December 7^th:

• 8 to 10:30: Coffee + Work for my website
• 10:30 to 11: Breakfast (eggs + bacon + milk)
• 11 to 12: Wrote a letter to my school’s administration
• 12 to 2:30: Schoolwork
• 2:30 to 3: Lunch (Tuna Salad + cheese + V8)
• 3 to 6: Schoolwork
• 6 to 6:30: Facebook
• 6:30 to 7: Dinner (Spaghetti + Milk)
• 7 to 12: Relaxing + TV + Computer

Procrastination: For this day, I’ll give myself a 7/10. I did a total of 5 and half hours of schoolwork, which is decent. I also wrote to my school’s administration which is something I have been putting off for a long time.

Bed Time: I actually fell asleep in front of the TV/Computer sometime between 10 and 12 and I then went to bed at 12. So I’ll give myself a 10/10, given that I went to bed by midnight.

Wake Up Time: I woke up at 8, which is my goal, so I’ll give myself a 10/10.

Diet: I give myself a 8/10. Most important of all is the fact that I didn’t binge late in the evening. I was also very careful during the day. Even though my breakfast and lunch don’t seem ideal, I was very careful with portion size and calorie count. I probably ate a little more spaghetti than I should have, but, nonetheless, it was a very good day overall.

Other thoughts: The main thing which I noticed is that it took me 2 and a half hours to write the blog post for my website. It’s actually quite a big part of my day. I’m aware that the feature we do on Mondays is time-consuming, but I never imagined that it took me that long before today. Given that my priority right now is schoolwork, working on the website shouldn’t be the first thing I do in the morning. 5 hours of TV is also a pretty scary thing to see on the list, but I don’t think it’s really out of the ordinary for me. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I need to ask myself if it’s really the thing which I want to do the most. On one side, I’m usually tired in the evening and I don’t feel like doing much and TV is an activity that doesn’t require any effort. On the other side, I must admit that I sometimes watch things which don’t really interest me, just for the sake of watching TV. I need to try to make a mental note to ask myself every time I start a TV show, whether that’s really the thing I want to do the most at that moment and whether there are more useful things which I might need to do first. Also, according to my day’s rating, the aspect of my life I need to work the most right now is procrastination.

The UN gets a lot of flack for just merely talking. And is that all they do? Is there more substance to them or were they put in place to make us feel like we’re all part of something? What do you think?

Below is a portion of policy decisions made at their meetings. You can see all of them here.

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADOPTS SIX
RESOLUTIONS AND ONE DECISION
ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
WOMEN AND FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION, AMONG
OTHERS

xxxxxxxxxx
Human Rights Council
MORNING

2 October 2009

Defers Action on Resolution Concerning Report of Fact-Finding Mission on Gaza Conflict to March Session

The Human Rights Council this morning adopted six resolutions and one decision on a wide variety of subjects, including on freedom of opinion and expression; elimination of discrimination against women; the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights; the effects of foreign debt and other related international and financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights; draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights; Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Myanmar; and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind in conformity with international human rights law.

At the request of the sponsors, the Council deferred action on the draft resolution on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, which deals among other things with the report of the Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, to its March session.

Under its agenda item on the promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, the Council adopted four resolutions and one decision. On the freedom of opinion and expression, the Council expressed its concern that incidents of racial and religious intolerance, discrimination and related violence, as well as of negative racial and religious stereotyping, continued to rise around the world; and called on all parties to armed conflict to respect international humanitarian law.

Concerning the elimination of discrimination against women, the Council called upon States to fulfill their international obligations and commitments to revoke any remaining laws that discriminate on the basis of sex and remove gender bias in the administration of justice, taking into account that those laws violate their human right to be protected against discrimination. It called on States to ensure full representation and full equal participation of women in political, social and economic decision-making as an essential condition for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as a critical factor in the eradication of poverty.

On the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights, the Council strongly condemned the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes, which had a negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights, and decided to hold a panel discussion on the matter at its thirteenth session.

With regard to the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, the Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner to allocate sufficient budgetary resources for the implementation of the activities envisaged in resolution 11/5, including the organization and holding of regional stakeholder consultations on the draft general guidelines on foreign debt and human rights during the present term of the mandate holder.

Concerning the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights, the Council invited the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty to submit a progress report presenting her recommendations on how to improve the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights to the Council no later than its fifteenth session, to allow the Council to take a decision on the way forward with a view to a possible adoption of guiding principles on the rights of persons living in extreme poverty by 2012.

Under its agenda item on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention, concerning a resolution on Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Myanmar, the Council expressed grave concern at the recent conviction and sentencing of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and called for her immediate and unconditional release; and called upon the Government of Myanmar to release all political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, enabling them to participate fully in the 2010 elections.

Under its agenda item on follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene, in 2010, a workshop for an exchange of views on how a better understanding of traditional values of humankind underpinning international human rights norms and standards can contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Speaking in introduction of resolutions were Mexico, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, France, Sweden on behalf of the European Union, Pakistan and Russia.

Speaking in general comments were South Africa, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Slovenia, United States, Norway, France on behalf of the European Union, Brazil, China, Cuba, Philippines, Russia, Indonesia, Bolivia, Norway,

Speaking in explanations of vote before the vote were France on behalf of the European Union, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Cuba, Chile, India, Senegal, Mexico, Japan, United States, Argentina, Indonesia, and the Republic of Korea. Uruguay also spoke in a general comment.

Speaking in explanations of vote after the vote were Japan, Nigeria and Ukraine. Speaking as a concerned country was Myanmar.

The Council will meet at 3 p.m. this afternoon to continue to take action on draft decisions and resolutions before concluding its twelfth regular session.

General Statement

PABLO A. TAPIE (Uruguay) said before continuing with resolutions, Uruguay wished to express absolute solidarity with the people of the Philippines and Indonesia for the calamities that had struck them. These people should have the backing and solidarity of the Human Rights Council. Uruguay wished to salute, as it wished that sport was a bridge for peace, the cities that were candidates for hosting the Olympic Games, which would be chosen today. Uruguay also wished to congratulate Egypt for the brilliant way in which the Championship had been organised, showing how important sport was as a bridge between civilisations.

Action on Resolutions Under the Agenda Item on the Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights

In a resolution on Freedom of opinion and expression (A/HRC/12/L.14/Rev.1), adopted without a vote, the Human Rights Council reaffirms the rights contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; expresses its concern that incidents of racial and religious intolerance, discrimination and related violence, as well as of negative racial and religious stereotyping continue to rise around the world; calls on all parties to armed conflict to respect international humanitarian law; recognizes the moral and social responsibilities of the media and the importance that the media’s own elaboration of voluntary codes of conduct can play; invites the Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, to carry out his activities in accordance with its resolution 7/36 and all relevant Council resolutions and decisions; requests the Secretary-General to provide the assistance necessary to the Special Rapporteur to fulfil his mandate effectively; requests the Special Rapporteur to submit an annual report to the Council and the General Assembly on the activities relating to his mandate; and decides to continue its consideration of the issue of the right to freedom of opinion and expression in accordance with its programme of work.

The resolution was introduced by Egypt and the United States on Thursday afternoon and a summary of the introduction can be found in press release HRC/09/124 of 1 October 2009.

PITSO MONTWEDI (South Africa), in a general comment, said that South Africa wished to thank the President of the Council for having given the South African delegation the opportunity to get final instructions from their capital. The issue of freedom of opinion and expression had always been highly politicized in the deliberations of this Council. South Africa for its part had always ensured that its engagement was informed by current provisions of international human rights law. As a country, South Africa respected the principles and the Charter of the United Nations, and all its legislative measures were compatible with international human rights law. As a country, South Africa had ensured that all requisite declarations were consistent with all pertinent human rights treaties. South Africa was therefore concerned at deliberate efforts to undermine international human rights law. Regrettably, the text of L. 14/Rev.1 represented a major setback for South Africa, which would have wished to see a reaffirmation of the provisions of general recommendation number 15, which provided for the prohibition by law of any dissemination of racial discrimination. South Africa was also concerned about the lack of clarity in operative paragraph 4; South Africa’s preference was not for a confusing language as had been used in this paragraph.

JEAN-BAPTISTE MATTEI (France), speaking on behalf of the European Union, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said that the European Union thanked the main sponsors for bringing forward this important issue at this session. The freedom of opinion and expression was a fundamental human right that every member of the Council had to uphold, promote and protect. The cornerstones of the European Union’s value systems were their beliefs in tolerance, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion or belief. They demanded that all people of the world were able to enjoy their right to hold opinions without interference. Restrictions on the right to freedom of expression should be no more extensive than permitted by human rights law. Respect for the freedom of expression and opinion was vital for strengthening democracy, combating racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance. Optional Paragraph four of the current resolution constituted a final compromise for the European Union since they firmly believed that debate on how to deal with these issues had to be grounded in international human rights law, which protected individuals in the exercise of their freedom of religion or belief. Human rights laws did not and should not protect belief systems. Hence, the language on stereotyping only applied to stereotyping of individuals and not of ideologies, religions or abstract values. The European Union rejected and would continue to reject the concept of defamation of religions and also rejected the misuse of religions or belief themselves for incitement of hatred. Further, the notion of a moral and social responsibility of the media as expressed in the resolution went well behind the “special duties and responsibilities”. The European Union could not subscribe to this concept in such general terms. States should not seek to interfere with the work of journalists and had to enable editorial independence of the media.

Here are a few tips to avoiding the holiday weight gain.  Although it may not be a lot, it will be hard to lose.

-  Skip on the holiday sweets.  Choose your one day to splurge then say “no” or bring a healthy alternative for all those  parties and office treats leading up to the big day.

-  Try and bake as much as your holiday food as possible.  Avoid fried or candied.  Go light on the sauces.

-  Watch out for portion sizes.  Stop eating when you are full and share your desert.

-  Go for a walk as a family activity

-  The key is to keep the splurging to one or a couple days.  Not the whole season!

Check out WebMD for their top 10 tips!

Recent discussions around school lunch portions in the staff room generated a lot of ideas; however, it was just by random luck that an answer popped up. A few of us who work at multiple schools have been perplexed by the fact that sometimes we are given portions like someone at Rajneeshpuram would expect and other days we receive enough for a family of four and still there are leftovers.

My first guess was that they have troubles estimating portions for the office because people go off on business or are absent for other reasons, but that variance would seem to affect all of the schools equally.

On Monday the lady responsible for serving our lunches was trying to pawn off extra Okara Croquettes and having trouble getting takers. When I commented on the overwhelming quantity of food, her response fired a lot of synapses in my brain and I came to the answer. Mind you, the synapses were firing slowly and it took awhile to put two and two together.

Extra food and utensils are delivered to the office because any class with a shortage must send representatives to the office to retrieve a supplement (after being forced to explain in detail why they need it.) When a few classes have low attendance because of flu, there is very little need for the office over-supply. Naturally the 400+ student schools need a larger overage in the office for contingencies than the 100 student schools, so they have a greater chance of large portions.

To Offer Such Small Portion …..You Wound Me, Sir!

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First off, don’t be neurotic about your diet, we don’t want the opposite effect of creating an eating disorder here.  My goal is to help people improve their overall trend in eating habits. 

With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you from beasting on the feasting.  Enjoy your time with your family and loved ones, and have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

1) Use a smaller plate.  Go back for your usual seconds and thirds (and forths+ for some).  A smaller plate will help you slow down a bit and it let’s you take a better look at your portions.  It takes about 20min from the time you start eating before your brain registers that your body isn’t hungry anymore.  Think about how much food you can consume in 20min before that happens.

2) Have a glass of wine.  Wine will just make the whole experience fuller by accentuating the flavors of both the food and wine.  Wine (esp red) does have antioxidants/enzymes and will help your overall circulation, digestion.  (I know, it’s a cop out, what can I say, I love vino!).

3) Be biased towards the non-starchy carbs (low glycemic).  Insulin spikes are the enemy.  Stick to the high fiber greens and you will have a better chance of controlling the blood sugar level spikes.

4) Don’t starve yourself.  I have heard of people’s wacky ideas of not eating anything for the whole day so that they can eat whatever they want during the dinner.  This is not such a good idea as it sounds.  You’re body is going to want to hold onto all it’s energy (calories) if it feels like it’s not going to get food anytime soon.  Then, once you hit that dinner and start gorging, it’s going to hold onto it even more as it’s going to want to prepare for the next time it gets starved.  Stick to the normal schedule (for me, it’s 5 meals (3 main meals with 2 snacks meals, 2-3 hours apart).

5) Drink water.  Stay hydrated as the mostly high sodium foods at the dinner will be sapping you of essential water needed for better digestion.  General rule of thumb for coffee or alcohol is to drink a 1:1 ratio of beverage vs. water.  No sodas/artificial fruit juices.

6) Go play.  Do you and your family have a traditional football game?  If not, it’s worth a shot to start.  Most of you have the bloody day off.  Go for a run with a loved one, make your own Thanksgiving day WOD.  Overhead squat that turkey when nobody’s looking, get up and enjoy the day! =P

7) Help with preparing the food.  This is a bittersweet one as my wife can attest to.  When you’re preparing all that yummy food all day, not only are you burning calories slaving away at it for hours, you’re also getting infused with all the aromas.  It sounds really weird, but by dinner time, you feel like you’ve been eating it all day (taste is 70% smell) and won’t be as inclined to stuff yourself.

Plan ahead.  Most people will be traveling and it’s easy to drop in a fast food stop along the way to fill up.  Use this opportunity to scope out a diamond in the rough.  Yelp has been my friend and has led me to many yummy and healthier places.  Search out some stops along the way or at your destination for where you can get fresher food choices. 

9) Green tea.  Your state of comatose probably isn’t the result of tryptophan from the turkey, but more likely is a result of all the high-glycemic sugary carbs from the meal.  Green tea contains caffeine and will help you get past that lethargic state.  The antioxidants and warm water can’t hurt your digestion either.

10) Walk it off, sissy.  Don’t sit in one place after the meal.  Work the room, catch up with everyone.  Take a brisk walk around the block or back yard with a family member or loved one.  Stay active.  If you sit directly in front of the serving table with 10 pies whispering out your name, what do you think is going to happen? Sissy. 

Let’s face it, you’re gonna be eating a lot, let’s just try to keep some measure of control over it.

Gobble gobble.

Recently I’ve had conversations with OSL students about the programs shortcomings and about things I would change. My tone came across much harsher than I meant, which happens to me often, and because of that I’ve received a fair amount of backlash about my character. In just a few days I’ve been accused of being pessimistic, a bad listener, having a superior attitude, being too clingy, talking too much, and a few other things I can’t remember. Although it was tough, I’ve learned a few valuable lessons through all this that I wanted to share.

1. Know who you are. Don’t let other people’s words define you. Understand that their perception is only one small portion of the reality that makes you who you are. Be careful to understand that many people will remember bad over good, and give them grace when this happens. Have compassion, know your own character, and think critically about their accusations.
2. Search yourself. If someone has accused you, don’t let pride overtake your spirit and keep you from discovering new revelation about areas in which you could change. If more than one person has mentioned some negative thing about you, it requires extra attention because it is more than likely true. Be confident in yourself, but leave room for error.
3. Be discerning of motive. As I mentioned above, a person who is struggling with insecurity will often look to others and tear them down. Think about areas you are insecure in, and you will remember speaking or thinking negatively about those who have overcome your same insecurities. Understanding that the problem lies mostly with the accuser will ease your own hurts.
4. Don’t let the other person define you. My entire character has been defined by two or three conversations, at least in the eyes of some. It is difficult when you know you are one way but someone else accuses you of being another. It becomes less difficult the more you know yourself. What people think of you should not dictate your life, but what God thinks of you should be of extreme importance.
5. Saturate yourself in prayer. When someone comes against you, it’s easy to let pride overtake and trick you into ignoring the truth of what your accuser says. Be prayerful and seek God’s direction on what to do with these accusations, and listen closely. Do not turn a deaf ear to the correction and discipline God may be sending your way. It is in these things that we are refined and made more complete, more like Jesus.

My lesson has been learned, and I am thankful to the Father for His discipline.

WHAT SIZE TO BUY

2.25 kg / 5lbs                          Serves 4 – 6

3.6 kg / 8lbs                             Serves 6 – 8

4.5 – 5.6 kg / 10-12 lbs        Serves 10 – 12

9 kg / 20 lbs                             Serves 12 – 15

HOW LONG TO ROAST

Always weigh your turkey after it’s stuffed – you might need to use bathroom scales.  Allow 40 minutes per kg (20 minutes per lb) at 190c  /  375F  /  Gas mark 5.  (If you’re using a fan oven, the temperature should be 170C – that approximately 365F).   Make sure that the juices run clear; if not, return to the oven for 20 minutes and test again.

Darf's auch ein bisschen mehr sein?

Vermehrt bin ich im Netz über nicht mehr ganz so aktuelle Artikel gestoßen, die sich mit dem Portionsgrößen unserer Nahrung beschäftigten. Im Zeitalter der abnehmwilligen und adipositas-gefährdeten Bevölkerung, wundert es einen gar nicht mehr, dass die Leute immer voluminöser und dicker werden. Die Bilder aus Caroline’s Blog zeigen eindrucksvoll, was in unser ach so “ernährungsbewußten” Gesellschaft falsch läuft.

Wer kennt ihn nicht? Den Film “Supersize Me” , der zwar meiner Meinung nach einwenig übertrieben

...und das Gleiche nochmal aus der Moderne (850 kcal).

ist (nach zwei Tagen wegen Fastfood kotzen? Ein bisschen übertrieben, oder?), aber dennoch eindrucksvoll die Lage der Nation darstellt: die Portionen, die man vorwiegend im Fastfood Bereich erhält, wachsen proportional zum Bauchumfang ihrer Kundschaft und ein Ende ist noch nicht in Sicht, wie der anhaltende “Boom” zahlreicher XXL-Restaurants, auch in unseren Landen, belegt. Groß, größer, X-Tra-Large – und was kommt als nächstes? Die Büffelportion?

Zwei handelsübliche Pizzastücke (500 kcal) von vor 20 Jahren...

Natürlich will ich jetzt nicht die Keule mit der Moralpredigt herausholen – im Prinzip ist es ja eine lobenswerte Entwicklung, wenn man mehr für das gleiche Geld erhält, zumal ein aktiver Sportler ohnehin einen erhöhten Energiebedarf hat, klar. Grundsätzlich stellt sich dann nur die Frage, worin das “mehr” besteht. Eine Extraportion Gemüse kann man locker absegnen, doch wie verhält es sich mit Lebensmitteln, deren Energiedichte aus Unmengen Fett und einfachen Kohlenhydraten besteht?

Übergewichte Teenager unserer Zeit wachsen mit solchen Portionsgrößen auf und halten sie für selbstverständlich – wie soll ein normaler Mensch da noch abschätzen können, wieviel noch “normal” und gesund ist, wenn er nicht vorher ein Studium in Oekotrophologie belegt hat?

Tasse Kaffee mit Milch/Zucker aus den 80ern (43 kcal) trifft auf ...

Doch auch gesunde Lebensmittel können zu einer unerwünschten Gewichtszunahme führen, wenn die Zufuhr den Bedarf gehörig übersteigt, dummerweise habe ich noch nie irgendwo Werbung für einen “Extra großen Salat” oder die “doppelte Beilage” entdecken können – eine Entwicklung, die vielleicht noch auf sich warten lässt? Vielleicht, doch die Nachricht dürfte in etwa ankommen, oder?

...ihr Starbucks-Pendat von heute (330 kcal!)

In wiefern tangiert diese Nachricht nun den geneigten Ausdauer-/Kraftsportler der ohnehin zum großen Teil penibel auf seine Ernährung achtet? Insofern man nicht ständig Tupperdosen und vorbereitete Mahlzeiten mit sich führt, ist der Sportliche insofern davon betroffen, als dass er auf das zurückgreifen muss, was gerade da ist, logisch. Dazu kommt noch die Tatsache, dass niemand zu jeder Zeit die Nährwerte und Energiedichten sämtlicher Lebensmittel kennt, ja sogar kennen kann.

Und wenn wir ehrlich sind: Eine kleine Sünde hin und wieder liegt im Rahmen des Ermessens, sollte sogar wünschenswert sein, denn Genuss und Lebensfreude gehören hin und wieder ebenso dazu, wie eine knallharte Ernährungsweise vor einer Wettkampfperiode oder in einer Diät.

...und dickes Ende? Ein wahrer Koloss für den "großen Hunger" (590 kcal)

Kleiner Anfang: Cheeseburger mit 333 kcal von damals.

Wir leben in turbulenten Zeiten (naja, wann waren sie mal nicht turbulent?) in denen zumindest ein

Teil der menschlichen Bevölkerung einen Zustand erreicht hat, der mit dem in der Bibel häufig gepriesenen Land aus “Milch und Honig” zumindest ansatzweise korreliert oder vergleichbar ist. Zum ersten Mal, in der Menschheitsgeschichte, besteht im Okzident ein Nahrungsmittelüberfluss.

Essen zu jeder tageszeit in all seiner Form ist bei uns kein Problem. Sollten die Portionen dennoch weiter im Volumen ansteigen, ist eine Entwicklung der allgemeinen Bevölkerung zu einem stämmigeren Aussehen und mehr Leibesfülle nur eine Frage der Zeit.

Von ganz klein (399 kcal) bis "gib ihm" (776 kcal)

Der Bagel, Hauptnahrungsquelle agiler Serien-Cops aus den 80ern (140 kcal) ...

Den schlanken Sportler wird freuen – die übergewichtige

...und sein heutiger Bruder (350 kcal). Kein Wunder das die Seriencops immer dicker werden

Hausfrau, die sich durch eine Kohlsuppendiät quält und dabei hin und wieder einen Starbucks-Kaffee trinkt, wird sich lediglich wundern, warum sie kein Gramm ab- sondern im Gegenteil, noch ein paar Pfund zunimmt. Denn zahlreiche Studien scheinen zu belegen, dass mit ansteigender Portionsgröße auch die realistische Einschätzung ihres Kaloriengehaltes verloren geht. “Bigger” ist also nicht automatisch “better.”

weiterführende Links zum Thema:

Divinecaroline.com | Abnehmen.net | Extension.org | Circleofresponsibility.com

]]> http://pbaptist.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/what-happened-today-in-church-history/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:28 +0000 Particular Kev http://pbaptist.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/what-happened-today-in-church-history/ http://richardhunt.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/i-think-ive-forgotten-how-to-use-the-internet/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:09:36 +0000 Richard http://richardhunt.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/i-think-ive-forgotten-how-to-use-the-internet/

I think I’ve forgotten how to use the internet.  The internet has come to a point where everything is fed to me by feeds.  Be it on tumblr with my few followed tumblogs or on twitter with my few followed twitterers or even on facebook where my friends post stuff they encounter all the time.

I don’t use the internet to search for myself any more and I find this really distressing.  In a way it ensures quality because the portion of the internet that is fed to me is filtered by curious minds but in another way it stifles adventure.  No longer can I find my own little part of the internet to amuse myself as it’s just an amalgamation of what people I like… like.

These days I can successfully just refresh my inbox for notifications of things that I will most likely be interested in where as in the past I would have to open several windows (before the invention of tabbed browsing) to follow several threads of interest on several different websites.

I’m not saying it’s technically a bad thing.  It’s exciting that the parts of the internet that I’ll find most spectacular are so easily filtered towards me but a little part of me, perhaps a part of my inner child’s intrigue with the world and how it works, part of me wants to just go on an adventure.  Unfortunately, it’s so much easier to just click refresh.

By Cassie Turner

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Published: Thursday, November 5, 2009

Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2009

UCF Health Services began distribution of its initial shipment of about 1,500 H1N1 nasal spray flu vaccines to students, faculty and staff on Tuesday.

According to Chad Binette of UCF News & Information, vouchers and consent forms can be obtained by presenting a valid UCF ID at the appointment/check-in window inside the Health Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or the Knight Aide pharmacy and convenience store, adjacent to the UCF Arena, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Friday. There is no charge for UCF students. Faculty and staff must pay a $10 fee by cash or check.

Group session dates and times at the UCF Health Services building are as follows:
Nov. 5 at 10, 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 1, 1:30, 2 and 2:30 p.m. as well as Nov. 6 at 10, 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 2, 2:30 and 3 p.m.

Students, faculty and staff must bring their voucher, consent form and arrive at the Health Center five minutes prior to the scheduled session. Those arriving to their session after instructions begin will need to request a voucher for another session.

Binette said this initial shipment of the nasal spray vaccine is a small portion of vaccines that Health Services has requested for the UCF community and is not appropriate for everyone, including pregnant women, those over 50 years of age and people with a chronic medical condition. The injectable H1N1 vaccine is not available at this time.

"Additional dates and times for distributing the vaccine may be scheduled if doses remain at the end of the week," Binette said.

From Rice Design office, Read more on Lovely Package

Shabbat Shalom everyone. This weeks portion is Lech Lecha, “Go Forth”, in which Avram and Sarai embark on the Great Adventure. And make huge mistakes. And have great victories. Whoever says the Torah is dull is just not paying attention.

One of the major happenings is the birth of Ismael. It is said this is Abrams fifth test. (wow, now I gotta go back and find the other four). You remember the story. Sarai is barren and she offers up Hagar to bear the heir. The plan backfires and now we have Islam.

Anyway, the test was that Sarai comes to Avram and says Hagar is treating her inappropriately because she has the heir in her belly. Now Avram could have said, hey it was your idea deal with it. Instead, he supports his wife. He passed the test.

Yesterday, I went to Amarillo because my cell phone needed replacement. I wanted to go by myself and look at trucks and maybe take in a movie. My wife listened to the Holy Spirit and came with me. Praise Yahweh. If it hadn’t been for her I might have got us into a heap of trouble by buying a truck we didn’t need at this time.

Husbands love your wives.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I will wait for Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good to hope silently for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:24-26)

When you love someone, how long will you wait? Whether it be the answer to a burning question, or words of forgiveness when we’ve been wronged, or being separated for weeks and months with no form of communication other  than a stray, voice-less email because they’re thousands of miles away in Iraq or Afghanistan?

When tragedy strikes in our lives, no matter how deep the cut or how far the pain grips us, is our first thought, “Why, God?” “What did I do to deserve this?” “When will something good come my way?”

Or can we like the prophet in our Scripture focus from Lamentations declare,

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I will wait for Him.”

What does it mean to say, “The Lord is my portion?” Can I in my search for meaning, find total and complete understanding in the Lord? Or is it enough to say, “I am the Lord’s. I am in His hand. That’s ALL I need”? Is God enough for me when I feel I’ve lost everything? Is God “my portion” when I feel I have nothing else? No one else? When I confess, “The Lord is my portion,” does that satisfy, does the Lord fill the void in my life?

Recognizing, confessing who the Lord is….my portion…is only half of the thing necessary in my life. Being part of a relationship with the living God means recognizing my role.

Isaiah 64:8 describes that role, that relationship we have with HIM:

But now, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay; You are the potter; We are all the work of Your hand.

As the clay, I am in complete submission to the potter. I ought not try to squirm my way out of His hands as I’m being re-shaped, re-worked into a vessel pleasing to Him; a vessel being prepared for service to Him. I am to allow His hands all over my life, my thoughts, my actions and reactions. So that in the end, when God takes me off the potter’s wheel, I can be a testimony, a witness to what He has done again in my life.

No circumstance can be so far removed from God our Father. No sin can be so great, no burden so heavy that God’s loving arms stand open ready to forgive and remove from us.

Don’t you see Him, in the midst of your pain, your doubt, your frozen stillness…running to you, to meet you where you are, just as you are. He knows what’ on your mind. Why don’t you sit down with God now and share it with Him? You truly may have no one but God who will listen or care or understand.

And if you wait for the Lord, what will be the outcome?

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good to hope silently for the salvation of the Lord.

Just as the father celebrated with the son who ran off and squandered his inheritance, so the God and Father who created you and redeemed you by the blood of His Son, Jesus…calls for a robe, shoes, a ring, a fatted calf be killed and cooked and eaten at your party. He calls for a celebration!

Why? Because you’ve realized it’s GOOD to wait for the Lord. The right thing to do when you can think of nothing else to do…is to seek the LORD. The salvation of the Lord comes to those who wait silently.

Don’t waste your time moaning and groaning like the Israelites did in the wilderness. Don’t take precious minutes and turn them into fruitless hours questioning why is this happening to you; why has God let you down?

Be silent.

Wait patiently.

Keep your eyes open for the blessings in store as the hand of the Lord works His will in your life. But remember, it’s HIS will, not yours. It will always be HIS perfect timing in your life, not yours.

As you come through your own overwhelming version of the Red Sea, as God parts the waters for your safe passage, while drowning behind you all the doubts and despair that once overwhelmed you, then you will come to taste first hand the sweetness of God’s goodness, patience, wait-full-ness…and see for your own eyes the salvation of the Lord within your own life…only when you wait silently before Him.

May your prayers join mine for you: May the God who created you, redeemed you through His Son’s death on the cross, and raises you to new life as Jesus rose from death to life eternal …  May this be the God you turn to, as your portion of all you need, both in this life and the life to come.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU

Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m a big eater; or at least I used to be. Like most guys, I like to sit down to a hardy meal after a long day at work. When I cook at the house, I rarely skimp on the ingredients; in fact I usually double up on what the recipe suggests.

I think it has something to do with coming from an Italian household. We always cook like a friend or family member might drop by unexpectedly.(it’s a cultural thing)  So, for the most part there is never a shortage of food.

The problem for me is when I decide to go out to a nice restaurant. For the most part I don’t go to restaurants for the entertainment value, the décor, or the ambiance. I go to restaurants because I’m hungry, and want a wide array of choices. There is a growing trend at many restaurants to appeal more to the artistic or creative aspect of food rather than the culinary and nutritional aspect. I’m not sure when the trend started but it seems all the high end restaurants are in collusion when it comes to portion size.

The funny thing is that the inexpensive fast food and burger joints have the right idea. They went from small burgers to quarter pounders, to third pounders, to half pounders (super size that). I think those guys understand that people can’t survive on tiny rations. Customers want, and are willing to pay for, more substantial portions of food. They don’t offer fancy tablecloths or waiters in tuxedos..just more food. I also have a theory that the fast food places are now all open late so that they can feed the hungry patrons of the luxury restaurants that are on their way home after a “petite” style meal.

The problem seems to be that the more expensive the restaurant, the smaller the portion size.  I could understand the logic if the menu prices were going down. Pay less, get less…, but that’s not the case. I don’t want a bigger plate, with a smaller portion of food, surround by some non edible garnish, a light dusting of some type of powder, and designer squirty stuff. Come on, what man can be satisfied with a four once steak? We all know what a steak costs at the grocery store, or even the high end butcher shop. Get with it restaurant owners..  “Where’s the beef”.

I realize that a restaurant is a business that needs to make a profit, but I think portion control has gotten out of control. I’m not being cheap either, I don’t mind paying top dollar for a good meal, I  just want a satisfying portion. (maybe they could take a lesson from the burger places and offer standard menu portions or super size meals for a few dollars more)

Even places that serve pasta and salads have gone minimalist. I don’t care what they taught you in cooking school. (in some third world country) How’s this for logic..when it comes to food ”Less is not More”. Come on now, how much does an extra pound of pasta or half head of lettuce really cost. These guys are missing out on a chance to really wow and satisfy their customers. At least make the plate look half way full. (Doesn’t anyone believe in leftovers anymore?)

The newest trend is overpriced “tasting menus”. Here you get an even smaller morsel of food for about 80 percent the price of a whole meal.. Wow, now I know why they call it a tasting menu…(you get just enough to taste it). Also, everything today is “ala carte” (which I think means..bend over in French). So your 4 ounce steak comes out on a sizzling plate, all by its lonesome. If you are lucky, you get a good old piece of parsley with it. (Although most restaurants are now calling that a side and charging for it)

I guess the only way to make sure you are getting what you pay for is to do a little advance research. I definitely recommend perusing the restaurant’s menu before you go in and sit down, because by then it’s too late. (unless you tell them you think you forgot to turn your car off or something) I like to review the menu at the door before going in. An even better method is to check out the restaurant web site and menu on line before you even go.

I found that there are certain “tell tale” signs to warn me of possible small portions. Certain words seem to indicate that you might be in for a “less than filling size portion”.  Look for descriptions on the menu that include words like: petite, junior, senior, early dinners, taste of, medallions, grazing, tasting, prix fixe, healthy, fusion, imported, or too many French words. Another harbinger of hunger pain may be fancy names for simple food items, like: escargot, or bisque.

Other signs to look for to warn you that you may pay too much and get small portions would be: dark interior, large pepper grinders, words I can’t pronounce, more than 2 servers per table, getting your bill on a silver tray, small side salads(that also cost too much), guys that walk around scraping up your crumbs every few seconds, or a portion of bread the size of a crouton.

On the other side of the spectrum, restaurants that use words like: family style, slab, pound, man sized, rack, and all you can eat tend to signify you will be getting your money’s worth. (of course quality may be a bit of an issue)

Don’t expect to get any insights from the staff. It won’t help to ask the server if the portion size is enough for a hungry man. The response you will most likely get is: “it’s a nice sized portion”, or “It’s enough for me”.  What else are they going to say, they work there, all weigh less than 72 pounds, and are probably suffering from anorexia or bulimia   (or they are models for Sally Struthers commercials)

I don’t know about you, but for me; there is nothing worse than deciding on a high priced menu item only to have the dish arrive at your table with 4 ravioli on it.(of course they are artistically arranged, geometrically perfect, and completely symmetrical on the plate)  On more than one occasion, I’ve asked  servers  if they could  “man up” the portion size and they seem genuinely offended.  It seems the only alternative is to order two dinners at $50 bucks a shot (hey, 100 bucks for 8 ravioli isn’t a bad deal, is it ?)

Come on restaurants…Put your money where your customer’s mouth is…People are hungry here.

Please feel free to contact me at:   pooritalianboy@gmail.com

P.I.B.

The portion sizes of food that we’re used to much larger than other people throughout the world eat. But why is this? Did it start with McDonald’s, asking us if we wanted to “super size that?” Or is it a quality that’s hardwired within us? For us college kids, it easy to rush home after class and eat a great big helping of whatever we can kind. Well, experts say that’s not the greatest idea. Read this article on CNN.com and learn some of the reasons why our portion sizes are sometimes way out of whack.

Also, click this link to learn how to visualize the right portion sizes by comparing the amount of food to an everyday item.

A common difficulty for entrepreneurs during the growth of their business is expanding into another distinctive business function. When we read or hear about outstanding entrepreneurs we see the exponential portion of their record. The long, slow foundation building is not interesting to the investment community or the media. But the truth is there was a long period of solid building within one distinctive business function.

A new business or a young business can barely support the management, administration, and marketing it has to have to operate in one distinctive function. Different business functions require different handling in each of these areas. This imposes an additional nonproductive burden on an already overburdened revenue-generating segment of the business.

Successful entrepreneurs start the smallest possible viable business concept and concentrate on it until it works very well. They get to know more and more about their little business until they know more about it than anyone else. They become the expert about their business.

When discussing the entrepreneur’s career path they perceive growth opportunities. At this point it is very easy for them to conclude that having made this business work they can make any business work. They frequently see green pastures on the other side of the fence. The successful entrepreneurs develop and refine a business concept for the growth they will undertake. They then expand their little business. They don’t leap after someone else’s headaches. They build on their own experience and expertise.

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, Lectures, Line of Sight

2Kings 25:1-21

Lam. 3:19-25

John 3:16-17

New Love and New Mercy, even after..

new growth

It seemed so simple: long ago God made a promise to Abraham:

Gen. 12:1-3

Now the LORD said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

2 And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing;

3 And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

The promise was renewed to Abraham’s descendants in each new generation: to Isaac, and to Jacob, the father of 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel.

But it was never so simple.  Famine in the land that was promised forced the clan  to migrate out of their land, to Egypt.  Their thanksgiving for that rescue from death by starvation became cries of lament one short generation later, as they were reduced to slavery under Pharaoh; 400 years of slavery.  “How long, O Lord?”

But the God who made that promise to Abraham was able to do something new; God was able to deliver them from the hand of Pharaoh and his mighty army with its shiny chariots.  God called to Moses, from the burning bush, and told him to go to Pharaoh and say, “Thus says the Lord: let my people go.”   That was not so simple either.  But in the end, they did go – as slaves set free; free to go back to the land of promise.

And free to doubt the reliability of the God who had just liberated them; free to forget – quickly – the work of his “mighty hand and outstretched arm” that had defeated the world’s only Superpower.  Free to fear the Canaanites in the promised land – and so, free to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.

But the Lord is a God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (Ex. 34:6).  A new generation came of age who did believe, and led by Joshua, they took possession of the land promised to Abraham so long ago.

Receiving a portion; an inheritance

This was a moment of triumph that had waited for hundreds of years to be fulfilled since that original promise was made.  Finally, Joshua was able to distribute to each tribe their own portion of that land.  That portion was their gift from God himself.  They were to treasure that portion and never sell it. They were to hand it down the generations; their portion became their inheritance; the lasting witness to God’s steadfast love and mercy, his faithfulness.  The people treasured that inheritance above all; not for its cash value, but because that inheritance was God’s gift.

That should be the end of the story, but things are not so simple.  In a few short generations that group of tribal families became a monarchy.  As the kingship passed from generation to generation, more often than  not they turned their backs on the Lord and worshiped and served the gods of the pagan nations around them.

The nation broke apart; the Northern kingdom was no match for the mighty Assyrians who conquered them and brutally ended their existence.  The Southern tribe of Judah remained a little while longer, but eventually they succumbed to the onslaught of the Chaldeans from Babylon, or Babylonians as they are also called.  We read the final chapter in that story; the two year siege, the starvation, and finally the capture and brutal treatment of the king, the killing of his heirs to the throne, the snuffing out of the last candle of hope.

Understanding that (and our) story

How do you understand that story?  This is what the majority of the Old Testament is about: the people of God, trying to understand that story; their story.  Where was God in that story?

Our stories meet this story at the point of this question.  Everyone of us has a story to tell of our lives and our family’s life; and like the Israelite’s experience, it is not a simple tale.  There have been complications.

I know some of your stories.  You have told me about some of the things you have experienced that have caused great pain.  Some have told me about war experiences.  Others have lost children; some have lost spouses.  Some had to deal with illness, with divorce, some with times of poverty.  Some have struggled with internal issues – doubt, depression, anxiety, addictions.  No story is simple.  Our question is the same as the Israelites asked at the moment of their greatest calamity: where is God in this?  Why did this happen?  Is there a reason to hope?  What happened to the promise?

The story’s last word

Israel tried to tell her story first as a rather simple one: “If we would have done what was right, we would have continued to enjoy the blessing of our inheritance, our land.  But we often failed to trust God, and hence we brought this destruction upon ourselves: we are under his curse.”   Some of you may feel the same; you may feel that the bad experiences of your life are God’s punishment.

But nothing is so simple.  In fact, as Israel told her story, it became clear that over and over again, after they had been bad, after they had broken faith, failed to trust, after they had experienced some of the consequences of their failure, God never abandoned them.  Punishment was never the last word.  God always came back, without any justification, and offed them new love, new mercy.

3 Requests Granted

If I were to give you an index card right now and ask you to write down three things that you would ask God for, if you knew you could receive from him just these three, what would they include?  Picture yourself taking that card and writing three requests: what are they?

I doubt whether you imagined writing down that what you wanted most from God was a nicer home, or a car, or even money.  I bet you thought of your relationship with God, about your family, kids and grandkids.  I bet the things on that card are really not the kind of things we spend most of our lives worrying about.  I believe that if we were given enough time to think about the requests on that card, we may all have written that what we want is to be certain that we are in the hands of a good God, and so to be confident of his loving care for us and for our loved ones.

Jeremiah’s conclusion

This is what Jeremiah concluded as he looked out on his battle-blackened city; Jerusalem, reduced to rubble, still smoldering and stinking of death.  He looked out on his portion, his inheritance, the land of promise that now was not his nor his people’s and said:

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:24)

“All this time,” Jeremiah is saying, in effect, “we thought the main thing was land; and we lost it.  But land has never been the main thing; “stuff” has never been the highest good.  What we have needed all these years is the Lord himself.  He himself is the source of everything, his presence is the fundamental blessing.  What is my source of hope?  It is not the land, my inherited portion;” rather, Jeremiah says in that moment of pain and loss:

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

As he looks over that devastation, he remembers his family’s story – he remembers other times of calamity and loss when hope was gone; and he remembers that judgment never has the last word.  “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” So he says:

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Proof of new love, new mercy

The fact that we are alive and here today bears witness to this truth.  There is new love and new mercy, even after loss and pain.  God gives new love and new mercy even after suffering the consequences of our own failures.  God gives new love and new mercy even after our sinful participation in the evil of our times.

We know this even better than Jeremiah did.  We know that God acted again in an amazing way, sending us his very own Son, the Lord Jesus:

¹⁶“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  (John 3)

Stewardship?

What does this have to do with our stewardship campaign?  Everything!  Because the fundamental issue of stewardship is all about the answer to the question “What is important to us: most important?  It’s about the requests on that index card.  It is all about stepping back from the hamster wheel of daily life and asking: where is my hope?  Where is my deepest heart?  What do I value most?

When we think of the three things on that index card, as people of faith, we are able to say with Jeremiah, “the Lord is my portion”. When my life is over, it will not matter how much land I have, or how many zeros are behind the numbers on the financial statements.  What will matter is whether I was a person of faith who lived out that faith, trusting in God whose “steadfast love is new every morning.”

Session’s commitment to the vision

I must say at this moment that I am so proud of what session has done with our budget.  We met together this past week.  We read scripture, we prayed together, and we talked about what is most important to us.  We talked about what our mission statement means: that we are people committed to “Loving God, Growing in Faith, and Sharing Christ’s Love.”  As we did, we reflected on our history of giving to missions; we reaffirmed our desire not to allow that commitment to be shaken, even in difficult times like these.  We discussed ways of taking on more responsibility ourselves – yes, us – a congregation whose average age is 75  years old, to reduce our spending by doing more with volunteers.

We re-affirmed that God has called us here to be a congregation in Gulf Shores for a purpose, and that a huge part of that purpose was to make sure we were significantly involved in mission.  We are depending on the faith that God is a God of New Love and New Mercy, and will be faithful to us as we commit ourselves to being his faithful disciples.

I am calling all of us to this same level of commitment that session demonstrated.  We are not asking for charitable donations – the amount left over for giving to worthwhile causes after the bills are paid.  We are people who believe in and practice the harvest principle: everything we have his the Lord’s.  He allows us to use 90% of it for ourselves, but he requires that we set aside the first 10%, the tithe, dedicated to him.  I guarantee that we will never miss that 10%; we will, instead, experience the blessing of having our hearts in the right place, free from the anxiety that we are alone in this world.  We are not alone.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

meatball

I am a 73 year old woman and an early (1960’s) convert to feminism. Yet I found that a giant meatball could cause me to question how I looked at what is expected of women.
My family was eating dinner at the Whole Foods Restaurant.  While enjoying my meal, I watched the chef create meals for a man and woman seated at the dinner bar with us.  “Whoa,” I thought, “she’s certainly going to eat sensibly.  She’s ordered the same vegetarian meal as my daughter-in-law.  But, just like a man, he’s into big portions and heavy food.  Look at that huge meatball on top of a very large portion of pasta.”
Was I wrong. The vegetarian dish was set before the man and, with a smile on her face, the woman accepted that giant meatball and pasta plate.
So, a meatball was significant.  It made me realize that prejudices learned early in life, don’t just evaporate, even those as minor as who gets the big meatball. We really have to work hard to see beyond preconceived ideas, to delay judgment and to accept that there is no “one size fits all.”