Can you imagine being friends with someone and not talking with them ever? That wouldn’t be much of a friendship, would it? Imagine if you called yourself “best friends” with someone, but didn’t talk to them for 75 years. Clearly, that would not be a real relationship. God gave the Israelites a book of the Law for them because he LOVED them, and wanted what was best for them. In the days of the kings of Israel (like in the story we studied this week), people didn’t have their own copy of the Law to read and follow. They depended on the kings to read it to them and to teach them what God said. So if the kings ignored God’s words, the people did too. God wanted a relationship with His people (just like He wants a relationship with us), but the kings of the day had shut it down.
This Week’s Finish Line: Because He first loved us, we can love God and trust His word!
We looked at the story of a young king this week: Josiah! In 2 Chronicles 34, the story of Josiah is told, who started his rule at age 8! That’s the same age as some of your kids out there- can you imagine them running a nation?! Josiah ended up being one of the wiser kings of Israel, in part because of what happens in this chapter. Josiah finds the book of the Law that God had written (probably Deuteronomy), and read it aloud to the people. When he realized how far they had drifted from God’s commands, he was sad and ripped his clothes. Then Josiah declared that God’s word was good and trustworthy enough to be followed! He led the Israelites back to the God who loved them.
Summarize 2 Chronicles 34 together. Who was Josiah? What was his family like?
What would it have been like to become king at age 8? What would you do if you were king when you turned 8?
Why was it a big deal that they found the book of the Law when they were cleaning the temple?
What does Josiah promise to do in 2 Chronicles 34:30-31?
At dinner this week, look at Deuteronomy 6:4-5, 7:9, and 10:12. What do these verses tell you about God? What do they tell you God wants you to do? Why does God want us to love Him first above anything else?
FRIEND: What is an idol?
During bedtime this week, ask your kids how they can know God loves them. What are some examples even from today? (A pretty sunset, fun time with a friend, good news, etc.) Look up a verse in the Bible together that will help you remember God is good and He loves you! Feel free to pick any verse that reminds you of God’s love, like Psalm 103:11. Write down the verse you picked and put it up where you and your child can see it every morning to remember.
Josiah and the Israelites didn’t have the opportunity to read God’s word anytime they wanted like we do. They didn’t even know what it said! We get to pull out a Bible at any moment, or even online anywhere we are, but sometimes we need to remember God’s words even faster. This is why we hide God’s word in our hearts through memorizing verses! Practice this month’s memory verse together with your family, and then pick random times throughout the week to see who knows it best!
Thank God for the gift of His Word & that you can read it for yourself. Ask Him to help you identify the idols that you are placing in front of Him so that you are freed to love Him with all your heart, soul & strength.
Next week we continue studying the character trait of LOVE, and we will talk about how knowing God better helps us love others! We will look at the lives of David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20.
The post We Can Love God and Trust His Word appeared first on Watermark Community Church Blog.


Will people have a phone number assigned at birth? Will customers pay only for network services and not the phones themselves?
The Android mobile phone software stack that was announced Nov. 5 by the Open Handset Alliance—an alliance of technology and wireless carriers that includes Google, T-Mobile, eBay, Qualcomm and Motorola—has given rise to speculation about the future of the mobile phone industry, some of it more outlandish than most.
At the very least, Android is sure to force entrenched phone makers and carriers to re-examine their business models.
The announcement emphasizes the development of software for end users rather than for particular device manufacturers, and that's a change for the better, said Jari Ala-Ruona, CEO of Movial, a Linux-based development company based in Helsinki, Finland.
"The mobile … user experience needs to be very Web-enabled," he said.
Matt Strain, senior search manager at search marketing automation enabler SEMDirector, said that Android will lower development costs, a benefit that will also trickle down to consumers.
Customers are also likely to benefit from sleeker, more elegant mobile devices in the future. Google executives are known to be enamored of Apple's iPhone, and given that Google executives made no reference to a so-called Gphone during the Nov. 5 conference call, some observers took that to mean that Google will throw its considerable weight behind device manufacturers that emulate Apple's design.
Sterling Market Intelligence analyst Greg Sterling said he expects a few Android devices to attempt to emulate the iPhone, but that few are likely to succeed in that endeavor.
"But what's important is that Google is trying to move the whole industry along and that the mobile Internet is starting to develop in earnest," he said.
Sterling's sentiments were echoed by Hyun Lee, formerly of the MIT Media Lab and currently with Boston University. She noted that the existence of Android challenges Apple, Microsoft and carriers such as AT&T and Verizon to think about how they fit in a world where computing and mobility are coming together.
The alliance also opens new doors for software developers. Strain noted that there is an opportunity for application development and monetization.
Movial's Ala-Ruona said the alliance offers an environment that's "as close to Web development as mobile development can get." He said current software development kits are lacking some features he hopes Android and the handset alliance will include. Movial is known in the space for helping Nokia create the first open mobile development platform for an Internet tablet and belongs to several mobile consortiums focused on Linux. Ala-Ruona said Movial will join the alliance, but declined to say when.
Read here about Google's mobile social networking gambit.
How about those free phones we were talking about?
Andy Rubin, Google's director of mobile platforms and the catalyst behind Android, said he doesn't expect to develop a full-blown, ad-supported phone for some time.
But most analysts expect Google to remain true to its advertising-based roots, which could lead to free services or devices for customers.
Strain speculated that Google will eventually weave its AdWords keywords system and other advertising options into the platform. "AdWords may be able to fuel this platform in time by itself, rewarding developers who make applications that can easily be monetized," Strain said.
Lee said companies will pay to include their ads with content for people who query and observe content. This might happen via subtle ad placement like what we find in Gmail such as the Web clip or relevant e-mail message ads that appear on the side.
Click here to read more about Google's Android platform.
Lee also said if devices that support the open platform were linked to T-Mobile's Sidekick, the phone would always be online, continuously connected to services.
"Imagine how ads can be pushed to the end user depending on their geographic location," Lee said. "Wouldn't you want to click on a $5 grocery coupon while you are shopping for food? This means that carriers become a provider in connection, just like ISPs, as opposed to charging by minute-based, service-based packages."
Not every analyst sees Android as a panacea for the industry, and some expressed concern that Google might fragment the mobile operating system market further with a new platform.
Strain raised a number of concerns, including the fact that some partners may not be interested in the open-source model. He also suggested that Google may seem too threatening for partners who wonder if it seeks to become all things in all markets. "Will Google attempt to move into the PV market next and compete with Microsoft?" he speculated.


According to this article, MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is working on a wireless VR solution that uses millimeter waves to transmit data between the headset and your PC.
MIT CSAIL's prototype system, known as MoViR, uses millimeter waves to send data from a transmitter that's hooked up to a computer to the headset's receiver. These high-frequency radio waves are capable of maintaining wireless connections at speeds over 6 Gbps -- enough bandwidth to stream the two, high-definition feeds required for VR -- but the signal doesn't penetrate objects well. As VR games and experiences typically require you move around in physical space, there is a high chance of your floor-standing lamp or flailing arms blocking the signal and impacting performance, in turn breaking the immersion.


What Is the Meaning of Single-Window Clearance?
Single-window clearance is an important concept that can be applied to a number of different industries. On the surface, it might be tempting to think that "single-window clearance" is a term in home improvement or construction. However, it actually refers to something more complex. Single-window clearance is related to issuing permits and the legal impediments that sometimes prevent the implementation of a project.
Single-window clearances make it possible to begin construction quickly.
The single-window clearance idea is used in construction or in other businesses such as importing and exporting. The idea behind single-window clearance is the need to eliminate as much of the red tape as possible that prevents those engaged in these types of industries from moving forward with their plans.
For instance, construction in some countries, such as India, has been slow in moving forward because multiple engineers must provide clearances for different aspects of the construction project.
Simplicity is the basic premise behind the single-window clearance concept. The idea is that governmental agencies should simplify the implementation process in certain industries.
Whenever processes are simplified in an industry, it leaves more time for those involved in that industry to focus on the task at hand. For instance, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe notes that the transfer of information in the importing and exporting industry takes place much more efficiently if carried out through a single office or authority, rather than multiple offices.
Single-window clearances have proven important in various countries where simplicity did not previously exist. In India, for example, the government of Tamil Nadu has attempted to implement the single-window clearance to simplify the construction industry.
The intent of the government was to set up a single-window clearance committee that could handle construction clearances for electrical work, pollution control, city planning and public health.
Implementation of a single-window clearance system is not necessarily all that simple. It involves moving from a more complex system to a simple one, but it is generally not possible for governments to just begin cutting programs and agencies.
Feasibility studies usually have to be conducted, and existing systems must be harmonized so they can work in concert with one another. This process can take months and even years to implement.


Translation:I would like a beer.
Is sört considered in the accusative case here because it's the (direct) object of the sentence? If so, do most nouns take a "t"?
not just most, but all. "-t" is the accusative ending.
To any native speakers: is 'szeretenék kérni' an often used construction here? Isn't 'sört kérek' the normal way of asking for a beer?
Yes, "szeretnék kérni" is often used as a more polite way of asking for something.
Both are widely usable. But "szeretnék kérni" is a bit too long, isn't it? Especially after a few.
We can throw away the rest.
Someone can explain the accusative case? Köszi!
It is relatively easy. The direct object of a sentence gets the accusative case.
The objects above in bold get the accusative case.
If the word you're making accusative ends in either "a" or "e," it is always lengthened to "á" or "é." This isn't just for accusative either; this is for any ending you may add.
kutya -- Látom a kutyát.
csécse -- Akarok egy csécsét.
Although accusative with personal words is completely different.
I just...sört kérek...acceptable too? I don't mean for this lesson, but in general in Hungarian.
Nope! I didn't include the article and it was correct. ^_^ My exact answer was: I would like beer, please.
I answered "I want beer", is it because I didn't add the article "a" to make it a complete English sentence?
I think it's a bit odd that to translate this as "I would like a beer" is okay, but if this were the exact same phrase but with wine, then "I would like a wine" is incorrect and you have to say 'I would like wine'. Is that because it's not a correct phrase in English?
doesn't "szeretnék" mean "I would love" rather than "I would like"?
What's the difference between szeretnék kérni and kerek szepen?
Why is the infinitive form "kérni" used here ?
Because it's used with the helping verb szeretnék.
We use the infinitive the same way in English.
It's just being translated idiomatically. The literal meaning is "I would like to ask for a beer", but it's more realistically translated into English as simply "I would like a beer."
Technically it is "I would like to ask for a beer." but it is idiomatic to say "I would like a beer." In English, "to have a beer" is "to drink a beer" and "to have dinner" is "to eat dinner", so that would be a different verb.
Generally if you put 'kérek' everything will become acceptable from the politeness point of view :) If you use conditionals it is even more polite.


Im a paid user now for sometime. Love Poweramp. I note the explanation given that focus is for Poweramp to be a high quality audio player hence local files are better, but like other perhaps wondering if I could use to play music files on my NAS rather than having to load a full copy of music files onto my phone. Im still using alpha build 709 because I can't remember why, lists worked better for me particularly I think because I prefer to list by Album artists to avoid the Artist list which has too many artists due to compilation and soundtracks albums. Is 709 v3 or still v2 and does Poweramp support playback over network?
I purchased Poweramp almost immediately after trying it because I loved it and I still love it. Some time ago although I don't remember how, I think I agreed to become a Beta tester and now using alpha build 703/704. I don't seem to be able to go back. To avoid having a near endless list of artists to browse or search through, I like to browse by Album Artist. And to make this work, always use both Album Artist AND Artist fields for ALL albums when tagging music files. Where an album such as a compilation or soundtrack has more than one artist, I assign 'Various Artists' to the 'Album Artist' field for all tracks and the actual artist name to the Artist field. But for some reason unknown to me, albums with Various Artists assigned to Album Artists display the correct album cover under 'Folder', 'Artist' and 'Album' views, and then also in 'Player' view but then either not at all, or one other than the embedded or downloaded image in 'Album Artist' view. But then and regardless what I try, one soundtrack and/or compilation album always seem(s) to display the correct album art under Various Artists, but most don't. Anybody?
Some stereo components now have are compatible with Spotify Connect, whereby you can stream Spotify from a mobile device. As I cannot and don't yet want to upgrade my current AV receiver alternatives include: A device such as Gramofon which connects wirelessly with a mobile device and feeds audio to via the Line In: or	A second or spare PC left connected to the amplifier or AVR; and possibly,	Chromecast?I like this second option for the moment but notice then that Spotify on a PC can, it cannot play local files on mobile device. So does Poweramp already have streaming functionality similar to Spotify Connect, which would enable this functionality. I don't fully understand Chromecast but can local files be streamed to Chromecast with Poweramp or any other app? If not, is in the realms of reality ?


God planned to reach the nations of the world despite the apostasy of His people. A plan to reach the world through the faithfulness of His people would never have materialized. The Lord said “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man” (Jeremiah 17:5). His model of international evangelism harmonizes with this precept.
His method of reaching the world involved international dispersions. When his people became like the nations He would punish them by national captivity. He would scatter them among all nations.
A minority of the scattered ones would see in their lot God’s chastisement. These would revive and reform their lives. God would show Himself mighty to bless this “remnant” and would gather them (without the others) back to their nation.
The various empires that ruled the known world — Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome — all became keenly aware of God’s power on behalf of His faithful people. An obscure defeated nation testified, by its apostasy and its remnant’s repentance, to the heathen world. Jehovah’s power and forgiveness became internationally proverbial.
As one step in this process God promised to scatter His people among the heathen when they would fail to keep His commands. Leveticus 16:14-33; Deuteronomy 4:23-37; 28:15-64.
Scattering was appropriate. The first scattering afflicted the first Babel. Gen 11:9. When God’s people would imitate the stubborn spirit and confused state of the Babel builders, they would be treated in the same way. In other words, when God’s nation appeared like Babylon, it would be scattered by the descendants of the Babel builders.
These cycles of scattering and remnant gathering characterize the history of God’s chosen nation. The last of the Biblical scattering episodes, the Babylonian captivity and Persian gathering, is the local setting for the larger portion of Old Testament eschatological (end-time) material.
In other words, the Lord Jesus made use of the scattering and remnant gathering of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus to picture the history and end of the Christian age. In the New Testament the major players from this Old Testament period—Babylon, Persia, Jerusalem, Remnant—are all spiritualized into end-time metaphors. Revelation 18:10; 16:12; 3:12; 12:17.
The summary of the story line is this: God’s special people are unfaithful to their trust and, largely, turn away from His Covenant of Ten Commandments. As a judgment, God uses Babylonian errors (“wine” in the type) to confuse and scatter their power. Then many even of God’s faithful people are captive in Babylon (like “Daniel” in the type). They witness there to the leading men of the world.
Then, after a time, a small faithful remnant are called back to join God’s structured people, Jerusalem in the type. They restore there the damage done by the earlier assaults of Babylon. Then wave after wave of growing remnant returns from their dispersion to thicken the ranks of God’s people under the protection of the Kings of the East, symbols of the Godhead. Rev 16:12.
God’s spokesmen focus on the remnant. When his people are about to be taken captive, God sends prophets to tell them how to behave in Babylon. As the time approaches for their gathering from captivity, prophets arise to guide the formation of the remnant. They even assist them with their reconstruction. Jeremiah 25:1; 51:64; Ezra 5:2.
During these periods many messages are given to the prophets for the world and its various bodies of people.
But the world’s messages are delivered rather to God’s people than to their intended recipients. Implicit in the delivery is the obligation of God’s forming remnant to be a currier of those messages.
The nations were unwittingly dependant on porters among the remnant if they were to receive their heaven-sent instructions. Only occasionally, as in the case of Jonah, was the prophet himself the porter.
When the remnant appears in Revelation, following the 1260 years of scattering (Revelation 12:17; 12:14; Daniel 12:7), this pattern appears again. The Testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy, aids the returning remnant.
False prophets also proliferated during the periods of God’s special work. Jeremiah and Ezekiel opposed them during the captivity. Nehemiah met false prophets while forwarding the reconstruction. Nehemiah 6:14.
In Revelation these false prophets find their parallel in the miracle-working power overtly supporting Babylon. Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10.
In short, God’s work of regathering brings a resurgence of prophetic activity—both true and false.
The woman of Revelation 12 is, in fact, the invisible church. She is clothed with the sun. She is dressed in pure white. Revelation 12:1-2. She is one woman, though she exists through the Jewish and Christian age.
The remnant is that “seed of the woman” that is at enmity with the “seed” of the serpent. That enmity is played out in the wrath of Revelation 12:17.
In a time of gathering, the elect and invisible remnant begins to approximate the visible church. During a time of scattering that approximation vanishes.
Where are we, as a Seventh-day Adventist denomination? Are a large portion of the remnant scattered? When will they be gathered? Are the world’s Daniels in Babylon today? Will the world’s Ezras and Nehemiahs be coming to Jerusalem soon? Will the wall be rebuilt in troublous times?
Much of the Old Testament story-information testifies that the answer to all these questions is yes. Then is it accurate to say that we, the Seventh-day Adventists, are the remnant church?
In one important sense, it is very accurate. We are the Jerusalem to which the remnant is being gathered slowly. The portion of the remnant that has been gathered already is in the Seventh-dayAdventistChurch. More precisely, the remnant that keep the commandments of God and that have the Testimony of Jesus have been gathered to form the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
And while we seem to be in a time of scattering, there will be another gathering. Like Daniel, we must be faithful until that time. And like him, may we live to see Babylon overthrown and the way of the Kings of the East prepared.
Three times scripture tells the first story of a remnant being blessed. Good King Hezekiah had led a national revival in Judah. He burned idols and desecrated their shrines.
His father had bought peace with Assyria by using gold from the temple. Hezekiah, zealous for God’s glory, rebelled against the Assyrians which had already carried the idolatrous neighbor kingdom of Israel captive. But Hezekiah expected God to favor the reforming nation of Judah.
Then Assyria took several of the fenced cities of Judah. The king wavered. Assyria had demanded submission guaranteed by a rich present. Hezekiah did like his father. The temple pillars that he had covered with silver, he stripped. This, with other precious metal, was forwarded to the waiting king.
But the God who had blessed Hezekiah’s faithfulness neglected to bless his weakness. The gift failed to repel the invaders. The Assyrians besieged Jerusalem. The extremity seemed to bring Hezekiah back to his senses. Meanwhile, outside the city gate, the Assyrian general blasphemed the God of heaven.
The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee [the King of Assyria], and laughed thee to scorn . . . Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, “With the multitude of my chariots I am come up . . . with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.” . . . Hast thou not heard long ago how I have [given power to kings like you over other nations.] Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded . . . . But I know . . . thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me . . . I will put my hook in thy nose . . . and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
Assyria and Babylon prefigure the great apostasy featured in the Bible’s apocalypse. In this prophecy of Isaiah God’s newly reformed nation of Judah is represented as speaking by its “virgin” daughter (See Jer 31:4 for a similar usage). This usage informs our understanding of Revelation 14 where the 144,000 are found to be virgins that are the “seed” of the woman (Revelation 12:17) that have despised the power of Babylon.
God’s enemy blasphemes God by putting Him on a level with other deities and exalting himself above them all. By political power the enemy expects to overwhelm God’s city. She does not realize that her national clout came through divine providence. Now she rages against the very God that put her on the throne. He will remove her power and repulse her campaign against the Holy People.
This was just the kind of prophecy Hezekiah longed for. But a practical problem loomed ahead. The Assyrians, even if they should leave as prophesied, had already reaped the harvest of the nation’s fields for that year. God turned the prophecy towards meeting this disaster with a promise of supernatural blessing.
He would cause the ground to bring forth sufficient provisions in uncultivated areas to feed the nation. The next year, a Sabbatical year when sowing was forbidden, He would do the same. This provision would be a sign that God supported the rebellion of Judah from under the hand of Babylon.
Who are blessed in this oracle? The remnant have escaped from Assyrian captivity. They will prosper and be fruitful. Though the king’s call for reform was laughed to scorn (verse 10) a few responded to the reform.
God ordained that the scattering of His people would be followed by gathering and conversion of a few. Hezekiah depended on the gathering promised and used the promise to encourage revival. 2 Chron 30:9. Moses had long before outlined the process.
The prosperity of the remnant, under Hezekiah, hinged on their repentance and a revival of obedience to God. The Bible notes that participation in the sanctuary service was the mainspring of that revival. 2 Chr 30.
Hezekiah’s efforts to restore the temple were accomplished by the “remnant” under his grandson. 2 Chr 34:9. Further apostasy reversed the gathering back to a prophesied scattering of those that remained. 2 Ki 21:14-15. This prophecy was soon fulfilled. 2 Ki 25:11.
Besides the very few left behind, a “remnant” would return from captivity.
This “return” from captivity is salvation in the Septuagint and in Paul’s use of this passage in the New Testament. There the entire process of captivity and remnant’s return is spiritualized. Assyria becomes, with Babylon, a type of institutionalized error.
This false system captures “nations” by making them “drink” of her wine. Some escape. Men that are converted from the “error” of their ways are souls “saved” from death. James 4:21. They are the remnant elected by grace.
In other words, the “elect” remnant are those who have been “chosen” by God’s foreknowledge for their submission to the Spirit’s work of sanctification and for their belief in the truth. 2 Thes 2:13.
When a man is saved by faith he is part of the “remnant” that is to be gathered. He is part of the “Israel” that “obtained” the sought-for prize. Rom 11:6-7.
Beginning with these prophecies in Isaiah 1 and 10 the Bible’s use of “remnant” enters into prophecies that are shown by New Testament writers to speak of the Christian age.
The Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11-12 foretells the work of Jesus under the figures of a rod, a branch, and a root of Jesse. There Jesus is filled with the Spirit (11:2) and equipped to judge hearts (11:3). He executes the wicked with the breath of his mouth (11:4) while justifying the defenseless. He is clothed for war with righteousness and faithfulness (11:5).
He will reorder creation so that animals of prey become harmless vegetarians (11:6-8) in His “holy mountain.” This is the result of “the earth” being “full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (11:9). In nine verses the entire period from Christ’s baptism to the restoration of Eden-like scenes is captured.
“And in that day” – in the day when Jesus is anointed to begin His work – He became an “ensign” offering “glorious” “rest” to trusting “Gentiles” (11:10). This is the passage that Paul quotes as evidence that Christianity should embrace non-Jews. Romans 15:12.
And it is a passage that establishes the spiritual nature of the second gathering of the remnant. The “ensign” that Jesus becomes is a beacon for recovering the remnant that have been scattered to the great nations of the world. As the “outcasts” pour in from “the nations” in the four quarters of the earth, old rivalries within the church vanish with their causes.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Is 11:11-13.
God’s people unite in a sweeping campaign that subjects their enemies (11:14). God blesses their efforts to such an extent that the Egyptian language becomes extinct (11:15). A supernatural highway is established for those leaving Assyrian captivity to join the “remnant.” They will break forth in songs of deliverance that have become familiar to many already.
In summary, the remnant people are the invisible church. They are the few members of the visible church that are “saved.” Bible prophesies describe our time under the figure of a scattering and subsequent gathering.
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. Ro 9:27-29.
The first connection of the remnant with a familiar passage regarding the signs and events of the end of time is found in Joel 2.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:28-32.
If a timeline were to be labeled with the phases of the final scattering-gathering process, the gathering of the faithful would follow the scattering of the false shepherds that have themselves been scattering the flock. These are removed and replaced by faithful pastors prior to God’s promised effort to gather the faithful.
This truth is revealed in the first passage to use the word “remnant” in a clearly apocalyptic setting, Jeremiah 23. There God promises to bring the scattered believers back into the true fold. With this is His promise to hire faithful shepherds and to remove hirelings. In its wording the promise is very similar to the thrice told prophecy to Hezekiah.
The raising of true shepherds (v. 4) precedes the conclusion of the gathering. Then the wicked are destroyed and God is glorified for a gathering far more significant than the gathering of the Israelites from Egypt. (v. 5-8). Jesus leads this gathering as the Good Shepherd, breaking a way through obstacles that inhibit the sheep. Mic 2:10-12. The weak and suffering people will be formed by God into a “remnant” for Himself. To these our Lovely Lord will restore the “first dominion.” The kingdom “under the whole heaven” is “given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” Mic 4:7-8; Dan 7:27.
What is it that arouses true shepherds to take their positions? In the chapter that introduces the New Covenant, Jeremiah 31, we find the answer. The gathering movement begins with “watchmen” who respond to God’s love. God’s love is an ensign that gathers men.
The aroused watchmen intercede with God saying “save thy people, the remnant.” Jer. 31.7. The intercession is followed by God’s action. He moves the scattered remnant to begin to assemble as a collection of weak souls that make a “great company.” Jer 31:8.
In God’s providence, that spiritual blessing of the patriarchs followed consecration rather than birth order. It passed from Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Ephraim (Jer 31:9) without ever once following the proscribed pattern of first-born, bypassing Ishmael, Esau, Judah, and Manasseh. Any child could, if he would, be associated by faith with the Only Begotten Son of God and be spared accordingly.
God, like no other, pardons iniquity and passes by the remnant’s transgression. He delights in mercy; he will “turn again” from retaining his anger. He “will subdue our iniquities” and cast away our sins. He will fulfill his ancient promises of truth and mercy to Jacob and Abraham. Mic 7:18-20.Then it is that their spiritual descendants inherit the land of promise.
Micah explains that the captivity would not be gathered until after the cross. The Messiah there became “the peace.” Micah 5:2-5. “Then the remnant of his brethren shall return” to Israel from their scattered positions.
The preciousness of these promises (Mal. 3; Mic 7, 5) that God will spare us as his own son, that he pardons iniquity like no other, that he will subdue our iniquities, that Jesus will be our peace, does not excel that hidden promise in the phrase “his brethren.” The gathered ones are claimed by Jesus as his family.
Though scattered in location they are gathered in spirit and are a victorious body. Mic 5:2-8. Especially will Jesus be a defense when the Babylonian power “treads” within our border. Mic. 5:6. The meaning of this passage must be related to 2 Thes 2:4; Dan 11:45; Eze 8.
When God undertook to gather his faithful from the Babylonian captivity, he gathered them by giving them a mission. They were to build up the walls and restore the worship services of the broken city of Jerusalem. Building up the waste places became an illustration of the work entrusted to God’s people in the last-day gathering.
They are to “build the old waste places” and “shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” Is 58:12. The restoration of the Sabbath is identified as one of the restoration projects to be undertaken. Is 58:13.
In the story God promised the builders that, as they had begun to build with strength, He would change His relation to them from inciting differences to prospering their work and reputation. This would be no great difficulty for Him. Zec 8:4-15. The implications for us and for the resolution to our internal differences are profound.
It seemed to these that the work of God was regressing even while it was progressing. The ambitions of the current architects did not even equal the achievements of the past, much less enlarge on them.
The story of the rebuilding parallels the work of the church today, especially for those workers who realize the extent to which we have fallen as a people. These might be surprised at the up-beat message. And is the passage not an end-time passage? God promises to “shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land” prior to the coming of the Messiah and to fill the under-construction temple with “glory.” While it was literally so in the temple they were literally building, the “shaking” in this passage reminds us of that in the very end in Hebrews 12.
The building up of Jerusalem could have given way to a tragic scattering. This did not happen in Ezra’s day, but he did not presume that it could not happen.
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? Ezr 9:14.
The graciousness of God to the “remnant” is presented as iffy specifically to those that claim it as a certainty for their selves. This is the message to Adventist today, those “who desire the Day of the Lord.” See Amos 5:10-20.
Almost one eighth of the uses of “remnant” are found in the story of Gedaliah and Johanan. Jeremiah 39:9-44:28. The “remnant” was taken to Babylon by a general, except a “remnant” that was left in Judah under Gedaliah. The captive remnant included Daniel. The free remnant included Jeremiah.
In the story of these five chapters Johanan discovered a threat on Gedaliah’s life and offered to privately execute the primary conspirator. Johanan felt that Gedaliah’s murder would lead to a scattering of the remaining ones and perishing of “the remnant in Judah.” Jer. 39:9; 40:11; 40:15.
Gedaliah refused Johanan’s offer and was slain by the conspirator (Ishmael). Then Johanan went into action. His plan to save the remnant involved three steps, namely: 1. Win the allegiance of Jews now following the assassin Ishmael; 2. Win the support of the prophet Jeremiah; 3. Win the support of Egypt as an ally against Babylon.
The first point was successful. The second appeared pious. Johanan’s group came to Jeremiah to request guidance and prayer. Jer. 41:16; 42:2. The remnant promised solemnly to do whatever God would show through Jeremiah. Jer. 42:3-6. Ten days later Jeremiah had a message.
God promised to build and plant the remnant right where they were—on condition that they would stay there, trust Him, and not fear the king of Babylon. God promised to give them mercy in the king’s sight and, in this way, to deliver them from him. But the prophecy also warned that seeking Egypt’s friendship would be a lethal mistake.
The first step to Egypt would be a step of rebellion against God’s counsel. They would die in Egypt. God’s fierce anger would be poured out there. Jer. 42:7-17. As Jeremiah closed his plea against the proposed trip of the “remnant” God revealed to Jeremiah that the promise to “obey” whatever God would say was dishonest.
Thus failed the second of Johanan’s points. When the prophet could not be influenced, Johanan leveled the charge of influence against the prophet. He ascribed the content of Jeremiah’s message to Jeremiah’s secretary, Baruch. He took “all the remnant of Judah that had returned “from all nations” and made plans to travel. Jer. 43:1-5.
The story, told in uncharacteristic detail in the scripture, seems uncannily parallel to our time. The church, situated between Babylonian error and Egyptian worldliness, has its Johannans. These are gifted men, professedly going for wisdom to the Spirit of Prophecy, but leveling a charge of influence against the testimonies that rebuke their ways. The fate of these and their followers is ominous in the type.
Their trip to Egypt represented the results of the shaking that is currently underway.
The familiar and fateful sealing-slaughtering scene of Ezekiel 9, following the sealing, will be fearful for these church members. The prophet that saw the scene fell on his face and “cried, and said ‘Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?'” Eze 9:8.
In the fascinating prophecy of Ezekiel 11-12 the prophet mourns the death of Pelatiah as an omen of the destruction, the “full end” of the remnant. Ezek. 11:13. This question, “Will you destroy all?” was asked again and answered later in the negative.
Few passages so clearly show that character determines destiny and that the remnant will be reduced to pure and faithful body by the bloody phase of the shaking, the phase in which “all the sinners of my people” who have a false assurance will be killed. The comfort in these passages is that the shaking will not remove even the “least grain” from the church. The shaking removes false Christians, not weak ones. Amos 9:9-13.
The closing of earth’s history is pictured in scripture as an attack by “all nations” against God’s people. God gathers them to plunder, polarize, and prostrate the church. Indignity and crime threaten the members. Many fall prey to the onslaught.
Half of the city “will go forth into captivity.” They will surrender the truths that have set them apart and will be scattered into mystical Babylon. Yet “the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” Zech 14:2.
Finally, God fights “against” all the nations of the world as He did against Egypt in the past, with mighty plagues. Finally He will descend to level the mount of Olives for the reception of the HolyCity. Zech 14:3-4.
Those executed in the earlier judgments include two classes of women, those that ruled over the men and those that demonstrated pride in dress. While these sought an outward adorning, those spared are “beautiful and glorious”, “excellent and comely” in the fruit of their lives. Is 4:2. Zion has been “purged” by the “spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning” as Christ in judgment refined his teaching priests. Is 4:4; Mal. 3:3.
“Therefore wait ye upon me, Saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” Zeph 3:7.
Babylon began at Babel and was scattered initially by confusion of languages. When God destroys the nations of the world, the last day Babylon, there will be no longer reason for a continuation of the curse on Babel. Then God will return to man a “pure language.” All will serve Him “with one consent.” Zeph 3:8-9.
Then harmony will prevail in serving God. God’s men will no longer “be ashamed” for their past sins “against” Him. Their society will be purged of “haughty” persons, “them that rejoice” in pride of being God’s church.
God will “leave” an “afflicted and poor,” but trusting, body in His church. They will not “do iniquity” nor “speak lies” but shall be a safe flock. “Sing” of this! With all your heart, since your “judgments” and enemies are banished! No more evil to see! God is with you! Fear not and get busy! God will “sing” and “rejoice” over your salvation! Zeph 3:8-20.
So many passages throw light on end-time events. When we understand the Biblical theme of scattering and regathering, Old Testament stories and passages come alive with meaning.
We should know what is written there. Since 1844 we have already been through at least one cycle of gathering and scattering. The evidence is that we need another gathering. Let us do our part to bring it about.
The Lord showed me that He had stretched out His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people, and that efforts must be redoubled in this gathering time. In the scattering, Israel was smitten and torn, but now in the gathering time God will heal and bind up His people. In the scattering, efforts made to spread the truth had but little effect, accomplished but little or nothing; but in the gathering, when God has set His hand to gather His people, efforts to spread the truth will have their designed effect. All should be united and zealous in the work. I saw that it was wrong for any to refer to the scattering for examples to govern us now in the gathering; for if God should do no more for us now than He did then, Israel would never be gathered. . . . The view that the Lord “had stretched out His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people,” on page 74, refers only to the union and strength once existing among those looking for Christ, and to the fact that He had begun to unite and to raise up His people again. – EW p. 74, 86.


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How was your month in books?
Mia, Frederik and Niklas Halling are a family. Frederik is the headmaster of a private school in Denmark, and Mia is a school teacher. Their son, Niklas is 17 years old.
While on vacation in Majorca, Spain, Frederik displays some unusual erratic behavior. Driving their rental car around winding unfamiliar roads at high speed, Mia screams for her husband to slow down, but he just keeps at it. During the same vacation he eventually falls from a wall and is hospitalized. Through a scan the doctor discovers that Frederik had a seizure which may have caused the fall, but it appears that a benign brain tumor is the reason for some of the crazy things that he has been doing. One thing is certain, Mia's life and her marriage as she knew it most likely will never be the same.
Doctors discover that the tumor is located in an area that affects personality, sexual inhibitions and even smell. He's quick to anger, lacks empathy and makes inappropriate comments to his 17-year old son's female friends. The doctor believes the tumor may have been causing his weird personality/behavior issues for some time and is recommending surgery.
If that isn't bad enough, after Frederik's surgery, Mia learns that her husband stole lots of money (millions of crowns) from the school where he worked. Was he cognizant of what he did or was the tumor to blame? Unable to cope with her husband's outlandish behavior, Mia joins a support group for others dealing with a brain-injured family member. It is there she meets Bernard, an attorney who may be able to help her with Frederik's legal mess, as well as allegations that she might have been aware of the embezzlement. Regardless of the outcome, the scandal labels the family as outcasts, and even though the couple has separated, Niklas and Mia must deal with the consequences of Frederik's actions.
Mia narrates the story through flashbacks as well as after the discovery of the tumor. She reveals what life for her and her son, living with a brain damaged individual. The author has created a thought provoking story that made me stop to think about what I might do in her situation. At first Mia researched every article that was to be found on brain injury, but afterward at times she seemed uncaring and perhaps even an unreliable narrator. I was puzzled and uncertain about this, but I couldn't fault her for the decisions she made either. Great character development, infused with medical detail, at times seriousness and other times humorous, You Disappear, would be a great selection for book clubs -- there is just so much to discuss.
While trying to prioritize my lengthy list of new books coming out in 2014, I decided to try a new feature on my blog. I'm hoping this idea will hopefully serve a few purposes: keep me focused on books I'd like to read, give a little PR to the authors (especially new authors) who worked so hard getting published, and to let other readers know about books that will be hitting the book stores soon (within the next 90 days).
Does this sound like a book you might add to your wish list?
After falling in love with Rachel Joyce's debut novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, I was anxious to try PERFECT. The protagonist of this story is eleven-year old Byron Hemmings.
One foggy morning in the summer of 1972, Bryon's mother is driving him to school at Winston House, and something terrible happens. It's an event which deeply affects Bryron and yet for some reason his mother does not even seem to notice what has happened. Byron feels in some way to blame, as he was the one who distracted his mother by wanting her to look at his watch, believing time was going in reverse.
As weeks pass and no discussion takes place about what had occurred, Bryon is at a loss of what to do or how to bring up the subject with his mother. Is it possible that his mother, Diana, is not even aware of what has happened? Yet for some reason she seems to be changing before his very eyes. She takes up an unlikely friendship with the one woman she probably should be avoiding. Does she really realize what has happened and is this her way of dealing with her guilt? One thing is sure Bryon's "perfect" world as he knew if is shattered.
Bryon, an unpopular young boy, finds comfort discussing what has happened with his one friend James. Unfortunately, his friend James soon seems to be experiencing some troubles of his own. Anxiety, rituals and fear of other people soon separate the two boys as James is institutionalized.
Told in split narrative through Byron as a young boy and later James as a grown man, it is clear early on that their stories are somehow entwined. Diana was also a central character, a woman with much internal conflict. She was quite complex and interesting. Her husband Seymour, who played a small part, was a piece of work. The story was cleverly written and compelling yet very different from Rachel Joyce's debut novel. I loved the descriptions of the British countryside, but the details of James sad situation were especially difficult and was sad listen to at times.
Paul Rhys narrated the audio version and did a very good job.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. (I don't read a lot of short story collections, but this one sounds really good. I always enjoy hotels as settings for some reason.
Baby Bear won me over when I first saw the gorgeous cover, but this new children's book is so much more than just a pretty cover. The author is also the illustrator, and an individual who has been recognized for his talent as a winner of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards.
The story is about a very young bear who has lost his way and trying to get back to his home. He meet's several different animals along the way, each helps to build his confidence about his ability to find his way by trusting in himself. Very young children will enjoy the gorgeous illustrations, but may not understand the message, but older children (4-7) will benefit by both the visual as well as the message, in my opinion.
The wonderful illustrations of a gorgeous moon, loveable moose, lion, owl, bear, salmon and other creatures that baby bear meets along his journey are so precious, and who doesn't love a happy ending.
A must buy for every library and a wonderful addition to your child's collection as well.
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon. Care to join us? Today's pick is a book that released last month and I just picked up from the library.
"A few minutes after two in the morning Rebecca Winter woke to the sound of a gunshot and sat up in bed.
Well, to be completely accurate, she had no idea what time it was. When she had moved to the ramshackle cottage in a hollow halfway up the mountain, it had taken her two days to realize that there was a worrisome soft spot in the kitchen floor, a loose step out to the backyard, and not one electrical outlet in the entire bedroom. She stood, turning in a circle, her old alarm clock in her hand trailing its useless tail of a cord, as though, like some magic spell, a few rotations and some muttered curses would lead to a place to plug it in. Like much of what constituted Rebecca's life at that moment, the clock had been with her far past the time when it was current or useful."
Initially I thought that, Me Before You, was probably not my kind of book as it's been called a romance by some, but after so many positive reviews, I decided to give it a try. I'm happy to say that the audio version was wonderful and I was quickly sucked in by the story.
It' an unconventional British girl meets boy story. The girl is 27 year old Louisa (Lou) Clark. Lou still lives at home in tight quarters with her working class parents and a sister and her young son. The family counts on Lou to bring home a paycheck to help pay the bills. Having lost her job at a coffee shop she agrees to take a (6) month position caring for a wheelchair bound, wealthy 30-something young man named Will Traynor. It isn't later until she learns the reason she was hired for just a (6) month assignment. She immediately hates the job and wants to quit.
Will's family is extremely wealthy, and Will once had a powerful job in the banking industry and the life many could only dream of, until a motorcycle accident ended his life "as he knew it". He is now a quadriplegic. Things get off to a rocky start for Lou and Will, but they eventually find some common ground and begin to understand each other and even look forward to seeing each other. Lou has some emotionally painful baggage she has been dealing with as well.
I don't want to say too much more, because this is just one of those stories you MUST experience for yourself. The writing style is amazing and there is some controversial subject matter which is just so well done. The writing tone is at times serious, other times witty or laugh out loud funny, you may even find yourself tearing up a bit. I loved the characters, Louisa is both quirky and so sympathetic and found myself cheering for her all the way. Will takes some time to warm up to, he's resentful of his situation and often angry at life and all he has been robbed of. He is a good listener though and has a big heart as well.
This is one of those stories that is not to be missed. Read it -- you'll be so glad that you did.
On Wednesday of this week I went to work with a completely clean car and when I left work at 4p.m., this is what my car looked like. That added to our (2) week total of about 28" of snow!
This second photo is the side of our driveway -- just no place for them to plow more snow, but Wednesday's forecast is more snow:) On a positive note we enjoyed (2) days of 50 degree sunshine, so some melting occurred.
Aren't all of you 80 degree weather people jealous?
Freckles had his annual check up on Friday along with our other male cat Buddy. While Buddy was a purrfect patient, and appears very healthy for 13 according to the vet, he had an unexplained weigh loss of almost a pound so we have to weigh him weekly. Freckles, age 12 - on the other hand was an awful patient. He has hissed at the vet and vet tech in the past, but this year, he wanted a piece of their flesh....embarrassing. All they were able to do was weigh him (he gained 3 ounces) since last year and give him a rabies shot. So we're shipping him back to Vera Bradley:) He is a gentle giant in his element, but the dreaded crate brings out the worst in him.
I got (3) new books in the mail this past week, and all sound really good. Especially anxious to try the audios (Thank you Random House).
Wishing everyone a stress free week.
Jacqueline is a twenty-for year old Liberian woman who is living alone in a cave on the Greek island of Santorini. How did she get there and why is she homeless, starving and wandering the beach by day?
Trying to survive and earn money for food, she offers massages to tourists. Initially, she trusts no one, keeping to herself. Gradually she shares some of her story with a local waitress who befriends her. This along with her flashbacks and memories of conversations she had with her family, especially her mother, give the reader insight to her haunting past. Once a young woman who once led a privileged life, only to have all that was precious to her disappear after the horrible conflict in Liberia under the rule of Charles Taylor.
The writing is beautiful and the way this story flows is very different. I really enjoyed this novel, but most of all it was Jacqueline’s struggle to survive that held me captive. The story is painful to read at times, yet worth the effort.
A beautiful young woman appears fully dressed in an overflowing bathtub at the Frangipani Hotel in Hanoi. A jaded teenage girl in Houston befriends an older Vietnamese gentleman she discovers naked behind a dumpster. A trucker in Saigon is asked to drive a dying young man home to his village. A plump Vietnamese-American teenager is sent to her elderly grandmother in Ho Chi Minh City to lose weight, only to be lured out of the house by the wafting aroma of freshly baked bread. In these evocative and always surprising stories, the supernatural coexists with the mundane lives of characters who struggle against the burdens of the past.
Based on traditional Vietnamese folk tales told to Kupersmith by her grandmother, these fantastical, chilling, and thoroughly contemporary stories are a boldly original exploration of Vietnamese culture, addressing both the immigrant experience and the lives of those who remained behind. Lurking in the background of them all is a larger ghost—that of the Vietnam War, whose legacy continues to haunt us.
Violet Kupersmith’s voice is an exciting addition to the landscape of American fiction. With tremendous depth and range, her stories transcend their genre to make a wholly original statement about the postwar experience.
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon. Care to join us? Today's pick is a book that released in 2013.
"On an April day in 1970, when most of his fellow architecture students were taking their spring break, Frank Joyner drew a Gillette razor blade across his left wrist with one express purpose in mind: he wanted to see if, when the blood appeared, he was willing to let it flow, or if, in fact, he wanted to live. On hand he had a stack of gauze pads, an Ace bandage, a leather belt he'd tested on his forearm and then punched a new hole in that could serve as a tourniquet. In an anatomy book he'd checked out of the library, he'd read that the veins running down his wrist would yield, if cut, a dark blood, which would only ooze out, and that gauze pressed down beneath the Ace bandage would be sufficient to stop it. Flanking the veins and deeper set, were the radial and ulnar arteries, and these would yield a bright red blood in a pulsating flow, which would take a tourniquet, in addition to the gauze and bandage, to stop. The arteries brought blood from the heart, oxygenated to that brighter red as it passed through the lungs; after its long, wearing trip through the body, the veins brought the blood back."
In last week's Sunday Blatherings, I was telling you how after 10" of snow on Wed, Feb 5th I was anxious for spring. Well, no so fast......Thursday, work was canceled again (something that almost never happens) because this week we were graced cursed with 11" of snow on Thursday and 3" more yesterday. yes, no work is always a treat, but not being able to walk outdoors in several weeks has not been fun.
We amused of cats by filling some pine cones with peanut butter, birdseed and nuts. The birds were so happy, but it also attracted masses of black starlings who scared the tiny birds away at times ugh .....(but guess they were hungry as well).
I'm still all good with being housebound because of snow (although I did leave the house to run errands yesterday). Spent several days organizing recipes, baking, reading, watching movies: The Juror (very good) and Silver Linings Playbook (third time - love that movie) and The Pursuit of Happyness (another favorite).
New Books -- This week, I received several new books in the mail, and can't decide which I'll be reading first....have you read any of these yet?
Stay warm all of you in cold and snow country!
Ordinary Grace is a novel that has been getting a lot of buzz, and since I tend to enjoy coming of age stories, I decided to give this one a try. The story is narrated by Frank Drum, looking back at his youth in Bremen, Minnesota, in particular the summer of 1961 when Frank was just thirteen years old son.
Frank is the middle child, his older sister Ariel is eighteen and a talented pianist. She has a promising future in store, having been accepted at Julliard School of Music. Younger brother Jake, is eleven and suffers bullying and humiliation for his stuttering, an affliction which only seems to surface when he is outside of his home. Their father is a Methodist minister in town and their mother Ruth is unhappy in her role as the wife of a minister. Ruth is a woman who was a talented musician and thought she would be marrying a lawyer, but war changes people, and after Nathan returned from the war, he felt a calling toward religious life instead. His wife doesn't share a strong faith in God to do the right thing, especially when time and again bad things happen in life.
In this normally quiet town four deaths occur in that summer of 1961, the first one involving a developmentally disabled young boy along the train tracks, and shortly after, in the same area, a homeless man is also found dead. Two more deaths/murders follow and one in particular, changes this family forever.
Part mystery, part coming of age story, this was an enjoyable story that held my interest until the very end. The characters were compelling, and the writing good, but I had an issue with the way Frank always seemed to be in just the right place to overhear critical conversations, yet I do understand with a story like this, that device might have been needed to move the story a long. Despite this minor issue, Ordinary Grace is a worthwhile read. The audio book was read by, Rich Orlow, who did a great job.
Mitch Albom's latest novel, First Phone Call From Heaven had an interesting premise, just the idea of a loved one communicating with us from heaven gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. The truth is I started this audio book in January but was having a hard time with it so I took a few weeks off from it and then tried again. This time I did finish, but found it to be a struggle. I read Tuesdays With Morrie (loved that NF story), but this work of fiction just didn't work for me. The audio version was read by the author and I thought he did an okay job.
For those who haven't read this one, several residents of a small town in Michigan begin receiving phone calls from relatives who have passed on, and soon a media circus follows. Why were certain people chosen to receive the calls, and are they real or some sort of a cruel hoax? The calls are brief, lasting only a few minutes, and they seem to come on the same day of the week. One non-believer, Sullivan (Sully) Harding, an ex-navy pilot is struggling with his own demons. His wife died in a car crash on the day he crashed a plane. He blames himself for his wife's death, which left him with a young son who misses his mom deeply. He's determined to find out where the calls are coming from and prove this is all a hoax.
Although some of the characters in the story were somewhat interesting, the story is dialogue driven which made the flow seem awkward and sentences short and choppy. Based on the subject matter, I was hoping for a story that would pull at the heartstrings, but that just didn't happen. There was also some history about Alexander Graham Bell and the telephone patent, which I found to be mostly annoying. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this one.
In Richard Montanari's chilling new suspense novel, a sealed-off network of secret passages connects all of Philadelphia to the killer hidden within.
Luther Wade grew up in Cold River, a warehouse for the criminally insane. Two decades ago the hospital closed it doors forever, but Luther never left. He wanders the catacombs beneath the city, channeling the violent dreams of Eduard Kross, Europe's most prolific serial killer of the 20th century.
A two-year-old girl is found wandering the streets of Philadelphia in the middle of the night by detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano. She does not speak, but she may hold the key to solving a string of murders committed in and around Priory Park.
As the detectives investigate, more bodies are found at Priory Park, and they're drawn closer and closer to the doors of Luther's devious maze and the dark secrets of Cold River.
Jacqueline hadn't eaten since the flattened chocolate bar she found on the step outside the pharmacy.
God's will, her mother had said.
The fortune of finding food when it was most needed. Just when she didn't think she could stay upright any longer, here was food.
How's everyone doing today? Remember how I told you how much I enjoyed being housebound Wednesday (no work and 10" of snow)? Well, I'm pretty much over that feeling and ready for Spring! Friday was my husband's birthday and he got so many phone calls and cards, more than ever before. He said he wonders if people think he is just so old that maybe he won't make it to the next birthday:0 Seriously, it was a special day and we started celebrating with last Sunday's family brunch, a homemade cake by me on Friday as well as a dinner out at a favorite restaurant.
I received several new books over the last (2) weeks. One in particular was a book, The Science of Skinny, was one that one of my friends that I've know way back from high school has raved about. I haven't read it yet, but it pretty much entails purging your pantry and freezer of ALL processed foods, and how sugar feeds cancer. Scary stuff but worth a look.
Have a great Sunday all.
In the mid-90’s in the tiny mill town of Titan Falls, New Hampshire, located on the banks of the polluted Androscoggin River, there were pretty much two kinds of people – “the haves and the have-nots.” The, “haves” were the McAllister family who had run town’s paper mill operation for several generations. Like many other mills, with tougher environmental regulations and higher operating costs in general, the mill is struggling to stay afloat.
The McAllister family consists of Cal, who runs the mill and frequently cheats on his wife, June, Smith College educated, somewhat unhappy with her life in Titan Falls and her husband Cal’s ’s indiscretions, June busies herself with her appearance, sewing groups, and protecting her son Nate and her family’s reputation.
The “have-nots” of this story are the Snows, an orphaned set of siblings who have just come into town to park their run-down RV on a plot of land that has been in their family. There is some unsettling history with their ancestors who once resided there. Gert Snow was a woman who died under suspicious circumstances in the town. The siblings, Mercy Snow, older brother Zeke and smart as whip 9-year old sister Hannah are dirt-poor. With almost no money, Zeke even hunts for food while Mercy tries to find work tending the sheep of a townswoman named Hazel.
Hazel, who had been an orphan herself, gives Mercy a chance and sees that she is excellent with her flock. Hazel's husband Abel is in a coma and fighting for his life. Abel was driving a school bus that was driven off the road and killed a local girl. After the crash officials are quick to blame Zeke as the one who caused the accident. His feisty sister Mercy is driven to prove he was not to blame, but she has her job made tougher by June McAllister and her determination to send the Snow’s on their way.
This was a quick and enjoyable read for me. It’s part mystery and there were interesting revelations along the way that held my interest and kept me quickly turning the pages. Except for son Nate, I thought that the McAllister’s were a despicable couple. I loved spunky little sister Hannah, and her love of books and reading, even if she did take the books from public libraries in various locales. Mercy Snow was a strong character who deserved to have the novel named after her. I cheered for her again and again.
The audio version is read by Christine Lakin who did a great job.
Although, I enjoyed Mercy Snow, the author’s debut novel, The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, still remains a favorite of mine.
Palisades Park in New Jersey is the back drop for what will be a trip down memory lane for some readers. The story begins back in 1922 and spans some 50 years. The story follows the Stopka family, Eddie, his wife Adele, daughter Antoinette (Toni) and son Jack.
Eddie Stopka was just a young child in 1922 when he experienced Palisades amusement park for the first time. The sights, the smells, the salt-water pool and performers. For Eddie, these were memories which would last a lifetime. As a teen Eddie runs away from home, fleeing his abusive stepfather, but he returns to NJ and finds work at the amusement park, a place that brought him so much happiness as a child. He meets his wife Adele at Palisades, buys a concession stand that the two of them operate, and the couple have two children who are also raised with "Palisades" being a part of their inner being. Little Toni is a tomboy and a daredevil, she's also a dreamer who is determined to do anything she sets he mind to even when people tell her something can't be done. One of her dreams is to be a high diver. Her brother Jack is more reserved.
Over the course of the novel, and it's a long one, a lot of things happen: marriage, births, the Great Depression, wars, a fire at the park, and even racial unrest. Each of these events affects the Stopa family in some way. This isn't a novel with a lot of action, but it is a good story with well developed characters that I grew to care about. I enjoyed the interesting details about the park's history and about carnival life, but most of all I was just happy to feel like I really got to know the Stopka family.
Alan Brennert is a fine writer, one of his earlier novels, Moloka'i (2003) will long remain a favorite piece of literary fiction for me.
The audio book was read by Mark McCarthy, and was very well done. As a side note, Palisades Park, shut down completely on September 12, 1971 to make room for high rise condominiums.


Was the brutal slaying of two men leaving a N.Y. mosque a hate crime?
A 35-year-old Brooklyn man has been charged with the fatal double shooting of Imam Maulana Akonjee and his associate and friend, Thara Uddin, as they walked home following afternoon prayers at the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque in Ozone Park, Queens, this past Saturday. The Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown on Aug. 15 identified the defendant as Oscar Morel of Miller Avenue, Brooklyn. Morel is presently awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on a criminal complaint charging him with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted, Morel faces up to life in prison without parole.
According to the criminal charges, Imam Akonjee, 55, and Mr. Uddin, 64, were walking home from the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque on Glenmore Avenue in Ozone Park just before 2 p.m. on Aug. 13, when Morel came up behind the two men at the intersection of 79th Street and Liberty Avenue and fired multiple rounds, including a gunshot wound to the head of both victims. The two men were transported to a local Queens hospital where they were pronounced dead.
The Associated Press reports that the killings have stoked fear and anger in the largely Bangladeshi Muslim community in Queens and Brooklyn, where residents have described harassment in recent months by people who shouted anti-Muslim epithets. Mohammed Nuruzzaman, 31, told the AP the community was anxious to know more about why the men were targeted. "Why he did it—that's the very important thing. What is the motive?" he said. "Did he really do it or is somebody behind it? That's the kind of thing we want to know."
Police said officers searching the Brooklyn home where Morel was arrested late Sunday found the suspected murder weapon—as well as clothes they believe he was wearing at the time of the shooting—behind a section of the wall that had been cut out and reinstalled with screws. Amado Batista, a maintenance worker at Morel's building, told the AP that Morel worked night shifts and had lived in the apartment for eight months. Batista said Morel kept to himself.
Police believe Morel was waiting on the block near the mosque for several minutes on Saturday before he shot each victim in the back of the head then fled in a black GMC Trailblazer. They later learned that a car matching that description struck a bicyclist nearby only 10 minutes after shooting. After finding vehicle parked on the street, police waited for Morel to return. He was captured after getting into the car and ramming a police car while trying to flee. The Majlis Ash-Shura has begun fundraising to benefit the families of the victims at https://www.gofundme.com/ImamsMaulama-Thara with an initial pledge of $10,000.
Includes reporting from the Associated Press.
Are instances where Muslims attack Jewish students all over the country, hate crimes?
Don't recollect a "Go Fund Me" Appeal in America before... Is this a new approach editorially? I am particularly interested in the Pakistan "Asia Bibi" blasphemy Case. Will future appeals be for funding be worldwide, or in the USA Citizens only?
I don't understand why the emphasis on "Hate Crime", If someone shoots me and I die, should not his punishment be the same whether he liked me or not ?
I agree, in fact I see the entire "hate crime" concept as troubling. In this case the suspect already faces a sentence of life without parole, so why exactly is it important to pile "hate crime" on top of everything else? Really, is there any debate over which is worse: hating someone or shooting him in the head? If I shoot you because I hate you is that any worse than shooting you to take your wallet? I think what is going on here with the clamor to declare this a hate crime has nothing to do with this particular shooting, but is made in anticipation of using the "hate crime" label in the future against much more benign activities, such as comments and protests.


The Southern Africa agenda of Pope John Paul II - who is to arrive here Saturday - will be shaped by a nation he won't visit: South Africa. During the nine-day tour, the Pope will grapple with issues such as Roman Catholicism's response to social forces as diverse as Marxism and African religions, and unspoken pressures to support the views of Mozambican bishops on how to end that nation's civil war.
He is bypassing South Africa on the advice of its bishops, forceful opponents of the government's segregationist, ``apartheid,'' policies, as he visits black-led neighbors Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Mozambique.
The Pope's first stop, Zimbabwe, could be the venue for an elaboration of Catholic opposition to apartheid when he closes a meeting of bishops from eight Southern African countries. It will be the only time he sees South African bishops.
``Every voice able to speak on behalf of the people has been silenced except the church,'' said Bishop Wilfred Napier, president of South Africa's Catholic Conference, upon arriving here. Church leaders fear they are next, he added.
His followers often push the point further. ``I believe in Marxism and Leninism in the same way I believe in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,'' one of them recently said in Parliament. Conservative Zimbabwe bishops dislike this linking, and hope the Pope will clearly spell out his view of the differences.
Yet criticism may be muted because Mugabe-style socialism, in practice, closely resembles the path between capitalism and socialism favored by the Pope and the local church. Zimbabwe has made ``incredible, indeed miraculous'' advances in health care, education, and rural development since the overthrow of white minority rule in 1980, says the chairman of Zimbabwe's Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.
In Swaziland, where traditional religions are strong, the Pope will encounter a familiar issue: how to support the points of agreement Catholicism has with African traditional religions without going too far in reshaping the Catholic message for local consumption.
In 38 previous international trips as Pope, John Paul II has visited no country so disrupted by war as Mozambique, and few where the key Catholic hierarchy offers such contradictory advice.
The difference reflects a legacy of conflict between the Catholic Church and the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), rooted in Catholicism's former ties to the Portuguese colonial regime that ruled Mozambique until 1975. Bishops were paid by the government and backed its drive to crush the Frelimo independence fighters. Protestant churches were tightly restricted. ``Nowhere else had the central ecclesiastical system been so closely identified with colonial oppression,'' writes Adrian Hastings, the leading historian on Christianity in Africa.
After independence, many Frelimo militants retaliated by moving against the church, illegally seizing religious buildings. A church-state thaw began about five years ago when the government returned some properties. The warming trend has accelerated, and in a pre-Papal move, the government in June pledged to return all religious buildings.
Mozambican officials hope the Pope will join Protestants, foreign Catholics, and Western governments in condemning South African ``destabilization'' as the root cause of the war. If John Paul II ``sees the effects of apartheid and the true nature of the conflict,'' he will reject the local hierarchy's idea of ``two forces, of a civil war,'' says Jose Luis Caba,co, Frelimo's foreign secretary and chief liaison to the church. Bishops express confidence he will confirm their stance.


The man talked about in the news recently is this baseball player.
The man was talked about in the news recently.
The good man is this baseball player.
The man talked about this topic.


I was listening to FageOner's upgrade of the Leigh Open Air Festival bootleg, and particularly enjoyed hearing Ian's chatter before and after Leaders of Men. I know he was never that talkative during gigs, but I can think of a few instances of him speaking between songs (the Preston show, for example). Are there any other moments like this?
There's the famous quote at the end of "Sister Ray" on "Still" from The Moonlight Club of course - "Should hear our version of Louie, Louie - wow"
Preceding "Leaders Of Men" at the second Nashville Ballroom show - "This one's an older one"
After the Love Will Tear Us Apart without synth from, I think, 2nd April - The Moonlight Club, Ian says that they didn't "practise for a while" and somebody from the crowd goes "You always say that" which amuses Ian greatly and he chuckle.
On that recording, after Ian says "Sorry we've not rehearsed for a while", if you listen hard you can hear Bernard say "It's the first time I've played it all on guitar". At least that's what I think he says!
Another amusing incident is (I think) on 9 Nov 79, at the very start of the audience recording, a woman in the crowd is shouting up at the band as they come onstage "You're Joy Division, aren't you?....Are you Joy Division?" Peter or Ian gives his standard greeting "Good Evening, We're Joy Division", and she shouts back "I know!"
At 1980-04-02 Moonlight, when Ian says "You can tell we haven't rehearsed for a while," I am pretty sure Bernard says something like "I think it sounds better on guitar," referring to LWTUA, making Ian chuckle.
At 1979-07-13 Factory, Ian introduces "She's Lost Control" by saying "There are some things you'll never understand. 'She's Lost Control.'" and "Novelty" by saying "This one's a very old song. Uh, about two years old. Some of you might remember it."
Really, except for Preston and Moonlight, there are few cases where the band are particularly talkative throughout the whole gig. Just little moments. Fage, maybe you should make a compilation of all these little moments?
Like Colonel Tom Parker did with Elvis? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!


Here is a series of pictures that show how I make a barrel.
The description below each picture explains the process.
Here is what the basic barrel blank looks like before any machine work.
I start by cutting the blank to length.
Then each end gets a 60 degree center cut so that all future work will be perfectly centered. The centers are cut with a piloted cutter that uses a pilot bushing fitted to each individual barrel blank. The cutter is held in a floating reamer holder so that the cutter is located by the bore.
Now I turn both ends down concentric to the bore, swapping ends several times to ensure concentricity.
I cut a journal in the middle of the blank where the lathe chuck will hold the blank during rough profiling.
First the breech end is rough profiled.
Then the muzzle end is rough profiled.
Now I finish by cutting away the journal in the middle.
Here is what the barrel looks like after rough profiling is done.
Now I thread for the barrel extension.
The last profiling cuts bring the barrel to it's final diameters. If the muzzle is to be threaded, it is also done now before crowning.
The crown is cut using a specially ground cutter that is kept razor sharp. This is very important to have a burr-free crown that is perfectly perpendicular to the bore.
The chamber is reamed to depth using proprietary gauging equipment along the way. I use floating pilot reamers and fit the pilot bushings to the bore on every barrel. A floating reamer holder ensures that the reamer follows the bore and that the throat is centered properly in the bore. This is one of the most important factors in getting a barrel to shoot tight groups.
The extension gets installed and final headspace checked. Chromoly barrels get the extension removed and get sent out for parkerizing. Stainless barrels continue through the process until finished.
Here the pin hole is drilled into the barrel and the pin pressed into place. The extension can not be removed after this.
The last step is to drill the gas port. The port gets drilled undersized, then followed up with larger drill sizes in very small steps to eliminate any burrs inside the bore.
Barrels that are used with setscrew attached gas blocks get a detent drilled. This makes assembly really easy as you simply tighten the gas block's setscrew into this detent and the gas port is properly aligned.


Based on a true story, Franzobel wrote an impressive and unusual novel about the most unsettling of all questions: How far will people go for their own advantage, and what are their motivations? While some books warn about the consequences that arise when the thin veil of civilization is lifted, Franzobel steps it up a notch and also demonstrates how the lowest of insticts are already woven into the fabric of that veil. In 1816, the frigate "Méduse" set sail in Rochefort, France, to receive the British handover of the port of Saint-Louis, Senegal, then an important center of commerce, including the international slave trade. On board: Almost 400 people, among them government officials, soldiers, emigrants, and around 160 crew members. The ship's captain, de Chaumareys, attained his position due to family ties and by being an ardent royalist, but he lacked the knowledge to navigate the Méduse. Instead of listening to his able crew members, he trusted his friend Richeford to help him keep the frigate sailing in the right direction, but Richeford was just as ignorant as the captain himself. When the Méduse ran aground on a sandbank and there were only six lifeboats, a raft was built and finally abandoned, unable to navigate, in the middle of the ocean - 13 days later, only 15 of its ca. 150 passengers could be saved. Franzobel adds his rather unique style of literary imagination to these historic events, and vividly describes why and how the structures on board failed, how individuals contributed to and then justified the turn of events. The power of the story lies in the fact that this is a catatrophe, but not a tragedy: The destiny of the Méduse was not inevitable, the mistakes were not innocent, the lies were no white lies. The raft, where the majority of those who failed to prevent the irresponsible decisions of the higher ranks end up, becomes a floating hell, dominated by hunger, fear and madness, where the lowest human instincts take over (and yes, there is also cannibalism). Franzobel uses a sharp modern language and also introduces a very subjective kind of meta-commentary to tell this 19th century story. To help the reader identify his many characters, he invents a distinctive way of speaking for almost every one of them: A stutter, a tendency to speak in proverbs, a dialect, mannerism, or even speech impediment. Although the author sometimes gets a little carried away by his own ideas - look what I can do! - the reader has to admit: Yes, Franzobel can do a whole lot! Almost unneccessary to say that while there are clearly some specifics of the French Restauration at play, the dynamics Franzobel describes reach beyond that and feel shockingly current. A gripping, fascinatig, and haunting read that already won the Nicolas Born Prize last week. Btw: The painting "Le Radeau de la Méduse" ("Das Floß der Medusa" / "The Raft of the Meduse"), which is shown on the novel's cover, was painted in 1819 by Théodore Géricault and is exhibited at the Louvre in Paris (https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/raft-medusa).


Is it possible to alter the retraction distance on the fly? It would make it so much easier to fine tune the printer if I could. I have played about with pressure advance and concluded that, with my setup and bowden tube, I cannot find the sweet spot so I am reverting to retraction alone which has been working pretty well in the past. Not got it right yet hence my question.
Yes. Configure your slicer to generate firmware retraction commands instead of explicit retraction, then you can adjust retraction on-the-fly using M207. There will be a delay of a few seconds before the new retraction value is used.
You'll need to configure your slicer to use firmware retraction, the Gcode emitted should contain G10 and G11 commands for retract and unretract, respectively.
As far as I can know, you can issue M207 on-the-fly to tune the parameters.
using M207, you can also use different feed rates for retract and unretract. There is some research that shows a slower unretract could be beneficial.
And all three have been very useful, thank you.
I use S3D so now need to find out how to configure it.
S3D is odd, to configure firmware retraction you need to un-check "Retraction" in the Extruder tab and check "Include M101/M102/M103 commands" in the GCode tab of the process settings.
Do I simply uncheck the Retraction box under Ooze control and then add the M207 command to the script for retraction? If so, do I have to do this for all my processes in S3D?
In the tabs of the 'Process' I have unchecked 'Retraction', turned on 'Use M101/102/103' and added 'M207 S5 R-0.1 F60 T30 Z0; Set retraction parameters S - Length of retract, R - Extra length on re-start, F - Retract Speed in mm/min, T - Re-start speed, Z - Nozzle lift on retract.' to the Retraction Script.
The resultant g code has M103 and M101 but no values set. What am I doing wrong?
That's correct, when you use firmware retraction you need to define the retraction amount and speed using M207. You can do this in config,g and/or in the start gcode of your slicer.
Okay, thanks David. I will move the definition to the 'Start' code and have a play.
Thanks, Dougal, I had already worked that one out before I started a print! It would have been painstakingly slow.
However, I have noticed that I am now getting far more retractions than I ever have done before. On a circular part with three perimeters, my printer is retracting at the end of each perimeter - never done that before. Also, with far more retractions, some of them on ridiculously small moves, the accumulation of all the retractions, in a small space, is causing some problems immediately after and some areas of infill/surface are sparse.
I think that's a limitation of S3D. It doesn't really understand firmware retraction. If it did then the options to set a minimum travel distance to retract for and whether or not to retract on layer change would still be available.
@dc42 Do you know why I can't tune this "on the fly"?
I tried, (using simplify3d), but i doenst respond to the change.
I dissabled retraction on extruder tab and enabled m101/102/103 on the gcode tab, and added an m207 line on my starting code.
I checked that i does not change by enabling and disabling Z hop in the M207 that i send through the web interface?
Test your M207 retraction settings by sending G10 and G11 commands from the GCode Console in DWC.
@dc42 nevermind - found the problem - for a brief moment, i frogot S3D have independent "retraction" settings for the 2 extruders, so I only dissabled one of them -.- Got it working now. - but thanks for the quick response.
Quick question - Does linear advance/pressure advance improve retraction?
When you use large amounts of pressure advance you may need to reduce retraction, because pressure advance will already retract filament towards the end of some moves.


Fix the world in 1 step.
Why land? Land value is easy to measure, and land is the basis for most things we value: community, natural resources, beauty, etc.
The value of land is how much you can rent it for. Some of that value is added by the owner. I propose that the owner keeps every penny of that value they add: this means no tax on work, no tax on sales, no tax on buildings, no tax on anything you do.
But part of the value of land is its location: this is the value you could charge as rent for the bare ground: the "ground rent". This value exists purely because other people are nearby: the rental value measures the land's potential use by others. Since this value is created by society, regardless of what the owner does, then ground rent belongs to society.
The rest of this web site is what would happen if we let people keep the land value they create.


Could I get the ASCII file for 1990 or 1980?
I would like to know if it is available the ASCII file for 1990 and 1980. I am interesting on the population of each area.
If you are referring to the original PUMS files provided by the Census Bureau, the 2000, 1990 and 1980 PUMS are available as ASCII files from the Census Bureau. If you are interested in downloading IPUMS-USA extracts in ASCII format, the default data extract format is a fixed-width plain text ASCII file. If I am not understanding your question, I apologize. Please feel free to elaborate and I will help to the best of my abilities.
Please excuse if I was not clear. I am looking for simillar files for the years 1980 and 1990 as this one for 2000 (see the following link https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/2000P…). In particular, I need the population by area name as it is defined in the previous link.
In 1980 the smallest identifiable geographic unit was the County Group. Depending on which 1980 Sample you are using (Metro, State, Labor Market Area…) IPUMS does offer ASCII files describing the compositions of county groups, though these files are not formatted the same way the PUMA composition files were formatted for 2000. For the Metro and State files the ASCII files can be found in the descriptive text here. For the Labor Market Area (LMA) sample, IPUMS-USA has a 1980 LMA + Commuting Zone page that describes the composition of the LMAs (there is also an ASCII file of the same information available for download on that page). LMAs were also used in 1990. IPUMS-USA does not have an ASCII file of 1990 PUMA definitions, they do make Excel Spreadsheets available here describing the 1990 PUMAs for both the 1% and 5% samples.


Does Villa On Sweetwater, Inc offer the following services?
My 89 yo Mom has been a resident at The Villa On Sweetwater (Colten Adult Care) for the past 3+ years. After my Dad passed away in 2014, my Mom experienced a rapid decline with respect to her dementia. We were introduced to Colten Adult Care through a private agency and discovered a place; actually a warm and friendly home for her. The care Givers are extraordinary in providing care and attention in a warm and kind way. I am grateful for that. My siblings and I have an extraordinary peace of mind and confidence that our Mom is happy, comfortable, and cared for with love.
My mother has been at a Colten home for almost two years. My wife and I are very satisfied. We looked at many homes before choosing this one. We wanted a place where mom could get the best care and feel comfortable. We're there at least twice a week which provides opportunity for ample observation. Unless you want to hire a personal caregiver this is you best bet.
My mom was here for almost 4 years. The caregivers were amazing. They treated her with kindness and respect. I was so thankful that she could stay there even as her Alzheimer's progressed until she died. I appreciated the other women who lived there and liked that it was an all women's home. This place was such an answer to our prayers to give my mom a loving place that could care for her with such dignity and love.
My father in law was living there as he aged and was unable to take care of himself any longer. He loved the food and said people were good to him. If we needed anything, Peter was always there to help us. It was a warm and caring environment for him.