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Well as some of you know i was to have a disk fusion on Oct 24. that went off with a little problem i was leaking too much spinal fluid so i was not able to get up and do much for my first two day s in the hospital. Things got a bit better Sabbath the 26 and i was able to get up and down a little they keep me one more night and that sis the trick I was able to get up and get dressed in my own clothes for the first time in 4 days. . That many here didn't not know was on the 17th of Oct my Mom back from her Alaska trip came down to pick me at the RV where i was living with my boyfriend, I had every thing packed that i would need at their house for my recovery. my mom and i talked a lot and i told her how bad things had gotten with my boy friend and his verbal abuse and told her i didn't not want to go back to that situation once i had recovered from surgery. so on two days be for surgery we were back at the RV this time to quickly pack every thing i could and to give back the keys to the truck and the RV and the Mail box. we drove to the storage unit and paid for the month of Sept so that i could get my items out of there and we brought every thing home to be sorted through and separated into three piles one to keep one to give away and one for trash. we have managed to get things into less then 10 boxes. I am healing well and in the last 14 days i have been walking 0.300 - to a.500 miles a day with out much pain. it is so nice to be able to walk with out so much pain and i am starting to use my cane less and less. I get tired out easily but feel positive. I am also taking three classes from Coursera on writing and grammar and have complete the first week of each class and home work . It is so nice not to be yelled and cussed at any more and be blamed for things that i didn't to and be yelled at about who i am talking to. Was gong to go to church tomorrow for the first time in a long time but my mom doesn't think that i am quiet up to it yet. I am trusting her judgement on this and other things as we fill out what i need to be able to move back to OR and be on my own and hopefully be able to work.

Interesting that the non-gun suicide rates in the non-US countries were higher than the US. I don't know. Seems like if someone is intent on destroying themselves or others, they will do it by any means they can, be it a gun, a knife, airplanes, poison. Does the method matter? Maybe. Maybe not. A person who was intentionally killed by violent means is just as dead, no matter which way they were killed. There is no "solution".... there can only be remedial attempts at curbing the violence. Education, Mental Health access, and rearing children to have respect for others is imperative. What good would it do for the government to know who has what guns? Who is going to check up on everyone who has guns? Who will make sure everyone follows registration laws? There are MANY weapons that are "lost" in the registration lists. Who is going to track down where those "lost" weapons are? Who is going to track the weapons into other countries? I'm not interested in the US becoming a "police state" where the government tries to worm itself even more into the private lives of its citizenry. The only new laws I'd vote for regarding weapons would be for more stringent background checks. However, that wouldn't help with most shootings, as most get their guns from family members (who usually have no MH issues) or obtain the weapons illegally by stealing them. Criminals will NOT follow the laws, and the mentally ill have their own internal "laws" that they follow...

There are no countries who are peers to the United States in both population and wealth, with the possible exception of China, and that's a stretch insofar as population goes. Also, in the US, raw homicide reports include shootings of self-defense, as well as suicides. Aside from that, the other wealthy countries do not have nearly the amount of racial and gang issues, that the US has. And, unfortunately, those issues, along with mental health issues, seem to be at the heart of so many murders in the US.

I agree, but with a caveat. That caveat is that all SS classes ought to be taught like that. I've taught SS classes and in my classes there was close to 100% participation. If someone didn't speak out I asked them what they thought. I made religion personal and relevant with everyday life and we went far beyond the scope of the quarterly. I'm pretty proud, yes Robert, proud of the fact that there were several people baptised because of my classes. Some were people who had left the church and started attending SS again and some were people who had had no previous contact with Adventism. I know of no better feeling than that which comes from helping someone find a relationship with God. On Sabbaths where there was no church service due to campmeeting or other local large SDA events we still held our SS class and those classes would last quite a bit longer than a normal class. We'd start at the normal time and sometimes not end until 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon, and everyone stayed the entire time.

Maybe she should do a little more research. The Anti-Defamation League roundly condemned his remarks. (“The small number of personal firearms available to Germany’s Jews in 1938 could in no way have stopped the totalitarian power of the Nazi German state.”) Nazi Germany did not wake up one fine morning in 1938,confiscate the guns from the Jeswish and bam they had the Holocoust. It was a ongoing confiscation for years along with other abuses before the Holocoust. They went along like sheep for a good long while,when the time came they were totally defenseless

Gayatthefoot, For me it is hard to read that quote from Pres Carter, and then spin my head around and read his words supporting Hezballah. I can't change gears that quickly.

Did he say that he would not just have stood there and let someone shoot him? Are those words he said? If so, do you think it is slander to interpret those words as at least implicit criticism of the courage of those who were shot? He seems also to have said that the Jews just needed guns to avert the Holocaust. Line up behind this man if you wish: "out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks". He will keep on revealing his character in the things he says.

I think it's awesome! You're one of the first people on CA who has "outlasted" Samie! Congratulations! BTW - I agree with your position.

Included in the study were: Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom (England and Wales), United Kingdom (Northern Ireland), United Kingdom (Scotland) and the United States. The comparison is not just a numerical one but also with reference to composition. Here was the methodology: Total population for the United States for 2003 was 290.8 million; the combined population for the other 22 countries was 563.5 million. There were 29,771 firearm deaths in the United States and 7,653 firearms deaths in the 22 other countries. Thus, among these 23 countries, 80 percent of all firearm deaths occurred in the United States in 2003, and 86 percent of all women killed by firearms were US women, and 87 percent of all children aged 0 to 14 killed by firearms were U.S. children. Below is a link to the study. http://www.researchgate.net/publication/44695809_Homicide_Suicide_and_Unintentional_Firearm_Fatality_Comparing_the_United_States_With_Other_High-Income_Countries_2003

Barbara, thank you for this update! You have many here who care for you I am SO happy that you are out of the abusive situation that was bringing you down and now you are recovering physically, emotionally AND are going to school to better your education as well! Let us know when you are at last able to return to church

Laz, would you specify which are the 22 countries you stated are comparable to the US? The European Union is not a country.

Thank you rudyroofs ... I just came on to make a similar post ... comparing oranges to apples never quite work

One good way of avoiding issues is to argue against things that have not been said. No one said guns are to blame for murder. The gun culture of America is to blame. The culture is more than the weapon. I grew up free. Very few people had guns. Even the police didn't have guns. Guns are not essential. Guns are essential for tyranny though. Lives are more important than big profits for gun manufacturers. This is the root of it all. Under the illusion of freedom and liberty they are making a killing. Pun intended. The first priority of government is to protect its citizens. 33 citizens die every day due to gun violence. The government is failing in it first duty and clearly conservatives have lost their moral compass on this issue. This would mean there are millions of SDA's and SDA pastors who don't understanding anything about Adventism. Hyperbolic foolishness!

Are you able to talk or post with out saying 'liberal' all the time? Just wondering......

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Responding to the massive flooding in the Carolina Conference has Adventist Community Services (ACS) busy opening warehouses, stocking large supplies of water, and moving to larger warehouses. As of October 8, the water supplying warehouse has closed and moving to a bigger warehouse in Lugoff, S.C. ACS Disaster Response has asked that all donations of cleaning supplies be sent to Lugoff. An estimated 500 pre-assembled ACS/ADRA/Oshkosh flood buckets will be transported from Pa. to the site and distributed. Cleaning supplies, except for bleach, are requested. No water is needed at this time. Go here for a complete list of needs, addresses, updates, links and to register. Follow ACS on Facebook. The NAD is saddened by the loss of still more church family members this week. Norris Ncube, principal of Indianapolis Junior Academy, and his 5-year-old niece, Sizba, were killed in an automobile accident as he drove a group of five students to school Tuesday morning. Principal Ncube was pronounced dead on the scene, and all five children were rushed to the hospital where Sizba later died. Please pray for the children who are still in the hospital, and for the family and loved ones who are reeling from this sudden loss. MORE Fox59 Report Congratulations to Southeastern California Conference where they just celebrated their 100th Anniversary! They produced a video for the event that featured members who were close to 100 years of age and their advice that they had for others. Watch the video. Walking to raise school funds SDA's 11th annual run on Oct. 25 Service dog, wheelchair of Oregon shooting victim turned over to Middle-school students learn about covered-wagon pioneering Grants Pass church mourns the loss of Sarena Moore Local church mourns Roseburg victim Family-oriented culture strengthens bonds with Jesus, congregation Revenue rises for Bexar County hotels in July, ending slump Hospitals as hubs to create healthy communities: Lessons from Washington “Revelation Today—The Mysteries Revealed” begins Friday, Oct. 9 – It will be an interactive exploration led by It Is Written Speaker/ Director John Bradshaw and will be about the Bible’s book of Revelation. The series will broadcast live, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 9-31, nightly except Mondays and Thursdays, from Chattanooga, Tenn. It can be viewed at revelationtoday.com and on Hope Channel. Viewers can use a new, free cross-platform smartphone app to ask a question in the middle of the presentation or to participate in a survey and receive an answer or see results during the program. Get the app through the Apple and Google app stores. For your additional convenience, the program can also be rebroadcast through revelationtoday.com at any time. MORE There will be an Emotional Wellness Summit in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 13-17 to talk about how we can equip ourselves to extend the healing ministry of Christ for the whole person, focusing especially on the often neglected mental and emotional needs of people. If you are a mental health professional, general health professional, researcher, pastor, health ministry leader or a member of a congregation in interested in integrating ministry with the mental health needs of people you will want to be part of this discussion. Register through December. Watch the video. October is Adventist Heritage Month, and Oct. 17 is Spirit of Prophecy Sabbath. The Ellen G. White Estates has provided resources, such as a suggested program for the occasion, along with a sermon, The Beauty of the Lamb of God, and a Children's Story, Strength to do the Impossible. Did you know there is a celebration that expresses our closeness to Christ and willingness to serve others? The Lord's Supper is an example of Christ's openness and acceptance of all people. It's Christianity's sacrament that reminds us of what the true message of Jesus Christ is! That Jesus came to this Earth and lived and died for all people - of every tribe, every tongue, and every nation. MORE Watch the 90: second video on Vimeo. Share it! Each topic on the My Way to Jesus website links to a video, an invitation to study the Bible, the Find-a-Church Directory, a link for kids to My Place with Jesus, a place to send prayer requests, and more. You can easily post the videos and information on your church website and/or share the updates from the My Way to Jesus Facebook page. Learn how. How can we reach out to the millions of people who have become refugees? Pamela Gammenthaler, associate professor of nursing, traveled to Georgia with eight other volunteers to help deliver backpacks and school supplies to 40 refugee students from Myanmar at Duluth Adventist Christian School. MORE Emerging Immigrant Populations is one of the six Building Blocks that the division has chosen to emphasize during the last and upcoming quinquennium. Learn more. October 8, 2015 Special Days October Focus: Adventist Heritage Oct. 17, Spirit of Prophecy Sabbath Oct. 24, Pathfinder Sabbath October Offerings Oct. 10, Voice of Prophecy/La Voz de la Esperanza Oct. 31, NAD Evangelism Helpful Special Day Websites and Resources Sample Offertory Readings (in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French) Oct. 9-11, Adventist Recovery Ministries Training, Dallas, Texas Oct. 9-31, It Is Written, Revelation Today: The Mysteries Revealed Oct. 15-18, Society of Adventist Communicators Convention -Hotel Registration Oct. 26-Nov. 4, NAD Year-end Meeting, "A Grand Collaboration" Nov. 5/6, Prayer Call Dec. 3/4, Prayer Call 2016 Jan. 13-17, Emotional Wellness Summit, Orlando, Fla. Feb. 17-20, Just Claim It Youth Prayer Conference, Ontario, Calif. Feb. 24-28, GAiN - Global Adventist Internet Network Conference April 24-27, HR Conference & Secretariat Council, Minneapolis, Minn. July 21-23, Adventist Conference on Family Research and Practice, Berrien Springs, Mich. Sept. 7-10, Adventist Community Services Convention, Gladstone, Ore. Adventist World/ NAD Edition October, 2015 NAD Feature: My Name is Joe. Typhoon Relief is Personal. Saipan is in the NAD? p. 32 NAD News: Rattle Snake Venom and Brain Surgery, Redwood Campers Build Relationships During Community Service Day, Church Recognized for More Than 20 Years of Prison Ministries, p. 10 NAD Update: Let's Start a Conspiracy. It's Time for the Church to be Energized, p. 14 NAD Perspective: A Time of Trouble, p.17 Daily Prayer Guide Oct. 11-17 – This week, please pray for the Florida Conference, with 199 churches and 62,753 members, Share This Newsletter Daily Bible Reading Plan 3rd Quarter, 2015Southern-Asia Pacific Division Watch DVDYouth & Adult Mission QuarterlyChildren's Magazine Hope Channel DIRECTV ch. 368 Glorystar ch. 104 Hope Church Channel Esperanza TV

Gail, I would disagree with your usage of US. If I fail to bring someone to Christ that failure has nothing to do with anyone other than myself. We are responsible to God as individuals, not as we or us. Christianity is not collective. It is individual. If each of us takes our individual responsibilities to God seriously then WE succeed, but WE are not responsible for any individual but ourselves. If the church fails in its mission it is because the individuals in church have failed in their own personal responsibilities to God.

Praise God! God is Love! Jesus saves!

I don't know where folks get the idea that any except those who died in Christ are going to be resurrected at the last trump? Is this not what Rev 20:4-6 says? That "blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection". You seem be adding the wicked to that resurrection at Christ's return. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Enoch and Elijah are examples of a rapture. Those raptured at the end are no different to these two.

I do not agree with the part in red, Wingnut. I don't believe those resurrected to hear judgment against them, and then executed at the SC will EVER be resurrected again. One execution was enough. As for the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, that parable was about the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews were "rich" in the things of God, while the Gentiles had been "poor" and "unclean" (covered with sores). But the Gentiles believed on Jesus when most of the Jews rejected Him, hence the beggar went to "the bosom of Abraham" (where every good Jews wanted to go) and the Rich Man went to "torment". And they will be "tormented" when they realize that they missed it.

I attended an AA meeting to observe for a class I was taking some years ago. I had the immediate feeling that this is how a prayer meeting should be. Folks were accepting, respectful, eager to hear, and receive the experiences of others. They treated me as if I had been there a thousand times before. The meeting room as grubby and smelly but I felt comfortable. I said nothing for the whole meeting but three people came to me and offered their numbers just in case I needed anything. It was humbling and inspiring. We have much to learn.

btw..typing my above post brought up my frustration (yeah it shows) and lack of healing in what i thought was going to be very helpful in my growth being the working poor and spending so much gas every week for 8 (?) months and working long dog days at a job i already drove a lot to get too (in a different direction) was a great deal of sacrifice and holding out the hope for so long i can be with like minded SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIANS made me stick around so long ... beating a dead horse thanku for listening. I left out alot btw alot alot one of the church members in that 12 step group was featured on CELEBRATE RECOVERY on 3ABN years later. She became a good friend to Cherie Peters in all this.

Years ago, Chere Peters , the Host of CELEBRATE RECOVERY on 3ABN ...came to a big SDA Church for a weekend Seminar (a few towns away from me)....And that Church started a 12 step group to meet every Thursday Night. The Ministers wife set the tone. If someone was being real and sharing a deep pain. She would panic and had to give you a "Jesus loves U" sticker or sign. Like that would make everything go away. And God forbid you would talk about the same real pain next week. . It was her missionary Christian job to fix you (many good Christian mindsets when it becomes too uncomfortable ...just sayin). Of course the SDA Christian Culture also had to correct you with scriptures. Cross Talking* is a strict no no in many 12 step groups. But not here! Along with the constant accessing of everyone's spiritual walk of the general group was always taking place. God, our Christian Culture can be so TOXIC. We started with like 15 people and by the time it ended it was down 3. ..so unsafe. Towards the end it just got real shallow and tense. I confronted the Ministers wife with a letter I wrote (very early on about Cross Talk and the importance of not quoting bible verses/principles when someone shares something in their lives not measuring up to the 28 fundamental believes). And it went over her head. Towards the end I became more direct about just letting people share and sit quietly and not judging**. Of course by that time I was so irate by her constant spiritual abuse.. it showed in my eyes and voice. Then she had a real problem with me. So What! .. I was trying to save this supposed Ship in the Harbor ! I needed a Christian group that I can actually feel SAFE in. When I stopped going .. the group quit altogether cause it was down to TWO PEOPLE! Few people did speak up very timidly thru this eight month period. But I was more brazen cause this Church was a few towns away and I didn't go to this Church to face the weekly concussions/gossip. Also I know how 12 step groups supposed to look like. It was so bad. and tragically so sad. What a mess. Another thing I witnessed was the Church Politics of holding office and gossip. A Lady told me she stopped going cause there was a real issue of her husband's neglect and whatnot(list is long) but couldn't talk about it cause her mother in law is sitting right there. We all were stifled for one reason another. I remember one night I'm giving a Praise Report of of my sisters childhood boyfriend/neighbor who got cancer just after he became a Christian (as a very young adult) and he died still with an addiction to chewing tobacco. And what an amazing funeral Service/Witness to my non Christian parents (they watched this cowboy grow up) we had ! Well The Ministers Wife got irrated cause he didn't have the victory and calling into question his salvation (?) and went on about the evils of blah blah and soon another Lady joined in too. Calling sin by it's right name! Looking back I see it was a divergent tactic to prevent talk about the real stuff in our lives. Talking about others works very well. Sound familiar anyone? The 12 Step Principles are biblical and we all our Sinners and come short and have JESUS as our Higher power. but in the wrong hands it can take you down. *Cross Talk refers to people speaking out of turn, interrupting someone while they are speaking or giving direct advice to someone in a meeting. ** She didn't think she was judging..how dare I say that to her.. When someone tries to fix you you can bet they JUDGED you first. And more than one person told her that it wasn't our job to fix people but to listen and to look for identifying with them in their stories and learning from another in our beautiful tragic commonality ..well anyhoooooooo

The failure is partly due to the fact that we have become too comfortable, too PC correct to disturb the waters or ruffle feathers. We even now criticize those brave enough to mail a book that could unsettle some people.

Anyway, God does not mind hanging around with us. He hung around with donkey caravanier Abraham (granted a "king" or "Chief of a nomadic tribe, but still a smelly donkey caravanier). With escaped slaves who needed to be taught how to go to the bathroom. With giving King Hezekiah the chance to give to Babylon his true riches, his God which would have lead to a world wide evangelism and setting up his kingdom. With the people in exile hoping they would share their God with their neighbors so that the exile could have ended in a glorious second exodus lead by the Messiah. But still crying with them with a great disappointment that it was not a second great exodus lead by the messiah but still took them home. Describing the death of Jesus as "I was wounded by my friends" (We have not studied Deuteronomy 4 enough. It gives 2 plans for Israel, one faithful in the land the other in exile. We either want "replacement theology" where we replace Israel with the church. Or we want the church raptured away and a return to land theology (Land theology made sense when that was the crossroads of the world but not in our modern world). God wants to use Jews in the same way he used people like Abraham Joshua Heshel, Yigael Yadin, and others. God still does not mind hanging around with them. God does not mind hanging around Millerites looking for the second coming in the mid 1800s and still is our friend and hanging around with us today despite our quarreling and unfair treatment to women who he has called into ministry. We are all an interesting lot of people, but God calls us his friends.... Jesus said that God was like a farmer who planted mustard seed which grew to attract birds and critters. Mustard seed is a weed that grows all over Israel and is a pain in the neck for farmers to try to get rid of. And we put up scare crows and other things to keep birds and critters out of our garden. But Jesus pictures God as a crazy gardener who is proud of his garden of weeds and over run by critters. Sometimes I feel like a weed or critter but God is still proud of me and says I'm someone he enjoys hanging around.