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End-of-March musings

March is a month of contrasts. The worst of winter and best of spring. Daffodils pushing through brown grass. Rain and sunshine.

Our days have contrasted as well — a couple of very busy weeks followed by laid-back ones.

I started off the very first March weekend with my second writer’s conference. Though I enjoyed and learned from the first one, I gleaned so much more from this one. The keynote speaker, Karissa Culbreath, had some excellent sessions. I benefited from great workshops and meetings and an immensely helpful and encouraging critique of my partial manuscript submission. And! I won a prize in a devotional writing contest and an opportunity for a chapter of mine to be included in an anthology. Exciting! And encouraging that there has been improvement in the last year.

I am sorry to say I have not accomplished much on the writing front since then. Distracted by other things, I guess. I did incorporate the suggestions made by the person who critiqued my manuscript at the writer’s conference, and I keep a running list of notes about things to add or adjust. I think the difficulty is that now I need to go back and shape up each chapter, and the first one needs the most work. In some ways that’s harder than just getting my thoughts out in the first place. But I will get back to it as soon as possible!

The very next week after the conference, we celebrated my dear husband’s birthday and I had a follow-up appointment six months from my physical (with good results, thankfully). This is the only card I hand-made this month.

We also celebrated with my middle son his one billionth second of life. 🙂

My favorite Timothyism of the month: Evidently when we get up from a sitting position, we often remark that we “must be getting old.” So one evening as I got up from the dining chair and groaned a little, my four-year-old grandson said, “Are you old now?” Getting there! Much too quickly!

Around the house

After the scheduled events settled down, the activity around the house picked up. The weekend I was away, Jim took up the carpet that was in our bathroom and replaced it with new flooring.

Much improved! Now the search is on for wall paint and bath mats. The first sample paint we tried was too blue and we’ve yet to try another one. I found some pink and grey striped bath mats, but they looked a little too busy – plus they had all kinds of strings hanging from them after washing them. I think I need mostly solid-colored ones.

Jim’s also been busy transforming the room his mom lived in for the last five years back into his office. We’d had some of her equipment (Hoyer lift, Broda chair) on sale on Facebook and Craig’s list, hoping to recoup some expenses plus get them to someone who needed them. But we didn’t have any takers. Jim has a colleague who was helping some friends, a husband taking care of his wife, and Jim offered to give the equipment to them. At least he had the satisfaction of knowing it was a help to someone.

He took some things off walls, patched and painted holes and dents, and rearranged a few things. He has a way to hook up his computer to her TV, so he has an extra screen. He mounted the TV on the wall to give his desk (an old table) more surface space. My son and daughter-in-law had a photo blown up and printed on wood that my oldest son had taken of the Snake River Canyon when we were in Idaho and given it to Jim on his birthday. They had Romans 8:18 printed in the corner, a verse that was special to us when Jim’s mom passed away. He was able to get that up on his office wall.

I couldn’t get a picture without the shadow of my arms in it – it looks much better in person!

The room is starting to look a lot more like his own space now. I’m so happy for him to have it. Not just because I don’t have to listen to one-sided business conversations any more. 🙂 But he really didn’t have his own spot to work, spread things out and leave them, etc., and now he does.

I don’t usually go on a cleaning frenzy just because of a date on the calendar. But recently I’ve noticed that our kitchen cabinets were in sad shape: dusty inside and out. Plus I needed to create some space for our small blenders (one an immersion blender and the other a “Magic Bullet” type, though not that brand). We had used them several times a day to puree Jim’s mom’s food, and washed them by hand and left them in the dish drainer for the next time. Since we’re not using them so often any more, I needed to find a spot inside for them. I followed my friend Dianna‘s example and just did a section at a time. I started with the easy ones – the cabinets that were already organized but just needed everything taken out and the shelves dusted. Now they’re all done except the biggest two that are going to need the most work. Though my goal was cleaning and rearranging, I have found a few things to get rid of.

I’ve been struggling (again) with exercise. I benefit from the gym but hate the traveling time and the time involved changing into special clothes and back – as well as the time it takes just to exercise. But I can tell such a difference in my stamina when I am exercising regularly. So the past week or two I’ve been using some walking DVDs I have at home. Jim has been looking for a used exercise bike – the thing I use most at the gym – and just found one over the weekend. I’ve already put it to use and plan to keep at it!.

I’ve enjoyed a lot of good reading this month! I’ve finished the following and have linked back to my reviews:

Laura Ingall’s Wilder’s Fairy Poems, compiled by Stephen Hines

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook compiled and edited by Eugenia Garson. Music and a little background of the songs mentioned in the Little House books.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis by Patti Callahan, a fiction based-on-fact account of C. S. Lewis’s wife.

Steal Away Home: Charles Spurgeon and Thomas Johnson, Unlikely Friends on the Passage to Freedom by Matt Carter and Aaron Ivey, another fictional book based on the true friendship of C. H. Spurgeon and a freed slave, Thomas Johnson.

Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke, a novel about the daughter of an American genetic scientist who hides and saves the deaf daughter of a friend. Excellent! My first book by Gohlke, but not my last.

Love Is Not a Special Way of Feeling, a reprint of Charles G. Finney’s Attributes of Love by another name. Difficult to read, and I disagreed with several points, but did glean a few helpful thoughts.

She Makes It Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen, about a “perfect” friend who is not really so perfect after all.

The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright, a novel about a family’s discovery, after their parents’ deaths, that the father had written a letter to his wife ever Wednesday of their 39 years together.

I’ve just finished but have not yet reviewed The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser and How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn.

I’m currently reading Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me by Karen Swallow Prior, How to Understand and Apply the New Testament by Andrew Naselli, The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, and I’ll Watch the Moon by Ann Tatlock.

Around the blog

Besides the book reviews and weekly Friday’s Fave Fives, I’ve shared:

And that wraps up another month!

(Shannan invites us to share our end-of-month round-up posts, what we’re into, what’s keeping us sane. Also sharing with Literary Musing Monday, Woman to Woman Word-filled Wednesday, Quick Lit)

Laudable Linkage

Here are a few interesting reads found on the web lately:

Next in the Sexual Revolution: Children. HT to Proclaim and Defend. “They claim children are sexual beings too and who are we to deny a consenting child that right?” Scary and appalling.

Matthew 18 is Not Instructive for Book Reviews, But Much of the New Testament Is, HT to Challies. “‘Did you contact the author privately before you posted the review?’ . . . The question invokes the well-known, but oft-misunderstood, church discipline passage in Matthew 18:15-20.”

The Miracle That Can Happen When You’re Tired. “They were tired. They were overworked. They were hungry. Which just so happens to be the perfect time for God to display His power.”

Who Says Social Media Can’t Make You Wise? HT to True Woman. “Ten years of social media has shown me the wisdom of being slow to speak, how comparison kills joy, how in-person friendship knows no substitute. But it has also taught me the sweetness of the well-timed word of encouragement, of shared celebrations and shared losses. Used wisely, a virtual platform can actually minister. For those indwelt by the Spirit, wisdom can be unearthed from even such common soil as social media.”

14 Stunning Illustrations That Perfectly Capture the Introverts Love of Books, HT to Linda

The $8,000 Mistake All Bloggers Should Beware. I forget where I saw this one. “Copyright laws have created and enabled an industry of predatory lawyers – also known as copyright trolls. These attorneys take advantage of photographers and artists who make their images available online, as well as the bloggers who don’t know any better and post the wrong content to their sites.” Apparently they don’t have to warn you first and give you a chance to take it down. We all know (or should) that just because a photo is on the Internet doesn’t mean we can use it. But apparently some of the instances we thought were ok, like a link back to the original site, don’t justify the use of the photo.

You’re Using a Cutting Board Incorrectly, HT to Challies. I never knew! But it makes sense!

And, finally, someone on Facebook posted this video of a baby trying chocolate milk for the first time. Adorable!

Happy Saturday!

Friday’s Fave Five

It’s Friday, time to look back over the blessings of the week with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and other friends.

Here are a few of my favorite things from the last week:

1. Jason’s one-billionth second. Somehow my son Jason had determined a while back that his one-billionth second of life would occur this week. So Mittu, his wife, cooked up a little surprise celebration and asked us over for it. Fun!

My grandson had not known we were coming, and he was out with his dad in the front yard riding his tricycle as we approached the house. As soon as he realized it was us, he started pumping his arms up and down, then started tapping my door after we parked, and gave me a hug as soon as I got out of the car. There’s nothing like being so warmly greeted by a sweet little boy.

2. Good news. My oldest son is looking to buy his first home, and we’ve enjoyed reports that the process is coming along. Especially good was that his credit number was better than when he first looked at it – turns out if you have a dispute over a charge on your credit card, that card isn’t listed in your credit report. Thankfully, on the second check, his number was back up there where it should be.

3. An insulated drink holder. I recently discovered this. My soft drinks tend to lose their coldness too soon. I don’t like to use ice, because it dilutes them. This helps!

4. More out-of-the-ordinary tasks accomplished. I don’t spring clean per se, but lately I’ve noticed my kitchen cabinets looking dusty inside and out. Last Saturday I cleaned the outside of all of them. I’m taking the insides a bit at a time and have gotten most of the upper cabinets done. It’s a nice feeling to be getting that done.

5. Fluffy pillows. I *love* how my pillows feel just after I’ve washed and dried them.

Happy Friday!

Book Review: The Wednesday Letters

Jack and Laurel Cooper were married for 39 years. The last few years they’ ran a bed-and-breakfast in VA. Jack had been battling cancer and knew his time was short. Laurel had heart issues they were both unaware of. At the end of the first chapter, Jack and Laurel died in each other’s arms.

The Coopers had three adult children. Matthew, the oldest, is a tightly wound businessman. Samantha, the only daughter, is a police officer who originally wanted to be an actress. Malcolm, the youngest, is a bit of a wild card, living in South America and writing a book at the time of his parents’ deaths.

As the three converge at their parents’ place and start going through papers, they discover a collection of letters. They had never known that their father wrote a letter to their mother every Wednesday of their marriage. Some are fun (especially one about a chance meeting with Elvis). Some recall daily or major events, some are silly, some are poignant. Some reveal deep and painful secrets that are of particular consequence to Malcolm. Can he forgive as his parents forgave?

I first saw this book advertised in the Victoria Trading Company catalog and thought it sounded interesting. Because it was in that catalog, I thought it would be from the Victorian era. Instead, it’s set in 1988. I don’t often take chances with modern secular fiction, unless I have heard favorable reviews from someone I trust, because it usually contains bad language or explicit scenes. But I decided to go ahead with this book. And I was pleasantly surprised. There were no objectionable elements, and the story was well-written and touching with an undercurrent of faith.

I did not know until after I finished the book and was looking for more information that the author is a Mormon. I have serious disagreements with much Mormon doctrine, but I didn’t pick up on anything of that nature in the story.

Book Review: She Makes It Look Easy

In the novel She Makes It Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen, Ariel Baxter is a stay-at-home mom and photographer. Her photography side business has taken off to such a degree that she and her husband can afford a nice new home in a neighborhood she has dreamed of living in for years. Though Ariel has her gifts, her life and home are disorganized and chaotic.

Through my lens I watched the dynamic of friendship play out among Heather and her friends: the familiarity laced with timidity, the chance to open up paired with the fear of being exposed, the awkward dance of really knowing another person. . . somehow the girls always found a way to come back together, to find what made them stick and hold on to that. I envied their natural rapport, the ease that can only come with time together. How ironic, I thought as I focused and clicked, that these girls already had what I couldn’t seem to find.

Ariel’s neighbor, Justine is one of those women who has it all together. She’s pretty, fit, perfectly made up for a pool party, her daughters wear matching outfits. She’s organized – she even has an organizing notebook! And she’s creative and speaks to her church’s ladies’ group.

Ariel is delighted that Justine deigns to befriend her and help her start organizing and exercising. As they spend more time together, Ariel is sometimes frustrated that Justine calls the shots in what they do. But she doesn’t want to jeopardize the friendship, so she goes along. She even acquiesces when Justine steers her away from another neighbor, Erica, whom Ariel actually likes.

As events unfold, we see that Justine’ life is not as perfect as everyone else thinks. She may be organized, but her happiness, marriage, and spiritual life are facades.

We had been living in denial for months, fooling ourselves into thinking that we were safe if we stayed inside the bubble of our affluent neighborhood, not realizing that’s the problem with bubbles: They shimmer and shine, but they burst easily.

I think we all have a little bit of Eve in us. She had perfection and everything she could ever want and still she reached for more.

I fell asleep praying for the strength to do what was right and for God to guard me from situations that could land me in the same situation Justine had gotten herself into. I was learning we all need protection from ourselves.

The not-so-subtle theme of the book is that no one is perfect and we shouldn’t put people up on pedestals. No matter how great everything looks on the outside, we all have our issues. While I think this is an important point, and we get into a lot of trouble comparing ourselves to each other, I felt the author took the theme and characters to extremes. I don’t think she’s saying that organized, put-together people are bad and disorganized people with messy lives are on the right track, but it almost looks that way in the book.

Another theme is the contrast between healthy and toxic friendships. Justine is the suburban equivalent of the “queen bee” at school whose favor almost everyone seeks and who decides who is “in” and “out.” Ariel’s just glad to be “in” at first and she’s entirely too trusting. Slowly and painfully her eyes are opened to the truth.

Motivations are another key factor. Justine seems to be primarily motivated by finding “happiness,” even if it takes her on a path that she knows is wrong. Her organization, ministries, and everything else were not for God and His glory or to benefit her family and others. They were her personal search for significance.

Some readers would want to know that a couple of characters engage in adultery, but there are no explicit scenes.

Overall, this story uncovers important truths to consider in our friendships, motivations, our evaluation of ourselves, and our walk with the Lord.

(Sharing with Carole’s Books You Loved)

The humility of wisdom

When’s the last time you heard anyone say they needed wisdom? About the only time I hear anyone mention wisdom is in regard to a particular situation. “I need wisdom about this job decision.” I’m praying for wisdom for dealing with Johnny’s continued disobedience.”

But when is the last time we thought about our need for wisdom just to live our everyday lives for God’s honor and glory? We often pray that He will guide us, provide for us, forgive us. But do we pray for wisdom? Do we value wisdom as the Bible does?

Or do we plunge ahead with our day and our plans, thinking we know everything we need to and can make our own choices?

Our church has been reading through Proverbs together the last few weeks. If you’re familiar at all with Proverbs, you know it is all about wisdom. I don’t think there is a chapter that doesn’t mention it. And since we’ve been camped out there, the need for and value of wisdom have been emphasized repeatedly and in varying ways.

A full-scale study of wisdom would take more space than a blog post allows. But what struck me most during this reading is the humility of wisdom.

It takes humility to understand that we need wisdom, that to go our own way often leads us astray.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
 Proverbs 14:12

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Proverbs 9:10

It takes humility to search for wisdom, to acknowledged that I don’t have it, and no matter how much I have, I need more.

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5

It takes humility to receive and instruction, and even more to receive rebuke. I was familiar with one or two verses about it being wise to receive reproof,  but I’ve noted 19 so far! Here are a few:

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Proverbs 25:12

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.
Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Proverbs 15:31-33

By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.
 Proverbs 13:10

If someone tries to correct us, is our first response, “I better take heed: I might gain some wisdom from this?” No, our first response is anger with thoughts of “Who do you think you are?” and “Don’t judge me!” But the Bible says the wise person listens and learns. By contrast, “A scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (Proverbs 13:1) and “He who hates reproof is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1).

It’s scary to think of the personal consequences of rejecting reproof: it’s even more scary to realize that my lack of listening to instruction can negatively affect others. “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray” (Proverbs 10:17).

I wonder if this lack of realization of our need for wisdom is behind our subtle ageism, even in the church. Once when visiting a new church, someone was showing us where the various classes were, and as we passed one door, our guide said, “Oh, you don’t want that one. That’s where the older folks are.” One younger lady told me she didn’t come to our ladies’ meetings because she thought only older ladies attended – even though at that time most of the attendees were just in their forties. Instead of deeming older people as worthy of our time and drawing on their wisdom, we label them out of touch, too slow, not “with it.” Proverbs honors older saints and the value of listening to authorities.

Of course, the need for wisdom runs throughout the Bible, not just Proverbs. One notable passage says:

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. Colossians 2:1-4.

May we continually seek Him and His wisdom through His Word.

(Sharing with Inspire Me Monday, Literary Musing Monday, Tell His Story, Let’s Have Coffee, Porch Stories, Wise Woman, Faith on Fire, Grace and Truth. Links do not imply complete endorsement)

Friday’s Fave Five

It’s Friday, time to look back over the blessings of the week with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and other friends.

Here are a few of my favorite things from the last week:

1. Lunch with a friend. A joyous time of talking together and a wonderful lunch – an entree I had not tried before and loved. (So much, in fact, that I ordered it again yesterday when my son and I got take-out to bring home!)

2. A church potluck. Good stuff, good times. Added bonus: I’ll spare you the details, but I had to adjust what I was making from the recipe’s instructions to work around the time constraints, and I was concerned about it being not done enough or overdone. But it came out just right! Thank you, Lord!

3. Time with the grandson while his parents went out on a date. Among other things, he and his granddad made slime and put together and flew a balsa wood plane. His parents brought over frozen mini tacos and Mexican rice for an easy dinner (and one that he likes).

4. Getting some “extra” cleaning tasks done – those that are occasional rather than weekly or monthly.

5. Pill sorters. Sometimes it’s the little things. I used to keep a running list of what pill I was taking at what time, otherwise I could never remember. I used one of these containers that divides your medicine into different days of the week for a trip, and I have been using it ever since.

Bonus: The first day of spring! One of my favorite days of the year! Even though this winter was not as bad as previous ones, there were enough bone-chilling cold days and bleak landscapes to make me long for spring. I don’t have my spring decorations out just yet – hopefully this weekend.

Happy Friday!

Book Review: Love Is Not a Special Way of Feeling

I’ve mentioned before that I sometimes struggle with the concept that Christian love, agape love, is said to be more about what we do than how we feel. Yet 1 Corinthians 13 warns that we can do notable, even sacrificial things without love, which sounds like clanging gongs and such. So if I go through the motions of, say, caregiving without feeling warm and loving about it, is that lacking in Christlikeness and therefore assigned to the gong department?

Evidently this question has been on my mind for a long time, because I got this book, Love Is Not a Special Way of Feeling, way back in college. Yet, somehow, I never got around to reading it. I just rediscovered it recently and determined to get it read this year.

First of all, I do not know much about the author, Charles G. Finney. I had heard him quoted favorably in my first few years as a Christian (which probably was a factor in my picking up this book). In more recent years I’ve heard him referred to negatively as somewhat manipulative in his revivalist methods. His Wikipedia page says he was an advocate of Christian perfectionism, which I do not believe in (not until heaven, anyway). So I especially prayed for discernment while reading this book.

As it turns out, the text of this 1963 book is taken from a section of Finney’s 1846 Lectures on Systematic Theology titled “Attributes of Love.” The latter is much more accurate. The back of the 1963 books admits the new title was an attention-getting device.

After a chapter on “What is Implied in Obedience to the Moral Law?” Finney discusses three to four attributes per chapter. Some you would expect: kindness, impartiality, holiness, truth, justice, sincerity, self-denial. Some were a surprise and took a bit of reading to discern how he meant them in regard to love: economy, efficiency, severity, complacency, and others. Some words have changed since the book was originally written. Finney supports some of these attributes with Scripture; others seem based on conjecture.

The language was very difficult to work through: the back of the book and the foreword concede that. But if I am reading him correctly, he seems to be saying that emotions are in themselves neutral. They are only good or bad depending on one’s will or intention. Anger can be a sin or not, depending on what one is angry about. There’s a righteous anger against wrong-doing, like slavery, human trafficking, abuse, etc. But there’s an anger the Bible warns against, especially in Proverbs, Colossians, and Ephesians. I don’t think I’d agree entirely with the thought that emotions are totally neutral, because some of them spring from my sinful nature before I even have time to think about will and intent.

On the other hand, faith is not based of feelings: it is based on facts. He remarks rightly, I believe, that too many Christians, when asked about their spiritual life, will reply with how they feel.

They judge their religious state not by the end for which they live–that is, by their choice or intention–but by their emotions. If they find themselves strongly exercised with emotions of love to God, they look upon themselves as in a state well-pleasing to God. But if their feelings or emotions of love are not active, they of course judge themselves to have little or no religion (p. 31).

I agree that our spirituality is not just a matter of our feelings. But I disagree “that feeling and outward action are only results of ultimate intention and in themselves neither virtue or vice” (p. 125).

Some of Finney’s statements were helpful. Some I strongly disagreed with.

The biggest takeaway from the book for me was that a thought or feeling can sometimes be just a temptation and not a sin in itself. I’m sure I knew this to a degree, but these pages brought it home to me in a new way.

Patience as a phenomenon of the will, tends to patience as a phenomenon of the sensibility. That is, the quality of fixedness and steadfastness in the intention naturally tends to keep down and allay impatience of temper. As, however, the states of the sensibility are not directly under the control of the will, there may be irritable or impatient feelings, when the heart remains steadfast. Facts or falsehoods may be suggested to the mind which may, in despite of the will, produce a ruffling of the sensibility, even when the heart remains patient. The only way in which a temptation, for it is only a temptation while the will abides firm to its purpose, I say, the only way in which a temptation of this kind can be disposed of, is by diverting the attention from that view of the subject that creates the disturbance in the sensibility. I should have said before, that although the will controls the feelings by a law of necessity, yet, as it does not do so directly, but indirectly, it may and does often happen, that feelings corresponding to the state of the will do not exist in the sensibility. Nay, for a time, a state of the sensibility may exist which is the opposite of the state of the will. From this source arise many, and indeed most, of our temptations (pp. 66-67).

I wish now, then, to state distinctly what I should have said before, that the state or choice of the will does not necessarily so control the feelings, desires, or emotions, that these may never be strongly excited by Satan or by circumstances, in opposition to the will, and thus become powerful temptations to seek their gratification, instead of seeking the highest good of being. Feelings, the gratification of which would be opposed to every attribute of benevolence, may at times co-exist with benevolence, and be a temptation to selfishness; but opposing acts of will cannot co-exist with benevolence. All that can be truly said is, that as the will has an indirect control of the feelings, desires, appetites, passions, etc., it can suppress any class of feelings when they arise, by diverting the attention from their causes, or by taking into consideration such views and facts as will calm or change the state of the sensibility. Irritable feelings, or what is commonly called impatience, may be directly caused by ill health, irritable nerves, and by many things over which the will has no direct control. But this is not impatience in the sense of sin. If these feelings are not suffered to influence the will; if the will abides in patience; if such feelings are not cherished, and are not suffered to shake the integrity of the will; they are not sin. That is, the will does not consent to them, but the contrary. They are only temptations. If they are allowed to control the will, to break forth in words and actions, then there is sin; but the sin does not consist in the feelings, but in the consent of the will, to gratify them. Thus, the apostle says, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” That is, if anger arise in the feelings and sensibility, do not sin by suffering it to control your will. Do not cherish the feeling, and let not the sun go down upon it. For this cherishing it is sin. When it is cherished, the will consents and broods over the cause of it; this is sin. But if it be not cherished, it is not sin (pp. 67-68).

The example from which Finney posits this truth is Christ in Gethsemane.

Patience as a phenomenon of the will must strengthen and gird itself under such circumstances, so that patience of will may be, and if it exist at all, must be, in exact proportion to the impatience of the sensibility. The more impatience of sensibility there is, the more patience of will there must be, or virtue will cease altogether. So that it is not always true, that virtue is strongest when the sensibility is most calm, placid, and patient. When Christ passed through his greatest conflicts, his virtue as a man was undoubtedly most intense. When in his agony in the garden, so great was the anguish of his sensibility, that he sweat as it were great drops of blood. This, he says, was the hour of the prince of darkness. This was his great trial. But did he sin? No, indeed. But why? Was he calm and placid as a summer’s evening? As far from it as possible.

Patience, then, as an attribute of benevolence, consists, not in placid feeling, but in perseverance under trials and states of the sensibility that tend to selfishness. This is only benevolence viewed in a certain aspect. It is benevolence under circumstances of discouragement, of trial, or temptation. “This is the patience of the saints.” (pp. 69-70).

In conclusion, at the very least I can say that I have finally read this book. I gained perhaps a bit more insight into my original question of faith vs. feeling, but not a definitive answer.

As I have thought through this repeatedly over the years, I agree that love sometimes means doing the right thing despite feelings. A weary mom awakened by her baby for a 2 a.m. feeding probably doesn’t feel warm and loving at first. She probably feels groggy and maybe even grumpy at having to get up in the middle of the night. But those warm, loving feelings kick in later. I don’t necessarily feel the joy of ministering to my family as I make dinner: sometimes I am frustrated at not being able to finish whatever I was doing. I don’t feel kind and loving when I’m interrupted at the computer just when I’m on a roll in my writing. And some of those irritations at being interrupted are selfish. But the kind and loving thing to do is to give my attention to my loved one and hope that the brilliant ( 🙂 ) thoughts come back to me later. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:17, KJV). But, hopefully, as I grow in the Lord, my feelings as well as my actions will line up more and more with a true expression of godly love.

Book Review: Saving Amelie

AmelieIn the novel Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke, American Rachel Kramer’s dreams for her life do not match her father’s, so she is eager to get away and start her own life. But she agrees to accompany him for one last trip together to Germany in 1939.

Her father, Dr. Kramer, has done extensive work in the field of genetics, specifically eugenics. Motivated by a desire to eradicate tuberculosis, he argues for sterilization of those who might spread the disease. He shares his work with German scientists who want to apply eugenics much more broadly.

While in Germany, Rachel plans to meet with an old friend, Kristine. But instead of a joyful reunion, Rachel is alarmed at the changes. Kristine is cowed by her controlling husband, SS officer Gerhardt Schlick. Furthermore, Kristine is afraid for the life of her daughter, Amelie, who is deaf and thereby a blight on Gerhardt’s Aryan bloodline. Kristine begs Rachel to take Amelie away before something terrible happens to her. But Rachel has her own plans. She’s not good with children and doesn’t know how she would ever get her out, much less what to do with her afterward.

But as Rachel checks further into her father’s research, she finds that eugenics goes far beyond the prevention of disease, and the German scientists are running experiments on a wide variety people whom they deem imperfect in some way. She’s further stunned to find that she herself has been an object of experimentation, and she has a family she never knew of.

American journalist Jason Young’s reports have been censored by the authorities before leaving the country. But even though his reporting has been hampered, he’s aware of much more than he lets on. At first he thinks Rachel is a part of the Nazi regime and scientific community, then realizes she doesn’t know the full extent of it. Once she does, they join together to save Amelie and others, even crossing paths with theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Rachel herself has to go into hiding, with Gerhardt Schlick determined to find her.

This is the first book I’ve read by Cathy Gohlke, but it won’t be the last. Not only was the story was riveting, but Cathy deftly showed how some of the policies of that day are making inroads in modern times, with some less than perfect children deemed unworthy of life. I love how she wove the philosophical discussion in without weighing down the action of the story. The secondary characters are just as well-drawn as the main ones. Highly recommended.

(Sharing with Literary Musing Monday, Carole’s Books You Loved)

Press on toward the goal

There is a tension in life between satisfaction with where we are and the need to grow in various areas. Coaches encourage and applaud athletes’ efforts and milestones while still pressing them to do more and do better. Parents celebrate and reward good grades and bolster their students for the next test or project. Performance reviews acknowledge an employee’s strengths and successes, but they also note areas where the employee needs to grow and improve. A wise coach, parent, teacher, supervisor, or mentor has to constantly seek balance, avoiding the stance of a slave-driving task-master who is never satisfied with anything less than perfection on one hand and that of the indulgent grandmother who never sees a fault on the other hand. And we need to seek that same balance with ourselves.

I see some of this same tension in the Bible, particularly Paul’s epistles.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10, Paul writes, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more.”

Paul prays that the Philippians’ “love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9).

In Colossians, Paul proclaims: “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (1:27-29). Christ is in those of us who believe in Him, yet there is a sense in which we grow in maturity in Him.

In Philippians 3, Paul acknowledges that he’s still in a state of growth and hasn’t reached perfection yet. We often use his statement in verse 13, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,” as an encouragement to forget the sins and failures of the past. But what Paul is setting aside in that passage is his past laurels (verses 4-11).

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11, ESV).

Our righteousness comes by faith in Christ, not our efforts. Our own efforts could never measure up. Yet there is still a “straining forward” toward growth in maturity.

Sometimes perfectionists can be thoroughly discouraged that no matter how much progress we’ve made, we’ll never get to the point where we don’t have something to work on. But we won’t be perfect until we reach heaven. Part of Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:11 is that we may “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” That fruit comes from God. But fruit also conveys the idea of growth. And growth takes time.

On the other hand, some of us are prone to inertia. “Good enough” is sufficient for some ares of life. I once heard of someone who boasted that when she made the bed, the sheets were stretched so firm and tight that a quarter could bounce off them. And I thought, “Whatever for?” I’m all for a neatly made bed, but a good-enough made bed falls far below quarter-bouncing standards for me. But “good enough” isn’t sufficient for spiritual growth.  We need that prodding to keep pressing on.

In recent years it’s become common to read of our “mess” in an effort to be transparent and authentic. We’re not perfect and we shouldn’t try to put forth a false perfect image, so we need to pull back the curtain and let people see our flaws and failures. And there’s truth in those thoughts. We can more readily identify with someone who doesn’t seem to have it all together all the time. Yet it’s easy to go so far as to glory in our “mess” instead of progressing.

Or we can feel that the progress we’re making in most areas offsets the areas we’re struggling with. We all have our besetting sins, after all. One son once got upset that I pointed out the one area of his report card that needed attention instead of being satisfied with the rest of commendable grades. While I needed to remember to acknowledge the good grades, I couldn’t overlook the bad one.

While fruit in our lives comes from God, He also calls us to pursue wisdom (Proverbs), love (1 Corinthians 14:1), righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11), peace (2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Peter 3:11).

Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” We’re made perfect in Christ when we believe on Him for salvation. But while we live here on earth, we still have our old nature, which fights against the new one we received at salvation (Galatians 5:16-17). That process of growth toward Christlikeness is called sanctification. Romans 12:2 tells us we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds, and one way we do that is by changing our thinking, lining it up with what God’s Word says, putting specific Scriptures in our minds that the Holy Spirit can then use to remind us.

The standard the Bible continually points to is Christ. We’ll never be Christ. But we don’t rest in self-satisfaction with how we’ve grown over the past ten years or how far we are compared to others: we grow towards His likeness. Yet we will stumble and fall, and we extend grace to ourselves while still making progress. II Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As we behold Him in His Word, He changes us to become more like Him.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14, ESV).

(Sharing with Inspire Me Monday, Literary Musing Monday, Tell His Story, Let’s Have Coffee, Woman to Woman Word-filled Wednesday, Titus 2 Wise Woman, Faith on Fire, Grace and Truth)


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Canon L-50 Compatible Toner Replaces L50 Laser Toner

Department: Office Products > Office & School Supplies > Printer Ink & Toner > Laser Printer Drums & Toner

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    • Remanufactured toner cartridge unconditionally guaranteed to provide same performance and reliability as genuine Canon cartridges.
    • Full 1 year warranty against manufacturer defects and print quality.
    • Green product - contains up to 90 recycled non-wearing components.
Marketplace Price Updated
Amazon $22.75 02/13/2019 16:30:07 GMT -
Sellers Details
Amazon Description $22.75
This premium quality remanufactured toner cartridge is guaranteed to work in your matching Canon machine while providing substantial cost savings over comparable genuine supplies. With a full, unconditional 1 year warranty against defects and a money-back performance guarantee, this toner cartridge provides the purchasing confidence and ease-of-mind you demand when buying aftermarket supplies. Plus, since this cartridge reuses up to 90% of non-wearing components, you can feel good about your purchase knowing that you are using a green product which prevents millions of pounds of plastic and metal from entering our landfills each year.
Price as of 02/13/2019 16:30:07 GMT
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MPN L-50
UPC 877083016774
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Part Number L-50
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Product Group Office Product
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text:
So What’s This Site About?

It's about teaching, training and managing in the TEFL industry.

It's for all us hard-working folks who take pride in their work, who care about their students, and who want to improve their skills.

I write this blog to help others, and to clarify my own thoughts.

My Journey

I'm David Weller - a TEFL teacher, trainer, manager and insatiable coffee drinker.

I started teaching in 2003, and since then I've been a teacher, trainer, examiner, manager, regional manager and just about everything else. Along the way I’ve also completed the Trinity DipTESOL and a Master's in TESOL. I think it's fair to say that I'm going to be a TEFL 'lifer'.

I started this blog back in 2013, partly to organise my thoughts on particular topics and partly to create something of value (I hope!) to other folks in the TEFL world.

Since then it’s grown to cover other topics. I hope you find something interesting or useful here.

What Are You Interested In?

I write about most things in the TEFL world. The site was starting to look a bit messy, so I've organised it into ten areas:

  1. Lesson Planning

  2. Teaching

  3. Mindset

  4. Technology

  5. Learning Theory

  6. TEFL Theory

  7. Reviews

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  9. Managing Teachers

  10. Fun Stuff

You can see these on the home page, or in the sidebar on some pages (pictured over on the right).

If you want to read through everything, then you can visit the 'Blog' page.

The 'Resources' page is also a collection of sites I find useful for all things TEFL-y.

So Why 'Barefoot TEFL Teacher'?

Barefoot - because of a focus on simplicity and effectiveness, like the old barefoot doctors of Asia.

TEFL - because it's focused on language teaching, which has given me a career and a passion.

Teacher - because teaching is just what we do!

Or, if you prefer a handy Venn diagram:

Barefoot TEFL Teacher

Yes, I can’t seem to stop drawing teaching ideas and concepts as little diagrams, so you’ll find lots sprinkled throughout the site. I apologise in advance.

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The best way to keep in touch is to subscribe to my monthly newsletter. It has all the latest articles and ideas from the site and TEFL articles from around the web.

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Thanks for reading, and the best of luck with your teaching journey.


text:
Rules of the Barnet Sailing Cooperative

  1. In these rules, unless the context requires otherwise, words importing to the singular imply the plural, and vice versa, and words importing the masculine gender include females and words importing persons include corporations; “Act” means the Cooperative Association Act; and “call”, “director”, “extraordinary resolution”, “memorandum”, “rules” and “officer” have the meanings assigned to them by the act.

    1. Any person at least 19 years of age may be admitted to membership by applying in writing to the officers who may accept, refuse or postpone it. Payment for the share must accompany the application.

    2. No person shall be admitted to membership until a sailing permit is made available where no present member in good standing has applied for available sailing permits.
    3. Joint membership can be given to couples living together in marriage or common-law. Joint memberships will be considered as one membership with one share.
    1.  The annual membership fee is set by majority vote of the membership before February of each year.
    2. A member may withdraw from the Cooperative by notifying the officers. No refund of fees will be made. The executive may also consent to a withdrawal in any other case where it seems just and equitable.
    3. If a current member has not paid their membership fees for the sailing year by November 1st of that year, then the member will be suspended from all Cooperative activities and will receive written notice of expulsion.

  1. Shares may not be transferred.

  2. All shares in the Cooperative shall be paid for in full. The minimum number of shares shall be one and the maximum number of shares shall be one.

  3. The officers may make calls on the members for any money unpaid on their share, and a call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the officers making the call was passed.

  4. The officers may make calls on the members for any moneys unpaid on their sailing fees.

  5. Every person whose name is entered on the register of members shall without payment be entitled to a certificate under the seal of the association specifying the shares held by him and the amount paid up. No shares shall be issued jointly.

  6. The Cooperative shall have a lien on a member’s share for a debt due to it by him.

  7. If a member fails to pay any call on the day appointed for payment, the directors may at any time after serve a notice on him requiring payment within 14 days from the date of the notice of so much of the call as is unpaid.

  8.  If the requirements of a notice are not complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time after, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the directors to that effect.

  9. A forfeited share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on terms and in a manner the directors think fit, and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on terms the directors think fit.

  10. A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a member in respect of the forfeited shares, but shall remain liable to the Cooperative for all money, which at the date of forfeiture was presently payable by him to the Cooperative.

  11. Members retiring from the Cooperative may redeem their share (up to the initial cost) by applying in writing to the executive.

General Meetings

  1. The first general meeting must be held in the third month from the date of incorporation at a time and place as determined by the directors. An annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as determined by the directors and officers.

  2. The directors and officers may at any time, and shall, on a written request signed by 1/5 or more of the members, call a special general meeting. A request will set forth the object of the meeting, and be deposited at the registered office with the secretary or one of the directors. If the directors or officers do not call the meeting within 7 days of the deposit of the request, the requester’s may call the meeting themselves.

  3. At least 14 days notice must be given of every meeting dealing with extraordinary resolutions, and of the annual general meeting. The notice must specify the time and place of the meeting, and the general nature of any extraordinary resolutions or special business. The same notice must be given for general meetings. The written notice must be given to all members by mail or in person.All extraordinary resolutions shall be submitted in writing to the executive prior to the Annual General Meeting or any Special General Meetings. The executive must notify all members of the deadline for these submissions. Enough time should be allowed for the executive (or an appointed committee) to study and make a recommendation on the proposed addition, change or deletion. The parameters of this executive committee shall be to determine compatibility of the motion with the coop goal of ‘affordable cooperative sailing’, as well as its effectiveness, fairness, necessity, simplicity, wording and any other criteria which the executive or membership deems to be required.

  4. No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless at least ¼ of all members is present in the room, but shall never be less than 10 members present at all times.

  5. The president shall chair every meeting. If there is no chairman present within 30 minutes of the scheduled start of a meeting, the members present may select an officer as a chairman.

  6. If within one hour from the appointed time for a general meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be dissolved if convened on a requisition, or adjourned to the same time and place in the next month. If a quorum is then not present for the adjourned meeting, the members then present shall constitute a quorum, providing there is never less than 10 members present at all times.

  7. The chairman may, with the consent of a meeting at which a quorum is present, and shall if so directed by the meeting, adjourn the meeting.  No business may be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.

  8. The order of business at an annual general meeting shall be:
    1. Meeting called to order
    2. Notice convening meeting to be read
    3. Minutes of preceding meeting to be read and disposed of
    4. Review of business arising out of minutes.
    5. Reports of standing and special committees
    6. Reports of officers and directors
    7. Reports of the auditor
    8. Elections of officers and directors
    9. Special business
    10. New business

  1. On a show of hands or on a poll, every member present in person shall have only one vote.

  2. The chairman at any general meeting shall have a second vote in the event of a tie.

  3.  A member in arrears or with a call on his share may not vote for directors or officers or at any general meeting.

  4. In a vote by show of hands, the declaration of the chairman shall be conclusive evidence of the result unless one or more members upon declaration of the result demand a poll, at which time a poll shall be taken immediately.

Officers and Directors

  1. The number of officers shall be set in general meetings, but may never be more than ten, nor less than three including a president and treasurer. The number of directors shall be set in general meetings and shall never be more than twelve or less than three. A member not in arrears with a call on his share may hold one or more officer’s or director’s positions.

  2. At each annual general meeting, the officers and directors for the following year shall be elected by the members, but any casual vacancy may be filled up by the existing officers or directors.

  3.  If a meeting to elect officers or directors is adjourned due to lack of a quorum, and the adjourned meeting also lacks a quorum, the members then present shall constitute a quorum providing there is never less than 10 members present at all times.

  4. The Cooperative may, by extraordinary resolution, remove any officer or director before the expiration of his term, and may appoint another in their stead.

  5. Every officer and director must be at least 19 years of age and hold the required number of shares not in arrears with a call on his shares.

  6. The position of officer or director shall be vacated if the officer or director
    1. ceases to be a member
    2. fails to pay his permit fee
    3. ceases to hold the required number of shares
    4. is concerned or participates in any profit from the Cooperative
    5. is absent from 3 consecutive regular meetings without the consent of the other officers or director

      with the provision that (iv) shall not apply if the officer fully discloses the nature of such profit as soon as they become aware of it and does not vote in any matter concerning that subject, and if they do vote, that vote shall not be counted.

  7. The business of the Cooperative shall be managed by the officers who may pay from its funds the expenses of its incorporation, and exercise all its powers subject to the Act and its rules.

  8. The officers may delegate any of their powers to committees consisting of members not in arrears with a call on their shares, and these committees shall, in the exercise of their delegated powers conform to the rules imposed upon them by the officers, and the rules of the Cooperative.

  9. The officers shall cause minutes to be kept of all meetings consisting of:
    1. the names of all officers present
    2. the number of members present
    3. the details of all resolutions and proceedings that occur

      Every officer present shall sign his name to those minutes.

  10. The officers shall keep proper registers of the members, officers and directors, and shall in all other respects comply with the Act.

  11. All meetings of the officers and directors will be held within the province, and the quorum necessary for the transaction of business shall not be less than one quarter of the total number of officers and directors.

  12. Officers and directors may meet together for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings as they see fit. Questions arising at these meetings shall be determined by a majority of votes with the chairman having a second vote in the event of a tie. An officer or director may at any time call a meeting of officers or directors.

  13. A resolution signed by all the officers shall have the same force and effect as if passed at a duly constituted meeting of officers.

  1. Every officer having receipt or charge of money shall before entering in their duties give security considered necessary by the members.

  2.  An annual budget shall be presented to the membership by the directors before the end of February each year. The acceptance of the budget shall require a majority vote. No expenditure, not included in the approved budget, shall exceed the cost of one year’s annual family sailing permit plus $100, without an ordinary resolution. In the event of an emergency, a meeting of the directors shall be called. At the meeting, the directors, at their discretion, may approve spending of more than the allotted amount in order to protect the best interest of the Cooperative.

  3. The officers may, at their discretion, raise or borrow or secure the payment of money for the purposes of the Cooperative, but no debentures shall be issued, nor shall the amount at any one time owing in respect to money raised, borrowed or secured exceed the amount of capital raised without the sanction of an extraordinary resolution.

  4.  The officers shall cause true accounts to be kept of:
    1. all money received and expended
    2. the matter for which receipts and expenditures take place
    3. the assets and liabilities of the Cooperative

  5. These accounts shall be kept at the treasurer’s office, and may for temporary purposes be kept at some other place as the officers see fit, and shall at all reasonable times be open to the inspection of the officers and members.

  6. One or more auditors must be appointed by the Cooperative at its first general meeting and at every annual general meeting, but a casual vacancy in the office of auditor may be filled by the directors, but no officer may act as auditor.

  7.  At every annual general meeting, the officers shall produce to the members the profit and loss account and balance sheet prepared by the officers in accordance with the Act, along with any auditors reports, all of which shall be read to the members present and available for their inspection. Every member present shall be supplied with a free copy of the Financial Statements.

  8. The directors may invest Cooperative funds into insured deposits, Guaranteed Investment Certificates from a national bank or into government issued bonds.

  9. The directors shall declare any profits brought forward as a result of investment. There will be no dividends paid on any share. Any surpluses must be used for the operation of the Cooperative.

  1. Disputes arising out of the affairs of the Cooperative between the Cooperative or an officer or director, and any member or person who was a member not less than six months before, or any person claiming through a member, or claiming under these rules shall be referred to a committee of three members of the Cooperative. The president and the aggrieved person shall each nominate one member, and the third member shall be selected by the two nominated. The decision reached by the committee shall be final and binding on all parties and may be enforced on application to Supreme Court under the Act. All three members of the committee must be members of the Cooperative.

  2.  A notice under the Act or these rules shall be in writing and may be given by the cooperative to any member either personally or by sending it by registered post to their registered address.

  3. When a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be effected by properly addressing, prepaying and posting a letter containing the notice, and unless the contrary is proved, to have been effected at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of the post.

Sailing Permits

  1.  The Cooperative shall not have more than (75) sailing permits allocated in one year, with the membership having the right to limit the number of permits as it sees fit. Sailing permits are broken into two categories; single and joint.
  2. A single sailing permit entitles the member to 300 hours of shared sailing on a Co-operative vessel. A joint sailing permit entitles the member to 400 hours of shared sailing per family. Should the member expend his hours before the end of the membership year, he may acquire additional hours by buying increments of one-quarter of the annual permit fee. A joint sailing permit can be given to couples living together in marriage or common-law. Any children under the age of nineteen shall be considered as part of the family.
  3.  Members will not be charged for sailing hours spent instructing, nor will members be charged for hours spent on promotional or public relations duties or Cooperative business.
    1.  All members with sailing permits are required to contribute a minimum amount of hours of work to the operation and maintenance of the Cooperative. Members who are unable to contribute the minimum hours of work required will be deemed not in good standing and upon written notification from the Cooperative, have their sailing permits suspended until such time as the minimum requirements are met.
    2. A percentage of the annual minimum number of hours required must be completed by April 30th or prior to being approved for a long term booking, whichever comes first, or the member will be deemed as not in good standing and will have their sailing permits suspended until such time as the minimum requirements are met. Upon written request by the member and approval by the executive, additional fees may be charged in lieu of hours not worked.
    3. The minimum number of hours required to be contributed by members with sailing permits, the percentage to be completed by April 30th or prior to being approved for a long term booking and the additional fees to be charged in lieu of hours worked are set by majority vote of the membership each year.
  4. Members with sailing permits may, at their request, have their permit suspended by applying in writing to the executive. In the event the person wants to regain his sailing permit at a later date, then that member would not have to repay such items as initiation fees or capital assessments, however all missed assessments must be paid before a sailing permit is issued.

Members Without Sailing Permits

  1. Members, who have requested to have their sailing permits suspended, can attend Cooperative social events. If the member wishes to regain his sailing permit, priority will be given according to date of original membership.

  1.  All fees, including the cost of sailing permits, are set by majority vote of the membership each year.

    1. Permit fees are due in full on October 1st of each year. The sailing year shall begin on November 1st and end on the last day of October of the following year. If a current member has not paid his fees for the sailing year by November 1st of that year, then the sailing permit will be offered to the next available member. If the member pays his fees after November 1st, he may be issued a non-sailing permit until such time a sailing permit is available.
    2.  For all permit holders as of January 2005, the annual membership fees shall be due on October 1st. The balance of their dues shall be payable by the first of February. If the existing member has not paid the annual membership fees by November 1st, the sailing permit will be offered to the next available member. If an existing permit holder does not renew their sailing permit, they will have sailing privileges until the end of February. If the member has not paid his fees for the sailing year by March 1st of that year, and has not applied to have his sailing permit suspended, and then the member will be suspended from all Cooperative activities and will receive written notice of expulsion. If the member pays his fees after November 1st, he may be issued a sailing permit at such time a sailing permit is available

  1.  Members are fully responsible for the actions of their guest(s).

  2.  Members shall be charged in sailing hours for the time that their guests spend on the boats. Non-members may sail as guests three times or a maximum of seven days per year.

  3. Members taking children must provide all safety equipment and are fully responsible for them.

  4. No person under the age of nineteen shall operate a Cooperative boat without an adult who is a qualified skipper that has a sailing permit.

Booking Procedures

  1. Specific booking procedures such as times that members may book a boat may change from time to time and it is up to the executive to announce all changes to the membership. However, general procedures apply:  When booking reservations, provide your name and the names of people who will be on board. In addition, provide the start time and end time of the booking. For safety purposes, it is important that members, prior to departure, log the skipper, crew, all guests, departure time, destination, and estimated time of return. If a member who has booked a boat does not use the booking, the booking is considered cancelled without refund of hours.

  2. During the period from May 15th to September 30th, no booking shall be longer than seven days in duration. The balance of the year the maximum length of the booking is 14 days. During this cruising season the executive may, limit or extend the maximum length of these bookings, for the good of the members and the co-op. The cruising day will begin at 1800 hours on the day prior to the booking and end at 1800 hours on the last day of the booking.

  3. No member may book a boat, nor sail as a guest, while he is under suspension or pending expulsion.

  4.  No member may book a boat unless he is a qualified skipper as defined in section (76).

  5. The fleet captain or boat captain with the agreement of one other officer may require a boat to be taken out of service for reasons of safety. If this occurs, members must give up their booking.

  6.  Boats, from time to time, may be re-located, especially during the cruising season. As a result, the Cooperative cannot guarantee a specific pickup location. Members are encouraged to work out a mutually convenient pickup and drop off location with the member preceding or following their booking.

Types of Bookings and Hours of Use

  1. Cruising (Long Term Booking)
    Every member is entitled to one long-term booking per sailing year. The booking may be made for anytime in the year, and is often used for cruising purposes in the summer.

  2. Mid Length
    With the exception of long-term bookings, members may only book boats up to 28 days in advance, and may only have one booking outstanding at a time. Members must complete their booking before making another booking.

  3. Day Sailing
    A member may make a last minute booking so long as a boat is available and the appropriate reservation booking procedure is followed. The maximum duration of the booking is 24 hours. If a member does not claim a boat within 2 hours of the reservation time, then the reservation is considered cancelled and the boat may be taken by another member.

  4. Day sailing shall be charged at the actual hours of use or for the hours booked, whichever is greater, with the members and guest(s), being each charged for their own hours. Trips, which cover at least one night away, shall be considered cruising and shall be charged at ten hours per day per berth.

  5. Club cruises and day sails are open to all Cooperative members with sufficient hours left. For cruises, members are charged at a rate of ten hours per day per berth to the individuals participating. For day sails, members are charged for the number of hours and berths filled. Guests are welcome if space is available. Their hours are charged to the member who invited them.

  6. Club cruises are for adults (19 and over) unless designated as a family cruise or unless all cruise participants on a boat agree in advance that children may participate on the cruise (space permitting).

  1. Any member wishing to skipper a boat must have a minimum of a Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) Basic Cruising certificate or the equivalent as determined by the executive and must meet all other requirements established by the Cooperative.

  2. Members must go through the equipment and safety checklist before leaving the dock.

  3. Members must thoroughly clean the boat before leaving it in the berth at the end of the sail. Clean up must be completed before the completion of the booking time.

  4. No member or guest shall smoke inside the cabin of the boat.

  5. Pets are not allowed on board Cooperative boats.

  6. All members and guests shall wear non-marking soft-soled shoes on the boats.
  7. Each member shall observe the rules and regulations of safe boating. If a member or his guest(s) operates a Cooperative boat in a manner, which results in a fine from the authorities, that member is responsible to make sure the fine is paid.

  8. Members convicted of impaired boating shall have their sailing permit revoked.

  9. member who operates a boat in a manner endangering the safety of the boat or others may have his sailing permit revoked.

  10. If defective equipment is found on a boat, appropriate repairs if possible should be made. Failing that, the defects must be immediately recorded in the logbook and reported to the boat or fleet captain.

  11. A member responsible for any accident, loss of equipment or damage to the boat will pay to repair (or repair if qualified) the damaged or lost equipment up to the applicable amount of the insurance deductible.

  12.  Boats are not to be used for organized racing.

  1. There will be no subletting, lending nor chartering of any Cooperative boat.

  2. If a member, or a member’s guest, violates any of the rules and conditions herein, regarding the use of the boats and equipment or if a member’s conduct is deemed to be of such a nature as to be harmful to the harmonious atmosphere of the Cooperative, then the directors may terminate the member’s permit with no refund of fees and may expel the member from the Cooperative.

  3. The directors may expel a member from the Cooperative for violation of rules, for misconduct or for non-payment of fees. The directors must give the member a written notice of expulsion. The member is entitled to a hearing, which will take place at the next scheduled executive meeting, which must be a minimum of 7 days from receipt of the expulsion notice. To expel a member, a majority vote is required. If the member disagrees with the decision of the executive, the member may request an appeal, which would be heard at the next scheduled general membership meeting.  To expel a member at a general membership meeting, a majority vote is required.

  4. If a member is expelled from the Cooperative, he must relinquish his Cooperative share for the original purchase price.

  5. Each member on being registered shall be furnished free of charge with a copy of the Memorandum and Rules of the Cooperative. The prospective member, before being granted membership, must sign an agreement indicating that they have read, understood, and are willing to abide by the Memorandum and Rules of the Cooperative.

  6. Should the Cooperative dissolve or wind up by ordinary or extraordinary resolution, respectively of the voting members of the Cooperative, the assets of the Cooperative shall be awarded to a non-profit venture benefiting mariners in British Columbia.

The Seal

  1. The seal of the Association must not be affixed to any instrument except  by the authority of a resolution of the directors or the Association, and in the presence of the president and the secretary or other person the directors appoint for the purpose; and these 2 persons must sign every instrument to which the seal is attached.

  2. The directors shall provide for the safe custody of the seal.

Alteration of Rules

  1. These rules may only be altered or added to by extraordinary resolution passed by a majority vote of not less than three-quarters of the members present for which there has been 14 days written notice.
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Barrington Bulletin

The most complete and most convenient source for news and information about the borough of Barrington, N.J.

Woodland School looks to adopt ‘No Place for Hate’ program

Starting this fall, Woodland School will be “No Place for Hate,” Superintendent Anthony Arcodia told the Barrington Board of Education at Monday’s meeting.

The program, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, “enables schools and communities to challenge anti-Semitism, racism, hatred, and bigotry in all forms,” according to the Philadelphia region No Place for Hate website.

“By providing a model for responding to and preventing acts of hatred, No Place for Hate is an innovative and powerful method for reducing bias and bullying, increasing appreciation for diversity and building communities of respect,” the site says.

As part of the program:

— A committee or ‘diversity club’ will be created to oversee anti-bias activities in the school.

— A signing of the “Resolution of Respect” will be held.

— The administration will work with students to complete three or more activities that celebrate diversity and promote respect. The site notes: “Projects should expose young people to other cultures, celebrate diversity and promote respect for differences. Ideally, projects will help young people put current events into historical context, challenge them to think critically and evoke a sense of ‘community.’ ”

— The school can then officially be declared a “No Place for Hate” school in a ceremony in which it will be given a banner to commemorate the effort.

3 comments on “Woodland School looks to adopt ‘No Place for Hate’ program

  1. Mike Trout
    July 11, 2012

    More window dressing. Thanks Tony.

  2. a frustrated parent
    July 11, 2012

    Not trying to promote hatred, but I would rather our educators concentrate their lessons on english, math, science and social studies instead of food allergies, bullying and hatred. Shouldn’t the parents be teaching these at home!

  3. Mary Bkinder
    July 25, 2012

    @a frustrated parent – it is obvious that parents are teaching those things at home – isn’t it!

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This entry was posted on July 11, 2012 by in Safety, Schools and tagged , , , , .
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Tag Archives: alternative rock

throw back to our radio performance

Sebastian and the Deep Blue had the honor privilege of playing live air for  KNKX’s show Sound Effect back in November 2016. They found our music just by the serendipitous luck that we had a song that shared the title of their upcoming episode, Risk reward. Just another example of luck being the true deciding factor in life. But what an exciting day and treat that was to be invited Seattle’s beloved radio station. The performance was accompanied by an interview with me about the Risk’s and Reward’s  of working with genre busting Deep Blue. Read or listen to the whole thing below.


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Weekly Must-Have: Dior 5 Couleurs in Ambre Nuit

Weekly Must-Have: Dior 5 Couleurs in Ambre Nuit

I’ve said it before, but it’s worth rementioning: Palettes make makeup application so.much.easier. Dior’s latest, Dior 5 Couleurs in Ambre Nuit, part of the Tie Dye collection, boasts 5 perfectly pretty and earthy shades that are so wearable, you’ll be using these well into next year. There’s nothing trendy about staple shades like shimmering bone, velvety chocolate, barely-there peach, muted bronze, and dark chestnut. In fact, these 5 shades are so timeless and universal, you literally can’t go wrong with your pairing options. With a mixture of textures, you get to create dimension while still staying classic. Plus, Dior shadows are one of my favorites because they are highly pigmented yet swipe with ease for color that lasts all day and night (literally).

I like to create a smokey eye by applying the middle shade – the bone color – onto my entire lid, from lash line to brow bone. I then mix a dab of the velvety chocolate (bottom right) and the deeper chestnut (bottom left) and apply into the crease and below the lower lash line. I smudge out with my finger to give a more dramatic effect. Sometime, I stop here, and add a few coats of a thickening black mascara. Other times, I use either the peach hue (top left) or the bronze (top right) as my “pop” color and apply just in the middle of my eyelid. You can do this with your finger or an eyebrow brush.

Another way to work the shades is to use just a wash of peach or bronze over the entire lower lid and then line upper and lower lash lines with the deep chestnut hue. It’s not a smokey eye, but it’s still dramatic. Finish the look with a dab of the shimmering bone hue on brow bone and inner corner of lids to highlight and emphasis.

Get creative, the options are endless.

PRICE TAG: $62 (buy here)

About Beauty Banter
Beauty Banter was launched in July of 2006 as a comprehensive beauty blog covering trends, tips and tricks, insider secrets, and weekly must-haves. Beauty Banter has a reputation of being on the cutting edge of emerging trends and product launches so our readers are always the first to know what’s hot and what’s just not.


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My Favorite Indie Beauty Brands part 1.

As I count down the days until I leave for the Indie Beauty Expo in London, I am compiling a daily list of my favorite indie beauty/wellness products that I was introduced to through IBE.

We all know that when you achieve total body health, your true beauty shines. That knowledge is my mission in creating the Beautystasis brand. So what is one of the key components for achieving or maintaining total body health and beauty?

Enter Madison and White ( Their pillowcases have proprietary technology in their satin blend, never silk. This satin helps skin and hair to glide easily over the pillowcase while sleeping. Other materials can absorb skin care products, and put drag on the skin which can cause wrinkles. Plus, let’s be honest, sleeping on a nice pillowcase feels super boujee and is a lovely way to drift off to a peaceful night’s sleep :)

I purchased the Sleeping Beauty Kit ( which comes with two pillowcases. I only use one at a time and simply change them out once a week when I change my sheets. I can honestly tell you I have noticed a huge difference in my skin when I wake up. My skin feels moisturized, never dry, and not a single sleep wrinkle to be found! This product also claims to help prolong your hair blowout, but I sleep with my hair up every night so I can’t make a fair statement on that.

If you are looking to add an item to your health and beauty routine, I highly recommend any of the products from Madison and White. I have had comments before when posting my eternal love for these pillowcases that the price seems high. Think of it this way, an $80 night cream lasts 3 months at the most before having to reinvest. These pillowcases last far longer, and most likely do more for your skin-and psyche than a cream in a jar. Pair the cream and the pillowcase and it is a match made in beauty sleep heaven!

Sweet dreams Beauties!


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Measuring Light Intensity with Watts or Lumens — “Watts” the difference? (sorry)

March 11th, 2016 by Cathy Rust Leave a reply »

I’ve been meaning to write this post for awhile as the lighting industry is changing over to lumens from Watts to measure light intensity. So, the next time you have to go buy an (LED) light bulb, you will be able to use your newfound knowledge to buy with confidence!

My friends over at Green Builder Media have just published such an article, and they have kindly allowed me to publish it here.

Though an LED bulb may look like an old-fashioned Edison bulb, they are quite different animals.

ONE OF THE MORE EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS in the lighting industry over the past decade has been the emergence of LEDs. The principles of LED lighting have been around for some time, but the real commercial breakthrough of the technology, in terms of both affordable cost and creative applications, has only occurred recently. Though these bulbs may look like an old-fashioned Edison bulb, they are quite different animals, and this new type of illumination works differently than the lighting you are accustomed to.

LED Lighting - Lamps Plus

Image thanks to Lamps Plus.

For starters, there’s the vastly different way they produce light. Rather than electricity passing through a filament wire to make it glow and produce light, as is done in incandescent bulbs, LED light bulbs (short for “Light Emitting Diode”) or fixtures use a small electronic semiconductor chip (the diode being that chip part).

So one big advantage over regular lighting is that they operate much cooler than regular bulbs because of the lack of hot glowing wire.

They are also much more energy efficient, requiring far less electricity, or watts, than regular types of lighting. In fact, they are so efficient that looking to how many watts a bulb or fixture uses doesn’t really tell you much anymore. You need to evaluate LEDs using a whole new way of thinking and a whole new term.

Lumens - Lamps Plus

Enter Lumens

What are lumens? Simply put, they are a measurement of the amount of light that a bulb or other light source emits. All light sources can be measured in this way, even older incandescent bulbs. And it’s when we compare the lumens that an incandescent bulb outputs versus an LED that you can really see the advantages of this type of lighting.

LED Chart - Lamps Plus

Image thanks to Lamps Plus.

One of the first things you notice about this chart is that, per watt used, LED lighting produces far more light (there are those lumens!) than any other light source. For example, a 60 watt incandescent light bulb, something most of us are pretty familiar with, produces 800 lumens. An LED that produces the same amount of light needs only 9 to 13 watts of energy. That’s a big difference in energy, meaning that to make the same amount of light they are actually cheaper to operate.

What Does All This Mean For You?

For one, you should be looking at LED lighting fixtures or bulbs to see how many lumens they produce, not how many watts they use. Doing so will allow you to accurately gauge how much light a bulb or fixture produces and get a good idea of what it will look like in your home.

This is a hard idea to get used to at first. We are so used to buying 60 watt bulbs for table lamps, because we have a good feel for how much light such a bulb will produce. But once you start shopping by lumens instead of watts, you’ll see that you’ll be able to get the same amount of light output for much less energy.

– See more at:

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