"It’s funny. When you leave your home and wander really far, you always think, ‘I want to go home.’ But then you come home, and of course it’s not the same. You can’t live with it, you can’t live away from it. And it seems like from then on there’s always this yearning for some place that doesn’t exist. I felt that. Still do. I’m never completely at home anywhere."
"She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen…with stars in her eyes and veils in her hair, with cyclamen and wild violets…"
"There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag-and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement. Remember that the book which bores you when you are twenty or thirty will open doors for you when you are forty or fifty-and vise versa. Don’t read a book out of its right time for you."
Doris Lessing, 1919 - 2013. (via ginmar)


Call for Video Submissions from Quebec Artists Working in English
Full submission guidelines on our website.
Deadline for Submissions: July 2, 2023
Winners to be announced at the QWF Awards Gala: November 13, 2023
Up to three prizes of $1,000 will be awarded.
Winners' videos will be shown at the QWF Awards Gala.
All finalists will be invited to perform at the Read Quebec Book Fair in November 2022 and their performances will be preserved online via the SpokenWeb Archive of the Present.


The adventure begins . . . .
Our personalized books make your child the HERO of every story!
These unique stories make the perfect gift for any child. Each book is personalized in the way you choose - including your child's name, hair color, eye color, skin color, best friends, favorite things and more. The excitement begins the moment your child opens one of our books and begins reading about their very own adventure. Being the hero of their very own book will encourage imagination, reading, and boost self esteem. Additionally, each story contains a wholesome and moral message – subtle encouragement for any child.
Show your child how special they are: each story will be unique - no other child will have the identical adventure! These are not franchised stories, but original adventures, presented in original 8x10 hard or soft covers. They’re not like any other book on your child’s shelf!
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These are books that your child will save and cherish forever!


"Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results."
"Hug Your People: The Proven Way to Hire, Inspire and Recognize Your Employees, Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results."
In these two great business books, Jack Mitchell shares the secrets of developing and maintaining loyalty from both your customers and employees. Jack reveals the “personalization with people” philosophy behind the culture that has won The Mitchell Family of Stores a reputation for nurturing the employee/customer relationship and creating loyalty that is the envy of the retail world. Focusing on simple ideas such as the “customer-centric” organization and “nice” and “trust” Jack sets forth, the principles in these two books are ones that can be applied to any business!
At a time when many companies are straying from their core mission of serving customers, Jack shares the secrets of developing and maintaining customer loyalty in his classic Hug Your Customers. Creating happy employees is as easy as it is revolutionary and is what Jack calls the “Big Secret”. In Hug Your People, Jack shows you how!
Jack is Chairman of five highly successful, family-owned clothing stores in Connecticut, New York and California, and author of the 2003 Wall Street Journal bestseller Hug Your Customers that introduces his philosophy of personal service and attention. His popular second book Hug Your People offers another dimension to Jack’s “personalization with people” philosophy that has won his stores a world-wide reputation for having a thriving “hugging culture” of fully engaged employees.


The library is open from
7:15 am to 3:45 pm Monday - Thursday
and 7:15 am to 2:15 pm on Friday.
Mrs. Brennan - Library Media Specialist
Mrs. Ruoff - Library Media Specialist
Mrs. Garback - Secretary
Mrs. Pernice - Secretary
When starting your research process the library media center should be your first stop. In addition to online databases, the library boasts a large reference section, as well as a circulating collection of more than 20,000 books and periodicals. Passwords and usernames for databases, most of which have remote access, are available at the circulation desk. You may search our OPAC from any computer in the school.
Check out our
Graphic Book collections!


Hellenistic Art (ca. 336-30 B.C.)
Upper Division Lecture: A) Europe and Mediterranean, D) Middle East/Africa; I) prehistoric-1200. “Hellenistic” means “late Greek,” and this class is about Greek art after the classical period. Now completely restructured and revised, it covers Greek architecture, sculpture, painting, mosaic, and luxury crafts from Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.) though Cleopatra VII of Egypt (51-30 B.C.), and the conquest of her kingdom by Rome. It spans three centuries, three continents, five major kingdoms, and countless cities, and includes some of the most thoughtful and stunning products of the ancient world. In addition to close study of many of the major works, we shall examine both their cultural context and key issues such as the arts of power and victory; portraiture and personhood; benefaction; court art and the luxury crafts; piety; erotica; difference, diversity, the abject, and the grotesque; death; and the creative artist. Whenever possible we shall include newly discovered work and will give it special attention.


Looking for Chinese symbol word tattoos? Look no further! We have gathered the best chinese symbol word tattoos reference books available. We have gathered tatoo books and references and organzied them by category. You can examine other categories by using the links in the upper left hand corner of this page.
Below you will find, -what is in our opinion, the best reference for chinese symbol writings. We are making these books available to you as an authorized Amazon.com affiliate. If you click on any of the links, or book images below, you will be taken to Amazon's website where you will find more information and can place an order if you choose.
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Road rules refresher
Advice on the most commonly confused road rules:
The Your Keys to Driving in Queensland publication is the road rules hand book for all drivers, including learner drivers. It contains essential information about the Queensland driver licensing system and road rules.
Road rules refresher pocket guide
The road rules refresher pocket guide outlines the most commonly misunderstood road rules. You can download the guide or order a copy online.
The pocket guide is only available to people who live in Queensland as the road rules may be different from state to state.


I've seen variations on this idea floating around the last few years and have been wanting to get organized enough to do it. Combining reading and Christmas excitement– how can you lose? I finally got enough books together before December started to do it this year.
The last few years I've pulled all the Christmas themed books together and put them in a basket near the tree, so kids could find them easily and we could read them throughout the holiday season. I've liked how that worked out and will probably incorporate it into this activity, too, by leaving the basket there to collect the books we've already opened. Even if kids have seen most of the books before, having them all together and easily accessible makes them exciting again every time we dig all these books out again.
I hate buying wrapping paper since it often costs more than the gifts I'm wrapping (unless I buy it right after Christmas for the next year) so I just used brown packing paper and baker's twine. I also pulled out some Christmasy patterned paper and tags and labeled each book with a date.
I also like the easy visual of knowing whether we actually opened the book for each day. While hopefully we'll read most of these together, I have lots of kids with very diverse and crazy schedules! It's very unrealistic to think we'll all do every day together throughout the whole month. This way, it's clear where we are and if we've opened one for the day.
I did buy a couple new Christmas books this year, but we had a pretty big collection to begin with. (Mom for 14 years + English teacher + childcare business owner = excessive amounts of books!) Some I like more than others, so I'm still looking for good suggestions for people's favorites. I only really love a few of these.
Since my kids' ages span 4-14 we have quite a variety included. I ended up weeding out the board books since we are a bit beyond those now, but we still have some that have only a handful of sentences throughout the whole book and some that are a few hundred pages.
Here's what's wrapped up this year:
1. Elf on the Shelf.
We've done this tradition the last couple years & the kids really enjoy it so we'll start off reading the story again.
2. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Illustrated by Susan Jeffers ç 2001.
This isn't actually a Christmas book, but I love this poem by Frost and haven't read it to my kids in awhile. I'm including it!
3. Santa: My Life and Times. An Illustrated Autobiography. Jared F. Green, Marin I. Green and Bill Sienkiewicz. © 1998.
Not a one night read! (128 pages) We'll read a few chapters and then leave it out for older kids to keep looking at throughout the month.
4. Santa’s Favorite Story: Santa Tells the Story of the First Christmas by Hisako Aoki and Ivan Gantschew. © 2007
5. The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado. © 1994
6. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney. © 1988
Appalachian Christmas story of a family making sure Christmas goes on while a father is at war.
7. The 12 Days of Christmas by Helen Haidle. Illustrated by Laura Knorr. © 2003
Explanation of the history behind each of the 12 days of Christmas.
8. A Star so Bright by M. Christina Butler and Caroline Pedler. © 2007
Simple, rhyming verse about all the animals seeing the guiding star on the first Christmas.
9. The Very First Christmas by Paul Maier. Illustrated by Franciso Ordaz. © 1998.
Story of a child asking questions about the first Christmas, with detailed answers using biblical passages to retell the story
10. The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup and illustrated by Matt Tavares. © 2009
Fun illustrations help tell the story of a gingerbread pirate’s adventures on Christmas Eve.
11. Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien. 2004 edition
Tolkien started writing & illustrating letters to his children from Santa in 1920 and continued for the next twenty years. This is 110 pages so we’ll just read a few and keep it out so kids can keep looking at it throughout the month.
12. Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard Schneider. Illustrated by Elizabeth Miles. © 1987.
Story about the beauty in living for the sake of others.
13. Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck and illustrated by Mark Nuehner. © 1955.
A young boy figures out how to give a meaningful Christmas gift without money.
14. The Christmas Candle by Richard Paul Evans. Illustrated by Jacob Collins. © 1998.
A candle shows a young man the true meaning of Christmas.
15. Humphrey’s First Christmas. Written and illustrated by Carol Heyer. © 2007.
The story of the first Christmas from one of the camel’s point of view.
16. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. © 1957.
17. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski. © 1995
*long one! Reserve extra time or a couple nights in a row.
18. One Snowy Night by M. Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton. © 2004.
A Christmas present makes the rounds of animals one snowy night.
19. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry © 1963
Cute illustrations and rhyming story about a whole group of animals finding the perfect Christmas trees.
20. The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman. © 2009
Emphasizes the most important thing about Christmas is the people you care about.
21. Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Jane Chapman and Karma Wilson. © 2007
Cute story about a little mouse learning about Christmas. . . except it freaks me out to read about pretend cartoon mice crawling all over the house. I know I’m weird. The kids like it anyway & it is a sweet story.
22. Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown. Illustrated by Diane Goode. © 1952
Simple retelling of the first Christmas. Written as a concise rhyme good for young kids.
23. Legend of the Christmas Stocking by Rick Osborne. Illustrated by Jim Griffin. © 2004
24. The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans. © 2002
A small boy learns it isn’t what you have to give but how much you give of yourself that matters.
I couldn't find our copy of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, but I definitely want to include that one next year!


Why Another Book on Meditation for Musicians?
Because the last thing that musicians need is to thirst for something only to come up dry!
There have been many excellent books written for musicians that deal fairly extensively with the issues, challenges, and concerns of what has been called the inner-musician. Specifically, texts such as The Inner Game of Music, The Mastery of Music, and Effortless Mastery, just to name a few.
These books are written by some of the worlds finest musicians, and offer some excellent advice to the musician. This book however seeks to dig deeper, or perhaps further back would be a better description. This book seeks to take the musician (and really anyone who wants to better be in tune with the Creator in their creative work) back to creation, and to the Creator, seeking to answer the question: How can we be better tuned into the Creator and the commission of creating, as well as the community which we seek to make music for?
Tuned In is based on a historical meditation model and is really aimed at both encouraging musicians and derailing fears as well as re-thinking the ethical, spiritual, and moral implications of what it means to be a musician.
Tuned In is written by a musician and primarily meant to challenge, equip, and encourage musicians in the discipline of meditation (specially in practicing, writing, and playing music)- but this book is for any artist- especially those involved in the communicative arts. Are you a communicative artist, do you communicate through your voice, instrument, writing, painting, or sculpting? Perhaps even through the culinary arts? Tuned In is a book for you too!
The book is more than that though. It is also a driving force behind our values and philosophy at The Tuned In Academy. And the Tuned In Blog seeks to be an online community where we can interact with each other as musicians, educators, artists, and even parents that care about more than just music, and ourselves, but also about the community and those who we create for.
Purchase for Amazon Kindle
Download PDF Version
Facts about the book:
- Tuned In is an alternative to the New Age contemplative spirituality and mysticism offered in many mainstream books on meditation for the musician. The book will offer a historical biblical meditation that is broken down simply into considering how the musician can best serve and love Creator and community through music and life, all the while enjoying more fruitful creativity by tuning into their unique and God designed purpose.
- Tuned In is needed because most of the books written on meditation, even those focused specifically on musical meditation present truth as something up for grabs or debate. Such books are decidedly subjective rather than objective.
- For the musician who is looking for answers, the musician who wants to be responsible, and especially for the musician who has already been convicted of the truth of scripture; Tuned In is both necessary and the right thing to do; for the encouragement of musicians, for the glory of the Creator, and for the good of community.
- Tuned In is for everyone. Every musician and artist will find a fresh approach beyond music for music’s sake, but in seeing music as an integral part of who we are and the people we make music for.
- Tuned In will contain helpful and easy to remember quotes at the beginning of each chapter that will help the reader in memorizing and applying the principles and truths taught in the text.
- Tuned In will contain a reference section listing several beneficial and important texts that deal more in-depth with some of the truths discussed in the book.
- Tuned In is available in print and on Kindle.
- Tuned In is on Facebook and Twitter. If you have not already, “like” Tuned In on Facebook and follow on Twitter for quotes, tidbits, and juicy ideas on subjects the book will interact with.
What people are saying about The Tuned In Musician: reviews straight from Amazon.com
A graduate of the Berkley College of Music and Liberty University, Sean-David has captured the importance of being “tuned in” to God in all facets of our lives, including our creative endeavors. A fantastic work – even for those of us without formal training – “The Tuned In Musician” takes the reader on an important journey focused on seeing the need to connect with the Creator in our process of creating. You’ll find this work challenging enough to spark discussion among experienced artists & believers but with concepts easily understood by youth groups and high school students. What’s even better is knowing you’ll be supporting the Tuned In Academy, a teaching ministry started by S-D and his bride, Jenna. Check out www.thetunedinacademy.org or find them on Twitter or Facebook.
–Michael A. Emmart
I was left wanting much after reading “Effortless Mastery.” As a performer, worship leader, and music educator, I was very pleased with “The Tuned in Musician.” This book supports many of the same philosophical ideas as “Effortless Mastery,” but bases them in Scripture and provides practical applications and questions for a musician like me. The author humbly and intelligently navigates through the murky waters of creativity and artistic expression with truth and light. I have read it once straight through and am now reading it again with a more studious approach. I highly recommend this book and have used many of its concepts in my career. I often find myself sharing quotes and passages with my worship team, my students, and my peers.
I’m ready for a follow-up book, Mr. McGoran!
–Andrew M. Gibson
Great book. Very practical for God’s musicians. I found it very useful. Why do I need so many words? Why?
This is a good read even if you are not a musician. Very well written. If you liked the chapter on creativity in my book, IN THE SPIRIT, you will enjoy this book.
–David B. Young


Secret Girls’ Business is a publisher of children’s books, specializing in puberty and sex education resources for young people, parents, carers, teachers, nurses and community groups.
Sex education provides essential information about the physical and emotional changes experienced at puberty. The authors have written and published a series of very successful puberty and sexuality education books. These quality resources help young people understand and cope with the challenges which arise.
These sexuality education books provide strategies for managing this time of change. They are thought provoking and provide a framework for important discussion about sensitive topics. All the sexuality resources have simple language, accurate information and fun colourful illustrations which young people enjoy.
Our latest sexuality education book, ‘The Secret Business of Relationships, Love and Sex™’, provides vital information for young people contemplating or in a relationship. This book explores emerging sexuality and decision making around sexual relationships.
During the adolescent years young people need important information about sexuality, reproduction, changing friendships, romantic relationships and how to be physically and emotionally safe.
To cater for children with special needs three disability puberty books have been written. Young people with intellectual or physical disability, communication disorder or autism find these books easy to understand. They have attractive illustrations and simple text. These books provide practical information to help girls and boys confidently manage this stage of their life.
In addition there is a set of 14 colourful and fun puberty education posters with teaching notes for use in sex education sessions. Sexuality educators and teachers will find these puberty and sexuality education resources extremely valuable.
2 Vega Street, Balwyn North 3104 Victoria, Australia


*The store has not been updated recently. You may want to contact the merchant to confirm the availability of the product.
QUICKVERSE Version 7 Essentials
A Comprehensive reference library for Bible Study and lesson preparation - Over 1,000,000 Copies Sold.
(Over $625 worth of library materials - based on manufacturer's suggested retail price)
Simplify your biblical research with powerful searching capabilities with an easy-to-use interface.
QuickVerse® 7 Essentials delivers an entire biblical research library right to your desktop. QuickVerse Essentials is an introduction to the QuickVerse family of products and gives you 6 Bible translations and 24 reference titles at a fraction of the cost of buying their printed counterparts.
For casual readers or serious students, QuickVerse 7 Essentials has everything you need for captivating Bible study. Open any number of Bibles and reference books at the same time; everything is cross-referenced. Compare passages from different translations and more; even view multiple full-color pictures, illustrations, and maps together with the corresponding scriptures.
Create your own custom Bible reading schedule and track your progress and trail. Study the entire Bible systematically.
Use what you learn to create lessons and sermons or to prepare Bible studies. Add notes or comments as you study, then instantly copy the reference material with your notes to your Windows word processor easily.
QuickVerse lets you highlight any word or verse and instantly find all its occurrences in a book. Advanced options let you search - in any language - across multiple books by word, phrase, or verse.
Bible Study Made Easy!
* View multiple reference materials including Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries, and encyclopedias side by side.
* View detailed maps, illustrations, and full-color pictures
* Instantly find definition for any word without opening a dictionary with QuickDefine
* Enjoy daily devotional from My Utmost for His Highest every time you open the program
* Organize your reading schedule with the Explorer's Bible Study, which includes daily passage assignments and study questions
* Use Study Views to open related titles at once for a broad-based perspective on every chapter and verse
* Attach your own notes and commentaries to any Bible or reference passage, even cut and paste and print your annotations along with the original text. (Ideal for sermon and lesson preparation!)
* New Living Translation
* King James Version
* New King James Version
* International Standard Version NT
* American Standard Version (1901)
* New Revised Standard Version with Apochrypha
* Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
* The 365 Day Devotional Commentary
* Adam Clarke's Commentary On the New Testament
* Adam Clarke's Commentary On the Old Testament
* Who's Who in Christian History
* Holman Bible Dictionary
* International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
* Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
* Strong's Hebrew & Greek Dictionaries
Topical Resources/Bible Handbooks
* Naves Topical Bible
* The Handbook of Bible Application
* Holman Bible Handbook
* Drapers Book of Quotations for the Christian World
* The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
* My Utmost for His Highest
* Pilgrim's Progress
* The Practice of the Presence of God
* The Westminster Confession with Shorter and Larger Catechisms
* Foxe's Book of Martyrs
* The Imitation of Christ
* Purpose in Prayer
* Power Through Prayer
Minimum System Requirements:
* Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 or later, 2000, XP
* Pentium processor or better
* 16MB of RAM minimum
* 45MB Hard Drive space minimum
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Just a list of my biggest influences when it comes to writing…& things I always go back to when I experience a writer’s block or hitting the low points in life :
1) The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – I was sixteen when I first read this book. Love that each word, each sentence, and each paragraph actually adds something to the story. None of the words on the pages are unnecessary. Love the way the characters are alive and breathing just like you and I do. I think this was the only book that I tried to buy so desperately (after reading a borrowed copy from the library) when I was a dirt-poor teenager & finally got to buy after I got my first part-time job. No, I don’t care about the book’s philosophy…I just like the writing, the characters, and the story.
2) The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker – This non-fiction book was one of my greatest discoveries in a second-hand shop. Sure, this is a self-help book, but I believe it has taught me more than “stranger danger”. From this book, I learn to let my subconscious to take over. I learn that we have to find a common ground with people that are seemingly far-fetch from our every day life (in order to survive when & if the time shall come to find ourselves facing a psychopath). I learn so much about the darker side of human nature, which has helped to make some of my writings more realistic.
3) Stand by Me (1989) directed by Rob Reiner – Friendship, youth, nostalgia, struggles, slice-of-life…elements that I tend to have in my writings
4) Music from my teenage era such as: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Fray, Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and a bunch of 90s pop music


Area of Study
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
As a result of domestication, dogs are genetically predisposed to be more attentive to human social cues. This study investigates the influence of dog-directed speech (DDS) from humans on the basic quantity discrimination abilities of dogs in a food choice task. Forty two pet dogs were tested in four different conditions. Two plates with varying amounts of food were presented to the subject, ‘choosing’ a plate by eating from it. Experimental conditions sought to seek the influence of DDS from humans on dog decision-making in addition to measuring the influence of DDS and quantity discrimination alone.
AHSS Summer Research Scholar
Anderson, Devin Cordell, "The Influence of Dog-Directed Speech on Quantity Discrimination in Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris)" (2021). Summer Research. 430.
University of Puget Sound
Available for download on Thursday, October 19, 2023


Articles and Book Chapters
“Resisting the Habit of Tlon: Whitehead, Borges, and the Fictional Nature of Concepts,” Philosophy and Literature (forthcoming)
“Ocular Democracy and Democratic Experience.” in Okulare Demokratie – Der Bürger als Zuschauer, ed. by Dominik Hammer and Marie Kajewski, Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 2017.
“Being a Problem: Aesthetic Violence and the Politics of Recognition,” a response to Alfred Frankowski’s The Post-Racial Limits of Memorialization, Syndicate May 2017.
“Aesthetic Experience, Speculative Thought, and Civilized Life.” in Speculative Research: Lures Towards Possible Futures. London: Routledge, 2016.
“Mead, Whitehead, and the Sociality of Nature.” in The Timeliness of George Herbert Mead. ed. Daniel Huebner and Hans Joas, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016.
“Guest Post: The Comedian as Philosopher: Dave Chappelle on the Election of Donald Trump”, Ad Populum, November 26, 2016
InDebate: Cultural Appropriation or Cultural Dialog?, Philosophie InDebate, November 7, 2016
InDebate: Hip-Hop Voices and the Problem of Black Experience, Philosophie InDebate, May 13, 2015
Pro und contra: Lässt sich über Geschmack streiten?, Philosophie InDebate, March 25, 2015
InDebate: The Political Aesthetics of Bruno Latour, Philosophie InDebate, April 28, 2014
Made by AK5A. © 2014 Michael L. Thomas.


What do the children in your setting do in the morning time? In my experience, children often arrive to school at different times and they all have different needs first thing in the morning. Once the children have completed their own morning routine and settled, a Morning Reading Session is a lovely activity to do.
What do I need?
A clipboard for each child, some kind of an assessment/record sheet and one a4 page per week for signing in.
One or two coloured boxes (if desired) that contain the books for the fortnight. If you are using the boxes to organize the books, I like to make sure the child’s clipboard matches the colour of the box they should take their books from. Or you could change the colour that the child is assigned to each week/fortnight.
How does it work?
We all sit together at our group table. I put a selection of books on the table (same selection for 2 week period). For differentiation, I put 2 groups of books in 2 different coloured boxes. E.g. red box for starter readers/picture books and a blue tray for fluent readers.
Each child ‘signs in’ by making marks with a pencil/marker etc., tracing their name, or writing their name.
Self-Selected Reading: the children choose a book from their assigned box to read. The child can choose whether to read it independently, co-actively (with the adult) or listen to the adult reading it. Some children may need some guidance with choosing a book at the beginning.
Some activities to extend this activity are: Creating and adding to a ‘Word Wall’ for any new or unfamiliar words the children come across. The child could look the word up in the dictionary and create a list of dictionary words in their clipboard. The child could also write a ‘book review’ when they have finished reading their book.
What are the benefits?
This activity is to begin to expose children to reading and get used to handling books. It helps when it is in a group setting, children can see each-other and the adults looking at and reading books. I find when children see others engaging in a task, they can be more likely to begin to engage themselves. Doing it as part of a group exposes children to others enjoying and using books. It can be a great activity to begin doing some reverse integration with especially if it is an activity the children are used to. It is a simple calm activity to do first thing in the morning or at any time during the day.
I hope this Morning Reading Session structure is helpful to some!
If you’d like to see the template I use, have a look at the product on my Mash store:
Reading Session Record
Any questions or comments about this, I would love to hear from you.


just re-read a book i had totally forgotten about... one of twain's last writings that was pieced together after his death ... discussing life, faith, religion, civilization ... it is just as relevant today as it was 100+ years ago... and that, makes me very pity the paths society has taken .. and the chances we waste daily to be better.
this is taken from Mark Twain's "Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts" first book, "the Chronicles of Young Satan" pp.134- 138; S.L. Clemens; University of California Press, Berkeley & Los Angeles, USA; 1969.
in the following paragraphs, satan, is the son of the fallen angel, lucifer, is explaining to young boys, in 1702 austria, the progress of civilization... satan is also known as "phillip traum" "quarante-quatre" and "number 44 , new series 864,962"
Next, Christianity was born. Then ages of Europe passed in review before us, and we saw Christianity and Civilization march hand in hand through those ages, "leaving famine and death and desolation in their wake; and other signs of the progress of the human race," as Satan observed. And always we had wars, and more wars, and still other wars-all over Europe, all over the world. "Sometimes in the private interest of royal families," Satan said, "sometimes to crush a weak nation; but never a war started by the aggressor for any clean purpose-there is no such war in the history of the race."
"Now," said Satan, "you have seen your progress down to the present, and you must confess that it is wonderful-in its way. We must now exhibit the future." He showed us slaughters more terrible in their destruction of life, more devastating in their engines of war, than any we had seen.
"You perceive," he said, "that you have made continual progress. Cain did his murder with a club; the Hebrews did their murders with javelins and swords; the Greeks and Romans added protective armor and the fine arts of military organization and generalship; the Christian has added guns and gun' powder; a few centuries from now he will have so greatly improved the deadly effectiveness of his weapons of slaughter that all men will confess that without Christian civilization war must have remained a poor and trifling thing to the end of time."
can we be better than this?
you can find the complete book of "The Chronicles of Young Satan" at shau.edu


Big and strong, powerful and brave, the Saxons wave their battle axes and brandish their swords as they begin to invade Britain’s Shores.
Sail back to the Dark Ages, where battles were rife and fear reigned. Find out about the life the Saxons, including how they lived and where they came from. Meet the bloodthirsty Vikings from Scandinavia – never before had such terror swept the land.
Are you ready to shine a light on the dangerous and deadly Dark Ages…?
For Spring 1, we are reading the following books for our guided reading sessions and our class reads.
Author: Rob Lloyd Jones
Genre: Classic literature - Epic Heroic Writing
In fifth-century Denmark, a murderous monster stalks the night, and only the great prince of the Geats has the strength and courage to defeat him. Beowulf's terrifying quest to destroy Grendel, the foul fiend, a hideous sea-hag and a monstrous fire-dragon is the oldest surviving epic in British literature.
Text: Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good
Author: Louie Stowell
Genre: Humour Fantasy Fiction
After one trick too many, Loki is banished to live on Earth as a "normal" school boy. Forbidden from using his AWESOME godly powers, Loki must show moral improvement. As he records his lies THE TRUTH in his magical (judgemental) diary, it becomes clear Loki hasn’t a clue how to tell good from evil, trust from tricks, or friends from enemies.
For Spring 2, we are reading the following books for our guided reading sessions and our class reads.
Text: Arthur and The Golden Rope
Author: Joe Todd-Stanton
Genre: Comic, Graphic Novel
Imagine a vault so cavernous that it could contain all the world's greatest treasures and relics, from mummified remains of ancient monarchs to glistening swords brandished by legendary warriors. Who could be in charge of such a vault and how did he come into possession of such a unique collection? Who is...Professor Brownstone?


Explore the essentials of UAE and DIFC maternity/paternity leave laws for the private sector with expert insights for compliance and best practices.
Guide on DIFC Employment Rights: Navigating SCT Employment Claims for rights, processes, and legal avenues in the UAE's DIFC framework.
Explore the transformative Federal Media Law No. 55/2023 in the UAE, its impact on media practices, licensing, and penalties. A must-read for media professionals navigating the new legal landscape.
Federal Decree-Law No. 40/2023 on Mediation in UAE: Transforming dispute resolution with efficient, confidential procedures in civil/commercial sectors
DIAC Mediation Rules 2023: Key guidelines and procedures for effective mediation in UAE, covering roles, costs, and confidentiality.
Exploring UAE's Arbitration Agreement nuances under Federal Law No. 6 of 2018: Scope, validity, and procedural impacts in arbitration.
Insightful overview of the Federal Law No. 4/2020, a critical legislation in the United Arab Emirates that governs the guarantee of rights related to movable assets.


Founded by Rhode Island poet laureate emeritus, Tom Chandler, The Bryant Literary Review is an international journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction housed in the English and Cultural Studies Department at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI. Since our first issue in 2000, we have published original and thought-provoking creative work from a wide array of established authors and emerging voices. For samples of previously published work see https://digitalcommons.bryant.edu/blr/. Our mission is to cultivate an active and growing connection between the Bryant University campus community and the larger literary culture.
Authors can submit their poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction work below. Limit one submission per author: one fiction/creative nonfiction piece and up to three poems, respectively. Fiction and creative nonfiction pieces should be no longer than 5,000 words (approximately). We do not accept previously published work. Copyright reverts to author upon publication. Questions can be directed to Professor Tom Roach at firstname.lastname@example.org. The reading period for BLR Volume 23 (to be published April 2022) is September 1 to December 1, 2021.


Partner Loss Resources
For those who have lost a significant other or spouse, here are resources that may offer support and validation.
Books specific to Partner Loss
- Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title by Leslie Gray Streeter | An honest account of early widowhood combined with new motherhood, complete with humor in exactly the right places.
Modern Loss by Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner | Collection of essays on all types of loss, but many focus on the loss of a partner
- The Group: Seven Widowed Fathers Reimagine Life by Donal Rosenstein and Justin Yopp | Partner loss from a father's perspective
- The Hot Young Widows Club by Nora McInerny | Guidebook for those living with grief and the grief adjacent. Based on Nora's widely popular Ted Talk, We Don't Move On From Grief, We Move Forward With It.
- The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander | A beautifully written and candid look at a woman's love and loss following the sudden death of her husband.
- Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala | Sonali lost her husband, children and parents in the 2004 Tsunami. A tragic and heartbreaking story, but also a story of resilience in the worst nightmare most of us could ever fathom.
Books that may also help (that are not specific to partner-loss)
- It's OK You're Not OK by Megan Devine | A book that normalizes the grief experience and, most importantly, affirms that whatever you're feeling is completely normal (and there's nothing wrong with you)


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Life with Figit & the Weed is a serial cartoon strip graphic novel in progress, concerning two characters who find themselves inhabiting a ‘mound’ somewhere in a no particular place.
Weed has never been anywhere else, but his roots run deep and his seeds blow away on the wind; he’s a weed of the Universe.
Weed is not entirely alone. Insects whom he calls ‘tourists’ see things from a bugs’ point of view like an airborne Greek Chorus; whilst ‘Worry Wart’ appears every now and then when there’s angst in the air to add his caustic comments.
Figit is a well-bred, expensively educated young urban neurotic who arrives on the mound after taking an exit door at the very top of the skyscraper where he works.
After being told to ‘Get to the Top!’ he has struggled to make the final steps. When he makes it he finds a door only to discover that it opens to the mound. When Figit arrives he’s hungry and confused and in need of a vacation to escape his stressed out world. Trouble is, he’s a herbivore and Weed is, well, a weed.
This is their story.


You’ve been curious, and now you have a Bible. But where should you start reading? ⇔
©Michael Krigline, Sep 2023 ~ krigline.com ⇔
Note: Every year, dozens of international students ask for a Bible (in their language or in English). I wrote this advice to help them “get started” in this remarkable book—the best-selling book in world history!
Now that I have a Bible, where should I start reading?
Simple answer: “Luke” (in the “New Testament”; see the “Table of Contents”)
Short answer: (with three choices)
- “Luke” (3rd “book” in the “New Testament”) was a highly-educated physician, who carefully researched Jesus’ life and presents factual information about his life.
- If you prefer, “Genesis” tells how God created the world, that people rebelled, and then how God chose Abraham’s family through which to set things right by (eventually) sending Jesus to bring reconciliation.
- Or choose “Psalms” (#23): short devotional poetry, expressing every human emotion.
- Many recommend that beginners read one “chapter” (the big numbers) per day.
Long answer: (with some background information)
“The Bible” is really 66 “books” in two volumes, printed together as one big book. Volume 1 is the “Old Testament”; 39 books written before Jesus was born. Volume 2 is the “New Testament”; 27 books that center on Jesus. Each volume starts with “history” accounts. The middle of the Old Testament is poetry, followed by letters from prophets. In the New Testament, there are five history books, followed by letters from early Christian leaders. Therefore, the Bible isn’t like a novel where you need to start at the beginning; where you start reading depends on what interests you. If you have never read the Bible before, and don’t know much about its characters or their teachings, I recommend starting with Luke, Genesis or the Psalms (explained below).
So, where do I start? (3 suggestions)
“Luke” (then “Acts”). Christians say that the Bible is about Jesus, cover to cover, so you should start by reading about Jesus’ life. “Luke” (3rd “book” in the “New Testament”; see the “Table of Contents”) is the only writer in the Bible who was not Jewish; he was a highly-educated physician, who carefully researched Jesus’ life and presents factual information in two “books”: “Luke” is part-1 and “Acts” is part-2 (the latter picks up the story after Jesus was killed and rose from the dead).
“Genesis.” If you prefer, start with the “beginning” story in “Genesis.” It tells how God created the world, how people rebelled against God, and how God chose one family (Abraham’s family) through which to bless all people by teaching them His law, and (eventually) sending Jesus (one of Abraham’s descendants) to pay the price of our sin/shame (on the cross) and to offer us eternal reconciliation.
“Psalms”. If you really like poetry, you might start with the “Psalms”; in these short devotional poems you’ll find every human emotion: from praise, to anger at God; from crying in pain to a promise of eternal peace. Psalm #23 has brought comfort to Christians and Jews for millennia.
Whatever book you choose first, start by silently asking God to speak to you through the pages. Many recommend that each day you read just one “chapter” (the big numbers; the little numbers are “verses”), or 10-15 minutes. Beginners tend to be overwhelmed if they try to read a “whole book” at one time (save that pleasure for your second reading!).
Longer online answer: (more choices and advice, especially for new Christians)
How to Read the Bible (By Denise Kohlmeyer)
1. Start with a Gospel, an epistle, or Genesis
The Gospels: For any first-timer, one of the Gospels (which means “good news”): Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are the best place to start because they introduce you to the incarnate God, Jesus Christ. These Gospels narrates his earthly ministry, his death, his burial, and his resurrection. But which one should you read?
For a quick read, go with Mark. This 16-chapter Gospel is fast-paced and fact-based concerning the most significant events in Jesus’s life. While not as detailed as the other three Gospels, Mark will give you a quick overview of the life and work of Jesus.
If you are looking for a more in-depth look at the life and work of Jesus, read the Gospel of John. This Gospel was written by John, who undeniably presents Jesus as the true Messiah, the Savior of mankind, and the Author of our salvation.
The Epistles: You may also consider starting with an epistle like Ephesians or Colossians. Paul, an Apostle, wrote most of these letters. He writes them to specific audiences throughout the Mediterranean world. Paul wrote his epistles to encourage, warn, and exhort new believers in the Christian faith. They give practical instructions on how a Christ-follower should live and conduct themselves.
Genesis: If you’d like to start at the beginning, then read Genesis. As its name implies, it tells about the beginning of time and history. In the first three chapters alone, you will be introduced to God as Sovereign Creator of the world and humankind. Those chapters also explain how sin entered the world, how it marred mankind and separated us from God, and how God graciously put in place the way of redemption. Genesis sets the stage for the rest of the amazing story.
2. Start with a plan
Pick a time: Pick a time of day when you would like to spend time reading the Bible. It could be early morning, before your spouse or kids get up when the house is yours and all is quiet. It could be during your lunch break at work. Or even at night before you go to bed. Try to read every day to get into the discipline of regularly feasting on God’s Word.
Pick a place: Find a comfortable spot (but not too comfortable!) in which to read: a favorite armchair, the couch, your desk, the kitchen table. If you often read in the same place at the same time, you will find this will become your favorite (and most sacred) space.
Pick some tools: Set up your chosen place so you have everything you may want at-hand: a pen, highlighters, your journal, and your coffee (of course). But remember: you do not need anything but an open Bible.
3. Start slow
Start by reading small portions of the Bible at first: a long passage or one chapter a day. Read for about 10-15 minutes. Don’t overwhelm yourself by reading an entire book in one sitting (at least not just yet). Savor each word, each phrase. Take time to think about what you read. Meditate on it. Even write about it. Journaling is a wonderful way to express your thoughts, feelings, prayers, and praises.
And don’t forget to find the application in what you read: whether it is a promise to claim, a warning to heed, a command to follow. Spirit-led application is what transforms your sinfulness to one of sanctification, and ultimately conforms you into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28).
4. Start with prayer
Invite the Holy Spirit into your sacred time when you read the Bible. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord, the Holy Spirit is now your “helper” (John 14:26); one of his ministries is to teach you “all things” (John 14:26) and to “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). You would be wise to seek out his help when it comes to understanding and interpreting the Bible.
5. More Than A Good Book
The Bible is more than just a good book, it is the Book of Life, which leads to life in Jesus Christ. It enables us to know God in all his majesty and glory, to know ourselves in all our sinfulness and brokenness, and the way of redemption and restoration.
How will you, today, read the Bible and begin to mine its riches, finding God and Jesus, redemption and restoration, for your weary, sin-sick soul?
Source: https://openthebible.org/article/want-read-the-bible/ (visited Sep 2023). Denise Kohlmeyer is a writer and Bible teacher, who lives in the Chicago area with her family.
For more information about Christianity, check out https://peacewithgod.net/
Original content ©Michael Krigline, including photos/illustrations if noted. For contact info, visit About Us. For privacy info, permissions info, or to make a contribution, see our Website Standards and Use Policy page (under “About Us”). This resource was created/posted under our understanding of “fair use” for educational resources. [Titles that start with ↑ point to devotional articles that help us “look up”.]


||Xavier University of Louisiana|
This page contains useful eagle-i links specific to this institution, including the data entry tool and summary lists of local resource providers.
Use the search box at the top or browse our top categories to explore thousands of resources available across the entire network. To learn more, take a look at the 972-623-8613 or (814) 268-6204. To learn more about the eagle-i Network, resources and institutions, please visit www.eagle-i.net.


A Critical Reflection on:
“…by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”
The Nicene Creed is the profession of the Christian faith and contained within in it are all of the core beliefs of the faith. By proclaiming these words, the Christian is providing verbal assent to the contents of the Deposit of Faith. While these words seem basic on a superficial level, many doctrines and implications are bound within them. This paper will provide a close examination of the words “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” Monumental truths about the person of Jesus and how his mother illuminates these truths can be extracted from this seemingly simple statement.
The foundational scripture passage for the conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit in the virginal Mary is found in Luke 1:26-38. The angel Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary, telling her she will conceive a child and she shall name him Jesus. Alarmed, Mary asks the angel how it is possible since she is a virgin and Gabriel reveals to her that the Holy Spirit will descend upon her and she will conceive her son. Obedient to God’s will, Mary provides her “Fiat”, her consent, and the event is completed with the angel’s departure. The words in this passage are very straight-forward and do not leave room for misunderstanding the statement, “by the power of the Holy Spirit he born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” However, with further examination into the account, much more is revealed about the mission of the Blessed Trinity and Mary as well as how she illuminates the truths of her son.
The fact that the Holy Spirit is the one to descend upon Mary in order to conceive Jesus shows how the mission of the Spirit is always connected to the mission of the Son. Other scriptural verses that allude to this joint mission of the Spirit and the Son are Galatians 4:6, John 3:34, and John 7:39. The Spirit and the Son are intimately connected in the life of the Blessed Trinity and are inseparable. The revelation of that connection is established in the account of Jesus’ conception and continues to be reinforced in following scriptural accounts.
Mary’s virginity is also very significant. In order to remove any possibility for an argument that Jesus had a human father, Mary had to be a virgin. This establishes Jesus’ true humanity which he only obtains from his mother and his true divinity which he receives only from his heavenly Father. Mary’s divine motherhood is further supported throughout Scripture as she is called “the mother of Jesus” and “the Mother of my Lord”. The early Church Fathers relied on this scriptural foundation to define the doctrine of “Theotokos” which establishes Mary as the “Mother of God” or “God-bearer”. In his article, “Christ-Centered Catechesis through Mary”, Dr. Petroc Willey asserts that Mary is a mirror of the truths of the Faith, or a living Catechism. Through the doctrine of Theotokos, the unity of the two nature of Jesus, human and divine, are solidified. The development of this doctrine is first revealed in Scripture.
Mary’s free consent to the will of the Father is also scripturally significant. Jesus’ very mission was for the salvation of man which was lost with the first sin of Adam and Eve. Frank Sheed provides extensive scriptural references that define the mission of Christ which are all bound up in the ultimate mission of salvation. The Son came to “take away the sin of the world.” Before examining Mary’s consent, it is important to first go back and examine the free consent under which sin entered the world. Adam and Eve were created with free will. In eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, they lost their trust in God, abused their freedom, and willfully disobeyed what God commanded. It was fitting that the remedy for that sin came about by willful obedience to God’s will. In Lumen Gentium the Church confirms it is appropriate that, because death that was brought about by the consent of a woman, life would be restored by the consent of a woman. It is true that early Church fathers interpreted Scripture the same way as St. Iranaeus proclaimed in “Against Heresies”, “And thus also it was that the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith.” (Irenaeus AH, Book III, Chap 2)
Because Mary freely cooperates with the mission of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to bring about salvation for humanity, and because the truths about her reflect the truths about her Son, it is of the upmost importance that the statement regarding her is placed in the Creed as a central belief. With her prominence in the central proclamation of belief alongside the Holy Spirit and her Son, the Deposit of Faith establishes the importance of teaching about her early and often as she illuminates the Christocentricity of all Church teaching. Johannes Hofinger states that Marian dogma leads to a “fuller understanding of the mystery of Christ”. (Hofinger p. 14) In light of this, the authors of the Catechism find it fitting to place the dogma of the Immaculate Conception within the teaching on this line in the Creed.
It has already been established, based on the discussion of Mary as Theotokos, that Jesus is fully human and fully divine in one man. With this truth in mind, it is appropriate that the Church defines the Immaculate Conception, the dogmatic teaching that Mary herself was born without original sin, since God is not compatible with sin and could not exist within a body containing the stain of sin. In his work, “The Predestination of the Virgin Mother and her Immaculate Conception”, Fr. Peter M. Fehlner establishes the scriptural proofs that salvation cannot come about through a vessel stained by sin and therefore Mary must have a unique holiness. Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, “Hail, full of grace” implies that she was spared from the effects of Original Sin, since one who is stained with sin cannot be “full” of grace. Further, the incompatibility of God and sin is established in the Old Testament. The Ark of the Covenant cannot be touched by a sinful man or he will be struck dead. Therefore, if Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant, Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant and, according to a precedent set by God himself, cannot contain sin. This truth about Mary only serves to elevate the truth of the divinity of her Son. While the Immaculate Conception has always been a truth, the unfolding and understanding of doctrine happens slowly over time in response the particular needs of the faithful. This dogma was fully declared by the Magisterium in the document, Ineffabilis Deus in 1854.
In proclaiming the foundational truths of the Catholic Faith in the Creed, certain implications arise as to how they are to be celebrated in Liturgy, the Christian life, and in prayer. It is not enough to simply believe something. It must be internalized and fully lived if it is firmly believed to be Truth.
With regard to celebration in Liturgy, the statement “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man” is a reminder of the mission of salvation for men and the role each of the persons of the Holy Trinity. Mary was spared from the effects of Original Sin by the merits of her Son which were applied to her outside of time. The grace she enjoyed from the beginning is the grace that is available to all men, bestowed by the Father through the merits of the Son. Thus the reception and participation in this grace is the goal of the liturgy. Mary’s fiat indicates her cooperation in bringing about the Son who has come to redeem the world. Without her consent, there would be no liturgy to celebrate. Jesus receives his human flesh from his virginal mother and it is the same flesh that is consumed in the Holy Eucharist. Likewise, the same flesh that was contained within Mary is also contained in those who consume the Eucharist allowing for a “sacramental and ecclesial communion with Mary”. Man is able to become a living tabernacle just as she was a living tabernacle. Because of the unique role Mary plays in providing mankind access to the liturgy as well as to the flesh of her Son, it is fitting that there are certain days in the liturgical calendar to celebrate the truths about her that illuminate the truths about her Son. Liturgical celebrations devoted to her remain consistent with the all liturgy being ordered to the goal of man’s participation in the reception of his divine grace.
Another result that came about from Mary’s fiat is that he obtained from her a human face for man to gaze upon and worship. Prior to Jesus’ Incarnation, there was no way to produce a physical image of God. Since man was made in the image and likeness of God, and Jesus was God made man, Jesus reveals in his physical body what was intended for man upon his creation. Sacred images of Jesus and his mother on whom the Holy Spirit descended serve as reminders of the perfect image of God and thus, Christ is glorified through their use in liturgical celebrations. In the 8th Century, Andrew of Crete explains the normal and acceptable use of icons in the early Church in his work, “On the Veneration of Sacred Images.” Andrew states that there is nothing abnormal about the use of icons in Christianity and lists three specifics examples of their use and how they glorify the Christ by revealing his humanity which he obtained from his mother.
Another facet for approaching what is declared in the Creed is to ponder what the call to action for members of the church might be in terms of positively responding through an active Christian life. When Mary provided her free consent for the Holy Spirit to descend upon her, her fiat was a perfect act of faith. Faith is the theological virtue that allows a believer to completely trust God’s will and act accordingly by living in a way that reflects their faith in God through action. Mary’s witness of perfect faith, and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon her because of that faith, helps Christians understand what it means to have faith and act on it in their own lives. The virtues that radiate from her through her response to Gabriel, because of her foundational virtue of faith, are humility, chastity, and obedience. Expanding on Mary’s example of a virtuous life, St. Bernard of Clairvaux urges his audience to use her a model for a virtuous life, saying:
“O man, if it is beneath your dignity to follow the example of a man, surely it will not be beneath you to follow your Creator. Maybe you can no longer follow him where he stooped for you. That is to say, if you cannot follow the high road of virginity, at least take the sure road of humility. If anyone, even a virgin, should turn aside from this strait way, it seems he does not follow the Lamb wherever he goes.”
Here, St. Bernard clearly recognizes the difficulty of a perfectly virtuous life due to man’s sinful nature. However, he asserts that even if higher virtues are too difficult, a Christian should still strive for virtue according to his greatest ability. In not pursuing any virtue at all, one cannot call himself a Christian because he is not following Jesus.
The Virgin Mary’s fiat which allowed the Holy Spirit to descend upon her to bring about Savior of the World is also an example of perfect Christian prayer. To say, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” is to faithfully consent to God’s will with complete trust that he will provide all of the strength and grace necessary to carry it out. While Christian prayer can consist of many elements including praise, thanksgiving, and petitions and be meditative or verbal, it reaches its perfection in complete surrender to his will as demonstrated by Mary’s fiat. Therefore, the line in the Creed – “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” – is a call for Christians to give their own fiat to God. In an article that discusses Mary’s fiat with regard to its application in catechetics, author Gary Sullivan beautifully states the following: “Catechists formed in Mary’s mould are like little arks. In her pattern we have been overshadowed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism, filled and empowered in Confirmation, and impregnated with the liturgical Word.” It is the goal of Christian prayer “to be wholly God’s, because he is wholly ours.” By responding with faithful prayer, the Christian allows the Holy Spirit to descend upon him and facilitate a close and intimate encounter with the person of Jesus, just like Mary.
The fundamental belief stated in the Creed that “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man” has a kerygmatic message at its core. The kerygma is essentially the proclamation of the gospel message which is to restore humanity to a filial relationship and life in the Holy Trinity. Therefore, Mary is the first deliverer of the kerygma to God’s people. In her obedience, Mary undoes what Eve did through her disobedience. The grace and life in the Holy Trinity that were lost with the first sin could now be restored through Mary’s fiat. Her free consent allowed the Holy Spirit to bring about the Incarnate Word of the Father for the sake of the salvation of souls. She allows the complimentary mission of each person of the Holy Trinity to use her body, so that the Son might have his own body through which to communicate with his people. That human body would go on to preach, tell stories, perform miracles, and have relationships in order to further reveal God. That human body would eventually suffer, die, resurrect, and ascend, taking all of the sin that came about from man’s first fall upon his own flesh and later glorifying that tortured flesh. The kerygma itself begins with Mary’s fiat and the Holy Spirit’s descent upon her.
The seemingly simple words of the Creed are permeated with implications and responsibilities. In proclaiming their Truth, not only is belief proclaimed, but believers are called to celebrate the liturgy, live a virtuous life, and participate in fervent prayer. In drawing out all of these aspects of the Catholic faith in the Creed’s words, the Christian has a close and personal encounter with the person of Jesus and can, in return, introduce him and his mission to others. Hofinger wisely highlights the importance of the teacher to have his own personal relationship with Christ in order to introduce him to others. In order to provide an effective proclamation of the Gospel message to others, a teacher must cultivate “kerygmatic virtues” which are all perfectly exemplified in Mary.
Andrew of Crete. “On the Veneration of Sacred Images” in Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, edited by Luigi Gambero, Translated by Thomas Buffer. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999.
Father Luigi Gambero’s work evaluates and unfolds what the early Church Fathers had to say with regard to the Virgin Mary. This process shows how the Marian doctrines and dogmas have slowly been unveiled over time without contradiction to what has been known about her from the earliest stages of Christianity. Reading the works of the early Church Fathers helps with the process of passing on the Deposit of Faith because it shows that the current understanding of Mary is not new or invented. It was all contained in the deposit from the beginning. Andrew of Crete provides an 8th Century understanding of the importance of sacred icons is both appropriate and historical. Mary, giving Jesus his human body, enabled God to be depicted in religious art in a real and tangible way.
Bernard of Clairvaux. Homilies in Praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Translated by Marie-Bernard Said. Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1993.
Pius IX. Ineffabilis Deus. Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1854.
This book is a collection of four homilies written by St. Bernard of Clairvaux who lived in the 11th Century. St. Bernard had a deep love of Mary and expressed it in these homilies. What is notable about his works is that they are permeated, or impregnated, throughout with citations to Sacred Scripture. He knew Scripture very well and unabashedly drew from it extensively to show what was revealed about Mary through a careful reading. In the cited quotation, he finds in Mary a perfect model of Christian virtue and implores his audience to follow her example to the best of their ability. This is relevant with regard to the proclamation of the Creed because what is understood about the Virgin Mary by the Church is revealed by the inspired Word of God.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition. Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 2007.
Fehlner, Fr. Peter M. “The Predestination of the Virgin Mother and Her Immaculate Conception” in Mariology: A guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and Consecrated Persons, edited by Mark Miravalle, 213-276. Goleta: Seat of Wisdom Books, 2007.
Mariology is an extensive collection of in-depth essays by theologians regarding the Virgin Mary. The book would be difficult for a person with limited understanding of Marian doctrine and dogma and is not a good starting point for learning about Mary. However, for those responsible for handing on the Deposit of Faith, these essays can help deepen their understanding of Mary and her role in Salvation History. This deeper understanding will, in turn, help to facilitate a more intimate relationship with Jesus through his mother. Father Fehlner’s essay focuses on the Immaculate Conception. Illuminated by an understanding of the Immaculate Conception, deeper implications can be extracted from the words of the Creed.
Hofinger, Johannes. The Art of Teaching Christian Doctrine: The Good News and its Proclamation. Mansfield Centre: Martino Publishing, 2016.
Irenaeus, “Against Heresies” in Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, edited by Luigi Gambero, Translated by Thomas Buffer. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999.
Father Luigi Gambero’s work evaluates and unfolds what the early Church Fathers had to say with regard to the Virgin Mary. This process shows how the Marian doctrines and dogmas have slowly been unveiled over time without contradiction to what has been known about her from the earliest stages of Christianity. Reading the works of the early Church Fathers helps with the process of passing on the Deposit of Faith because it shows that the current understanding of Mary is not new or invented. It was all contained in the deposit from the beginning. In the 4th Century, St. Irenaeus is able to illustrate the link between Eve’s first sin and Mary’s co-operation in the reparation for that sin.
New American Bible, Student Edition. World Catholic Press, 1987.
Paul VI. Lumen Gentium. Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1964.
Lumen Gentium is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church which was a product of the council of Vatican II. There was some debate about the inclusion of a chapter on Mary and whether that should be in a separate document in order to not alienate non-Catholic Christians. It was determined that since Mary has an important role both in the Church and in Salvation History, it should be included. Including Mary in a Constitution on the Church is fitting as her inclusion in the Nicene Creed was equally important in the earliest Church. She is the first disciple, the first Christian, and a cooperator in the delivery of the kerygma.
Roy, Fr. Neil J. “Mary and the Liturgical Year” in Mariology: A guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and Consecrated Persons, edited by Mark Miravalle, 607-666. Goleta: Seat of Wisdom Books, 2007.
Mariology is an extensive collection of in-depth essays by theologians regarding the Virgin Mary. The book would be difficult for a person with limited understanding of Marian doctrine and dogma and is not a good starting point for learning about Mary. However, for those responsible for handing on the Deposit of Faith, these essays can help deepen their understanding of Mary and her role in Salvation History. This deeper understanding will, in turn, help to facilitate a more intimate relationship with Jesus through his mother. Father Roy’s essay elaborates on how Mary’s role into the Church necessarily draws her into the second pillar of the Catechism. Given her cooperation in the bringing about of redemption for man, it is fitting that she be incorporated into the celebration of the Christian mystery.
Sheed, Frank. Theology and Sanity. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1993.
Sullivan, Gary. “From Fiat to Magnificat: A Catechetical Journey” in The Sower, 30.4.
Gary Sullivan writes a short essay showing how the words Mary speaks in Scripture provide catechetical lessons. As the first follower of Christ, it is appropriate she is also the first catechist. For the purposes of this essay, a focus on her fiat helped with drawing out the words of the Creed. Without Mary’s fiat, the Holy Spirit would not have descended upon her and make the Father’s Word Incarnate. With regard to catechizing, her fiat provides a perfect example of a response of faith to God which results in an intimate relationship with his son. The purpose of catechesis and handing on the Deposit of Faith is to inspire the same type of response in all Christians, intending the same type of intimate encounter.
Willey, Petroc. “Editor’s Note: Christ-Centered Catechesis through Mary.” In Catechetical Review, 32.2.
In his short article, Dr. Willey explains that what the Church teaches about Mary reveals more about her son with the result of bringing him greater glory. Common misunderstandings about Mary “worship” are cleared up by Dr. Willey. Mary receives the grace and honor she does because of who her son is. Therefore, any truth about her mirrors a Truth about Jesus. In order for the hypostatic union of Jesus’ two natures in one person to be true, he necessarily had to born of the Holy Spirit and virginal woman. Therefore, the statement in the Creed regarding being born by the Spirit to a woman, reveals this hypostatic union.
 Catechism of the Catholic Church, (Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 2007), #185-186.
 CCC #485.
 CCC #689
 Luke 1:43; John 2:1, 19:25; CCC #495
 CCC #495
 Petroc Willey, “Christ-Centered Catechesis through Mary” in Catechetical Review 32.2.
 Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1993), 233-237.
 John 2:29
 CCC #397
 CCC #494
 Paul VI, Lumen Gentium (Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1964), 56.
 St. Irenaeus, “Against Heresies” in Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, edited by Luigi Gambero, Translated by Thomas Buffer (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999), 54.
 Fr. Peter Fehlner, “The Predestination of the Virgin Mother and Her Immaculate Conception” in Mariology: A guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and Consecrated Persons, edited by Mark Miravalle, (Goleta: Seat of Wisdom Books, 2007), 232-233.
 CCC #491; Luke 1:28.
 2 Samuel 6:7.
 Pius IX. Ineffabilis Deus. Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1854.
 CCC #492
 CCC #1077
 Fr. Neil J. Roy, “Mary and the Liturgical Year” in Mariology: A guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and Consecrated Persons, edited by Mark Miravalle, (Goleta: Seat of Wisdom Books, 2007), 610-611.
 Ibid, 611.
 CCC #1159
 CCC #1161
 Andrew of Crete, “On the Veneration of Sacred Images” in Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, edited by Luigi Gambero, Translated by Thomas Buffer (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999), 398-399.
 CCC #1814
 Bernard of Clairvaux. Homilies in Praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, translated by Marie-Bernard Said, (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1993), 12.
 CCC #2617
 Gary Sullivan, “From Fiat to Magnificat: A Catechetical Journey” in The Sower, 30.4.
 CCC #2617
 Johannes Hofinger, The Art of Teaching Christian Doctrine: The Good News and its Proclamation, (Mansfield Centre: Martino Publishing, 2016), 198.
 Ibid., pp. 199-202


Since quite a lot of Mozart’s Requiem was written by someone else, it has attracted a long series of musicologists and conductors convinced that they could do a better job of completing it than Franz Xaver Süssmayr. I rather feared when Raphaël Pichon and his ensemble Pygmalion promised “an alternative vision of Mozart’s Requiem” that we were in for yet another alternative completion. In fact this was altogether more interesting, interspersing the movements of the Requiem with much lesser-known pieces from earlier in Mozart’s career, often lovely and striking in their own right, and foreshadowing ideas from his great final work.
Thus before the first movement we had a sequence of minor pieces: a choral canon, an early version of the Masonic Funeral Music and a re-texted Kyrie in D minor, throughout which it seemed as though the Introit and Kyrie of the Requiem was gradually taking shape in our mind’s ear. The Dies Irae was preceded by a movement from the incidental music to Thanos, King of Egypt, fitted with religious words, occupying a middle ground between the Last Day and the arrival of the Commendatore in Don Giovanni. Before the Hostias we had a contrafactum of the Adagio from the Gran Partita with an added choral part, its “rusty squeezebox” accompaniment leading smoothly into that of the ensuing Requiem movement. Most evocative of all was what followed the Lacrimosa: the fragmentary fugal Amen which Mozart probably intended for this position but of which he only wrote a few bars. The silence which followed its abrupt fade-out was infinitely more powerful than the laboured completions which feature in some alternative realizations.
With the exception of the Lacrimosa itself, of which the opening eight bars were given in the form in which Mozart left them without Süssmayr’s accompaniment, this was otherwise the familiar version of the Requiem. The performance style was anything but familiar though, emphasizing Mozart the operatic composer, with extreme tempi and dynamics bringing the drama vividly to life. I have always thought that it was Verdi who came closest to evoking the idea of the Last Judgement; after this performance I may have to revise my opinion. In other hands the crescendi and ritardandi might have seemed overdone and mannered, here they seemed all of a piece with the concept as a whole, Pichon making a virtue of the brevity of Süssmayr’s Hosanna with a swift and agile reading. The period instruments of the Pygmalion ensemble brought an added immediacy to the sound with raw and muscular tones, matched throughout by incisive and committed singing from a superb chorus of around 35 voices.
Of the soloists, Alex Rosen brought clarity and sonority to his Requiem numbers and drama to the motet Ne pulvis and cinis which preceded the Dies Irae. Beth Taylor channelled her inner Kathleen Ferrier for the beautiful Kirchenlied “O Gottes Lamm”, which really should be in every hymnbook. Sandrine Piau (standing in at short notice) and Laurence Kilsby completed a well-balanced vocal quartet. And boy-treble-of-the-moment Malakai Bayoh sang the second of the Five Solfeggios (in fact the Christe Eleison of the C Minor Mass up a tone and minus the words) with admirable assurance and smoothness of line. It fell to him to open and close the concert with In Paradisum, sung unaccompanied to the traditional plainsong, and at its second appearance echoed in Tavener-like canon by the sopranos of the chorus, making the whole evening seem like a requiem for Mozart himself.


Kim smith dating new york magazine dating review
They had reunited after dating in junior high school in Taiwan and shared a true lifetime of love.
Kim graduated from Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs, CO in 1972.
Scaramucci lasted 11 days in the DC job and was ousted by President Trump on July 31.
The reason for his firing was said to be an expletive-laden interview he gave to the New Yorker — in which he blasted former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
Kim had also lived in Austin, TX, Panama City, FL, Memphis, TN, Houston, TX, before settling in Lawton and Cache, OK during her working career.
Kim married Mike Smith on June 14, 2003 at Inlet Beach Florida.
They reunited and Mike has said he “loved Kim since he was 13 years old”.
Kim and Mike met in Taipei, Taiwan when both their fathers were serving in the USAF in the late 1960.
Kim worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado as a college student in 1974 and had the experience of having her truck fall down a mine shaft, luckily surviving.
She also worked for Marriott Hotels and was on the Grand Opening Team for the Marriott’s Bay Point Resort, in Panama City Beach, FL in 1987.
She received several awards, she was the recipient of the 2005 Oklahoma Library Association Scholarship for Graduate Study, “History of the Card Catalog” original entry, Library and Information Science Wiki (LISWiki) and “Understanding e-books” original entry, Wikispaces.
At Comanche Nation College, she did a tremendous job at their library by securing thousands of Native American books, magazines and films for their students.


Under Section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, any 'public authority', which is defined as including General Practitioners, must prepare a publication scheme setting out the information it routinely makes publicly available.
The British Medical Association Model Publication Scheme for General Practitioners in Scotland has been approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner who is responsible for promoting and enforcing the Act. In addition we have to review the scheme from time to time.
This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by Saltoun Surgery. It is a description of the information about our General Practitioners and practice which we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness. In adopting (or reviewing) our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in allowing public access to information we hold; and the publication of reasons for the decisions we make.
A copy of the Publication Scheme is on display at the surgery. Individual copies are available both to patients and/or the general public by request at reception.


Destiny is an oral history told in the words of the principals
who created the ASIC industry. Rob Walker is the first "insider" to write
a non-fiction book about the people of the semiconductor industry. Walker,
a Silicon Valley technologist for the last 30 years is a founder of LSI
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Silicon Destiny is a hardbound, 280-page book complete with
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Research Associates. The worldwide price is $29.95 postpaid: checks
Walker and other semiconductor veterans recount the good times of start-ups
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Wilf Corrigan describes the factors which led him to build semiconductor
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Joe Costello shares his vision of Cadence and the secrets of successful
Jack Carsten recounts technical and business factors which derail Intel's
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The Superb Wok Cookbook celebrates the centuries-old traditions of Chinese cuisine and gives you a unique opportunity to make your Chinese favorites in your own kitchen. In this book, I aimed to collect the most comforting and delicious Chinese recipes, which can take just a couple of minutes to prepare using your wok! Noodles, chicken, beef and vegan meals – you will master all of them like a Chinese chef and turn to using wok for all of your everyday cooking needs, like steaming, stir-frying and stewing foods.
NEW Superb Wok CookbookYou can almost do anything and everything with a wok and cook bookPlease click button to get superb wok cookbook 25 comforting chinese recipes book nowCHINESE RECIPES Cookbook STEPHEN YAN Vancouver BC 1981scarce C $12.99 Buy It Now Shipping not specified Color photosChinese and Wok Cooking: 50 Sensational Stir-fries and Oriental Dishes (Step-by AU $6.99 +AU $1.99 postage See more like thisChinese and Wok Cooking: 50 Sensational Stir-fries and Oriental Dishes (Step-by From United Kingdom
From the classic savory crepe dosa, filled with lemony turmeric potatoes and cilantro coconut chutney, to new creations like coconut polenta topped with spring vegetables 'upma" and homemade yogurt, the recipes in Vibrant India are simple to prepare and a true celebration of color and flavor on a plateFoodies of all stripes will revel in the huge array of incredibly appetizing, inventive recipes, all made with easily available ingredients, from savory starters to decadent dessertstweet Ken Hom S Hot Wok Author by : Ken Hom Languange : en Publisher by : West One Hundred Seventy Five Format Available : PDF, ePub, Mobi Total Read : 46 Total Download : 165 File Size : 43,9 Mb Description : Provides wok recipes for appetizers, soups, fish, meat, poultry, vegetables, rice, noodles, and desserts tweet House Garden Author by : Languange : en Publisher by : Format Available : PDF, ePub, Mobi Total Read : 56 Total Download : 294 File Size : 51,6 Mb Description : tweet The Author by : Grace Young Languange : en Publisher by : Simon and Schuster Format Available : PDF, ePub, Mobi Total Read : 58 Total Download : 243 File Size : 45,5 Mb Description : A guide to cooking with a wok offers a collection of wok recipes, food preparation tips, and anecdotes about the author's culinary experiences in the international kitchens of famous chefs, teachers, and celebritiesAU $33.68 +AU $24.99 postage See more like thisThe Breath of a Wok : Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Throughtweet New York Magazine Author by : Languange : en Publisher by : Format Available : PDF, ePub, Mobi Total Read : 35 Total Download : 456 File Size : 48,9 Mb Description : New York magazine was born in 1968 after a run as an insert of the New York Herald Tribune and quickly made a place for itself as the trusted resource for readers across the country
The Last Chinese Chef: A Novel Nicole Mones 4.3 out of 5 stars 303 Kindle Edition$9.99 15Delicious Chinese Recipes For All The Family: Easy & Tasty Chinese CookbookMar 6 2015Kindle eBookby Yie ChenKindle EditionCDN$ 0.99Buy now with 1-Click Available for download now 5 out of 5 stars 1Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC The Essential Wok Cookbook: A Simple Chinese Cookbook for Stir-Fry, Dim Sum, and Other Restaurant FavoritesMay 12 2015Kindle eBookby Naomi Imatome-YunKindle EditionCDN$ 3.96Buy now with 1-Click Available for download now 4.1 out of 5 stars 7Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLCHome-cooked Deep Fry: Deep Fried Recipes to Make Your Mouth WaterJun 20 2017Kindle eBookby April BlomgrenKindle EditionCDN$ 0.00Subscribers read for free.Learn more.CDN$ 5.22to buyBuy now with 1-Click Available for download nowSold by: Amazon Digital Services LLCBento Box Cookbook: Delicious Japanese Cooking Recipes For Lunch And Dinner (Bento Box Recipes, Japanese Cooking, Japanese Recipes, Japanese Bento, Sushi, Rice Cooker)Jul 15 2015Kindle eBookby Pauline FerndaleKindle EditionCDN$ 0.00Subscribers read for free.Learn more.CDN$ 3.91to buyBuy now with 1-Click Available for download nowSold by: Amazon Digital Services LLCTotally Vietnamese: Classic Vietnamese Recipes to Make at HomeMar 17 2016Kindle eBookby Sarah SpencerKindle EditionCDN$ 0.00Subscribers read for free.Learn more.CDN$ 3.89to buyBuy now with 1-Click Available for download now 4 out of 5 stars 1Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLCStir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and StoriesMay 4 2010Kindle eBookby Grace YoungKindle EditionCDN$ 29.99Buy now with 1-Click Available for download now 4.4 out of 5 stars 17Sold by: Simon & Schuster Canada, Inc.The Complete Power Pressure Cooker XL Cookbook: 100 Healthy, Quick & Easy Power Pressure Cooker Recipes That Your Family Will Love!May 24 2017Kindle eBookby Georgia WThe Breath of a Wok : Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking ThroughFamily and friends will be impressed with your preparation of authentic Chinese dishesDim Sum: Learn Your Way around Making the Perfect Traditional Delights Gordon Rock 4.4 out of 5 stars 6 Kindle Edition$0.99 1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 About Best Sellers in Chinese Cooking These lists, updated hourly, contain bestselling itemsJOY OF WOKKING Martin Yan Chinese Food Cookbook Wok Recipes Cooking Cookery C $20.79 or Best Offer +C $44.14 shipping And she makes it easy to incorporate dumplings into a contemporary lifestyle by giving a thorough introduction to essential equipment and ingredients and offering make-ahead and storage guidance, time-saving shortcuts that still yield delectable results, and tips on planning a dumpling dinner partyFrom United States 07f867cfac


The Notebook file cabinet
Pages of information and resources on important California water topics.
Where does California’s water come from? Most of us remember learning the water cycle, and so can understand easily enough that it’s the rain and snow that is the ultimate source of our water supply. But what most Californians might not realize is vast the state’s water infrastructure is that irrigates the farmland and delivers the water to our faucets, and how profoundly that infrastructure has remade the California that we know today. Click here to learn more about California’s water infrastructure systems.
Currently, there are three major planning processes focused exclusively on the Delta, two broader statewide plans, and multitudes of smaller plans and programs that affect the Delta in some way. Some plans are in the implementation stage while others are still in the planning stages. What are all these different plans and processes? This page will help sort them all out for you.
Browse through a compilation of maps, diagrams and photos related to the Delta and California water. These maps and diagrams have been sourced from public documents and public sources. Historical photographs are from the National Archives/Library of Congress and WikiMedia. No known copyright restrictions exist, so free for you to use. Click here to look at Maps and Diagrams.
Water and hydrology resources on the internet: Reservoir conditions, precipitation indexes, snow charts, drought maps and more …
Here’s a list of handy internet resources to find out the latest reservoir conditions, precipitation data, snow data, current weather data, climate and drought data and more. Click here to visit the Water and hydrology resources page.
Storm and flood management resources on the internet: Radar, satellite, river stages, rainfall maps, atmospheric rivers and more …
Find the latest weather and satellite information, atmospheric river information, river and stream conditions, flood information and more … Check it all out here: Storm and flood management resources on the internet: Radar, satellite, river stages, rainfall maps, atmospheric rivers and more …
Glossary definitions, some of them quite detailed, on unfamiliar terms that are used in posts. Visit the glossary here.


Welcome to this 1,000 square foot 2 bed / 2 bath corner unit. Fantastic layout, location, and convenience atop the bluff in desirable Weehawken! Come live in the highly coveted Gregory Commons gated complex. Pets welcome. Amenities include 24hr. doorman, security, 1 car garage parking, manicured courtyard, fitness center, indoor pool, sauna, lounge, and on-site maintenance. Gregory Commons is in the process of a beautiful exterior facade upgrade that will impact property values for years to come. An easy walk to shopping, dining, and restaurants, including Whole Foods, Lidl Supermarket, Lincoln Harbor, Weehawken Waterfront Park, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, NY Waterway Ferry, and the Public Library. Close by Reservoir Park, Ellsworth Park, and Gregory Park. Minutes to Uptown Hoboken, this prime location also offers a 16 minute commute to NYC Port Authority.


From CampusBird Blog
Monmouth College, a nationally ranked residential college dedicated to excellence in undergraduate education, has introduced a new online mapping platform that acts as the information hub of a $120 million campus expansion.
Since 2002, a new football stadium, tennis stadium, athletic complex, science and business academic halls and two dormitories have been added to the college. The interactive map, based on the CampusBird product from concept3D, features these additions and more through panoramas, high-resolution photographs and detailed text descriptions. Built on top of Google Maps, the technology is viewable online and via smartphone and allows for panning and zooming.
“With $120 million in investments on campus since 2002, Monmouth College has one of the finest small college campuses in the nation,” said Timothy Keefauver, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. “We needed a way for prospective students to realize this and thus be motivated to visit. CampusBird does that for us.”
Prospective students can visit the campus virtually and get a real sense of what the campus is like thanks in part to the more than 50 360-degree interior and exterior panoramas the map contains. They can see what it would be like to hit the books at the Hewes Library, relax in the sun-filled rooms of Pattee Hall, and even throw the winning touchdown pass in the middle of April Zorn Memorial Stadium.
The map’s text supports the richness of the campus offerings by telling the story of the school. The buildings, programs and philosophy of the school are described in detail in so that visitors understand the college’s unique identity. For example, the description of the Center for Science and Business describes why in 2014 “Money Magazine” ranked Monmouth 15th out of 665 Best Colleges for “Colleges That Add the Most Value,” in part due to the school’s 99% employment rate and practice of “active learning.”
“We are committed to the full immersive experience because we believe it to be much more transformative,” Keefauver added. “The map reflects this and allows us to truly show what it’s like to be part of a college campus where the campus is a destination in and of itself.”
For more information and to experience the information hub, please visit http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/about/location/campus-map.aspx


The Advent of the Covenant upon King David, Part 8
In an Address to the Jewish people Lord BahÃ¡â€™uâ€™llÃ¡h declared:
â€œThe Most Great Law is come, and the Ancient Beauty ruleth upon the throne of David. Thus hath My Pen spoken that which the histories of bygone ages have related. At this time, however, David crieth aloud and saith: â€˜O my loving Lord! Do Thou number me with such as have stood steadfast in Thy Cause, O Thou through Whom the faces have been illumined, and the footsteps have slipped!â€™â€
It seems plain from this that Lord Baha’u’llah intended the people to know that He ruled upon the throne of David and that this declaration was connected with â€œthe histories of bygone agesâ€.
No one sincerely professing belief in Him would be inclined to reject the evident meaning of this verse if not for the interference of others in whom they have placed their trust. Thus, a few have been misled through an interpretation that by the words â€œthrone of Davidâ€ Baha’u’llah did not actually intend the throne of David’s Kingship but something other than that.
This cannot present any real obstacle to accepting the apparent meaning of Baha’u’llah’s declaration for, in accordance with the principles of the Faith, authoritative interpretation rests with the rightful successors chosen by the Lord of Baha and those other than the rightful successor cannot claim this for themselves. For this reason most Baha’is deem it prudent, in the absence of an authoritative interpretation for a particular verse, that one’s understanding should not conflict with the plainly evident meaning.
On this basis alone there should be no need for further consideration of any unwitting disparagement of this verse. However, even as the dark is made to serve the light, the arguments against its apparent meaning may actually help those who practice justice to affirm that Baha’u’llah was indeed established upon the throne of David.
Furthermore, it also seems necessary to distinguish the nature of David’s throne and of Baha’u’llah’s own throne as a Manifestation, and so an examination of the historical basis of this claim along with some degree of examination of the arguments against it may prove useful to clarify exactly what Baha’u’llah intended.
Thus, concerning His statement:
“Thus hath My Pen spoken that which the histories of bygone ages have related.”
Let us consider the fact that the Jewish histories of past ages are replete with accounts of King David, his successors, their genealogies and prophecies concerning his descendants. For instance, the legends and histories of the Jews includes information of particular interest concerning a renowned descendant of David known as Bostanai, who was descended from the Davidic King Jehoiachin who had been taken captive to Babylon.
For more information on Bostanai please refer to:


The Enigma: Occult, Symbols, and Codes
Michelangelo Buonarroti transformed the earthly into the cosmic, and the finite into the infinite, extracting the soul from marble and uniting men and gods.
The writer Thor Jurodovich Kostich reveals to us, with unprecedented depth, all the details of life between torment and ecstasy.
This book takes us into the life of the divine Michelangelo through the arcane keys and the unfathomable mysteries that furrow the folds of La Pietà, in the disturbing gaze of Moses, in the perfect hand of David, in the works of the greatest artist of history.
Thor Jurodovich, a writer specializing in the anthropology of religions, offers us an exciting investigation into the spirit of genius among geniuses.
It is not easy to delve into the soul, the work, and the teaching of a genius of the Renaissance, since precisely that era that we Europeans venerate for its “human” progress (humanism) plunges us with mysterious lights and reflections into brilliant lives.
The sculptor was insatiable when it came to the perfection of his work. He spent months in Carrara, choosing the marble blocks but the secret of his art lay precisely in the ability to find a soul in stones, an afterlife in the matter, and a transcendence in death. He saw the mountains as sculptural matter and imagined the hills turned into statues. That is why, in his youth, he dared to dispute a block of marble with Leonardo da Vinci.
Without a doubt, he had discovered that, inside, a David was hiding.
Nearing ninety years of age, Michelangelo was still riding among the stone blocks of the Vatican, watching the factory go up. Among the statues, he felt invited to be part of a Sacred History that was revealed to him in the marble blocks.
When he walked the streets of Rome he often happened to meet ancient and mysterious characters whom, no doubt by mistake, he had believed dead.
But his hand was failing, to the point that he couldn’t draw the sketches.
The hand no longer serves me – he commented to his nephew- but from now on I will have others write and I will sign. Luckily, many years before, he had already sculpted his masterpiece, the only one he signed: the fascinating Pietà.
With an unusual and curious perspective, the author searches ancient Neoplatonic thought for the precedents of the sculptures and paintings of the Renaissance genius and, between notes and letters, studies, and magnificent literary resources, it reveals the artist’s interesting connections with the Kabbalah and Jewish wisdom, which Michelangelo discovered in fifteenth-century Florence, thanks to Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola, Marsilio Ficino, and the humanist Angelo Poliziano, who was also his teacher.