tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83256891726701143062024-01-28T09:01:37.553+00:00JoelociraptorA blog by Joel Murray.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15161668120838881462noreply@blogger.comBlogger336125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8325689172670114306.post-35849493812147955232017-04-26T11:03:00.003+01:002017-04-26T11:09:11.506+01:00The Meaning of Chloe Grace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two weeks ago (Apriil 12th to be exact) Hannah and I welcomed into the world our second daughter. The pregnancy and labour went very smoothly, which we thank God for, but the tricky part was giving our new little girl a name.<br />
<br />
We had talked about girls' and boys' names (we kept the sex a surprise!) and eventually went for Chloe, with the middle name Grace. Names are important: not only do they represent us in law and to one another, they give parents a chance to say something to their child, and in some cases say something about a person.<br />
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Of course we loved the names for what they are. But here are some more reasons behind choosing Chloe and Grace for our daughter.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<h2>
Chloe</h2>
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Chloe is originally a Greek name which means 'blooming' or 'young green shoot'. It is lovely that Chloe was born as the cherry blossom was coming out in Lincoln, and spring was really springing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But our inspiration was the Bible. I feel that basing names in the Bible is a great way to remember where we come from and are going to - namely God Himself. My name, Hannah's, and Rebekah's are all from the Bible too.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We don't know much about the Chloe in the Bible, where she is named by the apostle Paul as having a household which was concerned with unity in the church (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1%3A11&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 1:11</a>). She obviously knew Paul, and maybe even showed him hospitality. She was involved in her local church and desired for it to show God's glory.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I pray that our Chloe would have some of these attributes: showing hospitality and kindness to others, and being involved and concerned in her local church.<br />
<br /></div>
<h2>
Grace</h2>
<div>
For Chloe's middle name we wanted to again be reminded of God when we speak of her.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are lots of attributes of God that are used for names: Joy, Faith, Hope, for example. Grace talks of God's free gifts to us. Not only does He provide all we need - from delicious food and the fun activities we enjoy to modern technology and nature itself (God sustains and holds all things together, all the time) - but He has given His people salvation in Jesus, his son. Grace is being given something not earned or deserved - an amazing attribute, amazing grace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And Grace is especially relevant in 2017 as the 500th anniversary of the Reformation: in 1517 Martin Luther began a return to the gospel in the global church which continues today. The Roman Catholic church of the day was charging for forgiveness from sin and teaching a whole host of things that we must do to earn salvation. Luther insisted they return to what the Bible teaches - that God saves by grace alone, through faith alone. Salvation is through nothing we deserve or can earn: it is given to us by God's grace.</div>
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<br />
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<br />
Facebook is a great place to do competitions because every time someone engages with it (by reacting, commenting, or sharing), it is spread to all of their friends. So if you have a good enough prize, you can reach lots of new people.<br />
<br />
However, <b>'Share to Win' competitions are not the right thing to do</b>. If you're running a competition, don't use 'share to win'. And if you spot a competition which is 'share to win', don't enter. Here's why.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<h2>
1. It's against Facebook Policy</h2>
<div>
Now, I know people will say that rules are meant to be broken, and all they do is unfairly control us. But it's not the case. Rules are there to help you flourish in the best way possible.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For example, rules of the road will help keep people safe, and keep traffic moving. Or rules on a recipe will make sure you food tastes good and doesn't make you ill. Break them and you get car crashes, traffic jams, disgusting food, and salmonella.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So pay attention when you read Facebook's policy statement:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<i style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“Promotions may be administered on Pages or within apps on Facebook. Personal Timelines and friend connections must not be used to administer promotions (e.g. "<b>share on your Timeline to enter</b>" or "share on your friend's Timeline to get additional entries" and "tag your friends in this post to enter" <b>are not permitted</b>).”</i><span style="background-color: white;"> (emphasis added, ref. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php" target="_blank">facebook.com</a> III. E. 3. 28/3/17</span><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Every time a Page runs a competition where you must 'share to win', you and they are violating Facebook policy. And it happens all the time:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Lincolnshire Business: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lincsbusiness/photos/a.1487942508156863.1073741829.1476160676001713/1871287333155710/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">All you have to do is like the Lincolnshire Business Facebook page and share this post to be in with a chance to win.</a></li>
<li>Duke William Hotel: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1488856631371063/photos/a.1490384341218292.1073741828.1488856631371063/1865753107014745/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">The rules are simple: Like our Duke William page, Share this post, Comment below and tag your 3 friends you'd invite along.</a></li>
<li>The Old Bakery: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theoldbakeryrestaurantwithrooms/posts/1289411714471017" target="_blank">NEW COMPETITION!!! Like and Share our page to ENTER!!</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">The reasons why? I'll get to them now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
2. Winners Can't Be Fairly Picked</h2>
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The reason winners can't be fairly picked is because of privacy. Privacy is an important issue in social media, and many people rightly have their settings set to keep their profile private, at least to their accepted 'friends'.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So when someone enters a competition by sharing on their private timeline, the Page that runs the competition can't see it - it's a private act and hidden from public view. Therefore, everytime a 'share to win' competition is entered by someone with privacy settings on their profile, they have no chance of being picked. This goes for 'tag your friend' competitions too.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're running a competition, 'share to win' means you cannot claim to be fair when you pick your winner from people who have shared the post.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If you're entering a 'sahre to win' competition, you must change your settings to public, rather than private, to have a chance of being picked. Talk about being controlled...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
3. There Might Not Even Be a Prize</h2>
<div>
It's not true of every 'share to win' competition, but if a Page is breaking one Facebook rule, which other rules have they decided to ignore too?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So check out any Pages with these kind of competitions to see if you trust it. Have they been active for a long time? Do they have a verified tick? Do they have their own website that matches their Page?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If these answers are no, then beware: there may be no prize at all and they might even be after your data to reach you with more sinister motives (spam, phishing).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
How to run a Facebook competition?</h2>
<div>
The best way, in my opinion, to run a Facebook competition is to ask a question relevant to the competition to enter. Answers are added in the comments which enables a winner to be fairly picked (use <a href="https://www.random.org/integers/" target="_blank">a random number generator</a> to choose who), and still helps the post reach lots of new people.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A recent example is one I ran for Visit Lincoln to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VisitLincoln/photos/a.219549384739057.68937.219294008097928/1606945802666068/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">win vouchers for a Street Food Festival</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/VisitLincoln/photos/a.219549384739057.68937.219294008097928/1606945802666068/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEAxhvJyFpYF2_t6VJuhvvnlfe_oLsznGXydrlvTbHLR0EesAPOYlyMzFMLvkRIzOMwXULIYvQkogMPY3phh1QN9StFqcb5JJFyjHqu38RKr3TQVcP9my2LUueajeLc5nyvg-3_q9ZA0/s320/17156070_1606945802666068_6612820387832825690_n.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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Of course comments don't reach as far as a 'share' does, but if your competition is good enough, people will want to share it with their friends <i>anyway</i>. And that is a much stronger, and legal, way of reaching new people who will be interested in your brand, rather than shares only to get something for free.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So your options are:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>'Share to win'</b>, which is against Facebook policy, is unfair to the entrants who want privacy, and engages with people who only want something for free;</li>
<li><b>'Answer to win'</b>, which is in line with Facebook policy, is fair to entrants (private or not), engages with people to discuss a topic relevant to the competition, and could inspire organic sharing due to a quality competition.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<a href="http://lincolncu.co.uk/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYv9wU2S3lsN5DkUSSUVDoRDT4e9D_F0FJF8-UPl6_XviU4mks-ujOOO-MEC2rEM9d_Shmj8n7Jr6gOQiFnZ5k3Ks0gK2zukADLiN5V-sybFw1BlSgGE4ePPCAWhE6ILgLmD55atWf66Y/s320/Cs8shIRWAAQQakg.jpg" width="240" /></a>I had the privilege of speaking at <a href="http://lincolncu.co.uk/">the University of Lincoln Christian Union</a>'s Freshers' Week last week. I was asked to talk about why students should go to CU.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
If you don't know, CU stands for Christian Union - basically the Christian Society - and is part of <a href="http://www.ifesworld.org/en">a network of similar groups across the world</a>, a community of students who believe in and follow Jesus Christ and want to spread his message to other students on campus.<br />
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I've got three reasons why you should go ad get stuck in, and three Bible verses to go with them.<br />
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<div>
<h3>
<b><a name='more'></a>1. Meet other Christian Students in the Same Situation</b></h3>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>1 Thessalonians: 9-11</b> "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
If you are a Christian Fresher, and you have been saved by Jesus Christ, then you should encourage and build one another up, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians. And CU is the perfect place to do this.</div>
<div>
<br />
You will meet students your age there who have the same beliefs and you can encourage each other and share your struggles and successes with people you can relate with. The community of God's people is the place where you will find all sorts of personalities and backgrounds and as God's people, you will be welcomed straight in.</div>
<div>
<br />
Not to say that you shouldn't go to church and get stuck in - this is the place for Bible teaching and growth as a Christian and CU isn't a replacement for church. But CU can help you meet students quickly and easily and is great for encouragement and drawing alongside others you can relate with.</div>
<div>
<br />
When I was growing up, I knew no Christians my age. CU was a new world for me finding peoplelike me who also were believers. Now, some of my best friends are those I met at CU - including my wife!<br />
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<h3>
<b>2. Spread the Gospel on Campus</b></h3>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>Romans 10:14-15</b> "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
For Christians, it is a commandment to share the message of salvation that we have received with others. And if you have truly understood what Jesus has done and who he was, it will be a desire to do so.</div>
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<br />
At university - a centre of learning and intellectualism - student to student evangelism is vital and CU is the place to do it! You will be equipped and encouraged to not only live for Jesus but to speak for him too with your friends and coursemates.</div>
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<br />
The main thing I missed when I graduated was getting involved in so much intentional evangelism at CU - so make the most of it!</div>
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<br />
The CU has been the tool that God has used to completely transform many many lives over the years. One friend from university arrived as a staunch atheist, met the CU, had his life changed by God and now has started a family as a Christian. Another had the same experience, and now is even the pastor at a church which is sending students out again too help at CUs!<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>3. Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Heaven in the Midst of Student Culture</b></h3>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>2 Corinthians 4:17-18</b> "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Of all the societies and extra stuff you could do at university, CU will be the most important.</div>
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That's a big statement and I want you to realise that your studies are the primary reason for being at uni. And it's important to get involved in other sports and societies too to meet lots of new people and get out of the Christian bubble.</div>
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<br />
But ultimately, it's the things that have eternal value and consequences that matter.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Student life is full of drinking, meeting new people (especially girls or boys), partying, playing games, sleeping in, eating take-aways, doing pub-quizzes and much more. And they are not bad in and of themselves - they can be lots of fun!</div>
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But getting stuck in at CU, and church too, will help you keep your focus on the right thing, the thing that ultimately matters.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
CS Lewis - you'll know him as the author of the Chronicles of Narnia and other books - said this in his lecture The Weight of Glory:</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">"It would seem that God finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."</span></div>
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<br />
Think about what you plan to do outside of your studies this year - are they mud pies or a holiday on the seaside?<br />
<br /></div>
<hr />
<div>
Feel free to chat to me if you have any questions about CU, joining a local as a student (I go to <a href="http://www.tcmlincoln.co.uk/students.htm" target="_blank">TCM Baptist Church</a> on Lincoln High Street), or just being a Christian at university!</div>
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<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivF1eVECNxo13STyInCjTtVLNG80C0CJ5ZgglZRsQnUPrjuQaYxRX7KdGDgPkBq-S_Jiz0YK4yXnhY24dQyD7J4TGBD3m1wj0vO9cl2NYmx0MBlCqZG2JLWV4kZQ13w8uIyuEiso7FVI/s320/12289753_10156191600285123_8601351225559286613_n.jpg" width="320" /></div>
A family Christmas tradition we have started is a trip to <a href="http://www.doddingtonhall.com/" target="_blank">Doddington Hall</a> where we will take a look around the Elizabethan house's traditional decorations, order a coffee and cake from the delicious cafe, pick out a bauble from the Bauble Barn, and bring home a Christmas tree grown on the estate.<br />
<br />
This year, Doddington have also got Father Christmas waiting to meet children in the house's Great Hall. Almost everyone we met asked Rebekah, our two-year-old, if she had come to see Santa.<br />
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We were aware of the pressure with Santa - he is synonymous with Christmas in the UK now. So we are starting to think about whether we should introduce Rebekah to him or not...<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b>1. Christmas isn't about presents</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Maybe the reason Father Christmas is such a major part of Christmas today is his link with presents. Children who have been good end up on his 'nice list' and will receive gifts at Christmas time - even though it is the parents that buy them (spoiler alert!).<br />
<br />
It's in the interest of large commercial companies to push this idea of spending on gifts each Christmas - as good as that is - so Santa indeed is <a href="https://youtu.be/kr7h8crYAYQ" target="_blank">a part of many advertising campaigns</a>.<br />
<br />
My worry with introducing Rebekah to Santa and his presents is that the excitement of Christmas becomes about getting stuff and what stuff she might get. Rather than it being about the one great gift that we have already received - more on that later!<br />
<br />
<b>2. Getting gifts shouldn't be the reason for being 'good'</b><br />
<b><br /></b>The 'nice list' that Father Christmas keeps to decide which children should get presents is more sinister than first seems. And it's not just because it also comes with a 'naughty list'.<br />
<br />
What about the child that has been good but doesn't get as exciting presents as the misbehaving child at school?<br />
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And should we teach children that they should be well behaved in order to get things at Christmas or should it be for moral reasons?<br />
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Many parents might use the reward of presents as almost a bribe to encourage good behaviour.<br />
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We'd like gifts to be given out of love - whether recipients have been naughty or nice. And we want to encourage good behaviour because it is right to think of others and listen to those looking out for you.<br />
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<b>3. If we can't tell the truth about Father Christmas, how can we about Jesus Christ?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Indeed there is a greater issue at hand here - that Christmas is about Jesus and not Father Christmas. Jesus himself is the greatest gift, as cheesy as that sounds, through whom we can receive the most precious of gifts for free: eternal life (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6:23&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 6:23</a>).<br />
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So if this story of Jesus, the God that became a baby, comes mixed with the story of Father Christmas, giving presents to all children around the world in one night, how is Rebekah to know which is true or not?<br />
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And if we are found to be hiding the truth about Santa - even introducing her to men acting as him in an effort to play along - how would Rebekah know we are indeed telling the truth about Jesus?<br />
<br />
<hr />
Now, I don't mean to offend by saying these things - they are only my feelings. I love this festive season with lights, trees, reindeer, music, markets, food, drink, family, friends, and the other traditions that come with it. We know the Father Christmas question will come up with Rebekah so we plan to explain where the tradition came from - the story of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas" target="_blank">St Nicholas</a>.<br />
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And we won't banish Father Christmas from the house or anything drastic like that.<br />
<br />
But it is my belief that this time of year would be better for everyone if our excitement truly came from the fact that it celebrates the moment that the Creator of the universe entered His creation. God became a baby that he might die on the cross, rising again so there could be a way for man to know God.<br />
<br />
We are all on the 'naughty list' (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3:23" target="_blank">Romans 3:23</a>) but the baby whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas took the consequences of being 'naughty' for those who believe in him. God looks at Jesus' perfect record instead of their sinful one - this is the excitement of Christmas!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<a href="http://christianmemes.blogspot.co.uk/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZxPd3gPBsD1w9Jp7PH5sxCyKtxONn-659w5oCAC5F1J6leRIKmyGts3cAtT23wIHhysMaM2Euzxc2bjLHHGtWdSEaTYrpF09-wuGfh_DTYoxbQS6y0-J7rFLAXgdNuq5Y3_OewC6qWQ/s320/one-cannot-simply.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The way people talk - and in the 21st century, type - shows a lot about them. Their temperament, their priorities, their wisdom. I find that, particularly on social media, the world would be a much better place if people were to think a bit more about how they approach what they say and how they say it.<br />
<br />
Here are four ways to be much more productive with what you write on social media - inspired by a wise man from almost 3,000 years ago.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>1. Good Advice at the Right Time</b><br />
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Solomon, the King of Israel around 970BC, wrote about how we speak in a book of proverbs you can read today in the Bible. We are told in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+3" target="_blank">1 Kings 3</a> that God gave Solomon wisdom beyond anyone before him or after him - so he probably had a good idea of what he was talking about.<br />
<br />
He said that the wise are discerning and promote instruction with their gracious words (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+16%3A21&version=NIV" target="_blank">16:21</a>). Social media is full of people trying to tell people what the best thing is to do (including this blog post to be fair!).<br />
<br />
Using your words wisely means you will choose the right time to give good advice - don't jump to an occasion in the heat of the moment! Giving advice is good but pick the right time to do so and show others grace whilst doing so.<br />
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<b>2. Give Encouragement</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I'm a fan of honey and I think Solomon must have been too - he said that it is 'sweet to the soul and healing to the bones' (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+16%3A24&version=NIV" target="_blank">16:24</a>). And he compares gracious words to honeycomb.<br />
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When we must put our opinion across on social media, make sure it is like honeycomb - putting a smile on peoples' faces and offering encouragement to those who might be struggling.<br />
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<b>3. Don't Stir or Gossip</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Solomon must have seen his fair share of unuseful speech in his time as king and sees the speakers of these kind of words in a poor light (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+16%3A27-29&version=NIV" target="_blank">16:27-29</a>).<br />
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The words of an evil person are like scorching fire, perverse people stir up conflict, gossipers break up good relationships, violent people draw in others to lead them somewhere they shouldn't go.<br />
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Here are some things to avoid when typing on your keyboard or screen. Don't purposefully stir up trouble; don't start, or take part in, unfair gossip; don't fish for reactions from people.<br />
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<b>4. Build Others Up</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Fast forward almost 1,000 years and the Bible is still talking about the best way to use our speech. Paul sums up a lot of what Solomon has been saying in his letter to the church in Ephesus (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+4%3A29&version=NIV" target="_blank">4:29</a>): "do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."<br />
<br />
What a great phrase to keep on your mind when tweeting, commenting or posting.<br />
<br />
Is what you're about to type going to be helpful and beneficial to those who might read it? If not, is it really worth publishing?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhkxtw0eCRgbHiw-bg2UBhjfCofH9fhMEj_Ukt27gP_H0mj1xCdn8zwHQMZjxSaZbc0dRysIrPGqpIkfHjJCA-40hGjHnn0W56qJSvpFg54ZJSdDJqYjSRqXhUa-hDaU-414D9BZHxqo/s1600/rainbow-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhkxtw0eCRgbHiw-bg2UBhjfCofH9fhMEj_Ukt27gP_H0mj1xCdn8zwHQMZjxSaZbc0dRysIrPGqpIkfHjJCA-40hGjHnn0W56qJSvpFg54ZJSdDJqYjSRqXhUa-hDaU-414D9BZHxqo/s320/rainbow-flag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Dear old friend,<br />
<br />
It wasn't my choice to no longer be friends. You didn't even give me a chance to make up when you sent me this message on Facebook:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><i>"Hi Joel as lovely as you are I'm really sorry to unfriend you. I'm afraid most of my feed was full of rainbow pictures and love, peace and kindness and then the post you liked sullied that love and kindness. It's with regret Joel but i don't want to be a hypocrite. Take care I hope you can understand why x"</i></span><br />
<br />
The same-sex marriage bill was passed by the Supreme Court in the USA in the name of equality. Its advocates claimed to be tolerant and liberal and accepting of all people, no matter who they are.<br />
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But it seems like you don't count my opinions and beliefs as equal, you won't tolerate them and don't think I should be free to have them.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
I don't even know which opinion or belief it is that you are offended by or which Facebook post I liked that caused so much hatred!<br />
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I assume it was one with regards to my Christian belief that marriage is between a man and a woman rather than between those of the same sex. However, even though I hold that belief, I am not against love, peace or kindness as you seem to think.<br />
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I would love to discuss this all with you but you have cut all ties with me before I had the chance. Hopefully you will see this letter and understand more of what I believe.<br />
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<b>Love</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I feel there has been a mis-use of the word "love" in Western society. Love shouldn't be defined in terms of who one has a sexual relationship with. We only know what love is by the example of Jesus Christ - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%203:16-20" target="_blank">who laid down his life for us</a>.<br />
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Opposing same-sex marriage only means someone is opposing love itself in the view that love is confined to sexuality. True love is sacrificial and should be for anyone.<br />
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<b>Peace</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
If I have caused conflict through my beliefs and opinions, I apologise. Please tell me where so I can amend my ways and make it right.<br />
<br />
In fact, in my experience of this topic, it seems that it is the same-sex marriage advocates that have been causing conflict, if anyone. Against <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8266097/Gay-couple-awarded-damages-after-Christian-hotel-owners-refused-to-let-them-share-double-room.html" target="_blank">B&B owners</a>, against <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28206581" target="_blank">bakers</a> and even you sending this message to me.<br />
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Indeed, I know that some traditional marriage supporters are aggressive their opposition to same-sex marriage too. And I can be quite insensitive sometimes in how I interact with people. This I know! I do regret that that is the case.<br />
<br />
In reality, we are all in conflict with God through our sinful lives - same-sex marriage and traditional marriage advocates alike. It is only through Jesus Christ that <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5%3A1-2&version=NIV" target="_blank">we can have true peace</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Kindness</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I feel that society is starting to believe that one must agree with someone to be kind and loving to them. This is not true! For example, our loved ones might be making a bad decision and it is only out of love and kindness that we oppose that decision.<br />
<br />
I think most would define kindness as doing something for others out of selflessness, whether they deserve it or not. If God does exist, he must be the most kind being there could possibly be. The Bible says that <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202:6-7" target="_blank">his kindness is shown in Jesus Christ</a> - who died for us, giving up everything he had for us.<br />
<br />
I admit that I am not always this kind. But I hope I haven't been <i>unkind</i>. If I have, I apologise again and wish to make it right.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
Same-sex marriage is now law across most of the Western world. This, no one can change, and most countries didn't get a say in it anyway. However, the law won't change the opinion or belief of most Christians on this issue, me included.<br />
<br />
But I hope and pray that the people of the UK (and other countries) will still be gracious in their interactions on this matter. We should not dismiss others just because of their sexuality <i>or</i> belief.<br />
<br />
This doesn't mean that everyone must either agree or be the enemy, though. I hope I have made it clear that I don't want to be your enemy or the enemy of anyone else that doesn't share my opinion.<br />
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Discourse is so important in these issues so that we understand each other's beliefs and don't build false, straw men of those who don't agree with us.<br />
<br />
I hope you will get in touch again. I hope when we meet in the street you won't ignore me but we can say hello. If you'd like to chat properly, please do!<br />
<br />
Joel<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.starwars.com/films/star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXEpeAh3CIALe6aDpP1S11cJ5I1HibFICbYMPWsSR5wDpbmhppb_Tzwu-Ef95fF49zaC2-qoTYfJXQfwc6n_dIMkP38kYXmhF0PIgrRHC7W90Cly1A59gJYVeYhymlJFHeLwwP3IYf-U/s1600/x551_tea0010_Denoised3_16int_2b7f49f4.jpeg" height="179" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/">John Boyega as Finn in <i>Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)<br />image: starwars.com</i></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_1939261947"></span>I love watching films. Whether it's during a quiet night in with my wife or with friends on the big screen.<br />
<br />
They offer a moment of escape from the stresses of life; they tell exciting stories of good, evil, failure, success and redemption; they give opportunity to interact with your loved ones and people around you.<br />
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2015 promises to be a big year for film and here are three things I'm looking forward to seeing in the cinema.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h1>
Superheros</h1>
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I'm a massive Marvel fan, from the films to the television shows. I've never been a reader of the comic books but enjoy exploring the backgrounds of the movie characters in them.</div>
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After the surprise hit of <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2015381/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Guardians of the Galaxy</a> (2014) </i>and the acclaimed sequel <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843866/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Captain America: the Winter Soldier</a> (2014) </i>last year, Marvel Studios are going from strength to strength and leading the way in blockbuster movies at the moment.</div>
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They have instigated a new phenomenon in cinema, the cinematic universe, where stories and characters flow in and out of multiple media - from film to video games to televesion - and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) offers its next installment this May; <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2395427/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Avengers: Age of Ultron</a> (2015)</i>.</div>
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I'm also looking forward to <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478970/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Ant-Man</a> (2015) </i>opening in the summer which is another risky theme (a superhero the size of an ant?!) that I think Marvel will be able to pull off. Plus, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748620/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Paul Rudd</a></i> stars in it which is always going to be good!<br />
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<h1>
Dinosaurs</h1>
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My childhood play was dominated by dinosaurs which I found absolutely fascinating (and still do today). So <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/" target="_blank">Jurassic Park (1993)</a></i> fits right in with my memories of growing up enjoying films. I specifically remember our family buying our first ever VHS of the movie!</div>
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<br /></div>
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The news that the franchise will get a fourth film (after the disappointing <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163025/?ref_=tt_rec_tt" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Jurassic Park 3 (2001)</a>) is so exciting. The trailer for <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369610/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Jurassic World</a> (2015)</i> includes scenes of the original park finally opening and glimpses of a scary hybrid dinosaur (that I'm not really sold on yet). However Chris Pratt on a motorcycle with seemingly tame velociraptors has whet my appetite fully.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is also Disney Pixar's 16th feature film, the promising <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979388/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">The Good Dinosaur (2015)</a>,</i> which sees Pixar's classic animation tackle the question of 'what would happen if the dinosaurs were never wiped out?'. It's a good year for dino lovers!<br />
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<h1>
Lightsabres</h1>
<div>
Sci-fi has always been my favourite genre of film: I love the idea of galactic travel and special powers and pitting good vs evil in these fantastical situations. So when my Dad brought home <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/" target="_blank">Star Wars: A New Hope</a> (1977) </i>on VHS one day my life-long love of Star Wars was bound to begin.<br />
<br />
After more disappointing sequels (prequels, whatever) to classic films - not to mention television series, video games and even Lego - a sequel to the original trilogy of Star Wars is huge news!<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2488496/" target="_blank">Star Wars: The Force Awakens</a> (2015)</i> will be out by the end of the year and the trailer looks amazing. Directed by <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0009190/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">JJ Abrams</a></i> (of <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411008/?ref_=nm_knf_i1" target="_blank">Lost</a> (2004)</i> fame and also with experience of rebooting classic Sci-Fi with <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/?ref_=nv_sr_2" target="_blank">Star Trek</a> (2009)</i>) it looks like it will be back to its gritty, realistic best with real-life robots/aliens, rustic locations and nods to the original cast and score.<br />
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My new resolution for the year is to go to the cinema more often so, when these films come out, get in touch and we'll check them out for ourselves!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDcwm5ISgtnGDjrqt1NpKJCOY1IKjosn7RDJQgJUiuwercIKET0CWOatPYb04b6Zcqz7rHZkaitvdbwJpgC3899eioI-9Lm1Ew9C-zX5QaELVJasTVmnhPajC26QDzDWx7jZrjJxmW6M/s1600/Good-News-Everyone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDcwm5ISgtnGDjrqt1NpKJCOY1IKjosn7RDJQgJUiuwercIKET0CWOatPYb04b6Zcqz7rHZkaitvdbwJpgC3899eioI-9Lm1Ew9C-zX5QaELVJasTVmnhPajC26QDzDWx7jZrjJxmW6M/s1600/Good-News-Everyone.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a></div>
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At church my wife Hannah and I help support students in Lincoln to transition into life as a student and prepare them to leave university in the <i>real world</i> as a Christian.</div>
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As part of this we are looking at what the 'Good News' is and how it should affect our lives. Here is the first session looking at what news is so good in the Christian worldview.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.571428em;">"Good News", often talked about as the gospel, is what sets the Christian worldview apart from every other worldview.</span></div>
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Paul lays down what the Good News truly is in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A1-5&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:1-5</a>:</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.571428em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and <i>by which you are being saved</i>, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that <i>Christ died for our sins</i> in accordance with the Scriptures, that <i>he was buried, that he was raised on the third day</i> in accordance with the Scriptures..." (emphasis added)</blockquote>
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<span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.571428em;">The man Jesus is God, or Christ, and because of this he could </span><span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.571428em;">die in our place, to pay for our sins as the perfect sacrifice. </span><span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.571428em;">He was buried but rose from the dead, showing he had defeated sin and death and that what he did and said through his life was true. </span><span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.571428em;">Through this we can be saved from the judgement that we deserve.</span><br />
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This is the basis of the Good News: <b>thanks to Jesus, we can be saved</b>.</div>
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Through the rest of the Bible we are told what believing in this Good News brings:</div>
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<li><span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.9999923706055px;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians+1%3A3-8&version=ESV" target="_blank">Colossians 1:3-8</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians+1%3A21-23&version=ESV" target="_blank">21-23</a><br />The Good News is called the word of truth: by it we can know the truth about reality.<br />It brings us hope laid up for us in heaven.<br />We are reconciled - that is that we have been made right - with God through it.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.9999923706055px;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+15%3A6-9&version=ESV" target="_blank">Acts 15:6-9</a><br />The Good News means that we can have God himself in us - the Holy Spirit.<br />It means that our hearts are cleansed.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737; font-family: gotham, Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.9999923706055px;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+1%3A8-10&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Timothy 1:8-10</a><br />Although it means we will experience suffering, we have something that is glorious enough to suffer for.<br />It tells us that death has been abolished and so we can have life and immortality through it.</span></span></li>
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The Good News is that God became man to die for our sins in order to defeat death and bring us salvation. Through his work in this, we can know the truth, have a hope of heaven, be reconciled to God and forgiven, have the Holy Spirit, have faith, have a glorious message to tell that is worth suffering for and have life and immortality.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.9999923706055px;"><b>That's good news indeed!</b></span></div>
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<!-- AddThis Button END --></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15161668120838881462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8325689172670114306.post-8462637056176281262014-09-23T12:24:00.000+01:002014-09-23T12:25:55.937+01:00What Would Jesus Say to a Fresher?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwS-e9h3akkSgiAmbbpjAEuNB5OXsuIjyvyqL-Rl1PRiWNC_fSd953OTWMrsnOIu_-_ptlLRHwpnfEkIPtvEFR6L7ushBXkgRbw3n8JEh3K1J5F8wzdsR7ek2Y-uREUY9d5T38OUY0lMI/s1600/960297_543108975805853_9099212189326973837_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwS-e9h3akkSgiAmbbpjAEuNB5OXsuIjyvyqL-Rl1PRiWNC_fSd953OTWMrsnOIu_-_ptlLRHwpnfEkIPtvEFR6L7ushBXkgRbw3n8JEh3K1J5F8wzdsR7ek2Y-uREUY9d5T38OUY0lMI/s1600/960297_543108975805853_9099212189326973837_n.png" height="196" width="200" /></a></div>
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I was happy to be asked by the <a href="http://lincolncu.co.uk/" target="_blank">University of Lincoln Christian Union</a> to help at their Freshers' Week this year, giving a talk during one of their lunch bars. This included the offer of free food and a talk that relates to Freshers on campus.</div>
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The topic I was asked to tackle was "What would Jesus say to a Fresher?". Here is what I think Jesus would say to Lincoln Freshers of 2014.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">As a digital professional, I thought a good place as any to find tips for you Freshers would be Twitter and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tipsforfreshers" target="_blank">#TipsforFreshers</a> which was trending this week. Here are some:</span></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Eat your tuna pasta out of the saucepan to save on washing up</li>
<li style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Bring all the fancy dress items you have</li>
<li style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">You will do all your essays the night before they are due. You will hate yourself for it. But you will never change.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">The first time you buy your own toilet roll will be accompanied by the crushing realisation that you are now an adult</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Perfect your jenga skills. If you topple the washing up / bin pile, you have to deal with it</span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><br clear="none" /></span></li>
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I could relate to most of them! <span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">But as for what Jesus would say to a Fresher, I think you can find the answer in the Bible. I've picked three tips that I would have found helpful as a Fresher.</span></div>
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<strong style="line-height: 1.428571em;">1. "When you burn out; I'm here for you."</strong></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">The move to university is pretty massive and it gets bigger as you go into your second and third year; it can be quite overwhelming at times. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Not only are the studies pretty stressful but the moving away from home and family can be hard too. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">At some point you'll burn out and won't know where to turn. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Jesus says that he is able to take your worries and burdens.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">When talking to a group of religious people, who probably thought they had it sorted, Jesus said: </span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">"Come to me,<span data-mce-style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.</span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"> </span>Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,<span data-mce-style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.<span data-mce-style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2011:28-30" target="_blank">Matthew 11:28-30</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Jesus offers you a personal relationship and the opportunity to take the load off. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Give him your time and effort and lay your worries on him and he will help you.</span></div>
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<strong style="line-height: 1.428571em;">2. "Get your priorities right"</strong></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">It's so easy to put your all into something during your first year for satisfaction. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">It might be the massive parties at The Engine Shed, getting to know that person you fancy, making the first team in the football club, even getting the top marks on your course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Jesus told the people he spoke to that putting their whole life into things like that - in the world - will leave you disappointed: t</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">he party might not be as epic as you thought; y</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">our crush might not like you back; y</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">ou might not make the 1st team in the sports society; y</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">ou might not get a 1st in your course. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Even if you do get these things, they won't last forever.</span></div>
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In the famous sermon on the mount, Jesus said: <span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where <span data-mce-style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>moth and rust destroy and where thieves <span data-mce-style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>break in and steal,</span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"> </span><span data-mce-style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.</span><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"> </span>For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A19-21&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 6:19-21</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">He was saying that if you base your life around things that don't last, you'll end up disappointed and unsatisfied. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">It's not that enjoying a party, getting to know people, having ambition in sport or doing well in your course are bad things in themselves. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">You need to put your heart into something that lasts - and Jesus says that he is that thing.</span></div>
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<strong style="line-height: 1.428571em;">3. "Take me seriously"</strong></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Help with burn out and getting satisfaction in life are all well and good but there's more to Jesus than just that. He said "</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A6&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 14:6</a>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">If you want to know the best way to live, you want to know the truth about reality, if you want life after this one, Jesus is the way to get it and you need to take him seriously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">A famous author, CS Lewis, once said that Jesus could be one of three things: a liar, a lunatic or Lord.</span></div>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Some people think Jesus was a good man or a good teacher. But if his claims that he was God and the only way to heaven were lies, he could hardly be good.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">If you saw someone in the news that said they were God, you'd expect them to be sectioned. But Jesus' teachings are revered across the world by Christians and non-Christians alike. He's hardly a lunatic.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Others have gone on to say he could be fourth thing: a legend. But there are very few historians that deny Jesus really existed and all the writings from the time suggest that his followers truly believed he was God and rose from the dead.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Jesus had some very important things to say. He even said that he would die for the sins of the world. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Sure enough, he was crucified. But rising from the dead, he showed that he indeed was God and that what he said was true. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">No one else in history has lived, died and risen again. This Jesus is something diffferent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Jesus said things that relate to you: whether you're a fresher, a third year, a mature student, a lecturer or anyone at all. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">His life, death and resurrection mean that what he said is worth looking into.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><b>The one piece of advice I'd give to any Fresher is to look into who Jesus is and what he said and did. It will change your life!</b></span></div>
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<!-- AddThis Button END --></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15161668120838881462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8325689172670114306.post-12341702872515343882014-08-28T19:48:00.003+01:002014-08-28T19:48:59.490+01:00Why I'm Not Doing the Ice Bucket Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dY5jS-cAoAnmTJsZcSG-FQkAS3kmIrVqqqliNQ6Gj_3FmKn2dTvsyIIcNp6hkUUFe47m7aEVxhG10hkHXAilYPbfkFM9r8s5Kasahyphenhyphen-I-hdzOdEbWiCPTMi1NDWUMQlGOkA12FJ4hxs/s1600/Ice-Bucket-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dY5jS-cAoAnmTJsZcSG-FQkAS3kmIrVqqqliNQ6Gj_3FmKn2dTvsyIIcNp6hkUUFe47m7aEVxhG10hkHXAilYPbfkFM9r8s5Kasahyphenhyphen-I-hdzOdEbWiCPTMi1NDWUMQlGOkA12FJ4hxs/s1600/Ice-Bucket-2.jpeg" height="320" width="253" /></a></div>
The Ice Bucket Challenge has swept across social media and the world it seems but has always not sat quite right with me. Whether it was the cold water on my head part or the part where I put the video online for all to see, I wasn't sure. But <a href="http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/blog/news/2014/08/28/5-reasons-im-ducking-the-ice-bucket-challenge/">a recent blog post from The Good Book Company</a> has helped me ground where my unfeeling comes from.<br />
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As the article says; I don't think it is <i>wrong</i> to take part. Indeed giving to charity and raising awareness of horrific diseases is important. Plus, I have enjoyed watching some of the videos. We're free to do what we like with our charitable giving - ice buckets or not - I just feel that this isn't the best way to do it.<br />
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I've copied the article below to show my agreement with it and because it puts things much clearer than I could.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">"A couple of days ago I received an Ice Bucket Challenge on Facebook. I was delighted—and have decided not to do it. Here’s why.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">"I had actually started to work out how I could perform the challenge in my allotted 24-hour period (if this blog has completely lost you, the Ice Bucket Challenge is where a friend nominates you, you give a donation of £3 or more to a particular charity, film yourself tipping a bucket of icy water over your head within a day of receiving your nomination, and then challenge some friends to do likewise). Then a Christian who is wiser and more thoughtful than me encouraged me to just check that I was thinking Christian-ly about it. To be honest, I hadn’t thought much at all. But the Bible tells me to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+corinthians+10%3A5&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 10 v 5</a>). Every though—even thoughts about ice buckets and giving to charity.<br /><br />"So I thought about it. And as I did so, I ended up deciding not to be part of it. Why? Well, here’s where I’m at. First and foremost, this is not an issue of Christian obedience. I’ve watched (and laughed at) Christians far more godly than me doing the Challenge, and I’m not saying they were disobeying Christ. If ever there were an issue where the Bible does not speak specifically, tipping ice-cold water over your own head would be it.<br /><br />"But I am saying that my best attempt at thinking with Christian wisdom is suggesting to my conscience that I shouldn’t do it. Here are my five reasons:</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">" 1. We’re told to give in secret, rather than telling everyone else about it (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+6%3A1-3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 6 v 1-3</a>). I’m not sure how I can do this if I’m sharing the fact of my giving with everyone on Facebook. The whole premise is: Look, I’m giving, and you should too. The Bible says: Look, Christ gave so much to you, who will you give to?</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">" 2. We’re told to give sacrificially (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+corinthians+8%3A1-4&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 8 v 1-4</a>). My giving should if you like “hurt” my ability to buy things for myself, rather than merely my ability to stay dry. The whole set-up encourages us to give little, and then feel good about ourselves. Plus, the deal is that if you duck the challenge, you give $100, whereas if you do it, you give $10. So in fact, I’m being encouraged do something sacrificial so that I don’t have to give as much money.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">"3. We’re told to give cheerfully and freely (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A7&version=NIV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 9 v 7</a>). This is the opposite of giving fearfully or under compulsion. And I know that I would be doing the Challenge at least partly because I want to be liked by others, I don’t want to look dull to others, and I want to be a part of it all. In other words, my motivations would actually be fear-of-man driven.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">" 4. We’re told to give wisely, considering the impact our giving will have (that’s implicit, I think, in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A12-13&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 9 v 12-13</a>). ALS, the main charity that the Ice Bucket Challenge benefits, is doing lots of wonderful things to help those with motor neurone disease and to seek ways to combat it. BUT part of their research is <a href="http://www.nathanaelk.com/2014/08/why-i-cannot-accept-ice-bucket-challenge.html" target="_blank">embryonic stem cell research</a>, involving the making and destruction of embryos. Since the Christian position is that an embryo is a tiny person—a living baby—this means that ALS is involved in ending life. I’m not sure how any Christian can give to a charity who they know might use their money to end life. Of course, I could do the Ice Bucket Challenge and give my money to a different charity, and many are—but I wonder if a lot of Christians are giving their money with no thought as to how it will be used.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">" 5. We’re told to give in a way that is Christlike (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+8%3A9&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 8 v 9</a>). Our giving is to be inspired by, and based on the pattern of, the way Jesus gave to us in giving up heaven, coming to earth, and dying on a criminal’s cross in material poverty and spiritual agony, rejected by all, in order to give us the riches of heaven. My giving should reflect his. The Ice Bucket Challenge doesn’t, I don’t think; it’s a popular, easy thing to do which makes me part of the in-crowd and allows me to feel great without any cost (other than the cost of a bucket – ours got lost when we moved house).<br /><br />"So, thanks so much to the guy who challenged me. It was lovely to be thought of (though I’m not sure I liked the way you smiled as you nominated me!) And I’m not for a moment saying that you, or all the other Christian friends I’ve seen taking on the Challenge, are wrong or being disobedient. We’re free to douse our heads with ice-cold water, and we’re free not to.<br /><br />"What we want to do with that freedom is to make sure we’re honouring Jesus wisely in every thought and deed. That’s what matters—to make our thoughts subject to our King. I know that when it comes to the Ice Bucket Challenge, I wouldn’t have done that if another Christian hadn’t encouraged me to. So hopefully this blog will encourage you to do that with your thoughts, whether you end up getting ice-cold or staying bone-dry. And hopefully it will encourage you to keep giving Christian-ly, or begin doing so, whatever that looks like for you.<br /><br />"Of course, we’ll never know if this blog has that effect, because Point One above means that you won’t be telling me via Facebook…"</span></blockquote>
<br />
Thanks to Carl Laferton for <a href="http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/blog/news/2014/08/28/5-reasons-im-ducking-the-ice-bucket-challenge/">the original post</a> and to those who thought of me in their nominations.<br />
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A phenomenon has spread across the social sphere in recent weeks with profile pictures being replaced by an arabic symbol. For me, profile pictures are for pictures of you but I have added the sign to the end of my name on social. This is why.<br />
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After Western powers withdrew from the conflict in Iraq, the country fell into tension between the two factions of Islam in the country. An extremist Islamic group named Islamic State (IS) swept through the country - from the areas of Syria that were already under their control - and in June reached the Christian city of Mosul in Iraq.</div>
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Mosul was thought to have one of the most ancient Christian civilisations in the world but that is no more. Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Christian population in Mosul was 60,000 but by June this has dropped to 35,000. Now it is void of Christians thanks to their treatment by IS.</div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/joelmurray" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFsZLhC1SKG6RJrjMpnfXzTGULMEO_2k5iwWpOUUnDJY9eANuVDGEy2qUrOmuMFOH-_wEINNdrOvhOSD4XNLA3006ZLBMdKNJUWe409zkC2GHwO83oBzLy2-29eCMntYJIU4h02PkBdk/s1600/Capture.PNG" height="320" width="190" /></a></div>
As <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28381455" target="_blank">reported by BBC</a>, Christians in the city were given an ultimatum: convert to Islam, pay the jizya (a protection tax, often unpayable by the average citizen) or die. Homes of Christians have been branded with the letter n for '<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nassarah', the word in the Qur'an used for Christians. </span>Many have fled to nearby countries, are in hiding or have indeed been "put to the sword" by IS.</div>
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Although Western powers are helping with aid and considering military action, the main thing this group of Christians needs is support in prayer. Those that refuse to convert do so with the knowledge of God's bigger picture, that this present suffering will pale in comparison to what's to come. They have the hope of eternity in their hearts but need God's peace and comfort to endure this horrible time of persecution.<br />
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The <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ن in my social profile names is a public promise to give my support to these people in prayer. Just as the Christians in Iraq have been branded with this as a sign of contempt to signal out followers of Christ, I will wear it with pride as a follower of Christ.</span></div>
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<i>The following is taken from my testimony at Rebekah's dedication service at <a href="http://www.tcmlincoln.co.uk/" target="_blank">TCM Baptist Church, Lincoln</a> on Sunday 16th March 2014.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Like a Christening but without the splashing, the dedication service was a chance for me and Hannah to publicly show our intentions to bring Rebekah up as a Christian, to dedicate her life to God. This is why we have those intentions.</i><br />
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Six years ago Hannah and I both chose the University of Lincoln to study and we both left home for the first time to live in Lincoln. Although neither of us really thought it at the time, God had huge plans for both of us and bringing us together to Lincoln was just the start...<br />
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Although we only lived three blocks apart from eachother in students halls, we didn't meet until our second year as students when I was in charge of the CU band and she wanted to join as a singer.<br />
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Two years later we were married and starting our lives as graduates, which is hard enough, in a little family of two. It's been tough leaving education and living away from the protection of parents but in everything, we have always experienced God being faithful to us by providing what we've needed, from jobs to houses to food on the table.<br />
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We've always wanted to expand our family from the two of us and quickly learnt that there is not really a 'right time' to have children so trusted in God as we tried. We got pregnant in 2012 but sadly lost the baby at 8 weeks - this was a tough time again for us but it was an experience that helped us both grow in our marriage and in our relationship with God. It also reaffirmed our desire for a child.<br />
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Last August we were blessed by God to bring Rebekah into the world and haven't been let down by His provision for us in our new parenthood; from coping with the responsibility of this little girl being fully dependent on us to affording to clothe and feed her.<br />
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Both of us grew up in a Christian home and see the way our parents brought us up, in a way based on the Bible and surrounded by God's people, as integral to who we are and where we are today. We have a life of meaning and a hope of Heaven and wish to bring Rebekah up in the same way.<br />
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We understand that we can't force Rebekah to believe in anything or invest her life in one thing or another and we can't do anything to make her right with God. But we believe that bringing her up in the ways of God, learning from the Bible and being surrounded by God's people will put her in the best position for a fulfilled life and a hope of something more after it.<br />
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We thank our family, friends and the people at TCM for all the love and support we've had over the past years. Please will you pray for us as we continue to try to be the best parents we can be for Rebekah as she grows</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://robertarood.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/amazing_grace_movie_image_ioan_gruffudd__4_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://robertarood.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/amazing_grace_movie_image_ioan_gruffudd__4_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454776/" target="_blank">Amazing Grace (2006)</a> </i>William Wilberforce (friend <br />
of John Newton) used the song for the abolition of<br />
slavery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Written almost 250 years ago, Amazing Grace has been recorded by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Rod Stewart, Elvis Presley, Leann Rhymes, Dolly Parton and many more. It's maybe one of the most famous songs in the English language and is regularly sang at church services today.<br />
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Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,<br />
That saved a wretch like me.<br />
I once was lost but ow am found,<br />
Was blind but now I see.</blockquote>
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But it's not often that we sit back and think about what songs are actually saying, what they mean to us.</div>
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Amazing Grace that saved a Wretch Like Me</h3>
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You can define grace as something given that you don't deserve. A wretch may well need that grace to have anything, they are undeserving. Indeed John Newton, the writer of these lyrics, worked on slave ships, captained slave ships and was known for being the most profane shipmate around. We hear of wretches in the news all the time; thieves, sexual violence, murderers.<br />
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The Bible says that there is an objective moral standard but not one person lives up to it. In fact every single person is a wretch (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3%3A23&version=NIV" target="_blank">Romans 3:23</a>). We aren't good enough, in fact we are evil. The moral standard is listed including not lying, not stealing, not being angry, looking out for others before ourselves.</div>
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Naturally, we don't follow that standard. Just have a look at how a small child acts as they grow up. They don't need to be taught how to lie and steal to get their own way. And because God is right and God is just he has to deal with this evil. We wouldn't want God to let people get away with it, would we?</div>
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Naturally we are heading for the judgement of God, being removed from His presence and all the life-giving power we benefit from today. It's only by amazing grace, being saved from this judgement even though we don't deserve it, that we can have any hope. But surely that just lets people get away with evil?</div>
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No. This is where Jesus comes into it! He has paid for what we should have paid by dying on the cross. His death gives us a way out, a way to be free from evil. Whatever we have done against others, against God, we can be forgiven for through Jesus</div>
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There's a story of a man who had murdered someone, their blood all over his shirt. The village mob is chasing after him to make him pay for it with his life so he hides in a house nearby. Inside is a friend of his who takes his shirt and puts it on himself, giving himself up and taking his punishment. That's a simple illustration of what Jesus has done in dying in our place so we can be forgiven.</div>
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But it's more than that.</div>
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I once was lost but now am found</h3>
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Often it can feel like we have no purpose. Like there's no meaning to life. Like we come from insignificance and go to insignificance. We're floating along not knowing where we are or where we're going.</div>
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Jesus told the story of a shepherd with 100 sheep. One went missing and he spent all his energy to find this sheep, protect it and bring it back to the fold with great rejoicing. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015:3-7&version=NIV" target="_blank">Luke 15:3-7</a>)</div>
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Jesus is the shepherd. When we feel we don't know where we are going, Jesus has put all his energy into finding us, making it possible for us to have a fulfilling life of significance, knowing God and having a hope of something after it. And he loves to do it!</div>
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Was blind but now I see</h3>
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Sometimes we can't see the point in life. Can't see where to go. Jesus uses blindness and being in darkness to illustrate this and says he is the light. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A12&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 8:12</a>). He has shone into the world to show people the way to God, the way to a fulfilled life and something after.</div>
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This song is the personal story of John Newton and that of Christians through the years since: Jesus offers amazing grace to us, that we don't deserve. Through his death in our place, he offers forgiveness for how we treat others and treat God. He offers a fulfilling life, a meaning, a purpose. He offers a way to truly know God, the Creator of the universe.</div>
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He proved that what did was true because he didn't stay dead, he rose from the grave. All the religious leaders, wise men, political leaders, celebrities through history, you can visit the grave of. Except for Jesus. There's something different and special about him. God promises that those who acknowledge Jesus, what he has done, and live for him can know God and have the benefit of all he has offered.</div>
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<i>I wrote this short evangelistic talk when asked to speak at an Acoustic Night for the <a href="http://lincolncu.co.uk/" target="_blank">University of Lincoln Christian Union</a>.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNzg1MDQxMTQ2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTk3MjAzOQ@@._V1_SX214_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNzg1MDQxMTQ2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTk3MjAzOQ@@._V1_SX214_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430132/">imdb.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Those of you who know me will know I'm quite a Marvel fan. I love the stories behind the superheroes and how they affect their behaviours and relationships with each other. Especially when multiple characters cross-over as a team. <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Avengers Assemble (2012)</a></i> comes straight to mind in this case as does, of course, the <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120903/?ref_=sr_5" target="_blank">X-Men (2000)</a> </i>and its following films. So when <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430132/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">The Wolverine (2013)</a></i>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0413168/?ref_=tt_ov_st" target="_blank">Hugh Jackman</a>'s sixth (he had a cameo in <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1270798/?ref_=sr_2" target="_blank">First Class (2011)</a></i>) appearance as Logan (Wolverine), was announced, it got me excited.<br />
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I didn't think I could see it due to the impending arrival of my first child but since it is currently 10 days overdue, I was able to catch it at my local ODEON, hoping to be wowed by CGI, entertained by the light humour Marvel films bring and to get my X-Men fix.<br />
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I love to see real-life events in fantasy movies so I quite enjoyed <i>The Wolverine's </i>opening scenes as the Japanese army watched the atomic bomb fall on Nagasaki. After the first act showing Logan's self-isolation following <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376994/" target="_blank">X-Men: the Last Stand (2006)</a></i>, the whole film is set in Japan which is an interesting twist to the normally Western-based comic-book films.<br />
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The Japanese locations mean samurai fights and high speed trains, resulting in one particularly exciting scene, and the extraordinary culture Japan has. The movie itself alludes to the ignorance of such culture from Western people but it's something that is becoming more fashionable with popularity of anime and films like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266697/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Kill Bill (2003)</a>. The film looks great with plenty of high speed action and beautiful landscapes over the Japanese land.<br />
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Jackman does a good job once again as Wolverine. Having been most recently popularised by his part in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Les Mis (2012)</a> and other diverse films, you can really see the talent this actor has to pull off different characters and emotions; Wolverine is appropriately angered, disturbed and passionate in the right balance. The film is all about Wolverine and no others really stand out; it really is the Hugh Jackman show.<br />
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This maybe gave a flaw to the storyline: by coincidence Wolverine ends up in Japan and all of sudden forges strong bonds with the characters he meets there, almost unexplained. Some to the point where he would risk his life for them. From that point of view, the film was a bit too farfetched for my liking. The other characters were hardly developed beyond a brief life history seemed redundant to the plot of the film.<br />
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As I mentioned, I was looking forward to some good old, mutanty X-Men action. I was disappointed. Yes, we had Wolverine but save that and a few mentions of others, there was little more mutant action on offer. <b>SPOILER</b> The post credit scene just about made up for it (how exciting was that?!) but I could have just watched that on YouTube. <b>/SPOILER</b>.<br />
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Overall, the film didn't meet my expectations but I still enjoyed it. There were great action scenes, a metal man with claws and regenerating powers and some pretty big explosions. A good film, especially for Marvel or X-Men fans, but I won't be rushing back to the cinema to see it again. <b>7/10</b>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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Last month I was asked to speak about the work I do on social media with <a href="http://www.visitlincoln.com/" target="_blank">Visit Lincoln</a> (both <a href="http://www.facebook.com/visitlincoln" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/visit_lincoln" target="_blank">Twitter </a>and others) at the local Twitter meet-up: Lincs Tweet Meet. I thought I'd share my notes below for anyone who is interested.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thelincolnite.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Lincs-Tweet-Meet-27-06-2013-SS-8-930x530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://thelincolnite.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Lincs-Tweet-Meet-27-06-2013-SS-8-930x530.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the Tweet Meet (image: <a href="http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2013/06/lincs-tweet-meet-2013/" target="_blank">The Lincolnite</a>)</td></tr>
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Visit Lincoln exists to promote Lincoln as a destination for visitors (short breaks, holidays, shopping or events), businesses looking to trade or people looking to relocate, study or work. It is a partnership between business in Lincoln and the surrounding area who all work towards the same goal of promoting the city.</div>
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One of our main barriers to this is awareness and perceptions of Lincoln. To get over this barrier we aim to create a strong brand and reputation for Lincoln as a destination in addition to promoting what it has to offer. Online marketing is very important in doing this as it is one of the most affordable ways to reach our target audience, namely people who don't necessarily know about Lincoln. We have a well used website and send regular emails and use social media to do this online.</div>
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3 Top Uses for Social Media</h3>
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<ol>
<li><b>Reach the Unreachable</b><br /><br />The social aspect of social media means we can reach people we may never have been able to reach before as content is shared.<br /><br />For example, a post about how wonderful Lincoln Cathedral is or about the great restaurants and bars on offer in Lincoln, would reach our almost 5,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter which is great. If that post is liked, commented on, shared, retweeted or favourited, it can potentially also reach the friends and followers of those who share it. Lets say each follower has two hundred contacts, that means each content post could potentially reach one million people!<br /><br />As a partnership, we work with Lincoln's businesses to help promote them, and them us. Working with other businesses on social media can also help get your content out to people you wouldn't reach normally. <br /><br />An image is worth a thousand words and people seem to love images on social media. Use great imagery and video to attract attention and cause sharing Also, give a link to find out more information. You can't always include all you want to say in 140 characters plus it makes referrals to your website where the real business is done.<br /><br /></li>
<li><b>Build a Relationship</b><br /><br />One of the best nuggets of advice I've been told about social media is that 'you can have a relationship with a cereal bar'. Or a law firm. Or a hotel. Or even a destination!<br /><br />Studies show that people are most influenced by personal recommendations so if you can forge a relationship with someone, through social media in this case, they will be more likely to trust you. Be personal and engaging to foster these relationships, being corporate doesnt always work. Having some fun with your followers can make great relationships.<br /><br />For example, we play <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WhereInLincoln&src=typd" target="_blank">#WhereInLincoln</a> each Friday to engage and have some fun with followers. This also helps to promote Lincoln as we celebrate and talk about Lincoln's regions and what it has to offer.<br /><br /></li>
<li><b>Join the Conversation</b><br /><br />Another unique aspect of social media is that you can engage with people you might never be able to engage with away from social media. Search to find what people are saying about you or your business and start a conversation with them. Share opinions of others that match yours; again, people are influenced more by an individual recommending something than a brand promoting it.</li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/imagecache/w680h550/postimages/108579/bbc-weather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/imagecache/w680h550/postimages/108579/bbc-weather.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBC's new weather app was released today. (image <a href="http://www.androidcentral.com/bbc-weather-app-now-available-android">androidcentral.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.accuweather.android&hl=en" target="_blank"></a></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.accuweather.android&hl=en" target="_blank">AccuWeather</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwlP1UbpVs_1t_bVMdWkl1QtcJwLpj4IwRyw68ZeApPBsF9O94cFBbI-VJUjwTHVmeLRhVFHZRz8pq38OWH6wvS_RoOf0fronkVtkhyBaQxNJglNtPUmxsC47MwfAzEwrLgOaViDY0Yc/s1600/Screenshot_2013-06-10-09-28-16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwlP1UbpVs_1t_bVMdWkl1QtcJwLpj4IwRyw68ZeApPBsF9O94cFBbI-VJUjwTHVmeLRhVFHZRz8pq38OWH6wvS_RoOf0fronkVtkhyBaQxNJglNtPUmxsC47MwfAzEwrLgOaViDY0Yc/s320/Screenshot_2013-06-10-09-28-16.png" width="180" /></a>As I mentioned, I've been using AccuWeather for a while as it does what I want and looks nice. The UI is clean and clear with subtle graphics (none of the dramatic lightning bolt animations you might normally find) and naturally you can add saved locations as well as your current location. Swiping across the different tabs works nicely to view current weather, today's hourly forecast, 14 days in advance and live rain maps.<br />
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Information available, from their own <a href="http://accuweather.com/" target="_blank">accuweather.com</a> includes day and night separation, likelihood of precipitation, wind speed and a personalised advice section telling you how good weather might be for such things as travel, sports or outdoor DIY! You can also get some nicely designed widgets giving current information and an overall daily forecast.<br />
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The information is mostly accurate as far as I have seen though the app does sometimes take a while to start and load new data. My favourite thing in this app has to be the table that plots the forecast either for the next 24 hours or week, showing where peaks and troughs may be coming up. <br />
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<b>8/10</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bbc.mobile.weather" target="_blank">BBC Weather</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJhrSTLYUh1HU2CgiGgjPMX9yZE2Cf2cLEd1De5Ha-gAB5B0c1VS7PhFJ3wsY7b7Aexo8ODmZC2n9lI_CWLi9IotxYNYpvG6GQYSiHgZ2abroZ9669_DW0P6hIBhb-5sTEVlzrfg9glo/s1600/Screenshot_2013-06-10-09-27-56.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJhrSTLYUh1HU2CgiGgjPMX9yZE2Cf2cLEd1De5Ha-gAB5B0c1VS7PhFJ3wsY7b7Aexo8ODmZC2n9lI_CWLi9IotxYNYpvG6GQYSiHgZ2abroZ9669_DW0P6hIBhb-5sTEVlzrfg9glo/s320/Screenshot_2013-06-10-09-27-56.png" width="180" /></a>The BBC is one of this country's great institutions and is world renowned as a top source of news and information. As <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2013/06/10/the-bbc-launches-a-new-standalone-weather-app-for-ios-and-android/" target="_blank">The Next Web's review</a> says, it's a wonder they haven't released a weather app already, as they have done with news, sport and iPlayer.<br />
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The app loads very quickly and immediately shows you your local weather. Again, you can load separate locations as well as your current one which you can sweep through by scrolling up and down. There are two parts to the main UI that can scroll sideways, the days at the bottom and the main area in the middle. This works nicely as you can see the hourly forecast easily and switch between days just as well.<br />
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Each forecast can be seen in detailed version showing humidity, visibility and wind speed but there is limited data for precipitation, maybe due to the unpredictability of rain or maybe to ignore the often wet, British weather!<br />
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The app looks very nice with full-screen and subtle graphics, and works very intuitively. There is a nice widget too which has those subtle graphics included and you can trust BBC with top notch information on the weather. Unfortunately, the lack of precipitation information lets it down.<br />
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<b>7/10</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.weather&feature" target="_blank">Yahoo! Weather</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAuKrHl-yRTut4EBozpCs_xl1VzNJ9xfFmNrsPUMn_xT61MwxR4VFRrJ3u5eLI2wWohmmMq69nfAPa88X3dvjT9ilxrXutGLyTInSqttxil21I42s9fFa4VIBZ6hMWWOv-oVAiTeC9zU/s1600/Screenshot_2013-06-10-09-27-42.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAuKrHl-yRTut4EBozpCs_xl1VzNJ9xfFmNrsPUMn_xT61MwxR4VFRrJ3u5eLI2wWohmmMq69nfAPa88X3dvjT9ilxrXutGLyTInSqttxil21I42s9fFa4VIBZ6hMWWOv-oVAiTeC9zU/s320/Screenshot_2013-06-10-09-27-42.png" width="180" /></a>Yahoo! have <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2013/04/18/yahoos-new-table-optimized-email-app-and-iphone-weather-app-are-now-live/" target="_blank">recently updated their Android weather app to match the new release on iOS</a> with a very nice feature. As you can see from the image, each location comes with an image of that location with matching weather. Taken from Flickr, also owned by Yahoo!, images of your location will follow you around making a window into your location.<br />
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Unfortunately, this app seems to be not much more than a gimmick. You can see temperature, a summary forecast and the forecast for the next four days for a range of locations but that's it. Anything more and the app will throw you out into the <a href="http://uk.weather.com/" target="_blank">Weather Channel</a>'s website.<br />
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There is no widget with this app and although the imagery is a wonderful touch and seems to work well, the practicality of the app just isn't quite good enough yet.<br />
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<b>5/10</b><br />
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I think I'll move over to BBC Weather for now. There is the lack of detailed precipitation information and I'll miss the graph of AccuWeather but it is from the trusted BBC and is much nicer to use. The proof is in the pudding though so I'll see how I feel after a week has passed!<br />
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<b>Let me know if you've tried these or have any other suggestions for better weather apps for Android.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">Have you ever felt there must be more than this life? That there seems to be a bigger purpose to existence? There are signs throughout life that seem to suggest there is something more than just our daily rituals, more than just birth, life and death. This idea is explored in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/" target="_blank"><i>The Truman Show</i> (1998)</a> which provides a good opportunity to look at what it means for us.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truman finds the steps to freedom.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">In </span><i style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">The Truman Show, </i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">Truman Burbank is the first man born live on reality TV and grows up in a completely fabricated world, watched on by the millions outside his fictional home. The film narrates the moment when he finally begins to realise all is not as it seems and there is something more to the world he knows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">A studio lamp falls from the sky, a lift opens to reveal backstage and he sees his dead father in the street (his father was written out previously and had smuggled himself back into the set to be reunited). He has a longing to know more to life and finally fulfills his longing at the climax of the film.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">There are signs all over the world we live in telling us there is something more. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2019&version=NIV" target="_blank">Psalm 19</a> in the Bible says 'The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaim His handiwork'. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">The Bible says that it is in fact the Creator of the world that is trying to get through to tell us about Himself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">What's called God's </span><i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">general revelation</i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00392157); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"> shows that God wants to be known: the vastness, the beauty, the complexity of life all points to Him. Paul talks of this in his letter to the Romans (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201&version=NIV" target="_blank">1:20</a>): </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00392157); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">'His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">God has gone further, also giving a </span><i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">special revelation</i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00392157); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"> through becoming a man Himself. In Jesus God came to this world to talk to us directly. Though Jesus is no longer here, God has also left special communication in the Bible and we can find out about it even today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">When Jesus was around, he said 'If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free' (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%208&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 8:31-32</a>). The signs God has used to point to there being something more will set us free to the knowledge of reality. Just as the small signs led Truman to discovering the world outside his fictional home, God communicates in a number of ways to allow us to discover a whole life after the one we currently live; something more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Are you going to carry on each day, doing your daily ritual, acting as if there is nothing more to this life? Or will you take notice of the signs of something more, listen to God Himself and be set free into an eternal life with Him?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><i>This was taken from a gospel talk I wrote for the Youth Group at <a href="http://www.tcmlincoln.co.uk/welcome.htm" target="_blank">TCM Baptist Church</a>. Also see <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/10/04/the-clues-of-creation-god-is-not-hiding/" target="_blank">Jared Wilson's article for The Gospel Coalition</a>.</i></span></div>
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<br />
Although automatic promotion is now impossible, the lottery of the play-offs is still to play for and I have the perfect plan for Leicester City to get there...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/275788/Article/images/18688327/4752265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/275788/Article/images/18688327/4752265.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wes Morgan contemplates another equaliser against Leicester City.<br />
(photo: <a href="http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Leicester-City-2-Birmingham-2-City-s-play-hopes/story-18688327-detail/story.html#axzz2QWHl0bSW" target="_blank">thisisleicestershire.co.uk</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><ol>
<li>Beat Bolton Wanderers at home tomorrow</li>
<li>Beat Crystal Palace in London on Saturday</li>
<li>Beat Watford at home the following Friday</li>
<li>Beat Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season on their patch.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Seems simple enough? Leicester's final four fixtures being against four teams immediately above them plays nicely into their hands: winning any of these matches means three points for the Foxes and none for their rivals, effectively taking points off of them. If Leicester don't win these, they won't be promoted; <b>it is in their hands</b>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In the past, teams on a terrible run have easily dispatched Leicester City whilst on a winning streak (indeed it was <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21311488" target="_blank">bottom-of-the-table Peterborough who put a stop to Leicester's five match streak</a> and started their current horrific run) so it wouldn't be a surprise if they actually pulled it off...</div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP_8sd33ET5ugRF_AlYW4xfoOim0Ayz4YlidfPqOTGQzUWC3pZpR6cg2z9XlrDrKpB1mD1vlj5_9uGFnV4YbQMGFj3IRvS6aYG7E0WPOHWPTQftWp78S2px00CjsA4My3opjN8glHe3w/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP_8sd33ET5ugRF_AlYW4xfoOim0Ayz4YlidfPqOTGQzUWC3pZpR6cg2z9XlrDrKpB1mD1vlj5_9uGFnV4YbQMGFj3IRvS6aYG7E0WPOHWPTQftWp78S2px00CjsA4My3opjN8glHe3w/s400/Untitled-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've been trying to <a href="http://hyperlapse.tllabs.io/#53.23800000000001,-0.5326000000000001,53.234430054229406,-0.5360183639259049,53.2351,-0.53707,34.149812500000024,129.84375" target="_blank">tour around Lincoln Cathedral</a> using the Hyperlapse app.</td></tr>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>Simply choose your starting and finishing points and a focus point and hit create; the website does the rest for you. There are limitations put on the app to make it accessible to all (only 60 frames are allowed per animation, meaning the shorter your journey, the smoother) but it's a nifty little app none the less.<br />
<br />
Try it out for yourself at <a href="http://hyperlapse.tllabs.io/">http://hyperlapse.tllabs.io</a> and see what is possible on Teehan+Lax's video below.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/63653873?badge=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/63653873">Google Street View Hyperlapse</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/tllabs">Teehan+Lax Labs</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<br />
During this bad run of form, one of the worst in recent memory for the Foxes, fans have called for the manager's head, in <a href="http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/leicestercity?orderByOption=latest#axzz2PgCLu5wN" target="_blank">a recent online poll</a> showing over half of fans thinking he should not be in the job. However, I firmly believe the owners should stick with their man even if he doesn't bring them the promotion they desire this season.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02362/pearson1_2362445b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02362/pearson1_2362445b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo: <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/9592685/Leicester-Citys-Nugent-offers-support-for-good-chap-Nigel-Pearson.html">telegraph.co.uk</a></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><b><br /></b>
<div>
<b>Building a Team</b><br />
<div>
Pearson replaced Sven Goran Ericsson who had assembled a team unrecognisable from the one the season before. He had uprooted the whole squad and replaced it with ageing, former stars and high wage earning players from around the league. Sven's short tenure shows the success of this strategy but Pearson, as he did the first time he joined Leicester, has looked at where the squad needs to improve and brought in young and hungry players to fill it with the help of his impressive scouting network. The team now looks like one that will develop and improve the longer they stay together. That they are a good team in the present is a bonus.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Behind the Scenes</b></div>
<div>
One of the biggest jobs Pearson had when he rejoined Leicester was to address the high wages that Sven had introduced, in the light of the forthcoming financial rules. Since then several very high wage earners have left the club (Abe, Mills, Beckford, Danns, St. Ledger) and their replacements, younger and developing players, will cost a significant amount less to employ. This kind of work is not seen by fans but is incredibly important but will not reap immediate benefits on the pitch.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Stability</b></div>
<div>
Since Leicester last left the Premier League, only one manager has spent more than a full season at the club: Nigel Pearson. This produced one of the most successful times in the club's recent history, albeit mostly in League One, but it says something important about stability and consistency producing success. Bringing in yet another manager will lose the work done over the last season and a half.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Even if Leicester don't manage to achieve promotion this season, we need to keep this set-up together. Considering the necessary upheaval needed this season to prepare for the upcoming financial rules and the potential of Leicester's young squad, the third youngest in the football league, starting all over again would be a backwards step.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If he does end up leaving the club, I hope I'm proved wrong!</div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknYcGU7R2UGqFy4bdp2VFjidsA5FixxF-YFmrW2tc6e86h7GqIxHmE6HFFBbBqa8QcY2nSe0U20WZV86LlZTqRNJv7pb7f2eucQxnfcoamIqivkS4yQH3pktG7lOuPIq_gvvaba6LChY/s1600/Baby+Murray+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknYcGU7R2UGqFy4bdp2VFjidsA5FixxF-YFmrW2tc6e86h7GqIxHmE6HFFBbBqa8QcY2nSe0U20WZV86LlZTqRNJv7pb7f2eucQxnfcoamIqivkS4yQH3pktG7lOuPIq_gvvaba6LChY/s320/Baby+Murray+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini-Murray at 21 weeks.</td></tr>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>Although me and Hannah had a miscarriage last summer (the baby would have been due around about now in fact), we did get pregnant again and we announced at the beginning of January that we would be expecting our first child this July! The baby is growing well now and we know, having had our 20 week scan, that all is in good order and you can even see its face in the picture (no we haven't asked what the sex is yet; that's just no fun!).<br />
<br />
I've also started working for <a href="http://www.visitlincoln.com/" target="_blank">Visit Lincoln</a>, the official tourism organisation for Lincoln which exists to promote the city of Lincoln as a place to visit, a place to live in and a place to trade and meet in with your business. I look after the website and the social media as Digital Marketing Coordinator and I'm loving working online each day helping to improve the city that I fell in love with as a student.<br />
<br />
So they're my excuses but I'm planning on keeping this blog a bit more up to date...hopefully it will be full of things that interest you!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<br />
For example, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/zeebox/id454689266?mt=8" target="_blank">the Zeebox app</a> is to be used whilst watching television and gives real-time information about locations, people and topics that are included on that show right in your hands. Channel 4 is also a great user of Twitter hashtags in their television shows so that you can follow along on the social media platform to see what others are saying about it.<br />
<br />
Today I've found a development in this idea using the iPad and a BluRay disk and it has excited me a lot!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoDHNM0SUNAOuZRmUg0MP5rbqIFTOEwQuo3g12YkJsuPQXKdwot-QumsPGFvHmIJdQfjpzdIuDL4ksrOmSCUnaRnFRZC4pZOChwp-vyi3p1igrFKJSkLAZ8nZxTCIPDA4gSn_10-HrE8/s1600/IMAG0155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoDHNM0SUNAOuZRmUg0MP5rbqIFTOEwQuo3g12YkJsuPQXKdwot-QumsPGFvHmIJdQfjpzdIuDL4ksrOmSCUnaRnFRZC4pZOChwp-vyi3p1igrFKJSkLAZ8nZxTCIPDA4gSn_10-HrE8/s400/IMAG0155.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dark Knight Rises Second Screen app in action.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Knight-Rises-Blu-ray-Region/dp/B004Q9T6CO" target="_blank">The Dark Knight Rises BluRay</a> has released <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-dark-knight-rises-fx-hd/id541313964?mt=8" target="_blank">an accompanying app</a> to make your viewing of the movie even better by using your tablet as a second screen. As the film progresses on your TV,<b> the app syncs with the BluRay player and, in real-time, cycles through a number of features during the film to enhance what you are watching</b>.<br />
<br />
It might be some of the original storyboards for the scene you are watching (as above), an interview with the makers on how they put the scene together (you can pause the film on your TV via your iPad to watch the interview on your tablet) or information on where the scene was filmed or what other productions an actor has been involved in.<br />
<br />
This is a really excellent addition to the movie for film fans and adds a new dimension to watching films. <b>BluRays are slowly taking the place of the DVD</b> (I never thought I'd admit that...!) and features like this, that are only possible thanks to BluRay technology, are helping that happen.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aQXEAdD1JCd93xMtQJxbcHQSlFgOLDl5Kr783ZGJXC5E54OR4VEAI1r3NUj6I26YWOaiv4vMkmcUbDPhSJBADf5KsXtzZ4RUIEQ6XXGKfrxmGcCAFlJkleDsbm9xTyyR2Y8VEMMlOYY/s1600/babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cruise, Obama and Rooney as Babies" border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aQXEAdD1JCd93xMtQJxbcHQSlFgOLDl5Kr783ZGJXC5E54OR4VEAI1r3NUj6I26YWOaiv4vMkmcUbDPhSJBADf5KsXtzZ4RUIEQ6XXGKfrxmGcCAFlJkleDsbm9xTyyR2Y8VEMMlOYY/s400/babies.jpg" title="Cruise, Obama and Rooney as Babies" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Cruise, Barack Obama and Wayne Rooney as babies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You might say that they were born to fulfil their respective potentials. Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of a baby but it's not often that it's thought what that baby was really born for, the reason that the baby Jesus arrived on earth.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The famous carol Hark the Herald Angels Sing contains these lines:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Mild He lays His glory by;<br />Born that man no more may die.<br />Born to raise the sons of earth;<br />Born to give them second birth.</span></blockquote>
Here, Charles Wesley puts across the very reason that baby was born: to give mankind second birth. However, the idea of being born for a second time is strange and was so to a man later on in Jesus' life who exclaimed "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:1-21&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 3:4</a>), not quite understanding the concept.<br />
<br />
Jesus is talking here about spiritual birth, being born of 'water and the Spirit' (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:1-21&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 3:5</a>). It is the idea of <b>finishing with our <i>old</i> life, of living for ourselves, and being born into a <i>new </i>life, living instead for God and receiving His Spirit</b>. This, says Jesus, is the only way to enter the Kingdom of God, to have a hope of life as it was meant to be; free from the pains and struggles of this life and free to enjoy an eternal relationship with God.<br />
<br />
Indeed, <i>this</i> was the reason that that baby was born all those years ago in Bethlehem and why we celebrate that birth every year: Jesus lived and died in our place, for our sin and bad attitude to God, so that we could be brought back to God, and was raised to life again to prove this to be true. <b>Jesus' birth was all about our new birth</b>. Peter praises God for this in his first letter included in the Bible:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%201:3&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 Peter 1:3</a>)</span></blockquote>
Let's remember the reason for this birth; to die and rise again, to give us a second birth.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Hopefully it will be a nice touch to the Christmas of the account's followers and may remind others of the reason for the season. Follow along on Twitter or in the widget below and feel free to join in!<br />
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The idea has been partly inspired by the video<a href="http://youtu.be/sghwe4TYY18" target="_blank"> A Social Media Christmas</a> which looks at how the event may have unfolded on Facebook.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<!-- AddThis Button END --></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15161668120838881462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8325689172670114306.post-52121896716183949862012-12-20T10:30:00.000+00:002012-12-20T10:30:02.365+00:00Why the World Won't End Tomorrow<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-berman/maya-calendar-101-what-do_b_2311729.html" target="_blank">The 2012 Phenomenon, or 2012ology</a>, is the study and belief that tomorrow, 21st December 2012, is the day of the apocalypse. The theories and ideas come from the Mayan calendar which has a certain climax arriving on this day, and theories of what will happen span from an asteroid heavy death to a worldwide acid trip.<br />
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Academics and conspiracy theorists alike <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121219160334.htm" target="_blank">debate whether this date really will be the end of the world or not</a> but if the Bible has anything to say about the subject, and I believe it does, we can gather that we don't have to worry about missing Christmas next week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scifiscoop.com/wp-content/gallery/movie-posters/2012-poster-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.scifiscoop.com/wp-content/gallery/movie-posters/2012-poster-6.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'We Were Warned' says the poster of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190080/" target="_blank">the film inspired by the 2012 phenomenon</a></td></tr>
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There have been predictions of the end of the world throughout history, <a href="http://joeldavidmurray.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/expected-rapture-doesnt-happen.html" target="_blank">including one Harold Camping in May 2011</a>, but Jesus had something to say about when this event will happen:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away. But about this day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2024:%2035-36&version=NIV">Matthew 24: 35-36</a>).</span></blockquote>
There is a day when the world as we know it will come to an end but it's unknowable to us humans. In fact, Jesus also goes on to say that it will come when you <i>do not</i> expect, like a thief in the night (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A42-44&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 24:42-44</a>). No one will be expecting for the end of this age but it could come at any time. <b> Are you ready for it?</b></div>
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