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Debbiedoo's: Lampshade Before and After

Diy, thrifty home decor decorating ideas on a budget. Painting furniture, stenciling projects. Turning trash to treasure.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Lampshade Before and After

I found this cute lampshade marked down at Walmart for 7.00.  I really liked the shape and texture. Of course much too plain for my liking, I thought with my FAVORITE season approaching I would FALL it up a bit.  This is the first of my Fall decor...much more to come.
I really like the texture.
What a cute touch...easy too, I just hot glued the leaves, made a little bow with twine and stuck it in the center.
As you can see I took the twine and wrapped it just around the top some.
How easy was that? EASY!~ Those are the only craft projects I know how to do, the easy ones!
Don't forget about my Before and After Party coming up Wednesday. I look forward to all your projects.
Joining a few linkie parties:

Entering in the CSI Fall Challenge

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Blogger Linda@Coastal Charm said...

I'm soooo HAPPY that Fall is almost here!!!! Your lampshade is very CUTE!!

August 29, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Blogger Charlene Juliani said...

Love it!

August 29, 2010 at 4:10 PM
Blogger All That Glitters said...

Debbie I love it!!!

August 29, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Blogger La said...

I love it! It is absolutely perfect for fall. La

August 29, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Blogger Linda @ A La Carte said...

What a cute idea and that shade just pops now! Yep I'm ready for fall also!

August 29, 2010 at 4:15 PM
Blogger Rashon Carraway said...

Debbie is so creative!

Can you make pillows? Ive been holding on to some fabric for almost a year and havent used it yet. I think I want some pillows.

Mr. Gooodwill Hunting

August 29, 2010 at 4:22 PM
Blogger Katie said...

Cute!! :)

August 29, 2010 at 4:25 PM
Blogger Blondie's Journal said...

I love this, it's really cute and you can continue it along for the holidays by doing a different little floral look!

August 29, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Blogger ChRiS said...

love it....i did a small shade wrapped in jute and took a rustic tin star and tied it on like you did your my fav shade in the house at the moment

August 29, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Blogger Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Cute, Debbie. Love the texture.

August 29, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Blogger Mel said...

I love easy too :)

Looks terrific.

August 29, 2010 at 4:37 PM
Blogger Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Now that is way too cute and your vignette is wonderful. Love the rooster placque and the lamp. Fabulous. Hugs, Marty

August 29, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Blogger Unknown said...

That's so cute! I love that it's simple and it would be easy to change it seasonally just by changing the leaves to something else. Very cool!

August 29, 2010 at 4:59 PM
Blogger Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Love it Debbie...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

August 29, 2010 at 5:04 PM
Blogger Kathy said...

Debbie I love your lampshade and can't believe that your rooster picture is one that I just bought at Real Deals Home you have one of those there too?

August 29, 2010 at 5:04 PM
Blogger 1 Funky Woman said...

Yea we all have Fall on the brain, I'm decorating this week with all my Halloween, muhaaaaaaaaaa!

Remember to enter my giveaway and tell all your friends!

August 29, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Blogger Donda said...

That is by far one of the cutest fall decor ideas I have seen.

August 29, 2010 at 5:06 PM
Blogger Lori said...

What an easy and adorable lamp shade. Great thinking!

August 29, 2010 at 5:10 PM
Blogger The Decorative Dreamer said...

That is so cute! I love it! It looks wonderful on that rooster lamp too! I can't wait to see the rest of your fall scapes! :)

August 29, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Blogger Suzanne said...

That is so cute on that lamp. Love the twine and the fall leaves. Fantastic!

August 29, 2010 at 5:37 PM
Blogger Liesl said...

Oh my goodness, I love this fall cute!

Liesl :)

August 29, 2010 at 5:42 PM
Blogger Miss Janice said...

I love how you Falled-up the lampshade and of course I love the vignette with the rooster print and lamp base!

August 29, 2010 at 5:45 PM
Blogger Glenda/MidSouth said...

How cute - really like it!

August 29, 2010 at 5:55 PM
Blogger Pam - @diy Design Fanatic said...

Debbie, your fall embellishment looks absolutely perfect in that corner! Love it!!!

August 29, 2010 at 6:02 PM
Blogger Cassie Bustamante said...

debbie, that is so cute!!!! what a great way to bring some autumn into your home. fabulous! btw- following now. don't know why i wasn't before.... shame on me!

August 29, 2010 at 6:10 PM
Blogger Sarah said...

Debbie, you are one clever lady! I love the little accent of fall leaves with the twine. It looks perfect on the rooster lamp. Thanks for sharing this cute idea. ~ Sarah

August 29, 2010 at 6:28 PM
Blogger Cathy~Mille Fleur said...

I love this Debbie! So cute! It is the perfect fall addition to your darling rooster lamp!

August 29, 2010 at 6:44 PM
Blogger Angie said...

So cute!!!

August 29, 2010 at 7:49 PM
Blogger Allison Shops said...

What a cute idea. I love twine and the leaves are a nice touch too.

Atticmag has started a new Link party each Friday called Giveaway Friday!, a convenient place for bloggers to come post about their giveaway(s) each week.

It's simple; after you put a link up to your giveaway, link back to Atticmag/Giveaway Friday on your blog. I hope you'll join us the next time you have a giveaway!

We're kicking it off with a giveaway of our own - kitchen back splash material. So if you haven't already left a comment to win, drop by!

Swinging by from BNOTP,

August 29, 2010 at 7:51 PM
Blogger xinex said...

That looks really cute, Debbie. I'm gonna have to copy that and sell it at the store.

August 29, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Blogger Patti @ Pandoras Box said...

Very charming shade!

August 29, 2010 at 8:10 PM
Blogger Unknown said...

Great ideal, love it!!! Thanks for sharing.

August 29, 2010 at 8:12 PM
Blogger Leo said...

Very cute. I really like the texture of the shade too! And you got it for an amazing price. Looks awesome.

August 29, 2010 at 8:16 PM
Blogger The Charm of Home said...

That is awesome! Love this. And that fact that it is easy is twice as good! Great transformation Debbie!

August 29, 2010 at 8:18 PM
Blogger Sandra said...

That is very cute! But even though you say it's easy, I would never have thought to do that to the lampshade. You are just one of those creative ladies! I'm jealous!

August 29, 2010 at 8:20 PM
Blogger Michelle said...

Super cute! It goes so well with the rooster lamp!

August 29, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Blogger kay said...

Debbie you are the best!! Fall is my favorite as well, can't wait to start decorating!!

August 29, 2010 at 9:14 PM

Beautiful autumn vignette Debbie!

:D Lynda

August 29, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Blogger Pinky said...

How adorable is THAT!!!??? Love it! XO, Pinky

August 29, 2010 at 10:30 PM
Blogger said...

Awesome! You've inspired me...I love easy :)

August 29, 2010 at 10:35 PM
Blogger MJ said...

Great minds think alike! Love it...I just did some small lamp shades yesterday with twine & jute for my fair. I'll be posting photos soon. OMG...I so love it on the rooster lamp with the wood plaque in the background. GORGEOUS!!!!!

August 29, 2010 at 10:39 PM
Blogger The Polka Dot Closet said...

Debbie you dooed it again, I love the lamp!

August 29, 2010 at 10:48 PM
Blogger Ali @ Honey and Maple Syrup said...

Very cute!

August 29, 2010 at 11:26 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whatever, Missy! This looks fantastic! I think you're brilliant! :) I love how this looks!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

August 29, 2010 at 11:51 PM
Blogger Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

That turned out great~ works perfectly in the room for fall!

August 30, 2010 at 1:05 AM
Blogger AmericKim said...

It's soooo I was scrolling through your comments and thinking how cuuuuute your shade turned out; I saw a photo of it before on the sidebar. Pretty, but I love the look now. It seems warmer.

August 30, 2010 at 3:09 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That looks brilliant!!! I am in love! I want...!!!!!

August 30, 2010 at 4:02 AM
Blogger Wendy said...

You make me smile! The easy craft projects are always the best projects! I love it! Perfect accent for fall :)

August 30, 2010 at 6:47 AM
Blogger MyFancy's Author said...

Love the lamp and rooster theme!

August 30, 2010 at 7:27 AM
Blogger ~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Oh I like that final touch you put on that lamp shade, Debbie..Just beautiful!

August 30, 2010 at 8:12 AM
Blogger linda said...

i love what you did it is so creative and you can change it up and we all can do it thanks Deb for the idea:)

August 30, 2010 at 8:23 AM
Blogger Denise C said...

Wow! What a great idea!!! You have such flair.

August 30, 2010 at 8:23 AM
Blogger Pieces of Dreams said...

What a great idea! That lampshade looks fabulous! Don't you just love fall? Have a wonderful day, Karen

August 30, 2010 at 9:42 AM
Blogger Bonnie@Creative Decorating said...

Debbie! It looks wonderful on that rooster lamp there! I just love it!

August 30, 2010 at 9:59 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit mine and become a follower if you want to.

God Bless You ~Ron

August 30, 2010 at 9:59 AM
Blogger Kari said...

This looks super cute! I love how simple this addition is, yet how much character it gives your lamp! Love it!!!

August 30, 2010 at 10:01 AM
Blogger HollyC said...

Fall is by far the best season!!! I love your lampshade! Love. It.
Keep those fall crafts coming!

August 30, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Blogger Diann said...

Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, You are just so creative! Love this idea and will probably it!

Oh, and as far as the wall graphic giveaway win, they will be contacting you this week via email!

August 30, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Totally love your projects, wish I had your home decor style!!!!

August 30, 2010 at 1:11 PM
Blogger Velvet Over Steel said...

That is Easy!!! I just love your simple and FAST ideas, Debbie! :-)

I love summer but actually 'enjoy' Fall the best because it's cooler and I can decorate for all the upcoming seasons and holidays. So exciting!

August 30, 2010 at 1:20 PM
Blogger Tammy said...

Hey fellow NC gal.
Love the quick and easy projects and you are talking about the best season ever- especially after this terrible summer we have had in NC.
Stop by my blog sometime - tammy

August 30, 2010 at 1:55 PM
Blogger Life in Rehab said...

Okay, do I even NEED to tell you how freakin' adorable that is? I love it! It almost makes me want the cold weather that comes with fall.

August 30, 2010 at 2:32 PM
Blogger the cape on the corner said...

i love this! i admit, i was afraid...sometimes people get a little out of hand embellishing things in blogland (purely my opinion) but this is PERFECT! just a hint of fall, yet no mistaking it's there in the details. one of my fave things you've done yet!

August 30, 2010 at 3:58 PM
Blogger Unknown said...

you are invited to follow my blog

August 30, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Blogger Unknown said...

you are invited to follow my blog

August 30, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Blogger Angie Holden said...

Gorgeous fall colors!! Love it!

August 30, 2010 at 5:01 PM
Blogger Jenna@Breathe Beauty said...

How adorable!

August 30, 2010 at 5:38 PM
Blogger Sandy said...

You know, I have two lamp shades that I've been thinking about doing something to update them and your bit of twine and some fall leaves are so nice! Great job and great price at the walmart!

August 30, 2010 at 5:43 PM
Blogger Melissa said...

I love it!! But you could put a leaf on anything and I would love it!!

August 30, 2010 at 6:27 PM
Blogger KimMalk said...

Girl, you're a master at what you do know how to do - <3 it!

August 30, 2010 at 7:50 PM
Blogger Gina said...

Looks great! I wish Fall would get here already.

August 30, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Blogger Erin said...

Ok, I know that my name is not mentioned anywhere here on this post, but you seriously did this for me, whether you know it or not :) I love the lampshade, how simple, but how great! And by the rooster, oh, be still my beating heart!!! Love it Debbie :D

August 30, 2010 at 9:57 PM
Blogger AliceAnderson said...

Love it! Might have to fall-i-fy my lamps now. Also love your Chicken painting.

August 31, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Blogger . said...

I LOVE the shade!! Actually that whole vignette is pretty awesome!

So, of I want a fall lampshade too! I may have to seriously reconsider this blogging thing. ;)

August 31, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Blogger Sandy said...

Hey Debbie.. Joined in your party today.. thanks for hosting this... and
I want you and your family to get your hurricane supplies ready.. and do what we do here in sofla.. stand on the beach and blow "Earl" away! Take care!

September 1, 2010 at 6:01 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That lampshade is perfect!!

September 1, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Blogger niartist said...

I just love the way this turned out! It's really beautiful, and something I think I can do too - which makes it even more inspiring! I hope you'll share that last picture for Vignette Fridays! It's gorgeous! Thanks for sharing, and as always inspiring!
P.S., stop by and let me know what you think of my little video I did of my house. I hope you like it - would love to know what you think!

September 1, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Blogger cleanfreak said...

Its just the perfect touch, not to much not to little. Great accent

September 2, 2010 at 7:12 PM
Blogger Jenn said...

I love little changes like this that make such a big difference! Amazing!! I am going to be featuring this on my blog later today. Have a great weekend!

October 16, 2010 at 3:21 PM
Blogger nádya said...

Ohhh, wow!!!!! How incredible your lamp turned out!!!! This autumn leave just gives that final touch!!!

August 28, 2011 at 9:03 PM

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Sand, Gravel & Mineral Resources

orbicular granite
Photograph (J. Kim): Orbicular granite, Craftsbury

mineral resources thumbnailIndustrial Minerals: 200 years and Going Strong: D. Conrad and D. Vanacek, 1990 and updated in 2005 (S. King) and 2016. Includes granitemarbleslate, kaolinite and more.

The mineral resource map  (left) shows active and inactive occurrences, prospects and producers. Data is from the VT Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS), 1998.

Separate maps show sand and gravel pits, sand and gravel deposits, crushed rock , metallic mineral resources, and dimension stone. A statewide compilation of radioactivity data (2002) includes data from  uranium exploration , as does the map produced in 1980 Obtain mine, quarry and sand and gravel pit status (abandoned, active , intermittent) through MSHA's  on-line system for easy access to the data.

Highway Construction Materials Surveys by Town are surveys from the 1970s of sand and gravel resources.

VTRANS Approved Aggregate Source List (2019) and Geotechnical Engineering Section

Environmental Geology Reports (1971-1975) also include sections on sand and gravel resources.

The U.S. Dept. of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration reports on mine activity:  List of Mine, quarry and sand and gravel pit status in 2014. In 2000, full time operating mines included 2 marble (dimension stone), 25 slate (dimension stone), 1 granite (dimension stone), 1 talc and soapstone, 7 limestone (crushed rock), and 6 sand and gravel operations. 142 mines were listed with an intermittent operation status. Of these mines, 89 were sand and gravel operations.

USGS Minerals Information for Vermont.

Sand, Gravel & Mineral Resources Continued

Metallic Mineral Resources Map, compiled by A McBean, 1985 (visit the USGS MRDS interactive site for all data)

Non-metallic Mineral Resources, compiled by A McBean, 1985 (visit the USGS MRDS interactive site for all data)

Oil and Gas Web page or articles from 1950 to 1989, 29 p

Mineral Collecting

Gold in Vermont, articles dating from 1800s to present which pertain to gold and prospecting in Vermont, 1995, 34 p

Rockhounding in Vermont, VT Agency of Commerce and Community Affairs, 1991 with 2019 updates, 8 p. LANDOWNER PERMISSION IS REQUIRED

Specimen Collecting in Vermont lists permissions required to collect on public or private lands, 1 p

Grant, RW, 1968, Mineral Collecting in Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey Special Publication 3. LANDOWNER PERMISSION IS REQUIRED

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Domestic Bottled and Bulk Water (VT Sources)

rows of bottled water

Bottled or bulk water intended for human consumption and other consumer uses meets the definition of drinking water at 10 V.S.A., §1671, and therefore is regulated by the Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division. The public distribution and sale of bottled water shall be permitted by the Secretary before such water is sold or delivered in Vermont (Imported Bottled Water). Facilities which produce bottled water in Vermont (Domestic), bottled and bulk water systems, are considered public community water systems and shall comply with the Water Supply Rule Chapter 21 and the requirements from Groundwater Withdrawal Reporting and Permitting Rule-Chapter 24.

Domestic Bottled and Bulk water systems require numerous permits, go to the source permitting page.

In addition, domestic bottled and bulk water systems also require other permits. These system-specific permits are required any time construction is performed throughout the system, on the water source, including deepening and hydrofracturing, or on the systems processes:

Emergency Bulk Water Hauling

When a public drinking water system experiences an emergency water shortage and/or is completely out of water because of a source deficiency, distribution deficiency, or any other incident causing a loss of water; the “Water Supplier” (a person who owns or operates a PWS) may supplement the water system with bulk water. When bulk water is used for resupply, the Bulk Water operation shall comply with requirements of this the Bulk Water Practice. Bulk Water is defined as drinking water delivered to consumers by means other than pipeline or bottled water. It is typically delivered by tanker truck or trailer.

Bulk Hauling Reporting Forms

Bulk Water Hauling As an Emergency Practice: Notification Form & Guidance
Extended Period- Bulk Water Hauling as an Emergency Source (to submit weekly)

Groundwater Withdrawal Permit Program - A new or increased groundwater withdrawal of greater than 57,000 gallons per day from a single tract land or place of business will need a Groundwater Withdrawal Permit.

Numerous Guidance, Practices, and Procedures apply to the regulation of public drinking water systems.

Every public water system is required to have a Certified Operator, which includes licensing and testing.

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After shooting, renewed interest in pet safety bill

Avondale Estates Decatur Metro ATL

After shooting, renewed interest in pet safety bill

A German shepherd. Source: Wikimedia Commons

A German shepherd. Source: Wikimedia Commons

There’s renewed interest in a bill that would require better police training after a DeKalb Police officer shot a Gresham Park resident’s pet German shepherd.

The police officer resigned on Monday, July 28, after the police department opened an internal affairs investigation into the July 24 incident. Tim Theall said the officer shot his dog, Doctor, after responding to a false burglar alarm. Doctor is currently undergoing medical treatment, but Theall wants to prevent similar incidents.

“I’m definitely going to do what I can,” Theall said.

Theall said he would support legislation that would require police officers to undergo training to help them tell the difference between an aggressive animal and a harmless family pet.

State Rep. Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates, cosponsored House Bill 803, but it died in this year’s legislative session. Drenner said she intends to cosponsor the bill again, and said Theall’s experience shows the need for it.

“I plan to reintroduce the bill and this incident continues to support the need for additional training,” she said.

Police departments in the metro area could not easily provide Decaturish specific data on “use of force” incidents involving dogs, either because they didn’t have any incidents or they did not track that specific data.

Decatur Police Sgt. Jennifer Ross said there have been no “use of force” incidents involving dogs since those reports became automated in 2006.

“We do not have specialized training regarding this topic,” Ross said.

Atlanta Police said the data is not readily available and compiling it would mean combing hundreds of reports. DeKalb Police didn’t respond to an inquiry about the number of incidents where police officers shot pets when responding to a call.

Joann Schwartz, owner of the Kirkwood Feed and Seed pet food store, was a police officer in Rockdale County prior to opening her business. She said she’s still a reserve deputy and has offered to talk to officers about what to do when they encounter animals while on a call, but said no one has taken her up on it.

“It’s very frustrating,” Schwartz said. “There really does need to be training.”

Theall said he’s been overwhelmed with support from people who are concerned about what happened to his dog.

“It’s shown there are a lot of unheard voices out there as far as how we treat our animals … the problem seems to be a lot bigger than just my dog,” Theall said.


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Theology 101: Idolatry

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Luke 14:1-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?” But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. Then he said to them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?” And they could not reply to this.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place’, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Politics and Religion.

Those are the two things that are off limits at my mother’s dinner table. You can burp the alphabet, tell an off color joke, you can come to dinner dressed in the clothes you woke up in. But you start talking about religion or politics, and You. Are. Done.

Perhaps this is because my mother is a good southern woman who was raised to keep conversation polite.  Here’s what I think: it is because these are the two topics that are most likely to start an argument. Because we don’t all think the same things, do we? In my family, we are all across the map—Baptists sitting next to atheists, sitting next to Republicans, sitting next to whatever Bernie Sanders people are calling themselves these days. So the potential for conflict, when it comes to religion and politics, is high. And once the door is open, everyone has an opinion. Better to keep the door closed. Better to keep things safe.

Which makes for some really polite, but incredibly boring dinner parties. Because let me tell you, the dinners I remember best aren’t the ones where everyone behaved themselves. I bet you know what I am talking about. In my family, there are some pretty epic stories about individuals who broke the rules, resulting in some pretty heated conversations.

Luke’s Gospel this morning describes one of those “memorable” dinner parties. One of those parties that didn’t exactly go as planned. Because Jesus showed up.

Who knows why the Pharisee invited Jesus to his dinner party—maybe he was just trying to be friendly, maybe he was curious about the new rabbi in town. Maybe he figured this new guy would play it safe, stick to the rule-book, not ruffle the feathers.

Maybe he figured that, just like we do, Jesus knew what the rules were and cared about them. Because that is what we all really want right?  When I have a dinner party, I expect people to behave. And when I go to a party and don’t know everyone there, then I try my best to behave too. I stand quietly in the social area. Maybe I say hi to a few folks. And if we get to talking, we stick to “safe” conversation: “What do you do?”” Where do you live?” “Tell me about your kids.” You get the picture.

Not Jesus. It quickly becomes clear that Jesus is “that guy”—you know, the guy at the dinner party that everyone can’t stop staring at, or listening to, because he is making a scene.

A-Woman-With-DropsyIt all starts with a sick man. There is a man at the party with Dropsy. Anyone know what dropsy is? It is severe edema. Probably caused by severe heart failure. The man is swollen up like a balloon. Makes you wonder what he is doing at a dinner party—edema can be incredibly painful, and was essential as slow, painful death sentence in Jesus’ Day—people who suffered from it slowly drowned in their own bodies.

So of course, Jesus draws their attention to this man, whose suffering is on full display while they eat and make merry on the Sabbath. He asks them—if your child or your ox was drowning in a well, would you save them on the Sabbath? What about this man, who is drowning in his body? Is there a difference?

But Jesus isn’t done. He just can’t help himself. He moves on to the guests themselves. All of a sudden we are getting advice from the Rabbi about seating assignments and guest lists. He is like the ancient Jewish version of Ms Manners, only none of these people asked him for advice.

Whenever they ask prospective presidents who they would like to meet someday or have a meal with, and they say Jesus—I think of this dinner party. Because clearly, Jesus isn’t interested in playing by anybody’s rules. Jesus isn’t going to behave and be polite. He is going to speak truth. To the poor and the sick, and to the wealthy and powerful. Doesn’t matter who you are, Jesus is going to say what needs to be said.

And what is the truth that needs to be said?

Perhaps we need to hear that we have spent a lot of time worrying about things that don’t really matter.

Let me explain. A friend of mine was sharing this week that she HATES this text, because Jesus seems to single out all of these people based on their social statues or health status. For her, this just seems wrong. Aren’t we all just people, she asks? But of course we do this all the time. If we are really honest with ourselves, we are constantly sorting ourselves against the people around us, ranking ourselves based on who seems to have the most, or the least; whose life seems better or worse than our own. And if we are honest, most of us would prefer to find ourselves, if not at the top of our pecking order, at least above the median.

Why? Because many of us have been raised to believe that these are the things that define us. That our job, our house, our stuff, even our health are the things that matter. That our worth is roughly equivalent to our investment account or the appearance of our home. A fellow clergy person shared with me recently that when he was young his dad raised him to grow up and take care of his family. So he did. He got a job, and he lived at his job. Barely saw the family that he was trying to provide for. He was just doing what he had been taught.

And perhaps you may notice as well that these are things that we think we can control. We decide what we do, where we live, what car we drive, whether we work on at the gym every morning. And if we can control them, it can be tempting to believe that others can too. So we judge the poor, the unemployed, the sick. Can’t you just get a job? Can’t you stay out of trouble? Can’t you just take care of yourself? How quickly grace evaporates when we think we have control. We do this. We do this.

But not Jesus. Jesus will have none of that. For Jesus, dinner tables aren’t just dinner tables. They are practice grounds for the great banquet of the Kingdom of God, and in the Kingdom of God, everyone is invited to the dinner party. All of our jockeying, all that sorting that we waste our time worrying over, none of that matters in God’s house. If we are honest, those things can be a weight around our necks, pulling us down and away from what really matters. And what really matters? Paul perhaps said it best when he said: let mutual love continue. What matters is the community that gathers at Christ’s table—not where we sit, but that we are there. Together. What matters is that the Jesus who sat at that table and pissed off the Pharisees didn’t preach anything he didn’t also do himself—for Jesus built a ministry out of welcoming the lonely, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, whether those people had everything or barely enough to get by.

And guess who we worship?

Not success.Martin-Luther-idolatry.jpg

Not money.

Not comfort.

Not power.

All of those are false idols. False promises of a secure life.

We worship Jesus, who entered this world poor and weak and small so that he could teach us about a love that doesn’t rank or divide, or exclude.

We worship Jesus, who doesn’t care who you are or what you have—he just bids you come.

We worship Jesus, whose table is open to all of us, because whatever we have, we all get hungry and thirsty, and God would feed us.

We worship Jesus, who is the same today, yesterday and forever.

We worship Jesus.

And that is enough.

Theology 101: Sanctification

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you, Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.” Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Luke 13:10-17

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

12549095_1192425460786857_4723051213432493191_n.jpgWe had a great conversation in Pub Theology recently–we were talking about God, and who God is, and what it means to us when we talk about God.

Now, one person mentioned during our conversation that they thought of God as perfect. They didn’t know what perfect looks like, but that was something that they understood as fundamental to who God is.

Another person struggled with perfection as a definition for God—“look at the world around us,” they said. “Can you really say that God is perfect?” They were looking at the way God’s creation has consistently screwed up, and they struggled to see how creating fallible, sinful, broken people could have possibly been the intention of a perfect God.

Does God make mistakes? Are we a mistake?

Really this is a question about Free Will—what does it mean that we have free will?

Jeremiah gives us one answer: in our text this morning, we learn from the prophet that God is perfect, that God believes that we are perfectly made, that we are just the way we were meant to be. That God formed us in the womb. God gave us everything we need to flourish.

But there is one thing that God didn’t give us: he didn’t create us to be machines, robotically doing God’s bidding. Instead, God gave us freedom to move around in the world.

Which creates problems, of course. Wouldn’t we all prefer that the people and animals under our control were perfectly obedient all the time? Wouldn’t it be great if our kids never fought with us, our friends always laughed at our jokes, and we never stuck our foot in it? Wouldn’t it be awesome if your dog never chewed up your favorite shoes and your cat never peed in your suitcase?

Wouldn’t it be great if we were always completely confident that we could achieve whatever goal was set before us?

Of course, we aren’t. And the reality is that, while we might prefer that the world bend to our will, when it comes to us individually, we treasure our freedom. There are very few people in this world who enjoy having every decision made for them. And God made us like that on purpose. For all of its confusion, that, too is a gift from God for the people of God.

Because it means that we have the freedom to choose God back. We have the freedom, like the prophet Jeremiah, to find the words to speak. The freedom to discover that, for all of our weakness and vulnerability, God has the capacity to fill us with a life of purpose and meaning that we can choose. The freedom to walk the path of justice and mercy because we wish to, not because we have to.

That freedom—the freedom to choose—is expressed in our tradition as sanctification. Sanctification is the practice of choosing holiness, and as followers of Jesus, that means using our freedom in ways that bless not just ourselves but the world that God has made. Choosing kindness, and mercy, and justice, the things of God for the people of God, over everything else that calls to us.

There is a great example of what this might look like in an ancient story called the Odyssey. The Odyssey follows the journey of its hero, Odysseus, as he fights his way home to his family. This is his only goal. And there is this one point in his story where he must pass by a stretch of the ocean that is known for shipwrecking captains. Here, the irresistible song of the sirens lures men into the waters and the rocky shores, where they inevitably perish. And so Odysseus, who wants to go home, directs his men to plug their ears with beeswax, and to tie him to the mast. No matter what he says or how loud he begs, he remains on that mast. Until they are safe. Until he can remember what is truly important.

Of course, Odysseus isn’t the only ancient person who sought to protect his freedom by binding his options. This is what the law of Moses was and is intended to do—it creates limits around the people of God so that they can honor their choice to follow God. Like Odysseus, the Jewish people bind themselves, in this case, to a covenant that governs their behavior and ensures that everyone is taken care of.

Except for when they aren’t. It turned out that sometimes, the rules and the values come into conflict. In Jewish tradition, these conflicts are explored in something called the Midrash—in midrash, great rabbis like Rashi and Akiva try to resolve the problems. And in our Gospel today, Jesus steps right into the middle of that conversation: if the rules are meant to help us follow God, what do we do when it seems like God is asking us to break the rules to help another person? Jesus answer is that there is no conflict—freeing a crippled woman from her bondage on the Sabbath, a day of freedom for God’s people, is precisely the intention of Sabbath to begin with. But not everyone agrees.

Because they have a different vision of holiness.

I can relate to that. Don’t we all, if we are honest, have an idea in our minds of what perfection looks like? If we could have the perfect life, your idea of what that looks like would probably not look the same as mine.  Some of us might bring to mind a place that seems perfect, or people that we would surround ourselves with. Because we all have different ideas of perfection.  Just like the people in the bible.

But here’s the thing. Jesus is asking us to consider the possibility that holiness, that perfection, isn’t about you or me or what any one person thinks. It is about us. It is about the community, and we aren’t perfect until all of us are free. We aren’t perfect until the lame can walk, the blind can see, the sick are healed, the widow and the orphan are provided for, the prisoner is visited, and the lonely are embraced. Only then are we perfect. And so he heals on the Sabbath. He breaks a rule. Because he has looked at the bigger picture—God’s Dream of the Kingdom of God—and he saw this woman left behind. Not all rules are the same. (it may surprise you to learn, by the way, that most rabbis agree with him).

So if you are asking yourself—what does this mean for me? Perhaps you would do well to hear what Jesus often says to those who pose that question: “Go and do likewise.” We who would call ourselves Christians are called to respond to Christ by seeking to be like him.

To refuse to settle for a shallow faith. To look for the big picture : ask yourself, “Does my life make room for others? Have I remembered the poor, the sick, the lame, the lonely as much as I have remembered myself? Have I used my freedom for the glory of God? Or only for myself?

Unknown.jpegOur tradition has another name for this. John Calvin called it “putting on God spectacles” so that you can see the world the way that God sees it.   Because when we really listen to what God is saying in the Scriptures, it changes our vision. We see the world differently. And that can make all the difference.

Theology 101: Faith

Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?

And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!

Hebrews 11:29-12:2

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

IMG_6087.JPGA gardener decided to plant a garden.

She started the fall before, picking the perfect spot—for days, she watched the suns daily movement across her land, until she knew the pattern of light well enough to know that that patch, over there, past the oak tree, near the dam, would get the best morning and afternoon light. She tested the soil and squealed with delight to find it rich and nourishing, perfect for what she had planned.

Only then did she set to work—tilling the soil within her plot, pulling out stones, removing the roots of distant trees snaking beneath the soil, digging up those intrepid volunteer weeds that would not be able to share this space with what she had planned.

And then, because she knew there were plenty of foragers who might be tempted by her garden, she laid a fence. No scavengers or menaces would be welcomed here. She buried it a foot into the ground to keep out the groundhogs and rabbits, and hoped that the four feet would be enough to deter the deer that year.

As the winter frosts set in and the sun retreated earlier and earlier into the night sky, she began to plan—poring over seed catalogues, planning out the garden of her dreams on paper, plotting each plant to ensure the best possible yield. She ordered seeds—tomatoes and corn, beans and lettuce, beets, potatoes, cabbage and celery, herbs upon herbs and FLOWERS—And then she waited for the mailman to bring her treasures to her front door.

In February, her garden lay frozen beyond the oak tree, but she continued to work for her garden, starting the tiny little seeds in unassuming flats of soil on shelves in her basement. Every morning, she checked the grow lamp, water levels, tended to her babies as though they were her most precious possession. She counted the days until the final frost had passed, sowing carrots, peas, beets and lettuce in neat rows of dark, damp loam.

In the mornings, she began to sip her coffee on the porch and laughed at the rabbits as they hopped around the fence, unable to find their way in.

In late spring, she brought her little babies out of the basement and set them on the porch—seeds that had become tomatoes and eggplants, peppers and cabbage, herbes upon herbs and FLOWERS—and she laid them in their plots. She put cages around the tomatoes and built trellises for the beans and the cucumbers, piled the dirt upon the beginnings of potatoes and corn, and when all was finished, she sat back on her porch, tired and satisfied, and waited for it to grow.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited.

In June, she started to get worried. The plants were growing, alright, but they weren’t setting any fruit. Her carrots were spindly, and her lettuce was as pokey as could be. What was wrong with the garden that she had planted? There were no pests to be found—the rabbits, the groundhogs, even the bugs had left her patch to itself. Only the bees zipped around, seeking in vain for the flowers that refused to emerge.

In July, she got angry—not even the hint of an eggplant or a tomato to be seen. All of that labor was threatening to yield nothing more than a few sparse salad greens and whole lot of frustration. She had a stern talking to her plants, and then retreated to her porch, stewing as the sun set in the sky.

What then, do you suppose she should do in August, when nothing has changed? She has done everything right, and these plants she had tended lovingly, they have refused to do the one thing that ought to come naturally to them—they have refused to bear fruit. Would we blame her if, in her frustration, she gave up entirely? Ripped out the plants, the fence, the trellis and the tomato cages, plowed under the garden and let the grass overtake it once more?

I can relate to her—for years now, I have been tending the roses in the back yard of the manse, willing them to flower. And I have done everything I could for these plants that I did not even choose—when we moved here, Sean Pope helped us cut down the weed trees that choked out the light. We weeded, we mulched, we fertilized. When Japanese beetles and rose slugs and aphids emerged, I picked them off, sprayed them with garden soap, smothered them in a bucket of soapy water. Most of the roses have responded gratefully, and this spring their blooms were overwhelming and received with joy.

Except for one. One sickly, spindly, leggy rose in the corner by the nursery has flat out refused to flourish. Despite my best efforts, it has produced little more than a handful of pale pink blossoms on the end of sickly, leggy, stalks. Nothing I have done for it has worked.

IMG_6125 2.JPG

And so, it will go. This fall, three summers into this rescue mission, it will go the way of all ungrateful plants, and make room for something that will do something with the plot of land that it has been given. There just isn’t room in our yard to be wasted on roses that refuse to bloom.

Am I sad? Of course. I didn’t plant that rose, but I tended to it like it was my own. It received the same attention and care that I gave to everything else—the dahlias and Echinacea, tomatoes and tulips that grace the earth. But unlike them, it didn’t seem to care how much time or attention I gave it. And so, I will save my efforts for those corners of my garden that show promise. They haven’t given up on me, and I won’t give up on them.

Of course, this was never really about a garden, was it? In our first lesson this morning, Isaiah speaks in metaphors—and when he speaks of the garden, we know that what he means is the people of God. That God is like a gardener who planted his people, who gave them everything they needed to flourish. And in our text today, perhaps we find ourselves threatened as God tears down the walls and leaves his garden to perish. Or perhaps we are intimated by Paul’s list of all of the faithful gardens of the past, whose examples seem impossible to follow.

But there is another way to read these lessons. Perhaps we can take heart in the knowledge that God has given us absolutely everything that we need to flourish. That if we are God’s garden, we have amazing potential. We have been given the same care and attention that God gave to the Israelites in the desert, to the judges and the kings, the prophets and the martyrs, who at the end of the day were ordinary people who trusted that the Gardener would stand with them in extraordinary times.

The truth is that the garden that is Ivyland Presbyterian Church could produce the most amazing fruit—enough to feed everyone. And like any good garden of the people, we have so many different gifts to share. Spiritual tomatoes and corn, potatoes and eggplant, peppers and celery, herbs upon herbs upon herbs and FLOWERS! And none of us isn’t important. We all have a purpose. Remember, the tomato and the corn may seem like the king of the garden, but they are stronger for the carrots and marigolds and beans that provide additional nourishment, deter pests, and encourage the bees to take a visit. And the herbs—they provide so much flavor to our communal life with so little.

I could beat this metaphor into the ground, of course, but the point is this: when we see ourselves as the garden that God made us to be, then we see that what comes naturally, what we would call faith, is the work of learning to live together. That what comes naturally is supporting one another, encouraging one another, loving one another, because together we are far better than we are alone. Together, we have everything we need. Together, we make the most beautiful garden you have ever seen. A garden of justice, of mercy, of kindness, and righteousness.

And that, my friends, is what faith looks like. It looks like a garden of people, planted by God, filled with the goodness and promise of harvest. People doing what they were made to do, because they trust in the Gardener who made them and who tends them still. And that, brothers and sisters, is pleasing to God.

Poison Ivy: God’s Great Leveller

For the lover of Nature, there is no end to the supply of theological and philosophical musings on the wonder of God’s creation.  Whether it is Ralph Waldo Emerson or Anne Dillard, Michael Pollan or Aldo Leopold, Wendell Berry or Barbara Kingsolver or even Mary Oliver, one does not have to look far to find 200 pages or so of poetic verse dedicated to the intricate beauty of those who inhabit the land.

It is a secret delight of mine, I must admit, to linger over the pages of authors such as these, and to imagine in full color and with vibrant imagination the experiences that they detail on paper–the rush of the mighty wind, the cool waters teeming with dappled trout, the way in which words can transform even the obnoxious gadfly into a meditation on the holy, or a rotting trunk into a moral on the universe.

But there is a limit, it would seem to such musings.

Rarely, for example, have I seen an author turn their “reverent” gaze on poison ivy.  It is as though this persnickity plant, ubiquitous though it may be throughout the United States, has failed to register in the writer’s worldview.  It would seem that it is not worthy of the printer’s page.

Perhaps it is the visual humility of this plant that causes it to escape our notice.  For certainly it grows low to the ground, with only a few leaves to its name.  No wonder the plant at first glance–and even perhaps at a second and third–seems forgettable.  It is literally drowned out by the glory of the oaks and the buzzing of the arthropods, often hidden beneath its more majestic neighbors.

And so it is that we too easily forget this lowly creation as we turn our gaze to the grander aspects of Nature.  We write it off as base, a pest to be avoided, and we go about our business glorifying its neighbors.  But is this fair to poison ivy?  Is it not majestic in its own way?  If we wish to wax poetic over the majesty of God’s creation in the oak, ought we not also wonder at the cunning of this creature?

I found myself wondering at precisely this question last week, following my first encounter with this lowly little vine. As a Californian from the Bay, I grew up unfamiliar with ivy, for I lived in one of the few places in this country where the plant doesn’t grow.  And so it was that, when I moved to Philadelphia and began the process of amending the impoverished soil in my back yard for a small garden, it never occurred to me to familiarize myself with ivy.  The problem of ivy never even crossed my mind.

Which is precisely why, the day after a particularly vigorous weeding sans gloves, I was suprised to discover that my the space between my fingers on my right hand was becoming swollen with tiny blisters that itched the living daylights out of me.  Even then, it took me almost a day to discover the source of the blisters, and to begin to educate myself so that I would never make the mistake again.

Score one for the poison ivy.

In underestimating poison ivy, I had, like so many nature writers, dismissed it from my notice, and this is precisely what allowed this little plant to teach me a lesson.  For in underestimating its power, I succumbed to it.  In ignoring the plant, I made it possible for the ivy to hold my attention for at least a week, an unfortunate reminder to me that some plants know how to pay it forward in ways that we cannot imagine.  Some plants, like poison ivy, have a way of teaching respect to those who would offend them.  For certainly, the oak is majestic, but its beauty has never impelled me to scour the library and the internet for information on how it works.

It is interesting to me, in fact, that it is the more pesky plants and animals in God’s creation that inspire knowledge.  We are often much more keen to understand the mosquitos and the poison ivies of God’s created order than the gaudy and obvious splendors.  But rarely to we engage them with an eye towards the sacred.  Rarely do we speak of the sumacs and the fleas as God’s good creation as well.

As for me, I may have trouble seeing the fleas as beautiful, but I have gained an appreciation for poison ivy.  In the garden, I approach it with reverence, and I think twice before I deign to interfere with its turf.  It may look lowly, but even the highest of us all dress down once in a while.  And besides, it was in some of the lowliest creations that Jesus himself found beauty and God’s glory at work.

What does your Calvin Look Like?

The NYTimes posted an article this week about Mark Driscoll and his church, Mar’s Hill, which they conveniently entitled, “Who Would Jesus Smack Down?”  Actually, the article is just as much about Calvinism as it is about Driscoll, in particular what the author calls “New Calvinism.”  She writes of Driscoll:

What is new about Driscoll is that he has resurrected a particular strain of fire and brimstone, one that most Americans assume died out with the Puritans: Calvinism, a theology that makes Pat Robertson seem warm and fuzzy.

Now, maybe it is just me and I am misreading, but I was surprised to find this author writing of the “resurrection” of Calvinism.  As a Presbyterian, I was pretty sure Calvin was alive and well in my own reformed tradition, which traces its roots back to Calvin and the church in Geneva.

Turns out there is this movement that folks are calling “New Calvinism,” which is described in the article as a fight against a “limp-wristed Jesus” that has been coopted by the feminists.  Driscoll apparently rails against the mainstream church, which he says

has transformed Jesus into “a Richard Simmons, hippie, queer Christ,” a “neutered and limp-wristed popular Sky Fairy of pop culture that . . . would never talk about sin or send anyone to hell.”

Hmm.  Interesting.  But he goes further than this, decrying the “feminization” of Jesus (Apparently there are just too many pictures of Jesus cuddling babies and lambs).  Jesus is supposed to be manly, a warrior, blah blah blah.

Nevermind that Calvin himself devoted a great deal of his Institutes to admonishing Christians against forming an image of God, or Christ for that matter.  Any image, he warned, becomes an idol that stands between you and the true God.  It becomes a crutch, a thing to worship in lieu of the God who is a mystery beyond the reach of our minds.  As another theologian, I believe Barth, said, the minute you think you have fully conceived of God, it is in that moment that you have truly lost sight of God.

But I digress.  The article goes on to make assumptions about Calvin, everything from painting this “new Calvinism” as the only Calvinism to re-asserting the mostly false myth of Calvin that he was directly responsible for the deaths of his detractors.  The author writes,  “John Calvin had heretics burned at the stake and made a man who casually criticized him at a dinner party march through the streets of Geneva, kneeling at every intersection to beg forgiveness.”  Now I can’t speak with certainty as to the dinner party incident, but if I had to guess, the heretic she is referring to Michael Servetus, whom Calvin likely wanted to see dead.  However, he never ordered the death of this theologian–Calvin was not a political authority in Geneva, and did not have the power to make such decisions.  Maybe I am parsing hairs, but I hate to see Calvin’s history distorted.

Furthermore, the author makes the jump to claiming that questioning authority is equal to sinning.  Describing Driscoll’s leadership style, she goes to lengths to show that Driscoll is a power-hungry religious authority.  She describes incidents in Mars Hill’s past in which Driscoll dealt severely with those who disagreed with him.  In reference to such incidents, she writes of Driscoll:

“They are sinning through questioning,” Driscoll preached. John Calvin couldn’t have said it better himself.

Again…. Calvin himself questioned authory.  That is what the reformation was all about.  I don’t understand therefore how these sorts of claims can be thrown out in a NYTimes article as though they were commonly held fact.

So I guess we get the picture by now that I take issue with this reading of Calvin.  Ultimately it seems more like a rush job on Driscoll’s church and theology more than anything else, but it is the case that Calvin seems to get caught in the crossfire.  Just because us Presbyterians aren’t constantly screaching about spiders on the edge of a precipice or eternal damnation, doesn’t mean that providence and Calvinism are passe.  Just because we don’t ascribe to a manly Jesus doesn’t make us wimpy.  False dichotomy, duh!

So yea, I am a bit peeved.  A bit discouraged.  A bit frustrated that my own Calvinist heritage can be so easily distorted.  Ultimately, however, I give it to God, trusting that God is working through and in all this, helping push us (gently or otherwise) past our assumptions about who God is and is not and towards a more holistic and healthy understanding of the mysterium tremendum.

Peace be with you

OH Calvin…

I had an epiphany today…. I was goofin’ off on my guitar playing Colbie Caillat and loving her lyrics… and suddenly I realized something.  I think, in all sincerity, that if Calvin were alive today he would write mellow surfer guitar music like Colbie Caillat– or at least he would like it alot.

And this is how I got here–  I was thinking about Calvin, and how in Book 1 of the Institutes he goes into detail about how beautiful this world is, and how God’s imprint is everywhere, from the mountains to our very own toenails, and how the problem is that we are so dull that we don’t even see it.  And how we mistake things of our own invention (what Barth calls images of ourselves) for God, and end up not only missing God but worshipping idols in God’s place and often in God’s name.

And then I was playing Colbie’s “Realize”, which if you have heard the song, the voice of the song is someone who believes that if the audience could only realize what they realized then everything would be perfect, and I found myself thinking not of a romantic love interest (sorry alex!) but rather of Calvin and his writings on knowledge of God and self.  And then I started tinkering with the lyrics, and found that it took little to no effort to make a song about a love interest into a song that pretty closely mirrors the spirit (if not the letter) of Calvin’s theology on the beauty of God which surrounds us.

SO anyways…thats my thought for the day.  I am debating whether to work this into a sermon… but we shall see.  it might be too much for my very New England Presbyterian church… but then again, perhaps I should give them more credit.


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Philips “enchances life with light” by using the power of light to improve people’s lives and make a positive difference for local communities. Through LED-based lighting innovations, we provide energy efficiency, cost-saving and enviromentally-friendly lighting solutions applicable for Home, Office, Outdoors, Hospitality, Retail, Entertainment, Healthcare, and Automotive sectors. As Philips Home Lighting Stores spread across Indonesia, we deliver the best in lighting solution for home and professional in architecture and design.

Bringing the benefits of Philips Lighting Solution beyond the product, Philips Lighting Service in financing model that helps bussines owners and building managements to switch to LED with zero upfront investment. Lighting Services project include the Tempo Scan Building, Jakarta, Bali Benoa Toll Road, L’Oreal  Warehouse  and Office Galleries Lafayette, Pacific Place Mall Jakarta, East-Parc Hotel Yogyakarta, Siloam Hospital Kebon Jeruk, Taman Dayu Pandaan and many more

Philips has also partnered with municipal governments to provide LED lighting solutions for city landmarks and public areas, in support of the Livable Cities initiative. The Kota Terang Philips LED program showcases solutions to urban electrical shortages that beautify public spaces, stimulate cultural tourism, and  instill community pride for city residents.


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This is a collection of videos and virtual tours about Alabama Apartments.

Property Description & General Info

Check Availability

1-800-(D E L- V I E W)
Call now or fill out the form below and a Alabama Apartments apartment in Tuscaloosa, AL representative will contact you shortly.

Text for details

call now for info 205-345-4600 or email

Water and sewer included with rent. Granite counters. Hardwood vinyl floors. walk in closets in every bedroom. All bedrooms have private bath. Camera system. Fire alarm and sprinkler system. Elevator.

Almost New!

Alabama Apartments

428 Reed Street
Tuscaloosa Alabama, 35401
  • Area

  • County

1-800-(D E L- V I E W) Toll Free

205-345-4648 Fax

Office Hours

Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00, Sat Closed, Sun Closed

Bedrooms: 2 to 3 BDRM
Bathrooms: 2 to 3 BA
Phone: 1-800-(D E L- V I E W)

Rents & Floor Plans

Floor Plan Bedrooms Bathrooms SqFt Rents Deposit Style Rent By Bedroom
2 Bedroom Two Bedrooms 2 $1,500.00 $1,500.00 Apartment No floorplan img
3 Bedroom Three Bedrooms 3 $2,250.00 $2,250.00 Apartment No floorplan img

Prices & Availabilty Subject To Change

Features & Amenities

  • Amenities
  • Balcony/Patio/Deck
  • Blinds
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Central A/C
  • Dishwasher
  • Energy Efficient
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Hardwood Floors
  • Heat Electric
  • Range Oven
  • Refrigerater/Icemaker
  • Water Included
  • Private Entry
  • Microwave
  • W/D Connections
  • Application/Term/Fee
  • Application Criteria All students must have gurantors
  • Application Fee $35 PER APPLICANT
  • Minimum Lease Term One Year
  • Security Deposit One Months Rent
  • College/University Housing
  • Co Signers Allowed
  • Sublets Allowed
  • Corporate Housing
  • Credit Cards Accepted
  • Features
  • Controlled Access
  • Courtyard
  • Handicap Units
  • Walk to class
  • General
  • Number Units 16
  • Housing Styles Options
  • Apartment
  • Furnished Available
  • Garden Style
  • Individual Lease Apartment
  • House Around UA Campus
  • Housing Types
  • College Housing
  • Pet Policy Fees
  • No Pets
  • Precautions
  • Video Surveillance
  • Services Offered
  • Emergency Maintenance
  • Utilities
  • All Electric; Tenant pays Alabama Power. Water and sewer included with rent. There is a Garbage Dumpster on site.

Alabama Apartments Managed by:

Delview Properties, LLC

711 Black Bears Way
P O Box 2886
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35403-2886

Phone: 205-345-4600

Fax: 205-345-4648

Map & Directions

Get Directions to Alabama Apartments, apartment in Tuscaloosa, AL

From campus take University Blvd. towards downtown Tuscaloosa. Turn right on Reed Street. Alabama Apartments are 1/2 block on the left.

  Get Directions

Delview Properties, LLC

Serving the Tuscaloosa, Huntsville & Auburn Apartment Community since 1977


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Issue details

Kings Hill Area 62, Village 2

Kings Hill is one of KCC’s flagship mixed developments. It provides high quality and in some cases exemplar form of development, which importantly contributes towards bettering design standards.

KCC and its Kings Hill development partners, Liberty have committed to a long term calibrated and progressive development land disposal programme.

The Kings Hill development is a proven and essential regular income through annual distributions, generated by the effective disposal of residential development land.

It is proposed that KCC should agree the future disposal of the subject land parcel for best consideration, through a competitive bid basis. This will be facilitated by KCC’s development partners, Liberty Property Trust UK.

Links to Bold Steps for Kent and corporate objectives

The decision directly links to the Council’s Medium Term Plan (Bold Steps for Kent) in that it aligns with:

Priority 8 - Responding to key regeneration challenges working with our partners by unlocking a key site within a growth point and which contributes to providing new homes and commercial opportunities at Kings Hill.

Priority 9 - Support new housing growth that is affordable, sustainable and with the appropriate infrastructure; and

Priority 10 – Deliver growth without gridlock.

The proposed decision relates to the long term agreed Master Plan and Strategy for Kings Hill and as part of the Council’s Policy Framework.

Impact/costs and risks of proposed decision

The proposed land sale will form an important part of the remaining unfinished areas of allocated housing development within Village 2. The land disposal will take place based on the Partnership’s preferred design and conditional upon detailed planning permission and will ensure a comprehensive and effective design solution with adjacent development of area 64, to help complete and improve the overall Kings Hill Village 2 development. The sale process will be devised to minimise many of the risks of abortive transactions (because of improved demand) and increases certainty for the Partnership/KCC and thereby optimises land values and income.

 All risks will be fully considered through a diligent evaluation process when consideration is made of the preferred developer/bidder and brought for a decision.

The only direct costs for KCC are those charged by Legal Services in executing the transactions.

Decision type: Key

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Notice of proposed decision first published: 31/12/2012

Anticipated restriction: Part exempt  - View reasons

Explanation of anticipated restriction:
It is likely that the proposed sale price and potential purchaser will be exempt from publication until the decision is finalised, in order that any transaction is not compromised. This information wil be contained within a seperate exempt report, all other available information will be for publication including the record of decision

Department: Strategic & Corporate Services

Contact: Matt Hyland, Project Co-ordinator – Kings Hill Tel: 01622 223423 e-mail:

Consultation process

All members of the council will be notified, particularly Local Members when a site is considered for disposal as part of the Kings Hill strategy and a decision is to be taken.

As well as information regarding the site to be considered Members will also be informed of the long agreed and established strategy of the continued development of Kings Hill as a mixed use flagship development.

The matter has been considered and the proposed disposal endorsed by the Policy and Resources Cabinet Committee in September 2012.  To read the report click on the link below

To read the minutes click on the link below:

Furthermore the Kings Hill development and disposal strategy is referred to as a Key Priority in the Annual Plan.

Local Member - Matthew Balfour

Financial implications: Matthew Hyland, Kings Hill Project Coordinator, Regeneration and Economy, 01622 223423 -

Legal implications: 12/01956

Equalities implications: Yes. The proposal will unlock the regeneration of a KCC asset within the Kings Hill development partnership, provide new housing stock, as part of Bold Steps for Housing and provide significant income for KCC. The land transaction is likely to exceed £1 million.


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A Better Explanation for the Future of Liberal Disappointment

There’s no need to argue that conservatives have been duped: new research offers better explanations for the GOP’s success.

By Nathan Pippenger

Before Tuesday’s elections, the GOP was already (in the words of this journal) “trouncing” liberals in the states. After the elections, the situation is even worse: among other things, the Democrats lost Kentucky’s gubernatorial election (as well as most of its down-ballot races), bringing to power a Republican who may act to repeal the state’s Medicaid expansion—stripping healthcare away from 400,000 Kentuckians. Last month, I argued that for the next several years, liberalism’s agenda is likely to be stalled in Congress. This week’s results in Kentucky and elsewhere show that the situation is bleak at the state level too.

Just how bad could things get? Lee Drutman suggests that they could get very bad indeed. Citing new research on voter information and inequality, Drutman argues that the U.S. could be stuck in a negative reinforcing feedback loop: with relatively unequal educational opportunities and weak unionization, low-income Americans are less likely to be involved in the networks that encourage political engagement, making them worse-informed. “Because those who are less well-off lack information to properly locate their economic interests,” Drutman writes, “politics trends rightward, and inequality increases as a result of further de-investment in education and declining union bargaining power, which further reduces political information. And so on.” There are lots of ways for this agenda to advance at the state level—think, for instance, of recent efforts by conservative state governments to gut public education and attack unions through right-to-work laws.

How does this argument stack up as an explanation (and grim prediction) of conservative success? It’s appealing for at least a few reasons. In recent years, liberal writers have offered a range of theories to explain conservative victories, including the idea that working-class voters have been seduced, or perhaps duped, by the distraction of culture-war issues to vote against their economic interests. The theory Drutman’s offering doesn’t rely on this argument, with its overtones of false consciousness (and its assumption that the role of analysts is to judge for citizens whether material interests are more important than cultural or moral concerns). Instead, its explanation is rooted in a description of the mechanisms through which information is communicated and engagement is encouraged—showing that where those mechanisms are stronger, low-income voters are more informed, more engaged, and more reliably left-wing.

Moreover, the theory may help explain some of the odd dynamics which combine to stifle liberalism’s goals—and in this way, hopefully prevent a lot of bad punditry which lays every future liberal disappointment at the feet of the next Democratic president. Yes, the national electorate is growing more diverse, and public opinion is moving leftward on a range of issues. But at the same time, conservatives are aggressively using the powers of state governments to counteract these trends and enact policies which weaken the left’s institutional bases (especially unions). In future years, this may help explain why progressives, despite enjoying a demographic advantage that helps clinch the White House, nonetheless have trouble enacting their agenda. The specific factors which boost Democrats in presidential elections may be creating the misleading impression that the party enjoys a decisive political advantage. In truth, the power of this advantage may be severely limited—not because of false consciousness among working-class voters, but because conservatives’ state-level policies helped to undermine the paths through which those voters might become more involved in the political process.

Nathan Pippenger is a contributing editor at Democracy. Follow him on Twitter at @NathanPip.

Also by this author

Asking the Right Question About Nationalism

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Quotable: Keith Devlin on Mathematical Thinking

“At heart, mathematical thinking is little more than formalized common sense. It always has been. Which means it is something we can all do.”

— Keith Devlin
How Today’s Pros Solve Math Problems

If you have some time to spend pondering big ideas, dig into Devlin’s entire series of posts about what real-world mathematics looks like and the implications for math education:

And a related series on K–12 school math:

“Make no mistake about it, acquiring that modern-day mathematical skillset definitely requires spending time carrying out the various procedures. Your child or children will still spend time ‘doing math’ in the way you remember.

“But whereas the focus used to be on mastering the skills with the goal of carrying out the procedures accurately — something that, thanks to the learning capacity of the human brain, could be achieved without deep, conceptual understanding — the focus today is on that conceptual understanding.

“That is a very different goal, and quite frankly a much more difficult one to reach.”

— Keith Devlin
All The Mathematical Methods I Learned in My University Math Degree Became Obsolete in My Lifetime

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Belfast telegraph titanic 1912 book 2017

Unfortunately this euphoria was short lived, as the titanics first voyage was also to be its last. If youre not superstitious, book passage on titanic ii. Only in belfast can you trace the titanic story to its source, discover the passion and pride of those who designed and built her and relive the excitement of the titanic era when the city was at the height of its powers. Riggio of the book titanic 1912 by ken rossingnol i read this little gem of a book in a day and a half three hours. Titanic has gone down as one of the most famous ships in history for its lavish design and tragic fate.

Electric trams had been introduced as public transport in 1905. Composite of five mounted photographs of wireless operator on shipboard receiving distress call. It is a story spun around then current news paper articles from the us, canada, ireland and england. But less than a year later, on the night of april 14, 1912, the titanics maiden voyage ended in disaster when the ship sank to the bottom of the atlantic ocean.

But now a little known fact that eight chinese passengers were on board when the legendary liner perished in 1912 has emerged. Vanishing from the history books in the disasters aftermath, their absence. More than 1,500 men, women and children died because there werent enough lifeboats on the ship. Summer 2017 at titanic belfast by titanic belfast issuu. Latest news, sport and business from belfast and throughout northern ireland plus, opinion, entertainment and lifestyle coverage. To support and enhance your experience, we have developed a full programme of resources and activities for use with your class before, during and after your visit. Titanic minute book up for auction this week and other. Located in the heart of belfast, northern ireland, on the very slipways where she was built. Original belfast newspaper reports are used to describe the creation and launch of this great ship, and these give a clear indication of the pride which we in belfast had in our latest creation. The titanic was not sunk after striking an iceberg, it has sensationally been claimed more than a century since the ship disaster.

The sinking of the titanic was one of the worst maritime disasters in history. This article has been specially written for thousands of pupils from across northern ireland who are doing the belfast telegraph crosscurricular project on the titanic. It tells the stories of the titanic, which hit an iceberg and sank during her maiden voyage in 1912, and her sister ships rms olympic and hmhs britannic. The first report of the titanic sinking was published the three belfast daily newspapers, on 16 april 1912. Spirit of the titanic kindle edition by pierce, nicola, byrne, emma. The titanic sank on april 15, 1912, three hours after hitting an iceberg. New memorial to titanic helmsman buried in unmarked grave belfast telegraph, 19 dec 2019. Education at titanic belfast, northern ireland titanic. Titanic replica photos show how it will compare to the. Fears titanic wreck could be pillaged after salvage company falls into bankruptcy. In his famous book a night to remember, historian walter lord described the sinking of the titanic as the last night of a small town.

Titanic history, facts and stories titanic belfast. New book views titanic tragedy through the eyes of six passengers and finds many of the weeds that choke us today taking root in 1912. At two months old, she was also the youngest passenger aboard. The society has come to be known as nis foremost experts on all aspects of titanic and her time in belfast. Rare titanic photograph fetches 360 pounds at uk auction. According to the belfast telegraph, heritage spaces that were preserved include the telephone exchange, board room, directors entrance, lobby and former directors offices. Titanic ii will be ft wider than the original ship, but its length 885ft, height 174ft and weight 40,000 tonnes will be similar and it too will have nine decks, the belfast telegraph reported. In 1912 when the titanic set sail for america, class played a major part in society. Early reports indicated that no lives had been lost.

The world has faced similar tragedies before the 1912 sinking of the titanic is regarding as the first global disaster, as the newly invented telegraph was first used to announce to the world the horrendous calamity. Now, a hundred years after her sinking, john welshman reconstructs the fascinating individual histories of twelve of the inhabitants of. Oct 20, 2017 the tragic events that transpired on april 14th, 1912 after the unsinkable ship called the titanic collided with an iceberg and sealed the fate of 1,517 people have become a legendary reminder of how fragile technology can be despite our beliefs that everything has been foreseen. Cynical observers of the new titanic currently being built in china have argued. Maximise the educational value of your trip with our previsit resources, create opportunities for reflection when your pupils return to school with our postvisit resources or take a look at our free. Titanics aid after the belfastbuilt liner struck an iceberg on 15 april 1912. Rare photographs showing the moment survivors of the titanic were plucked from rescue. Robert hichens from merchant seaman records, circa 1919 or earlier public domanwikimedia. Its been over 100 years since the sinking of the titanic in 1912, but the ship is still talked about to this very day. According to the belfast telegraph, this minute book contains information between 19051918 that chronicles the daytoday business of the shipyard. It was a massive 46,000ton ship, measuring 882 feet long and 175 feet high. On april 2nd 1912, rms titanic sailed out of belfast lough to. Gaetano anania nelle migliori librerie per acquistarlo online.

Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The titanic and six chicago connections classic chicago. The belfast titanic society is the only titanic society in the world to meet on a regular basis, in addition to special events held throughout the year, while members receive regular society magazines and a host of other benefits. A spokesman for palmer told the belfast telegraph that the project simply has been delayed and will not be abandoned so, if youre not superstitious, youll still have a chance book a ticket to experience life aboard titanic, complete with clothing of the era. The city had a thriving industrial economy with flourishing textile and shipbuilding trades. Titanic belfast wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Archive titanic northern ireland business news belfasttelegraph. News new book views titanic tragedy through the eyes of six passengers and finds many of the weeds that choke us today taking root in 1912 belfast telegr started by. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading spirit of the titanic. Titanic belfast information opening hours last admission to the titanic experience is 1hr 45mins before closing time. The family of the helmsman of the titanic, whose final resting place was a mystery for decades, have now marked his grave with a headstone in aberdeen. Titanic belfast, named worlds leading tourist attraction at the prestigious world travel awards, 2016, is located beside the titanic slipways, the harland and wolff drawing offices and hamilton graving dock the very place where titanic was designed, built and launched in 1912.

Originally set to sail this year, titanic iis maiden voyage has been pushed back to 2018. Louise patten said charles lightoller, who was second officer on the ship which sank when it hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912, said. A rare, black and white photograph of the titanic which sank during its maiden voyage in 1912 has been sold for 360 pounds at an auction in the uk. John george jack phillips 11 april 1887 15 april 1912 was a british sailor and the senior wireless officer aboard the titanic during its illfated maiden voyage in april. Titanic belfast is located beside the site of where the ship of the same name was built and in an interactive way the titanic experience and tour outlines how it was constructed and launched as. For many decades, as a recent belfast telegraph editorial put it, the titanic was not talked about in northern. Free titanic belfast tickets as thank you to northern.

A range of rms titanic belfast 19122017 cotton bath and cabin towel sets to remember the 105th anniversary of the titanic are available from. The hotels telephone exchange received the first communication of the titanic hitting the iceberg in april 1912. Titanic records, ulster covenant and nazi goerings teapot. Belfast, northern ireland, embraces its titanic connection. Spirit of the titanic kindle edition by pierce, nicola.

There were irish passengers and crew on board the ship. Titanics belfastsouthampton trip encyclopedia titanica. Belfast, 1912 by 1912, the population of belfast was nearly 400, 000 compared with 174,000 in 1871. Titanic belfast tells the story of the titanic, from. When the facts were known, belfast mourned a personal loss and grieved for the dead they knew and the dead they had never known. I down loaded this book for free from kindle and is a handy reference book for lovers of history. Belfasts relationship with the titanic has long been an uneasy one. Countless books have been written and numerous movies, including one starring leonardo. Titanic belfast had a recordbreaking year in 20172018 with 841,563 people visiting the tourist attraction and the year before saw the titanic museum take home the worlds leading tourism attraction award at the world travel awards 2016 in the same year, titanic belfast saw 84% of its visitors coming from outside northern ireland. Titanic was not sunk by iceberg new evidence suggests. Eliza gladys millvina dean 2 february 1912 31 may 2009 was a british civil servant, cartographer, and the last survivor of the sinking of the rms titanic on 15 april 1912. Titanic hotel belfast offers a historic experience.

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Cadillac Brings VR Showrooms Ever Closer to Reality

08.18.17 | By
Cadillac Brings VR Showrooms Ever Closer to Reality
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Imagine this: you walk into a car dealership knowing exactly which car model you want, but not exactly the package and options you’d like to add to your eventual purchase. It’s not an uncommon problem, knowing the general, but not the specifics. Currently potential customers have to settle for 2-dimensional online “build this car” previews, request a catalog to thumb through, or visit the dealership in hopes of matching dreams with in-stock reality. Cadillac is envisioning answering the question, “Can I get that option with this package?” not with vague and generalized descriptions available today, but with virtual showrooms of tomorrow presenting buyers the ability to build, customize, and view their car in detailed 3-dimensions.

It was at the opening of the Letters To Andy Warhol exhibition at the Cadillac House Munich last month where a small group of guests – including Design Milk – were invited to preview the luxury American automaker’s vision of the auto purchasing experience: Cadillac VR.

Cadillac endeavors to usher in an entirely different experience that doesn’t rely upon vehicle stock on hand – or even dealership location, for that matter. Available models, finishes, and options are to be explored anywhere utilizing specially programmed HTC Vive virtual reality headsets in lieu (or at least in supplement) of physical location or inventory. With a headset on and controller in hand, customers will soon be invited to peruse and pick any vehicle from the Cadillac line up inside a virtual architectural showroom, then dive into the entire list of customization options to add and inspect instantly. Once completed, the VR technology permits a detailed walk/fly/zoom around the vehicle, inside and out (this even includes the ability to compare finishes and colors at different times of the day).

Cadillac reps made it clear that although the Cadillac VR system has progressed for demonstration purposes, there were still plenty of opportunities to fine tune the experience before customers (and equipped dealerships) are able to get their hands on the VR units. A “coming soon” beta.

We spoke with Lesley Ma, Cadillac Global CIO, to elaborate further on Cadillac’s plans to integrate the emerging technology of virtual reality into the car purchasing experience:

Design Milk: What exactly should someone walking through the doors of a Cadillac VR equipped dealership expect?

A customer will be greeted with the entire Cadillac 2017 vehicle line-up, including all models, trims, and options available in the US market. The Cadillac in Virtual Reality experience will continue to evolve, with new products being added to the visualizer as they are launched in the coming years.

DM: Beyond car building, will the Cadillac VR system offer any other unique experiences that a traditionally outfitted showroom cannot?

Cadillac builds exciting concept vehicles for our special motor shows and other events. Customers around the globe rarely have an opportunity to see one of these rare vehicles in person. This includes Cadillac racing vehicles. Leveraging the power of VR, we will bring that 3D visualization experience to those who visit our showrooms or events.

DM: Which VR hardware is being used in these virtual showrooms?

The “Visualizer” was built using the Unity development platform for HTC’s Vive headset. The Vive currently represents the highest fidelity image available. Our creative developer/production partner was a firm called ATM (All Things Media). In the future, a simplified version of the work will be available for other platforms, including mobile, tablets, etc.

DM: VR is still an emerging and quickly evolving technology…any concerns about obsolescence?

As technology innovations evolve with better head-mounted gear and user interfaces, we’ll upgrade accordingly, allowing customers  to interact and immerse themselves more effortlessly in the full range of our vehicles and be able to enjoy looking at the details of our precision craftsmanship and engineering.

DM: The average customer comes into a dealership to physically inspect before purchasing…literally and figuratively kicking the tires, so to speak. How immersive of an experience should customers expect using the VR headset? Is every compartment, door, and window accessible virtually as they are in real life?

Customers will be able to inspect all trims and options (including wheels, lights, interior colors and materials) available in the US market today. With each new release, we will build more animations and interactions to improve the full visualization experience.

The goal is to present the Cadillac vehicles in an elegant setting encapsulating the brand values. The sleek digital space was designed by the Architectural firm Gensler, who designed Cadillac HQ and Cadillac House. The view out the windows is NYC as seen from our Global headquarters.

DM: Virtual reality is currently still solely a visual experience, but a car is the sum of all our senses. Will Cadillac dealerships have a selection of support material option samples on hand for customers to supplement their VR experience?

Cadillac dealerships do, and will likely continue to have, material option samples on display in their showrooms.

This is in no way meant to replace a dealership or showroom experience, but rather it is a modern way to view, explore and engage with the vehicles, and the brand. All new build dealerships have a mandated footprint and planning to include VR.

Cadillac spearheads General Motors dive into VR-enhanced customer experience, but don’t be surprised to see it emerge in promotion of their other prestige vehicles such as the Corvette.

DM: What would you say was the biggest challenge for the VR development team while designing a newly imagined inspection process in relation and comparison to the traditional car purchasing experience?

The shopping journey of customers is changing rapidly across all industries. The automotive consumer is doing online research and very often making a purchase decision before even stepping into a physical showroom. At Cadillac, we are investing in our digital tools to help guide and inform consumers in a way that can immerse them in our products. We believe that whether the consumer is early or late in the shopping journey, we need to focus a positive digital experience coupled with a superior showroom experience.

Although VR is a technology known well in the gaming industry, applying it in other industries as a consumer tool is fairly new. Our biggest technical challenge was to achieve the level of image fidelity that would best showcase our product, and we continue to explore technical solutions that will evolve these efforts.

Gregory Han is Tech Editor of Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at