View allAll Photos Tagged hypocrite
One scene seen through there lenses and three cameras and several picture settings in camera and in gentle edit. This is the first image from the third camera and lens. The horizon holds the silhouette of reclining female figure that I have photographing for many years now. From some sites she looks to be pregnant as the skyline rim of The Pentland Hills alters dependent upon your perspective of them. This image started with 18 pictures that were taken into 7 and then their pattern of over and underlaying was focus upon itself to create block and blend work. This brazen block and buttering blend bring out another way to appreciate the scene. The still image and the blended union of them in a harmonious glyph expanding and contracting present a dream like lens upon the landscape as, “One Then Another And Also Along With As Well As All Together Create a Panorama of The Pentland Hills Regional Park Scotland.”
The Pentland Hills are magnificent and here is a share of their beauty.
I have been mentioning the weather lore of, “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight,” and now the mention is still reaching into the links below.
© PHH Sykes 2024
phhsykes@gmail.com
Pentland Hills Regional Park
Red sky at night and other weather lore
www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/how-weat...
Matthew 16:2-3, King James Version
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Gospel of Matthew 16:2-3, King James Version.
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/city-will-be-overthrown-m...
Introduction
It is recorded in the Bible that the Lord Jesus condemned the Pharisees with the seven woes. Nowadays, the path walked by the pastors and elders of the religious world is that of the Pharisees and they similarly suffer God's detestation and rejection. So why did the Lord Jesus condemn and curse the Pharisees? It was primarily because they had a hypocritical essence that defied God, because they only paid attention to performing religious rituals and keeping rules, they only explained the rules and doctrines in the Bible and did not put God's words into practice or follow God's commandments whatsoever, and they even discarded God's commandments. Everything they did completely ran counter to God's will and requirements. This was the hypocritical essence of the Pharisees and it was the primary reason for the Lord Jesus hating and cursing them.
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This is my piece for the 'Spin on This' bike-artwork exhibition at the Recoat Gallery in Glasgow next weekend (opening August 7th). It's going to be an A3 digital print and a spoke card too, more info on that when they've been printed!
As for the design itself, I wanted to do something that parodies how elitist and 'fascistic' sub-cultures can be, especially the fixed gear scene. It's basically a modern piece of propaganda, as 'Death before Derailleur' is such a ridiculous and hypocritical phrase, I wanted to play on that.
It's all a bit of fun though, I ride fixed and don't care if a bike has 20 gear, no gears, 3 wheels or a basket - it's all good fun!
Yesterday I was driving to work. And I was running late. But I still took time out of my already late ass to roll into a McDonalds.
No. Not to buy their nasty ass meals. But to just buy an iced coffee.
But I was coming up to the parking lot and saw the drive thru was filled with like 10 cars. I couldn’t help but think of the cattle resemblance of the cars lined up ready to buy mass made animal feed.
Fuck it.
I parked my car. Left it running. And told my kid to “Wait here babe”, as I ran in to the nasty food wannabe “restaurant” to get my lousy iced coffee.
But wait. I’m standing in line and looking around. What do I see? A lady with a mic running around bagging gross prepackaged microwaved nauseating food in a bag. A couple of people in the “back” microwaving nasty-patties and wrapping them up in a cheap ass wrapper just to throw down their “shoot” as to define it is “READY TO EAT!”
The orange juice came out of a machine. They just pressed a button with a recycled paper cup thrown underneath it. It released just enough juice for the paper cup to hold.
Everyone ran around like the world was ending. Run. Scurry. Fast. Go. Money money money!! Make the “food”. Throw it in a bag. Get it out the window. Move on to the next person.
Eat the cowfood. Divulge in the repugnance. Yum Yum Yum. Eat me. I’m a pre-packaged horrid over processed nastiness that has nothing to do with the cows, pigs, or chickens that I’m assuming at some point were killed for this madness.
Frozen, horrible, deep-fried, and vulgar. Fuck me in the ass you uneatable shit.
It all seemed so robotic. All those people running around. The person running the drivethru. The minimum wage person in the back running the microwave. The other person throwing shit in the deep fryer. The unseen person boxing up the nastiness. The other unseen person mass killing the a foreseen “animal” that originates from the disgusting shit we choose to put in our mouths.
Not my mouth. Too nauseating man.
Although that said, I’m not a McDonalds Nazi. Meaning I’ll treat my kid once or twice a month. In slight moderation the shit won’t kill you. I think I just psyched myself out to be disgusted by it all so I won’t eat it. Because in reality, most of it actually does TASTE good.
The shot at hand? Me being a total health hypocrite and putting a cigarette in my mouth in my bathroom. Then I proceeded to smoke it and take a self-portrait.
What’s worse? The crabby patty or the cancer stick?
The album below? A minimalist indie rock masterpiece. It’s catchy and cool and singable. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to bop their head and think about how rad life is.
Location: my bathroom; Alameda, California
Taken: September 29th, 2009
Posted: November 6th, 2009
Album of the Day: Dreams by The Whitest Boy Alive
Video: Golden Cage by The Whitest Boy Alive
*=lapse
Location: Manjuyod Sand Bar at low tide
Negros Oriental, Philippines
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Good moments at the beach captured with these children.
I should say they are the lucky ones. There are many children around the globe who were abducted , leaving no trace where to find them. Some were taken from shadowy orphanage of poor countries, trafficked by network of abusers . Some were taken from care homes , or under adoption, whether officially legal or not , were being exploited, abused, even murdered. Those are the defenseless little ones whose cries and screams of extreme anguish and fear many haven't heard of, as the powers run behind the abused are enormously massive and dark , they muffled the sound of their screams to nothing, but the Lord heard the screams of innocent blood who's life wasted in the Altars of the hypocrites.
Luke 8:17
"There is nothing hidden that won't be revealed, and there is nothing secret that won't become known and come to light."
Now is the season of shame and diclosure of the abusers. The final judge is God . God is raising up people in this generation to stand for righteousness and expose evil that has been kept secret. This is Biblical prophecy on our face, that we may open eyes and return to the Lord in repentance.
*Kevin Annett : Satanic molesters and murderers of children
*Kevin Annett : Abducted Children raped, murdered , sacrifice on the Altars of Mollech
*Witnesses to 800 Irish children slaughtered / decapitated
Human hunting parties, killing the innocent children like in a fox hunt / ritualistic killing, blood drinking. Who on earth with a human soul and conscience can do that to another human being.
Locke was founded in 1915 after a fire broke out in the Chinese section of nearby Walnut Grove. The Chinese who lived in that area decided that it was time to establish a town of their own. A committee of Chinese merchants, led by Lee Bing, Chan Hing Sai, Tom Wai, Chan Dai Kee, Ng So Hat, Chan Wai Lum, Chow Hou Bun, and Suen Dat Suin was formed. They approached land owner George Locke and inquired if they could build on his land. An agreement was reached. The town was laid out by Chinese architects and industrious building ensued. The founding of Lockeport, later 'Locke', was a reality. By 1920 Locke stood essentially as you see it now.
Levee construction originally brought the Chinese to this area, but by the time Locke was built most of the work was in farm labor. Locke had many businesses that catered to the farm workers and residents of this region. In the 1940's restaurants, bakeries, herb shops, fish markets, gambling halls, boarding houses, brothels, grocery stores, a school, clothing stores, and the Star Theatre lined the bustling streets of Locke. At its peak 600 residents, and as many as 1500 people occupied the town of Locke.
On August 2, 1970, Locke was added to the registry of national historical places, by the Sacramento County Historical Society, because of its unique status as the only town in the United States built exclusively by the Chinese for the Chinese.
Locke is no tourist trap, nor is it a ghost town. Its unusual, out-of-the-way charm is genuine. Perhaps it is this authenticity, without any hypocritical overtones, which brings so many out of town visitors to its doors.
source www.locketown.com/
America is big on “healing” through medications… I will be a hypocrite when I say this (when my mortgage depends on 👆), but maybe we give chemistry more power than physiology of a human ❤️
What's art about if it isn't about learning something? Well I learnt something. Several things actually. Will I use what I've learnt to grow and become wiser? That seems unlikely. So what did I learn?
1) Ice is very cold.
2) Icy water feels even colder.
3) Even kneeling on ice might not spread your weight enough to prevent it cracking.
4) Don't ever admit to doing something stupid. Especially not on the internet. You'll never know who might read it.
I've resigned myself to the fact that I won't ever feel confident enough in my creativity to know what it is I will make ahead of time, and I won't know how, whatever it is, will turn out. It was never an issue when noone ever saw what I make but now, a little self doubt lurks in the back of my mind, that I must make something interesting otherwise I shouldn't have bothered. Often, as I wander around some wild place somewhere (no not a bar in Blackpool on a Saturday night), I am thinking about future land art projects and the potential of different places. But always lurking there is the thought that it better be good when I get round to doing it.
On the face of it, this voice at the back of the room would seem to be a help, always encouraging me to try harder. But the weird thing is, this voice actually seems to be a hindrance. There is a subtle but important difference between "it better be good" and "I wonder if it'll be any good?"
When I listen to those words it seems to be an extra burden, a burden that makes it harder to tap into any creativity. I have no idea what creativity actually is, where it lives or how it operates. But what I do know is that you can plug into it directly if you would just relax and go with the flow. A sense of expectation of how something should be, how it ought to be, if only you tried hard enough is not where it's at. I think this is what I love about land art. As I start, the distractions, the so called "encouraging" voices just fade away and all that matters is the moment. And when enough moments join together, I often end up exactly where I wanted to be had I been thinking about it in the first place. I've said it before but it seems it is a hard lesson to learn. It's about the doing. The thinking, the planning, the expectations. None of this really helps.
So I set off, the frost crunching under my feet and doubting/encouraging voices in my head struggling to help me think of what I could do. I went to a small pool of dark water and tried to chop out some ice. Fun though that was, it didn't inspire me, so I continued to trudge up the hill. On the slopes either side of me, camo jacketed plonkers with shotguns and dogs attempted to shoot, stupid and inbred pheasants. A fitting challenge for the Saturday shotgun warriors. We haven't quite gone to the lengths of fencing in animals for rich (and fat) obnoxious clients to shoot but it isn't far off.
Now don't get me wrong, I am not hypocritical enough to suggest that shooting is completely wrong. I could only occupy the moral highground if I didn't eat industrially farmed animals and didn't ignore the fact that I couldn't kill, what I eat, myself. But I do wonder at the mentality of people who shoot animals for a hobby, as a way to relax, to let off steam on a Saturday morning. Does it make you feel manly to outwit a pheasant with a bunch of beaters, dogs and high powered weaponry? Is it simply target practice and honing a skill?
I always wonder whether they have something missing in their lives and their neuroses drive them to show off, inaudibly shouting "look at me, look at me, LOOK AT ME! I'm really, really important! I demand your attention!" Because what seems to be common amongst this activities is noise. Lots of it and the seemingly willfull need to pee off as many people as possible. Especially people who like peace and quiet!
How many examples can you think of? Here's a few for starters: riding big, powerful motorbikes around country lanes in the summer, riding jet skis across lakes and off shore, off roading on green lanes and shooting things for fun. Why oh why do all these things have to be so loud? And why do you have to do them in beautiful and quiet places and spoil the peace and quiet for so many others? Are you so lacking in empathy that you have no idea how you are spoiling it for everyone else? Or do you have a pathological need to take over places and claim them as yours to make up for your inadaquecies? I think this is one of the biggest splits in our species. The sensitive and the not sensitive. The noisy and the quiet. The considerate and inconsiderate.
So the soundtrack to my sculpturing went like this "hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" As the beaters flushed the doomed birds from the undergrowth and "KABOOM! KABOOM!" as another pheasant bit the dust. I expect that if I ever go mad that that will be the soundtrack to my insanity too. I wanted to stand on a rock and shout out "shut the hell up you noisy idiots!" to try and get rid of my frustrated feeling. But I don't think they were going to see the error of their ways so I went back to what I was doing with the frustrated feeling still present.
So what was a I doing I hear you ask?
A bank of fog was sliding in from the south, leaving the tips of the mountains poking through the sea of moisture. Unusually for an inversion, a layer of cloud lay above us too (me and the mountains) and gradually the temperature began to warm.
On another small dark pool I begun to lay out sections of frosted bracken, to make a pattern on the ice. When I leant back I noticed I had left hand prints where my body heat had melted the surface and I liked them and decided to do something along those lines instead. On all fours, I kneeled on the ice, positioning my hands to make prints in the surface, when suddenly cracks spread across the surface like fractured glass and I was about to become more acquainted with this medium than I originally planned. I had one of those Wiley Coyote moments like when he runs over the cliff's edge, only to be found pedalling in mid-air. Just for a split second gravity didn't grab me and then all at once the icey water and me, became intimate. I managed to extricate myself after immersing only one leg and fortunately I was wearing two pairs of trousers for warmth and had some spare socks, so pretty quickly I was dry again. I smirked to myself at being such a fool but soon found that the broken ice was fantastically clear and square edged so my foolishness had served a purpose and revealed to me the beauty of this ice.
I took a section and rounded the edges before trying to melt my hand print into it. I could only manage a little at a time before I had to rewarm my hand, so I challenged myself to count to fifty before I would put on a glove to warm up, only to try and melt some more for another count to fifty.
As the handprint begun to form I started to think about how I would be able to photograph it. The imprint was like a ghost, difficult to pin down, like a fleeting image in the corner of your eye. I put the ice back in the water but the image disappeared so I went searching for another way.
I found a slab with thick frost on it, so I melted another handprint onto it and placed the ice on top, in an effort to put a black background behind the imprint. This didn't work either. I then picked some holly berries thinking that I would squish them up and fill in the mould but that was also a failure. And then it dawned on me, bubbles underwater are very bright, especially against the dark, peaty water!
I went back to the little pool and to its twin with the unbroken ice. I put my handprint on top of it, face down so that air would be trapped and then started to ladle (I didn't actually use a ladle - who carries around a ladle?!) water from the broken pool onto the ice of the intact one. Soon the effect was working and I had learnt something new about contrast and ice.
After taking some more pictures of it set against the sky, I collected my gear and headed off downhill. The cretins were still shooting at anything that moved and the irritation at the noisy buggers still dwelled in the pit of my stomach.
At the bottom of the hill I sat and watched two Buzzards sitting in adjacent trees, one of which kept calling and flying to the other one, perhaps with spring on her mind. For a few minutes I watched transfixed and thought what magnificent creatures they are. As I set off again towards home I noticed that the feeling in my stomach had gone and a few quiet moments observing the wonder of nature had calmed and comforted me. That is all that is required for peace. An open mind and a moment to fill it. Perhaps the Saturday shotgunners should try it one day. They might actually like it and discover that there is another way.
Falling To Ones Death.
Defenseless nicht zu unterscheiden shrill predicament course,
dismayed μανιακός occasion of coming tomb,
zkroucený antics beneath thy gossiping streets,
unglücklich masquerade lead thee on blood drenched tracks,
puzzling danger a загадка below pulsating cracks,
Medea O'thy pýcha that thou robes,
unwahrheiten of endearments burning in knotted hearts,
bitter abhorrent self's acquired anger in šialenstvo furnace,
presumptuously still πυκνός yoke breaks backs,
tarnished rozrušený death accursed disgrace full force,
rancorous penetrabilior fire destiny of gloom,
proud cruel implacable дрхтање remorse peaks,
jealous cyclones of schatten blacken gestures axe,
miserable hypocrite's znechucen corpses still probes,
demoralizing falsch übersetzt questions stick as darts,
hot headedness rambling's чрезвычайно torments as sternness,
ravenous ungeziefer demon tricked thee 'tis a treacherous tax!
Steve.D.Hammond.
I've never really been into the Steampunk/Victorian thing.
I usually tend to avoid books, games
and whatever that feature that kind of a world.
However--His Dark Materials was awesome.
I loved all three books.
I read them all a long long long time ago.
And at the time I never really thought about it being Steampunky or anything.
Not sure if that phrase was even being used then.
Maybe it was.
But I know now that it was definitely
an alternate Victorian type fantasy world.
I also liked The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
And definitely loved A Series of Unfortunate Events--
though there was no magic
or fantasy really in those events.
I'd actually like to see a (new) film version
that has a darker horror like spin
on the misfortunes of the Baudelaires.
But it'll never happen I'm sure.
Oh--and damn it all--my beloved Bloodborne.
So --again--
The Hypocrite Is Me.
My friend Kaisar, four years junior then me, Honors Student of Pure Chemistry in Jogonnath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. - A photographer with highly aggressive strength and a strong personality to keep on focusing subjects around....... Member of BPS (Bangladesh Photographic Society) and a photojournalist.
Meeting with him was dramatic, was by a funny way... another friend of me Ikbal was write about a person called Moon in his stream, if Kaiser knows him, using my account when i was log in flickr in Ikbal's studio, without let me notice... Kaiser become confused and send me mail for inquiry... it was like who searching who, and first it was sending flickr mail, then call by phone and confirm all misunderstanding.....
Relation with him wasn't close until a Bangladesh borned pathetic looser made a mistake,,, was said some untruth thing about Bangladesh and proved himself a hypocrite. I was the one claim on it at my most, didn't check my language, and the guy was delete both our conversation and the topic and were send mail to too many of his contact to block me, when he was a old user of flickr and for me it was less then 15 days i join flickr..................... Kaiser denied his request, and receive a block from him........ and we become closet friends instantly :):):)
and the only native flickr user with who I usually make some photo-walk, etc...... The only fear I have for or dislike of him is, he just afraid to touch a SLR... I doesn't mean dSLR:p, he thinks he can't use Film...... and still missing the test of most advanced technology of photography (not DArt) in human history.....
May Almighty give him superb skills and the earth and sun on his side to capture every unique moments he face while he in mood of Photography, Aamiin
En solidaridad con todos mis contactos censurados.
+ A todos los valientes censores vocacionales, que denuncian injustamente, tiran la piedra y esconden la mano, quedando en el anonimato. Protegidos por Flickr.
+ A todos los que por celos, envidia o resentimientos tratan de hundir al prójimo.
+ A todos los que odian el cuerpo humano.
+ A todos los nuevos guardianes de la "moral".
+ A todos los que no admiten otras ideas.
+ A todos los que no admiten críticas.
+ A todos los que sólo admiten el pensamiento único.
+ A todos los escribas y fariseos.
+ A todos los hipócritas, viajeros de páginas porno.
+ A todos los salvadores de la Humanidad.
+ A quien está más alto que el resto de los mortales.
+ A quien siente herida su exquisita sensibilidad con comentarios no halagadores.
+ A quien no sabe nada pero sabe todo.
+ A los que gozan haciendo daño a otros y no dan la cara.
+ A la mala gente, en general.
En los últimos días, después de mi censura, no paro de recibir correos de mis contactos, diciendo que le han hecho lo mismo, sin justificación ni explicación.
Flickr no te dice quién te denunció. Te manda a leer las reglas de la comunidad, pero el daño no lo reparan. ¡Viva la Democracia!
LA NUEVA CAZA DE BRUJAS HA COMENZADO.
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In solidarity with all my censoured contacts.
+ To all those brave vocational censors, who unjustly denounce, throwing the stone and hiding their hand, maintaining anonymity. Protected by Flickr.
+ To all those who, through jealousy, envy or resentment, try to squash their neighbour.
+ To all those who hate the human body.
+ To all those new guardians of "morality".
+ To all those who do not admit other ideas.
+ To all those who do not admit criticism.
+ To all those who only admit one line of thought.
+ To all scribes and pharisees.
+ To all hypocrites, journeyers through pornographic pages.
+ To all saviours of Humanity.
+ To those who consider themselves on a higher plane to other mortals.
+ To those whose exquisite sensitivity is hurt by non-flattering comments.
+ To those who, knowing nothing, know everything.
+ To those who enjoy doing harm to others without showing their face.
+ To "bad seed" in general.
In these recent days since my censureship, I have had no end of comments from my contacts, saying that the same thing has happened to them, with no explanation or justification . Flickr does not let you know who denounced you. They tell you to read the rules of the community, but they do not redress the damage done. Long live Democracy!
THE NEW WITCH HUNT HAS COMMENCED.
Matthew 6:5-7
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
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Broom maker (4)
Location : Guihungan ,Negros Oriental ,Philippines
He Entered Your World
I once waded into the Jordan River. On a trip to Israel, my family and I stopped to see the traditional spot of Jesus’ baptism. It’s a charming place. Sycamores cast their shadows. Birds chirp. The water invites. So I accepted the invitation and waded in to be baptized.
No one wanted to join me so I immersed myself. I declared my belief in Christ and sank so low in the water I could touch the river bottom. When I did, I felt a stick and pulled it out. Well, what do you know–a baptism memento! Some people get certificates or Bibles; I like my stick. It’s about as thick as your wrist, long as your forearm, and smooth as a baby’s behind. I keep it on my office credenza so I can show it to fear-filled people.
When they chronicle their anxieties about the economy or concern about their kids, I hand them the stick. I tell them how God muddied his feet in our world of diapers, death, digestion, and disease. How John told him to stay on the riverbank, but Jesus wouldn’t listen. How he came to earth for this very purpose, to become one of us. “Why, he might have touched this very stick,” I like to say.
As they smile, I ask, “Since he came this far to reach us, can’t we take our fears to him?”
“For our high priest [Jesus] is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NCV).
Does this miracle matter? It does if you are bedridden. It does if you battle disease. It does if chronic pain is a part of your life. The One who hears your prayers understands your pain. He never shrugs or scoffs or dismisses physical struggle. He had a human body.
Does this miracle matter? If you ever wonder if God understands you, it does. If you ever wonder if God listens, it does. If you ever wonder if the Uncreated Creator can, in a million years, comprehend the life of a truck driver, housewife, or immigrant, then ponder long and hard the promise of the incarnation. God say: I understand you and I always will.
Are you troubled in spirit? He was, too. (John 12:27)
Are you so anxious that you could die? He was, too. (Matthew 26:38)
Are you overwhelmed with grief? He was, too. (John 11:35)
Have you ever prayed with loud cries and tears? He did, too. (Hebrews 5:7)
Some have pointed to the sinlessness of Jesus as evidence that he cannot fully understand us. After all, if he never sinned, they reason, how could he understand the full force of sin? Simple, he felt it more than we do. We give in! He never did. We surrender. He never did. He stood before the tsunami and never wavered. In that manner, he understands it more than anyone who ever lived.
And then, in his grandest deed, he volunteered to feel the consequence of sin.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).
The greatest pain of the cross was the pain of sin. Jesus didn’t deserve to feel the shame, but he felt it. He didn’t deserve the humiliation, but he experienced it. He had never sinned, yet was treated like a sinner. He became sin. All the guilt, remorse, and embarrassment– Jesus understands it.
Does this miracle matter? To the hypocrite, it does. To the person who can’t remember last night’s party it does. To the cheater, slanderer, gossip, or scoundrel who comes to God with a contrite spirit, it matters. It matters because they need to know, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NIV).
Because Jesus is human, he understands you. Because he is divine he can help you. But he does neither if you don’t go to him. He didn’t remain aloof; why would we? He didn’t keep his distance; why would we keep ours?
Let this be the day you draw near to him. He entered your world so that you could enter his.
© Max Lucado, January, 2017
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What You Needed Most
God is enough. Isn’t this the message of Moses and Joshua and the journey to the Promised Land? Who opened the Jordan River? Who led the people across on dry ground? Who appeared to encourage Joshua? Who brought down the Jericho walls? Who fought for and delivered the people? God!
He cared for his people. Even in the wilderness they never went without provision. He gave them not just food but clothing and good health. Moses once reminded the Hebrews, “Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years” (Deuteronomy 8:4 NIV).
The following phrases were never heard in the wilderness: Oh, bummer, my robe has another rip in it…or…. Hey, new sandals. Where did you get them? There was no want for food; no need for clothing. God provided for them. And God has promised to provide you.
From God is With You Every Day. Max Lucado
This photo needs to be viewed on anything other than Chrome or Internet Explorer (I am being a massive hypocrite and typing this on Chrome...) to see the colours POP! (Although even then, they're nothing like the original photo, silly Flickr).
Straight out of camera besides crop.
I doubt anyone would, but would anyone be interested in buying prints?
For me this shot is an attempt to come up with something slightly more unique than my conventional way of photographing long exposure waterfalls. I’ve been to this location, in the wonderfully named and spectacularly beautiful “Valley of Desolation”, many times over the years, but this time I wanted to change my approach in order to overcome the slight dissatisfaction from my previous efforts here. which have been either compositionally challenging, (there is an irritating holly bush at the top of this waterfall, that is hard to make work compositionally), or standing in the obvious place does give you good foreground interest, but makes it impossible to take more than one shot, as not surprisingly at the bottom of a waterfall the spray is a nightmare...Interestingly as a friend and I walked up the valley towards the waterfall, my apprehension became further compounded as I was also struggling with my own perceptions of what a waterfall offered in the way of subject originality and desperately wanted to find a new approach.
Now I tentatively make the following comment in the apprehension that it may sound a little arrogant and I honestly do not intend it to offend anybody, but as subjects I feel waterfalls are bordering on the fringes of cliché. Now this obviously doesn’t mean that they are, on the contrary I’ve seen many wonderfully emotive and powerful images of waterfalls that have taken my breath away, but maybe this abundance of quality in itself is part of the problem, as I seem to have become numb to obvious positive elements... It’s kind of like when you over play a favourite song, the track doesn't change, but your perception of it does with over listening. So as Wayne and I walked up the valley to the waterfall I was subconsciously struggling with my very own perception and felt a need to challenge and change it.
Now digressing a little to strengthen my position and to attempt to elevate your growing distaste to my slight arrogance, I sometimes feel the same way about images made at ‘famous’ photographic locations such as , Antelope Canyon, or Bamburgh Castle, or indeed subjects such as sunsets or long exposure coastal shots, (man I do sound like a hypocrite here). There still remains an oversaturated, (excuse the obvious play on words) ever so slightly putrid aftertaste from seeing too many. As I said before, this doesn’t mean that any of the shots are poor pieces of work, or indeed are not well composed and considered, but like the music analogy, you can only listen to a pop music for so long and at some point you end up wanting Nick Cave or PJ Harvey as your taste develops. Funny I have never become tired of ‘Guns and Roses, Appetite for Destruction’, anyway enough of that...
I think for a large part the oversaturation from photography magazines, personal blogs, social networking sites and massive influx of affordable good quality digital cameras, has produced thousands of images that only 20 years ago would have stood out and shone. Now the competition to be unique, to be fresh and dynamic is much harder especially if you choose a subject or location that have been done many times before, which I’m at paints to reveal I frequently do. I can’t help myself, I just love those locations.
This is why I must keep reminding myself to ‘try’ and avoid the obvious compositions in such subjects or places, as most importantly, there is a greater potential for personal development opportunities when the lean pickings of a location or subject are worked around and eventually found. But with heightened potential comes heightened vulnerability, as the images you make in those locations risk being perceived falling between the cliché and pretentiousness. Don’t worry I’m not advocating becoming a incongruent fine artist that takes shots of dog feces and pretentiously pins some social commentary to it in the hope that others will buy into the junkstaposition of meaninglessness, I’m just trying to challenge my assumptions to stimulate and develop my own vision, within my preferred subjects.
Anyway back to the photograph, this time I clambered up a slippery muddy slope, to the more or less inaccessible side of the waterfall and lodged myself into the thick of the ‘Lord Of The Rings’ type undergrowth. With my tripod firmly wedged in, saving me from slipping down into the pool of icy water and one side of my body wet with a mixture of mud and soggy leaves, I composed this shot with an attempt to gain as much depth and movement I could from the hanging windblown vegetation.
Funny as unpleasant as it is, I don’t feel like I’ve been working hard enough unless I come back with muddy or wet trousers, is this just me?
Mark 5:13 “He gave them leave; and the foul spirits came out and entered into the swine, and the herd—about 2,000 in number—rushed headlong down the cliff into the water and were drowned.”
FBI director: “The reality is that the terrorism threat has been elevated throughout 2023 but the ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the United States to a whole ‘nother level.”
Iran has had terrorist sleeper cells in the Unites States for a long time. Yet, the American government has never done anything about it…shocker! Open borders: letting in an army of enemies…what could go wrong? How many of you have a fence around your house? How many of you would leave your front door open and let anyone and everyone live in your house? Hypocrites!
The New World Order Hegelian Dialectic: Problem, Reaction, Solution.
They create the problem. Then the sheeple beg them to fix it (with the help of the mainstream media propaganda machine). So what will be the solution: more big government laws (more power and control)? Bigger spending? War? An excuse to push forward towards CBDCs and Digital IDs...we need a biometric digital ID system for the border…it sounds good until one day they clamp down on you leaving the country, and you find that you are a prisoner in your own soviet style country.
The FBI calls parents who speak out at school board meetings domestic terrorists (an authoritarian state must be the parent from cradle to grave)…in the end what will be their solution to this fake terrorist problem…soviet style gulags or nazi stlye concentration camps? It’s hard to tell what side of the fence these New World Order neo-commufacists will lean...they can always set up FEMA camps…hahaha.
“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has issued a stark warning to residents of Germany, urging them to come to terms with the possibility of war in Europe.”
When our way of living is ready to collapse…war is a great distraction.
In total contrast to the uncompromising wildness of the last upload, I've cranked up the twee factor for this one. Lakeland has wildness in abundance, when on the heights, but as you descend the twee factor tends to rise (& completely goes off the scale at valley level!) This isn't necessarily a bad thing, you understand; it's just that I'm a bit like a fish out of water when attempting to photographically arrange such bewildering prettiness.
The European Larch (Larix decidua) is not native to the British Isles. Of all alien species, however, this one 'seems' to fit in rather nicely. It is certainly a favourite tree of mine (what a f***ing hypocrite!).
I’ve been away for a bit; needed to recharge. I want to thank all my followers (many new ones lately) and the well over ½ million views.
I’m continuing my efforts exposing Gang Stalking, Community Stalking and Workplace Mobbing. Yosemite continues to rally is self-righteous hypocrites, simpletons and halfwits; to stalk, harass, workmob, discredit and defame. Like the Energizer Bunny, I keep going and going.
•The truth about Yosemite: www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sexual-Harassment-Common-in...
Gang Stalking, Community Stalking and Workplace Mobbing are Psychological Torture. These illegal and immoral acts are carried out by residents and contractors, in Yosemite National Park every day; while Yosemite’s Superintendent and Law Enforcement look away.
The truth today is hidden so deep, it becomes gray.
Thank you for visiting my Photostream.
162/365
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgqSI1BESVE
Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points: to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.
Unhappily, I possess neither that eloquence of diction, that poetry of imagination, nor that brilliance of metaphor to tell you all that they mean.
The unbelievers will say they are but words, but a slogan, but a flamboyant phrase. Every pedant, every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every troublemaker, and I am sorry to say, some others of an entirely different character, will try to downgrade them even to the extent of mockery and ridicule.
But these are some of the things they do. They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians of the nation's defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid. They teach you to be proud and unbending in honest failure, but humble and gentle in success; not to substitute words for actions, not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge; to learn to stand up in the storm but to have compassion on those who fall; to master yourself before you seek to master others; to have a heart that is clean, a goal that is high; to learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; to reach into the future yet never neglect the past; to be serious yet never to take yourself too seriously; to be modest so that you will remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength. They give you a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a freshness of the deep springs of life, a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of an appetite for adventure over love of ease. They create in your heart the sense of wonder, the unfailing hope of what next, and the joy and inspiration of life. They teach you in this way to be an officer and a gentleman.
---- General Douglas MacArthur
Seven Truths
- When I was little I used to go in my closet when I cried. It was dark and nobody could see me. It’s funny because I don’t go there anymore but I find that same secret place inside my mind as crazy as it sounds. Nobody can see it and I like it that way.
- I’d rather be known as the crazy church girl than the one nobody expected to be religious.
- I don’t feel that release in skating anymore. I haven’t been writing. I haven’t been taking pictures for myself. It’s like I’m purposely keeping everything held back. Then I go and become absorbed and obsessed with school. With getting good marks. With having teachers love me. Of course, when I mention how excited I am to do an upcoming essay I laughed when my friends made fun because really, who actually likes essays. But I’m noticing it. It scares me, it’s like I’m looking for a way out somewhere and every release I find becomes dangerous in some sense.
- My fear of those dark things hit a peak last weak. I felt a new type of fear…one I had never even imagined feeling. Me. The kid who writes like it’s her job can’t even find words to express this.
To anyone who is dealing with a fear that is controlling your life, that is making you do things you wouldn’t normally do, or just making you uncomfortable in your own skin just know that that fear has more power over you than the actual thing you are scared of. Fear is only an emotion. You can’t shut it off but you can control it.
(and the hypocrite of all time award goes to Hannah Martin)
- I have the most amazing friends. But I feel like god is playing some sick joke on me. Every single one of them is either destroying themselves slowly or destroying me. There are a few very important ones who I could never give up on because I see their strength through those weaknesses but the truth is sometimes I want to escape. I don’t want to help. I don’t want to watch them ignore me and hurt themselves worse. Sometimes I just want to stop and remember what it’s like to actually breathe again…
- Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself because I just wish ‘I’ would find myself beautiful. Sometimes I don’t even need other people to tell me. I don’t want it. In the end I’m not stuck with them, I’m stuck with me.
- I felt so good last week while I was in the hospital in sweats with no make up. I hate wearing face make up or too much of anything because I want to feel natural until I see all the girls at school. The gorgeous ones that I would die to look at. I know how much make up they wear, I know how I feel about that. Yet I just want to look like that and feel like they do and have other people look at me like that.
I hate it.
I don’t want to talk about these. I feel vain. And stupid. And immature. Starting this ‘project’ was easy. Everyone said I was so brave but I wasn’t. They were easy. Now though…I resent these truths. You have no many ideas how many times I start a seven truths and delete it all because it’s too hard or too personal.
But I hope you’re all well.
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083134488329
424735605_370664282381385_3579570144301062866_n_upscale 2
And the calf that you carve with a smile
Is murder
And the turkey you festively slice
Is murder
Do you know how animals die ?
Kitchen aromas arent very homely
Its not comforting, cheery or kind
Its sizzling blood and the unholy stench
"Be careful what you wish for."
"Mostly because you might just get it freaking jammed down your throat and have everything you've ever done, touched, spoke to or on, said, loved, disliked, and thought about dragged out for the entire world to see and pass their infinite wisdom, experience and judgment on."
"This includes being called a MILF, an idiot, unpatriotic, stupid, corrupt, hypocritical, a mouthpiece, ignorant, just a pretty face, arrogant, a Luddite, and having yourself and your daughter's sexual proclivity slandered and lusted after as well."
"Welcome to the Big Time, Sarah. I hope you enjoy your time in the sun."
btw... Thank you so much for dragging the rest of us along with you.
Can you tell that I'm loving being an Alaskan right now? : )
In all seriousness, her administration's done some good things for this State. I didn't vote for her in 2006, even though I was happy she won the primary, it was mostly because I just really, really didn't like Murkowski at all.
I posted this same shot of her back when I originally took this in August of 2006.
I was thinking about that shot on the drive home from work today as I listened to story after story about this situation. Figured I'd check it when I got home.
Yup. 7K+ hits, most all of them in the last six days or so.
Shocking! /sarcasm
All I really care about right now?
LEAVE HER KIDS (AND THEIR FRIENDS) ALONE.
Do I see the delicious irony in the fact that her daughter is pregnant and she advocates for abstinence only as a basis for sexual education? Well, duh.
Regardless of her mother's political policies/ideology, she's still entitled to be a child (and/or young adult). I can't repeat some of the horrid things I have read just tossed about about this seventeen year old and her boyfriend. Whom, I must admit from his myspace page, seems like a complete tool, but you know what? HE'S A KID TOO. We were all freaking tools as teenage boys. (Go on. Lie to yourself. We were.) Some of us made stupid mistakes. This guy makes one and his GF's mom gets picked for a Veep ticket and now he won't be able go to the local store or answer his freaking phone and has HIS every action and statement "vetted" and magnified? WTF?!?
I feel that somewhere between the mid to late 80's and today, the world just up and forgot that we are all human. We all have feelings and are all trying to make a life. Now everything and everyone seems to be fair game for everything.
LET ME BE CLEAR: I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for Sarah right now. She's in her 40's and a public figure. She's old enough and smart enough to know what awaited her once she accepted that nomination. Let the chips fall where they may for her. But her kids shouldn't be part of that reality. Every politician and public figure's kids shouldn't be. Sue me. It's what I believe.
And don't give me the "I'm being naive", or "it's Sarah's fault for dragging her kids through this" crap either. Use that for an excuse and we should all just go back to being knuckledraggers and be thrilled with the occasional fire. It's news worthy because people condone the salaciousness of the reporting. Because there are reporters who feel the need to get "in depth" with this sh!t.
She's human. Her daughter's human. Her daughter's boyfriend is human. If anything, this makes her a real human being with real problems just like the rest of our country deals with on a daily basis.
God forbid we ever have one of *those* in an office that matters. *gasp!*
PS: That last statement (well, this whole post, really) is not an endorsement of the McCain/Palin ticket. I am, and have always been, an UNDECLARED voter. That should not equate as apathy, for I do vote. Every single opportunity I have to. It's just that I am as disenchanted with our society (and its political processes) as I have ever been right now and this lack of reason and candor in all of this stuff, both liberal and conservative, well, it's just not helping me one iota.
PPS: God Bless The Internet. : )
EDIT 04 Sep 08:
The only thing I will mention in detail from last night's speech is this:
I watched little Piper Palin ask her Daddy to hold her brother last night and when he let her, the camera came back to her licking her palm to use her spit to smooth out his wild baby hair (lol!), and again to her gently brushing something off his face with her hand as she looked at him. That was truly an amazing, non choreographed display of innocence and gentleness that completely touched my heart. That it occurred during the firestorm of snarkiness and partisanship that was being conveyed to the entire planet?
The dichotomy that moment of humanity represents should not go unnoticed.
If you'd like, you can read the full comment below. Thanks.
At times I just enjoy hanging out in the yard, catching a glimpse and an occasional photo of the native wintering birds. I love to watch them at my feeders. I have always found it interesting, if not quite hypocritical, that so many people are perfectly comfortable providing food for native birds, yet so many of these same individuals frown on providing sustenance for other wild animals in need. Mankind, indisputably the most invasive species, has wreaked havoc on innumerable animals throughout the world and history. We destroy and restrict extensive habitats, lay waste to hordes of prey animals, and yet we are reluctant to help sustain the remaining wildlife, for fear that we might change their natural ways. Well, we've already done that! While I certainly don't condone providing sustenance to wildlife in a way that puts that animal or the person doing it in mortal danger, I do believe that providing food, safe passage, and at times shelter, should be conscientiously pursued rather than dissuaded. We have a long way to go to make up for the damage for which we are responsible. I suspect there are many misguided souls who would argue against this point. For now I will enjoy the simple pleasures that nature offers, like this Tufted Titmouse perched on a branch, and reserve that conversation for another time. #iLoveNature #iLoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #NorthAmerica #TuftedTitmouse #Birds #DrDADBooks #Canon #WildlifeConservation
from Jubilate Agno
BY CHRISTOPHER SMART
For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in.
For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.
For this he performs in ten degrees.
For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.
For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.
For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.
For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.
For fifthly he washes himself.
For sixthly he rolls upon wash.
For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.
For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.
For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.
For tenthly he goes in quest of food.
For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour.
For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.
For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.
For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.
For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.
For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.
For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.
For he is of the tribe of Tiger.
For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.
For he has the subtlety and hissing of a serpent, which in goodness he suppresses.
For he will not do destruction, if he is well-fed, neither will he spit without provocation.
For he purrs in thankfulness, when God tells him he's a good Cat.
For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon.
For every house is incomplete without him and a blessing is lacking in the spirit.
For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats at the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt.
For every family had one cat at least in the bag.
For the English Cats are the best in Europe.
For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.
For the dexterity of his defence is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.
For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.
For he is tenacious of his point.
For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.
For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.
For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion.
For he is of the Lord's poor and so indeed is he called by benevolence perpetually—Poor Jeoffry! poor Jeoffry! the rat has bit thy throat.
For I bless the name of the Lord Jesus that Jeoffry is better.
For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.
For his tongue is exceeding pure so that it has in purity what it wants in music.
For he is docile and can learn certain things.
For he can set up with gravity which is patience upon approbation.
For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.
For he can jump over a stick which is patience upon proof positive.
For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.
For he can jump from an eminence into his master's bosom.
For he can catch the cork and toss it again.
For he is hated by the hypocrite and miser.
For the former is afraid of detection.
For the latter refuses the charge.
For he camels his back to bear the first notion of business.
For he is good to think on, if a man would express himself neatly.
For he made a great figure in Egypt for his signal services.
For he killed the Ichneumon-rat very pernicious by land.
For his ears are so acute that they sting again.
For from this proceeds the passing quickness of his attention.
For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.
For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire.
For the Electrical fire is the spiritual substance, which God sends from heaven to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.
For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.
For, tho he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.
For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadruped.
For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.
For he can swim for life.
For he can creep.
Rhythm of Line GLEITZEIT ESSAY BY ELLEN YUSTAS K GOTTLIEB CIRCA 1995 New York City
In Early period Jaisini has more meaning manipulation creating concept of visual line’s enclosure in unison with logical line.
Movement in the space and constructed thinking process together seem to come to a deceptive simplicity of continuous line.
In reality the artist works in complicated manner of multiple approaches that has multi personalities united in one through a fight.
Was line predetermined in her movement?
But it is technically immediate, imaginative, and not prepared.
In accordance to the artist’s own assumptions, his line matures in his mind for long period of time before he could release it on the canvas together with the painting’s unique plot.
The plot of the picture’s characters usually serves purpose of mixing the originality of beauty with simple decorative purpose of line interlacing and sometimes it brings images in most unexpected connections, mixing such themes as classical music with semi erotic depictions where aesthetic flare of creative fertilization is deeply connected to erotic display of mastery, a dialectical incentive of creation.
Mixtures of refine eroticism and ultimately conservative in appearance subject of classical musicians brings the theme to unexpected prominence.
In paintings subject is not ever explicit or hidden too deeply between the lines to be hypocritically implied, to the opposite the artist sets his ideas in perfect harmony.
Jaisini tends to perfect all angles of his creation to the level of condition with constant curiosity about his art.
If you had learned the meaning you would start to see more of its visual technique.
Then it could start to change the meaning.
The process of growing together with Jaisini’s artworks is unlimited.
Just when you thought that you have grasped the capricious creation it starts to run away from you again.
And this is exactly what Jaisini stage in his art, the game that never ends and develops into new game.
Music is a particularly relevant aspect of Jaisini’s inspiration as a part of the artist’s daily life.
The connection of art images and subjects is not straightforward but still in many ways is connected to music sensitivity.
with film on black
Say hello to my Nikon FM.
My dad bought me this lovely simple wind on just over a year ago and I love it! There's no digital screen, no complicated menu's, no buttons. It weighs next to nothing yet built like a tank. And best of all?.....
It takes film! :)
Now I know you might all call me a hypocrite as I've just bought a new camera and I wont lie to you, digital is convenient and cheap BUT I still personally prefer film.
The quality just still has the edge in my personal opinion. The grain! The texture!
It's just so romantic. Taking a 36 exp roll and waiting to get it developed, did it work? How did they come out? Oh the excitement of not knowing!
There's just something about it, it looks so real, like you were there, like you could touch it, almost as if you could smell that place your looking at through the print.
When I studied photography I was taught on black and white film. I had to develop all my own negatives and photos in a dark room and I tell you what if you haven't experienced a photograph develop in front of your very own eyes you are truly missing out. Its so amazing watching an image slowly appear in the developer. There's no feeling like it. And the smell! Ohhh the smell, it stinks! I remember coming out of the dark room and people would be like Arr yuck you stink man! :) he he. Yeaah I did.
I really miss the excitement and romance of it all so I have decided to make sure I use this little feller more often this year.
I really hope film continues for many many many years to come. I think its a revolution in the way we view the world today. It helps us express ourselves and as Ansel Adams said,
''A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed''.
He also said...
''No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit''.
Amen to that.
So here's to film, Ansel Adams and many years with my FM.
So thanks pa for this wonderful gift..I'll treasure it forever.
P.S Thanks to James for letting me use his soft box and holding it up while I got the shot right :)
Ash Wednesday
Shrine's flood light was very bright so I manually moved camera's setting to negative 2, which produced what you see. Hope you received inspiration and wisdom as you discern that ultimate question. Thanks for visiting etc. Let us pray we all meet in Paradise later!
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Joel 2:12-18
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17
2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. (Matthew 6:6)
Ash Wednesday allows us to practice what Jesus taught as we observe this first day of Lent. We fast and receive God's blessing with ashes on our foreheads to express our sorrow for offending Him. Today's Gospel reading invites us to do this with sincerity, asking our Father for forgiveness openly and honestly, but from the inner rooms of our hearts.
When Jesus taught His disciples how to fast, pray and practice good deeds in a manner most pleasing to our Father, He said they shouldn't act like the hypocrites who made sure others saw them, so as to win their praise. The hypocrites received the praise they pined for, but that was it for them, Jesus warned, "They have received their reward."
When the praise of man is our only incentive to do good, then the praise of man is all we'll get. On the other hand, if our acts are done from the heart with the intent that only our Father see them, a most excellent reward comes to us, "and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." What we receive from delighting our Father is lasting. Our recompense begins immediately with His grace and continues on for eternity—what could be better?
Not everyone can distinguish sincerity, but our Heavenly Father sees everything. Let us humbly speak with faith to the One who knows of our hunger, hears our every prayer, sees our every deed, forgives us of everything and rewards us greatly.
- Elizabeth A. Tichvon | elizabethtichvon@comcast.net
EXPLORE # 362 on Thursday, February 7, 2008
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/news/the-hypocritical-ccp-instig...
Since coming to power, the CCP has never stopped persecuting religious belief. Especially since Xi Jinping has taken office, religious persecution, and in particular, the suppression of Christianity, has escalated to new heights today. The unscrupulous suppression, arrests, and persecution have not only been carried out against house church Christians. Even officially-run Three-Self churches and crosses have been demolished in large numbers. Christians have been arrested, sentenced, and jailed in large numbers, and some have even been beaten to death. Countless Christians have had to flee their homes to avoid the CCP’s arrest, unable to return, and many Christians have been persecuted so severely that they have no choice but to flee to democratic nations to seek asylum. Yet the evil CCP is hardly content to allow these Christians to escape. The CCP not only uses diplomatic and economic means to put pressure on these democratic nations, it also trains and embeds large numbers of special agents to work in these countries and monitor Christians, with the goal of extraditing these escaped Christians to China by every possible way. In September of 2018, for example, an incident occurred in South Korea targeted at threatening these Christian refugees. A Korean woman led over ten family members of escaped Chinese Christians living in Korea, in a demonstration, in which she claimed that the Christian asylum seekers of The Church of Almighty God (CAG) in South Korea were “false refugees,” and demanded that the Korean government repatriate them to China. The demonstration proved immediately controversial. But, the demonstration poses a question: Why would a South Korean citizen, living long-term in South Korea, lead more than ten relatives of Christians, of Chinese nationality, in such a demonstration? She was entirely unfamiliar with these Christians’ family members, and didn’t know the background of the CCP’s persecution of Christians, so why would she organize the relatives of these Chinese Christians to conduct such a demonstration in South Korea? Why did she claim that these CAG Christians fled to Korea were false refugees and demand that the South Korean government repatriate them? It truly is a puzzling situation. What hidden factors were behind this demonstration? On today’s program, our guests are two Christians from The Church of Almighty God whose Chinese family members took part in the demonstration. Today’s topic will be a discussion of the events surrounding the demonstration.
Reported by correspondent Zheng Guangming
Recommended for You:Christian Documentary
Image Source: The Church of Almighty God
Terms of Use: en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html
spent the entire day doing ap world summer homework (seriously why would anyone give out summer homework...)
didn't take any pictures today. this was from yesterday.
just realized how boring my captions always are and i'm way behind on tags so heres one. tagged by hsien hsien :) (HAHA okay sry i love you noel/natasha. you have way too many names.)
10 random facts
1. when i was little the first thing i'd do when i wake up is draw a rainbow, cut it and tape it to my door. by the time we had to move, my whole door was covered in rainbows and they've been on there for too long so my mom had to scrape it off. haha i was devastated.
2. i feel like it's so hard to concentrate on one thing.. i mean, i still get things done but i just jump around a lot before the thing gets done.
3. i like movies that make me cry.
4. although im in my yellow phase right now (i think i'm kind of getting over it already) my favorite color is blue. i like burgundy too.
5. haha everyone tries to do the "ingrid smile" but i dont even think there is one. HAHA they just do a random smile and say "LOOK IM DOING THE INGRID SMILE" but CLEARLY i don't smile like that.
6. haha if i make fun of you, it probably means i'm comfortable around you :) some people take it too seriously. i'm pretty goofy most of the time but i can be dead serious when i need to.
7. i think i changed a lot over the past few years. i used to so mean, a judgmental bitch. now i tell people they shouldn't talk about people behind their backs. kind of hypocritical, don't you think? i don't even know if this change is for the better. i was shallow, carefree, wild, i started drama (which was so.. bad) but my life was so much more interesting.
8. i'm kind of old fashion. i love old movies and songs
9. haha i really wished i was excellent at something. have something i'm known for.
10. i'm an aquarius. really stubborn, direct, people think i don't care because i can't connect enough emotionally. i personally think that i care too much :D
sorry that was kind of deep. i feel like i just wanna talk to someone about things that's been going through my mind lately. but hey! you guys know me better now, though i don't know why anyone would read all that cuz i probably wouldn't lol
tag you're it! you don't have to talk about idk.. deep things.
tag me once you're done! i'd love to read everyones :)
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Introduction
It is recorded in the Bible that the Lord Jesus condemned the Pharisees with the seven woes. Nowadays, the path walked by the pastors and elders of the religious world is that of the Pharisees and they similarly suffer God's detestation and rejection. So why did the Lord Jesus condemn and curse the Pharisees? It was primarily because they had a hypocritical essence that defied God, because they only paid attention to performing religious rituals and keeping rules, they only explained the rules and doctrines in the Bible and did not put God's words into practice or follow God's commandments whatsoever, and they even discarded God's commandments. Everything they did completely ran counter to God's will and requirements. This was the hypocritical essence of the Pharisees and it was the primary reason for the Lord Jesus hating and cursing them.
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Red Hot Lexi Gold Preps Golden Girl Debbie - IMRAN™
Lexi had to help pull off Debbie's boots especially because the zipper handle on one of them broke. It made for an interesting series of candid photos even though nothing naughty was going on! But just in case for those whose tiny minds or hypocritical sensitivities are easily offended by the human form, "All Models Legal Age And Older". There was NO editing done to either model's face or body. They are shown as they are, naturally beautiful. Only the window in the background was blurred and two electrical conduits on the wall were erased for the pure white wall.
© 2020 IMRAN™
“The time of a man's life is as a point; the substance of it ever flowing, the sense obscure; and the whole composition of the body tending to corruption. His soul is restless, fortune uncertain, and fame doubtful; to be brief, as a stream so are all things belonging to the body; as a dream, or as a smoke, so are all that belong unto the soul. Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage. Fame after life is no better than oblivion. What is it then that will adhere and follow? Only one thing, philosophy. And philosophy doth consist in this, for a man to preserve that spirit which is within him, from all manner of contumelies and injuries, and above all pains or pleasures; never to do anything either rashly, or feignedly, or hypocritically: only to depend from himself, and his own proper actions: all things that happen unto him to embrace contentendly, as coming from Him from whom he himself also came; and above all things, with all meekness and a calm cheerfulness, to expect death, as being nothing else but the resolution of those elements, of which every creature is composed. And if the elements themselves suffer nothing by their perpetual conversion of one into another, that dissolution, and alteration, which is so common unto all, why should it be feared by any? Is not this according to nature? But nothing that is according to nature can be evil.” Marcus Aurelius
Well, I reckon more than a few Scots said "Cheers!" and raised a pint of Tennents when the SNP Sweetheart Stout, Nicola Sturgeon, resigned earlier this week. Do you remember her slagging off the dreaded Tories when they refused to call a General election when first Theresa May resigned, then Boris and finally Liz Truss. Then when Alex Salmond resigned (because she/Sturgeon stitched him up in court) , and then she herself resigned...no general election in Scotland. Always a hypocrite. In a recent poll 96% of the Scottish public thought she should go. She failed at pretty well everything. Worse NHS, worse Policing, worse education, worse drug deaths (3 times worse than next worst country), worse life expectancy amidst skullduggery, lies and corruption. She blamed the English parliament and Tories for everything whilst she let everything in Scotland go to ruin. In fact her list of failures was so long that she needed 18 minutes in her resignation speech to mention most of them, whereas Boris, May, Truss only took 5-6 minutes on each of theirs. Now the SNP is looking (trying to fix her replacement) whilst in particular slagging off a publicly favoured candidate Kate Forbes because she stood up for her religious beliefs. Being of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland they have strong Christian values which are largely mirrored in all other major religions: Muslim, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. She's a good girl, from my part of the world, from the highlands and islands of Scotland, where kids are still taught respect and decency. But actually, if I could vote and I can't as I'm not an SNP member, I favour Ash Regan/Denham, another principled and decent lady who I hope can steer Scotland in a better direction, away from the hatred, division and failure caused by Sturgeon's grievance politics. Unfortunately the hot favourite to win the race to be First Minister is a proven loser. Humza: and not that Humza, the Strictly Come Dancing winner from Ardnamurchan
October 31 305 / 366
My father died on this day, 15 years ago. He loved Halloween, he would drive us around (only "good" neighborhoods), and let us off at the beginning of a block and slowly follow us in the car until the end of every block. He would sit in the car, munching half our loot and keeping a careful eye out for us. He did this, even though his day started at 5 am. I would half wake up, and hear him get up every morning, use the bathroom and quietly make his way down the stairs. He owned a successful bread bakery. He was a master baker and made about 12 varieties of hand-shaped French, Sicilian, Ring, Braided and Sandwich breads and rolls, many of which, even in my travels, I have never found again. He would come back at about 10 am in his bakery whites, with a warm loaf of bread and have breakfast with my Mom and whoever was lucky enough to either be young enough not to be in school yet or home "sick". My mom would make fried eggs for him and he would let you break his yolks with your toast and never insist that you eat the whites.
I remember being at school and mid-morning would come and I would be thinking of them at home, having breakfast and laughing and talking, the sun streaming into the kitchen through my mother's perfectly starched, swiss dot curtains. I still like to eat breakfast at that more civilized time.
My father was a good man who provided well for his family with hard work and honesty. He loved my Mom, his kids, opera music and books and movies on World War I and II. He had a great sense of humor, could not stand hypocrites and could come up with a perfect nickname for anyone within 15 minutes of meeting them. He taught me to be strong, honest and get up every morning and do whatever has to be done.
To this day, I wake up at 5 am every morning. Sometimes, half asleep, I think I hear him tiptoeing down the stairs. I say a prayer of thanksgiving for him and often go right back to sleep, having a better sleep than I had all night.
I miss you Dad and look forward to seeing you in heaven one day. xx
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All Hallows' Eve is not a liturgical feast on the Catholic calendar, but the celebration has deep ties to the Liturgical Year. These three consecutive days: All Hallow's Eve All Saints Day and All Souls Day, illustrate the Communion of Saints. The Church Militant (those of us on earth, striving to get to heaven) pray for the Church Suffering (those souls in Purgatory) especially on All Souls Day and the month of November. We also rejoice and honor the Church Triumphant (the saints, canonized and uncanonized) in heaven. We also ask the Saints to intercede for us, and for the souls in Purgatory.
*Surprise! Halloween is not a pagan holiday. In England, saints or holy people were called "hallowed," hence the name "All Hallow's Day." The evening, or "e'en" before the feast, which required fasting and penitence became popularly known as "All Hallows' Eve" or even shorter, "Hallowe'en."
Not spooky at all to... View On Black
You surround yourself with statues of Saints
Spending Sunday in pews, an image to paint
Hypocrite, afraid of the man you did spawn
A son in turmoil, kicked out on your lawn
The boy you have raised while fermenting in wine
Did you really think he would turn out fine?
Say your prayers cold old woman, say your prayers tonight
Pray the Lord, whom you answer to, lets you see that bright light
As when ashes meet ashes, and dust blends to dust
Say your prayers cold old woman, that the Lord you can trust
...Does not send you to hell.
Poem by: Claudia Cocco
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DALE ABBEY - November 18th 2016.
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Today, the only easily recognisable relict feature of the Dale Abbey ruins is its empty 40-foot-high chancel window, an impressive feature, being forty feet ground to keystone in height and sixteen feet in width.
Victorian excavations revealed the Abbey to have possessed transepts of one hundred feet in length, a crossing tower, a cloister eighty-five feet square and a nave of unknown length.
It was the camera mounted upon a drone that took the above image of the ancient window arch of the former Dale Abbey, close to dusk and before darkening fields.
Throughout the centuries before the Abbey's destuction by men of King Henry V111, the monks' strict routines had marked the tempo of local life . Each and every day the Abbey bells would have rung out across the surrounding fields and woodland.
Further -
Another Lenton Sands flickr picture is a sketch showing the Abbey ruins in 1727, it suggests its structure before King Henry V111 destruction. As a remarkable historic record, the picture deserves some scrutiny. The sketch was first made public in 1880 as a folded page insert in a book concerning the History of Ilkeston by Edwin Truman and others.
Dale Abbey was originally known as the " Abbey de Parco Stanli," meaning Stanley Park Abbey ]
Cannons were priests and deacons who lived like monks - whilst following the ways of St. Augustine, who was born in November of the year 354, and died in August of 430 . Augustine had sought to establish a church wherein its members would live their days in close Christ-like service, being reliant upon the mercy of God, and by the charity and offerings of the faithfuI . They being without regular salaries, that which they got was distributed proportionately among themselves according to their needs. A strict rule determined the men would dine and sup together. No woman was allowed to enter their house.
A monastery, or abbey, was a complex of buildings and facilities necessary for the needs of its inhabitants monastic life of prayer and devout submission to God and the Word of Christ. The wealthiest establishments possessed facilities that the poorer ones could not have afforded or have had a need of .Many were built on the fertile low lying land near water . As fish was an important food, fishponds were dug and established wherever possible. .
Abbeys were, and remain, the abode of communities of monks or nuns. They originated among the early Christian hermits of the Egyptian desert as a cluster of separate huts built around that of an anchorite of distinguished piety. The name signifies the institution as well as the building.
As the monastic system became organized, there arose a form of architecture suited to its needs. The principle adopted by the Benedictines, that an abbey should be entirely self-contained, led to great complexity in the many thousands of buildings erected by that order throughout Europe. Building features included the church, the centre of the whole monastic life; the chapter-house ; the pisalis, or calefactory, the common room of the monks; the refectory, or dining-room ; dormitories ; cloisters ; buildings devoted to the reception of guests; the almonry, where the needs of the poor were relieved; infirmary and physician’s residence ; library and writing-room ; schools for novices and children; besides bake-house, brewery, workshops, stables, and farm buildings.
The gardens were filled with vegetables, fruits, and medicinal herbs; and the whole abbey was surrounded by a wall. Such British abbeys are, for example, "Westminster, Canterbury, York, Tewkesbury (Benedictine), Durham, Fountains, Kirkstall (Cistercian), Bolton, Bristol, and Holyrood (Augustinian). The first English abbey was founded at Bangor in the year 560.
King Henry VIII began his suppression of the kingdom's monastic foundations in 1525, by ordering the closure of the smaller ones. By 1538 he had abolished, or had ordered the surrendering (the closure) of all the institutions, including the most wealthy and powerful ones.
In 1162, in the seventh year of the reign of King Henry the Second a body of nine Augustinian Canons were brought to Dale in Derbyshire by the then Lord of the manor there, Geoffrey de Salicosa Mare .
The men were to live in what was then a wet and wild, deep valley hollow known as Depedale.. It lay in the vicinities of the villages West Hallam, Heanor and Ilkeston. They had come from New-house, in Lincolnshire for the the purpose of establishing a community dedicated to monastic life. Theirs was an extreme task, and one that eventually became impossible as sustained life and work in Depedale proved too harsh. Nevertheless, decades later, after other attempt's had also failed there, a community did become established.
Those first monks of Dale had been formerly of the Augustinian order . They were replaced by a number from Calke Abbey, men who later still were themselves replaced (or perhaps supplemented) by Premonstratensian canons came from Tupholme and finally, more from Welbeck. Depedale (Dale) was an isolated hollow. Its abbey was to be built amidst wild thick woodlands, therefor the monks initially lived very hard , and hungry, lives . It was only as their body gained property, rents and tithe monies, was its future made sure.
The Abbey eventually owned some twentyfour thousand acres of land.
As the men in Depedale began their task, England was Violent and Lawless and its population falling .
The reign of King Stephen was from December 26th., 1135, until October 25th.,1154.
The years of the reign of Stephen were terrible for many of his subjects in England : a time in which 1115 castles were built . "The period was violent and lawless as the owners and occupiers of the castles which then abounded in England rampaged. One historian summarised the terrible time : " Castles abounded in every part of England; each defending, or rather depopulating, its neighbourhood. The knights of the castle seized the sheep and cattle in the fields, sparing neither churches nor cemeteries. They stripped the cottages even of their straw, and imprisoned their miserable inhabitants. They exhausted the property of their captives by their ransoms; and many perished in the torments that were applied to compel them to redeem themselves. Tortures were inflicted, both to gratify, revenge, and amass wealth."
Dale Abbey was costly to build. Though quarry stone could be had, money could not.
The hermit of the cave had been long dead before the benevolence of Lady Matilda of Stanli made the "manor of Stanleye with its parish" to the canons of Dale.
It also acquired advowsons of the churches of Heanor, Ilkeston, and Kirk Hallam.
The Abbey was built of stately dimensions, having several large windows on each side, and one large chancel window at its east end . Today that window still stands though long ruined and empty.
Then," Richard de Sandiacre," (at a later date) gave, for the love of God and salvation of my soul, to the canons of Dale, a piece of land in " my wood of Kirk Hallam," " being six perches in width, together with the quarry in it, extending from the abbot’s ditch to the east of the said quarry, as far as the wood of the Canons of Dale, for quarrying, ditching, and enclosing," as they shall choose. From this time Dale Abbey increased in possessions and riches, under the rule of eighteen successive Abbots, so that at the time of the Dissolution in I539, when it was surrendered by the Abbot and sixteen Canons, its yearly value was estimated at £144 4s, a sum equal to nearly *£3000 in these day.
The original Depedale church, a stone construction that was later developed and expanded to be Dale Abbey, was built by Austin Cannons . Considerable further building (from about the year 1200) created a fine structure of stately dimensions that possessed "Early English," "Early English Transition," and '"Decorated" styles of architecture, plus some later additions made at the latter end of the fifteenth century.
First in a series of events which turned the poverty of Depedale to prosperity was the wedding of Margery, the daughter of the man that had been touched by the hermit’s rags and skins, and Serlo de Grendon, - a soldier ardent in warfare, owner of many a manor, and a member of an important wealthy family. With his wife he received half the manor of Okebroke. . Then was Serlo’s gift of part of his wife’s dowry to " a friend who was also his spiritual mother in that she had promised for him at the sacred font long years before." To her Serlo gave "the place of Depedale, and all the land between the path which leads from Boyhawe toward the west to the Colkeysike and Brunesbroc ;" and there she lived in a mansion " where there is now a pond, at the bottom of which our fathers found many cut stones which formerly belonged to the said mansion." This "venerable matron" persuaded her godson to give Depedale to the monastery of Kalke, because " God, who orders everything, willed to exalt Depedale yet more gloriously."
The canons of Kalke sent five of their number to live in their new possession. Their names were Humfrey, who was their leader; Nicholas and Simon, who had both been fellow—students at Paris with Serlo’s son William; "and two others whose names have escaped my memory." These were joined by the godmother’s son, Richard, who had been instructed in sacred letters and ordained priest in order that he might say mass in his mother’s chapel of Depedale, " Having taken root in the said place, the aforesaid canons, strengthened by God, built for themselves a church at great expense, and also other buildings." Moreover, Humphrie, their prior, went to Rome and obtained very valuable privileges " .
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In Queen Victoria's Kinder Times - as the Railways began to be built across the land - Long after the years of Dale Abbey, a traveller of Queen Victoria's time recalled Depedale and the countryside about as he then saw it : -
"Depedale, better known as Dale Abbey, has no connection with the limestone region more commonly associated with Derbyshire, but may be taken as a type of the (Robin Hood) scenery frequent in the outer margin of the country; and, indeed, in several parts of the Midland district. It lies in the neighbourhood of the Nottingham border, some eight miles to the east of Derby, among the low hills that drain into the valley of the Erewash. Beyond Derby, the road mounts rapidly from the level meadows by the river Derwent till an upland plateau is gained, over which it runs through richly-wooded scenery, at times seeming almost a continuous park. It commands lovely views over the valley of the Derwent and across a shelving, gently—undulating region toward the south, where mile after mile of rolling fields and woodlands stretches away till at last the lines of the Charnwood Forest hills rise blue in the distance.
At length, as the view begins to widen toward the east, we reach the edge of a declivity, and Depedale lies spread out before us. It is a silent, world—forgotten spot—a little village, with crooked lanes, and houses scattered about hap-hazard and almost smothered in orchards. Its history may be briefly told, as it is gathered from the chronicle of one of the Canons of the Abbey, Thomas de Musca, who lived in the fifteenth century; it also forms the subject of a ballad by the Howitts. About the beginning of the thirteenth century, there lived in Derby one Cornelius, a baker,. who, like his namesake of Caesarea, served the Lord zealously in prayer and almsgiving. Falling asleep on a certain day, the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a vision, and bade him, if he would be perfect, leave all his worldly goods and betake himself to Depedale, there to serve her and her Son in solitude and prayer. Thither he wandered, guided by an accidental direction, which he received as a sign from heaven, and, in a little cave scooped out from the rock, worshiped God in fasting and prayers night and day. The Lord of Ockebrook, on his return from Normandy, came upon the recluse while he was out hunting; and, being moved by compassion at his miserable state, granted the spot to him, and gave him tithe of the mill of Burgh for his support. After discovering a spring in the lower part of the valley, and so securing a supply of water, from the want of which he at first had suffered much, he built there an oratory; and, after many sufferings, d
Every day the Canons of Dale walked in procession around their churchyard. Their lives were guided by formal written rules contained within a book that had been given a striking frontispiece , a representation of two winged boys carrying a skull of startling appearance, having six conspicuous front teeth, three in each jaw. . . .
Thankfully, it eventually happened that, " the Lady Matilda de Salicosa—Mara," in spite of her womanhood, was allowed to enter the sacred precints of Dale, because the noble matron, being old and full of days, and knowing that the time of her summons from this world ( ie her death ) was swiftly drawing near, desired to persuade God to give her a happy exit from this vale of tears by means of " the prayers of such holy men" as the canons. Lady Matilda, and her husband, they being nine years married, had no children and wanting some, made the "manor of Stanleye with its parish" to the canons of Dale, in order that " God, the most High, the rewarder of good deeds, considering the pious devotion of our humility, may grant to us the delight of being blessed with the children we long for," and also that He, " in return for this our gift, may grant to us the happiness of eternal life."
The Hymn, Salve Regina . . .
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
hail our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
By that,the 1899 "History of Ilkeston" plainly observes, reasonably, that the Canons of Dale, " a community of celibates, owed its foundation to a childless couple who were desiring a son to inherit their name ." It further comments that the first object of their gifting having failed, it was natural that the lady should 'appeal to the canons to do their best to procure the fulfilment of the second '.
The Baker of Derby became the First Hermit of Dale - then described as Depedale .
As a folk tale and song : the story of the baker of Derby passed down the years .
Truman's History invites a reader to Imagine a scene within a small cottage at evening, where a mother and her family are gathered together . Quote: " And now, as she tarries with them a while, they gather round their aged " mother" " on a certain holy day," and she tells them a tale, the story of how, like St. Norbert of old to his valley of Premontré, a certain baker of Derby first came to the valley of Dale, in the endeavour to make himself perfect, and so to earn "the kingdom of love and joy and eternal bliss which God has prepared for those who love him." The baker had for many years distributed to the poor in alms every Saturday, " for the love of God and the Holy Virgin," all the profits of his baking for the week, except what he needed for food and clothing for himself and his family. Such charity was rewarded. "It happened that on a certain day in autumn, when he had given himself up to the midday sleep, the blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Thy alms are accepted before my son and me, but now if thou wilt be perfect, leave all that thou hast and go to Depedale, and there thou shalt serve my son and me’ " by living all by yourself; and " when thou shalt have finished thy llife on earth, thou shalt inherit" the above mentioned kingdom. So, leaving the poor of Derby to wait in vain for the doles by which he had kept them from starvation, the baker straightway went forth without saying goodbye to his friends and relations, and walked to Stanley, without the ghost of an idea of whereabouts Depedale might be.
In the middle of the village he overheard a woman telling a girl to drive her calves to Depedale, and, "believing that this word had been spoken to him in grace," he followed her and them to " a marshy , place of fearful aspect" far distant from even any hut. There he scooped out a cave in the rocky side of the mountain, " a very small dwelling," which every Ilkestonian has visited, as every inhabitant of Knaresborough has visited the similar hermit’s cave near that town. For there were hermits enough and to spare; but the baker of Derby was one of a superior class. The generality, at least at a later date, were "lewed eremytes that look full humble to gain men’s alms in hope to sit at even by the hot coles, and after drinking deep, to draw themselves to bed, lyving in ydelnesse and in ese." But the fact that the taverns were crowded with dirty hypocrites was a proof that the standard hermit was by no means a despicable creature, however untidy in his habits, else the country folk would not have paid people for pretending to be like him when they were not. Genuine hermits used to spend most of their time in fighting evil spirits, who, thinking not unnaturally that they must have a great deal of spare time on their hands, used to worry them nearly out of their senses. They frequently came to them armed with four claws on each hand, one-third the length of their arms, and five on each foot—eighteen in all, and wearing nothing but a pair of bathing drawers and two long ears. But, formidable though they were, they were not invincible. St. Norbert, when pending a night in prayer about this time, was thus visited when he was in the act of holding his jaw up with his hand because he was so dreadfully tired.* He heard his visitor crying scornfully, " Yah l yah l what
eat work do you think you are ever likely to do when you can’t hold out for a single night ?" " You are liar from the beginning," replied the saint; " who do you think is going to believe you now ?" " At this the evil spirit fled away in confusion." So it was with our Derby ex-baker. As "he served God, day and night, in hunger and thirst, in cold and in meditation," trying to become perfect by eating less than was good for him, " the cunning old enemy of the painted windows in the cloister of Dale Abbey told the story of how St. Robert, the hermit of Knaresborough, and son of the or of York, slew the deer which would not let him repeat his psalms in peace—most hermits made a point of repeating the entire Psalter
day—and how the keepers complained to the king, and how the king told St. Robert he might have as much land for himself as he could plough with a yoke of deer, and how nicely the deer did the ploughing, just as if they had been doing nothing else all their lives."
Cannons were priests and deacons who lived like monks. It was St. Augustine who first thought of them. " He made of his episcopal palace a community of clerks who served his church. Those who had anything were obliged to distribute it to the poor, or to get rid of
somehow or other. They waited for the mercy of God by the charity of the Church and by the offerings of the faithfuI," instead of stipulating for regular salaries, and what they received was distributed among them according to their needs. According to strict rule the men would dine and sup together. No woman was allowed to enter the house.
Today the only clearly visible Abbey ruin feature is its 40-foot-high chancel window - it being sixteen feet wide, and forty feet from the ground to its keystone .
Victorian excavations revealed the church to have possessed transepts of one hundred feet in length, a crossing tower, a cloister eightyfive feet square and a nave of unknown length. Some of the remains of the building can be found in houses around the village.
The last Abbot of Dale Abbey, John Bede, died in 1540.
When, after its dissolution, Sir Francis Pole of Radbourne took possession of Dale Abbey its furnishings and fittings were sold or stripped out. Some were installed in nearby churches. Morley Church became home to some of the stained and painted glass, floor tiles and an entire porchway. The ornately carved font cover was installed in Radbourne Church while Chaddesden received a window frame. In 1884 the Abbey font eventually was returned to Dale , being placed in All Saints Church . The slabs upon which the canons walked for so many centuries can be found in the grounds of the church at the Moravian Settlement at Ockbrook
.
At the time of its forced yet none-violent surrender, Dale Abbey was thought to be of stately dimensions, it having several large windows on each side, and one large chancel window at the east end . It had been founded in the year 1204.
Its surrender to the crown's agent was forced in 1538 by which time its revenues were estimated at £144 4s. per annum.
A historian named Willis writes Dale Abbey was surrendered by its last abbot, John Staunton, together with sixteen monks. However according to the commissioners’ accounts of that date it was a person named John Bede was the last abbot. The commissioners awarded the abbot John Bede a pension of £26 13s. 4d., and the monks various smaller pensions. The commissioners counted the total number of monks to be eighteen .
On its last day the Abbey's period of government (authority) had been exactly three hundred and twelve years , six weeks and one day .
Thereafter as the years passed the former Abbey land was subject to many changes of ownership . Upon its surrender to the Crown a certain Francis Pole, Esq., took possession of the site and demesnes, as lessee [ almost certainly for the Crown ] and purchased the altar, crucifix, organ, gravestones and and all the live and dead stock. In the year 1538, the abbey clock was sold for six shillings ; the iron, glass, paving and grave stones, for a total of eighteen pounds. The former Abbey's six great bells , which weighed 47 cwt. , were also disposed of - but for what price or by what arrangement is not known,
In 1554, he ( Francis Pole ) was granted (ie given) the abbey as his fee, that is as a payment to him for his services as lessee .It then being his property , In that same year he conveyed it ( sold it ) to Sir John Port , one of the Justices of the King’s Bench.
Thereafter , Dorothy, one of Sir John's co-heiresses, was left it by his will and by the law of that time brought it to her husband, Sir George Hastings.
Sir Henry Willoughby, of Risley, then purchased the estate of the representative of Sir George Hastings, who was afterwards Earl of Huntingdon, and died in 1605.
Sir Henry Willoughby having left three daughters, co-heiresses, one of whom left no issue, the manor of Dale and the abbey demesnes were held in moieties by the noble family of Grey, and that of A Dewes , into which the other co-heiresses married. One moiety.of the estate was purchased in 1716, by the trustees of Philip the then Earl of Chesterfield, of Sir Simon Dewes, for his BOD Alexander, father of the first Earl of Stanhope.
[ Thereby it came to be that Lord Stanhope was the land's owner at the time of the Abbey site excavation which was commenced, under the auspices of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society in 1878.]
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THE HERMITAGE OF DALE was a cave, cut in sandstone rock just a short distance from the old Abbey. It was made a basic, yet comfortable enough dwelling, it having a large in the rock, possessing,.originally, a rude doorway a Dale was endowed by the lord or lady of a manor. in return for prayers for their family.
Traditionally, hermitages have been located in caves and huts, often in the desert or woods, sometimes abutting monastery buildings of a cenobitic community when there was an exchange of labour and provisions
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The September 1878 [ partial ] Excavations at Dale Abbey .
In September, 1878, an excavation of the foundations of Dale Abbey was begun and continued into August, 1879 when it was ended "having met with unexpected success". The Abbey ground plan was thought largely complete though not concerning its south and west sides .The work had commenced, under the auspices of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. Though some trial holes were permitted to be dug at the south side none were permitted at the west owing to the unwillingness of the tenant there.
It appeared that there were six altars to the church, viz., the High Altar, and those dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, our Lady of Pity, the Holy Rood, S. Margaret, and S.Werburgh. Of these the High Altar and two others remained; the position of two others was indicated. The whole church appeared to be of early English date. One of the most valuable discoveries was a large portion of the nave pavement with the tiles disposed for the arrangement of processions. A remarkable effigy was also found, but opinions dilfer as to whom it represents, whether a canon, a cantor, a lector, abbot, or prior.
Some distance beneath this efligy was found an oaken coffin, and beneath the body which was in this coffin were a large number of leaves still green and pliant, although a lapse of 500 years must have ensued since they were plucked from the tree.
Beneath two incised slabs, interments were also found. A west doorway ol great richness was unearthed, and also a rnemorial stone of an abbot. It bore a richly sculptured cross, by the side of which was cut a pastoral staff, as significatory of the rank of the old Premonstratensian prelate.
The lower courses of a fine staircase at the junction of the choir and north transept that lead up to the central tower were exposed with numerous especially good encaustic tiles of heraldic and set patterns. Also discovered were fragments of painted glass and beautifully carved crochets of Early English work.
Of the original Church, built by the Austin Cannons, there are hardly any remains, beyond some fragments of incised slabs, and perhaps, two or three bases of piers. The existing buildings appear to have been commenced about the year 1200, and there are examples of the "Early English," "Early English Transition," and '"Decorated" styles, with some later additions of the latter end of the fifteenth century.
[ Doctor Stukeley's plan shows an aisleless cruciform church, with two contiguous chapels on the south side of the choir- the cloister to the south, bounded by the transept and a large
oblong chamber on the east ; the parlour, refectory, and kitchen on the south, and sundry offices, with the Prior`s lodging, on the west.
The excavations, however, have proved that the doctor's survey is inaccurate.]
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After the 1878 - 1879 archaeological excavations upon the Abbey's site , Earl Stanhope, its owner, stated that he intended to preserve it and to erect a building to serve as a museum.
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Manuscript : read the following ancient text which is in old style English with care . . .
One of the most interesting records extant, relating to the "Abbey de Parco Stanli" or Dale Abbey," is the one contained in the valuable MS. volume, numbered 172, in the Augmentation Office Records. This account contains the inventories of eleven religious houses, taken in 1538, under the direction of Dr. (afterwards Sir) Thomas Legh and William
Cavendish, the King’s Commissioners for the dissolution, and among these are three or four Derbyshire and Staffordshire houses.
From a copy of one of these—the Inventory of Dale Abbey-—we make the following extracts " : Dale Priory ( Abbey ) , Derbyshire . Hereafter folowyth all such parcells of implements or householde stuife, corne, catell, ornaments of the churche and such
other lyke founde within the late monastery ther at the time of the dissolucon of the same house, soulde by the Kinges Commissioners to Fraunces Pole, esquire, the xxiiij day of October in the xxxth yere of our soveraigne lorde Kyng Henry the viijth..
The Churche : At the hygh aulter a table of woode paynted, ij candlestykes of brasse, a lampe, the seates in the quier, acrucyfyx, Mary and John, a payre of organs, xxs, on the
ryght hand of the quier ij aulters wyth ij tables of allebastervjs. : a grate of yron abowte the Founder [a railing or screenof wood or metal round the tomb of the founder] and tym-
ber worke ther viijs. ; the rode alter in the church and a rodether ijs. ; in our Lady Chapell a table of alebaster and certen setes and woode ther vs.: in the lytell Chapell of our
Lady a table of alebaster wyth an imaj of our Lady ther iijs. ;the particion of tymber in the body of the Churche xxd. ;the clock ther vjs. ; the roffes, ieron, glasse, pavying stones,
and grave stones, and pavying stones in the church xviijli.The Dorter : there ys soulde for vijs vjd.The Vestry : ij tynacles of blacke satten a cope of the same with albes thereto belonging ; a sewte of whyte sylke with a cope to the same spotted with blue sterres; a sewte of blake sylke viij oulde copes viij oulde altar clothes as soulde for xls.
The Cloyster; The roffes, ieron, glass, pavyng stones and the seats there soulde for vi li.
The Kechyn: A brasse pott in a furnes; iij brasse potts; iij lytell pannes; iij spyttes ; a payr of coberds ; j pott chayen ; ij cressetts; j grydyren; a payr of tongs; a morter with a pestell ; xl platers, dysshes and saucers, sould for xls.The Brewhonse ; ij leads ; a masshyng fatte ; a malte arke . The Bysshops Chamber: An oulde fether bede; an oulde coveryng; a boulster; an oulde tester; an oulde henging -— xijs.Catell at the Monastery : viij oxen soulde for iiijli. ; xv. yonge bullokes, at iiijs. the peoe, lxs. ; xx pygges soulde fore xiijs iiijd. ; ealvys soulde for xxs; horses there soulde for xxs — ixli. xiijs iiijd.
[Then follow the remainder of the ‘ oatell and also the grayne ~soulde’ at Bayhaye Graunge and Ockbroke Graungaj Wayenes at the Monastery : ij waynes soulde for vjs viijd, ij
oulde waynes soulde for vjs viijd.
Hereafter folowyth all such parcells of implements or house holde stuffe, corne, catell, ornaments of the churche and such other lyke founde within the late monastery ther at the time of the dissolucon of the same house, soulde by the Kinges Commissioners to Fraunces Pole, esquire, the xxiiij day of October in the xxxth yere of our soveraigne lorde Kyng Henry the viijth.The Churche : At the hygh aulter a table of woode paynted, ij
candlestykes of brasse, a lampe, the seates in the quier, a crucyfyx, Mary and John, a payre of organs, xxs, on the ryght hand of the quier ij aulters wyth ij tables of allebaster
vjs. : a grate of yron abowte the Founder [a railing or screenof wood or metal round the tomb of the founder] and tymber worke ther viijs. ; the rode alter in the church and a rode
ther ijs. ; in our Lady Chapell a table of alebaster and certen setes and woode ther vs.: in the lytell Chapell of our Lady a table of alebaster wyth an imaj of our Lady ther iijs. ;
the particion of tymber in the body of the Churche xxd. ; the clock ther vjs. ; the roffes, ieron, glasse, pavying stones,and grave stones, and pavying stones in the church xviijli.
The Dorter : there ys soulde for vijs vjd. The Vestry: ij tynacles of blacke satten a cope of the same with albes thereto belonging ; a sewte of whyte sylke with a
cope to the same spotted with blue sterres; a sewte of blake sylke viij oulde copes viij oulde altar clothes as soulde for xls.ety was purchased, 1778, of the Earl of Stamford.
[A list of ‘ rewards gyven to the abbott and covent ther at ther departure’ is next given, and is followed by a number of payments in sums varying from 5s. to 20s.—— in all, £15 9s. Sd., V including Sir William Cooke, the parish pryst of Stanley, in `' reward 20s. ; John Tebaulde and his wyffe xijs., and John of the Henhouse, viijs.]
Pencizms and Stypends appoynted and allotted to the late Abbott and Convent of the seid late Monastery by the foreseid Commissioners to
John Bede, late Abbott . . . .xxvj1i. xiijs. iiijd.
Richard Wheteley, prior . . . . . . cvjs. viijd.
John Cadman . . . . . . . . . . . . . .cvjs. viijd.
Richard Hawslon . . . . . . . . . . . cvjs. viijd.
Thomas Bagshaw . . . . . . . . . . .cvjs. viijjd.
William Smyth . . . . . . . . . . . . . .cvjs. viijjd. John Banks . . . . .. . . . . ... . . . . .cs.
John Shemold . . . . . . . . . . . . . lxvjs. viijjd.
George Coke . . . . . . . . . . . . .. es. ff
Robert Hervey . . . . . .. . . . . . . cxvis. viijd. Y
Rauffe Heryson . . . . . . . . . .. . cs. QQ
Robert Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . ..lxvjs. viijjd.
Jamis Cheryholme . . . . . .
The partial archeological excavations of the site of Dale Abbey - 1878 - 1879 .
After the 1878 - 1879 archaeological excavations upon the Abbey's site , Earl Stanhope, its owner, stated that he intended to preserve it and to erect a building to serve as a museum.
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An 1875 photo at the Hermit's Cave. The man's name was Wood.
www.flickr.com/photos/lenton_sands/30971982551/in/datepos...
Las canciones sirven para muchas cosas.
Los lenguajes sirven para muchas cosas.
Las redes sociales sirven para muchas cosas.
Flickr sirve para muchas cosas.
La hipocresía sirve para muchas cosas.
Las mesas sirven para muchas cosas.
¿Quién sirve la mesa?
Dentro y fuera de cualquier red social, dentro y fuera de Flickr, dentro y fuera.
# # #
Songs serve for many things.
Languages serve for many things.
Social networks serve for many things.
Flickr serves for many things.
Hypocrisy serves for many things.
Tables serve for many things.
Who serves the table?
Inside and outside any social network, inside and outside Flickr, inside and outside.
# # #
Hypocrisy & Communication series
Gentle movement, elegant gesture, and nice color. Don't be misled by its look, the bird was actually pooing! I got this shot at Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
"Unzeitgemäße Zeitgenossen” ("Untimely Contemporaries"), by Bernd Göbel. Five caricatures on a bar on a pillar representing hypocritical Communist East Germany figures.
I am going to talk about a topic most would consider to be very sensitive and that is pornography. So if you don’t feel comfortable reading about it please stop whenever you like to. Of course I will talk about it from my personal experience. I will try not to focus on porn or talk about it in details, as my goal is not to assist others to indulge in sin but to glorify God for the freedom He has given me. I will start by talking about the photo first.
First of all I want to say that talking about being addicted to porn is not easy. I had considered talking about for some time but didn’t really want to do so. So I decided, like I do often, is to lie down and talk to God and think about why I didn’t want to write about it. The reason was simple: I didn’t want people to have a bad idea about me. The final point was: I wanted to keep my image “clean” like so many of us Christians like to do. However, after some thought I came to this conclusion:
1) I was born a sinner and I am as sinful in my nature as anybody else ever lived on earth, so there is no point in acting like I am better than anybody else.
2) I am who I am because of who I am in Christ, and that’s because of His perfect and finished work on the Cross: His death for my sins. Not because of anything good in me or about me.
3) When I accepted Jesus I basically gave Him ownership over me. In other words, there is no more “my reputation”, “my name”, “my this” and “my that”. Everything belongs to Him now. Of course I thought that I could simply avoid talking about this topic and “act” as if there is something special about me. But the truth is that He is special and I am special only because the Holy Spirit, who is special, lives in me.
4) For Christ to be lifted through me I must be lowered. For Him to be glorified I must tell the world about who I was before Christ.
5) I didn’t want to be a hypocrite! Of course, as we all know, being a hypocrite is much easier than a lot of things in life. (And believe me it is much easier to be a hypocrite than to live the Christian life, but only through living the Christian life we can find true fulfillment in Jesus.) But if I claim that I belong to Christ and that my identity is wrapped up in who I am in Him, a prince and a child of the living and holy One, then I have to act upon this claim. Otherwise I am simply being a hypocrite. I cannot say that my value and worth are in Him, when I value myself in how others see me.
So I will start my story now…
When I was in my teens back home, and I would be taking the bus in the evening sometimes I would look at my hand and be completely amazed by the orange sun light reflecting off of it, especially the amount of details God has put in the skin! And because I like to draw, shadows have always amazed me. Until now I try to emphasize shadows and contrast in my photos. So a couple of days ago I was studying when it was sunset and I looked at my hand and again I loved the amount of details in the skin. So I took few photos and after some editing, I realized this photo can be very fitting to talk about Jesus Christ’s favour in setting us free from sin. So here is my final product. I hope you like it. (Special thanks to Gimp!)
I didn’t soak the hand with orange colour and dark shadows because I want to talk about a light that’s brighter than the sun’s: the light of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That’s why I kept the light white.
I was not familiar with pornography until I came to Canada, and especially after I bought my first computer. Like so many others I started watching porn because of curiosity. I accepted Jesus in my life before I came to Canada though. Being still an immature Christian, spiritually like a few days old infant, I was an easy prey to Satan’s lies.
Then porn turned to more than just curiosity—it became a habit. Then from a habit it became an addiction. It pretty much consumed hours of my daily life, and all my energy. It cost me a lot in school as my marks dropped dramatically. My relationship with God was reduced to “hi” and “bye”!
I tried to quit many times but I couldn’t. I knew it was wrong but by then it was too strong of an addiction to break free from. I hated it and loved it at the same time. I hated it because it ruined every aspect of my life. I loved it because I was emotionally dependent on it: it was my idol. (For more on Idols you might be interested in reading: www.flickr.com/photos/001fj/2334638980/
Pornography was a very strange affair. I mean, when I went out I tried not to lust after women but when I came home I entertained the worst thoughts for hours! One of the worst things about porn is that it gets worse overtime. You never start at a low level and stay there; you stoop to lower levels because after a while those materials are not satisfying anymore. Can you imagine the helplessness people who are addicted to porn feel? Can you imagine the feeling of entrapment? Can you imagine not only seeing yourself in a very bad situation but also seeing yourself heading toward a worse situation and you are going by your own will simply because you couldn’t resist doing the thing that is hurting you and eventually will destroy you!
It is like standing in a hole and digging it to make it deeper and deeper and deeper.
One summer break I spent it pretty much editing photos using Photoshop and listening to Dr. Charles Stanley. In one sermon he was talking about how God sets us free and the bottom line was that we have to:
1) Realize and admit our situation and helplessness
2) Trust that God can free us
3) Surrender ourselves, lives and hearts to Him
So I tried it. I went to pray and told God all those three points and I meant them—I truly believed and knew that I couldn’t free myself from this sin, and I knew that God was a good God who loved me and cared about me….but, I didn’t know how to surrender! I mean if I was in a war then I could take a piece of white cloth and put it on a stick, raise it up and walk toward the enemy. They would see the white piece of cloth and would know that I am surrendering, but how do you do that spiritually? I mean, it is more than words just as in the scenario of the battlefield above: I have to raise (action word) the stick, and walk (another action word) toward the enemy. But how do you surrender spiritually?
Needless to say after that prayer I went back to pornography as if I had not even prayed it! I knew Dr. Stanley is a godly man so I knew he wouldn’t teach something false, but I simply didn’t know how to apply it. So I kept trying to break free from pornography using all methods I knew from self-control (emphasis on the word “self”; I am not talking about the self-control we have by focusing on Christ and putting Him first in our lives), to using filters to always keeping the windows and door open, etc…nothing worked.
God wasn’t completely silent in those couple of years when I was addicted to porn. I can recall some other time when God completely cut all communication with me until I obeyed Him in a certain matter (thank God He did that!), but that was not the case in those two years. I think God knew that I was helpless against breaking free from porn. He knew I was too young spiritually to abandon me completely to my weakness and leave me completely at Satan’s mercy (as if he has any!)
A particular scary moment was when one night after indulging in sin for hours I stood and planned to go carry out a sinful act. After a couple steps it was as if God slapped me so hard that He woke me up from a nightmare; the only thing is that I was not dreaming--it was real life! I had so foolishly bought Satan’s lies to the degree that I was going to carry them out! I froze and couldn’t move for few seconds because it was as if God had blocked my way. Then I realized that I was basically a slave of Satan if I kept believing what he told me. I was like a zombie having all sense sucked out of me and so dead in my sins.
Nothing can explain God's intervention in that moment better than this song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_SjhKJgqGg
I also realized that I was not so different from Ted Bundy or any other serial killer and rapist. I was a step away from going that road if it wasn’t for God mercy, grace, love and compassion. I can never be thankful enough for Him for intervening in that moment. We were all born sinners, and according to God holiness that demands divine justice we all deserve the death penalty. That’s why our Lord had to die for our sins to be forgiven. So please, next time you hear about a criminal so “evil” ask yourself those two questions: 1) Can Jesus’ blood forgive all his sin? Yes, or no? 2) Can God change him? Yes, or no? The answer is yes to both questions. (Check this man’s testimony if you like to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIfQ-aBham4
One time I managed to stay away from pornography for 18 days! I was so happy but when I fell to sin again I was more miserable than ever before! I knew that I couldn’t do better than that. That was about half a year after listening to Dr. Stanley’s message.
So sometime in March of 2003 I went to pray at night. And I basically told God that I had enough and that I wasn’t going to pray anymore. I was ending my relationship with Him! I didn’t know better at the time that He paid a high price to adopt me into His family and He wasn’t just going to let me go! I was so tired of pretending that my religion works when it didn’t! I became a Christian not looking for a religion, but because the God of the Bible was so real I wanted to know Him…I wanted to experience what He did and said He would do. But it was not working! It was also so repulsive to me to come pray to God when I had so disgustingly disobeyed Him! It was like lusting after women all day long then going home and kissing my wife and pretending that everything is “fine”, (by the way, it is NOT “fine” with God and His opinion is the only opinion that matters if not now then later!). I simply couldn’t carry a relationship with a Holy God when I was so steeped into sin. I was crying when I told Him “good-by” because I had really wanted Christianity to work since it was the only faith that held its own claims and its God was so real that it would require more faith for me not to believe in Him than to believe in Him! (How much faith does it take to believe in gravity? None, because we know it exists! That’s the same case with our God.) So I told Him that I don’t care anymore. I give up. I can’t break free from pornography’s hold on me, and He isn’t helping me. So I give up and won’t try to resist porn anymore. I was too tired to try to please a God who wasn’t willing to help me with my burdens.
I don’t remember exactly what day it was that I prayed that prayer but I know it was in the last 10 days of March, 2003. So I stood up and thought that was the end…that all those prayers I had prayed and He answered, the peace He has given me, the joy, and the awesome awareness of His presence I had experienced before…were all things I had imagined.
Next day I didn’t watch porn, and I thought because I was busy with school work. The day after I didn’t watch porn either and I thought because the whole week was a busy week with school work! After a week I realized that I didn’t watch porn for the last week nor did I think about it or desired to watch it! That’s when it hit me: I was free! Hallelujah, Jesus set me free! Christianity works! My wonderful God is real! Everything He did before was real! So I went to pray again, and asked Him what I should do now! He put on my heart to go to www.settingcaptivesfree.com/home/our_courses.php and register! So I did, and went through the online program for 2 months. And I have been free from pornography since that March night until today. I had a friend in high school was struggling with pornography too. He was from Pakistan and when I told him that I was free he didn’t understand how. I couldn’t explain it more to my friend than the blind man, whom our Lord Jesus healed, answered in John 9:25:
He replied, "…One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
It took me a while to realize that the Biblical principle in Dr. Stanley’s sermon works! What I did in that prayer is simply I gave up: surrendered. I stopped trying to do it in my own strength. I stopped trying to fight God’s war for Him. I stopped trying to earn His favour. I stopped trying to win my way according to my timing. I ceased striving.
If you read Gideon’s story, the story Dr. Stanley based his sermon outlines on, you will realize God did the same thing with Gideon and His army. I truly encourage you to read it. You can find it in the book of Judges.
Why did God free me this way? Well there are many reasons, here are some:
1) He wants to bring Himself the glory. If we do it on our own and succeed what does that tell the world about Him? Nothing. Then I could’ve written this whole story without a mention of Him. But the fact is I couldn’t break free from pornography on my own in a million years. It was all His work.
2) He desires to grow our faith. My faith wouldn’t have grown in a God that stands idle while I did everything myself. But now I know He is more than able to do everything He said will do.
3) God wants us to trust Him and know that He can handle His own affairs and wars. It is good to defend God and fight for Him, but we must let Him fight His own battles so the world to know that He is a mighty and powerful God, and that He is real.
Let me ask you some questions: if you are always fighting for your god, protecting it, speaking on its behave, defending it, what makes you think it is a real god? If your god can’t speak, what makes you so convinced it could create your mouth? If your god can’t fight its own battles against evil, what makes you think it can give you victory? If your god can’t defend itself, what makes you think it can protect you?
4) For others to see, hear, believe and come to know Him. If I was able to free myself from porn by myself, how would that draw people to Him?
You can say whatever you want about God. You can say that you don’t like Him. That you don’t believe in Him. You can say that you would rather live your life without Him, and spend eternity in Hell than in Heaven with Him. But you can’t tell me that I was not addicted beyond human hope to pornography and He freed me from it. You can’t tell me that my God isn’t real or that He is dead. You can’t tell me that my God is not powerful, or that He doesn’t love me and cares about me.
I remember a couple of years ago I was waiting for the bus (isn’t it strange how I realize a lot of things while waiting for the bus!), and thought to myself, “What is so horrible about pornography anyway?” (That was a couple of years after God freed me from it!) Then suddenly I had this very empty feeling in my chest when I remembered how spiritually thirsty I was when I was addicted to porn. I remember how horrible it felt to chase after something that does not satisfy and that it leads to more chasing…but it still does not satisfy! Ever since then until now, I would like to think that I have a healthy fear of pornography, and sin in general. (Remember, God created fear to protect us, just like pain. But how we view fear and respond to is what makes the difference between a protective fear and an enslaving fear.) Of course, porn’s destruction is much more than the chasing after something that does not satisfy. But I won’t go into how much it has actually ruined countless lives, because many websites and statistics are available for those who are truly seeking to know the truth about porn’s destructive power.
1 John 4:4 says:
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
It is sad how many Christians have opinions about sin that are not based on God Word. I read things such as, “It is my motives that count…so even though I do this and that, I do them without lusting…” Really? Where does the Bible teaches that? When our Lord talked about motives he was talking about fasting, praying, and giving to the poor not about sin! You can’t sin with pure motives! It doesn’t make sense! You can fool me, and you can fool your church congregation! But how can you live with yourself knowing that you are lying to yourself! And how are you going to fool God? Rather, how are you going to face Him?
And some Christians even say “it is natural to do so and so”. Yes, you are correct, but since when does the Bible talk about our nature as if it is holy! Our nature is corrupt and sinful, so why do we say “natural” as if it is a good thing! It is natural to get angry and want to get revenge; it is natural to lie when accused of something; it is natural to cheat when we want to get our way…but what does the Bible teach about all those examples of “natural behaviour”? They are all sin and do not fit us as sons and daughters of the living God!
No, I am not talking about people who are addicted to drugs, porn, alcohol, and so on. I am not even talking to the unbelieving world here. I am talking to us, Christians. I truly believe that there is a huge difference between someone who is sinning—because he or she are addicted to a certain sin, regardless of how they got themselves into this mess—but they absolutely hate that sin and want to be free from it, and between someone who knows he is sinning but has no problem with it--welcomes sin in his life.
I am going to say something here that I think will make a lot of people dislike me, but I am going to say it anyway and hope that you take it with an attitude knowing that I am not judging anybody here:
If you are a woman who has Christ in her life, please re-consider the way you dress. Not according to my standards, or the church you attend. Certainly not according to the standards of the latest fashion or to “that is the only thing available in stores nowadays”. Don’t go to someone else asking their opinion or read an article about it. Go directly to God’s Word and ask God directly, and if you are honestly seeking to follow Him He will show you His way. But I must warn you: once He makes His will clear you won’t have peace until you obey Him.
You might be wondering why I am talking about women’s dressing in a topic about porn! Well, men are very visual so they sin by lusting (even women do that, but I am not sure they do so as much as men do) and so porn is a naturally attractive sin to them. Women desire to feel beautiful, desired, wanted and so she tries to meet those need by dressing in a way that attracts men’s attention. And that’s how she gets her momentarily (short-lived: like all the promises Satan makes in regard to sin) emotional high by noticing a man looking at her. But what I want to ask you is this: if you go home and you are all by yourself and have nothing to do, how do you feel: empty, far from your heavenly Father; or peaceful and your heart is flowing with love and adoration for Him?
Causing to Sin, Mark 9:42-50:
"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
" 'their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.' Everyone will be salted with fire.
"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."
If you are a man who has Christ in his life, please take some time, be quiet with God, and think about where you were yesterday spiritually, where you are today, and where you are heading tomorrow! Evaluate your life. Evaluate your ways. Seek to know God better. Make decisions, daily decisions, to live for Him. Live a pure life starting with your heart and mind. Think about your future wife (or present wife), think about your kids. You are going to be the leader of the house who represents Christ to the whole household! Will they see Him through you? Or will your daughters grow up thinking that they have to look beautiful, sexy, and act in certain ways to get a man’s attention and love? Think about God’s awesome and wonderful purpose that He desires to accomplish through you. Think about God’s reputation among the people who know you. Please don’t settle for less. We are not going to be given another chance after this life!
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27)
If you realize you are sinning against God while you are on your way home then repent right away and seek to follow Him! It is never too late to make a decision to live for Him, even if you just realized that at the end of the day. Daily surrender yourself to Him if that’s what it takes for you to live a pure and blameless life.
I will stop here. All I ask is that if you claim to believe something about God put it into practice. Whether in regard to your identity in Him, your personal agendas vs. His plans and purposes, or if you claim to believe that Christ died for someone else’s sin then why not forgive them? Remember, John 13:17:
“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
What things? The things that are written in God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit reveals to you.
And don't ever lose focus of this fact: all things are done through His goodness, grace and mercy—it, life here on earth and eternal life, is all about Him. However, for Him: it is all about you. It is the "Lord's favour" and not our own works whether in being saved or the power to live for Him: it is all about His grace.
Nothing But the Blood
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wej1jHtiH-M
(Toronot, ON; winter 2008.)