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Hiked to the top of the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania
View LARGE and feel like you're there!
“When you come to the edge of all that you know, you must believe in one of two things: there will be earth upon which to stand, or you will be given wings.”
-O. R. Melling, “The Summer King”
Panama, Illinois, a small coal city in Southern Illinois, about 15 miles from Mt Olive, resting place of Mother Jones. Cemetery is on far south edge of town, approachable by way of Calvin Ave (Shaol Creek farther north), which ends at W. Cemetery Dr.
The first shaft was sunk 1906. John L. Lewis moved his family to Panama in 1908 after joining the union movement.
The first life lost in the Shoal Creek Company mine here was Elisha Bean, from Sorento, Italy, living in the next county. A premature shot killed Elisha in March 1906. By midsummer that first year there were 87 miners producing 18,077 tons and the town continued to grow according to the Historical Society of Montgomery County.
Nov. 10, 1910 an explosion killed 5 and injured 18 miners.
The ten foot tall black marble monument dedicated May 25, 2003, commemorates the April 5, 1915 explosion at the Shoal Creek Coal Company’s Panama No. 1 mine. 11 men died, three from burns and injuries from the force of the explosion, eight others from asphyxiation. Two others had been revived. Ten of the rescue party, working without any breathing apparatus, were overcome and had to be revived. The exact cause is impossible to determine but what is definitively known is an accumulation of gas at one point in the tunnel, which, through either inappropriate action or inaction of the mine examiner, was declared safe a short time earlier. One of the first men in the tunnel was carrying detonators which were somehow ignited causing a coal dust explosion extending at least 1,000 feet.
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shall overcome.
Taken from Coney Island during an awesome photo-walk withImran Bhai and Rafaat mia. The grains on her face are courtesy of the Coney Island sandy beach and not high iso!
Shot with 100mm 2.8L Macro. I miss the 100mmL; that was one heck of a lens!
REFORD GARDENS | LES JARDINS DE METIS
Beautiful flowers at Reford Gardens.
From Wikipedia:
Iris versicolor is also commonly known as the blue flag, harlequin blueflag, larger blue flag, northern blue flag, and poison flag, plus other variations of these names, and in Britain and Ireland as purple iris.
It is a species of Iris native to North America, in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada. It is common in sedge meadows, marshes, and along streambanks and shores. The specific epithet versicolor means "variously coloured".
It is one of the three Iris species in the Iris flower data set outlined by Ronald Fisher in his 1936 paper "The use of multiple measurements in taxonomic problems" as an example of linear discriminant analysis.
Visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_versicolor
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REFORD GARDENS | LES JARDINS DE METIS
Visit : www.refordgardens.com/
From Wikipedia:
Elsie Stephen Meighen - born January 22, 1872, Perth, Ontario - and Robert Wilson Reford - born in 1867, Montreal - got married on June 12, 1894.
Elsie Reford was a pioneer of Canadian horticulture, creating one of the largest private gardens in Canada on her estate, Estevan Lodge in eastern Québec. Located in Grand-Métis on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, her gardens have been open to the public since 1962 and operate under the name Les Jardins de Métis and Reford Gardens.
Born January 22, 1872 at Perth, Ontario, Elsie Reford was the eldest of three children born to Robert Meighen and Elsie Stephen. Coming from modest backgrounds themselves, Elsie’s parents ensured that their children received a good education. After being educated in Montreal, she was sent to finishing school in Dresden and Paris, returning to Montreal fluent in both German and French, and ready to take her place in society.
She married Robert Wilson Reford on June 12, 1894. She gave birth to two sons, Bruce in 1895 and Eric in 1900. Robert and Elsie Reford were, by many accounts, an ideal couple. In 1902, they built a house on Drummond Street in Montreal. They both loved the outdoors and they spend several weeks a year in a log cabin they built at Lac Caribou, south of Rimouski. In the autumn they hunted for caribou, deer, and ducks. They returned in winter to ski and snowshoe. Elsie Reford also liked to ride. She had learned as a girl and spent many hours riding on the slopes of Mount Royal. And of course, there was salmon-fishing – a sport at which she excelled.
In her day, she was known for her civic, social, and political activism. She was engaged in philanthropic activities, particularly for the Montreal Maternity Hospital and she was also the moving force behind the creation of the Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal, the first women club in Canada. She believed it important that the women become involved in debates over the great issues of the day, « something beyond the local gossip of the hour ». Her acquaintance with Lord Grey, the Governor-General of Canada from 1904 to 1911, led to her involvement in organizing, in 1908, Québec City’s tercentennial celebrations. The event was one of many to which she devoted herself in building bridges with French-Canadian community.
During the First World War, she joined her two sons in England and did volunteer work at the War Office, translating documents from German into English. After the war, she was active in the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, and the National Association of Conservative Women.
In 1925 at the age of 53 years, Elsie Reford was operated for appendicitis and during her convalescence, her doctor counselled against fishing, fearing that she did not have the strength to return to the river.”Why not take up gardening?” he said, thinking this a more suitable pastime for a convalescent woman of a certain age. That is why she began laying out the gardens and supervising their construction. The gardens would take ten years to build, and would extend over more than twenty acres.
Elsie Reford had to overcome many difficulties in bringing her garden to life. First among them were the allergies that sometimes left her bedridden for days on end. The second obstacle was the property itself. Estevan was first and foremost a fishing lodge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to a salmon river and its dramatic views – not for the quality of the soil.
To counter-act nature’s deficiencies, she created soil for each of the plants she had selected, bringing peat and sand from nearby farms. This exchange was fortuitous to the local farmers, suffering through the Great Depression. Then, as now, the gardens provided much-needed work to an area with high unemployment. Elsie Reford’s genius as a gardener was born of the knowledge she developed of the needs of plants. Over the course of her long life, she became an expert plantsman. By the end of her life, Elsie Reford was able to counsel other gardeners, writing in the journals of the Royal Horticultural Society and the North American Lily Society. Elsie Reford was not a landscape architect and had no training of any kind as a garden designer. While she collected and appreciated art, she claimed no talents as an artist.
Elsie Stephen Reford died at her Drummond Street home on November 8, 1967 in her ninety-sixth year.
In 1995, the Reford Gardens ("Jardins de Métis") in Grand-Métis were designated a National Historic Site of Canada, as being an excellent Canadian example of the English-inspired garden.(Wikipedia)
Visit : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Reford
Visit : www.refordgardens.com
LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS
Créés par Elsie Reford de 1926 à 1958, ces jardins témoignent de façon remarquable de l’art paysager à l’anglaise. Disposés dans un cadre naturel, un ensemble de jardins exhibent fleurs vivaces, arbres et arbustes. Le jardin des pommetiers, les rocailles et l’Allée royale évoquent l’œuvre de cette dame passionnée d’horticulture. Agrémenté d’un ruisseau et de sentiers sinueux, ce site jouit d’un microclimat favorable à la croissance d’espèces uniques au Canada. Les pavots bleus et les lis, privilégiés par Mme Reford, y fleurissent toujours et contribuent , avec d’autres plantes exotiques et indigènes, à l’harmonie de ces lieux.
Created by Elsie Reford between 1926 and 1958, these gardens are an inspired example of the English art of the garden. Woven into a natural setting, a series of gardens display perennials, trees and shrubs. A crab-apple orchard, a rock garden, and the Long Walk are also the legacy of this dedicated horticulturist. A microclimate favours the growth of species found nowhere else in Canada, while the stream and winding paths add to the charm. Elsie Reford’s beloved blue poppies and lilies still bloom and contribute, with other exotic and indigenous plants, to the harmony of the site.
Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Gouvernement du Canada – Government of Canada
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"When we look squarely at injustice and get involved, we actually feel less pain, not more, because we overcome the gnawing guilt and despair that festers under our numbness. We clean the wound --- our own and others' --- and it can finally heal."
- Desmond Tutu
Robert Habeck, Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany, speaking in the Energy Outlook: Overcoming the Crisis session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 May. Congress Centre - Aspen 2. World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez
Students and teachers at Samuelson Elementary School commemorated MLK Day early. A silent march through the halls of the school was followed by everyone holding hands, listening to the "I Have a Dream" speech, and singing "We Shall Overcome."
Overcome challenges, break records.
The sky is the limit for warriors.
Fight against all your limitations.
On the following videos, you will hear the stories of teens who have struggled with depression, anger, addiction, pornography, and suicide. These stories, unlike some, have a happy ending. Each teen has learned new skills for coping, relationship-building, and maintaining a positive perspective in life.
Pierre came to C.A.R.E.S. because he was “angry and insecure.” He was on several medications and was having problems with his parents and siblings. With the support team at C.A.R.E.S., he has been able to reduce his medications, learn to like himself, and realize that others care for him.
For a full play list of Heart Transformation videos visit youtube.com/HeartTransformation
If you would like to know more about Heart Transformation and how it can help you or a loved one, visit us at hearttransformation.com or call us at (855) 992-4000.
For more information about C.A.R.E.S Treatment and how it can help your loved one on their path to recovery, go to
►Website: hearttransformation.com
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We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
Built in 1912 this electrically powered train winds it's way through the mountains of the Spanish island of Mallorca.
The railway is characterized, amongst other things, by the fact that it is narrow gauge, the track width being 914 mm (an English yard/approx. 3ft), which is infrequent nowadays; moreover its rolling stock is extremely varied and meticulously finished, and maintained using traditional methods.
The Sóller railway also stands out for the special, attractive route it runs along, overcoming the natural barrier of the Sierra de Alfàbia mountain range which is 2.8 km wide and 496 metres (approx. 1500ft) high. To do so, in just seven kilometres, the railway rises up 199 metres(approx. 600ft) with an inclination of 23 millimetres, runs through thirteen longitudinal tunnels ranging in length from 33 to 2,876 metres, crosses over several bridges, the “cinc-ponts” viaduct which has five arches with spans 8 metres high and a great many bends, some with radii below 190 metres.
The Sóller Train transports the traveller from the hustle and bustle of Plaza Espanyol in central Palma past Bunyola's olive groves and Alfabia gardens and into the tranquillity of the Tramuntana Mountains. Although some call it the Red Lightning, it only travels slowly, taking an hour to reach Port Sóller. Others know it as the 'Orange Train' even though there is only orange paint on the lead and tail carriages of the train running to the Port. So why did it get its name?
Sóller is a unique place, hidden in an isolated valley and the market gardeners of Sóller had been looking for a way to get their produce to Palma for years. They had to rely on horse drawn wagons to make the difficult ten hour journey over the steep mountain pass. While farmers across the rest of the island looked forward to using new petrol driven lorries to move their produce to Palma's markets at the start of the 20th Century, they were unable to negotiate the endless hairpin bends on the road to Sóller.
While it looked like Sóller was destined to remain isolated from the island (and the tunnel used by drivers today did not open until 1997), the discovery of Vitamin C and its health benefits at the end of the 19th Century meant that the demand for citrus fruit escalated.
The people of Sóller wanted to cash in and Jeroni Estades was commissioned to study a railway from Palma to Sóller in 1893. He chose a route which went via Valldemossa and then along the coast through Deià, rather than rely on a tunnel to get under the Sóller pass. The plan was rejected as being too expensive.
In 1903 the industrialist Joan Morell proposed a direct route, which would cross the Serra d'Alfàbia, then pass through a tunnel under Coll de Sóller before making a 180 degree turn to reduce the gradient down into Sóller town. It too was turned down but Jeroni Estades i Llabrés , a local politician, persisted and engineer Pere Garau's plans were given a favourable response when they were made public in Sóller's Town Hall.
Most of the families in Sóller bought shares in Estades' railway company, the Compañía de Navegación Sollerense, raising 3.5 million pesetas, in the hope they would cash in on the orange trade.
Work started on the line in 1907 and the workmen carved a route through the mountains, building bridges and blasting thirteen tunnels through the mountain range. After only five years of hard work, the railway was ready. Steam driven trains had been bought from England and they were similar to the San Francisco style street cars. On 16 April 1912 the first flower soller train mallorcabedecked train was cheered as it rolled into Sóller station; the market gardeners had fulfilled their dream and the first trainloads of citrus fruits rolled into Palma during the season.
To begin with the train line between Palma and Sóller was steam driven but in 1929 overhead electricity cables were installed. The shorter section to the Port was always electrically powered. In the 1980s it seemed that improvements to lorries would take much of the Orange Train's business while plans to install a tunnel under the mountains threatened its very existence. However, the huge rise in the tourist industry was going to throw the 70 year-old railway a life line. The first class carriages were restyled with leather seats, mahogany panelling and luggage racks while the second class carriages had wooden benches.
In recent years, the Train and Art Foundation was established to commission art exhibitions to enhance the train trip. An exhibition of Mallorcan landscapes can be found in the Palma station, while exhibitions of Joan Miró and Picasso ceramics can be visited in Sóller town railway station; the Ca'n Prunera Museum of Modernist Art has been set up in a Sóller mansion.
Travellers can now enjoy the regular service between Palma and Sóller, enjoying the views as the train rattles through the olive groves north of Palma before diving under the two mile long tunnel under Coll de Sóller. The driver then makes a short stop at Mirador des Pujol d'En Banya, overlooking Sóller town, before making the long descent. After a look around the town there is time to continue the journey into the Port.
www.mallorcadaysout.com/5.1.html
Sorry for the long narrative but it's a great piece of history.
“Overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is Now.” - Richard Bach (Jonathan Livingston Seagull).
Gateway Camp Verse
(Pin1) Ging1 Mahn4
Isaiah 62:10
What Dale instructed about going out of our way to treat the Mainland Chinese well resonated within me. To be sure, just as the Koreans have gone out of their way to bless me so I must step out to bless and to love my Mainland brethren.
After the first meeting, Ed and I wandered off campus and found inside a shopping mall a cha chaan teng where we had a late-night snack. And hardly had we tucked into our meals when in walked several dozen volunteers, all locals, who were overcome, it seemed, by the same munchies that infected Ed and me. It’s surprising how such a primal urge, at such a time, drives everyone to no less than the same, impossibly far location.
I thus far have met so many people that, had I not brought along my iPod, I would have already lost track of the multitudinous names flying around like fireflies at night, sparkling luminously one moment and then disappearing the next. And this is only the beginning: more and more people will arrive both today and tomorrow so I had better stay awake, alert, and writing.
I am working with a partner who really challenges me, and indeed that is why I chose to work with him. From the first words that came streaming out of his mouth, I knew he would be a special one, and as if to conifrm my conjecture, indeed, the more he spoke, the more confused I became. The challenge, I have realized after much ruminating, isn’t so much the pace of his speech as his choice of words, which fall outside a normal lexical range; that is, at least with me, when he talks, he doesn’t use familiar collocations to communicate; besides, he has an uncanny Tin Shui Wai accent; those, along with his amazing resistance to Chinglish, which impresses me, by the way, have made our communication tedious, since I am bombarded by peculiar lexical constructions that I generally never encounter in Cantonese conversation and must therefore stop our flow to clarify his speech. It’s too bad that he doesn’t speak English as I would love to hear how he structures ideas in my native language to determine whether or not this strange lexis has spilled over into his other modes of communication.
Regardless, in being with him, I have learned to be patient, and if I am truly to walk away from resentment, I must continue rather to engage him than to keep him at arm’s length. It helps us, then, that he is a congenial fellow, prone more to expressing love, much in the same way that I do by warmly grabbing a forearm or a shoulder, than to venting his frustration, which with me could certainly be great. He is verily a good guy, and so long as the Lord keeps him — I am sure Daddy will — Tin Shui Wai, that small patch of concrete moon colony, is in capable, faithful human hands.
Sau2 muhn6 je2
Mihng6 dihng6
Kyuhn4 lihk6
Lihk6 leuhng6
Chong3 yi3 adjective
Chong3 jouh6 verb
Romans 5:3-5
Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
I cried this morning when I read these words, because they are true, and comfort my soul as water to a dry, parched land. However many times I’ve lamented this place and its people, I am still inextricably tied to this rock, per God’s will for my life; and God really is faithful in providing a way out not from this place but from these spiritual hindrances. These past few days, what with communication failures and fatigue setting in, I could have more easily give into my rationality, in defense of my weaknesses, than resisted this bait of satan. Thank God, hence, for the words which are like fuel for the refiner’s fire that burns up all my expectations, my pride and my flesh. I can survive, nay, rejoice, indeed, because of God, who, in me, day by day teaches me to suffer long with a smile.
This is what the gateway is all about, I believe: jumping head-first out of my comfort zone to confront the nations, for my brothers and sisters and I must face each other if we are to raise the banners together. Battling through enemy strongholds of mistrust ad resentment, we demolish carnal thoughts and dig deep in the Spirit for the unity that shall overcome as much language as culture; God, after all, is bigger, even, than the battlefield. In these ways can my brethren and I love each other as ourselves, as we shall be one in the Father, with audacious power and boldness laying hands on His kingdom which advances, in this kairos moment, over all of China, including, no doubt, Hong Kong. No longer will there be curses thrown upon the nations; but rather the river of life will flow through the city, and the leaves of the tree on each side of the river will be for the healing of the nations.
1) Welcoming the Father
2) Unifying the body
3) Partnering with the Chinese
4) Serving the city
5) Supporting the Chinese
Isaac and I have worked quite hard this morning, putting up signs all over campus, and as if to reward me for my assiduity, he offered to buy me a drink, an offer which I took up. Indeed, this man’s care and concern for others, genuine, doubtlessly, fills me with joy, for, to be sure, the joy of the lord is his strength. My friend is indefatigable, always encouraging and never slighting, no matter the circumstances, rain (that has happened a lot today) or shine. Praise God!
Much like my relationship with Isaac, my relationships with my other team members have improved considerably since, even, this morning’s briefing during which, the code-switching, happening too fast and too furiously for my comfort, vexed me so terribly that if Isaac had not put a generous arm around my shoulder immediately afterwards, I surely would have blown my top in frustration at the perplexing language option. Thankfully, my team and I settled our language arrangements: Isaac, Dorcas and I will intractably speak Cantonese to each other whereas my other group mates and I will use English with as little code-switching as possible; and I, along with Ed, no doubt, am satisfied. It’s best to avoid misunderstandings.
Lihng4 Mahn4 (soul)
Sihng4 jeung2
Muhng6 Seung2 (dreams)
The Lord’s mercies are new everyday. Just now, during the morning rally, by His Spirit, hundreds of brothers and sisters received a new anointing, to be spiritual mothers and fathers of a new generation so as to minister to the next. This outpouring of the Spirit was sudden, and so captivated me that when the call came to reap, I rushed to the front to ask my father for this anointing, and naturally, my life was transformed. In the same way, the pastor called up a new generation of spiritual children to receive the love, care and support of these new parents; and likewise, so many young men and women heeded this call that verily, the pit in front of the stage was soon awash in hugs and tears between generations that, once lost, were now found. Indeed, no sooner did these people embrace their father than Dad immediately swept them up in his strong arms and showered them with audacious encouragement and support. Praise God!
An Outburst
I was angry this morning during our team time. I temporarily lost my ability to be merciful and to live in God’s grace. When my team leader began to address me in English, yet again, I couldn’t help but berate him for doing so when Cantonese, I argued, would be a more economical medium of delivery. And then I compounded this already incendiary situation by ranting about the hypocrisy of Hong Kong being a gateway to China but not a gateway into its own neighborhoods teeming with Chinese people, 97% of whom, according to one of the pastors at this camp, do not know the Lord Jesus. Cantonese will matter, I posit, if anyone dares to take on the onerous mission in this vexing place.
To be sure, even my brother announced that language was a prohibitive barrier to closer relationships with these local people, and therefore, since he neither speaks Cantonese nor is going to give learning the language a go, he is relegated to the outer walls of the gates into Hong Kong.
In hindsight, I thought I cared enough about God’s purposes for me in Hong Kong, but I realize now that I still care a lot about myself, and resentment. Though I have prayed and declared boldly that God is bigger than language and culture, I know I don’t believe it; and that’s upsetting. For the time being, I don’t verily believe in my heart that I can have deeper, closer relationships with Chinese people without the benefit of language and culture, patterns of action.
OK. This is actually an opportune start for my spiritual parentship, for now I have an opportunity to put aside my very compelling arguments for the necessity of language and culture in deep and close relationships, these conclusions born out of my reason, and to step out in faith, to trust in the Lord who, I pray, will show me deep and close relationships sans language and culture, and with whom my deep and close relationship shall obviously be the key to this victory.
I’m thinking about events at this camp that heretofore demonstrated loving relationships without language and culture, and I recalled two acts: the first happened yesterday when I spontaneously joined a line of ushers to high-five and to cheer the audience as they flooded out of the auditorium, the morning rally having scarcely finished; and the second, this was my meeting Yao, a man from the Ivory Coast, whom I befriended in those first, fleeting, if not frantic moments before the opening rally on Friday evening. That encounter was immediate and sudden, neither words nor habits needed; Yao and I simply high-fived, hugged and sat beside each other; and wow, that was terrific companionship — praise God!
Finally, however hard my diatribe may have struck my team members’ hearts, my merciful group mates still forgave me, not only on an personal level, but also, as I had sought forgiveness on behalf of all foreigners who have ever cursed locals or stood passively outside the gateway, on a corporate level, thereby releasing countless non-Chinese people into the freedom of these Hong Kong people’s forgiveness; just as brothers and sisters had so recently been reconciled to each other in my church, so local and non-local people have received the others’ freedom of forgiveness; more than a homecoming, that, indeed, is a breakthrough.
In listening to this morning’s sermon, I hear such verses as I know God is speaking to me through His word. 2Corinthians 4:16-18, this scripture in particular carries a buoyant, hopeful currency in my heart. My spirit soaks in this divine revelation as a sponge soaks in water and thus becomes malleable, able to be formed and shaped according to its holder’s will: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Disagreeable
I don’t know why my brother and I undermine each others’ comments; why we no more know consensus than the deaf music. Our interactions have been especially abrasive recently since we have spent so much time together without the benefit of our other brother to act as a natural, vociferous buffer; and as a result we argue like pieces of sand paper being rubbed against flesh, which inevitably leads to significant soreness. I feel sore now.
I think back to my outburst this morning and can appreciate my role in this evening’s embarrassing outcome; I am certainly not without fault, for I choose these days not only to venture my opinions but to do so passionately, if not emotionally. People consequently who otherwise are phlegmatic at best are put in a discomfiting position by my impassioned pleas. Besides, I recall Interrupting my brother prolifically, which understandably would not make him a happy camper; just as a hyperactive child doesn’t know when to stop pestering his sibling, so I don’t know nowadays when to hold my tongue. Indeed, I would rather not respond at all to my brother, even after he has fired off his rejoinder, than to strike him down in mid-speech.
In view of this latest incident, I have resolved to take the former course of action. To be sure, I simply stopped our petty dispute about a stupid basketball game by, awkward as it was, taking out my book and perusing it as fixedly as my tattered mind would allow. I will try my best to stay away from my brother for a spell, to create physical and spiritual space between us, so hopefully, in this way at least one of us will be able to come to his senses about this matter; better yet, now would be an opportune time for our father in his mercy to reveal to us the fault lines in our flesh so that we could surrender these tremulous spots in our soul, crucifying them to the father for our healing and the redemption of our relationship. I will pray about this.
…Praise God. If I had not separated myself from my brother’s presence, I wouldn’t have been sitting at that bench at the exact moment when Isaac came over to me in a plaintive mood. Obviously upset, he had been so recently wronged, he lamented on the verge of tears. And at that, mercy swept over my countenance, for my brother felt as aggrieved as I did earlier; and this appointment, per God’s unfailing, obstinate love, had at last come for me, convicting me to be very, very agreeable, sympathetic and kind to my fellow long-suffering brother. In this instance, thank God, language did not matter so much as empathy, carrying each others’ burdens and thus fulfilling the rule of Christ. We prayed and blessed each other in Jesus’ name, and then boldly went forward into the rally.
I suspect the enemy has infiltrated our team what with my outbursts and Isaac’s failing out as evidence. My group mates and I must be more vigilant in prayer and in digging deep into the Father’s word if we are to overcome the spies in our camp that have planted incendiary devices in our mouths and in our hearts. We certainly need such encouragement as the Lord provides for the edification and encouragement of each other, even more so, in fact, in the face of adversity, despite our fatigue and other physical ills that befall us like a hail of arrows. In faith, I’m sure, faith will see us through; and per what the pastors exhorted at the rally, we will become as if the smooth stone in David’s sling, ready to fly into the air to crush the Goliath in this world.
Sihng4 jauh6 achievement
Ngwuih misunderstanding
Nggaai2 to misunderstand
Yuhn4 leuhng6 forgive
Gaan2syun2 chosen
The Security Guard
At the morning rally, a security guard left an indelible impression on my heart what with her showing of unconditional support and her proffering of words of encouragement, which like a waterfall fell in force and power over my friends and me. To my amazement, I first saw her out of the corner of my eye stepping out of her role as a security guard to pray as a spiritual parent to two spiritual children during the morning rally’s prayer time; there she was, clad in her blue uniform, laying hands on those weeping kids; finally, I had witnessed someone courageous enough to step out of that rule of law, her boundary in Hong Kong, to be bound to that which is ethereal, the rule of Christ to carry each others’ burdens. Later, as the audience passed through the exit, I had time to confirm her love for the Lord and at that, we broke into a torrent of encouragement and followed this with a flurry of picture-taking. Indeed, never have I stumbled upon such good will from a dragon security guard in HK so I am hopeful, therefore, that this is but the the start of a greater movement within that particular demon-worshipping core, that at this time, God is opening up the heavenly armory and placing his prayer warriors inside that particular stronghold in Hong Kong to demolish every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and placing in its stead a profusion of love, gentleness and kindness. I look forward to the day when wisdom, and not languid stares, shall emanate from all the people who man the facilities in these universities.
Reconciliation
This is special. No sooner had Isaac and I stepped into the auditorium than we heard the plaintive cry of the mainland Chinese on the stage forgiving the Hong Kong people for their trespasses against their brethren from the north. A flurry of hugs, replete with a few tears, ensued. That was, as Dale announced from the stage, a delicious moment. Jesus must have been breaking out the good champagne in heaven for a rousing celebration in view of this victory.
Sex Talk – Part One
The kids finally received the sex talk this morning; a fiery pastor delivered the message which was as much shocking as informative; and gasps and wincing abounded in the audience.
While I have recently heard the sex talk at the men’s retreat, and have furthermore by God’s grace been inoculated against this particular area of struggle, it was nonetheless refreshing to hear the news, as shocking and as sensational as it was. I am willing, in addition, to believe that some of the atrocious acts that the pastor referenced, such as gruesome abortions and bizarre sexual acts, are more prevalent than my reason will believe, because my scope is limited by experience, but as the Father witnesses everything, if the Spirit has convicted this man and has told him that the world is heading closer and closer into the mouth of Jezebel in this way, I accept this. In fact, believing this is important if I am to be a good spiritual parent who will not only protect but educate the new generation from the prowling enemy that lurks these days, even, in our computers.
Prayer
The Holy Spirit fell over me this morning during my group’s team time. He convicted me to pray in Cantonese for the first time, and so I did without fear, those Chinese words pouring out of me as if perfume from an alabaster jar. Praise God: he is good; and this was the moment I have been waiting for.
I think about what happened, and am amazed at the Father’s favor; despite my critiques against this culture, and in spite of my recent lamentations, the Lord, ever faithfully, provided a way out under which I could stand and by which I could be protected from the bait of Satan. Little did I know that the escape route would, in fact, ironically, direct me to the very thing that heretofore has stood as an obstruction, a spiritual roadblock, in my mind.
A missionary on the stage just spoke into my life when she said about her experience learning Putonghua in China: the difficult part was not learning the language but learning to love those people as Jesus loves them. This will always be my mission, no matter where I am.
Keuhng4 jong3
Lai1 hei2 (pull up)
In the afternoon, my team had a reconciliation meeting during which, in small groups, each team member at last was given an opportunity to share alternately their joys and struggles. At that time, though having staved off an open rebuke for several days, I could no longer hold back this challenge to my small group: to step out in faith to be a gateway to the nations; and second, per the morning’s message, to on their guard against the sexually explicit, insidious media. I laid out my argument with much cogency, and such a response as I saw fit knocked my group mates into a stupor, because they certainly didn’t have much to say afterwards.
Oscillate between…and…
Vacillate…
Equivocated
Prevaricate
Sex Talk – Part Two
1) Jesus came to show us the Father; John1:18
2) Grace First, Truth Second; John 1:24:25; 16-18
Pahn4 mohng6 (hope)
Do you believe that Jesus can heal you? Then lay hands.
Dale and I are men who have shared similar struggles. His testimony is riveting.
Suddenly, I realized that this rally is, in fact, a continuation of yesterday morning’s sex talk, because we ended the previous rally praying more against the shame of abortion than against personal sexual immorality. Notionally, what is being discussed will enable people to really experience the love of the Father such that to change permanently our behavior. So when we are tempted:
1) Call for help; Romans 10:13
2) Escape Plan; 1Corinthians 10:13
Remember not to stand and rebuke the enemy with your own strength; move physically from the situation.
3) Run Away; 2Timothy 2:22
4) Into the Father’s Arms; Hebrews 4:14
I like this talk. This might be the first time that these young people get straight sex talk from their leaders; and there is no better time than now for these young people to break through in this particular area of struggle, just as the young men of SP broke through these obstinate barriers during our men’s retreat.
5) Confess and be Healed; James 5:16
I hope these young people find faithful accountability brothers and sisters in this service.
6) Walk in Transparent Accountable Relationships; 1John 1:7
7) Resist the Enemy; James 4:7
Monkey Horoscope 2016 predicts that you will have Divine help during the first five months of 2016. Prospects for development of your life are bright and you should use your capabilities and optimism to the full advantage.You should be determined to get things done, while you should be friendly with your colleagues to get their support. All obstacles to your growth will be overcome by your realistic approach in the Year of the Red Fire MonkeThe Chinese astrology 2016 predictions forecast that the period between May and August 2016 is favorable for discussing new ventures. During the month of September 2016, your intellectual faculties will not be in good shape and you will become careless while dealing with professional and legal issues. Do not try to bypass official and legal rules if you do not want to invite trouble.Between June and September 2016, the Chinese zodiac Monkeys should avoid commitments which you cannot keep up. You should concentrate on your objectives with patience and single mindedness, and should not deviate from the decided course.People who fall under the Chinese astrology sign of the Monkey are very intelligent but lack intuition.
www.sunsigns.org/monkey-horoscope-2016/
Welcome to the year of the monkey, Chinese zodiac guide. The monkey occupies the ninth spot in the Chinese Zodiac. Monkeys are known for being fun, loving, mischievousness, curious, witty, and sometimes naughty. If you give a monkey a boring object, for example, a shoe, the monkey will turn it into something creative, like a musical instrument, and invite everyone to see! Monkeys tend to be very talented, quick learners, and crafDuring the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC to 476 BC) in ancient China, noble officials were given the title of “marquis“, which was pronounced as “hou” in Chinese. “Hou” is also the same pronunciation for the word monkey in Chinese. Therefore, the monkey was bestowed with this favorable meaning. Even today in China, pictures of monkeys can be seen pasted on walls and doors to bring good luck.People born in the year of the monkey are vivacious, sharp, flexible, and adaptableMonkeys tend to be great problem solvers, confident, outgoing and inventive. They are also very caring and will put their business aside to help others in need. They are very loyal and devoted to their friends and family They are always willing to learn new things and have excellent memory.. They love action and playing almost any sport.
www.bjchinatravel.com/year-of-the-monkey/
When the Monkey found that he was being crushed under the mountain he was greatly distressed about his Master, and cried out: “Oh, Master, you delivered me from under the mountain before, and trained me in religion; how is it that you have brought me to this pass? If you must die, why should Sha Ho-shang and Pa-chieh and the Dragon-horse also suffer?” Then his tears poured down like rain.The spirits of the mountain were astonished at hearing these words. The guardian angels of the Five Religions asked: “Whose is this mountain, and who is crushed beneath it?” The local gods replied: “The mountain is ours, but who is under it we do not know.” “If you do not know,” the angels replied, “we will tell you. It is the Great Holy One, the Equal of Heaven, who rebelled there five hundred years ago. He is now converted, and is the disciple of the Chinese ambassador. How dare you lend your mountain to the Demon for such a purpose?” The guardian angels and local gods then recited some prayers, and the mountain was removed. The Monkey sprang up, brandishing his spear, and the p. 347 spirits at once apologized, saying that they were under enforced service to the Demons.While they were speaking Sun saw a light approaching, and asked what it was. The spirits replied: “This light comes from the Demons’ magic treasures. We fear they are bringing them to catch you.” Sun then said: “Now we shall have some sport. Who is the Demon-chief’s associate?” “He is a Taoist,” they replied, “who is always occupied in preparing chemicals.” The Monkey said: “Leave me, and I will catch them myself.” He then transformed himself into a duplicate of the Taoist.The Magic Gourd;Sun went to meet the Demons, and in conversation learnt from them that they were on their way to catch the famous Monkey, and that the magic gourd and vase were for that purpose. They showed these treasures to him, and explained that the gourd, though small, could hold a thousand people. “That is nothing,” replied Sun. “I have a gourd which can contain all the heavens.” At this they marvelled greatly, and made a bargain with him, according to which he was to give them his gourd, after it had been tested as to its capacity to contain the heavens, in exchange for their precious gourd and vase. Going up to Heaven, the Monkey obtained permission to extinguish the light of the sun, moon, and stars for one hour. At noon the next day there was complete darkness, and the Demons believed Sun when he stated that he had put the whole heavens into his gourd so that there could be no light. They then handed over to the Monkey their magic gourd and vase, and in exchange he gave them his false gourd.The Demons of Blackwater River:One day the Master suddenly exclaimed: “What is that noise?” Sun replied: “You are afraid; you have forgotten the Heart Prayer, according to which we are to be indifferent to all the calls of the six senses—the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind. These are the Six Thieves. If you cannot suppress them, how do you expect to see the Great Lord?” The Master thought a while and then said: “O disciple, when shall we see the Incarnate Model (Ju Lai) face to face?”Pa-chieh said: “If we are to meet such demons as these, it will take us a thousand years to get to the West.” But Sha Ho-shang rejoined: “Both you and I are stupid; if we persevere and travel on, shoulder to shoulder, we shall reach there at last.” While thus talking, they saw before them a dark river in flood, which the horse could not cross. Seeing a small boat, the Master said: “Let us engage that boat to take us across.” While crossing the river in it, they discovered that it was a boat sent by the Demon of Blackwater River to entrap them in midstream, and the Master would have been slain had not Sun and the Western Dragon come to the rescue.
The Mythical Monkey — a Protecting GodImmortal for Suffering.They replied: “A great number have died. At one time we numbered more than two thousand. But through deaths and suicides there now remain only about five hundred. And we who remain cannot die. Ropes cannot strangle us, swords cannot cut us; if we plunge into the river we cannot sink; poison does not kill us.” Sun said: “Then you are fortunate, for you are all Immortals.” “Alas!” said they, “we are immortal only for suffering. We get poor food. We have only sand to sleep on. But in the night hours spirits appear to us and tell us not to kill ourselves, for an Arhat will come from the East to deliver us. With him there p. 355 is a disciple, the Great Holy One, the Equal of Heaven, most powerful and tender-hearted. He will put an end to these Taoists and have pity on us Buddhists.”
www.sacred-texts.com/cfu/mlc/mlc16.htm
猴 (hóu /hoh/ 'monkey') is pronounced the same as "侯" ('high official'), and the association dates back hundreds of years into feudal times.Red Monkey is on February 4, 2016. This day is not the Chinese New Year
In traditional Chinese mythology, the monkey god is almost all-pervading and all powerful. Images of the monkey (god) can be seen in many traditional settings as a talisman of protection:
The Child-Protecting Monkey on Kangs
A stone-carved monkey with a red thread on its tail is often displayed on the kangs (heated stone beds) used for babies of households in rural Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia. According to ancient beliefs, the stone monkey blesses the baby with peace, and the baby will be very capable and efficient when he or she grows up.
The "Safe Journey" Monkey at Yellow River Ferry Crossings
A monkey statue was carved on top of each mooring post at each ferry crossing of Sanmenxia and Shan County. It was said the monkey statue would bless both the men and the boats with a safe journey.
The Stone Monkey for Protecting Horses
Almost every village had its own posts for tying horses to in Shanxi, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces in ancient times, with a monkey statue carved on the top of each post. It was said that the monkey talisman would protect the horses from diseases and even death.
The imagery of the monkey as nobility often appears in ancient paintings:A monkey hanging a seal on a maple tree symbolizes getting promoted to a high position with an official seal.A monkey riding a horse symbolizes getting promoted quickly.A monkey riding on the back of another monkey symbolizes maintaining a high official standing from one generation to another.The Monkey in Chinese Culture:In China, the monkey is widely perceived as smart and powerful. People often offer sacrifices to monkeys to pray for rain and even for sons, and they have become an interesting part of Chinese culture. Chinese people love monkeys. Find out why below.The Monkey (with a big 'M') is the ninth of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Many Chinese try to give birth in a year of the Monkey, as they believe that this will make their babies clever. In China saying, "Your kid is like a Monkey," is perceived as praise. More on the characteristics of the zodiac Monkey.
www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/monkey...
As I drove by this scene today and couldn't help but think how out of place this boat seemed and it made me think of how lucky we are to live here and how awful it must have been to be in that earthquake and tsunami that I watched unfolding live on TV last night where their whole world is now out of place...thoughts and prayers are with Japan.
I noticed Lindsi is finally overcoming her shyness in front of the camera - now she is a model in high demand. I started out with good intentions of doing a proper photo shoot with her and then zap, other photographers model-napped her yet again. Oh well, here is my humble effort. We did this shoot at Guffey Bridge, near Celebration Park, outside of Melba, Idaho on a very hot, bright late afternoon. Lindsi had the good sense to leave before the dust storm attacked us.
I took these photos in July 2019.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War.
The Corsair had been designed as a carrier-based aircraft, but its difficult carrier landing performance rendered the Corsair unsuitable for Navy use until the carrier landing issues were overcome when used by the British Fleet Air Arm.
The Corsair thus came to and retained prominence in its area of greatest deployment: land based use by the U.S. Marines. The role of the dominant U.S. carrier based fighter in the second part of the war was thus filled by the Grumman F6F Hellcat, powered by the same Double Wasp engine first flown on the Corsair's first prototype in 1940.
The Corsair served to a lesser degree in the U.S. Navy. As well as the U.S. and British use the Corsair was also used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the French Navy Aéronavale and other, smaller, air forces until the 1960s.
One of these were the Air Forces of Paraguay. Land-locked Paraguay first formed a flying branch of it's Army in 1927, and today's Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya (FAP) saw it's formation in 1946. Being surrounded by friendly countries and economic problems does not allow the FAP to operate a substantial combat aircraft fleet however, and the Corsairs were low budget start for the young air force.
The Corsairs for Paraguay were up to the late WWII F4U-5 standard, but lacked the naval equipment (e. g. the arrester hook, even though the wing folding mechanism was retained) since these machines were to be deployed purely from land bases and primarily as fighters.
For the Paraguayan Air Force, the machines were also outfitted with special Curtiss Electric constant-speed propellers of 146 in (3.7 m) in diameter with deeper blades, optimized for “hot and high” use.
The F4U-5 itself was a design modification of the F4U-4 and first flown on 21st of December 1945. It was intended to increase the F4U-4 Corsair's overall performance and incorporate many Corsair pilots' suggestions. It featured a more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-2800-32(E) engine with a two-stage supercharger, rated at a maximum of 2,850 hp (2,130 kW), recognizable through the twin cheek air intakes fairings alongside the cowling. This Corsair type was also flown by the Argentine Navy and Honduras’ Air Force.
Other improvements included automatic blower controls, cowl flaps, intercooler doors and oil cooler for the engine, spring tabs for the elevators and rudder, a completely modernized cockpit, a completely retractable tail wheel as well as heated cannon bays and pitot head. The cowling was lowered two degrees to help with forward visibility, but perhaps most striking as the first variant to feature all-metal wings. Paraguay bought 22 new machines in 1947, which became operational with 1º Escuadrón de Caza 'Guaraní' in early 1949.
Towards the end of their career the Corsairs even saw hot action when Paraguayan Forces became involved in the U.S. American operation ‘Power Pack’ in 1965, when U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, convinced of the defeat of the Dominican Republic’s Loyalist forces and fearing the creation of "a second Cuba" on America's doorstep, ordered U.S. forces to restore order.
The decision to intervene militarily in the Dominican Republic was Lyndon Johnson's personal decision. All civilian advisers had recommended against immediate intervention hoping that the Loyalist side could bring an end to the civil war, but the United States decided to interpose its forces between the rebels and those of the junta, thereby effecting a ceasefire.
The United States could then ask the Organization of American States to negotiate a political settlement between the opposing factions.
"Operation Power Pack", began when the U.S. Marine Corps entered Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on April 28, 1965, in the Dominican Civil War. Marine Medium Helicopter squadron HMM-264, from the deck of the USS Boxer, airlifted 530 U.S. Marines of the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment into Santo Domingo.
The Inter-American Peace Force (IAPF) was established by the Organization of American States on 23 May 1965, after the American intervention. It was composed of over 42,600 United States military personnel, plus Brazilian, Honduran, Paraguayan, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican and El Salvadorian personnel.
Until the end of the American intervention in September 1966, when the 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne, the last remaining American unit in the country, was withdrawn, the FAP Corsairs frequently patrolled the Dominican air space or flew escorts for the American supply flights and paratrooper transports.
After that, the Brazilian government took over the operation from the United States in 1966 and the IAPF was disbanded in 1967, what also marked the end of the F4U’s service in the Forza Aérea Paraguaya.
General characteristics
Crew: 1 pilot
Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.2 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)
WS Folded: 17 ft 0.5 in (5.2 m)
Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,174 kg)
Loaded weight: 12,405 lb (5,626 kg)
Powerplant:
1 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-32(E) radial engine,
rated at a maximum power of 2,850 hp (2,130 kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 453 mph (395 kn, 731 km/h)
Range: 897 mi (602 nmi/1.115 km)
Service ceiling: 41,500ft (12,649 m)
Rate of climb: 3,870ft/min (19.7 m/s)
Armament:
4× 0.79 in (20 mm) M2 cannon plus up to 4.000 pounds (1.800 kg) external ordnance,
incl. up to 10× 5" (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets, bombs or drop tanks
The kit and its assembly:
I am not certain what struck me when I started this one. It’s actually the leftover Italeri F4U-7 that I recently bought just for the French markings (for the ‘Bourrasque’ whif), which was still left on the work bench. Wondering about the type’s late Middle and South American operators I suddenly had Paraguay on the radar, no idea why.
Checking the country’s air force history I found that it was just a small air arm, and that the roundels resemble French markings a lot. A deep search in the decal box revealed some suitable roundels, and from that things evolved gradually…
As mentioned before, F4Us in smaller American air arms’ service is nothing exotic, so this one would be subtle. Hence I decided not to mess too much with the kit. It was basically built OOB, only changes were:
• Using the F4U-5 cowling that comes with the kit
• Lowering the flaps for added drama
• A different, cuffed propeller from a Hobby Boss P-47D with deeper blades
• The single OOB exhaust pipes were replaced by thin styrene tubes
• The arrester hook disappeared, as well as its opening behind the tail wheel
Since this would become a pure fighter I did not put any HVARs or bombs under the wings, but the OOB drop tanks were used.
The kit itself is nicely detailed, with engraved panels, and goes together well. Only issues I had were mounting the cowling, where the intakes run into nowhere and need some putty assistance, and the wing part needed some filling at the fuselage intersection.
Painting and marking:
Exotic realism was the intention, and painting this one was more fun than building it, even though this whif was to be kept rather subtle and unflashy. And how to paint a Paraguayan aircraft?
For inspiration I took a look at aerial landscape photographs of the country, and since the machines were supposed to be bought directly from the USA I decided to apply the classic USAF SEA scheme on the Corsair. It’s a perfect match, and the USAF scheme looks a bit weird on the naval bird. I like that!
Operation “Power Pack” was another historical fact that would match the type’s fictional service time frame with Paraguay: The South-American country actually did take part in the Dominican Republic intervention as a part of the Inter-American Peace Force, but not with aircraft or the way I cooked it up. Anyway, the IAPF duty would be a good reason for extra markings on the Corsair, so that it would look less Vietnam-esque.
The SEA scheme colors are partly authentic FS tones: the greens, FS 34102 and 34079, are ModelMaster Authentic tones. The tan, originally FS 30219, is a slightly darker tone, "French Earth Brown", also from ModelMaster. The undersides, originally FS 36622, were painted with FS 16515 (Canadian Voodoo Grey), which is a tad darker, too, and more blue-ish.
On top of that a light black ink wash was applied, in order to emphasize details and add a worn look, plus light dry-brushing for panel shading with lighter tones.
The oil stains were painted with thinned dark grey stains, the exhaust soot with matt black. Furthermore, some dry-brushing with Aluminum simulates chipped/flaked paint in some areas, but not too much.
All interior surfaces were painted in a Zinc Chromate Primer tone - I used Humbrol 159 as basic tone (not as "loud" as the treu tone), plus some dry-brusing with RLM 02.
All markings were puzzled together from the decals archive. The FAP roundels are a selection of various French roundels without the typical yellow rim and with very dark blue dots in the middle. The roundels’ size is relatively big – but I think that a mission like the IFAP would call for quick and clear identification? This was also the reason for adding the “IFAP” markings – a simple detail that pushes the whif beyond the ordinary and helps telling a story. ;) The flag on the fin is an early WWII RAF flash, turned by 90°, with a tiny, yellow star added in the middle.
The aircraft code “1-2.05” is fictional, but conceptually based on a real world FAP T-33. The “FAP” on the fin was created from single letter decals, as well as the “IFAP” on the flanks and under the wings.
Finally the kit received a coat of matt acrylic varnish.
A spontaneous, exotic and somehow disturbingly convincing what-if aircraft model? Surely one that won’t turn heads, but rather have them scratched. ;)