An all inclusive Caribbean vacation can help you enjoy a tropical vacation on a tight budget. With the help of a travel agent, you can find an all inclusive Caribbean vacation where you can pay one price and have all of your essentials included. This way, you will only need to bring along money for extra things to help you have a fun getaway.

With all inclusive Caribbean vacation packages, your travel and lodging expenses are typically paid for upfront so you do not have to worry about running out of money before your trip is over. If you are planning an exotic and tropical vacation to the islands, finding an all inclusive vacation package has many advantages.

An all inclusive Caribbean vacation package can be ideal if you want to spend a romantic honeymoon along the beach. You have several options among several popular Caribbean islands, including the Bahamas, St. Lucia, or even Jamaica where you can not find a great Caribbean vacation package.

In addition to that, you can even find many resorts and facilities where you can get married. Rather than just spending your honeymoon on an island, you can get an all inclusive vacation that includes an exotic wedding as well. These deals often come complete with a wedding coordinator and other facilities to fulfill the wedding of your dreams. Afterwards, you can whisk yourself away to privacy in your exclusive room.

If you are already a married couple who wants to rekindle the fun and romance in your relationship, you can also find an all inclusive Caribbean vacation package to fit your needs. Many of the resorts provide entertainment and meals for guests who take advantage of all inclusive vacation packages.

With a private spa and Jacuzzi in many of the rooms, you can be sure to enjoy romantic evenings overlooking the spectacular island beaches. Many resorts do not allow children, so you can be sure to have privacy in an adult setting. With several bars and dining opportunities within walking distance, you will have many opportunities to enjoy quality time with your spouse.

For avid golfers, all inclusive Caribbean vacation packages are an ideal way to enjoy a golf getaway with your golfing friends. You will have access to several lush golf courses in the Caribbean region so you are sure to get a fun and challenging experience.

With all inclusive vacations, many resorts include the cost of the golfing facilities with their prices, so you do not need to worry about those costs once you arrive at your resort. You can even find bargains for all inclusive Caribbean vacations that allow you to bring your family along on your golf getaway.

An all inclusive Caribbean vacation package is a great way to enjoy an island vacation without being concerned about money during the getaway. Since all inclusive packages are usually paid for upfront, you can be sure that you will only need money for extra things.

You can get an all inclusive vacation package to suit your needs, whether you want to get married in the Caribbean, spend you honeymoon in a private resort, or take advantage of the many golf opportunities available. With varied facilities and bargain prices, the Caribbean is a great place to plan your next vacation.

A vacation to an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean that offers scuba diving can be a great money saver. To decide whether this option is for you, there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros

Don’t have to worry about money while you are there

Usually cheaper than purchasing everything separately

Stress free: No decisions to make about where to go for drinks, dinner or diving

Usually a party atmosphere (can be a con too)

Security

Activities and entertainment are included (sometimes diving is included also)

Cons

Usually big resorts; grounds and dive boats can be crowded (ever have to go out at 6 am to reserve a lounge on the beach?)

No incentive to leave the resort and experience the local culture

Have unexpected expense of going out if you don’t like the food and/or drink

Service is sometimes lacking since tips are already included (we always tip anyway, even if the policy is supposedly not to)

Not all islands have all inclusives, so island choice is limited

You just have to decide what is most important for you. For instance, if you like smaller resorts and small dive groups, than an all inclusive resort may not be for you.

Most all inclusives include non-motorized water sports in the package. However, while most resorts offer scuba diving, you usually have to pay extra for it. If the resort does offer scuba diving in the price, you can save a significant amount of money.

If you pay for your diving at the resort, my experience has been that prices are pretty much market prices. If you do multiple dives you can usually get a discount. Just ask, prices can be pretty flexible.

Popular All Inclusive Destinations

Probably the most popular places (or at least those with the most resort choices) for an all inclusive Caribbean vacation are the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, including the ever popular Cozumel. In my opinion, of the three options, Cozumel is the hands down winner as far as diving.

High End/Low End

There is an all inclusive resort to fit every budget. You just have to decide what you want. What’s more important to you? Would you rather have gourmet food and premium drinks or would you be happy with lower end offerings and more money in your wallet? The answer can be different for each trip.

No matter where you go and which level of service you choose, it is hard not to have a good time. So pick a place, pack your gear and get going!

My experience at San Francisco’s Women’s BDSM Group The Exiles. The policy here is that anyone who does not identify as a man is welcome. That is revolutionary as it explicitly includes a male-bodied GenderQueer like Jasper. By barring the man identified, and incuding everyone else this group is redefining women’s space. Not only was it completely inclusive of me but it was also inclusive of bissexual women and straight women. Many of the groups who traditionally get excluded in in lesbian spaces which define the male-born as their ‘other’.
Yay, Yay, Yay! this is a big deal. The Exiles has set the bar for inclusive space.

Collaboration is the ability to work in a group, eliciting and offering support to each other member, creating a synergistic environment for everyone. This quality comes up over as we listen to stories of experiences. The behavior of the story-tellers is inclusive. They reach out to other people; they ask for help when they need it; they gather people in, collaborating to get the job done. A significant by-product that often results from this approach is the development of new leadership and great self-esteem for these empowered through shared ownership.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, and my Lectures.

The youth is more interested than anyone else in the future.

Until very recently, the discussion revolved around the kind of society we would have. Today, the discussion centers on whether human society will survive.

These are not dramatic phrases. We must get used to the true facts. Hope is the last thing human beings can relinquish. With truthful arguments, men and women of all ages, especially young people, have waged an exemplary battle at the Summit and taught the world a great lesson.

It is important now that Cuba and the world come to know as much as possible of what happened in Copenhagen. The truth can be stronger than the influenced and often misinformed minds of those holding in their hands the destiny of the world.

If anything significant was achieved in the Danish capital, it was that the media coverage allowed the world public to watch the political chaos created there and the humiliating treatment accorded to Heads of States or Governments, ministers and thousands of representatives of social movements and institutions that in hope and expectation traveled to the Summit’s venue in Copenhagen. The brutal repression of peaceful protesters by the police was a reminder of the behavior of the Nazi assault troops that occupied neighboring Denmark on April 1940.

But no one could have thought that on December 18, 2009, the last day of the Summit, this would be suspended by the Danish government –a NATO ally associated with the carnage in Afghanistan– to offer the conference’s plenary hall to President Obama for a meeting where only he and a selected group of guests, 16 in all, would have the exclusive right to speak.

Obama’s deceitful, demagogic and ambiguous remarks failed to involve a binding commitment and ignored the Kyoto Framework Convention. He then left the room shortly after listening to a few other speakers. Among those invited to take the floor were the highest industrialized nations, several emerging economies and some of the poorest countries in the world. The leaders and representatives of over 170 countries were only allowed to listen.

At the end of the speeches of the 16 chosen, Evo Morales, with the authority of his indigenous Aymara origin and his recent reelection with 65% of the vote as well as the support of two-thirds of the Bolivian House and Senate, requested the floor. The Danish president had no choice but to yield to the insistence of the other delegations. When Evo had concluded his wise and deep observations, the Danish had to give the floor to Hugo Chavez. Both speeches will be registered by history as examples of short and timely remarks. Then, with their mission duly accomplished they both left for their respective countries. But when Obama disappeared, he had yet to fulfill his task in the host country.

From the evening of the 17th and the early morning hours of the 18th, the Prime Minister of Denmark and senior representatives of the United States had been meeting with the Chairman of the European Commission and the leaders of 27 nations to introduce to them –on behalf of Obama– a draft agreement in whose elaboration none of the other leaders of the rest of the world had taken part. It was an antidemocratic and practically clandestine initiative that disregarded the thousands of representatives of social movements, scientific and religious institutions and other participants in the Summit.

Through the night of the 18th and until 3:00 a.m. of the 19th, when many Heads of States had already departed, the representatives of the countries waited for the resumption of the sessions and the conclusion of the event. Throughout the 18th, Obama held meetings and press conferences, and the same did the European leaders. Then, they left.

Something unexpected happened then: at three in the morning of the 19th, the Prime Minister of Denmark convened a meeting to conclude the Summit. By then, the countries were represented by ministers, officials, ambassadors and technical staff.

However, an amazing battle was waged that morning by a group of representatives of Third World countries challenging the attempt by Obama and the wealthiest on the planet to introduce a document imposed by the United States as one agreed by consensus in the Summit.

The representative of Venezuela, Claudia Salerno, showed with impressive energy her right hand bleeding from strongly slamming on the table to claim her right to take the floor. Her tone of voice and the dignity of her arguments will never be forgotten.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba made a vigorous speech of approximately one thousand words from which I have chosen a few paragraphs to include in this Reflection:

“The document that you, Mister Chairman, repeatedly claimed that did not exist shows up now. […] we have seen drafts circulating surreptitiously and being discussed in secret meetings…”

“…I deeply resent the way you have led this conference.”

“…Cuba considers the text of this apocryphal draft extremely inadequate and inadmissible. The goal of 2 degrees centigrade is unacceptable and it would have incalculable catastrophic consequences…”

“The document that you are unfortunately introducing is not binding in any way with respect to the reduction of the greenhouse-gas emissions.”

“I am aware of the previous drafts, which also through questionable and clandestine procedures, were negotiated by small groups of people…”

“The document you are introducing now fails to include the already meager and lacking key phrases contained in that draft…”

“…as far as Cuba is concerned, it is incompatible with the universally recognized scientific view sustaining that it is urgent and inescapable to ensure the reduction of at least 45% of the emissions by the year 2020, and of no less than 80% or 90% by 2050.”

“Any argument on the continuation of the negotiations to reach agreement in the future to cut down emissions must inevitably include the concept of the validity of the Kyoto Protocol […] Your paper, Mister Chairman, is a death certificate of the Kyoto Protocol and my delegation cannot accept it.”

“The Cuban delegation would like to emphasize the preeminence of the principle of ‘common by differentiated responsibilities,’ as the core of the future process of negotiations. Your paper does not include a word on that.”

“This draft declaration fails to mention concrete financial commitments and the transfers of technologies to developing countries, which are part of the obligations contracted by the developed countries under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change […] Mister Chairman, by imposing their interests through your document, the developed nations are avoiding any concrete commitment.”

“…What you, Mister Chairman, define as ‘a group of representative leaders’ is to me a gross violation of the principle of sovereign equality consecrated in the United Nations Charter…”

“Mr. Chairman, I formally request that this statement be included in the final report of the works of this regrettable and shameful 15th session of the Conference of the Parties.”

The representatives of the countries had been given only one hour to present their views. This led to complicated, shameful and embarrassing situations.

Then, a lengthy debate ensued where the delegations from the developed countries put a heavy pressure on the rest to make the conference adopt the abovementioned document as the final result of their deliberations.

A small number of countries firmly insisted on the grave omissions and ambiguities of the document promoted by the United States, particularly the absence of a commitment by the developed countries on the reduction of carbon emissions and on the financing that would allow the South countries to adopt alleviating and adjustment measures.

After a long and extremely tense discussion, the position of the ALBA countries and Sudan, as President of the G-77, prevailed that the document was unacceptable to the conference thus it could not be adopted.

In view of the absence of consensus, the Conference could only “take note” of the existence of that document representing the position of a group of about 25 countries.

After that decision was made, –at 10:30 in the morning Denmark’s time– Bruno, together with other ALBA representatives, had a friendly discussion with the UN Secretary to whom they expressed their willingness to continue struggling alongside the United Nations to prevent the terrible consequences of climate change. Their mission completed, our Foreign Minister and Cuban Vicepresident Esteban Lazo departed to come back home and attend the National Assembly session. A few members of the delegation and the ambassador stayed in Copenhagen to take part in the final procedures.

This afternoon they reported the following:

“…both, those who were involved in the elaboration of the document, and those like the President of the United States who anticipated its adoption by the conference…as they could not disregard the decision to simply ‘take note’ of the alleged ‘Copenhagen Agreement,’ they tried to introduce a procedure allowing the other COP countries that had not been a part of the shady deal to adhere to it, and make it public, the intention being to pretend such an agreement was legal, something that could precondition the results of the negotiations that should carry on.”

“Such belated attempt was again firmly opposed by Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. These countries warned that a document which had not been adopted by the Convention could not be considered legal and that there was not a COP document; therefore, no regulations could be established for its alleged adoption…”

“This is how the meeting in Copenhagen is coming to an end, without the adoption of the document surreptitiously worked out in the past few days under the clear ideological guidance of the US Administration…”

Tomorrow our attention will be focused on the National Assembly.

Lazo, Bruno and the other members of the delegation will be arriving at midnight today. On Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be able to explain in details and with the necessary accuracy the truth of what happened at the Summit.

Fidel Castro Ruz

December 19, 2009

8:17p.m.

Source: http://www.cubanow.net/pages/loader.php?sec=24&t=2&item=8101

See also:

Venezuelan President’s Speech on Climate Change in Copenhagen

Hugo Chavez on How to Tackle Climate Change: “We Must Go from Capitalism to Socialism”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/20/anglican-church-rowan-williams

A brilliant letter published last Sunday in the Observer newspaper, which speaks volumes. My interjections in red

Dear Archbishop Rowan,

Even though I’m not sending Christmas cards this year – ran out of time – you are not going to escape my seasonal circular letter. It is filled not with the record of my many achievements, holidays taken, operations survived and the GCSE results of my imaginary children, but instead has a few tidings of great joy, because you seem to need them at the moment.

Yes, trying to please the bigots who cannot be pleased only manages to piss off those of us who up until now had been your greatest supporters.

You sounded a bit down the other day when you were talking to the Daily Telegraph, complaining that our government assumes “that religion is a problem, an eccentricity practised by oddities, foreigners and minorities”. Well, the government is often right about that, so if I were you I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’d be more worried if the government didn’tthink religion was a problem.

Good religion should be dangerous. That’s why the authorities  nail the Son of God to a tree.

The Telegraph came up with more why-oh-why material last week, publishing the results of a survey indicating that only half those questioned in this country called themselves Christian. I wouldn’t pay too much attention to that either. God will no doubt cope. Let me draw on the words of the Blessed Ian Dury and give you some reasons to be cheerful: one, two, three.

The first reason is the established Church of England. It’s true, as thatTelegraph survey suggests, that it’s not what it was, and the change has been astonishingly quick – encompassing my own still not over-prolonged lifetime. When my father, an Anglican parson, moved in the mid-1950s to become rector of a little country parish in Suffolk, there were still old ladies who would curtsy to him in the street, just because he was the rector.

Worldly power has gone out of the established church, and that is why so many of its adherents have fallen away. Thank goodness for that; churches never handle power well.

I think the worst part of the Church of England is its ‘established’ nature, if not its status. The Gospel calls us to take a radical position, often at odds with State and Government. I long for us to lose those trappings and be able to work in our communities unfettered by such inhibition.

Think what 1950s England was like when you and I were small boys: the stodgy conformity, the sexual hypocrisy, the complacent, monochrome white Anglo-Saxon Protestant culture. The Church of England, in its funny, messy, unwitting way, helped us to get out of that – giving vital help, for instance, to the tentative and much opposed moves in that same decade to decriminalise homosexuality. Compare the grim-faced, negative reaction of the Roman Catholic church in Spain in recent years to new freedoms as democratic Spain has thrown off General Franco’s legacy; give public thanks for the Church of England’s bumbling liberalism.

The C of E doesn’t deliver strident moral or doctrinal judgments to make an easy headline. Journalists and broadcasters often sneer at such indecisiveness, even though rarely would they be inclined to subject themselves to any system of moral stridency. The history of Anglicanism is confused and contradictory, and because the C of E never succeeded in achieving the monopoly over national religion that it undoubtedly sought, the church has become an icon of diversity and plurality for the nation.

Its doctrinal statement, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion of 1563, is pleasantly anchored in past history, fighting ancient battles. Any Anglican would be happy to acknowledge the importance of such history, while not having to believe personally, for instance, that “the laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences”. Instead, this established church can be a home for those who go to it to express their doubts as well as their faith. It can be a shelter also for the kaleidoscope of culture, faith and no faith that now makes up our cheerfully diverse nation: an inoculation against the fanatics, both religious and anti-religious.

As the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish withdraw into their own search for national identities, please tell the English, whoever they are, to cherish this ecclesiastical symbol of a rainbow nation. At the moment the English church is afflicted by humourless, tidy-minded souls who want everyone in it to think just like them, and who frequently use the Bible to achieve their aim in the manner of a blunt instrument in an Agatha Christie mystery.

Such a brilliant line – and so true!

Resist them, firm in the faith! Remember what Neil Kinnock achieved against the entryism of Militant in the Labour party of the 1980s. You and archbishop John Sentamu could together witness in the same way for sanity in the C of E.

My second reason to be cheerful is the ordination of women in the Anglican priesthood. Anglicans were the first episcopally governed church grouping to ordain women, way back in the Second World War, in a dire emergency in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong, when the only person available to do one priestly job was a woman, Florence Li Tim-Oi. Loud were the condemnations then, and there has been much angry noise since. But what riches the Church of England has gained since it joined sister-Anglican churches in ordaining women in 1994!

Women priests have faced some extraordinarily childish behaviour from many male counterparts: bullying, condescension and frank undervaluing of their ministry. Besides this has been the glass ceiling that prevented them from being eligible for choice as bishops. Now all that is about to change, and not least among the considerations behind the General Synod’s overwhelming vote for change has been the grace so many women have displayed in the face of masculine bad manners. But there is also an everyday grace that women have brought to the ministry: a general reluctance to join in the theological party strife so common among male clergy, who like nothing better than to line up as Anglo-Catholics or evangelicals, as if they were a set of football hooligans out on the streets after the match.

Guilty. I admit. Always my failing.

Consider, Archbishop Rowan, that one of the most positive images of the Anglican parish priest in the English media is the now evergreen Vicar of Dibley. There’s what the Great English Public think of their women clergy: a bit daft, fond of a box of chocolates or two, but, underneath it all, a source of love and common sense for a community that always has the potential to behave badly. When you think of some of the other stereotypes of priests around at the moment in these islands or beyond, just thank your lucky stars for the folksy silliness of the vicar of Dibley.

My third reason is the election of a bishop in a diocese of the American Episcopal Church in California who happens to be a lesbian. There’s maturity for you. Faithful, seriously worshipping Christian folk have made a free decision in an open election that the best candidate for the job is a woman, who has shown by her decisions in life that fidelity, love and honesty are demanded by her practice of the Christian gospel.

These Californian Anglicans are grown-up enough to believe that it is entirely irrelevant that such fidelity, love and honesty are expressed in a same-sex relationship rather than a heterosexual one. Perhaps they have come to the conclusion that it would be a strange sort of supreme being who cared that much for a particular configuration of genitalia in her servants. <- sounds like it has been lifted straight from one of my sermons

The Episcopal Church of the United States of America has been subjected to continuous abuse and carping from fellow Anglicans, attempted poaching of its churches by dissidents and demands that it curb its understanding of love and sexuality to fit in with the sexual mores of an entirely different society. So American Anglicans have decided that enough is enough: that they should just get on with being Anglicans and elect the best person for the job.

It would be nice if the election of bishops in the Church of England were that democratic and so effectively took into consideration the wishes of all the diocesan faithful. That’s a job to be tackled in Lambeth Palace once the mince pies have gone down and the archiepiscopal sherry decanter put back in the sideboard.

In Portsmouth we pray earnestly for the announcement of a new Diocesan Bishop. We pray for leadership, pastorship and vision and pray that they won’t foist on us one of those who will bully, berate and separate: allow us to minister with our own honesty and integrity, and leave our liturgy alone.

Meanwhile, I hope that you may rejoice at Christmas in this multiform church over which you so graciously and thoughtfully preside – give a welcome to the continuing unobtrusive and untrumpeted trickle of converts, not least from your sister church of Rome, join in the worship at one of your cathedrals, so packed to the gills, so well cared for and cherished as never before in their history, and enjoy the heritage of beautiful music that is one of the treasures of Anglicanism.

The steady trickle FROM an increasingly hardcore Rome TO our lovely little liberal and inclusive Church is noticable. The reverse so boldly trumpeted is/will be almost nothing. Rome misjudged this one really badly.

The Christmas story may be expressed in biblical forms that are not very good history and which some of your congregations may find difficult to take literally, but Christmas music can sweep past the puzzles of words to celebrate a new human life, weak, vulnerable and humble, which is glorified precisely for that. You will know the saying of Thomas Aquinas, which a wise old Dominican friar once quoted to me over a great deal of Irish whiskey, that God is not the answer, he is the question. As long as your church, and all other churches, go on asking the question, they will never die.

Diarmaid

Diarmaid MacCulloch is professor of the history of the church at Oxford University. His latest book is A History of Christianity: the First Three Thousand years (Allen Lane). His BBC4 television series on the same subject ended last week.

A vacation to an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean that offers scuba diving can be a great money saver. To decide whether this option is for you, there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros

Don’t have to worry about money while you are there

Usually cheaper than purchasing everything separately

Stress free: No decisions to make about where to go for drinks, dinner or diving

Usually a party atmosphere (can be a con too)

Security

Activities and entertainment are included (sometimes diving is included also)

Cons

Usually big resorts; grounds and dive boats can be crowded (ever have to go out at 6 am to reserve a lounge on the beach?)

No incentive to leave the resort and experience the local culture

Have unexpected expense of going out if you don’t like the food and/or drink

Service is sometimes lacking since tips are already included (we always tip anyway, even if the policy is supposedly not to)

Not all islands have all inclusives, so island choice is limited

You just have to decide what is most important for you. For instance, if you like smaller resorts and small dive groups, than an all inclusive resort may not be for you.

Most all inclusives include non-motorized water sports in the package. However, while most resorts offer scuba diving, you usually have to pay extra for it. If the resort does offer scuba diving in the price, you can save a significant amount of money.

If you pay for your diving at the resort, my experience has been that prices are pretty much market prices. If you do multiple dives you can usually get a discount. Just ask, prices can be pretty flexible.

Popular All Inclusive Destinations

Probably the most popular places (or at least those with the most resort choices) for an all inclusive Caribbean vacation are the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, including the ever popular Cozumel. In my opinion, of the three options, Cozumel is the hands down winner as far as diving.

High End/Low End

There is an all inclusive resort to fit every budget. You just have to decide what you want. What’s more important to you? Would you rather have gourmet food and premium drinks or would you be happy with lower end offerings and more money in your wallet? The answer can be different for each trip.

No matter where you go and which level of service you choose, it is hard not to have a good time. So pick a place, pack your gear and get going!

One of my three favorite Christmas Movies and the last one I’ll blog about this season (I did the other two–It’s A Wonderful Life and The Snowman last year) is The Bishop’s Wife.  Don’t mistake this for the inferior remake entitled The Deacon’s Wife with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston.  Nope, ask for the original with Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young.  

Grant plays an angel named Dudley who has come down to help out David Niven, the Bishop of the title.  The Bishop is seeking funding for a great cathedral he is building for God.  He’s run into a bit of a roadblock in the name of Mrs. Hamilton, a rich woman who won’t pony up her million unless her late husband is prominent in all the plans–making this more of a memorial than a cathedral.  

What I like about this film–even though it is obvious that this film came after It’s a Wonderful Life and borrows a few tricks (and actors) from it–is that Cary Grant plays the angel as a very inclusive, open minded angel.  In fact, he seems to want to show us a God that is less condemning and more loving.  

Dudley becomes good friends with an atheist professor–who finally, yes, does darken the church door, but it’s not because Dudley has prompted him.  In fact, Dudley seems to have fun turning the professor’s sherry into an endless bottle of sherry (recalling Christ’s miracle of the water into wine….”and good sherry at that!”).  Dudley also sees a palm reader, and instead of condemning her, he tries a little palm reading on the Bishop’s Wife.  Dudley knows Santa Claus and tells people.  In fact, Dudley seems to embrace all people where they are in belief, without sacrificing his angelic qualities.  And he’s not embarrassed by them.  He certainly doesn’t shun them.

Dudley even plays a bit devilish with the Bishop, by purposely dating the Bishop’s Wife to anger the Bishop into realizing what he’s got.  He basically gives the Bishop a choice–he can either represent the Bishop in these “important” funding meetings, or represent him with his wife.  Since the Bishop refuses to let the angel represent him at the meetings, naturally Dudley takes up with Loretta Young.  And they go out to the restaurants, and skate on the pond, and shop together…and the Bishop’s Wife loves it.  She blossoms.  She does not fall in love with Dudley.  In fact, Dudley almost plays the gay best friend here—almost a non-sexual male counterpart, who is nonetheless, doing all the romantic things that the Bishop should be doing, but isn’t.  The Bishop doesn’t see him as a threat, at first.  Until Dudley makes a pass….

Some great lines:  ”No one expects him to be normal!  He’s a bishop,” says the maid.

“The only people who grow old are the ones who were old to begin with,” Dudley to the Bishop’s Wife.  

And Dudley’s quote about mankind is really interesting and makes my point about his inclusiveness:  ”We all come from our own little planets.  We’re all different.  That’s what makes life interesting.”  He loves the atheist professor, Santa, the palmist, the Bishop, the maid, everyone he meets–equally.  He thinks no more highly of the Bishop for being a bishop than he does the professor or the maid.  He has no judgment, no arrogance, no religiosity.  He is an angel outside of our religion.  And that may speak to a host of borders, boundaries, and restrictions that we put on our version of God.  And yet, Dudley’s fully believable as an angel of the God I know of.  

It’s just unusual to see on screen–a lovable Christian man without all the harumph, all the damnation, all the trying-to-be-good.  He just is.  And that’s a bigger point than what David Niven learns.  

If you get a chance, rent and watch The Bishop’s Wife.  It’s a under-appreciated Christmas Classic.

I have had a difficult time getting into the spirit of things during this Christmas season. There are a number of things I could point to, but what it truly amounts to is being tired.

Whether I am tired of rampant commercialism of this holy day, tired of feeling like I don’t have enough money to take care of my children for Christmas,  tired of death creeping up on loved ones, tired of the details regarding my compicated living situation, tired of feeling like I have little (if any) spare time, tired of feeling like I am unsure what God wants from me (I think I know what He wants, I’m just a little scared), tired of pretending that there is nothing bothering me. With all of this, it is difficult to genuinely feel the spirit of Christmas.

I feel rushed, pushed, and down.  I try to remind myself that happiness is a choice, a path, not a destination… but I get too bogged down. The recent death of a close friend did not help my mindset… at first.

Last night I saw people come out and pay respects to this man, I heard some fine words said, and I had my words as well. His Preacher told us about the Wayne he knew. He told us about a man who showed up to church every Sunday in his motorcycle leathers, sat in the pew, wrote notes about the service (his many Bibles have notes scrawled in them), and every few weeks he would hand his Preacher an envelope filled with cash to anonymously help someone at the church who was having a tough time. That was Wayne.

As i sat and listened to this, I began to feel the Spirit. I was reminded of God’s divine grace and endless love and boundless generosity. I was reminded of what a “season of giving” really means… Wayne did it year ’round.

I went home last night, after taking care of some parental responsibilities, and I drank some hard cider with my Dad, and we talked about Wayne and we talked about God. My Dad gave me one of Wayne’s Bibles. I was overwhelmed. What an honor it was for me to receive one of his Bibles. Wayne was one of those guys that actually read his Bible. He said that you have to know it, it’s not good enough to have someone else read it for you. Wise words Wayne… indeed.

I miss him so much already. Though it breaks my heart, I feel a renewed sense of calm and serenity. I feel a thankfulness in lessons learned. I feel a comfort in knowing that Wayne is with God now.

So there is one week until Christmas, there is time.

Merry Christmas everyone.

A vacation to an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean that offers scuba diving can be a great money saver. To decide whether this option is for you, there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros

Don’t have to worry about money while you are there

Usually cheaper than purchasing everything separately

Stress free: No decisions to make about where to go for drinks, dinner or diving

Usually a party atmosphere (can be a con too)

Security

Activities and entertainment are included (sometimes diving is included also)

Cons

Usually big resorts; grounds and dive boats can be crowded (ever have to go out at 6 am to reserve a lounge on the beach?)

No incentive to leave the resort and experience the local culture

Have unexpected expense of going out if you don’t like the food and/or drink

Service is sometimes lacking since tips are already included (we always tip anyway, even if the policy is supposedly not to)

Not all islands have all inclusives, so island choice is limited

You just have to decide what is most important for you. For instance, if you like smaller resorts and small dive groups, than an all inclusive resort may not be for you.

Most all inclusives include non-motorized water sports in the package. However, while most resorts offer scuba diving, you usually have to pay extra for it. If the resort does offer scuba diving in the price, you can save a significant amount of money.

If you pay for your diving at the resort, my experience has been that prices are pretty much market prices. If you do multiple dives you can usually get a discount. Just ask, prices can be pretty flexible.

Popular All Inclusive Destinations

Probably the most popular places (or at least those with the most resort choices) for an all inclusive Caribbean vacation are the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, including the ever popular Cozumel. In my opinion, of the three options, Cozumel is the hands down winner as far as diving.

High End/Low End

There is an all inclusive resort to fit every budget. You just have to decide what you want. What’s more important to you? Would you rather have gourmet food and premium drinks or would you be happy with lower end offerings and more money in your wallet? The answer can be different for each trip.

No matter where you go and which level of service you choose, it is hard not to have a good time. So pick a place, pack your gear and get going!

     “Dead. That’s what Mary Jones is.”

     I remember clearly the Basic Writing assignment in 1975 at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University where I was a freshman. We were to write an obituary and we were not to write it that way. That was a catchy lead, sure, but it was not the proper tone. And obits are never funny.

   So we completed our obituary assignment from a sheet of facts, typing on manual typewriters in the basement of Fisk Hall where the instructor chain- smoked and drank about eight cups of coffee in a four-hour lab. Sometimes students stifled tears as they typed. Everyone turned in something at the end of the hour, along with the carbon copies.

    Fast forward 34 years. I am an assistant professor at Medill, assigning obituaries to the freshmen in 201-1 Reporting and Writing, and not allowing them to create fiction by writing their own obituaries (a practice I find not only ghoulish but unethical) that was suprisnlgy on the syllabus before my arrival.  Knowing how to write an obituary is solid practice in news judgment, sourcing, organization,  as well as writing with the appropriate tone and voice. Good practice for profiles.

         It seems obits are not only good practice for journalists, but good business for forward-thinking media innovators.

    Two of my Medill colleagues, Owen Youngman and Rich Gordon, led a group of students in the Fall 09 Interative Innovation Project to recently redesign, rethink and relaunch the American obituary for legacy.com.

    At the presentation last week students spoke about the immense popularity of ”compelling stories about a noteworthy life,” separate from fame and celebrity. These were life capsules of “anyone’s neighbor, any average Joe.”
        Everyman news? Of course.  And these stories are not just a community or family service (no pun intended), but death notices are a 1/2 billion-dollar revenue maker for newspapers. 

       Add text, video, audio, photo slideshows and all combinations of multimedia memorials and this is the somber flipside to youtube’s jackass videos of teenagers jumping off their parents’ garages. Not that my three sons have done that. Yet.

      An element I found especially interesting in the presentation was the fact that historically newspaper obituaries were limited to stories of society’s elite, and naturally, at first only elite white men. Few women were written about and honored in print obituaries.   Another demographic piece is that an overwhelming majority of visitors to online memorial sites are Christian.

     Now here is the opportunity.

    We (me, too) spend a lot of time writing, teaching and talking about the democratization of news and the necessity for inclusiveness in media of all forms. Tell everyone’s story. Project all voices. So in the spirit of open sourcing, here is the chance to have storytelling without boundaries, with repsect for all religious and non-religious affiliations, to honor a life, any life, every life, everyman’s life, everywoman’s.

     We all deserve a memorial, a story with dignity that honors who we were, what we contributed and how we were loved and known. And one that doesn’t begin with “Dead. That’s what…”

What does the word “Exclusive” mean to you? I guess it would possibly matter in what context you read it or heard it, right? Perhaps this morning when I read it, it just hit me wrong. I was in the mall, a place I usually don’t go. This was Nashville’s upscale mall, and it was an advertisement for a pair of sunglasses. They were on a way too good looking young model and the slogan read “Isn’t it great to be exclusive”. It just made me think of that word for a minute. The night before I had been at a function in a very well to do neighborhood, like home in the 2-3 million dollar range. Of course it had the gate, guards, the whole bit there to keep the common folks out. Does the word exclusive make us feel special? Where do we look to be or feel special, affirmed, appreciated? Where should we look? How is exclusiveness or inclusiveness present in our lives?

I know it’s all just advertising, and the folks in those neighborhoods are good folks and deal with much the same problems that we all do. I know it’s not a big sinister plan, but it did make me think about 2 words….Exclusive and Inclusive. Do we want to buy into the exclusive side of things so we feel better about ourselves?. What’s the lyric in the Kris Kristofferson song “Jesus Was A Capricorn”?

“cause everybody needs somebody to look down on

who they can feel better than anytime they please

someone doin’ somethin’ dirty decent folks can frown on

if you can’t find nobody else then help yourself to me”

It seems like when I read about the great religions of the world, they are all inclusive, not exclusive. Christ was definitely inclusive. Being inclusive sure feels better to me. Sometimes it just feels like a subtle thought process permeating our world, a way to feel superior maybe or maybe a way to not look at what might be lacking in our own spirits and lives. I often feel like that’s the way it is for me.

No big deal. Just something that crossed my mind and wondered if it did anybody else’s. Tell me what you think or how you’d respond to those words.

Before you can call yourself a scuba diver, you will need to familiarize yourself with the equipment used in this activity. Scuba regulators, for instance, are a definite must-have when you go undersea. Basically, these regulators allow you to breathe underwater by adjusting the air pressure coming from the tank to match that of the one found in water.

First stage regulator

The first stage of scuba regulators work to control the air pressure coming out of the tank. It keeps pressure from flowing in unmanageable gushes. It essentially adjusts the pressure just so it is balanced against the ambient water pressure.

Second stage regulator

Where the first stage lets air flow into the hose from your tank, the second stage regulator works to get air into your mouthpiece. It is concerned with allowing you to both inhale and exhale underwater which is why it is composed of complex parts. It has a diaphragm or piston just like the first stage but it has additional parts such as the purge or exhaust valve which allows you to exhale air out of the chamber while making sure that water doesn’t get in.

How to choose scuba regulators

There are just a couple of things that you need to consider when choosing a regulator. You will want to make sure that you’re getting one that is easy to hold and that which comes with a purge button that you can easily press even when you’re wearing thick gloves. It should also come with external controls to ensure that you can easily manipulate the device and adjust air flow even while underwater.

The most important tip of all is to always buy a brand-new regulator that comes with sufficient warranty.

A vacation to an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean that offers scuba diving can be a great money saver. To decide whether this option is for you, there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros

Don’t have to worry about money while you are there

Usually cheaper than purchasing everything separately

Stress free: No decisions to make about where to go for drinks, dinner or diving

Usually a party atmosphere (can be a con too)

Security

Activities and entertainment are included (sometimes diving is included also)

Cons

Usually big resorts; grounds and dive boats can be crowded (ever have to go out at 6 am to reserve a lounge on the beach?)

No incentive to leave the resort and experience the local culture

Have unexpected expense of going out if you don’t like the food and/or drink

Service is sometimes lacking since tips are already included (we always tip anyway, even if the policy is supposedly not to)

Not all islands have all inclusives, so island choice is limited

You just have to decide what is most important for you. For instance, if you like smaller resorts and small dive groups, than an all inclusive resort may not be for you.

Most all inclusives include non-motorized water sports in the package. However, while most resorts offer scuba diving, you usually have to pay extra for it. If the resort does offer scuba diving in the price, you can save a significant amount of money.

If you pay for your diving at the resort, my experience has been that prices are pretty much market prices. If you do multiple dives you can usually get a discount. Just ask, prices can be pretty flexible.

Popular All Inclusive Destinations

Probably the most popular places (or at least those with the most resort choices) for an all inclusive Caribbean vacation are the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, including the ever popular Cozumel. In my opinion, of the three options, Cozumel is the hands down winner as far as diving.

High End/Low End

There is an all inclusive resort to fit every budget. You just have to decide what you want. What’s more important to you? Would you rather have gourmet food and premium drinks or would you be happy with lower end offerings and more money in your wallet? The answer can be different for each trip.

No matter where you go and which level of service you choose, it is hard not to have a good time. So pick a place, pack your gear and get going!

Azamara revealed major changes to its branding and future itineraries yesterday, in an effort to focus itself on destinations rather than its ships. The line’s new tagline is “You’ll love where we take you.” Azamara will now be called “Azamara Club Cruises.” It plans to emphasize new destination-intensive itineraries with more shore excursions and enrichment programs.

Changes rolling out across 2010 will include more overnight stays in ports, new “dynamic” shore excursion options for passengers with special interests, additional culinary programs with new food and wine pairings, and expanded onboard enrichment classes, among others. Aboard its ships, the line announced a new range of inclusive pricing that will cover bottled water, coffees, sodas, and house wines, as well as gratuities and shuttle transfers. In other news, the company is setting up its own dedicated loyalty program for past cruises and reshuffling its cabin categories as well. 

Contact Celebrations International Travel for more information about Azamara Club Cruises and other cruise vacation options.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I became a Christian when I was 16. I remember this chiefly because I was in the front seat of my car after Bible Study at the Moffitt’s when I first prayed to accept God’s love.

Despite the fact that it was nearly 20 years ago, I am still a relatively young Christian. Why? It is because I squandered most of that time. I left God behind to search for something else. I do believe that in some way, it was part of God’s plan for me to experience these other paths. It does pain me though. I can’t help but wonder what my life would be like had I not left God’s side.

I talk to Christians and read the writing of Christians who are SO much better educated than I am. They know so much more about scripture, about faith, about God. I often feel so ignorant and unworthy of starting a Christian community. Why me? Why would God choose me to do this? I don’t know.

As I read this, I hear the words of  Susan Enan:

“I dont have the time for a drink from the cup
Let’s rest for a while ’til our souls catch us up

Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long”

It does feel sometimes like I never truly had time for God. I had time for everything else. I had time for every type of fascination. I had time to indulge in every whimsy, every vice, every delusion. I did not have time to invest in a true and lasting love with our Creator.

I find comfort though. God has still welcomed me back. God welcomed my debauched and broken soul. I still have time to learn, time to touch others, time to be what God expects of me.

I don’t know precisely what God has in store for me. I don’t know exactly what will happen with Beats & Bibles…. but I trust Him. I trust that He has me on the right path.

Apartheid—meaning separateness in Afrikaans (which is cognate to the English apart and -hood)—was a system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government in South Africa between 1948 and early 1994.

We have had the civil rights movement. We had a woman who defied the local bus system’s seating chart. The blacks were supposed to sit in the back of the bus, and she (Rosa Parks) decided to sit in the front. Her act helped set in motion a movement for change, especially for the African people, especially those who lived in America at the time and even now. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu had a hand in breaking the chains of apartheid and brought hope into a hopeless situation. They sought to essentially redraw the boundaries and invite even their enemies into this new kind of circle that everyone could be a part of. It was a journey to aggressive inclusiveness that we are still partaking in.

I wonder if in the language and theology of the Church (historically speaking) if we too have condoned a spirit of apartheid?

If apartheid is defined as separateness then maybe we have. If the idea of salvation is defined as something we can pray into, that would be akin to someone seeking membership into a club where there is a membership fee to join. What if salvation is more than something we verbally say to God? To use a familiar phrase, what if salvation is something that we do by voting with our feet? (What if faith is action? Sure, the author James seems to differentiate between the two, but to him, it seems like their is a symbiotic partnership that takes shape over time.) Salvation is simplistically translated from the Greek and Hebrew as ‘healing’. If you talk with a doctor they might inform you that healing is a process that happens over time. It doesn’t happen in the moment. And I would argue that the healing of Jesus is more of a movement we can join in by not only experiencing healing from his hands, but by promoting healing in the lives and situations of other. Maybe the reason why we are healed isn’t to join a club, but rather to heal others. To take that healing to those in need. But when we attempt to minimize the message of Jesus down to a prayer or a small exclusive band of followers we without knowing it have minimized the global message of healing for everyone that has already taken place through the powerful act of Jesus on the cross. Which also includes Jesus coming back after the 3-day nap. It is these two acts together that signify a metaphor for daily living. We die to destructive decisions and selfish ways or another way to say it is “we learn from them”, and then through the process of rebirth we come to discover more of who we are meant to be. But when we take the message of Jesus and transform it from being a powerful inventive movement of love that everyone could join in on, we become a community (albeit, without knowing it at times) who supports a sort of religious apartheid that separates one another from the love of God. Jesus crafted a message that allowed all people from all backgrounds who have light and dark histories to go and build a new way of life into their immediate and global contexts. This is a part of what it could mean to be saved. To be saved from ideas and theologies that seek to minimize the inclusive message of Jesus and go and restore cities and hearts and lives back into the healing of the Christ-man. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all could be a part of a movement that condoned peace, grace, love, redemption and forgiveness and through these acts bring people into the movement of Jesus?

If your idea of holiday heaven includes having your every need catered for and not having to worry about the cost, or you want a nice planned list of activities to enjoy while you are away, then an all inclusive vacation is perfect for you.

Where To Find Your Vacation Package

All inclusive vacations are very popular with travel agencies, who love to sell the advantages to their customers. The travel agents offer a service where they plan out the perfect all inclusive vacation package for you.

The great thing about most of these vacation packages is that they usually include basic airfare and a hotel package. Further, if you also want or need a car rental, this can be included in the package too. The majority of these all inclusive vacation packages are set at hotels that are resorts. Naturally, the resorts generally also have restaurants and the meals are usually part of the package as well.

All inclusive vacation packages are available for people of all interests, some of them take you to beach resorts, others offer tours of historical sites, cycling or walking tours of the area, fishing trips, and other things of cultural interest. If you want to explore your chosen destination without the hassle of planning and map reading, then this is a great way to do it. Let people with knowledge of the area show you around the most interesting places. All inclusive vacations have many benefits, one being that they make things so much easier.

If you want to experience something new, then an all inclusive vacation package may be right for you. These packages can be a great way to experience something new, like para-sailing or deep sea diving. There are various options and activities that you can choose from in order to customize your vacation plans and enjoy the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience.

You don’t have to be going to a resort to get an all inclusive package. Many amusement parks offer similar deals where your ticket lets you on all the rides, and gives you free food and priority seating at restaurants, along with tickets for certain performances. If you are visiting an amusement park during peak season, these tickets can save you a lot of time and money, and greatly enhance your enjoyment of the park.

Sometimes you can book via the resort directly, instead of going through a travel agent. This is very convenient, and you may be able to tailor your package better, but it is worth checking out what travel agents have to offer as well, to see which is the best deal.

As always, it pays to shop around, but there are some great all inclusive deals out there which will help you have a holiday to remember.

This is the very first entry for the journal I am setting up for myself and Beats & Bibles. The point of this is simply to have a journal for my walk with God and for the community that is just starting in Roanoke, VA.

A little background perhaps…
I am Fox. I started my walk with God when I was 16, and by the times I was 22 I had all but completely walked away from Him. I spent the next years of my life as a pagan and a soul-searcher. I ended up back with God at the end of the summer in 2009. Since then, it has been a rough, but wonderful road.

Support from my friends (Christian and non-Christian) has been encouraging. I wanted to start a Beer & Bible Study and have a great open discussion of God, faith, and scripture. Several others liked this idea too. I then started reading about other groups: The Eucatastrophe, House for All Sinners and Saints, and Church in a Bar. These groups seemed to really address the same ideas and concerns I had. A community seemed to be the solution. After spending time in prayer and struggling with things, Beats & Bibles was born.

Right now, it’s a small group. That’s fine. We’re a group of people interested in a dialogue about God and our relationship with Him.

I had an earlier blog that I detailed my journey from pagan to Christian in. All 14 entries can be read here: http://foxdouglas.blogspot.com/
It’s a short read if you want to hear a little more about my journey.

Now we move forward. Let’s dig in and talk.

A secondary school in Wrexham wins an award which is judged on how it meets the needs of every child…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: classes. The blog is also related to: elementary school.

Die OMS Solutions GmbH wurde mit dem Preis “StreamServe Networking Award 2009″ für “besondere Verdienste rund um die StreamServe Community” ausgezeichnet.

Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (89 kB)	Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (86 kB)
Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (89 kB)	Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (109 kB)

Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (110 kB)	Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (128 kB)
Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (119 kB)	Bildvorschau Bild herunterladen (101 kB)

Die StreamServe Deutschland GmbH zeichnet die OMS Solutuions GmbH bei den StreamServe Awards 2009 – am 27.11.2009 in Bad Homburg – aus.

Die OMS Solutions GmbH wird für Ihre Engagement im Bereich Networking ausgezeichnet.

Verliehen wurde dieser preis während der “StreamServe PartnerDays 2009″ im Oktober.

Die in diesem Jahr zum ersten Mal verliehenen Auszeichungen überreichte Christoph Ackermann, Partner Sales Manager CEE.

StreamServe Partner Awards 2009 All Winners

Von Links nach Rechts: Stephan Vanberg (StreamServe), Holger Rendelmann (LR Consulting), Houman Feldberger (OMS Solutions), Walter Moser (Brainworx), Christoph Ackermann (StreamServe)

Eine StreamServe-interne Jury bewertete das Engagement seiner 44 Partner aus Zentral- und Osteuropa in den folgenden Kategorien:

StreamServe Networking Award 2009
Er ging an Houman Feldberger, Geschäftsführer der OMS Solutions GmbH für seine Verdienste rund um die StreamServe Community. Feldberger gründete die Xing Gruppe StreamServe EDP-Lösungen, die derzeit über 220 Mitglieder zählt.

StreamServe Networking Award 2009 Winner Houman Feldberger OMS solutions & Christoph Ackermann StreamServe

StreamServe Demand Generation Award 2009
Ihn verlieh die Jury an Holger Rendelmann, kaufmännischer Geschäftsführer der LR Consulting GmbH. Rendelmann wurde für seine Verdienste um die aktive Gewinnung von Neukunden und seine kreative Lead-Generierung ausgezeichnet. Innerhalb weniger Wochen identifizierte Rendelmann mehr als 50 neue Kunden und Projekte.

StreamServe Collaboration Award 2009
Ihn erhielt Walter Moser, Geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der BRAINWORX information technology GmbH in Österreich. Moser setzt sich stark dafür ein, die interne Kommunikation und Zusammenarbeit mit anderen Partnern, Kunden und mit StreamServe zu verbessern.

Einige Bilder dieser Veranstaltung finden Sie in unserer Rubrik StreamServe/StrS Partnertage 2009.

Zu den XING-StreamServe-Foren:
zu der Gruppe “StreamServe EDP Lösungen”
zu der Gruppe “StreamServe CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS”

Die Profile der OMS Solutions GmbH-Geschäftsleitung finden Sie hier:
Zum Profil von H. Feldberger
Zum Profil von F. Wilcke

Quelle: Mehr Bilder und ausführliche Informationen finden Sie hier

There is hope out there. Hope and support for people (and especially young people) who strive to deal with their sexuality.

On a recent Boing Boing Post there was:

a rather amusing video created by a Canadian high-school student titled “Hiding Your Sexual Orientation From Your Parents 101.”

One of the many people who commented on that post was an anonymous commenter who wrote:

Ok, my parents found out i was gay by myspace (which i regret for putting my sexual orientation) and my parents will never accept cause my parents are really realigous for our christianity. They are so realigous, that i’m now homeschooled and going to a private school. Also i have no internet unless for emergencies, no friends houses, no phone, no boy friends til i’m 18. The only times i can get out is to christian youth groups so i have no life for the next 5 years ( cause i’m 13). Oh and my parents think all the wrong things in the world about gays, they even use the gay f word. I need help and i’m typing this from my PS3 cause they don’t know it has internet. HELP!!! =O

It’s hard for jaded internet people like me (Xeni Jardin) to know when someone’s pulling your leg online, but I’ll take this one at face value.

So, Dear Anonymous:

Boy, that sucks. I don’t have a way of contacting you privately, so I’ll say it to the world. You are fine just as you are. There is nothing wrong with being gay, and everything right with being true to yourself, no matter who tries to tell you otherwise. But being gay and a teen is very hard when your family isn’t cool with it. My friend Maggie suggests that you might want to check out these helplines and Web resources, so you can talk to someone who can help you sort stuff out:

♦ amplifyyourvoice.org (a teen LGBTQ site)
♦ billwilsoncenter.org (Web chat based teen counseling service)
♦ glnh.org (National LGBTQ help center, with phone counseling lines manned by other LGBTQ people. They’ve got a special youth line, online peer support and access to local services and organizations.)

If you are reading this post, Anonymous, I bet some other people will be writing suggestions for other good resources in the comments. Check them out. Good luck. There are many of us in the world who welcome you just as you are. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that who you are is anything less than beautiful.

Keep your head held high, little happy mutant.

It’s a lonely path, but I would want to offer my prayers and support to that young person. God created them. God loves him/her as they are. These are important resources, and I repost them here for any who might stumble upon them, and pray they will be useful.

Today is “To Write Love On Her Arms Day“, which supports young people facing depression, self-harm and other crises of self-identity. There was love on Christ’s Arms as he bore the sin of the world on the Cross. He did not condemn, he loved.

Yes, happy mutant, may God bless you, and all of you.

O paradisíaco Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort, na Costa Rica,
vai sediar a etapa de abertura da terceira temporada do Latin American
Poker Tour (LAPT), considerado o maior evento de Poker da América Latina.

O Paradisus Playa Conchal é um resort all inclusive com praias de areia
branca e águas cristalinas, piscinas, campo de golfe, SPA e um salão
de eventos que irá sediar o torneio entre os dias 19 e 22 de novembro.

LEIA MAIS NOS SITES
:: SORTIMENTOS.COM >> http://www.sortimentos.net/?p=3785
:: GEBBEG >> http://gebbeg.com.br/?p=7209

.