Archive for the ‘ Relationship ’ Category

Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 05/19/2013

Find honor through wisdom over at Proverbial Thought.

We serve a great God. He deserves all praise and glory.

Your Wisdom is perfect
Your love beyond comprehension
You orchestrate our lives
while managing all of creation
how could a God so great
Who is bigger than everything
be content with a little speck
or love such tiny beings

You have planned out our days
and know all we could say
before we ever speak
or even finish to conceive

Your ways can seem ominous
the events in life strange
but it all works to Your glory
and i must give You the praise
You made me before time
and knew all of my ways
You counted all of my hairs
and mapped out all my days
i bless Your Holy Name
and offer You my life
in praise of Your greatness
for You i will live until i die

2013
05/19
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Getting Out for a Walk

Do not stray from knowledge; rather find wisdom through Proverbial Thought!

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Philippians 2:12-18

Needing to Go for a Walk

Last week I wrote about my dog and God’s control over our lives. I return to the topic of my dog this week.

My little puppy is a joy to have around . . .

. . . especially when he begins to make a lot of noise.

. . . especially when he nips at our hands and heels.

. . . especially when he tears at furniture and furnishings.

. . . especially when he destroys things.

Usually, there is a simple fix: he just needs to go for a walk!

When all he does is get fed and hang around the home, eventually things build up inside that must be released. He needs to walk around, meet with others, and “release” all that is locked up inside. Only then does he behave well.

Needing to Go for a Walk

We can get the same way in the Church.

Many people grumble and make a lot of noise about what they do not like or how they think things should run.

Many people complain about others, and they begin to gossip and fight.

Many people tear apart relationships and congregations over meaningless squabbles.

Many people destroy their own or their families lives.

You may already know where this is going:

The biggest problem with many in the Church is that they do not get out of the Church enough.

They sit in their chairs and get fed, and they are surrounded by (and even help) others who are constantly being fed. Yet, they almost never step outside to meet others and share what they have been fed and thus lead them to salvation.

14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Jude 1:14-23

When we hold onto all of the good things God has given us, even attempting to keep His Holy Spirit to ourselves, what really builds up inside is our own selfishness and pride. We build our sin instead of righteousness.

Then we lash out and complain.

All we need to is go Walk.

2013
05/14
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Out for a Walk

Be counted among the wise and go read the wisdom found at Proverbial Thought.

Out for WalkiesWP_20130323_002

I currently live in an apartment, for a couple more months, at least. We eagerly await the day we can move into our new home.

Living in an apartment with a dog requires taking many walks for exercise and “potty breaks”.

As we walk along together, I let my puppy scamper around wherever he wishes in the grass and rocks, even letting him choose where he “does his business” on our mini-journey.

Sometimes, he gets a hold of a bone of some sort, a plant with spines or bad fluids inside, or a piece of garbage. I have to take his “treat” out of his mouth, even though he does not care for me doing so and would rather keep this seeming “prize”.

Sometimes, he rolls through something, such as another dog’s waste or some mud. This requires taking a bath as soon as we are back at the apartment, even though he does not care for it at the time and seems to prefer his new smell.

Sometimes he begins to stray into the parking lot, driving lanes, or even the road. I have to pull him back, even though he does not care about it nor necessarily understand why.

No matter what, though, I give him some freedom to choose where he goes on our path. However, I am the one ultimately in control of the path we take. He chooses some of his stops, but I am the one leading the way (even if it sometimes looks like he is!) to get him where I want when I want. When we eventually move into our new home, he will have more freedom to choose when he goes outside.

Human WalkiesWP_20130329_070

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9

This is not a debate about theologies. Many of the soteriological theologies agree with what I am about to express.

God treats us much in the same way.

While we live on this Earth, God gives us some freedom of choice in many areas.

We often choose to put things into our minds and bodies that harm us, make our minds, bodies, and souls sick. Sometimes, God has to help us, but it can hurt, be uncomfortable, or even be embarrassing. It is for our benefit to be made healthy and whole.

We often choose to put ourselves in situations that sully our character or reputation. Sometimes, God has to wash us, but it can hurt, be uncomfortable, or even be embarrassing. It is for our benefit to be made clean and pure.

We often choose to stray from the path of righteousness. Sometimes, God has to pull us back to save us, but it can hurt, be uncomfortable, or even be embarrassing. It is for our benefit to be made holy and righteous.

Every step of the way, though we make some choices, God is leading the way. He knows our choices before we make them, but He is in the business of redemption and grace. He leads along the path of life, until He finally takes us to our new Home with Him.

2013
05/07
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Unwelcoming Jesus

Do not be a fool, and go get some wisdom over at Proverbial Thought!

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Luke 7:36-50, NIV

Christianity is the most popular religion in the United States of America. In fact, approximately 74% of Americans claim to follow some form of Christianity (found at census.gov).

That is amazing! 74%! That is about three-quarters (3/4) of those living in the USA!

How well do we live up to this?

Welcome or Unwelcome?

Many people look to this passage and Luke and see the love and faith displayed by this woman in Jesus as Messiah.

Most times this passage is used to show how God’s love and grace goes to all people, but those who are painfully aware of their sin are those who are most grateful for the forgiveness they are given.

However, look at what is said about the two people most interested in Jesus here.

“Sinful Woman”:

“she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair”
“this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet”
“she has poured perfume on my feet”

Simon:

“one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him”
“You did not give me any water for my feet”
“You did not give me a kiss”
“You did not put oil on my head”

Simon, a religious leader, comparable to a pastor today, invited Jesus into his home for dinner.

Typically, when you have a guest, you greet them, then you offer something such as a place to put shoes or jackets.

In this case, Simon should have greeted his Guest with a kiss (on the cheek or the lips or, for you Baptists and Nazarenes, with the hands in the form of a good handshake). He then should have offered at least some water to clean His feet and/or some lotion or perfume after having walked around in the sun all day.

Instead, Simon expected his Guest to take care of himself (except for the food, of course). His real intention was to either find out more of this so-called Messiah or to look important for having this great teacher in his home.

Simon disregarded all forms of respect and love to look important. He did not treat Jesus as a welcome guest.

A Land of “Simon the Pharisees”?

How many Americans (or christians from around the world) treat Jesus the same way?

I am sure there are honest people out there who are doing the best they can, and perhaps they are simply living by what they have been taught.

If you look around at this nation, there are a lot of people who invite Jesus into their houses, but they ignore Him most of the time.

We have athletes who thank their Lord Jesus Christ after every game; but they sleep around with various partners, get into drugs and alcohol, or lose all of their money to frivolous and/or dangerous things.

We have politicians who pray in the name of Jesus, but they lie, cheat, and steal from their constituents and government on a regular basis.

We have preachers who use Jesus as a reason for a 501(c)3 status (tax-exempt) and promote a different gospel of good feelings and good intentions.

We have churches as fancy as country clubs where people carry their Bibles to look good and holy, but the only time they spend with Jesus is an hour on Sunday mornings and maybe on Wednesday nights.

We have committees and groups who promote social justice and stopping the liberals/conservatives from destroying the fabric of American society, but they lack love for some of the very people who need love the most.

Remember …

Those who look good or know all the answers tend to be the ones who invite Jesus in to their homes, but it is the people who serve Jesus who are forgiven and accepted by God.

How do you love Jesus? By expecting some of the glory or by humbling yourself and serving others?

2013
04/30
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 04/28/2013

Learn patience and wisdom by going to Proverbial Thought.

Last week I shared a poem about the greatest evidence of love ever shown.

This week is about our response!

Your love amazes me
You fill my senses
and move my spirit
how can i not respond
to an awesome Creator
Who loves me so much
Who loves us all
that He created a universe
and put it in motion
just to come inside it
to create us
to join us
to know us
how can i not respond

2013
04/28
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My Proverbial Fellowship

Instead of my usual theological post, I am going a slightly different route.

You may have noticed that in every post I write I put a reminder to go to Proverbial Thought and read from my fellow contributors’ commentary on the book of Proverbs.

Of course I implore you to head on over there yet again, and, if you have not already, subscribe to this wonderful blog.

Last week we looked at reaching out to the lost and hurting in our broken world.

Today, I offer a reminder that we need to reach out to each other.

There is nothing like the fellowship of believers. We are able to encourage and lift each other up, and we can learn from each other.

Therefore, I am going to encourage you check out the blogs of my brothers at Proverbial Thought.

Chris Jordan

Our newest contributor, Chris out of Beausejour, MB, Canada, is also a prolific writer. He has two books, even more blogs, and writes a piece for his local paper. All I have to say is this man knows how to have fun, encourage, and spread the gospel! Go check out his blog here.

Nick and David Welford

Nick started his blog, and his dad, David, joined him as a regular contributor. These wonderful British brothers in Christ each have their own unique understanding of the Bible, the Church, and God. They are not afraid to share their struggles, challenge Christians, or share the grace of God. To read their unique view and be both encouraged and convicted, go see Nick’s blog here.

Jason Sneed

Jason lives near our founder in Tennessee. His blog covers everything theological and fun as well as musical (such as his Christmas music bracket to decide the best song!). You may notice a theme in each of these men by this point, but his blog is a big encouragement! Go see who is really on first at his blog over here.

Grady Davidson

Grady only blogs at Proverbial Thought, so you know what you are getting! His post every month therefore is filled with thought and wisdom. Continually check out his monthly posts for his reminders of our need for our Lord and Savior!

Anthony Baker

The founder of Proverbial Thought, Anthony has been our leader and strongest encouragement. With how busy we all are, we know he is busy, too, but he fills in when we slack off! (There some truth in this, but I am exaggerating slightly.) He puts in a healthy amount of wit and humor within his posts, whether they be deeply theological or “Hey, look at that shiny thing!” in nature and everything in between. In his desire to not be too legalistic but to be loving and compassionate, he lets fun, encouragement, conviction, reminders, and reality fill his blog over here.

I am thankful for each of these men and the ways they impact my growth in Christ. Help me encourage them by visiting their blogs.

You will be encouraged, too!

2013
04/09
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The Hard Knocks Life: Choosing Trouble

Choose to find some wisdom through the commentary over at Proverbial Thought.

We have been looking at why we may experience difficulty in this life. Last week I discussed how God puts us through things in life and even allows our horrors to persist for a time so that we may show His mercy, compassion, and love to others going through similar circumstances. Two weeks ago I started off with describing how a life following God can bring troubles, through persecution or, like last week’s post said, circumstances to grow our faith and understanding.

This little post is about when we bring about our own troubles. It really is quite simple.

Each moment of each day we have a choice. It is basically the same choice offered to the Israelites after taking the promised land.

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15, NIV

More Simple Than We Think

Here is how simple it is:

Every morning we are faced with a decision. Every time we have to make a choice, we have two options (though those two options may have multiple choices, as well).

Do I serve God or my own selfish desires?

Do I act in love or for personal comfort and gain?

It is our own selfish choices that lead to fights and arguments.

It is our own selfish choices that lead to loss and confusion.

It is our own selfish choices that lead to pain and difficulty.

It is our own selfish choices that lead to sin and death.

Yet even these God can use for His glory and redeem for good, when we choose Him daily.

Ask any (ex-)con, any thief, any adulterer, any violent or gossiping or lying person who has been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and they will tell you the same.

This is not that all our troubles simply go away. Many times, we must still live with the consequences of our decisions.

We may not get our money returned to us.

We may not get our health returned to us.

We may not see justice served (at least, not they way we expect).

Though we can find peace.

We can learn to love.

We can become wise and compassionate.

We may even see our lives restored to greater than they were.

It will certainly be greater in the next life, which is what we earn through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

After all, it was all of the selfish choices of each and every person who ever lived who put Jesus on the cross.

It was also shows that God chose to go to the cross for us.

Then Holy Spirit empowers us with strength, faith, wisdom, and grace to change, to choose God.

Choose for yourself this day whom you will serve: God or your own selfish desires.

2013
03/19
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Back from the Dead: Happy Singles Awareness Day!

I wanted to write a detailed post on love and the amazingness of God, but I found it necessary to revisit some basic information on the holiday this week: St. Valentine’s Day. Therefore, I am reposting my first post for this day, in which I explain a tiny bit of the origin of the holiday.

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

For the record, I love being married.

Also, sorry for not posting last week. I was trudging through the battle of Chest Cold 2011 … and am really still in combat.

Because of today, I think it is time to do a short marathon on love and couples … and singles. I mean, this day is not all about chocolates and candies and heart-shaped balloons and pizzas!Heart PizzaSt. Valentine

We should start in the right place: HISTORY!

Saint Valentine

According to Catholic.org, here is a brief history of the namesake of this holiday:

Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century, specifically during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. This was during the time Christianity was illegal, and helping Christians was also illegal. In about 269, Valentine was arrested, ordered beaten with clubs and beheaded. His crime? Helping Christians.

Specifically, Valentine helped Christian couples get married. There is a legend that while awaiting death he healed his jailer’s blind daughter and then wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine”. He is considered “the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.”

Now we can see where all of this love stuff came from, but what about all the fluff?

According to the ever-popular Wikipedia, it was during the early 1800′s that cards and hearts began being sent to people. It was just before 1850 that Brits and Americans were both creating, selling, buying, and sending Valentine’s gifts. It was really this holiday that began the mass commercialization of our holidays (hopefully they keep their mitts off of my Halloween!). Today, it is estimated that around a billion valentines are handed out every year, and teachers receive the most! (At least our children know who is in charge!) Over 15 million e-valentines were sent out last year.

So, we must ask ourselves: What happened?

This is a holiday honoring a man who encouraged biblical love and marriages, but today it is all about showing all kinds of love, like, lust, and even hatred. I could go into all of the rants and tirades about not teaching children properly and how we have had too many preachers who became gutless and/or lazy in presenting the gospel in a clear way. But does that really help anything? We should not be too surprised that we as people continue to rebel against God. Read the Old Testament. Israel helped prove that … as, so I think, our children. I know I did growing up (right, mom?).

When I hear a Christian say “I hate Valentine’s Day”, I get, quite frankly, angry. First of all, it shows people do not care about history at all, and this helps solidify the belief of many of us that ignorance runs rampant. Secondly, if we are commanded to love and are expected to grow in the love of God, then the only thing we should hate is hatred and sin (not the sinner. And yes, it is possible).

We should not, however, expect anything different from non-Christians. Especially if “God is love” and they are any of the people who do not want anything to do with religion (especially God), it only makes sense that they would hate Valentine’s Day.

We need to remember, this is a day to remember a man. At the same time this is a day to remember love between people who are going to be married or are married, being youthful, and – most importantly – loving God. That is the way it should be, but obviously it has become more about spending oodles of money on frivolous things.

2013
02/12
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Another Adulterous Wife and the God Who Loves Her

Once again, I remind you to get some wisdom from those inspired by God’s wisdom over at Proverbial Thought.

There was a man who was called by God to speak out against the wrongs and injustices in his nation.

He spoke out against the nation turning away from God to follow its own lusts. He spoke out against the rising violence. He spoke out against the rise in crime. He spoke out against the rise of disrespect for parents. He spoke out against the lies of the government leaders as well as the religious leaders. He spoke out against the partnership of those leaders with different religions and hostile governments.

While this could be someone from any moment in the past fifty years in pretty much any part of the world, you probably already guessed that this person is in the Bible.

The First Adulterous Wife

Hosea was told by God to take a wife who was little more than a prostitute. Even though Hosea and Gomer had three children together – a son, a daughter, and another son – Gomer began to live and sleep with another man.

When things began to go badly for Gomer and she found herself on the auction block as a slave, God told Hosea “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” (Hosea 3:1) Hosea essentially paid his entire savings to buy his adulterous wife from prostitution and slavery.

The message was and is clear: Just like Gomer, Israel had sinned by turning from God to the false gods of other nations. They neglected their relationship with God, they neglected their children and parents, and they neglected common decency.

God’s punishment for these sins was exile. But God loves His people.

He brought the nation, at that time divided in two, back to the Promised Land as a united people.

Beyond that, and this is where the Christian Church comes in, God sent His own Son as payment for the sins of not only Israel but of the whole world! In essence, God sacrificed Himself in payment for the sin we are all guilty of committing: worshiping anything other than God!

Another Adulterous Wife

If only those who believe the truth of God sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins never strayed!

If you look around our world today, especially within the Western World of Europe and North America, there is much corruption.

Leave governments out of this. Except for the mini-nation of Vatican City, national governments are not of God. He may have established the governments of the world for this time (Romans 13:1), but they do not govern the matters of God. They govern the matters of people. (Regardless of what most of the world and the Conservative Right say of the United States of America, it is not a Christian nation.)

Read the newspapers and watch the news on TV. Hardly a week goes by without hearing of some sex scandal, controversy, or fraud from some church or denomination. Many congregations, leaders, and denominations choose to work more with governments and other religions than with other congregations, leaders, and denominations. Many compromise their beliefs to appease the masses, the government, other religions, or simply passing fads or ideas.

Looking around today seems to show a Church which has left its Groom (Christ) to have relations with those who do not believe in or even mock the God of the Universe.

God’s Love

Even with all of the sins the people within the Church of our Lord continue to commit, He still loves her.

His Bride continues to allow many sins to be committed in His name, but I think there are good reasons He has not brought the same judgment on the Church as He did on Israel.

For starters, His faithful are still loving the least of these and showing God’s love.

Among those who rob God are those who give more than their fair share.
Among those who compromise their bodies are those who remain chaste and pure.
Among those who compromise their beliefs are those who remain steadfast in faith.

Secondly, God holds back His wrath because of His promises.

He has promised that His wrath was poured out on His Son.
He has promised that His wrath is not for His faithful.
He has promised that He will wait until He separates His faithful from the world.

Lastly, God holds back His wrath because of His love.

If God is not willing that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9), would He not give us time to repent, to choose His love in our hearts?

Hear the Truth and Turn

We each, in our own time, sin against God, yet He so desires to be with us that He died on a cross for our forgiveness and waits to destroy the world until His proper time.

As Peter said:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
2 Peter 3:10-15

Let us not worry about the sins going on around us in the name of the Lord. Instead, let us focus on our own relationship with God. In the process, God working in our lives will either cause guilt leading to repentance or guilt leading to further sin.

In any event, we are to remain pure to God to the glory of God.

2013
02/05
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Reblog: The Church of No People – I Don’t Have a Relationship, I Have Rules

Matt Appling is at it again over at his blog The Church of No People. I spent the better part of a year living by the rule “I don’t have a religion, I have a relationship!” To see roughly (probably even exactly) where I stand today, you can read my post from last year here, or head on over to Matt’s site and read his words:

I Don’t Have a Relationship, I Have Rules

Christians like to say that we have “relationship.”relationship

Not rules.

Not religion.

While “rules” or “religion” have connotations of stuffy, outdated, legalistic, overbearing control, relationship seems to open and inviting, doesn’t it? While the former might carry the image of an angry nun with a ruler, ready to rap your knuckles, the latter looks like Jesus holding his arms out for a big bear hug.

If there’s one phrase modern Christianity has embraced, it’s that one.  We have moved past religion, and now we have relationship.

And I wonder how much damage that phrase has caused to the relationship we have with God.

Continue reading over at Matt’s Church of No People …

2012
11/16
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