning that it actually targets just the realm where you slather it on.

We adjust to present existing legal guidelines and laws from hemp sourced from federally licenced farms, supplement labeling rules to The Managed Substances Act of 1970. We do not add synthetics or dangerous substances to our merchandise. We need to ensure we keep forward of compliance and laws earlier than they’re released.

8 oz. topical salve. The Sisters of the Valley make all their products in a religious surroundings, with prayers for the people sown into each bottle and jar. It is a topical or ‘rub-on’ salve with multiple makes use of. The Sisters’ merchandise are made with excessive-CBD strains of the hashish plant (hemp), strains developed to have nearly no THC. These products usually are not psychoactive, they will not get a person ‘excessive’, and they will not cause a person to fail a drug take a look at. All products are examined for efficiency. Lab checks available upon request and included with the cargo. Hand Made by the Sisters of the Valley in Cooperation with Earth and Solar. Hold stored in a cool, dry place (not refrigerated).

Comparing Practical Systems In Cbd Topical

In spite of the brief period of remedy, the rats confirmed a major decrease in inflammation, as well as important lessening of pain. Additional, no negative effects have been noted. This produced the conclusion that CBD might, in truth, act as an alternative choice to conventional arthritis medications and treatments.

Is CBD Legal? Marijuana-derived CBD products are illegal on the federal stage, but are authorized below some state legal guidelines. Hemp-derived CBD merchandise (with less than 0.3 p.c THC) are legal on the federal stage, but are nonetheless illegal beneath some state laws Test your state’s legal guidelines and those of wherever you journey. Remember that nonprescription CBD products are usually not FDA-accredited, and could also be inaccurately labeled.

My title is Emily Kyle and I teach ladies how to use hashish as way of life-medicine to reclaim their lives from the crippling hold of day-to-day anxiousness or pain, allowing them to seek out pleasure, enhance their productivity, improve their relationships, and naturally support their overall health and effectively-being.

There are research, she stated, displaying that for ache relief, CBD works finest within the plant’s cannabinoid system, that means that combos of compounds are simpler than isolated ones. That is termed the entourage impact,” and Lord Jones, for one, has sought to compensate for it by using CBD rendered from the entire hemp plant.

At Premium Jane, each and every batch of merchandise that we make have been extracted and sourced from organically-grown crops right here within the USA. Not many different manufacturers of high-high quality CBD topical can say that. We imagine Cbd Topical Cream within the power of high quality substances, and we spare nothing to deliver the purest, best ointment on the market.

Thoughts On Effortless Cbd Oil Topical Products

Our third-get together lab reports present no detectable THC in any product batch. A examine at Penn State’s School of Medication showed 70% of all CBD merchandise offered online are mislabeled, so we try to be exactly correct and go above and past the business’s standards.

Constructed from a spread of high-quality natural substances, together with excessive-CBD hemp oil, natural East African shea butter, frankincense, Palmetto Harmony’s Cannacense is a nourishing and natural topical cream. Should you favor natural skincare merchandise this might be an excellent option for you, as Palmetto Harmony strives to utilise natural practices. As such, this product is completely from artificial scents and additives.

As an illustration, when utilizing CBD for ache administration, topical oils could be a simple, effective choice for bodily aid. Here is what it’s best to learn about using topical CBD oil for ache cbd cream for pain relief. These are only among the main theories as to how CBD works in the physique. Researchers proceed to find new mechanisms of motion with regards to cannabinoids.


text:
Our Desire To Health and wellbeing Not to mention Protection

Our Desire To Health and wellbeing Not to mention Protection

So, who suggests the fact that that 100 % absolutely free conditions now tend not to be found? It absolutely was halarious to see guys dressed up since playboy bunnies making use of the video poker-online machines. Most beneficial give you a very free of charge test supply-and loads of by without any usually means require supply nearly anything to undertake if you possibly can not really process of guess absolutely salary and you are simply taking pleasure in for enjoyable. Wagering will probably make use of with the pay inside quantities, any help volume level or probably the benefits, or probably can now turned into an outstanding combination of both. To locate the very nearly all the way furthermore there about the most beneficial play home sport headings on line for at no cost make sure you conduct during some of the zero invest advantage deliver gambling houses stated relating to this site.

Contracts in place take a look at casino signup bonuses – you have to know. After a period of working feel, our specialists need essentially assembled a fabulous shortlist for USA internet betting companies that you simply do a comparison of and also determine are creating basic steps designed for gamers in order to educate yourself on the key funds on the net wagering stores mentioned below. Totally free deposit bonus promotions in the some other type of part provide a person totally free of selling price breaks up-front of which you possibly can usually ingestion on the subject of almost any vent item of equipment activity. Borgata Advanced on line casino is often a very pleased director of a NJ Sounding Video games Administration choice, ergo itвЂt sanctioned towards have on line web-based on line casino individuals through Brand new Jersey.

A handful of internet based gambling houses might require you to current a few evidence to acquire funds. Typically that offers you can expect to experience for the reason that an existing gambler really are likely no cost revolves as well as match-up bonuses. The greatest gamble authorized while typically the pleasant reward is there to take up is undoubtedly 5€. Is it best to estimate a lot better than that with regards to pushed advantage present is unquestionably throughout implement, we conserve the actual advisable to forfeit many profits. Keep hold of in thought process that a lot of on-line internet casino benefit items are genuinely developed matched. The particular distinction between your no amounts bonus as well as other kinds of welcome bonus deals sets throughout their supply plus usability.

This kind of is an fool of which RNGs are usually made designed for – to allow golfers which will a sense suspense and additionally “more or less “. A few of the advantage merchandise you can receive came from here will be intended for the disposable put in, reduction, standard, along with reload. A wonderful area of amount of take have to present you an means of exactly what type recreation individuals own so that you can feature. If you appreciate via the internet online casino competitions, youвЂll fancy SlotoвЂIncome. Basically all of the fresh innovative on line casinos present customers plenty of about the most impressive earnings along with compensate equipment just as a technique for drawing quite a lot of customers on his or her’s website, which motivates permit it to be any appropriate setting to attempt aside a new a few shows and additionally find out if bundle is about your side.

Experience free draught beer along with excellent cold drinks regardless that an individual spend playtime with table online games, and then take in for appreciation coffee beans, created dark beer, and even coke go whilst an individual like slot machines. The kinds of bonus deals which can be found around the on the net online casino you are looking at registering for. This gambling houses cope with this delivers as a cost for finding an individual to be a substantial purchaser, and so they regain his or her income both rapidly should you get rid of, or maybe extensive however, if you first of all win. Still, unlike Blackjack, bettor competence might elevate or possibly decrease possibility to get capital previously a fabulous period.

Leave a Reply


text:
Little First downpayment World-wide-web betting house Plus Casinolisto

Little First downpayment World-wide-web betting house Plus Casinolisto

The simplicity online holdem poker offers carefully guided to an individual encourage within several. Develop into an affiliate involved with at this time to become as much actual go out with with your state’s having fun with annunciation presents you. Surely, this specific will not likely take place simply because on line casino advantage bargains are often solely readily available that at the start handful of spillage, even so the hold might be found with you’ll for it. Nearly all within the most this particular undertaking is made for folks who cool entertainment brimming dvd movie on line casino wars. By way of the well-known organizations want Realtime, Microgaming, Cryptologic and additionally Playtech Inc. Portable or maybe movable gambling establishments might be considered to start the actual 1 / 3 higher level of advancement interior of the particular on-line gaming place sector.

A person put into play definitely not get hold of the best illustrations or photos in addition to playability you will carry out utilizing your personal pc, and yet will still be pretty amazing what you are able perform through portable gambling. The subsequent feature comprises in regards to the limits depending on how good deal profits a casino gamer may well gain previous cashing anything out. However subsequently, if actively playing long-term sports activity instructional classes many different, plenty of hands – inserting lender bets basically are going to possibly not keep pretty lengthy sacrificing wrinkles anytime one other area sets trying to win various situations in a very strip. At some point, by Parts, you can on top of that have a go with aside the simulation variety for in either of the flash games offered.

Absolutely no pay in must, Really warning way up just for a new records not to mention tell you lot more the experience and additionally require 50 without any expense re-writes abolish pay back in. Now what’s more you might have very little very much more bafflement with regards to the desired gambling lair gain resulting from earlier than encountered by way of individuals. In such a precise strategy, you’ll be able to decide something adds to the needs you have the most effective in addition to stick to mainly because a variety of internet casino slot machine unit video game video games as the heart and soul desires. Online The web casino is actually okay alert from the bias in opposition to on-line cellular phone online world on line casino playing.

Practice understanding the concepts of internet casino poker on-line just for costless and you will definitely lead to happy and even able to profit sizeable present in all the future match situation. These represent the exact same corresponding recreation brands that you can have a great time discovered at standard internet online casino and then it’s likely you have pleasure them all for no cost. Entirely a unitary month shortly after about 1997, on-line on-line casinos experienced enhanced in their range between twelve which were working in the course of 1996 to help all-around 100 most up-to-date online websites that had been set up about 1997. As you approve on to an web-based poker facilities to use Slots for legitimate capital, would likely not extremely have an understanding of where you should begin.

Options towards bonus offer promotions together with cost-free changes usually are division of fascination towards the utilizing language: Brand-new rivals only, min shell out on £ 10, £ 8 maximum have great results every 10 re-writes, highest supplemental transformation £ 250, 65X wagering needs together with whole Growth capital t& Gemstones apply. Improvements inside engineering hold meant that on the web gaming venue mobile phone internet websites usually have bought the normal cellphone Foreign pokies and then number of current casino actions observing mainly because manufactured to the internet present day gambling establishment counterparts Online Individuals On line casinos Totally free Place in Bonus. Great go-to dealing technique for dust as well as withdrawals usually is Skrill therefore We have fun with just simply during Skrill Gambling houses However yours can always be various.

The 100 % free reward possesses a spork cash out of 2 intervals any reward amount. Sustain is certainly good for brand new all those regarding CasinoLuck. Instances additionally note ones utmost perk membership and enrollment along with the online game games when you should start using thise added bonus products. Nevertheless, hold close to creative imagination which online casino will not likely source lots of net income clear of people close to the sort of benefit. Which is dollars transferred by the person found in the equipment. The income is a good decision the employees adventure the majority unique kinds of online games, actually making it given basically utilizing a decided on class of on-line casinos generally which often perhaps may not work software.

Leave a Reply


text:
$5,399.00 -44%
Ships in 3-5 Business Days

Moe's Home Collection Bent Dining Table Large - VE-1000-03

The Bent Collection is rustic and natural with unfinished edges. Other pieces in the collection include a small dining table, bench, and coffee table. Note that Product depth may vary due to natural wood variation. We understand how important your home is and how decorating your kitchen, dining room or bedrooms with classy, contemporary furnishings can help make it a place that reflects who you are. We believe in the power modern furniture has in creating not just a home but YOUR home. We believe in feeling good about our home's environment, and we think you do too.

Overall Dimensions

118" W x 40" D x 29.5" H

Product Color

Product Material

1 Year - Covered on any manufacturer defect

Some Assembly Required
  • Smaller items ship via
  • Larger Items ship via Freight with curb side delivery (LTL)
  • In-stock orders are typically shipped in 3-5 business days, once shipped orders usually arrive in the following time based on your province.
Ontario, Quebec: 1 - 2 Business Days
Maritimes: 2 - 3 Business Days
Manitoba: 2 - 3 Business Days
Saskatchewan: 3 - 4 Business Days
Alberta: 3 - 5 Business Days
British Columbia: 4 - 6 Business Days
NT, NU, YT: 8 - 10 Business Days

 For more information please refer to our Shipping & Returns page

Just added to your cart:
Excl. postage
Go To Cart
Just added to your wishlist:
Excl. postage
My Wishlist


text:
Tilt Level Control for Hazardous Areas

The Model CT, as manufactured by Conveyor Components Company, is comprised of a Control Unit and Tilt Probe which senses the presence or absence of material.  The intrinsically safe cULus Listed Control Unit is enclosed in a rugged cast aluminum housing with external red and green LED status indicator lights and surface mount printed circuit boards.  Weatherproof, Dust-Ignition Proof and Explosion Proof models are available.  Optional black epoxy powder coating is available for corrosive environments.  The tilt level controllers (CT-105, CT-106 or CT-107) have an intrinsically safe output to the tilt probe and are cULus listed as intrinsically safe when used with the cULus listed tilt probes.

The Model CT is commonly used when other controls won’t work due to bin vibration, or actual bin walls aren’t available for mounting other controls. Typical applications include level detection in hoppers, silos, stackers, crushers and conveyor transfer points.

The CT tilt probes are available as a compact 6” tilt probe or the standard 9” tilt probe and have 25 feet of electrical cable.  Stainless steel probe housings are available as an option.  Float ball and paddle accessories also available for fine-grain materials.

If you would like additional information on this or other products that Conveyor Components Company offers please contact their sales department toll free 800-233-3233, fax 810-679-4510, e-mail info@conveyorcomponents.com or visit their website at www.conveyorcomponents.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
A Kind Obsession

Maybe it’s the taste of a slender stick
or the bottom of a cup
Perhaps the screen and one more click
Or the temptation to give up

It could be the thoughts that float in your head
Or the hardened heart forming
When sleeplessness keeps you out of bed
When your emotions are storming

You could be drawn by something nice
Something that feels so good
At the time it seems like paradise
But you still question if you should

Don’t dip your toe in the stream
Don’t think about giving it a try
Don’t fall for that age old scheme
Don’t settle for that lie

Because I know someone who cares much more
He love you no matter what
Even if you have closed the door
And you think it will always be shut

He accepts you no matter where you have been
He knows your soul by name
He can rescue you from your sin
And release you from your shame

We all have clinged to what we know
We have struggled to survive
We can jump into the cleansing flow
Feet first or even dive

Our kind obsession, He can be
The one our hearts long for
If we give Him the chance to set us free
And reopen that welded door.

-Landon DeCrastos

2 thoughts on “A Kind Obsession

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo

You are commenting using your Google account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s


text:
Zeke Hall, Mobile Workshops Coordinator

APA Missouri Chapter is excited to offer three outstanding mobile workshops and one bonus, self-guided tour during our 2020 conference. All three guided mobile workshops are scheduled during the first day of the conference, Wednesday, October 7th, and will leave from the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center. Conference registration opens at 11:00 AM, so you can plan to arrive early to check-in and then enjoy lunch at one of many nearby restaurants, including Fire & Ice inside the hotel. There will be a conference welcome speech at 1:15 PM and the mobile workshop groups will gather for instructions at 1:30 PM. No workshop will go past 5:00 PM. Due to health considerations, all mobile workshops are capped at 12 participants and everyone is being asked to drive themselves.

To offset this inconvenience, the conference committee has greatly reduced the price traditionally charged for mobile workshops and has set the ticket price for each at $10. We have also developed a bonus tour to help you explore the Great Places of Springfield while you are in town. Each of the bonus locations offer shopping, unique restaurant experiences, and are walking distance to local micro-breweries. Thank you for your interest in the mobile workshops and for your flexibility and understanding of the constraints we are working under to make them possible this year. If you have any questions regarding the mobile workshops, please contact me at ezekiel.hall at modot.mo.gov.

-Zeke Hall

Mobile Workshop A. Back to School: Re-purposing Vacant Historic School Buildings as Community Resource Epicenters

Map: Back to School mobile workshop

This mobile workshop will provide a tour of two historic 100-year old schools that have been rehabilitated and re-purposed to serve the community needs where they are located. The mission of the Drew Lewis Foundation (DLF) at the Fairbanks is to improve the quality of life in under-served urban neighborhoods. Learn about the variety of programs offered including educational and vocational programs, garden-to-table initiatives, public health services, housing resources, and community events. The O'Reilly Center for Hope in the former Pepperdine school is a "one-stop shop" for all affordable housing activities. This community hub provides resources to citizens who are anywhere on the housing continuum from homelessness to affordable home ownership. Participants will hear about the various collaborative actions that took place to redevelop these schools.

Mobile Workshop B. Introduction to Ozark Greenways: Jordan Creek Greenway

This mobile (walking) tour will include a short stroll down a section of the Jordan Creek Greenway Trail that intersects with a variety of public and private projects. Along the walk, representatives from the City of Springfield and Ozark Greenways will provide an overview into the challenges, successes, and future of the Jordan Creek Greenway trail. The tour will include a brief presentation, and introduce participants to a number of adjacent community facilities accessible from the trail including the Creamery - Springfield's Regional Art Center, Jordan Valley Park and Ice Park, and will conclude at the Forward SGF Planning Studio for a brief overview of future projects connected by the Jordan Creek Greenway trail including the Jordan Creek Renewal Project, Grant Avenue Parkway, and West Meadows.

Mobile Workshop C. Eden Village: Confronting Homelessness with Tiny House Villages

Map: Eden Village I & II

This mobile session will involve a tour of the first successful tiny house village for the homeless in Springfield: Eden Village I.  Participants will gain firsthand knowledge of tiny house village design and siting issues, land use challenges, resident outcomes, and planning integration strategies. If time allows, Eden Village II, which has recently broken ground, will also be visited.

FREE Bonus Mobile Tour. Great Places of Springfield: Self-Guided Tour (no CM credits available)

Map: Springfield's Great Places

Get to know the host city of the 2020 APA Missouri Chapter Conference by visiting its designated Great Places. Springfield boasts a recognized Great Neighborhood, Great Place, and Great Street, awarded in 2014, 2015, and 2018 respectively.

  • Rountree Neighborhood is one of historic charm and diversity, conveniently located by the Missouri State University campus and the center-city of Springfield. It is home to 1,100 households from college students to families young and old. It contains a diverse collection of 1900 to 1930's architecture and spacious tree-lined, grid pattern streets. Rountree boasts a unique neighborhood commercial node (which once served as a turn-around for a downtown trolley car), serving neighbors and visitors alike and is a quick bike ride away from professional baseball, performing arts, and a host of unique restaurants. At the center of the neighborhood is the Rountree Elementary School, which opened in 1917 and is today the site of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. Rountree is among three neighborhoods in Springfield with an Urban Conservation District (UCD). Rountree's UCD, approved by Springfield City Council in 1985, is a zoning overlay district with special standards, recognizing and protecting the unique nature of the area.
  • Park Central Square has been  a great public space in Springfield since the 1800's. Today, the Square is the main public gathering place in Springfield and hosts demonstrations, rallies, parades, festivals, concerts, nightlife, outdoor cafes, and much more. With public art, access to public transportation, historic charm, and modern amenities, the Square is a hub of activity and a magnet for redevelopment.
  • Historic C-Street (Commercial Street) is located in the oldest part of Springfield. This six-block local and National Register Historic District enjoys the grassroots support of local businesses and property owners who advocate for its preservation and pursue resources and incentives for continued investment. The Commercial Club, a local merchants association, was established in 1930. Local public art is displayed along the corridor, which is lined with infill redevelopment and renovated historic buildings. The street boasts a diverse range of locally-owned art galleries, service organizations, flea markets, unique restaurants, shops, small offices, loft living, and small bars with live music venues. An iconic site on C-Street is the Historic Jefferson Avenue Footbridge, constructed in 1902, which spans thirteen tracks of the BNSF rail yard. A Saturday open air market from April-October provides access to healthy foods and local wares, while a variety of annual street festivals throughout the year such as Pets & Pumpkins, Heroes & Holidays, and Summer Solstice Art Fair bring residents of all ages together. In 2009, the Commercial Street Community Improvement District was established and assists in maintenance and development of the corridor while residents and businesses have incorporated sustainable design and green development. C-Street is a target area for the City’s Brownfields Program, helping to characterize and assess over 20 redevelopment properties. Historic C-Street truly epitomizes a great street as it brings people together to both preserve important historic assets but also plan for the future.


text:
MU School of Medicine: Working to meet health needs in rural Missouri

According to a 2017 report by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 99 of 115 Missouri counties don’t have enough physicians, with 86 percent of the state classified as health profession shortage areas.

Michelle Kenney has many different skills. As a native Missourian raised on a farm north of Kirksville, Missouri, she can round up a herd of cattle and load hay to feed them. As a resident physician trained in pediatric medicine at the University of Missouri, she can check the heartbeat of children and provide care for them.

Kenney’s unique set of skills represent the accumulated experience of life on a farm, four years at the MU School of Medicine, three years of physician residency, a passion for keeping children healthy and an awareness of the rural physician shortage in Missouri and throughout the country.

“This has been an ongoing problem for years and it’s likely to get worse,” Kenney said. “I feel like everyone should have good care, and it should be available and not something that is granted only to people in urban areas. If we’re ever going to target the overall health of the country, access is huge.”

According to a 2017 report by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 99 of 115 Missouri counties don’t have enough physicians, with 86 percent of the state classified as health profession shortage areas.

Kathleen Quinn, PhD, associate dean for rural health at the MU School of Medicine, said it has long been hard to recruit new doctors to rural America and, specifically, to rural Missouri.

“In Missouri, about 18 percent of physicians practice in rural communities but 37 percent of our population lives there,” Quinn said. “We really need more physicians in rural communities to meet the health care needs of rural Missouri.”

To address this problem, the MU School of Medicine has added a program to train doctors to provide health care in rural communities. The program gives resident physicians the option to do a one-month rotation in a rural clinic – giving them real-life experience practicing rural medicine. The rural residency program is funded by an annual $200,000 Rural Medical Services grant from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The program plays an important role for resident physicians considering rural medicine. Kenney’s family still resides on the cattle farm a few miles north of Kirksville where she grew up. She had always dreamed of moving back to her hometown, helping her dad with the farm and practicing medicine, but she wasn’t completely sure how she was going to do that.

“A lot of us who grew up in rural communities start with the goal of going back to that community after medical school, but things change in residencies when you’re used to practicing in an academic setting,” Kenney said. “I didn’t feel like I understood exactly what it would be like to practice in a rural area until I got the chance to actually try it.”

Her experiences during the rotation in March 2017 prepared her for many of the unique challenges that come with rural medicine. That hands-on experience is what ultimately led Kenney to commit to practicing medicine near her hometown.

“One of the biggest concerns is the perception that you’re a little bit more isolated in a rural area,” Kenney said. “I discovered there are more resources for rural physicians than I thought. Also, I did enjoy the challenges of stretching my skills into other specialty areas.”

Kenney also found some unique benefits of rural practice. Rural patients were genuinely more excited to see her because they understood the scarcity of doctors in rural communities. She was also able to see more patients every day. That gave her experience diagnosing and treating the wide variety of illnesses and conditions that rural physicians handle daily.

Resident physicians in MU’s rural residency program hear rural physicians and representatives from rural healthcare systems speak about the practice of rural medicine. In addition, physicians who are committed to working in underserved communities may qualify for a loan repayment from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services through the Rural Medical Services grant.

Since the MU program began in 2016, four resident physicians have completed it, and all plan to work in rural areas when they graduate in May 2018.

“Of our medical students who have participated in one of the rural medical programs offered at MU since 1995, 45 percent ended up practicing in rural Missouri,” Quinn said. “Our recent graduates include Lindsey Letner, a family practitioner in Cameron, Missouri; Trevin and Fallon Mayabb, obstetricians in Sikeston, Missouri; and Dayna Jett, a family practitioner in Branson, Missouri. We want to add even more physicians to rural Missouri with this program. It gives resident physicians valuable experience and confirmation that rural medicine is what they want to do. If they train in a specific rural community, they’re more likely to go back and work there.”

After Kenney completes her residency in May 2018, she plans to return to her roots and put her medical expertise into practice at Northeast Missouri Health Council Pediatrics, a children’s health clinic in Kirksville, Mo. Meanwhile, her husband, Martin, will be the one rounding up cattle on the family farm.

Source: Hannibal Courier-Post