I was in awe of the small athletic purposes leaping from the ocean waves. They were playing in the wake left by the ocean liner I was on. It was a dream come true: Finally to meet Neale Donald Walsch in person and to be in such a rich environment on board the Oosterdam Ship. There had been a rash of deaths in my family and those events seemed as otherworldly as experiencing the vast sea coast in front of me. I had received a modest inheritance and decided it was time to take a trip that would relax and heal my ravaged soul. Accepting the absence of significant people was not easy to get past and I needed the adventure and condolence that only nature in all its loveliness can offer.

We were traveling up the west coastal waters of Canada on our way to the breath taking shores of pine clad Alaskan mountains. I was on sensory overload. It was so beautiful I would clasp my heart and say to myself, “take this all in, breathe it in, feel it in, so you can always remember how this felt and looked and smelled. I was in the process of absorbing all the beauty I possibly could in one week. I was also journaling all I could from the lectures Neale would present on board ship. The following is a discussion about getting in touch with our own soul and together with God receiving the answers we need.

At nine in the morning we met in the Crow’s Nest. We are on the upper most deck enclosed by huge glass windows that keep out the chill in the ocean air. Since we are at the rear or aft of the ship, we watch the wake the ship is leaving and see the vast expanse of blue ocean behind us. Every once in a while we are greeted with the presence of sea gulls circling the cloudless blue sky. I am feeling like a spoiled brat. I found out that room service was included in the deal I paid for. I had coffee and an omelet delivered to my room. I feel like I am in a dream but I keep telling myself it is all very real.

Neale asked us to gather in a semi circle and not a wide one. There are two roles of us in half circles. He explains that he broke his neck in an auto accident prior to writing his best selling “Conversations with God” novels. He mentions that it is important that he be able to maintain eye contact with everyone without twisting his neck too much. We all oblige and fit into his line of vision.

Neale is 60 something years old and has a sparkle in his blue eyes. His white hair is a bit long. He has a full white beard that makes him look like a sophisticated Moses figure sitting in jeans and a royal blue shirt directly in front of us. He tells us some jokes. It loosens the mood and then he begins with his discussion on the “ceiving” of things. He explains that God is constantly talking to us if we will listen.

Many times God gives us great ideas that we toss out or censure. I am taking notes and asking questions. One year later I read my short hand and realize I must fill in some of this discussion from memory. So the discussion goes something like this:

When we ask for help, God will bestow upon the mind certain “ceivings”. This is not a true word but our mind conceives something that God put into the subconscious. Under ideal circumstances, we hope it will plant itself and grow, for this is “ceiving” at its best. However, many ceivings will be like seeds cast into the thorns. These seeds, or creative conceptions, will be trampled by our own limited perception. Neale explained, “we ceive, perceive and then deceive”. Our own inner censor will come from our conscious mind and tell us things like “you can’t do that”, or “you tried something like that before and it didn’t work”. What just happened? An idea was cast into your mind and it was pure genius and original design. We tossed it out before it had a chance. Then if we should share our idea with others, those others become the birds that eat all our seeds or great ideas. The peanut gallery is full of nay sayers that will trample your dreams underfoot or eat them for breakfast. The idea is to let the seeds of God fall onto fertile ground and take root.

Neale asked us to write down an issue we were having in our personal lives. Tomorrow we will collectively discuss what we can “ceive”. Give yourself time to meditate and cultivate the receptive part of one’s mind. Carry your question with you into the rest of this day and watch for subtle messages. You might engage in a conversation with a stranger on board ship and they will gift you with an idea or you might turn to the right page of a book and see an answer.

Sometimes we will flip on a radio station and hear a song that seems to sing to us our answer. And then we will tell ourselves, oh, that was nothing, that song is on the airwaves for everyone and I am acting like it was just for me. Well, maybe it was just for you. Maybe God was singing a love song to anyone who would listen. When you received it in your heart at the perfect moment, then it was just for you.

Neale cautioned us about caring for our soul more than any other aspect. Most of us get caught up in our day to day worlds. We busy ourselves with many mundane things. If you give some time to each day to meditate and ask questions of God your life will start to unfold in untold ways. God wants to communicate with us, but, we give that precious little time. We might spend a half hour on the phone with a creditor, and then be grumpy and upset for the next half hour. We have aches and pains, so we spend two hours waiting to see a doctor. We come home with a prescription that makes us drowsy and out of sorts so we will just go to bed early. Even our best friend calls and we can’t speak to her/him right now. Neale cautioned us about putting the “kingdom of God first” everyday. That “kingdom” or sacred realm is within our own soul. Neale said that when we have our SOUL as our priority, or the apex of our own pyramid, all else will be put into right order. Our bodies will repair themselves and take on new life and our Mind will function on the high level it was meant to. Our mind is not the same as our brain. The brain functions much like a computer and helps us perceive and navigate our physical world.

God will reach us and gift us with good ideas and solutions to any crisis or problem. That gift cannot take hold in a sea of anxiety and worry. You must calm your mind and have faith. I am getting in the habit of asking for a solution and then immediately saying “thank you God”. My faith is now growing to the point that I know I will get my answer. I don’t always know who will deliver it but I know “it is in the mail. I might be just doing the dishes and out of the blue the solutions to my dilemma plops into my head. I don’t argue with it. Even if it seems unlikely, I write it down. I water it a little with gratitude and love. In a short time I have a plan that I can really carry out. I usually don’t share my information until I have the result or conclusion manifest. Other people can destroy a fragile dream. This is between you and God so find a warm sunny spot to let it grow and become a miracle.

At the end of any Neale directed lecture, he would turn to us and ask, “Are you folks getting your money’s worth”? It is odd because my negative parts would say “wow I have spent an enormous amount of money for me on this trip”. My practical side would chime in with “you should have put this money in a CD or IRA for retirement.” I would just grab my heart and say, no, no, no. This trip is worth a million trillion dollars to my soul. I am sure that this money will have many spiritual unfoldings in the future. No savings account can give my heart, life and soul these types of returns.

So there it is. It makes it all the sweeter to share this journey with all of you. And may all your dreams have a fertile place to plant themselves and grow.

We all know that designer jeans don’t come cheap. Premium denim brands such as Seven For All Mankind, Rock & Republic, True Religion, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli and many others can cost anywhere from $200-$800. But yet there are plenty of us who are willing to shell out our hard earned cash for such extravagant purchases. So why are they so expensive? Let’s take a look at women’s designer jeans and why they’re a cut above the rest.

FIT

An important feature that differentiates high end denim from generic denim is the way they fit. Made to lift, slenderize, flatter and contour in all the right places, they mold to your body and create a flattering silhouette. Different labels tend to be better at doing certain things, such as emphasizing your rear or slimming your thighs, so you will want to shop around a bit. Once you have found the brand that compliments your body shape, it will give you a new level of confidence and you’ll be coming back for more!

QUALITY

A lot of time and effort goes into making these jeans and they go through a lengthy manufacturing process before hitting the boutiques. Thus, the craftsmanship will be reflected in the price. Compare a pair of regular jeans to a designer pair and you will see the difference in quality and feel. The fabric of higher end brands are made from the finest denim textiles milled in Japan or Italy which give them a super soft, sleek and sexy feel. The stitching is skillfully done with straighter seams and all buttons, rivets and hardware are top of the line.

STYLE

A large portion of what you are paying for goes into the detailed styling of high end denim. Specific washes and designs are meticulously put together and at a glance, you can see that the color and cut is far more superior than those of their less expensive counterparts. Pricier jeans are often hand processed and they are literally stonewashed one pair at a time. Additionally, the fade or “wash” of the jeans will also affect the look and price of them. Washes are great because once you find a style you love, you can just duplicate it in different washes and this will add more variety to your wardrobe.

DURABILITY

Cheaper brands are often made with excess stretch in the fabric and this is what causes them to lose their shape after a few washes and wears. Women’s designer jeans, on the other hand, are made from finer and sturdier materials with tighter weaving incorporated into the fabric. The seams are intricately stitched together with more care and attention. Due to the nature of the securely woven fabric, they are able to resist wear and stand up to repeated washings.

So while the price of women’s designer jeans may be substantially inflated, you are paying for that extra bit of workmanship that keeps the seams from splitting, the more robust material that will resist wearing down the threads and the perfect, body molding fit. Consider it an investment rather than a frivolous purchase. You’ll look great and your butt will thank you for it!

There are so many Twilight costumes to choose from, so if you’ve decided you want to be Rosalie Hale, you are one step ahead! Rosalie Hale is played by Nikki Reed in the movie, and is stunningly gorgeous! She has long blonde hair with waves, ivory skin, and she is tall and slender. However, her personality is not as beautiful – she is very vain in the Twilight movies.

So, if you don’t have naturally blonde, long hair, you’ll need a costume wig, which you can get at any Halloween shop. It doesn’t have to be a Twilight wig – any long, blonde wig with a centre part will be fine.

Rosalie Hale Makeup

Your skin needs to be ethereally pale, which can be accomplished by priming with a light foundation. Use a makeup sponge to gently brush and blend it into your skin, and finish with a light powder. Your eyeshadow can be brown or gray, or plum, with mascara on your lashes. Use berry-tinted lip gloss to complete the Twilight makeup look.

One of the most important parts of the costume is gold contacts. Rosalie’s eyes are really gold, so find costume contacts or even disposable coloured contacts from an optometrists office.

Rosalie Hale Costume Clothing

Do you want to go as formal Rosalie or casual? Either way, she’s a great dresser and always looks stylish. For a casual look, wear black or dark blue skinny jeans, a tight black or red tank top, and a dark coloured or gray fitted blazer. Don’t forget the black high heels and cream coloured scarf.

If you want to go as glamourous Rosalie Hale, you could wear her prom outfit. For Bella’s prom, she wore a dark red dress with a mermaid tail bottom, and a low neckline that went down to her waist! Obviously, this is very dependent on what you are allowed to wear, and if your Rosalie Hale costume is going to the office or to a theme party.

What kind of fellowship can light have with darkness?

The most asked question directed towards religious leaders is not, “Can you prove there is a God?” The question asked even more is, “If God is Love, then why does he allow so much evil?”

The philosopher Epicurus thought he was making a good point when he said, “Either God wants to abolish evil and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot he is impotent. If he can but does not want to, he is wicked.”

Epicurus sounds pretty clever, huh? I know he thought everyone would be pretty impressed with his statement, which I was ten years ago. I call it a “trick of logic” statement, and I’m going to do the same trick he just did, then I’m going to explain to you exactly what we did to mess with your head.

“Either everything came from nothing, and nothing is the source of everything; or everything can’t come from nothing, because everything would amount to nothing. If everything is meaningful then it came from something. If everything has meaning then there can’t be a logical concept of nothing.”

This trick has been done many times in many debates throughout history. It’s an easy trick to do, because humanity has a sense of logic that cannot be denied. It’s easy to brainwash someone using statements like mine, or Epicurus, because we give the impression that if you believe in one thing then you are a fool, because that one thing you believe in clearly contradicts something else, and that something else is always the exact “opposite” of what we are trying to disprove. This kind of trick reminds me of a quote from a character in the movie Men in Black; “A person is not stupid, people are stupid.” A single person can easily brainwash a multitude of people, but that multitude cannot so easily brainwash others into joining their cult, however an individual may be able to, if he or she, is an adequate and convincing enough speaker. You notice how there is a full circle much of the time? This is what happens when someone uses a trick of logic statement, they in some way go back to where they started.

It’s not so easy to do this trick if you’re starting with such statements like “There is no God,” in less the atheist goes back to the “problem with evil,” like Epicurus did, and rephrases the statement to something like, “God cannot be, because humanity defines him as Love, so therefore if God is then we should not have a concept of evil.” Or something more simple like, “There cannot be a loving God because we have so much suffering in the world.”

Before we see the answer to the big question, the question which an atheist always uses to stump the faithful, allow me to state the obvious; something comes from something, and everyone knows that logically when we examine something that is complex we must conclude that it came from an intelligent source. And regardless of how many billions of years (one may assume) went by before the creation of the living Cell, for example, we all should know that it’s one hell of a roll of the dice for something that complex to come into being by chance. For example, imagine a car (which is far less complex than a cell), is left in pieces spread throughout a junk yard; we all know it’s pretty unlikely that that car is going to someday put itself together by random chance, even if left in pieces for millions of years. And even if the car somehow does come together because of wind and other natural sources of luck over the course of many years, who is going to start the vehicle? So again I reiterate the fact that if we are trying to do the trick of logic statement from an atheist perspective it only works if we judge the existence of God by assuming because we have impiety/evil in the world their can be no “just” God, like Epicurus sought to prove in his statement.

Before their was the technology to study the air we breath, how could we prove to someone that we were breathing air? No one would ask you such a question like “Are you breathing air,” because they know the answer as well as you, “Yes, I am breathing, so therefore I am breathing air.” But let’s assume they did ask you that question, and when you gave them your answer they shot back at you with another question, “How do you know you’re breathing air? Can you see it?” You probably wouldn’t really know how to reply. I mean what could you say? “I just know, because I can breath.” I know this is all stoner talk, trying to look too deep into issues that in reality are not that complex, but this is what you have to do if you don’t want to believe in an intelligent designer/God.

What atheists like to always come around to as a valid point is, “Just because we can’t disprove the existence of God, doesn’t mean that you can ever prove there is God.” After seeing all that I have, and studying evolution, biochemistry, microbiology, history, philosophy, and so much more, I say if that is a valid point, then it’s the same as saying, “Just because I can’t disprove the existence of air, doesn’t mean that what you call air is truly air at all. Because I can’t see it, and neither can you.”

The mathematical structure of DNA is not called the “blue print” of life by accident; it’s called the blue print of life, because that’s what it is; a design plan mapped out, showing the detailed structure of life. The living Cell is not called “complex”, because it’s a little complicated, it’s called complex because it’s far more complex then anything Man has ever “created.” The eye did not, in Darwin ’s own words, “give one chills,” because it was a simple structure, it gave Darwin chills because he could not come up with an evolutionary explanation for something that was as essential as the eye. When an atheist examines all of these wonders with our new knowledge in microbiology they tell the ignorant public that they see no need for a God, and the ignorant public shrugs their shoulders and says, “People smarter than me say they see no evidence of God, so who am I to argue? They know more than I do, and I don’t even “care” to understand. Besides it’s boring, and I would rather do something else. I already know there is no God, because I can’t see him.”

Alright, I’m not going to go through the details to prove to you that there is a God, not on this essay. But before I answer the really big question, I’m going to quote an excerpt from a discussion between the theologian Ravi Zecharia and a college student (whose name is not important enough to remember,) then I’m going to tell you how many scientists perceive God, and then we’ll get to the answer.

“Meaningless!” The student stands up and shouts in anger, “Everything is meaningless!”

“You don’t believe that,” Ravi says calmly before yawning.

“Yes, I do!” The student exclaims loudly. “Everything is meaningless.”

“You are saying that, but you don’t “mean” that, now, do you?”

“Yes I do!”

“If what you just said is true,” Ravi says as he takes off his glasses and begins wiping the lens on his coat, “Then what you have just said could not be meaningful. You can sit down now, because you have nothing to say.”

The student sat down at a loss for words…

Ok, now, we know that something comes from something. So who made God then? Good question, huh? Where did God come from? Well the atheist has the same problem when it comes to energy. Actually it’s not really a problem at all, because all scientists have no problem accepting the fact that energy is the source of all that is, and without energy there could be nothing. Energy is the only substance that always has been and always will be, having no beginning and no end, kind of like alpha and omega. (We’re not going to go into the whole, how do we know there is energy if we can’t see it bit.) An atheist may have their faith in energy as the source of all life, giving it no personality, or imagined form, while the faithful call “it” God.

Now the big answer to the big question; (I am assuming this is being addressed to recently converted agnostics now), “If God is Love, then why does he allow so much evil?” Well here are the facts; If God is Love, as more then a few religions say, then logically he cannot be Hate. If God is Just, he cannot be unjust. If he is the Light (this is important now), then he cannot be the Darkness. The answer is there, and it is similar to the whole Ying and Yang idea. It’s all the ideas mixed together though.

You see everyone believes in freedom, and everyone wants more of it, even when it’s all there for you. Even if humans make laws, you are free to break them if you’re clever enough to get away with it, or rich enough. But everyone wants peace on earth as well as freedom, and because people want peace they make laws. So People want perfection, yet they want freedom, but there in lies the paradox. How can one be free without opposites to choose between? And if all was perfect, (a preposterous assumption), then there would be no opposites to choose between, because opposites are defined by extremes. Right and wrong, light and dark, a truth or a lie, love or hate, or to forgive or hold a grudge, to accept, or deny; these are the choices that define true freedom. With there being no choice there would be no sense of appreciation, accomplishment, or peace of mind. Don’t you see the idea of perfection is most imperfect? Because all that is negative defines all that is good.

From a logical perspective then, I think the Christians as well as the other major religions have it wrong. Because they say in the beginning there was God, and there was nothing else. Or perhaps they indirectly separate God into two halves, and theoretically science can separate energy into two halves. There is positive energy, and negative energy, and obviously they are opposites, but these absolutes always have been and always will be, because they define each other. I call them quite simply the Light and the Darkness. So if when the religious groups say in the beginning there was only God, and they believe that like energy, God can be separated into two opposite halves then maybe I can agree that in the beginning there was one God.

The positive energy, or the Light, did not create all that is evil, for the Light is supposed to be the source of hope, being what shines through the darkness. The negative energy/ the Darkness is the source of evil; pain, fear, death, and everything that can lead to death, or everything that brings pain to others and the world. Whichever source humanity decides to invest in, or feed the most, will be the force that takes over more. Since we can see both Light and Darkness as two different kinds of energy, then let’s look at it from that perspective and realize that for every action there is a reaction, for every negative there is a positive. Don’t blame the Light for what comes out of the Darkness, but blame yourself if you prefer the Darkness. Be thankful though that you have the freedom to choose, but understand that if it looks like everything is going wrong around you, the best you can do to help in retaining a balance again is to do the right thing for yourself and those around you. And I guess you can hope, or maybe even pray for the best.

God allows evil because he has no control over the darkness, he can only help us if we choose the Light instead of the Night. The Light and the darkness have both always been, and always will be, and humanity determines which will be stronger in their lives, and the lives of those around them.

“Either God is love and just because humanity has been given freewill; or God is wicked because with the freewill he gives comes the choice to do evil, from which comes the consequence of pain and suffering. If God wants us to be free though, he cannot take away the choice to do what is wrong. For if we did not have the choice to do what is wrong then we would never really be free at all, hence we could never have a sense of accomplishment, or peace when we make the better choice. So in giving us freewill God is Love and Just, and he could never be defined as such in less there was hate and injustice existing opposite of God.”

Light cannot have fellowship with Darkness, but one could not be without the other. Of course this could all just be a trick of logic, right?

A meeting is the most fundamental form or unit of interaction among humans. As humans have to constantly interact with other humans, meetings cannot be avoided. Hence, the meeting has become a part and parcel of our lives. Every meeting has an agenda, the raison d’etre for the meeting, which is entwined with the proposed topics of discussion of the meeting. Every meeting is attended by a certain number of attendees, is presided over by a chairperson. The minutes of a meeting represent everything that is discussed at the meeting. The minutes, in other words, are a record of the meeting proceedings. The date and time of a meeting are collectively known as the meeting schedule.

Birthday Party

Meetings may be of various kinds. A birthday party is a meeting of the invited guests and the host, whose birthday it is. Presents are exchanged (the host also has to give return presents to his or her guests as a token of gratitude for their presence), games are played, prizes are won and food is served. The main meeting agenda for a birthday party is the host’s birthday. If anyone is assigned the task of documenting the meeting minutes of a birthday party, they will record all the games and the other events conducted at the party, how everyone entertained themselves, the nature of the food that was served, etc.

Business Conference

A business conference is a meeting of a more serious nature. In a business conference, business strategies are delineated, goals are set, courses of action are charted out for the growth and expansion of the business. Such a meeting, unlike a birthday party, need not always end on a positive note. A business conference may end in discord and disagreement. Also, it may be decided at the conference to sack some people in the interests of the company. It is mandatory to take down the meeting minutes of a business conference. To stimulate the meeting management process, certain brilliant meeting management applications have been invented. A meeting management application is a meeting management software that helps to automate the meeting process. Reliable meeting management software can do wonders to a meeting.

War

A war is also a meeting. The meeting agenda of a war consists chiefly of fighting and of defeating the adversary, apart from grabbing whatever spoils there are to be seized. A war is a meeting that results in killing and death.

Summit

A Summit is a meeting between different nations. At a Summit, different countries meet to discuss how they can conserve the environment, how they can arrest climate change, how they can curtail emissions. The meeting minutes of a Summit also have to be recorded in detail so that politicians, the media and the public understand whether the Summit was fruitful or whether it ended in a stalemate (as most Summits do) on reading the meeting minutes. Nuclear programs and policies of nations may also be discussed at Summits where the meeting agenda is nuclear disarmament, no first use and proliferation policy, etc. Summits can also be economic Summits. In economic Summits, the meeting agenda that is tabled for discussion comprises economic and trade policies, the issue of subsidies, trade reforms and trade norms of nations and whether such norms and policies are in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) policies.

Political Meeting

A meeting can also be a political meeting. The chief purpose of any political meeting is to procure more supporters for the party that has summoned the meeting. Charismatic political leaders can influence the masses by the sheer force of their words. As a result, political meetings lead many people to repudiate their own parties, switch loyalties, tergiversate and defect to the opposite camp i.e. the party, which is conducting the meeting. The main aims of a political meeting are to propagate the party that is hosting the meeting as the best political party of the land and as the party, which will bring the maximum number of benefits to the populace, if elected, and to create as many renegades as possible in rival parties and induct them into the party that is conducting the meeting. Chief whips and bigwigs of political parties can be very smart meeting presenters or chairpersons. With their power and charm, they can hold sway over thousands at a caucus. The meeting agenda of a political meeting is framed by a political party with a view to garnering as much popularity and support as possible among the electorate, so that the party can trounce the opposing parties during an election. Most political leaders stop at nothing to attain their objectives.

A political meeting can also be a political meeting between different nations such as the G-8 meetings. In such high-profile political meetings, member nations discuss what stance they should adopt towards non-member nations, whether they should modify the rules and policies of international bodies such as the Security Council and the United Nations and other matters that concern the world.

Religious Meeting

A meeting can also be a religious meeting. The attendees of a religious meeting are sometimes known as pilgrims while their journey to the religious meeting is called a pilgrimage. The person who calls a religious meeting is generally an important person of that particular religion. The pope can call a meeting of the Christian clergy at the Vatican in a bid to discuss how the tenets of Christianity can be applied to this frenzied world in order to improve values among people, uplift the poor, etc. On Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, every year, the pope addresses a congregation of people, who assemble at St. Peter’s Square, adjacent to the Vatican, in the hopes of receiving the pontiff’s blessings and for paying tribute to Jesus Christ.

A conclave of Christian cardinals meets at the St. Peter’s Basilica in order to elect a new pope when the existing pope breathes his last.

Millions of Muslims gather at Haj and Mecca in order to pay homage to Islamic saints and to the Prophet. The clerics, Imams, and the muezzins urge the acolytes of Islam to pray to Allah.

The primary aim of religious meetings is to inculcate values and morality among followers and to inform the common public of God and His ways. Other religious communities also conduct religious meetings with the same goal i.e. the spreading of spirituality by expounding their own religious doctrines. Sometimes, religious meetings are also conducted with the aim of converting people of other religions to the faith of the group that has called the meeting.

Conscious and Unconscious Meetings

Now the meetings I have described above are ‘conscious’ meetings, which means that they are attended consciously by the attendees. But in our lives, we generally attend several meetings ‘unconsciously’. When we meet someone on our way to work who informs us that an accident has taken place further down the road, we are attending an ‘unconscious’ meeting. When we chat with someone over a cup of coffee at the cafeteria, we are participating in an ‘unconscious’ meeting. When we are with our families, relatives and friends, we are actually in an unconscious meeting. It is very strange but the truth is that we learn a lot more from unconscious meetings than from conscious meetings and that we attend far more unconscious meetings than conscious meetings. Moreover, even if there is no proper meeting agenda in unconscious meetings, as there is in conscious meetings, the topics of unconscious meetings may make for very valid and practical meeting agenda.

Abnormal Meetings

Do not get frightened about what I am going to say next. All the meetings that I have mentioned so far have been normal meetings. But those who are psychic and believe in ghosts claim that there are paranormal or abnormal or weird meetings too. I take this claim with a pinch of salt, as I do not believe in ghosts or in the paranormal. However, since ghost believers insist that there are ghosts, I am compelled to write this paragraph on paranormal meetings. Paranormal or abnormal or weird meetings constitute a planchette where the spirit of a dead person is called and invoked by a bunch of paranormal junkies or weirdos. The purpose of the meeting or the meeting agenda is to ask the spirit or ghost some questions relating to his or her life on Earth and relating to his or her afterlife, wherever he or she is now. They say that when murdered people are called from their graves, they can reveal the names of the people who slew them. This, I consider, is definitely the single most important plus point of such meetings as such revelations can bring to book the wicked.

We have so far discussed the diverse types of meetings, conscious and unconscious meetings, abnormal or weird meetings. We have also specified the meeting agenda of the different meetings. We have noted that meetings are an inevitable and unavoidable part of our lives. Now we shall explore how meetings have affected us and the significance of meetings.

How Significant is the Meeting?

For expatiating on the significance of meetings, I have to tell you of a mega meeting that occurred recently and which I had the honor of attending. It was Christmas day. I was gathered with thousands of people. Exactly where we had gathered, I cannot recall. All that I remember was that the place was an enormous square. It could have been an Italian piazza – St. Mark’s Square in Venice or St. Peter’s Square, flanking the Vatican. It could have also been somewhere in London, in Trafalgar Square, perhaps, in the vicinity of the Parliament Building and the Westminster Abbey. But when I rack my brains I remember a wide thoroughfare with an arch at one end. So, it could easily have been the Champs Elysees. Or was it in front of the Taj Mahal? The meeting venue might have been before the Taj because I can recall an impressive, spotless, white mausoleum at the venue. But there was an edifice with colonnades. Then was it near the Parthenon that the meeting was conducted? In any event, let me not accord too much importance to the meeting venue or the spot where the event was hosted. Let me get back to the substance of the meeting.

The meeting was attended by thousands, in fact, by millions of people. They were a strange motley, an odd potpourri. Some were dressed in hides, some in togas and robes, others in breeches, gowns and Victorian attire. Yet there were others accoutered in saris, salwar kameez and kimonos. There were others who donned jeans and T-shirts. I was wearing a pair of trousers and a shirt. At first, I could not identify myself with the crowd. I thought it was all a fancy dress party. I gravitated towards the men and women wearing jeans and T-shirts. The folks with patrician features were wearing togas and robes. Some forbidding looking Turks even had swords, daggers and scimitars. When I was totally bewildered and wondering whether I should leave, somebody from the crowd rose. He was so tall and imposing, he must have been thrice my height. And that is no joke because I am 6 feet 5 inches. Though his face was wizened, he still looked handsome. His chest was bare. He was wearing a cloth around his waist. He introduced himself as Zeus, the King of the Gods. Everybody cheered and so I cheered. He said that we had assembled in order to understand the significance of the meeting. Then two women came up and sat on either side of Zeus. One of the women seemed very familiar to me. I knew I had seen her somewhere before. I was struggling to remember who she was when Zeus introduced her as his daughter, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. And then it came back in a flash. I had seen her broken effigy, Venus de Milo, at the Louvre. The other woman who was sitting on the other side of Zeus was my patron, the lady who had asked me to attend the meeting.

The men in togas proceeded towards the rostrum. One handsome man started to deliver a speech, the moment he got to the pulpit. “But Brutus is an honourable man…” he reiterated. The teeming millions were enthralled by his words. My comrades in jeans and T-shirts and I were mesmerized by his being. The speaker frankly admitted that he was remembered for his prowess in rabble rousing. I could not believe that I was gazing up at Mark Anthony.

Suddenly there was chaos. The men and women in hides started to behave savagely, charging at everybody with their flint stones and crude tools and implements. Some of them did not even resemble humans, they seemed like apes and gorillas on their hind legs. However, Zeus managed to pacify them. He said, “let us honor these ancestors of ours, these wonderful Homo sapiens and Stone Age people.” The multitudes at the meeting applauded. The Homo sapiens and Stone Age people appeared to be greatly mollified and even looked apologetic and quietly retreated to their places. Gladiators danced and the meeting venue took the shape of the Colosseum, momentarily. Then a young man in white and bearing a cross appeared from nowhere and we all stood up to give him a standing ovation. Zeus himself got up from his throne and said, “Praise be to Jesus Christ, whose birthday it is today and who is the Savior of humankind.”

Charlemagne looked a bit old to me but strong nevertheless. Constantine was constantly chatting with Christ. He did not seem to want to participate in the meeting. But Attila the Hun cut a sorry figure for himself. He looked a caricature of himself. Not only was he unable to inspire fear in people, but he also looked ridiculous in a pair of acid-washed jeans and an orange T-shirt. Apparently, my group, the men and women in jeans and T-shirts and holding laptops, forced him to dress in that fashion. Attila was near tears, which was absolutely shocking, considering his reputation as a Hun. Even Zeus could not console him. Only Christ managed to soothe the man. Attila smiled broadly at Jesus who blessed him. But the hitch was that Attila was no longer Attila.

The Turks marched forward, some walking, some on horseback. All of them bowed to Christ. I was surprised at this gesture. It is not something we see often in our world. It was only at the meeting that I saw such peculiar sights.

Elizabeth I walked up to the stage straightaway, took up the microphone and said, “In honour of Lord Zeus and his daughters, I would like to declare this meeting to be a superb meeting. I would like to see more such meetings held in the modern world. Also women should have a greater role in everything.” She was the first person to comment on information technology and the many benefits of meeting software. Her aides, Lord Raleigh and Lord Walsingham produced a laptop from somewhere and handed the gadget to her. She opened it and began to type something in it, pretty speedily!

Some Mogul emperors like Akbar, Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb strode across the platform with their heads held high. They waved to the hordes like celebrities do but chose to say nothing. Hitler arrived, a bit late, sought the blessings of Zeus and Christ and announced that he was a ‘changed man’.

I was noticing a distinct trend at the meeting. Only the legendary and the dead were occupying the podium while those of us who are still alive were watching them as spectators. However, Bill Clinton caused much embarrassment to the meeting organizers by jumping onto the dais with a female companion. But Zeus took this sudden liberty in his stride and said instead, “Let the man come up and speak if he wants to.”

Bill Clinton spoke highly of software that helps in meeting management and in business process automation and exhorted everybody present – mythical, dead or alive – to use such meeting management software. He introduced his female companion as Monica something and said that he would not be able to say much more because his wife, Hillary would be waiting for him, back home. Jesus Christ told Bill that he was committing adultery, which is a serious transgression. Bill kept mum. He seemed reluctant to change his ways. Both Christ and Zeus took a grave view of this and looked troubled. However, Attila and Adolf Hitler assured Zeus and Christ that this was no issue, that once Bill died, he would surely alter his ways just as they had done.

Countless eminent grandees arrived at the meeting. It was a feast for the eyes to see them all in person. Lots of delicious food was served to everybody. We gorged on spaghetti, roast turkey, bouillabaisse, lamb quiche, biryani, shepherd’s pie, pilaf, cassoulet, vol-au-vent, sauerkraut, steak, sushi, sashimi, truffles, pudding, black forest cake and ice cream.

Towards the end of the meeting, the lady who was sitting quietly on the other side of Zeus rose. I was waiting for a long time for her to make an entrance onto the stage, as she was my patron and the person who had invited me to the meeting. She was a strikingly beautiful woman, past her youth, but stunning, nonetheless. She seemed detached from her surroundings, not bothered about the adulation she was receiving. Zeus stood up and said, “This, as you know, is my daughter Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. As she is the wisest of all of us, she will deliver the valedictory speech, the last and final oration of this august meeting!”

Athena stood tall and straight on the stage. A compere, somebody I have seen many times at the Academy Awards, handed her the microphone. Athena cleared her throat.

“Good evening, my friends, my sister Aphrodite, my brother Jesus the Christ, and my father,” she began, “we have come a long, long way from the time we started off as Stone Age and Java, Peking and Neanderthal men and women. My Homo sapien and Paleolithic friends will testify to that,” she said, extending her arm in the direction of the section where the Homo sapiens and the Paleolithic people were seated.

“We have marched steadily forward in civilization because we have met and interacted with one another. Every meeting has taught us something. Even meetings, where we have encountered death and destruction, have had something to teach. Is that not true?” the goddess asked in her commanding as well as mellifluous voice. To which everybody, including me, answered “Aye,” in perfect unison.

“Every meeting that we have experienced has helped us to progress and become more productive. Every meeting has taught us good from bad, right from wrong, even if it has ended in failure. And we have participated and will participate in an infinite number of meetings. When I am asked the question, ‘how significant has the meeting been for humanity?’ I say that the meeting has been immensely significant for us. It has shaped our lives, it has spurred us on to excel, it has enabled us to have control over our destinies. And the meeting minutes that have been generated from the meetings have benefited us tremendously. You cannot bring structure and order unless written records are in place. People of today say that knowledge is power but mere abstract knowledge is useless for society. Knowledge has to be documented properly, chronologically and in an unbiased manner if any inference is to be drawn from such knowledge.

“I am glad that all happenings and events since the dawn of civilization have been chronicled in encyclopedias, journals and historical treatises for the benefit of posterity. Unfortunately, though a large chunk of events has been documented, a large chunk has got lost. It is due to this human lapse that there are large gaps in history. Therefore, I repeat that every meeting should be documented as this one is being,” and she glanced in my direction. I nodded and indicated that I was recording the minutes of the meeting in my meeting software in my laptop.

“Also,” Athena proceeded, “certain meeting management software has come up that is helping people to record meeting minutes easily and swiftly. It has taken us eons to come to the stage when we are able to develop great meeting software. In order to honor all those – Stone Age people, the people of the ancient civilizations, the people of the medieval ages – who have toiled hard and passed knowledge and craftsmanship down the ages so that new-age people can build meeting software, something that they could not in their times, we must ensure that we use this fantastic meeting software. Let the efforts of our predecessors not go in vain. Let us thank them for what they have done and bequeathed to us. The entire history of humankind is nothing but a record of meeting agenda and meeting minutes and this history is replete with examples of the passage and transfer of knowledge so that ultimately humankind wins. The meeting minutes of the ages indicate a celebration of humankind, a celebration of life. Thus the meeting is a celebration of life!”

I had recorded her words verbatim and I have quoted them verbatim too. The meeting was spellbinding. You want to know where you can meet these great folks? You will find them in books and encyclopedias, libraries and archives, on the Internet, if you are fond of shortcuts, saying the same thing in different ways, uttering ultimately one message that all prehistoric, historical and modern events and meetings, tragic or not were and are for the celebration of life. That is how significant the meeting is for us.

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You know, now I am thoroughly convinced that God has a sense of humor. As you know, June 17, 1999 was the date of my wreck. I can vividly remember the conversations I had with those girls: ‘I Wanna Know’ echoing through my mind with Melissa’s beautiful voice, Tina’s sarcastic sense of humor and me holding her hand to my cheek saying, “Even though you try to piss me off, you still make me smile.”, telling her that we were going to the top. One of my most beautiful recollections of those two girls was driving in the car with Melissa as we passed a field of wild sunflowers. “Melissa told me that she liked sunflowers as we passed the field…

This past year was seven years since the wreck, the first time that sunflowers have ever been behind the cross to remember those two girls. It still hurts to have lost Tina and Melissa but as I crossed the road, I realized that Heaven is what you like and so much more. Better days are on their way. You must cross the road to find them They are with God and there were three bushes of sunflowers…what she liked. It makes me happy that they are so happy. “Heaven ain’t Hard to Find…all you gotta do is look” So, I picked some for Melissa since she liked them so much. The poetry of my life is so beautiful

If I was to make an overall theme of my life, I would describe it as good. I will never forget those faded pictures …one of my fondest memories of them is going to a ball game with those two girls, watching the Stars and finding the way with them to understanding; I wish I could express my true feelings to them today. Whenever I think of them, I have a smile on my face. Every time I close my eyes I thank the Lord that I got them…and they got me too

We used to laugh all the time; Tina’s last name was Herstein and I used to always call her Her-stine after the Young Frankenstein movie joke. She would always laugh just as you are right now; I loved that. I remember listening to, “Unconditional Love” repetitiously with them. Please notice the presupposition in this. Thank you for the memories. I will never forget the love I had for Melissa; she loved me and I loved her. I remember her singing the song “I Wanna Know” by Joe. The song came on the radio; I had never heard the song before so I turned the station. To this day I hear her voice echoing,” No, I like that song.” I quickly turn it back to hear her sing the words, “I wish that I could take a journey through your mind; and find emotions that you always try to hide.” I hear those words running through my mind all the time and I smile. I wait for that love again. I guess that was the Lord’s way of saying, ” You had good days before; you are in store for even greater.”

I have grown up as a very active member of my church. From teaching the children the Way, to interacting with the youth and giving understanding to the College & Career Class, my limits are God’s limits and God has no limits.

I thank God for my Christian Heritage; my great grandfather was a Baptist Minister until the day he died, my grandfather is a Baptist Minister and my family loves and serves the Lord. God is working within me as we speak.

Now to build a house, you must first have a foundation. That foundation is experience, experience from reasoning, logos; that foundation is God. Starting off, I must say God is good…and has no limit. What they have taken away from me, God has given back ten fold.

It has been [insert publishing date of book printing] since the wreck. Since there is no way to know every aspect and to put it into the words of a book of what I went through, I will just say I was in a car wreck. We were just going to see a movie; what it was, I am unsure. It could have been a series of things: Life, the Matrix, Wild, Wild West, who knows. But one thing must be said, I love those girls.

A woman, drunk and who was upset with her boyfriend was driving towards the intersection of Ruth Wall and 114; you know, right beside Grapevine Mills Mall. Tina and Melissa were going to the movies with me and driving in my car after I had a long day life guarding at the YMCA. Two friends of mine were following.

To make a long story short, we came up to the intersection of Ruth Wall and 114. My light turned green so I proceeded forward. It wasn’t half way through the intersection, the woman struck the driver’s side going 80+MPH and so the story begins.

You know, sometimes life isn’t really fair. In reflection of that night, I remember being confused of where my friends were going to go, being too trustworthy of people and thinking she was going to stop. I loved, love and will always love those girls. As I lay in Melissa’s lap, thinking this was a dream, I heard screams. “Josh, Josh, Josh!!!”, my best friend saw a girl tossed out of the rear windshield brutally breaking her back. I acknowledged him with a gargle; I was still conscious.

He told a mutual friend up at work, “Josh doesn’t have any legs; they were torn off in the wreck!” His eyes had seen too much; mortified and astonished, all they could do now is pray.

As you can see, I am fine now; like I said, God has no limit. The two girls driving in my car…they’re with Jesus now. I told them one day we were going to the top; they just got there a little quicker. The last time I saw them was in a dream of only mental cognizance, not of physical recollection about three months after the wreck when I was in a coma for three months.

BEFORE MY WRECK

AFTER MY WRECK; DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE?!? THAT IS GOD

I did not know what happened to me, saw blue stars and two beautiful girls in white robes take me to a dark room. “Everything will be alright”, they said. I was confused; ‘What will be alright?!?’, I asked. All they could do was walk off into the distance with their beautiful blonde and brunette hair. I guess that was God’s way of saying, “I am still here even though all this is happening.’

That is odd, Tina and Melissa had blonde and brunette hair. I saw them in a dream within my mind, but they had passed. It is almost as if God is within our minds, a presupposition because He was supposed in minds way before you, an aforethought.

Angels are mentioned throughout the Bible described as being in white robes and it says in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God…” It is almost as if the Bible is speaking the truth; the Bible is God.

As I look back on the night of June 17th, 1999, I know summer time was their favorite time of year because this was when Melissa went to Galveston or Tina went to her Banquet and I would like to think this was their favorite time because this was the time they spent with me. At every season’s changing, the wind reeks of their hair; that is how vivid their memory is. “In the Arms of an Angel” was what was sung at their funeral and as you can see, that is exactly where I stood. The good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh away; Come quickly Lord Jesus, even so, come quickly.

Now, what I have learned in the past few years is unbelievable. I did not know the extent of my injuries. My pelvis was broken in seven different places. What is the miracle in all of this?!? Number one, I am alive and cognizant enough to use words like ‘cognizant’ and write a book to share my experience. Number two, I do not have metal plates or anything foreign in my body from my pelvis being broken in seven different places which healed perfectly in only two weeks. Every organ was lacerated in my body except my heart and left lung; God is good.

The human body only holds five units of blood, but it took twenty-seven units to keep me alive that night; by the way did I mention my blood type is Type AB-, the rarest blood type?!? I thank God for each and everyone of you that gave blood the next day so that which I used could be replaced. Not a day passes that your donation is not appreciated. You allowed me to fulfill a purpose and mission

Also, I have learned my two frontal lobes were sheared in my skull. What does sheared mean?!? My two frontal lobes were torn from the rest of my brain and healed itself! No breaks, surgeries or permanent memory loss; God is great!!!

The next couple of years were a blur to me. I spent hundreds of hours in various hospitals, there were thousands of trips to doctors and the hospital bill was well over a million dollars and God took care of that too.

The person I am today is a little wiser, submissive and meek to name a few of my characteristics. I am a living testimony to God’s good grace. Throughout this world, I had people praying for me: in New Zealand, Africa, several Southern Pacific Isles and throughout the United States. All those precious prayers were answered; thank you.

Through that experience, God has blessed me in ways you will never be able to imagine. I was offered a job at Bell Helicopter, Textron in Forth Worth, Texas under the Chemical & Analysis Department only two years after my wreck. I was only able to lift 225 lbs. for five repetitions under four sets before my wreck. I am able to bench press well over that amount now and it only took me a year to recover the strength I had before the wreck on a constant basis. I am currently enrolled at Dallas Baptist University, world renowned and a very prestigious school, with a 3.0 GPA from my previous college and it rising with my understanding of God. You tell me God is not there, I will share at least three miracles he has bestowed upon me. As my Pastor says, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” As you can see, through my cognizance, strength and mobile ness, He has brought me every step of the way.

Now, what I have learned in my life, is that there is genius in simplicity yet it takes simplicity to define genius terms coherently. This is not a new concept; Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Homer and Leibniz say this through either their hypocrisy or understanding. The Bible even says this through its own words. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children and forbid them not unto me; for such is the Kingdom of Heaven .” and “Except you become as one of these, you will not enter in.” What Jesus is saying here is ‘Blessed are the simple minded.’ If we take on faith, such as a child, we will inherit and enter into the Gates of Heaven. See, I just see things simpler now after my wreck than I did in my past. God is the Word and all the Word is telling us to do is live a simpler life. We see it as a question, but a question has two answers: right or wrong. This is our choice. The Bible is the right way; it is telling us how to live a simpler life. True life is lived full of insinuations through our mind, associations through connection, allegories through our perverseness, constancy through the One, an experience to understand, a statement not question, purposeful , has no limitations, an inner mind through understanding, mental not physical, a healing not a scar, a searching for a period but not the end of the paragraph, acknowledgement, a source, a reason, completeness, Divinely Inspired, obedience, good, outside the boundaries of time, reference, decisive not inquisitive, adaptation within the Bible of understanding, examples, parables of experience from education, implications, connection, a beginning but never an end, within our minds, reliant on the Source if lived well, how not why, choice but never a chance and never a wrong decision, understood, in prepositions from the Presupposition, anticipation, reflection, simplicity from One. Do not look at the quantity of words I use to describe life, but the quality of understanding I use throughout this book.

Since we look at the positive aspect of life, we should acknowledge the negative: what not to do in life.

What is missing in every story in the Bible? The main characters knowledge of good which is later realized, understood. We see how they fall with their knowledge of evil or succeed with their knowledge of good. It is our knowledge that is crucial. Knowledge is where God lies and believing in this knowledge is beneficial. The benefit is eternal life.

Wrong, evil, sin just is not living a simpler life. We think this is just going behind God’s back, but just as a parent instructs a child, such is the Bible. Life is just a word; what matters is the connection the word implies. We can either take it as a Gift or a Curse. This is the connection and its implications; life is what we make of it. As we live at the current moment, we make it hard on ourselves. We ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but strive towards the bad with hate of different races, sexes, religions when all they seek is understanding, acceptance, etc. Why?!? We may have ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but to know is different than to do. There is no cost to be rewarded; the cost was taken on the cross. There is not a choice, only a commandment, one way to make a decision. This is just a parent instructing a child to live simpler, that is it! Knowledge is a less intimate understanding; strive for understanding.

Also, I have learned there is no need to fight things; what will be, will be. “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” I will ask you to keep in mind that inheritance insinuates ‘coming’. Sure, you can fight it, but what will it achieve?!? Fighting it in anyway is just showing you do not have faith (God’s mercy to allow His sheep to understanding) in God’s Plan. The strong will lead this world, but those who turn the other cheek will inherit the world. It is better to inherit because what will last longer, this world or the inheritance?!? We must accept the reception or inheritance because it will be given to us if we follow the words in the Bible, the simpler life of meekness and not stirring up anger, and the reason for prime numbers. The Bible is a prime number. The Greek philosophers who studied these numbers understood the idea of primality and were interested in perfect and amicable numbers.

And finally, do not look at Bible Scriptures as things you have to do, unreasonable laws; look at them as advice from your Creator of how to live a simpler, but fuller life. I mean that is who created life. Why not follow the Inventor’s Directions, the Bible. Even the Commandments are just moral law, moral law- the distinction between right and wrong since we ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They are commandments because He knows the easy way out. Sure, there are still going to be people that disobey them, but what are they saying, “I do not want to live simpler!” What the Bible is truly saying is if you want to be a Christian or live simpler since that is all Christians truly are, simple livers, you must follow these commandments. Think about this; we messed up in Eden and God loved us so much He gave us His Word, Himself to live simpler lives if John 1:1 is true. God is not going to banish sinners from this earth because He loves us so much and hopes we will make the right choice, the simpler choice to follow Him.

But the one thing you must do in this life is “Ride it till the wheels fall off.” Before my wreck, I thought life was a dream; I soon found out it really isn’t and it really doesn’t hold anything back from you after an incident like mine. But, I learned the understanding in the pages of the Bible make it a simper, easier life if you follow its’ words. Fulfill your life to the fullest; do your purpose in life and try to overdo. It has been [ INSERT DATE OF PUBLISHING FROM WRECK DATE] since the wreck. I miss those girls; I will see them one day. For right now they are just two teardrops, faded pictures and a memory and have taught me so much, but the most important of these lessons is, “Heaven ain’t Hard to Find, all you got to do is look.” within your mind. I cannot wait to see them on the other side because there, they will not be a memory, but a reality

Since we have dissected the fine prophecies and shown through wording that Jesus is the Messiah, we will now look at the prophecies that directly point to no man other than Jesus.

Isaiah 49:6; 6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.

I will make you a light to the Gentiles,

and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Gentiles are saved also, but the Jews (of the nation) think they are the “chosen people”. This is in the Old Testament, but the Jews still don’t believe?!? The Gentiles, us, used to eat raw meat from weird animals, worship pagan gods of statues, NOT LIVE SIMPLER!

This man helped them understand with the Jews. Jesus helped them realize that all have the knowledge of evil, but in this situation we are about to read about, Isaiah prophesied what was about to happen (the Pharisees were to honor them w/their lips, face value, but not understand it is simpler to honor your parents), but , yet they still did not understand. Read Matthew 15:6-9 6 Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up!

The grassy banks are scorched.

The tender plants are gone;

nothing green remains.

7 The people grab their possessions

and carry them across the Ravine of Willows.

8 A cry of distress echoes through the land of Moab

from one end to the other–

from Eglaim to Beer-elim.

9 The stream near Dibon[a] runs red with blood,

but I am still not finished with Dibon!

Lions will hunt down the survivors–

both those who try to escape

and those who remain behind.

…then 15:16-20. 16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart–that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Jesus gave several arguments, discussions that all God is must be understanding. Read Matthew 15:10. 10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand.

I believe Jesus was very emphatic w/His references to God as understanding and how to live simpler from our knowledge of evil. Highlight the exclamation point on

15:20. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Read Matthew 15:24-28; 24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep–the people of Israel.”

25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”

26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

We are children of Israel if we understand, Gentiles if we eat the raw meat and not live simpler. This is also an example of faith- third hand on Jesus. Just rely, it will be instant b/c it comes from just like the little girl. I will share this story w/y’all one more time (scars) Nah, probably a few more; don’t hurt. Learn this from third hand experience!

Now, back to Isaiah, the original association. Look for God to be lying in association, pneumonic devices. Isaiah 50:6; 6 I offered my back to those who beat me

and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.

I did not hide my face

from mockery and spitting.

Is this precisely what happened to Jesus?!? Isaiah 52:13-15; 13 See, my servant will prosper;

he will be highly exalted.

14 But many were amazed when they saw him.[a]

His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human,

and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.

15 And he will startle[b] many nations.

Kings will stand speechless in his presence.

For they will see what they had not been told;

they will understand what they had not heard about.[c]

Has kings or world leaders (Franklin Roosevelt and WWII, Bush and 9/11 with resolutions) understood?!? Highlight understand. Exalted speaks of His resurrection and ‘lifted up’ speaks of His ascension.

Isaiah 53:2; 2 My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot,

like a root in dry ground.

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,

nothing to attract us to him.

Jesus was not a king like the Jews believe He will be, but this was prophesied in the Old Testament. He didn’t have beautiful things to attract to His appearance. That is of face value; look in your minds for the attraction. There you will understand.

UNDERSTAND B/C HE IS UNDERSTANDING!!!

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away

Heaven could be ages away or distant (like the blue stars I saw in my dreams) or it could be right within our minds (after all it was within my mind, my dreams.) Early on, my father was asked by a newspaper reporter what the prospects were for my recovery. He replied, “Josh’s limits are God’s limits and God has no limits.” I guess that pretty much sums it up. What you will see in writing this book, in person, as one of His sheep is the living God who was saved twice by His amazing grace. Life is precious and none of us know how many breaths we have. “Live for the now because tomorrow ain’t promised today.” God has a purpose for each and everyone of our lives. That is all the more reason that each of us should live this moment like it is our last by dedicating it all to the one who gave us life, our Lord and Savior. Come quickly Lord Jesus, even so, come quickly. I leave you with pictures of those two gorgeous girls and what I have to look forward to

THE REASON I KEEP BREATHING

He assures us throughout the Bible that if we follow His rules, the Bible, we will always have enough. My life is my assurance because it has always been enough.

Through that experience, I prayed to God that this was all a dream. Once again, I emphasize experience and for you to learn from my experience through the third hand because first hand hurts. Trust me, third hand experience is sufficient. We can learn this through testing chemicals, life’s experience and third hand experience that God is there.

This is another thing that could have only come from the Divine Power. One would think I was a beast of a man who was 6′0″ and lifted weights his whole life. Now, granted I did played soccer my whole life allowing my lower body to strengthen, but had only started lifting upper-body weights precisely one year before my wreck, weighed 135 lbs when the wreck occurred and am 5′7″ today. Why would you not believe someone who knows too much about the brain, body and all the systems of the body from first hand experience?!? This was all miraculous!!! Dios es fuerte.

We must learn that life is reference and the Source referred upon is God. If we rely on Him, we will succeed. If we do something good for God, we will always succeed. Good is succession and if we succeed, it is always from something good. The past is very important to me, thus I like to remember; in both lies God. My grandfathers words were true; I just had to remember them.

I know what everyone is thinking at the current moment and I did miss the Dallas Stars win the Stanley Cup that night, June 17th, 1999, but I had to fulfill a purpose. It would have been much simpler life if I had watched the game, but what a big purpose it must be to allow me to survive a wreck like that!

Life in the fast lane. That’s how many of us live. We are so busy that we don’t take the time to reflect on the good things we have. Sure life is tough but there is a lot to be thankful for. Remember those things. Reflect on those things. Here are a few to get you started.

A beautiful song
A comfortable chair
A cool breeze
A drink of cool water
A full moon
A gentle rain
A glass of cold milk
A good book to read

A good coat
A good husband
A good pillow
A good wife
A scenic drive
Air conditioning
Banana splits
Beaches in the morning
Beautiful women
Birds singing
Blue jeans
Brothers
Butterflies
Butterfly kisses
Ceiling fans
Children laughing
Christmas morning
Clothes that fit well
Comfortable shoes
Compliments
Computers that work
Cooing Babies
Cream Brule
Dark Chocolate
Dishwashers
Diversity
Dried pineapple slices
Fairness
Crackling fire in a fireplace
Flowers
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Fresh ideas
Friendly dogs
Good conversation
Good eyesight
Good friends
Good health
Good movies
Good teachers
Good tires
Grace
Grandchildren
Grandma
Grandpa
Hair spray
High-speed Internet access
Holding hands
Homemade ice cream
Honest people
Hugs
Ice cubes
Indoor plumbing
Kind men
Kittens
Laughter
Live Christmas trees
Morning coffee
Parking spaces near the front
Peanut butter
Plenty of closet space
Polyester
Polite drivers
Porch swings
Pregnant women
Puppies
Quiet mornings
Rainbows
Remote Controls
Roasted peanuts
Shade trees
Silk pajamas
Sisters
Smiles
Snow covered mountains
Snowflakes
Soft toilet paper
Sunrises
Sunsets
Thanksgiving dinner
That I wasn’t in the obituaries today
The color of autumn leaves
The ocean
The smell of a Sunday roast cooking
The smell of homemade bread
The words “I love you”
Tire swings
True friends
Uninterrupted dinners
Warm kisses
Warm showers
Whipped cream
White puffy clouds
Wrinkle-free clothes
I hope you enjoyed these. Please email me at the address below and let me know what your think and if you have any suggestions for the list. Please check my website (see below) for other fun stuff.

Thanks for reading!

You may be surprised to know that the problem you have described is the biggest fit problem women face. Here’s the answer…. you need to buy pants that fit your rear and hips and have them altered to fit your waist.

Your best bet is to purchase pants in a department store where seamstresses work and have them come into the dressing room to see the pants on you and fit them accordingly. A good seamstress will tell you if they can or cannot be fit properly. Unfortunately, there is almost always a charge for alterations but at least you end up with the proper fit.

You will also find that there are some brands that will fit better than others…they are designed to be “curvier”! I am also thin but have a round rear and hips and find designers cut for a straighter shape. When I get pants that fit my hips and rear, the waist often stands away from my body in the back. If it’s too extreme, the pants are not for you. But, as I said, they can often be professionally fit. You may find that the lower the rise, the worse it is. If this is the case, go for a slightly higher waist. Even if it doesn’t fit, it may be more easily altered. Avoid pants that pull across your hips just because they fit your waist. It is unattractive and makes you look like you’ve put on a few extra pounds!

I still wear low rise jeans a lot. So I guess its really not down to catwalk fashion , but down individual fashion, that means your own choice. So let’s look at some ideas. You really can’t go wrong with denim. Pair skinny jeans with heels and a sweet shirt and they’ll take you on a date. Funk up a denim miniskirt by layering leggings underneath. Here are our favorite jean looks:

For the trendy girl in you, skinny jeans are ideal. They’re tough, they’re racy, and they’re very eye-catching. Pair with a dolman-sleeve sweater, a feminine top, or a preppy blazer (and don’t forget pumps!)

Super dark jeans — in a dark blue rinse or light black — are not only dressier, they make you look skinnier (and that’s always a good thing).

Premium jeans are today’s version of designer jeans. They have the coolest cuts and hottest labels (True Religion, Paige Denim, Chip & Pepper, Seven, etc.).

Holes bleached spots and frayed edges: they’re a good thing! These vintage jeans are actually new just made to look old.

The fact that you have a small waist and narrow hips makes you the ideal candidate for this season’s wide, flared leg pants! You are correct that skinny pants are in but so are very wide-legged pants. Your narrow hips will allow the pant to flare while making your bottom half look even thinner than you are. What could be better than that? As for skinny pants, try more of a straight line rather than tapered…you might be able to pull it off depending on how heavy your legs are. I’m guessing at 5′8″ and 128, they’re thinner than you describe.

Cotton white eyelet pants are very definitely an article of clothing reserved for summer. The only white to be worn in the winter is often referred to as “winter white”. It is actually a creamier white…closer to vanilla than snow white. Also, the fabric itself makes a big difference. Most winter white pants for the winter are wool, not cotton.