Do you want to clean a dirty toilet but don’t have toilet bowl cleaner on hand? No problem. I never knew Coke could have this effect. It turns out that Coke is great life hack.
Watch here what it can do to help clean a dirty toilet.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U22suBkohC4[/youtube]
Credit : SF Globe
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Catholic Herald report– By Francis Phillips
In his homily for St Valentine’s Day Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury spoke up in defence of marriage. Among other things he urged his listeners to “speak uninhibitedly of the good of marriage”, emphasising that “we need to rebuild a culture of the family founded on marriage…We need to take marriage seriously as a great social good, and recognise that children flourish best when they have the gift of a father and mother in their lives.”
The bishop reminded his congregation of the consequences of the breakdown in stable, two-parent families. No-fault divorce and the welfare state make it so easy to walk away from a relationship that doesn’t seem to be working. Today we have a situation where young people have impossible expectations of marriage, but with little or no understanding of what it means to work at a relationship over the long haul when the honeymoon period is over.
Yet it is in everybody’s interest to make marriage work better: the state which has to pay the bill when it breaks down, society which is further destabilised, the couple caught up in mutual recriminations and the children affected whose happiness suffers long-term jeopardy. I make these remarks because I have been reading a short book that, if it were better known and understood, might help to prevent so much unnecessary heartbreak. Titled “101 Tips for a Happier Marriage”, written by Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes and distributed by Alban Books, it is full of sage advice that would have been obvious to previous generations but, like the art of home cooking, seems to have fallen by the wayside in modern society.
The authors make it clear that their advice is not for those in abusive or addictive marriages who need professional help; it is for ordinary couples, for example those who want to make their marriage work despite the problems, for those who want to improve their relationships and for those who have hit a difficult patch and need help to change the situation. Although the book is written from a Christian perspective, much of the advice is entirely suitable to couples of goodwill but without religious belief.
Its message is one of hope: “You can improve your marriage, even if your spouse doesn’t change a bit” is a good start. “Give the relationship time for reciprocity to develop” emphasises the patience necessary in all marriages. The good news is that you can start to change your own marriage today, simply by making a decision to be more generous: by being the first to forgive; by making allowances; by admitting you were wrong. These are an antidote to self-righteousness, the belief that “it’s not my fault”. There are other strategies, such as never using phrases such as “You always” or “You never” in disputes; being prepared to give way on unimportant issues; persevering in keeping the peace whenever possible.
The authors also warn that couples should never criticise their spouse in front of others, use sarcasm or attack the other person’s character during an argument. Consideration, respect and the capacity to listen can become good habits if practised daily. You must also recognise that there will be disappointments and disputes from time to time: you are not God and neither is your spouse. The book advises, always keep in mind the qualities that you first admired in your spouse, and – most important of all in our society – “take the d-word [divorce] out of your vocabulary.”
Source: Catholic Herald
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This is the easiest and fastest way I know to peel an egg in a matter of seconds. How did I not know this before?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQaNMqEjNUg[/youtube]
Credit : SF Globe
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Have you ever wondered what happens when you mix vinegar with an egg? Wonder no more! Check out this neat experiment.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIN-5Worgm0[/youtube]
Credit : SF Globe
Charisma News reports – It seems like almost every day we read about ISIS parading people in cages, beheading Christians or kidnapping dozens of believers and making threats against shopping malls. No wonder Jesus warned that in the last days we would see “men fainting from fear and expectation of what is coming on the inhabited earth” (Luke 21:16).
Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, isn’t surprised by any of it. In his recently released Destination Jerusalem: ISIS, Convert or Die, Christian Persecution and the Coming Days Ahead, Mitchell discusses the rising evil of Islam. In part three of this exclusive interview, Mitchell shared his thoughts on the ISIS ripple effect.
You can still read part one: “When Christians Come Face to Face With ISIS” and part two: “Are We Seeing the New World Order Rising?”
Charisma News: How do the events taking place in the Middle East reverberate to the shores of America?
Mitchell: America is now in the midst of a national debate on how to deal with ISIS. The outcome of that national debate will affect our future, our economy and our way of life.
It will have a direct impact on our service men and women in the armed forces, our sons and daughters. It will likely influence the price of oil and certainly have an impact on our closest ally in the Middle East, Israel.
Suddenly it’s not just “over there”; it’s “over here.” What these Islamic terrorists are doing is sowing fear just as the Quran encourages them to do. We need to resist this fear. We’re facing a dangerous future when fear will be prevalent.
In Destination Jerusalem, I suggest a number of ways to prepare for the days ahead. We need to as Jesus said, “Watch and pray.”
We need to draw close to the Lord, our families and our church family. We need to be informed about the world and, like the Sons of Issachar in the Bible, “understood the times.” The book also includes the gospel, so it’s also a book someone can give to a loved one who doesn’t yet know the Lord.
Click here to check out Mitchell’s book on Amazon.com or visit him online at destinationjerusalembook.
Source : Charisma News
Todd Starnes report – Barronelle Stutzman, a Washington State florist who declined to provide flowers for a gay wedding, has rejected a deal by the attorney general’s office that would’ve forced her to betray her religious beliefs—much like Judas betrayed Jesus.
“You are asking me to walk in the way of a well-known betrayer, one who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver,” Stutzman wrote in a letter to state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “That is something I will not do.”
Ferguson had offered to settle the case if she paid a $2,000 penalty for violating the Consumer Protection Act, a $1 payment for costs and fees, and agreed not to discriminate in the future.
“My primary goal has always been to bring about an end to the defendant’s unlawful conduct and to make clear that I will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” Ferguson said in a prepared statement.
On Feb. 18 a judge ruled Stutzman had violated the law by refusing to provide flowers for the same-sex wedding of a longtime customer. The state had not only gone after the flower shop but also Stutzman personally.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the religious liberty law firm representing Stutzman, said legal bills could be as high as seven figures.
“He’s using the full power of his office to personally and professionally destroy her,” ADF attorney Kristen Waggoner told me.
But the 70-year-old Southern Baptist grandmother said she will not violate her religious beliefs—no matter what. If that means losing her house—so be it.
“I certainly don’t relish the idea of losing my business, my homes and everything else that your lawsuit threatens to take from my family, but my freedom to honor God in doing what I do best is more important,” Stutzman wrote in a letter to the attorney general. (You can read my earlier story on Stutzman’s case here.)
She said the attorney general simply does not understand her or what the conflict is all about.
“It’s about freedom, not money,” she said. “You chose to attack my faith and pursue this not simply as a matter of law, but to threaten my very means of working, eating and having a home.”
Stutzman’s attorneys said they plan to appeal the judge’s decision—meaning she won’t have to fork over any money just yet to Washington State.
In the meantime, she said she would continue to gladly serve the customer who filed the lawsuit.
“I truly want the best for my friend,” she wrote. “I’ve also employed and served many members of the LGBT community and I will continue to do so regardless of what happens with this case.”
Stutzman said she never imagined the day when what she loved to do would become illegal. And that in the state of Washington using your God-given talents and abilities would be against the law.
The Seattle Times reported that Judge Ekstrom determined that “while religious beliefs are protected by the First Amendment, actions based on those beliefs aren’t necessarily protected.”
In other words—it’s OK to believe in God—so long as you don’t follow the tenets of your faith.
“Our state would be a better place if we respected each other’s differences, and our leaders protected the freedom to have those differences,” she wrote. “Because I follow the Bible’s teaching that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, I am no longer free to act on my beliefs.”
This is one granny that you don’t want to dig in the dirt with.
Todd Starnes is host of “Fox News & Commentary,” heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join his Facebook page, and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is God Less America.
Charisma News reports – A federal judge has ruled to allow a Michigan man to set up an atheist information booth in City Hall, next to prayer booths run by churches.
The judge ordered the city to give everyone the same access, allowing the proposed “reason station” to operate under the same terms.
The “prayer stations” offer Warren residents information about Christianity and prayer.
The judge ordered the city to give everyone the same access, allowing the proposed “reason station” to operate under the same terms.
The Detroit Free Press reports the lawsuit was filed on behalf of a resident after his request for the reason station was denied.
The city must pay $100,000 in fines and attorney’s fees.
Source : Charisma News
Disciple Guide writes – In a previous post, I wrote about “monster churches” in reference to congregations that chew up and spit out pastors on a regular basis. Monster churches are highly dysfunctional and rarely fruitful.
The congregation, however, is not always the problem. Just as monster churches are a factory of discord, monster pastors take trouble with them wherever they go.
Nicknames for monster pastors include: dictator, authoritarian and control freak.
Biblically speaking, they may be false teachers, greedy for selfish gain, deceitful workmen and ravenous wolves. They specialize in hijacking congregations and then abusing their power.
Monster pastors have little regard for the sheep (or the Chief Shepherd for that matter). Instead, their first priority is self, masked by other agendas. Such pastors may use pressure tactics, political maneuvering, and/or persuasive speech in order to manipulate a congregation into acting on their behalf.
When they don’t get their way, monster pastors usually 1) move on to another church, 2) cause a stir in their current church and/or 3) blame the congregation for not following their lead. Simply put, monster pastors are building their own kingdom rather than Christ’s kingdom.
As a general rule, monster pastors:
1. Are always right and never wrong.
2. Cannot accept criticism without becoming defensive.
3. Are not willing to share the pulpit.
4. Do not support other ministries.
5. Overly use the personal pronoun, “I.”
6. Resist accountability.
7. Feels threatened by former pastors.
8. Surround themselves with “yes men” rather than edifying leaders.
9. Do not entrust ministry to other leaders.
10. Undermine programs that they cannot control.
11. Insist that everything in the church run through them.
Rarely do you see a monster church matched with a monster pastor. Why? I think they can sniff each other out. Just like a bully rarely picks on another bully, choosing instead to prey upon the weak. Many times, monster pastors leave behind congregations with empty bank accounts, warring factions and a tarnished reputation.
Like a codependent spouse, abused churches typically continue to hire abusive pastors. The best thing that these churches can do is to stop and evaluate their situation before hiring another pastor (read this post to learn more).
If your church is in this predicament, consider bringing in a trusted interim pastor with a strong track record of long, peaceful pastorates. Ask the interim to help the congregation address problems and patterns that have wrecked havoc in the past. Spend time creating a plan to move forward and a strategy for selecting a new pastor.
Consider investigating candidates before interviewing them. Look for red flags such as a pattern of short-lived pastorates and a history of conflict. Take seriously the qualifications for a pastor found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
The ministry in which I serve, DiscipleGuide, has a heart for helping struggling churches. Our church solutions ministry provides personal assessment, coaching, and consulting services. If we can be of help to your congregation, feel free to contact us at [email protected].
After serving in campus ministry at the University of Central Arkansas and coordinating student conferences for the Department of Church Ministries from 2000-2005, Scott Attebery pastored Wyatt Baptist Church in El Dorado, Arkansas. After seven years of pastoring, Scott was selected as the Executive Director ofDiscipleGuide Church Reources, a department of the Baptist Missionary Association of America. You can read his blog at scottattebery.com.
For the original aticle, visit pastors.com.
Catholic Herald report– A recently discovered First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays will be exhibited next year – the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death – at the Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank.
The First Folio was discovered last November in a library in the small town of Saint-Omer, near Calais in northern France. A librarian came across it when he was preparing an exhibition of links between the area and England.
During the Elizabethan and Jacobean period many English Catholics escaped to France, and a college at Saint-Omer gave a Catholic education to English boys. The college was expelled from France in 1762 and moved first to Belgium and then in 1794 to Stonyhurst in Lancashire, where it remains today.
A spokesman for Stonyhurst College said: “Many precious medieval artefacts, illuminated manuscripts and books were taken with them, and survive at Stonyhurst to this day, but it seems that a slightly scruffy and dog-eared First Folio was overlooked and left behind.”
Some of the college’s books, including a 15th-century Gutenberg Bible, ended up in the town library in Saint-Omer. The presence of the First Folio at the Catholic college indicates, if nothing else, that Shakespeare’s work was well-regarded by Catholics at the time.
The First Folio, containing the text of nearly all Shakespeare’s plays, was compiled by the playwright’s friends and published in 1623, seven years after his death. Entitled “Mr William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies. Published according to the True Originall Copies”, it is the only source of a number of his plays, including Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar and As You Like It. Although over a quarter of the 800 copies have survived – this is the 233rd known copy – it is one of the rarest and most valuable books in the world.
This appears to have been a working copy of the book. Handwritten stage directions and alterations in Henry IV suggest that it was used in the performance of plays at Saint-Omer College, which had a reputation for well-attended drama productions. In one scene the word “hostess” is changed to “host” and “wench” to “fellow”, perhaps indicating that a female character was turned into a male.
The Saint-Omer First Folio will be put on display at the Globe Theatre for two months from July 2016.
Having recently opened the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, the Globe is now actively planning its own library and archive on site, on London’s Bankside. Once the library is complete it will be gifted an important collection of rare and valuable volumes, including its own First Folio and Quarto editions of Shakespeare’s plays. A spokesman for the Globe said that this would cement the theatre’s reputation as the first point of reference for teaching, research and interpretation of Shakespeare in performance.
Source: Catholic Herald
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