Although he can't talk, he has lots to say

Very intent on having his way

Isn't too happy to just sit and play

Diapers and bottles and kitties, hooray!

Talented baby, and he's here to stay.

Darth Vader - is now just a winy teenager. Even without the destruction of the Darth Vader character via the new 3 Star Wars episodes this Joker would give him a run for his money.

the Terminator - Unfortunately he's only been a villain 33.4% of the time (he's the hero of the 2nd and 3rd film). He falls behind the Nolan's Joker as well.

Silas Lynch - from The Birth of a Nation, 1915. While he is worth mentioning, he falls behind the Joker as well - he's not near as disturbing as the Joker, nor is he as evil.

the Wicked Witch of the West - she's been made into the misunderstood good guy by "Wicked."

Phyllis Dietrichson - in Double Indemnity, 1944. It's true she's crafty and can't be trusted but compared to the Joker she's like Mother Teresa. She causes nowhere near the level of destruction, and by comparison, she is not feared. The Joker strikes terror into th hearts of an entire city.

Henry F. Potter - from It's a Wonderful Life, 1946. Just nowhere near the same level - I think you'd all agree.

Mrs. Iselin - from Manchurian Candidate, 1962. She's on the list because she's twisted and devious - the Joker has her beat in both categories.

Catwoman - Batman Returns, 1992. Catwoman is probably the most comparable person on the list simply because she too comes from the Batman universe. The Joker will leave you disturbed and rattled. Catwoman is more of a typical superhero villain - almost playful. Joker wins, hands down.

Out of all the villains I can think of, the only one who truly rivals Nolan's Joker is Hannibal Lecter. It's a very close call but there are a few things to consider: think about the amount of havoc the Joker brought upon the city. Think about the volume of people who were terrified of him. Think about his motives. The most frightening thing about the Joker is that he really does not have any motives - he's just a "dog barking at cars." He loves doing what he does. Though it's a close call, I believe the Joker wins again.

Heath Ledger was perfect and I'm not exaggerating. It's fair to say (while we are on the Hannibal subject) that he gave an "Anthony Hopkins" worthy performance - he'll go down in history.

So that's my point - I think a strong case could be made for the Nolan Joker to be the greatest villain of all time. What say you?

-David May

Since there are only two traffic lights in David, this one is not the one by the Bus Terminal. The office is located in the Plaza Mallorca, one block up from the traffic light.

I was impressed with the appearance of the front entrance. Unfortunately the reflection does not show the art work and lettering well. The welcome mat in front of the door is wishing one a "Merry  Christmas"

As one enters one is immediately caught by the colors and welcoming waiting area.

Let me introduce you. This is Doctora Miriam and her assistant and office manager, Senora Omeira.

I have to post this picture of them because I caught Sra. with a great big smile.

Believe it or not that is me in the chair having my exam and my teeth  cleaned. The young man is also a dentist and is studying under Doctora Miriam. He is  from Mexico and does not look old enough to be a dentist. Actually he is 27 years old and speaks excellent English.

I like the cloth they put over my face to catch the water spray.

Take note of the modern equipment and the cleanliness. Sanitation is high on their list for her patients.

Please note the television. It is not to watch cable or satellite TV. Doctora has a camera hooked up that she uses to show and explain what is wrong,needs to be done or has been done. Really cool. Much better than looking in a hand mirror.

Well folks, I went in for a cleaning and a gum infection.Since the original consult-exam and cleaning, I have had two cavities filled, my teeth deep cleaned by quadrants, a tooth pulled, a brace put in, some small porcelain work done and today my teeth polished. I am now good for three months when she will need to adjust the brace and have another cleaning while I am at it.

Again I highly recommend her for complete dental care. Doctora Miriam is not only very proffesional but kind and caring about her patients. She is never in a hurry and takes the time to explain ones options after giving her expert opinion. Thank you all at Dental Esthetic.

I also want to thank my friend Don at Chiriqui Chatter for his post on the clinic.   http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/

Llego a recibir mi predica, risoterapia, oracion, ministración, cuadracion, terminación; cuando al terminar el Noel me dice: "Vos Sale Wii?"Ni dos veces, Orale ps! le dije. Encendimos la tele, el wii, cada uno agarro su control y estábamos listos... Solo porque David se dio cuenta, si no todavía estuviéramos ahi jugando.jejeje (Pueden verle la cara no?) enojado ps... Entonces se me alumbró la cabeza literalmente (había una luz detrás mía) y me pregunte: Habrá algún juego de pasar la Biblia y conocerla por medio de la tecnología visual?

Y existiera, podría llamarse wiigelio?

Ojo: Ficticio.

Habría algún juego de pasar pantallas como Génesis; construir una arca, o David y Goliat? O ser como nehemias? Hasta ser un Discípulo de Jesús, y ganar la mayor cantidad de almas para Cristo? Seria interesante no? Si fuera con fines educativos, lo compraría y

Tu lo comprarias?

Read all about the blockbuster budget at: http://www.deccanherald.com/DeccanHerald.com/Content/Jul172008/state2008071779340.asp?section=updatenews

It seems like promises are meant to be broken. The BJP's pre-elections assurances to revise the Below Poverty Line criteria of the 'extremely poor' (proposed RS30,000 up from RS12,000) and the 'poor' (proposed RS60,000 up from RS17,000), and to provide rice to the 'extremely poor' at RS2 per kg seem to have been sorely lacking from this budget.

Also no talk about farmer suicides and fertiliser shortage. Baah.

***Having an authentic ham and cheese crepe on the Champs Elysees at 1am with a handful of special people that just happened to be in Paris at the same time, then hanging out at an underground club acting silly.

***Seeing cool landmarks like The Eiffel Tower, The Louve, The Notre Dame Cathedral, The Siene River and The Arc de Triumph.

***Waking up in France, having lunch in Monaco, and going to sleep in Italy.

***Seeing the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, and exploring the old towns of Volterra and Gimignano.

***Having a private tour of the Sassicaia Winery and Vineyard, which is closed to the public. A small, very basic family operation that changed the way of wine production in Italy, this wine has won numerous awards over the years and is known as one of the few "Super Tuscans".

***Seeing Michaelangelo's David, Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, and The Mona Lisa.

***Searching for the perfect thin crust pizza in Italy.

***Partying like a rock star in St. Tropez on the 4th of July and learning the difference between a Magnum(2 bottles), Double Magnum(4 bottles), and Jeroboam(6 bottles).

***Relaxing in the quiet little seaside town of Portofino at the hillside Splendido Hotel, where the view is amazing and the have the best spaghetti I have ever tasted.

***Walking/Hiking 8 miles through Cinque Terre (5 lands), a small group of 5 small fishing villages on the coastline in a National Park.

***Exploring all the nooks and crannies of Venice, Italy and wondering aimlessly through the cobble stone streets. Having drinks at The Gritti Palace, visiting one of the most famous squares in the world ( Piazza San Marco), and shopping in Rodeo-like shops of Chanel and Prada.

***Feeling like a Princess and taking advantage of all the amenities at The Principe Di Savoia in Milan, Italy. The hotel is one of the oldest and most recognized hotels in the city.

Being made right must be by faith so that is accredited to Abraham from God. For us to understand the nature of God justifying man Paul defines monergistic justification. In other words all that Abraham has been given to become just and right in the eyes of God comes from God.

1. Abraham did not work off his debt of unrighteousness God gave him righteousness.

Romans 4:1-25 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

If Abraham would have worked for his justification he would have earned a deserved wage and been able to claim that he had worked for what was credited to his account. Being shown his debt and awful position before God Abraham was not expected to work of the difference but to receive the Grace of God by faith.

2. You and I cannot work off our debt of unrighteousness God gives it to us.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

Note that in verse 5 Paul is very general in this statement...But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. As a preacher i would identify this as a point of application. Paul has now taken a moment to bring the specific work of God justifying abraham to a universal and timless truth. Paul is saying in short this is also how we are justified. Psalm 32:1-2 is used by Paul to bring up the blessings of such a graciously credited righteousness's.

3. Abraham was a gentile before he was a Jew and this shows that he is a father of Faith to all who believe not to the Jew only.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

Justification by faith is still the topic and main point in Pauls discourse here. What do we as gentiles have in common with Abraham since we where aliens of the commonwealth of Isreal? We are also justified by faith and this is how he is our father (in type). The Jew through incredible arrogance and self righteousness had overlooked the fact that God demands the heart to be circumsized. Justification for the Jew is through faith also, this is where Jesus had Nicodemus scratching his head in inquiry (John 3). The Jew if they had been killed by the law would understand that they are also children of Adam just like Abraham was and Nicodemus along with his whole nation. They had forgotten that the law and the circumcision do not save. Consider the following verses...

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Deuteronomy 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

4. Abraham a type of father or picture perfect example of all who are justified by faith.

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

5. God makes alive that which was dead and he brings into existence that which did not previously exist like abrahams seed, justification and faith.

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Obviuously this passage is not only expressing God giving life to His promise that abraham would be the father of a physical seed but also justification and faith. Note verse 17 "who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." A point is being made here that is generaly describing Gods character in energizing the unenergized this is an important passage not only for justification but faith also. Our faith that pleases God also comes from God. Could abraham being dead in unrighteouss and unjustified be found with a faith that pleases God? God desires to recieve credit in all areas of promise and fullfilment of promise. Be carefull in your walk with Christ that you are not making your faith a work by adding it to the bank along with what God has credited to your account. Your justification is not a corporate effort... only by Grace!

Consider what an anonymous Author has said about faith...

Does faith come from God?

Some inner faith comes from God. It is called "the measure of faith" and every person is given this amount as stated in Romans 12:3 below. Atheists are given this amount as well as the most devout Christian. The measure is an amount whereby every person is without excuse for not believing in God. This God-given faith is the initial starting amount that everyone possessed at one time. A person can go on to develop this faith by studying the Holy Scriptures to build his faith as promised in Scripture, or a person can throw away his initial measure of faith. Pastors and preachers commonly teach a false doctrine that all inner faith comes from God. They teach that a person cannot have his own faith. This false doctrine is not supported by Scripture. The origin appears to be one of the many false doctrines of John Calvin who taught that some people are zapped by God with faith while God withholds faith from others.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (KJV) or "a measure of faith." (NKJV)

This passage mentioned above is clearly being made to look as if everyman on earth has a measure of faith but the context (found in the same passage) makes very clear that it is everyman among "you" or believers in the church at Rome. Don't fall into the self-righteous cycle of promoting the extent of your faith has come from the work you do. Instead recognize that that which pleases God only comes from God and that we where dead 100% before we where made alive.

6. The father is well pleased with me because of what He has done with His son.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

1 John 4:9-10 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 8:7-8 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Dear Lord God as we humbly lay ourselves on the altar bring forth much fruit in our lives so that you might be the all in all in the eyes of a lost and dying world. I pray that the world might know you are our righteousness and you are the only true source of Grace oh God please disableus!

Paulie,

7-13-02 - This is the day we said “I do.”
7-13-08 - This is the day, more than ever, I mean “I do.”

I cannot say that I love you with an eternal love - I have a beginning.
I can say I love you with an everlasting love - I have loved you from the beginning.

I cannot say we have never had conflict or confusion - no two people have more opposite than you and I.  I can say that no two people ever complimented and completed one another more than you and I.

I cannot say our life is going to be predictable - even at this stage in the game, especially at this stage in the game.  I can say with every pound of uncertainty there will tons of adventure, with every second of confusion there will be hours of unexpected fulfillment coming from people, places and circumstances we never could have expected it from.

I cannot say we will ever achieve all of our personal dreams and goals.  I can say we will have more things happen than we would have ever dreamed or set as goals - they will just continue to be different and unexpected.

I cannot say we will ever be rich - at least by Western standards.  I can say our lives have been far richer than nearly anybody I have ever known regardless of their station or influence in life.

I cannot say we will ever have a calm and highly organized life that will lead to a swing and a front porch - we never have from the first day.  I can say even now and the years to come we will be climbing mountains late into the winter, discovering the curious and unknown, perhaps little known things that make the world go round - and then look at them with awe and wonder and try to bring them back and spread them around.

I cannot say I will ever mature or wise up to the level I long to be and you pray I would be.  I can say I’m still growing and will keep on growing.

There are many things I cannot say for sure, but one thing I know beyond words or anything I will ever be able to say - When I said “I do” to you, it was the best two words I’ve ever said to anyone before or after.  I have and always will, keep on saying . . . . I do.

Sorry to interrupt but we just wanted to let you know that we have officially passed the 1000 hit mark! A special thank you from all of us at David. We hope you've enjoyed our blog so far and we can GUARANTEE you that it will only get better in the coming days, weeks and months.  Thanks again for helping us reach another milestone.  Keep reading and keep telling your friends about David Dodge in Glen Mills, David Chrysler/Jeep/Suzuki in the Philadelphia Airport Automall and www.drivedavid.com and, of course, our BLOG!  OK, that's it for now...back to your regularly scheduled blog.

Ganz stolz hat David mir heute mittag beim Abholen schon erzählt, dass er sich ein neues Bildchen aussuchen durfte. Denn nach den Sommerferien, die hier zwei Wochen dauern werden, geht mein kleines großes kleines Kind dann nicht mehr in die Mini-Mäusegruppe, sondern gehört dann zu der Riege der großen Kinder und fortan zur Bärengruppe. *schluchz*. Wie die Zeit vergeht- einfach un.fass.bar! Jedenfalls hat das süße kleine große kleine Kind sich ein Eis ausgesucht. So eine hübsche Eiswaffel mit einer tropfenden Kugel Himbeereis ;)

So richtig Pipi in den Augen und einen winzigen Kloß im Hals hatte ich , als ich dann von den Erzieherinnen ein von David zum großen Teil mitgestaltetes Abschiedsbuch überreicht bekam: "Meine Zeit bei den Mini-Mäusen Dez. 06- Juli 08"

Das ist so großartig und mit so viel Liebe gemacht und enthält auch so tolle Überraschungen, dass ich wirklich sehr gerührt war und immer noch bin. Dieses Buch wird in die David-Kiste kommen, zusammen mit den vielen anderen Sachen, die ich ihm irgendwann einmal geben möchte.

Rückblickend kann ich vor meinem Kind nur den Hut ziehen. Es ist bewundernswert, wie David seinen Weg hier bei uns gemacht hat und sich über sämtliche Widrigkeiten (also mich) durchgesetzt hat und er ist ein wirklich toller Bursche! Ich bin so stolz auf mein kleines großes kleines Kind, dass ich gerade schon wieder weinen muss...

So I've been researching being a lawyer, talking to attorneys, and studying for the LSAT.  I'm looking right now at intellectual property law, which covers patents, trademarks, copyright, etc.  With an engineering background, I could be very sought after as a patent attorney, especially if I finish law school with a good class ranking.

The good part is that I can get my tuition paid for through the tuition reimbursement program at work, but it will require me to work full time and go to school at night.  I know that many people do this, so I probably can as well.

I registered to take the LSAT the first weekend of October, so hopefully it goes well.  My undergraduate GPA is very high, so that takes off some of the pressure of doing well on the LSAT.  I still want a high score on it, but I don't have to have an amazing score to probably still be accepted.

Drew and Amy left their home for vacation without any idea that one week later they would return home with a newborn son.  I believe they now hold the distinction of experiencing both the longest adoption process (still waiting on China after two years!) and the shortest.  

Click here to see some beautiful pictures of Jonathan David taken by our church's own uber-talented photographer, Diana Simpson. 

Also, many people from church are contributing to an adoption fund for the Scotts in light of the big check that the adoption agency is requiring next week.  If you would like to give through the church, clearly mark your gift for the Scotts.  However, please note that since we are serving only as a clearinghouse for the funds, your gift will not be tax-exempt. 

Congratulations, Daddy Drew and Mommy Amy!  We are rejoicing with you over God's good gift.

You know what, when I came back and read this line, yes I totally agree the government has a great potential to use this strategy again.  Let me tell you why.

I can't find the youtube video to prove this, but the minute I do, I will show it here. I found the youtube video!!  It is here. Please watch this and know what I mean ok?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCIZo4FPAEI

This interview was conducted by a foreign media with Anwar Ibrahim, just a few weeks before GE12.  In that youtube video, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim explained why the then government used the sodomy tactic on him, and none other.  Why not corruption?  Why not murder, or something else?  Why sodomy?

That youtube video explained that.  If you watch it, you will know.

There are certain things in the youtube video which changed my perception on Anwar altogether.  Certain things can be acted out, but when he said these two liners, I was touched.

"I forgive (Mahathir and gang), but I cannot forget.  How can anyone forget this kind of thing?"

and

"the lower rank-and-file police were soooooo nice.  They were apologetic and said "sorry dato, sorry dato" and wished there were something they can do."

I believed that these are the pivotal point for Anwar where a change of heart has taken place.  Gone were his corrupted days at this moment.  At this point is where he turned over a new leaf.  I believe, it is at this point that Anwar began to see how his former political days were so much in darkness.  That is why I believe in his agenda now.  I believe in Anwar's propagation now.

I believe in Mahathir's leadership, as a leader, but I do not believe in Mahathir as a person.  It may sound contradictory, but let me put it this way.

While I pity you that you have no food to eat, I will offer you both my oranges.  By giving you my oranges, I am making some sacrifices.  And so that is what I said.  But the truth is, I am hiding a dozen boxes of oranges somewhere in a storehouse and offered you two oranges only.  You believed me.  And you believed me like a saviour.  I am, on the other hand, is very appreciative of the two oranges which you have given me.

Similarly, while I am grateful to Mahathir for 'giving me these two oranges', he could have done better.  If you know what I mean.  On the other hand, Badawi is shouting, "I have no oranges to give!" when he actually have so much!  You know what I mean?  I respected Mahathir for his leadership skills.  That's all.  I am grateful for the development he brought to Malaysia, yet at the same time, at certain areas, he could have done better.  Or at least, BE better.

And Chedet's comment on sodomy, he has shown us some religious statements on sodomy and where Islam stands on this.  I can also show you what the Bible says about homosexuality and how some people have misused and abused the verse that says, "Jonathan loved David as his own".  No, this verse is not referring to Jonathan loving David as a gay, but as a best friend loving another best friend.

It is very easy to divert attention.

Somebody asked me, "what do you do at the club?"  The truth was, I went there to play badminton, but I do not want people to know that.  So, I answered, "well, you can swim, you can play tennis, squash, you can also go to the gym, the ping pong room", and normally, the listener would just take the answer at face value.  By answering it this way, I have diverted his attention to something else instead of answering "I play badminton at the club".  You know what I mean?

So, I believe Chedet's comment is to inform us where Islam stands on sodomy.  At this moment, I do not believe Anwar has ever sodomised anyone.

Otherwise, Dato Seri Wan Azizah and Nurul Izzah would not be by his side.  Look at their reaction at this arrest.  It speaks more than a thousand words.  With that kind of reaction, it is obvious that they believe that Anwar is innocent.  I believe the same thing too.  See how much Dato Seri Wan Azizah went through.  And see the same belief systems that Nurul Izzah held on to.  See the kind of support they are giving Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

So, I don't believe Anwar has committed any sodomy.

But is the government be stupid enough to make the same mistake again after 10 years?  Coming from Badawi, yes he can!!

Dear Rian, I hope I have answered your questions.  But if I have not, kindly let me know ok?  This is where I stand.  Thanks again for leaving a comment. :-)

Go outside. If you're already there, that's great. If you're indoors, move away from your desk, couch, or zafu and head toward the nearest exit.

Once you've extricated yourself from whatever edifice you may be in, look up. Tilt your head back and lift your eyes toward the skies. What do you see?

In our postindustrial world, we spend long hours gawking at electronically generated images. Our computer screen, flat panel television, and Blackberry have become the primary items we focus on and through. While I'm grateful for these new virtual worlds, it's important to understand that they are housed within a more ancient real world: the cosmos.

Traditional western thinking -- religious and secular -- often depicts the universe as harsh, depraved, and unruly. Popular theologies consider it to have fallen from a primordial pristine condition. Subsequently, the natural world is supposedly in conflict with the spiritual world and in desperate need of an extreme makeover. Modernism saw the planet as a machine to be harnessed in order to meet any and all human desires. The excesses of Modernism have led to the Postmodern critique portraying the world and humanity as being at war with each other -- we're trying to kill Gaia, and she is trying to protect herself by killing us.

There may be bits of truth in all of these viewpoints. The cosmos is an apparently chaotic place. It has vast resources that support human life, and we have habitually treated the planet as an infinite waste dump. Yet the prevailing narratives depicting humanity as separated from the broader universe ignore our mutual interconnection. Even Genesis has humanity arising from the dust of the earth. This suggests integration, not isolation.

In The Great Work, Thomas Berry points out the multiple layers of cosmic reality. Humanity lives on a planet situated within a solar system and "beyond the sun is our own galaxy and beyond that the universe of galactic systems." Everything is nested within a complex structure of embedded reciprocity.

Because the outside world houses our inner world, we discover profound spiritual inspiration when we contemplate our exterior domain. Berry notes that our "psychic nourishment and support come from the natural environment." We neglect our place and presence in the cosmos to our own impoverishment.

As a shepherd, David experienced a rich inner life through years of outdoor living. He recognized the changing of the seasons, the flora and fauna, and the soil. He could read the sky, the wind, and the flocks. No wonder when musing upon the glories of his surroundings, he exclaimed in wonder, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:3-4). The first step stimulating David to reach this place of enraptured praise was his consideration of the heavens. He looked up.

Centuries earlier, God invited Abraham to lift his gaze. "Look up at the heavens and count the stars" (Genesis 15:5). In looking upward Abraham received the promise of an immeasurable blessing that became realized in John's vision. When John looked up, he saw heaven opened. Mimicking the rip in the temple veil, the torn sky assured John of unfettered human access to God.

Without reflecting on our environment, we reduce the ways in which we can appreciate God and diminish the ways we can identify ourselves as partakes in the divine nature. So follow the example of the sweet Psalmist, Abraham, and John. Go out and look up. You will discover a deep mystical resonance in your heart as you peer into the limitless heavens.

In taking the physical step of going outside and looking up, you'll discern a new sense of presence in your place. Our universe just is -- a welcoming home for us to live, die, love, and thrive. Popular author Meredith Little reminds us, "The land is nonjudgmental enough to allow us to be our whole selves fully. Nature expresses its wholeness not through words but through its being, and that allows us to remember our own nature and step into that expression of ourselves."

Maybe it's been a while since you've gone outside to intentionally notice your world and your place in it. You may seem childlike as you stare upward in awe, but Jesus invites us to receive the kingdom of God like little children. Initially you may feel foolish when you go outside and look up, but where's the folly in appreciating the glory of the physical creation?

Go outside, stretch out your arms, and look up. What do you see? Where do heaven, earth, and sea meet? What specific hue is the sky right now? Notice the clouds. Do you observe any stars, planets, comets? When you look up with the eye of the spirit, feel your heart expanding. Allow your inner self to soar. Let looking up be a living metaphor for hope, optimism, and sanguinity. See the heavens open and look directly into the eyes of God.
~~~~~~~~~~
Originally published on July 14, 2008. (c) Presence International. Parousia is a free Transmillennial publication of Presence. To receive Parousia in your inbox each week click here.

However,  none of this would be possible without my great staff.  We have full time staff and full time volunteers who have dedicated their lives to helping our community through helping change the lives of these men.  I am so grateful for their efforts.  There is no way on earth that we could have accomplished all that we have through piloting the first Civic Justice Corps for currently incarcerated adults in the nation without the tireless dedication of the men and women in this office.  I am indebted to each one of them for passion and hard work.  I am honored to be here.

The Kiwi bird, of the order Apterygiformes-Ratitae, occurs only in New Zealand. Although primarily a bird of New Zealand’s native forests, kiwis also live in scrub and native grasslands. Because the kiwi is a semi-nocturnal, secretive bird, few New Zealanders have seen their national bird in the wild.

The kiwi is the sole survivor of an ancient order of birds including the now extinct moas. A flightless bird about the size of a domestic fowl, the kiwi has coarse, bristly, hair-like feathers. Females are larger than males.

Kiwis grow to about the size of a chicken and weigh between three and nine pounds. They have no tail and tiny two inch wings which for all practical purposes, are useless. Despite its awkward appearance, a kiwi can actually outrun a human and have managed to survive because of their alertness and their sharp, three-toed feet, which enable them to kick and slash an enemy.

I took a picture of a specimen of a Kiwi Bird a the Auckland Museum:

See the more info about the Kiwi here. 

Let the new partners week begin. Who does Katee draw? None other then Will. So the best female dancer is paired with the best male dancer. I was sitting ready to see some shit get thrown down. No one must have been happier than Will who’s old partner mysteriously “got injured.” Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Call me a conspiracy theorist but the producers asked her to step down. No doubt in my mind. It’s simple math Comfort = Better ratings. Now this may be a pessimistic attitude but I know information you don’t.

 For the first dance Katee & Will got Broadway, and they danced inside a boat. Now I know when I leap and bound around my Lund with an Evinrude engine I get caught on my fishing line and get stuck with a hook. Then my mom has to rip that bitch out of my arm and I start to hemorrhage spraying blood all over the place scaring all the fish away and my Dad yells “Stop all your damn bleeding. Slap some superglue on that!” I get taken to the hospital and the family camping trip is over for lake Winnebago in central Wisconsin.

That didn’t happen with Katee and Will.

Then Katee did her solo to the timeless panty dropper A Women’s Work by Maxwell. Don’t even begin to lie ladies. If you were a female between the ages of 23 and 33 you have fooled around with this song going on in the background at some point in time in your life. I mean how can you not? It is scientifically proven that Maxwell’s voice melts female under garments. His voice to womens delicates is like a hot knife through butter. (and yes I only wrote that paragraph to use as many words as I could for ladies underwear)

Katee did really well, and compared to Keherington the other contemporary female dancer…..well there really isn't one.  She was fluid and was having fun. It’s almost as if there was no pressure. I believe Grace is the word.

In the super teams last effort they were given Pas de Deux. If you are a never nude and like Arrested Development and Tobias’s cut off jean shorts then you loved Will in this one. Nigel said this may have been the best or performances on So You Think You Can Dance period. As in all four seasons of it, and he was right. Really this performance was just that. They didn’t just dance, they performed and stood up the rest of the dancers for the entire night. It was really pretty and you didn’t want it to end. That’s one of the best things I can say about it.

You can stop holding your breath now….So You Think You Can Write (Write…Write..) Update. I survived the top ten and it really wasn’t even close. Fucking Thoreau. He went and got all hoity toity and thought the following poem would get him through.

I love nature.

Nature loves me.

I’m a straight G.

Nature and Me

Gonna make a baby.

Fucking elitist.

Recently our tallest member of the family has been holding down the posting boards. Im speaking of no other than Graham T.T. He has his short hilarity about sandwiches and why The Rza is the closet thing to a super hero in the music industry. Simply, its good and funny. Read this man.

You can actually catch me tomorrow on television. Its a little show I like to call So You Think You Can Dance. The results show. Don’t doubt that the poster is going to be stupid awesome. Look for it, look for your fellow family member, vote all night for Katee and tell your friends about your crazy uncle The Middlest Child who puts bourbon on your bottle top to numb your tooth ache. Can’t wait for the family reunion.

Personally I hadn't decided what I would do if this ever happened with one of my kids.  But then I read an article in the PresenTense that AE sited as proof of how Intermarriage isn't so bad.  Thank G-d for that article because it helped me decide how I feel on the matter.  This is the comment I wrote both in PT and AE.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I really hadn't decided how I felt about attending someone's wedding who was marrying a non-Jew.  But after reading your article on intermarriage it totally cleared things up for me.  Now I'm positive that I don't want to be "that guy".  I don't want to be the one who encourages people to marry non-Jews and therefore helps lead them away from G-d and Judaism.

Shocked? Well, it's really your own fault.  When shaping your argument, you make the crux of your point the fact that your ancestor's intermarried and that intermarriage has been around as long as we have as a nation, so why not?  Well your examples proves the point of why not get intermarried perfectly.

"Moses did not marry a daughter of Israel."

-Correct he did not.  BTW just wondering, what was the name of Moshe's kids?  Don't know? Well most people don't because they are never mentioned again once the Jews leave Egypt.  Why you may ask? Because they all turned away from the Jewish people to the point that within 3 generations Moshe's children had intermarried so much that they no longer were Jewish.  Ever wonder why we never hear about the descendants of Moshe?

"Solomon, the ‘wisest’ of the Jews, followed the tradition of his ancestor Moses and married an African, the Queen of Sheba."

-Correct.  Solomon married many non-Jewish woman, and was punished for it.  In fact when Solomon died that was when the Jewish Kingdom was split in 2, eventually leading to the destruction of the Temple.  Each of his kids out to kill each other generation after generation.  And the time they spent not killing each other, they spent worshiping idols and trying to convert Jews away from G-d.

"the Jews would have been decimated had Queen Esther not slept with the uncircumcised"

-I'm sorry I can't give you this one.  She married him because the Jews would be killed otherwise.  No one is holding a gun to the people who are getting intermarried head's today.

"When Moses’ brother and sister complained about his choice in a life partner, God punished Miriam with leprosy. In other words, it wasn’t intermarriage God seemed worried about: it was whether one would use intermarriage as an excuse to leave the community and follow other gods, or whether one would remain loyal and cleave to the covenant."

-Ooo so sorry, you were on a roll there.  In fact, the reason they were punished was for talking lashon hara about Moshe.  Proving a MUCH more important point, just because someone decides to make a mistake no matter how bad, it shouldn't affect you enough to break the Jewish law as well.  They broke the law and were punished for their own actions, no matter how bad Moshe's mistake was.

"Joseph married an Egyptian princess.

Joseph married an Egyptian princess who had converted to Judaism before hand.  Don't believe that? Fine, I will do you one better.  Most people say there were no Jews until Moshe (that the Jews didn't exist until the giving of the Torah) so there was nobody for him to marry.  In fact the only "Jews" were his own relatives.  Kinda limits his options a little

"King David, none other than the prophesized forbearer of the Messiah, married Batsheva, whose former husband was a Hittite–one of the original and circumscribed non-Israel tribes in the land of Canaan."

King David married a woman who was JEWISH.  Just because her former husband was non-Jewish doesn't say anything.  If anything it says just the opposite.  David was rewarded for bringing Batsheva back into the fold of the Jewish people and Batsheva the same.  How does ones former husband have any baring on intermarriage?

Let us also not forget that the reform movement has no problems with people marrying outside the faith.  And the most famous Reform Temple in NYC tried to have a commemoration of their 100 years in NY recently and you know how many relative of former members they were able to find? 0.  None. Not One.  Why? because they had all converted, and intermarriage out of the faith.

So thanks.  Thank you so much for putting it in perspective.  For our forefathers have taught us a very important lesson about intermarriage.  No matter how great someone is, they can be the greatest prophet in history...if they intermarry their children will almost certainly be lost to the Jewish people forever.  And no amount of splitting the red sea will ever bring them back

Baywatch - a brilliant and heart-warming story of Mitch Buchannan and his lifeguards has touched the hearts of people all around the world, with David Hasselhoff himself fetching a Guinness World Record for the most watched TV star. The iconic slow running adds a unique beauty to the show, symbolizing the importance of time in relation to saving someone's life.

It's a story about a group of lifeguards on a beach in Malibu saving people's lives and ensuring that the casualties are reassured, giving them hope, and ultimately, saving them.

David Hasselhoff himself doesn't act his role as the protagonist, but IS the role. Not only does he appear to endanger his own life for our pleasure, but also engages with the other actors to express emotion very effectively.

Most namely, the other actors on the show such as Carmen Electra and Pamela Anderson have highly notable moments in the show that enhances the entertainment and the morals behind the show.

Another big icon of the show is the visual red costumes (red shorts and red bikinis) that the characters wear to portray their lifeguard careers. These costumes appears to put across a strong idealistic set of male and female roles, but challenges the stereotypical view of men and women, by showing that although they appear different, can face up to the same challenges the world throws at them.

Baywatch - a story of hope and survival? Well... maybe a bit more than that. Well worth the view!