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The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive. To put it more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly—you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. All the things that truly matter — beaut...y, love, creativity, joy, inner peace — arise from beyond the mind...
”
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Eckhart Tolle
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How, then, to imagine, the expansive heart of this God—greater than God—who takes seven buses, just to arrive at us. We settle sometimes for less than intimacy with God when all God longs for is this solidarity with us. In Spanish, when you speak of your great friend, you describe the union and kinship as being de uña y mugre—our friendship is like the fingernail and the dirt under it. Our image of who God is and what’s on God’s mind is more tiny than it is troubled. It trips more on our puny sense of God than over conflicting creedal statements or theological considerations. The desire of God’s heart is immeasurably larger than our imaginations can conjure. This longing of God’s to give us peace and assurance and a sense of well-being only awaits our willingness to cooperate with God’s limitless magnanimity.
”
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Gregory Boyle (Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion)
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I assure you all that everyone will be safe and live a peaceful life in Hell,
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K.S.Y. (God Slayer: Vol. 2)
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The Lord Jesus Christ is, and always has been, the Lord of all creation. Blessed are those who understand this and call Him “Lord and Savior” this side of eternity. Without exception, everyone will call Jesus, “King of kings and Lord of lords” on the other side. But by then, it will be too late. Only those who believe it on this side have eternal assurance through Him.
This may be highly debatable among men, but it;s a total non issue with the Most High God. Grace and peace y'all...
”
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Patrick Higgins
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Clarity and peace of mind are powerful tools. Achieving either (and both) is only possible when we allow ourselves to “see” life in all its variance.
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Carlos Wallace (The Other 99 T.Y.M.E.S: Train Your Mind to Enjoy Serenity)
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I have five flashlights and each performs its own trick. I have a raincoat with zippers and net material so I never get too hot in a downpour. I have a shelf crammed with books and a shortwave that speaks Arabic, Japanese, Dutch and Russian. They have mud huts with maybe a few chairs and faded pages of old magazines fastened to the wall. I ride my twenty-one speed Peace Corps-issue bike to Ferke not to save a dollar on transport but for the luxury of exercise. They ride in from their settlements on cranky old mopeds or bikes with a single cog because it's the only option. And they give me charity. I just stare at it - near tears. To refuse their offer would be pure insult. So I do the rounds again shaking hands with all the men in boubous saying over and over "An y che " Thank you.
”
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Sarah Erdman (Nine Hills to Nambonkaha: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village)
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Then he said: "Y'all really took that Socratic method shit to heart."
"The benefits," I intoned, "of a Precepture education ."
"Yes," deadpanned Grego. "We were raised on Latin and Greek instead of love.
”
”
Erin Bow (The Scorpion Rules (Prisoners of Peace, #1))
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When it is impossible to stretch the very elastic threads of historical ratiocination any farther, when actions are clearly contrary to all that humanity calls right or even just, the historians produce a saving conception of "greatness." "Greatness," it seems, excludes the standards of right and wrong. For the "great" man nothing is wrong, there is no atrocity for which a "great" man can be blamed.
"C'est grand!"* say the historians, and there no longer exists either good or evil but only "grand" and "not grand." Grand is good, not grand is bad. Grand is the characteristic, in their conception, of some special animals called "heroes." And Napoleon, escaping home in a warm fur coat and leaving to perish those who were not merely his comrades but were (in his opinion) men he had brought there, feels que c'est grand, and his soul is tranquil.
peating: "Sublime! Grand! Napoleon le Grand!" Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas.("From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.")
And it occurs to no one that to admit a greatness not commensurable with the standard of right and wrong is merely to admit one's own nothingness and immeasurable meanness.
For us with the standard of good and evil given us by Christ, no human actions are incommensurable. And there is no greatness where simplicity, goodness, and truth are absent.
”
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Leo Tolstoy (War and Peace)
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Rejoice always, 17 wpray without ceasing, 18 xgive thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 yDo not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise zprophecies, 21but atest everything; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil. 23Now may bthe God of peace himself csanctify you completely, and may your dwhole espirit and soul and body be kept blameless at fthe coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
”
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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I therefore, m a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to n walk in a manner worthy of o the calling to which you have been called, 2with all p humility and q gentleness, with r patience, s bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in t the bond of peace. 4There is u one body and v one Spirit—just as you were called to the one w hope that belongs to your call— 5 x one Lord, y one faith, z one baptism, 6 a one God and Father of all, b who is over all and through all and in all.
”
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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q The Lord is at hand; 6 r do not be anxious about anything, s but in everything by prayer and supplication t with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And u the peace of God, v which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9What you have learned and w received and heard and seen x in me—practice these things, and y the God of peace will be with you.
”
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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THESSALONIANS 5 Now concerning w the times and the seasons, brothers, [1] x you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that y the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then z sudden destruction will come upon them a as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you b are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all c children [2] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then d let us not sleep, as others do, but let us e keep awake and f be sober.
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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Grace to you and peace from i him j who is and k who was and who is to come, and from l the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ m the faithful witness, n the firstborn of the dead, and o the ruler of kings on earth. To p him who loves us and q has freed us from our sins by his blood 6and made us r a kingdom, r priests to s his God and Father, to him be t glory and u dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7Behold, v he is coming with the clouds, and w every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail [3] on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 x “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, y “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
”
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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In today's so-called Christianity, many have foolishly and selfishly changed the words of our Lord from, “Thy will be done” to “My will be done”. They constantly seek God's richest blessings for themselves by “claiming” and “declaring” things which, for the most part, are worldly and material in nature. You know, temporal.
True servants of the Most High God, on the other hand, realize the greatest and richest blessing took place at the point of salvation, when the Most High saved us from the very place we all deserve to go – HELL! Nothing can ever top the "miracle" of salvation! Anyone trying to top this “eternal” blessing with “temporal” blessings is merely chasing after the wind. We're called to serve, not be served. Know what I mean? Grace and peace y'all...
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3).
”
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Patrick Higgins
“
Put on h the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against i the schemes of the devil. 12For j we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against k the rulers, against the authorities, against l the cosmic powers over m this present darkness, against n the spiritual forces of evil o in the heavenly places. 13Therefore p take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in q the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, r having fastened on the belt of truth, and s having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, t as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up u the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all v the flaming darts of w the evil one; 17and take s the helmet of salvation, and x the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying y at all times z in the Spirit, a with all prayer and supplication. To that end b keep alert with all perseverance, making c supplication for all the saints, 19and d also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth e boldly to proclaim f the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I g am an ambassador h in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
”
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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Korie’s parents came to the house to see me, and I sat on the couch with Johnny and Chrys. It was not pretty. The argument was so loud that Alan came out of his room. He looked at us and asked, “What in the world is going on?” Johnny was making all of his arguments, and I was acting like a little punk, twisting his words to put them in my favor, which only made him madder and madder.
Johnny told me that according to studies he’d read, 50 percent of all marriages between young people ended in divorce. He had the articles with him to support his arguments.
“So you’re calling that right now?” I asked him. “In all your wisdom, you know we’re going to get divorced?”
“I’m not saying that,” Johnny told me.
“You just said it,” I responded. “You just said half end in divorce. Well, what if we’re the good half?”
Then Johnny went on to say that if we got married, he didn’t want me coming to him for advice. But then later on in the conversation, he told me I could ask him about anything. He was completely irrational, and I, of course, had to point that out to him.
“You just said I couldn’t ask you for advice,” I told him.
He was so mad, I thought he was going to leap off the couch and hit me. Before they left, Johnny looked at me and asked me one last question.
“What’s your plan?” he asked.
“What’s my plan?” I said to him.
“What exactly is your plan?” he said. “Where are you going to work? Where are you going to live?”
“Well, I reckon I’ll just buy a trailer and put it on the back property at Phil’s house,” I told him.
That threw Johnny over the top. He and Chrys stormed out of Alan and Lisa’s house, and I was convinced there was no way they were going to give us their blessing to get married. I called Korie to tell her how the meeting went.
“It went terrible,” I told her. “We were yelling at each other. It was pretty ugly.”
Then Korie had to hang up because her parents were calling her phone. She called me back a few minutes later.
Much to my surprise, her parents told her, “Okay, if you’re determined to do this, we’re going to support you.”
Johnny didn’t say much to me for the next few months, during the planning of the wedding, and I knew Korie’s parents still didn’t like the idea of her getting married so young. I told Phil that Korie’s parents didn’t want us getting married and asked him what I should do.
“Here’s what I’d do,” Phil said, while sitting back in his recliner. “I’d call them up and say, “Y’all missed that. The wedding was last week when we went to the justice of the peace and got married. Y’all missed the whole thing.
”
”
Willie Robertson (The Duck Commander Family)
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6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor,[*] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 6 Pues nos ha nacido un niño, un hijo se nos ha dado; el gobierno descansará sobre sus hombros, y será llamado: Consejero Maravilloso,[*] Dios Poderoso, Padre Eterno, Príncipe de Paz. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
”
”
Anonymous (Biblia bilingüe / Bilingual Bible NTV/NLT (Spanish Edition))
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respect those who labor among you and n are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. o Be at peace among yourselves. 14[✞] And we urge you, brothers, admonish p the idle, 1 q encourage the fainthearted, r help the weak, s be patient with them all. 15[✞] See that t no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always u seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 v Rejoice always, 17 w pray without ceasing, 18 x give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19[✞] y Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise z prophecies, 21 but a test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23[✞] Now may b the God of peace himself c sanctify you completely, and may your d whole e spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at f the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 g He who calls you is faithful; h he will surely do it. 25 i Brothers, pray for us. 26 j Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27[✞] I put you under oath before the Lord to have k this letter read to all the brothers. 28 l The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
”
”
Reformation Trust Publishing (ESV Reformation Study Bible)
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And so in the 1960s organizations like the Black Panther Party were created. (And I should say the Black Panther Party was founded in 1966, which means that there should be a fiftieth anniversary celebration coming up!) I wonder how we are going to address, for example, the Ten-Point Program of the Black Panther Party. I’ll just summarize the Ten-Point Program and you might get an idea why there are not efforts under way to guarantee a large fiftieth anniversary celebration for the Black Panther Party. Number one was “We want freedom.” Two, full employment. Three, an end to the robbery by the capitalists of our Black and oppressed communities—it was anticapitalist! Number four, we want decent housing, fit for the shelter of human beings. Number five, we want decent education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in present-day society. And number six—which is especially significant in relation to the right-wing effort to undo the very small efforts made by the Obama administration to produce health care for poor people in the US—we want completely free health care for all Black and oppressed people. Number seven, we want an immediate end to police brutality and the murder of Black people, other people of color, and all oppressed people inside the United States. Number eight, we want an immediate end to all wars of aggression—you see how current this still sounds. Number nine, we want freedom for all Black and oppressed people now held in US federal, state, county, city, and military prisons and jails. We want trials by a jury of peers for all persons charged with so-called crimes under the laws of this country. And finally, number ten: we want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, peace, and people’s community control of modern technology.
”
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Angela Y. Davis (Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement)
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Love is our nationality, not land. Compassion is our religion, not creed. Conscience is our byword, not constitution. Heil Hitler, God save the king, Vande Mataram, Patria o Muerte - it's all the same - a declaration of tribal glory, with no concern for the rest of humanity. Such archaic attitude suits a bronze-age society, not a civilized one. It's time for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (world is family), not Vande Mataram (hail the motherland) - it's time for Mundo y Vida (world and life), not Patria o Muerte (homeland or death) - it's time for Humans save Humanity, not God save the king.
”
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Abhijit Naskar (Her Insan Ailem: Everyone is Family, Everywhere is Home)
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Two hours later, the drawing room converted, the costumes wrapped, the electric-kerosene lamps flickering in a semicircle at their feet, the performers enacted the thirty-minute ode to love and the Mediterranean, Home by the Sea.
Miss Charming kept a ferocious grip on her script and gave oily air kisses to Colonel Andrews. Amelia was calm and sweet, melting into her dialogue with Captain East as though into his arms. Jane knelt beside Mr. Nobley, the wounded war captain, as he nearly died, and did her best to sound earnest. Old Jane would’ve run away or laughed self-consciously throughout. New Jane decided to feel as enchanting as Miss Charming and performed each line with relish and passion. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t a very good actress. Mr. Nobley’s character miraculously recovered all the same, leading to the part where he stood and took her hands. They were still cold. He paused, as though trying to remember what came next.
He looked. Looked at her. At her and into her. Into her eyes as though he couldn’t bear to look away. And there was a delicious curl in his smile.
“I love you,” he said.
Zing, thought Jane.
It was his line, more or less, though simplified. Stripped of similes and farms and rain and moon and all, it pierced her. She opened her mouth to say her own line but couldn’t remember a single word. And she didn’t want to.
He leaned. She leaned.
Then Aunt Saffronia, who’d been laughing encouragingly during the parts that were supposed to be sad and clapping gleefully whenever a new character came onstage, now cleared her throat as though intensely uncomfortable. Mr. Nobley hesitated, then kissed Jane’s cheek. His lips were warm, his cheek slightly scratchy. She smiled and breathed him in.
At length, the six actors stood side by side, pretending the bright yellow wall of the drawing room opened to a view of the Mediterranean Sea, and said their closing lines.
Jane: Trying to sound actress-y. “At last, we are all truly happy.”
Miss Charming: Pause. Crinkling of paper. Frantic searching for line. “Indeed.”
Amelia: With a shy smile for the tall man beside her. “Our travels are ended.”
Captain East: With a manly smile for his lady. “We can rest peacefully in each other’s arms.”
Colonel Andrews: As always, with panache! “And no matter where we may roam…”
Mr. Nobley: A sigh. “This will always be our home.” His voice unhappy with the line. “By the sea.”
And, silence as the audience waited for who knows what--a better ending line? A better play? Colonel Andrews cleared his throat, and Jane inclined her head in a hurried curtsy.
“Oh,” Aunt Saffronia said and started the applause.
The audience clapped enthusiastically and arhythmically, and the cast bowed, Miss Charming giggling.
Jane squinted past the lamps to get her first good look at the audience, now that the play was over and stage fright couldn’t prickle her. Aunt Saffronia, beaming. Mrs. Wattlesbrook, looking for all the world like a proud schoolmarm. Matilda, bored, and a few other servants, equally bored.
”
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Shannon Hale (Austenland (Austenland, #1))
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Winning and being smart is not all that required, but the fulfillments of the Christian race brings peace ,joy to the mind and soul.
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Jerry Yaw
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Winning, being smart is not all that required, but the fulfillments of the race in Christ Jesus brings peace to the mind and soul.
”
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Jerry Y. Sarkw.
“
Then we’ll make it work,” Devlin said, then he yelled out, “Rodriquez!” The new guard came running over. “Sir!” “Your new assignment is to be Lukester’s shadow. If you notice any suspicious behavior, you will immediately report it to me.” “Y-you want me to babysit?” “Is that a problem?” “Uh, no, sir!” “He’s just gonna follow Lukester around all day?” I asked. Devlin nodded. “It’ll give me peace of mind.”
”
”
Steve the Noob (Diary of Steve the Noob 18 (An Unofficial Minecraft Book) (Diary of Steve the Noob Collection))
“
She eyed him. “What does that mean?” “You know exactly what it means, McKenna. Women who take on the world and never back down. Women whose hearts have so much love, they give even when that love isn’t returned.” He was reminded of what he had in his vest pocket for her—the thank-you gift for his saddle. The gift had since turned into the peace offering for missing dinner that night, and now represented so much more . . . Now that he knew how much she cared for him. Even though she might not be able to voice it, or even want to admit it to herself. But he would forever remember the moment she looked up outside the doc’s office, thinking he was dead, and found him alive. The timing hadn’t felt right to give it to her then, but it did now. He reached into his pocket. “I’m talking about a woman who faces life with a courage and a persistence that astounds me. Who has endured so much difficulty in her life and yet keeps pushing on with stubborn grace, step-after-step, day-after-day.” He softened his voice. “A woman who, at first, didn’t trust me.” He touched the side of her face. “But a woman who might just be beginning to trust.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “And who makes this man want to spend the rest of his life proving to her that she can.” He held out the box. “Not to mention a woman who makes the best saddles in all the western territory.” Her eyes widened. “You know?” Oh how he wanted to kiss her. And if he was reading her right, she was more than open to the idea. “What did I tell you about looking at a man that way when he couldn’t do anything about it?” She grinned, and he pulled her to him and kissed her. He’d meant for their first kiss to be more tender, slow and gentle, but the way her arms came around him, pulling him closer, the way she responded, deepening the kiss, drove the desire inside him. Their bodies touching, he memorized the curves of her waist, the small of her back, how she felt pressed up against him. The warmth of her hand as she cradled the back of his neck encouraged him further— Remembering where they were, Wyatt drew back. “McKenna!” he whispered. Her eyes were still closed, her lips parted. She was wearing a purple dress today, one he hadn’t seen before. But he liked it, very much. Especially on her. It buttoned up the front, and the lacey curve of the bodice revealed her neckline. The dress wasn’t at all improper, but the thoughts he was having about her right now bordered on being just that. She blinked. “Y-yes?” He smiled and ran a finger over her mouth, and put more distance between them. “You need to open your gift.” She gave him an intimate look. “I thought I already had.” Oh this woman . . . It was a good thing they were in church. She opened the box in her hand, and giggled. He didn’t mind in the least. He’d had about the same reaction when he’d first seen it. The woman in the store in Denver had called it a charm bracelet. But it was the tiny saddle hanging off it—among other miniature trinkets—that had gained his attention. She held up the bracelet and fingered each tiny charm. “I love it! Thank you, Wyatt.
”
”
Tamera Alexander (The Inheritance)
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Whilst in Pleasant Valley we organised the district into a county, and it was called Frontier County, the name by which it is still known. We had a surveyor, who was suddenly appointed justice of the peace, and as he could not hold two offices I slipped into his position, and surveyed the whole of the county. I was allowed a deputy, whom I made do all the detail work.
”
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John Nelson (Fifty Years On The Trail: The True Story of John Y. Nelson, Frontiersman, Scout, and Guide)
“
The future of the world no longer disturbs me; I do not try still to calculate, with anguish, how long or how short a time the Roman peace will endure; I leave that to the gods. Not that I have acquired more confidence in their justice, which is not our justice, or more faith in human wisdom; the contrary is true. Life is atrocious, we know. But precisely because I expect little of the human condition, man’s periods of felicity, his partial progress, his efforts to begin over again and to continue, all seem to me like so many prodigies which nearly compensate for the monstrous mass of ills and defeats, of indifference and error. Catastrophe and ruin will come; disorder will triumph, but order will too, from time to time. Peace will again establish itself between two periods of war; the words humanity, liberty, and justice will here and there regain the meaning which we have tried to give them. Not all our books will perish, nor our statues, if broken, lie unrepaired; other domes and other pediments will arise from our domes and pediments; some few men will think and work and feel as we have done, and I venture to count upon such continuators, placed irregularly throughout the centuries, and upon this kind of intermittent immortality.
If ever the barbarians gain possession of the world they will be forced to adopt some of our methods; they will end by resembling us. Chabrias fears that the pastophor of Mithra or the bishop of Christ may implant himself one day in Rome, replacing the high pontiff. If by ill fate that day should come, my successor officiating in the vatical fields along the Tiber will already have ceased to be merely the chief of a gang, or of a band of sectarians, and will have become in his turn one of the universal figures of authority. He will inherit our palaces and our archives, and will differ from rulers like us less than one might suppose. I accept with calm these vicissitudes of Rome eternal.
”
”
Margeurite Yourcenar (Las Caridades de Alcipo y otros Poemas (Coleccion Visor de Poesia, 148))
“
And lastly, the final departure of the great Emperor from his heroic army is presented to us by the historians as something great and characteristic of genius. Even that final running away, described in ordinary language as the lowest depth of baseness which every child is taught to be ashamed of- even that act finds justification in the historians' language.
When it is impossible to stretch the very elastic threads of historical ratiocination any farther, when actions are clearly contrary to all that humanity calls right or even just, the historians produce a saving conception of "greatness." "Greatness," it seems, excludes the standards of right and wrong. For the "great" man nothing is wrong, there is no atrocity for which a "great" man can be blamed.
"C'est grand!"* say the historians, and there no longer exists either good or evil but only "grand" and "not grand." Grand is good, not grand is bad. Grand is the characteristic, in their conception, of some special animals called "heroes." And Napoleon, escaping home in a warm fur coat and leaving to perish those who were not merely his comrades but were (in his opinion) men he had brought there, feels que c'est grand, and his soul is tranquil.
"Du sublime (he saw something sublime in himself) au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas," said he. And the whole world for fifty years has been repeating: "Sublime! Grand! Napoleon le Grand!" Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas.
And it occurs to no one that to admit a greatness not commensurable with the standard of right and wrong is merely to admit one's own nothingness and immeasurable meanness.
For us with the standard of good and evil given us by Christ, no human actions are incommensurable. And there is no greatness where simplicity, goodness, and truth are absent.
”
”
Leo Tolstoy (War and Peace)
“
My South is a place of inclusion and of kindness. Some might say that’s a naïve view based on history and on modern headlines. But, as I did with those magical woods of my childhood, I believe in this South – this hopeful South – one whose motto should be 'Peace, Love & Biscuits.
”
”
Kelly Kazek (It's a Southern Thing: Life's Different Here, Y'all)
“
To seem the stranger lies my lot, my life
Among strangers. Father and mother dear,
Brothers and sisters are in Christ not near
And he my peace, my parting and my strife.
England, whose honour O all my heart woos, wife
To my creating thought, would neither hear
Me, were I pleading, plead nor do I: I wear
y of idle a being but by where wars are rife.
I am in Ireland now; now I am at a thírd
Remove. Not but in all removes I can
Kind love both give and get. Only what word
Wisest my heart breeds dark heaven’s baffling ban
Bars or hell’s spell thwarts. This to hoard unheard,
Hear unheeded, leaves me a lonely began.
”
”
Gerard Manley Hopkins (Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems and Prose (Penguin Poets, D15))
“
Everyone gave you their pain, trauma and
darkness. You take their troubles away from them. You were playing the game that you don't want to play. Everyone gave you their pain, trauma and darkness. You take their troubles away from them. You were playing the game that you don't want to play. Everyone is aware of your deeds now including you and all that you do. You want your life back and you don't want strongest or everyone in it. Life and death are y of the life. Without life there would be no death apartnd without death there would be no life. Life can be the short journey, but you should live your life to its fullest. Life can be the long journey, but happiness doesn't have to bother you. You can't live your life without love, peace and harmony."
- Shwin J Brad
”
”
Kenty Rosse (Mindfulness and stress relief)
“
Do y’all think I’m pretty?” Pearlie hollered. “Of course not. But you nice, and that counts for somethin’.” Gracie agreed. “Everybody ain’t gotta be pretty, Emma Jean.” “But I wanna be pretty.” They couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Momma’s dark like me, and she’s pretty, ain’t she?” Their silence surprised her. “You not ugly,” Gracie said. “And, like I said, you’re real smart and sometimes that’s worth more.” “But I wanna be pretty, too.” “Your looks come from your daddy,” Pearlie explained, “and your daddy’s people are real black jes’ like you. He jes’ happens to be yella.” “But cain’t chu be dark and pretty?” The sisters frowned and said in unison, “No.
”
”
Daniel Black (Perfect Peace)
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No,” said Mr. Klutz firmly. “Regular farts do not qualify as a talent.” “That’s not fair!” somebody shouted. “Yeah, if armpit farts are a talent, then real farts should be a talent, too,” said Neil the nude kid. “That’s discrimination against certain kinds of farts!” said Alexia. “And we were taught that discrimination is wrong.” “Yeah!” Everybody started talking about farting and discrimination until Mr. Klutz made the shut-up peace sign again. “Are there any questions that don’t concern farting?” he asked. Emily raised her hand. “What if somebody doesn’t have a talent?” she asked. “Does that mean they can’t be in the talent show?” Mrs. Lane came down off the stage and went over to Emily. “Everybody has talent, sweetie,” she said. “I’m sure y’all can do something that most other people can’t do. For instance, maybe y’all can play the spoons.” Mrs. Lane pulled two spoons out of her pocket and started hitting them against her legs in rhythm. It was cool. “I can’t do that,” said Emily. “Well, maybe y’all can yodel,” said Mrs. Lane. Mrs. Lane started yodeling. It was cool. “I can’t do that either,” said Emily. “Or maybe y’all can turn your eyelids inside out,” Mrs. Lane said. And then she turned her eyelids inside
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Dan Gutman (Mrs. Lane Is a Pain! (My Weirder School, #12))
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dlaurent
The Ballad of Johnny Jihad (Down Desert Storm Way). ©
c. 2001
During the Gulf War (1990-1991), American Pro-Taliban Jihadist John Philip Walker Lindh was captured while serving with the enemy forces. Here is his tale in song and legend. My nowex at the time did not want me to run to the radio station with this, thought I’d look singularly ridiculii.
The following, 'The Ballad of Johnny Jihad' is sung to the tune of 'The Ballad of Jed Clampett' (1962), commonly known as 'The Beverly Hillbillies' song, the theme tune for the TV show series starring Buddy Ebsen. (Lyrics, Paul Henning, vocals Jerry Scoggins, Lester Flatt; master musicians of the art of the ballad and bluegrass ways, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs).
The Ballad of Johnny Jihad
(Sung) Come and listen to the story of Johnny Jihad,
Who left home and country to study his Islam,
And then one day he was shooting at our troops,
So down through the camp did the government swoop.
(Voice Over): ‘Al Que-da that is, Af-ghani Tali-ban, Terror-ist . . .’
(Sung) Well, the first thing you know ol’ John from ’Frisco roamed,
The lawman said ‘he’s a lad misunderstood very far from home.’
Said, ‘Californee is the place he oughta be,’
So they request his trial be moved to Berkeley . . .
(Voice Over): ‘Liberals that is, group-ies, peace-activists . . .’
Announcer: The Johnny Jihad Show! (Intense bluegrass banjo pickin’ music) . . .
(Sung) Now its time to say goodbye to John and all his kin,
Hope ya don’t think of him as a fightin’ Taliban,
You’re all invited back again to this insanity,
To get yourself a heapin’ helpin’ of this travesty . . .
Johnny Jihad, that’s what they call ’im now
Nice guy; don’t get fooled now, y’hear?
(Voice Over): ‘Lawyerin’ that is, O.J.ism, media-circus . . .’ (Music) . . .
end
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Douglas M. Laurent
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A few things are about to change in this dynamic. Healing from the loss of your relationship is first up on the list. After that, I’m coming for my family. You and Santana are mine. Santana’s sperm donor doesn’t want anything to do with him. That’s perfect ’cause I got him for life. We’ll figure out how to get this man out of y’all’s lives for good, and when he is, it’s up!” Cole kissed my temple and sauntered off.
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Erika B. (My Heart, His Peace)
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Nor do we want your opinions.” Houston cosigned, causing my eyes to travel to him in disbelief. “We are here to celebrate the holidays, eat some good food, and fuck our girl on this here mountain in peace. We expect y’all to act accordingly.
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A. Blossom (Naughty and Leaked (Naughty November 24 Book 13))