Leaderboard

I enjoy this a lot more than reading how somebody failed at something. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA-G9kQMzJY#t=42

Happy Australia Day to my Aussie friends! (The tradition of noticing January 26 began early in the 19th century with Sydney almanacs referrring to First Landing Day or Foundation Day. That was the day in 1788 when Captain Arthur Philiip, commander of the First Fleet of eleven convict ships from Great Britain along with the first governor of New South Wales, arrived at Sydney Cove. The raising of the Union Jack there symbolized British occupation of the eastern half of the continent claimed by Captain James Cook on 22 August in 1770. Some immigrants who prospered in Sydney, especially those who had been convicts or the sons of convicts, began marking the colony's beginnings with an anniversary dinner -- an "emancipist festival" -- to celebrate their love of the land that was now their home. Governor Lachlan Macquarie, the emancipists' friend, made the thirtieth anniversary of the day in 1818 a public holiday, thirty guns counting out the years of British civilization.)

“If you plant for a year, plant grain. If you plant for ten years, plant trees. If you plant for a 100 years, plant men. If you plant for eternity, plant the word. ” - Unknown?

AT News Team, Jan. 21, 2015: Josephine Patinella is 108 today, placing her among the few hundred longest-lived Americans. She joined the Adventist faith as a young adult in Brooklyn, New York City, and continues to this day as a faithful member of the La Mesa Adventist Church in the suburbs of San Diego, California. Read rest of article here: http://atoday.org/adventist-woman-san-diego-area-turns-108.html

There is an Ebola outbreak happening in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia right now. The latest I've heard is that a patient was located in Nigeria, so now that country is involved. Ebola is VERY deadly as far as viruses go. I thought that the mortality rate is 60% but if a person does not get treatment it could be higher. The problems the foreign medical people were having is that the population suffers from lack of information. They believed that if their loved one went to hospital s/he wouldn't come out, that it was a death sentence. Others didn't want to give up the dead bodies, preferring that families handle their own dead. And that has led to the spread of the plague. My daughter-in-law through her non-profit was able to distribute 3500 * information packets through her staff, who are locals and are trusted. She is still working on this. But she has asked for prayer for her and Kevin's friends who are still in the country. Some are with Samaritan's Purse, who Kev used to work for. They are very concerned at this point. I've read that the head doctor working with the Ebola patients has now come down with the disease. Thanks for all who feel impressed to lift up petitions to God for the people of West Africa in this situation. * Note- I need to fix that number. It should be 3,025 packets. Sorry for the error- Gail

http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/news/2014/08/938.asp

There's a certain amount of disquiet with the date, and some moves afoot to change it to a more inclusive date that can be celebrated by all Australians. The arrival of the First Fleet marks the beginning of British colonisation, which has brought undoubted benefits but also some very dark chapters in relations with the First Peoples of the nation. Perhaps a change to the date of Federation, when the scattered colonies united to become one country. Or perhaps to the (future) date when we become a republic. I dunno... but I can see the point of making a change.

Thanks, Pam! We had a truly fantastic and enjoyable, and very Aussie, day. Stayed over the night before with friends who have a house right on the beach, so in the morning we went for a swim in the surf, then bicycled down to a beachside cafe for breakfast. Chilled for a while at home then (less traditionally) went to see the movie 'Big Hero 6' (which we loved), then it was over to our daughter's place for a barbeque dinner with both our girls and their partners Crank and Peter, and Peter's parents who were visiting from England. Fantastic day.

Thanks Stan. It's especially good to be reminded of these things in the days in which we live. 8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4 God is Love! Jesus saves!

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Accountant and Seventh-day Adventist Church administrator, Bancroft Barwise is now an ordained pastor. His recent ordination was witnessed by scores of family, friends and church members at the Mandeville Seventh-day Adventist Church. View the full article

After Friday prayers an Imam announced to the people: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."

Joel Osteen has just come up a few notches in my esteem proiile. I have listened to him a few times in the past and all I heard was feel good positive thinking sermons.

Rather than comparing it to the mother bear, I see more of an analogy to a kiln. If you put in a piece of pottery and an ice sculpture the kiln does not treat them differently. It is the exact same thing that happens to both pieces. However one becomes a work of art and the other is destroyed by the same action.

The Book of Negroes: How much do you know about it? It is a book that has draws rave reviews. It is a TV miniseries that will soon be shown on television. It has been said to rival the ROOTS miniseries. For a starter look at this element of history, see: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2h58.html For more information: It is on the Internet.

W. Augustus Cheatham, an education official in the administration of U.S. President Jimmy Carter who went on to become the longest-serving vice president at Loma Linda University, has died after an eight-year battle with brain cancer. http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/w.-augustus-cheatham,-helper-to-jimmy-carter-and-loma-linda-university,-dies-of-brain-cancer