Outlining and a Book Review

Outlining a biography provides practice of this important pre-writing, comprehension and study skill. Marilyn Alexander wrote of her husband, Jeffrey Alexander’s Fifty Years of Ministry with the purpose of informing his family, friends and others of how God has used this man for fifty years.

When teaching students to outline include an introduction to MS Word or other word processor’s outlining feature. For beginners using the chapter titles and other headings provide a great introduction. Later, you should require more detailed information. Also, at some point a student should experience using parallel structure in the outline. Marilyn Alexander provided examples of parallel structure in her headings as the same parts of speech appear in a pattern. Repeating words and phrases work in outlines.

The Fifty Years’ Ministry of an Ordinary but Remarkable Man:

Called, Chosen, Faithful

By Marilyn Alexander

I. Part One – Called

A. Chapter One – Called to Salvation Through “Call-ege” # 1 1943-1962

1. Born on October 25, 1943 in Denver, Colorado to Alex and Verdonna Alexander.

2. Called to Salvation – at age 6 in an American Sunday School Union Sunday School held at an elementary school in what is now Lakewood, Colorado.

3. Called to Conviction – His father showed conviction when comparing the teaching of God’s word with what he heard at a denominational church. His father led the family to South Sheridan Baptist Church (SSBC). Under the ministry of Ed Nelson, God called Jeff to preach.

4. Called to “Call-ege” #1 – Ed Nelson encouraged Jeff to attend Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. God provided the finances for the first semester through his work at a supermarket and a warehouse man for the summer. Further, God supplied for the second semester with a gift from a family that had saved a sum of money and had given it to the Lord.

5. Called to Serve Servicemen – Jeff took every opportunity for ministry during his college days and beyond. On one occasion he went to the Christian Servicemen’s Center in Augusta, Georgia. Here he preached his second sermon and God protected them from a probable fatal collision with a train on their way back to campus.

6. Called to Preach – Jeff received his first license to preach on June 1, 1962 for a three month summer ministry with Gospel Fellowship Mission.

B. Chapter Two – Called to “Call-ege” # 2 – 1962-1963

1. Encouraged to study at Baptist Bible College -Summer Ministry did not provide finances for another year at BJU. New leadership added to Jeff’s interest in BBC – New president – Jack Hyles and new vice president – Ed Nelson. This leadership lasted only one year.

2. Called to the Candy Kitchen – Jeff worked at night at Russel Stover Candies and attended classes at Baptist Bible College during the day. He lived at home.

3. Called to Artistry – Jeff began to use his artistic abilities at area churches doing chalk art and preaching.

4. Called to Sugar City – SSBC licensed Jeff for a summer ministry.

C. Chapter Three – Called to Sugar City – 1963

1. Called to a small town in southeastern Colorado – Jeff attended services in Crowley and preached in Sugar City on Sunday afternoons. People came from Crowley and Ordway.

2. Called to trust God for provisions – a place to stay, a refrigerator, food, help with the vehicle.

D. Chapter Four – Called to “Call-ege” # 3

1. Called to Pillsbury Baptist Bible College (PBBC) in Minnesota – encouraged to go by Ed Nelson and Dr. Monroe Parker (from PBBC) – small school, plenty of opportunities to serve the Lord.

2. Called and Using His Car – Jeff sold his old car to pay for college expenses. His dad gave him the family car. Soon God was using that car to get Jeff and others to ministry assignments.

3. Called to More Preaching – Chicago and other cities in Illinois, other area churches.

4. Called to Do More Art Work – In his preaching opportunities as well as for school drama productions.

5. Called to Use Other Talents – parts in plays and humorous monologues.

6. Called to Date His Wife-to-Be – Marilyn and Jeff, merely aware of each other during their junior year, began to date during their senior year. Jeff’s credit count fell short so he had to take summer school and wait a year to graduate. After summer school, Jeff returned to Colorado, their future uncertain.

E. Chapter Five – Called to Pastor At Galeton, Colorado – 1965-1968

1. Galeton, Colorado, located 14 miles northeast of Greeley with barely a population of 100. This calling marks the beginning of Jeff’s 50 years of ministry.

2. Pastor Ed Nelson invited Jeff to his office where two deacons from Galeton Baptist Church waited. They wanted him to preach until they had a pastor. After a couple of months, they wanted him to be the pastor even though he intended to go to seminary eventually.

3. Called to Ordination – March 17, 1966

4. Called to Reunite – Graduation at PBBC

a. Marilyn, teaching music at PBBC, received advice – write to tell him that she looked forward to seeing him at graduation.

b. Jeff arrived in a brand new red mustang – that did it for Marilyn.

c. Marilyn visited Colorado and Jeff’s family in July, 1966.

d. While driving back to Denver having done some sightseeing Jeff said, “I want to marry you.”

She asked, “Are you asking me?

After a moment, evaluating whether this was the time and place, he said, “Yes, will you marry me?”

Marilyn said, “Yes!”

On the way back they planned the wedding.

e. His salary of $50.00 per week would not provide for a wife. He continued preaching on Sundays and Wednesdays, moved back to Denver to live with his grandmother and worked at a shoe store.

5. Called to Small Town – well treated by all, especially by servers at a café until he went with Marilyn. No more special treatment.

6. Called to Marry – June 10, 1967 – Plymouth Baptist Church, Plymouth, Minnesota.

7. Called to a Busy First Month of Marriage – after a short trip home / honeymoon, they had to get back so that Jeff could officiate at a wedding- 8 days after their own. Jeff’s parents celebrated 25 years of marriage 13 days after they Jeff and Marilyn were married.

8. Called to Enjoy Ministry -Music and Fellowship and Punctuality lessons.

9. Called to More Education -Marilyn taught piano and organ lessons at PBBC in Denver. Jeff took a class at BBC during that time.

10. Called to Even More Education – Symptoms of pregnancy in 1968 prompted the Alexanders to move to Minnesota for seminary before children started coming. Jeff sold his mustang and purchased a car that could haul a U Haul.

F. Called to Central Seminary and White Bear Lake, Minnesota – 1968-1976

1. Called to Secular Work – to provide for family – shoe salesman and fabric warehouse driver.

2. Called to White Bear Lake, Minnesota – Pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church

3. Called to Lead Others – Many people associated with Central Seminary and PBBC ministered in the church.

4. Called to Support Missions – Jeff and Marilyn participated in monthly meetings of Twin City Association of the Minnesota Baptist Convention and Jeff held positions. During this time he learned of “Faith Promise” and it ignited a desire to support missions that never died.

5. Called to Good Training – At Central Seminary, Jeff learned of expository preaching and going first to the Word and then later to commentaries.

6. Called to Be Tested Sometimes -God provided the Alexander’s needs, often “in the nick of time.”

7. Called to Grow – Church grew so they had to vacate the attached “parsonage.”

8. Called into Association with Others – Minnesota Baptist Association

9. Called Elsewhere- Bible Baptist Church, Terre Haute, IN

G. Called to Terre Haute, Indiana – 1976-1978

1. Called to Assist – Jeff wanted more experience learning from a more experienced Pastor. His job included Sunday School promotions and fundraising.

2. Called to Some Productive Fun – Fossil collecting -family fun and future rewards for Sunday School children.

3. Called to Loyalty – Pastoral staff resigned; Jeff was asked to consider to stay, but did not out of loyalty to the godly pastor.

H. Called to Evangelism and Lay Ministry – 1979-1990

1. Called to evangelism – January, 1990

2. Called to Trust God -When salary from Bible Baptist Church ceased, the Alexanders trusted God to provide through offerings. Marilyn wrote in a journal regarding those occasions when God supplied.

3. Called to Live in a “Hallway -“the 32 foot trailer that God provided for the growing family.

4. Called to Laugh with God at “What we don’t need is another kid.”

5. Called to Help -Helped Jeff’s mom after the death of her second husband and worked in the family construction company for several weeks.

6. Called to Remember the Good and Hard Times – Parking in a Pastor’s driveway between meetings caused some neighbor problems.

7. Called to Close Living – Children were growing up and needed some roots.

8. Called to Spacious Living – Jeff’s brothers were building a house for them in Lakewood, Colorado.

9. Called to Transition – Problems with the truck that hauled the trailer.

10. Called to Lay Ministry – Jeff and Marilyn led the senior citizens’ ministry at SSBC. Jeff became involved in the Colorado Association of Christian Schools.

II. Part Two / Chapter Nine- Chosen – 1979-1986

A. Turning Point – Jeff came to a turning point in his understanding of God’s Word.

B. Turning Point Topic covered in Jeff’s book: Predestined for Heaven? Yes!

C. Chosen as in Calvinism –

1. Total Depravity

2. Unconditional Election

3. Limited Atonement

4. Irresistible Grace

5. Perseverance of the Saints

D. Chosen in Spite of Self – “We love Him, because He first loved us.” I John 4:19

E. Chosen to Understand Through John 3:16 “God loved the world in this way (so)… “

F. Chosen, Like Puritans – Arthur Pink, John Owen, Joseph Carroll

G. Chosen to Bless Others with Understanding – First, Marilyn, then daughter Karen and many more.

H. Chosen to Restraint -Teaching Sunday School at his church – though anxious to tell others (as are most new Calvinists), he didn’t want to cause trouble.

I. Chosen Amid General Misunderstanding – Most modern Baptists are unaware of their theological heritage.

J. Chosen to Give Out the Gospel – Since we do not know who God has chosen, we must declare the Gospel to all, trusting God with the rest.

K. Chosen to Give Forth the Gospel -Jeff wrote a gospel track following this outline:

1. God created us for His glory. Isaiah 43: 6,7

2. We are required to live for His glory. I Corinthians 10:31

3. We have failed to live for His glory. Romans 3:23

4. We are subjects of God’s just condemnation. II Thessalonians 1:9

5. God gave His only Son to provide salvation from this condemnation. I Timothy 1:15, 1 Peter 3:18

6. The benefits purchased by the death of Jesus Christ belong to only to those who repent of their sin and trust Christ for their salvation. Acts 3:19

III. Part Three – Faithful -It is God who is faithful.

A. Faithful in Lamar, Colorado: The First Few Years- 1990-1994

1. Faithful in Candidating – did not hide position, but that information did not get to all individuals on committee.

2. Faithful through the “Honeymoon.”

3. Faithful When Criticized

4. Faithful Though Maligned

5. Why did all the people leave?

6. Faithful by God’s Grace

7. Faithful with Humor

B. Faithful in Preaching and Writing – 1994-1999

1. Faithful: Preaching Style and Character

2. Faithful When Criticized and When Encouraged

3. Faithful in Studying Out Issues

4. Faithful in a New Position – Principal and Teacher at Lamar Christian School

5. Faithful Although Disfellowshipped -Eschatology

6. Faithful With the Faithful

C. Faithful as Attendance Declined – 2000-2003

1. Faithful in Debate with a National Figure – Robert L. Sumner – The Biblical Evangelist

2. Faithful in the Face of Criticism

3. Faithful in Subsidiary Ministries – cooking, men’s community Bible study

4. Faithful to His Philosophy of Ministry.

D. Faithful in New Pursuits – 2004-2009

1. Faithful with Additions to the Family – through foster care.

2. Faithful Despite Decline -moving to smaller building to save expenses.

3. Faithful in Working at a Church Plant – Garden City, Kansas.

4. Faithful in Missions – missionaries connected with Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals

E. Faithful to the Fifty Year Mark – 2010-2015

1. Faithful to the Garden City Church – had to discontinue, hopeful for future work.

2. Faithful in More Personal Wrestling – “I think sometimes God brings to the brink in order to show us ourselves and our need for Him. Being discouraged motivated my study of the Word.” P. 175

3. Faithful When God Encouraged

4. Faithful With the Faithful in Lamar

5. God Is Faithful!

This book provides great encouragement for every called and chosen one (i.e. Christian) to be faithful during times of encouragement and discouragement. God is faithful!

Basically I am a novelist. I have written one terrorist thriller entitled “Nine Lives Too Many” and a suspenseful, modern ghost story called “The Daemon in Our Dreams.” I have a new novel forthcoming which deals with rice queens. Most of my fictional activities are chronicled on my website http://www.senneffhouse.com . Every once in a while I like to go back to where I started as a writer in the field of travel writing. My roots. I particularly like travel writing with bits of humor interspersed. Here’s a sample:

If you’ve ever been on a cruise ship, perhaps you’ve met my friends. After a while, you just become one big, dysfunctional family.

Cruising Chester: “I’ve been on every major cruise line and cruise ship in the past 15 years, and believe me they’re not alike. There is less vibration on the Costa Romantica than the Carnival Spirit. The Crystal Harmony has great deck chairs, but they are not as comfortable as the ones on the QM2.”

Pilot Boat Phil: “I take pictures of the pilots and pilot boats in every port. I have a collection of over 200 different pilots. And I rate them. When the seas are rough, and they make a smooth transfer, they get a 10. If the ship stops to pick them up, they don’t get a good rating. The best one ever was in the English Channel. The pilot brought a sheepdog aboard with him. Boy, the way that dog jumped from the pilot boat to the ship was incredible.”

Lecturing Larry: “Excuse me. Did I hear you say you’ve never been to Monaco? The population is 31,719; the area is three-quarters of a square mile; the national budget is …”

Betty the Barracuda: “My sign is Gemini, and your sign is Taurus. You know what that means. I love the way that gold chain of yours nestles so nicely in the black hair on your chest. If you hadn’t told me you were on Medicare, I’d never have thought it. I was thinking mid-40s.”

Grandma and Grandpa Klutz: “And this is a picture of our grandson climbing up the drapes. Isn’t he cute? And this is our granddaughter Debbie pulling Pluto’s tail at Disney World. Isn’t she adorable? And this is Betty’s kid …”

Travel Agent Teddy: “What did you pay? Oh, too bad. I could have gotten your cabin for $300, including port charges, airfare and transfers. I always get three category upgrades for my clients. Next time call me. My number is 800-SAVALOT. I always send a bottle of Norwegian champagne to a client’s room.”

Boring Brad: “Uh, I was in this place in 1964, and they had, uh, a good beer in a place at some beach, and, uh, I think I went swimming here. Maybe not …”

Booze Cruise Betty: “What’s the next port? Do they have a Jolly Roger booze cruise? Did you have those scrumptious Manhattans at the captain’s reception? Is it 9 a.m. yet? I’ll have a margarita, light on the salt. Louie, the bartender on the pool deck, makes great Bloody Marys.”

Fred and Ginger: “We’ve been on hundreds of cruises. They call us the king and queen of ballroom dancing. We dance before dinner, after dinner, at tea dance, at the captain’s reception, in the ship’s atrium. You name it. We can do every dance from the samba to the tango, jitterbug, whatever. Fred’s a podiatrist, and I work for Saks Fifth Avenue in the shoe department. We’re ballroom dancers extraordinaire.”

Claude, the Wanna-Be Captain: “The ship lists three degrees to starboard. The stabilizers need readjustment. Last night the captain got two degrees off course, and we lost 20 minutes in our trip plan.”

Ralph, the Restaurant Critic: “The food on Celebrity is slightly more ostentatious than the food on Costa. The dinner rolls on Princess have more body than those on Carnival. Royal Caribbean’s corned beef hash for breakfast is coarser than the hash on Norwegian Cruise Line.”

Seasick Sam: “I’m wearing nine patches. They said to wear one on your navel, so I am. Last night I thought I was going to die. I haven’t even seen the dining room, and we disembark tomorrow.”

Camcorder Calvin: “Would you let me in next to the rail? I just want to shoot an hour of footage of that glacier. Do you mind holding my lens cap? Please keep your voice down while I’m doing my narration.”

Dine-Around Julia and Jesse: “In the morning we have fruit and muffins in the Lido, waffles in the dining room, bouillon on deck at 11, lunch in the Lido, tea and cakes at four, hot hors d’oeuvres in the bar for cocktails, first-seating dinner in the dining room, pizza at 10 in the pizzeria, salads and desserts at the midnight buffet, and before we go to bed, we order BLTs from room service. Neither one of us has ever had angioplasty.”

The Light-Tipping Lewises: “We don’t believe in all this tipping nonsense. We haven’t seen our room steward on this whole trip. We’re putting $3 in an envelope for him. Hey, why tip a ghost? The waiter was snippy and slow with our appetizers. He doesn’t deserve more than four or five bucks. We heard that the busboys are very well paid, so we’re skipping him. Tipping is getting way out of hand on these ships. I can remember when a good waitress appreciated a quarter.”

Bingo Bertha: “I always go to progressive bingo. I get seven cards for each game, and I can poke out those little holes faster than they can call out the numbers. If they don’t have bingo in heaven, I ain’t going. They better have a stack of bingo cards waiting at the pearly gates. My charm bracelet is made up of bingo items, and my bed sheets are embroidered with bingo numbers.”

Lifeboat Drill Lenny: “Hey, you’ve got those straps on wrong. Hey, you’re missing a whistle. Hey, your light isn’t working. Hey, Mister, that strap is supposed to come up through your crotch. Hey, ma’am, please don’t drag your straps through the halls.”

Preparedness Patsy: “On a seven-day cruise, I pack my bags for disembarkation on the fourth day, and I have my luggage in the hall on the fifth night. I’m always the first one off the ship.”

Dolly, the Queen of Disasters: “I’ve read every book and seen every movie about the Titanic, the Lusitania, and the Andrea Doria. My room steward told me we’re taking on water. The bartender said there was a secret meeting, and the captain told the crew to get the lifeboats ready. They’re all going to sneak off early in the morning and leave us to die.”

Me: I never get seasick; I’m not pedantic, not a cruise maven, not a glutton. But you know what? I do think that the fruit selection they give you in the cabin is better on Royal Caribbean than Princess, and the ship’s newspaper on Celebrity is more literate than the one on Carnival.

In the book of Revelation, John, the Evangelist, teaches by means of vivid visions and dreams the apocalyptic prophecy that expresses what the final days would be. There are two books in the Bible that represent the revelatory literature: Daniel, in the Old Testament, and Revelation, in the New Testament. Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse (from the Greek word for ‘unveiling’ or ‘revelation’), has a reputation of being a mysterious book. John was deported to the island of Patmos for the sake of faith. So, living there in exile he wrote the Lord’s message. The images and style of John follow partly the popular form of literature at the time of Jesus. In the first part of his book, John interprets contemporary events and in the second part he tells God’s plan of salvation.

We all know that John’s language is poetic: symbolic images and other literary devices shape John’s style.He felt the need to use a kind of enigmatic language (symbols) in order to escape further prosecution of the Roman Empire. Surely this explains only part of the style of the book of Revelation. Now let’s remember that John had also to face the difficulty of expressing in human language images of things never before seen by the human eye.

The inaugural vision in Revelation (Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, NRSV, 1989) is a good example. The scene shows the Lord’s presence in all his glory. John confesses that “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1, 17). How did the Evangelist describe our Lord?

John uses a figure of speech called simile to describe his vision. A simile is an indirect comparison of two unlike things using like or as to make the comparison explicit. Remember that a metaphor is a direct comparison. In brief, John uses figurative language. Let’s consider then the verses of the inaugural vision cited above.

John (Revelation 1, 14-16) describes the Lord’s head and his hair; his eyes; his feet; his voice; and his face. For example: “His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire”. The similes used can be grouped in two sets. The first set has words that represent characteristics of the sun (e.g. brilliance, white, fire, burnished bronze, sun shining), while the second has words that represent the sea (e.g. wool, waters). These are two effective Christian symbols: the sun stands for Jesus, while the sea stands for divinity. We see that John’s similes refer to symbols that, then, refer to values. This is a fascinating way of explaining things. John could describe that superb vision with vivid similes.

Throughout the 20th century, notions such as identity, self and the other have been consequently constructed and deconstructed and have received new areas of interest. The notion of hybrid identity, for example, has been transformed from a technique of distinguishing pure from infected blood (from a racial point of view, but not only), to one of the key elements of political correctness: nations have become overrated, while cultural and regional identities have gained ground.

In this essay, I propose a closer view into the cross-identities structures of an Apartheid South-Africa ruptured by race, religion, political and cultural views, and so on. J. M Coetzee is indeed the typical result of this hybridization: he is an atheist Dutch, living in Africa, going to a Catholic school alongside with the Coloured, Americans and Russians, not to say that he’s a man amongst women. He is the result of the clash of histories: Dutch, Anglo-Saxon, Eastern European, African heritage have joined into one cultural identity artifact.

As previously stated, identity plays a lead role in the demonstration. It can be viewed as a way of gaining awareness of oneself and the other, but, throughout history it has been used as a means of subjugation in the name of imperialism. Usually the self (the conqueror, the Empire) is the point of origin, the genesis of civilization, while the other is the exotic, the savage, that is interesting until it becomes dangerous for the ways of the Power.

Postmodernism has brought a changing of roles, moving the viewpoint from the centre to the margins, from the Empire, to its victims.

Power, as seen by Foucault is a path to dominating the weak. According to the French philosopher, it “has no structural relation to a social totally neither does it presuppose an institution as the origin of its activities”, and “following Foucault’s archaeological analysis, is also non-subjective” (Williams, 177), as it doesn’t belong to one subject or another. The self is now seen as a subject, as a representation of the subject-ed, as the controlled (left) or constituted (middle) in a relation of Power, that is, Power discourses of any kind constitute the subject (Butler, 50-1).

Boyhood… is the starting point of an autobiographical series of novels. It represents the struggle of a child who cannot find his own identity, but is gradually built into a confusing whirlpool of different, simultaneous versions of the same Coetzee. Each version is catalyzed by a different encounter with the other, that is, the self is seen in the mirror of the other. He cannot exist without the other, he is the Frankenstein of imperialism. There is no egocentric “I”, there is no mirror in which he can say “I am this” or “I am that”. The mirror has become an ocean of percents and trends.

Coetzee feels the need to keep certain appearances to prevent his family from noticing the infection with outer elements:

He shares nothing with his mother. His life at school is kept a tight secret from her. She shall know nothing he resolves, but what appears on his quarterly report, which shall be impeccable. […] As long as the report is faultless, she will have no right to ask questions. (5) The great secret of his school life, the secret he tells no one at home, is that he has become a Roman Catholic, that for all practical purposes he ‘is’ a Roman Catholic. (18)

But this other is not only viewed through the perspective of the child. It has a very strong geographical and cultural valence, with an either/or relation between the elements that make up the society, in this case, South Africa. These schizoid relationships between groups cannot be omitted when dealing with post-colonial literature.

He not only keeps his school/social life well hidden from the eyes of his parents, but also his allegiances: he has hidden a number of drawings where he would show Russia’s naval victories, for “liking the Russians was not part of the game, it was not allowed”. Mixing was not allowed either. The society is constructed so as each member plays one particular role, and the Power made sure they were kept through such means as propaganda:

There are white people and Coloured people and Natives, of whom the Natives are the lowest and most derided. The parallel is inescapable: the Natives are the third brother.

[…] Although, in examinations, he gives the correct answers to all the history questions, he does not know, in a way that satisfies his heart why Jan van Riebeeck and Simon van der Stel were so good while Lord Charles Somerset was so bad. […] Andries Pretorius and Gerrit Maritz and the others sound like the teachers in the high schools or like Afrikaners on the radio: angry and obdurate and full of menaces and talk about God. (65-66)

Coetzee is an Afrikaner (Dutch), as well as the majority of the South-African population. There is a small English minority, “aside from himself and his brother, who are English only in a way” (67). He sees himself as English, even though appearances would say otherwise. Afrikaners are seen as dangerous:

They wield their language like a club against their enemies. On the streets it is best to avoid groups of them; even singly the have a truculent, menacing air. […] It is unthinkable that he should ever be cast among them: they would crush him, kill the spirit in him. (124-5)

Apart from the racial and national segregation, as any traditional society, South-African women also have a well diminished status in the society. Coetzee’s mother is not allowed to own a horse and to replace it, she buys a bike ignoring her husband’s categorical reproaches that women should not ride bicycles. Nor can she claim her possessions when her husband goes bankrupt. She is the typical image of a woman’s social sacrifice, as she “spent a year at university before she had to make way for her youngest brothers”. (124). Coetzee is caught between his parents during fights, but, even though he supports his mother, he cannot be but a (future) man.

There is also a very strong sense of repressing sexuality: even though his parents are rather open about the subject (his mother actually owned a book about that), the school officials totally reject even to mention it. When he takes the book to school, it instantly becomes a study material for all the boys, but when discovered by the authority, he is silently, but nonetheless violently reprimanded:

[…] his heart pounds as he waits for the announcement and the shame that will follow. The announcement does not come; but in every passing remark of Brother Gabriel’s he finds a veiled reference of the evil that he, a non-Catholic, has imported into the school. (147)

Edward Said, in one of his most famous works, Culture and Imperialism, states that the largest part of Earth’s population has been affected in some way or another by empires of the past (4). He adds that “Imperialism did not end, did not suddenly become ‘past’, once decolonization had set in motion the dismantling of the classical empires” (341). Consequently, we deal with a highly complicated equation of History and Power:

If at the outset we acknowledge the massively knotted and complex histories of special but nevertheless overlapping and interconnected experiences – of women, of Westerners, of Blacks, of national states and cultures – there is no particular intellectual reason for granting each and all of them an ideal and essentially separate status. Yet we would wish to preserve what is unique about each so long as we also preserve some sense of the human community and the actual contests that contribute to its formation, and of which they are all a part. (16)

Therefore, Coetzee is an eclectic result of a hybrid community, with an identity of his own, not pertaining to any individual groups, but a part of them all. Homi Bhabha defines this rhetoric of hybridity as “the location of culture”: hybridity is a limited paradigm of colonial anxiety. Therefore, colonial hybridity is a “cultural form”, which “produced ambivalence in the colonial masters and as such altered the authority of power”. Also, Bakthin’s polyphony is a very popular item in folklore and anthropological studies. (Wikipedia, Hybridity).

Coetzee manages to create a distance between himself as a character and an objective viewer by referring to himself using the 3rd person, but, at the same time, he cannot escape from himself. What he is may be impossible to define through introspection, but when adding the other(s) in the equation, the result is prone to appear: J.M. Coetzee.

Works Cited

Coetzee, J. M. Boyhood, Scenes From A Provincial Life. Lodon: Vintage, 1998

Rohmann Chris. The Dictionary of Important Ideas and Thinkers. London: Arrow Books, 2002

Said, Edward W. Culture and Imperialism. London: Vintage, 1994

Butler, Christopher. Postmodernism, A Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002

Williams Caroline. Contemporary French Philosophy. London: The Athlone Press, 2001

Hybridity. Wikipedia link

Figurative language is the opposite of literal language. Unlike literal language, where the words function strictly as they are defined, with figurative language the listener or reader must “figure” out the speaker or writers intended meaning. The four most commonly used figurative language techniques are simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. I will briefly define each and offer ten examples.

Simile: comparing two different things using the word “like” or “as” to make the comparison.

1. Blood seeped out of the wound like teardrops.

2. She was as distant as a remote tropical island, uncivilized and beautiful.

3. Paul carried his science project to school like he was transporting explosive glass.

4. The baby’s cry blended into the house much as the beach dweller becomes unaware of the ocean sound.

5. She looked at me like I was speaking in some strange alien tongue.

6. The candidate’s acceptance speech was as awkward as a middle school dance.

7. The town square was buzzing like a beehive.

8. Kelsey followed her dreams like most kids would follow a big sister.

9. Martin’s in-laws charged through his life like a parade or a funeral procession.

10. Kyle looked at the test with a stare as blank as his notebook.

Metaphor: comparing two different things without using the word “like” or “as.”

1. When Ninja Robots came on TV, the boys were glued in their seats.

2. Words are the weapons with which we wound.

3. The test was a walk in the park.

4. She let such beautiful pearls of wisdom slip from her mouth without even knowing.

5. The executives had golden parachutes to land safely after the company crashed.

6. Don’t trouble your little peanut head over the problem.

7. She cut him down with her words.

8. They say that scars are the map to the soul.

9. The quarterback was throwing nothing but rockets and bombs in the field.

10. We are all shadows on the wall of time.

Hyperbole: using exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

1. Go to the park? That’s the best idea ever.

2. I’d move mountains for her.

3. Tatiana never stops talking.

4. I can’t do anything right.

5. Janet worked her fingers to the bone.

6. Jack was thirsty enough to drink a river dry.

7. She is perfect in everyway.

8. Your dad is the smartest guy in the world.

9. We tried everything that we could.

10. I could listen to that song on repeat forever.

Personification: giving human traits or qualities to an object or idea.

1. The smell of smoke tattled on the delinquent.

2. The wind whispered the rumors of the forest.

3. The jittery hands of corruption orchestrated the affairs at city hall.

4. Still waters shivered in the wind.

5. Those greedy weeds have starved the petunias.

6. A case of cupcakes can be quite charming to an empty stomach.

7. December light is brief and uncharitable.

8. This morning had friendly greetings for peaceful sleepers.

9. The party died as soon as she left.

10. Light had conquered darkness.

Educational websites are key in helping both parents and teachers to build early academic foundations in children. Research demonstrates the earlier you begin to work with your child academically– the better!

Worksheets can be a great introduction to a child’s academic journey. These worksheets are meant to prepare students for kindergarten and beyond. It is not only worksheets, but crafts and activities that are aimed at introducing various concepts that reinforce color recognition, improving motor skills and will also introduce numbers and letters. These hands-on activities are crafted to enhance a child’s skills and also help introduce basic concepts in a fun, engaging manner.

Also these sites have a great collection of Toddler, Preschool and Kindergarten activities and materials that are carefully designed to help a child. These activities introduce concepts that need to be mastered prior to entering Kindergarten. All are designed in a way that will help develop a child’s learning skills and build a strong educational foundation.

Age appropriate story books help introduce your child to Reading. Story Books introduce your child to the fundamentals of reading:

Books are to be read from front to back,

Pictures should be right side up,

Words should be read from left to the right,

Words have different sounds,

Stories have a beginning, middle and the end.

Preschoolers who are introduced to story books are more likely to have advanced literacy skills than their peers who were NOT introduced to such books. As a parent you should encourage further literacy development. Read a loud daily to your child. Choose different types of books and find the type your child is interested in. This will help build a child’s vocabulary. Also, a child will understand that the letters in the book make words. These words make sentences, and these sentences create a story. When a child understands the beginning stages of Reading, it creates the cornerstone for all future reading.

Educational websites are a great supplement to any Toddler, Preschool or Kindergarten curriculum program. The best part, these products are readily available and also very affordable for parents.

Limit television and video play daily. Instead, download an activity or craft. Have your child complete the assignment and go over it with them. Once it is completed and checked, place a sticker to reward your child’s effort. In this way, your child will want to continue working on these skill building activities and receive a reward. My best advice is–Have Fun!

Sallie Rochester Ford originally published her book, Mary Bunyan – The Blind Daughter of John Bunyan, in 1860. Later, Reiner Publications reprinted it in 1976 with the purpose of preparing today’s church for coming persecution. We may think we suffer persecution even today, but when we read of the lives of John Bunyan, Mary Bunyan, William Dormer, Elizabeth Gaunt and others, we see examples of real persecution.

Of these, we recognize the name of John Bunyan most. He lived from 1628 to 1688 in Elstow, England. During his 60 years of life he penned 60 works. Pilgrim’s Progress remains the most famous of all of them. Amazingly most of what we remember him for happened during his adult life. As an adult, he overheard women talking about the things of God. God used that, along with books that his wife brought into the marriage, to draw John to Himself. As he began reading the Bible and attending church he stopped doing activities that drew him away from God.

Within four years of his conversion, he had begun to preach in his Bedford church and surrounding areas. This occurred during the reign of the ungodly Charles II. Christians met in secret in the middle of the night because of the harsh laws restricting the worship of “dissenters.” Those not following the state established religion received stiff penalties for violating the law of the land. When he was first jailed, his wife, Elizabeth had just given birth to a baby who died. Elizabeth suffered much from all that the family endured during this time.

John Bunyan was imprisoned in the Bedford jail for 12 years. Amazingly, he found a sympathetic jailer who allowed him to leave the prison to spend time with his family and church. One night, even though the jailer had allowed him to be at home, he knew that he needed to go back. When he arrived late, the jailer complained until someone from the King came to check to be sure that Bunyan was indeed in custody. Since the jailer realized that Bunyan knew better when he should be in the jail and when he could be out, the jailer told him that he could come and go as he pleased.

Other than being away from his family and church, it distressed Bunyan that his family was in dire need of food and other necessities. Members of the church helped the Bunyan family as much as they could, but they had little themselves. Bunyan realized that he could make shoe laces that his blind daughter could sell. His younger son, Joseph would go around with Mary to make these sales to help provide for the family. Some would not even buy them because Bunyan was considered a traitor to the state church.

After the persecution of Charles II ended, Bunyan was freed, but later imprisoned for six months. They would have freed him earlier if he had promised not to preach. This he could not do, but during his imprisonment he began to write and his readers have benefited from his writings ever since.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/musiciansartistsandwriters/john-bunyan.HTML

From Ford’s biography of Mary Bunyan, we can glean much. While Mary always demonstrated a love for her father, visiting him often in jail and selling the shoe laces he prepared, God did not save her until she was a young adult. Mary showed signs of interest in a young man named William Dormer. On one occasion he had accompanied her as a courtesy since she needed someone at all times to show her the way. Later, she was in London for the purpose of going before the King to plead for her father’s release. While at the home of Elizabeth Gaunt she expected to see him, but no one mentioned him and he did not show up. Elizabeth treated William as a son and testified of Christ to this young man who did not trust Christ. Later, God worked in these two young adults to bring them to Christ.

In Mary’s case, she attended the secret church meetings in London with Elizabeth Gaunt. During one of those meetings God convicted her of her sin. She thought she needed to return to her father for her salvation. Insisting that someone take her to see her father, she poured her heart out to her father and trusted Christ as Savior. This occurred during a time when John Bunyan could not leave his jail cell. On the day of Mary’s baptism, the church gathered at a river that John could see from his cell. Thus, he witnessed the baptism of Mary.

After God had also saved William Dormer, he would visit the Bunyan home. Just as God brought them together, He sovereignly caused Dormer to flee the country as a Dissenter. Time passed and the family finally heard from him, but he still could not return. Finally, as the Duke of Monmouth challenged Charles II for the crown, many lost their lives in battle and others, including William, were executed for the cause of religious freedom. Mary, though recognizing God’s hand in all of this, never really survived this tragedy. She died with her father by her side.

Finally, we learn from Elizabeth Gaunt. We know that she cared deeply for Mary and William, as well as the whole Bunyan family. During the time when many were imprisoned in London for their faith, she went daily to the prison with broth and medical supplies. She cared for William Dormer and others. Further, Elizabeth had given safety to a family who she had thought needed protection for religious freedom. Once they escaped as the police came looking for them. Later, they testified against her and she too, was sentenced to death. John Bunyan had been freed, and he and Mary, followed the prisoners to the city where they were tried and sentenced to death. In each case, the prisoners refused to recant and bravely died for the cause of Christ.

In our day and in our country, we may think we are suffering for Christ’s sake, but learning about the lives of John Bunyan and his contemporaries, we know that:

· We can freely worship in public on the Lord ‘s Day and at other times as we feel necessary.

· We can speak His name as we testify of His saving grace as the opportunity arises.

· We have food, shelter, jobs without discrimination regarding our religion.

23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. 24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, Colossians 1:23- (NKJV)

May we exercise this rare gift of freedom of religion and speech for His glory! God uses persecution to purify the church. If the day comes that we suffer anything like John Bunyan and his contemporaries, may be found faithful!

Grounds for Diversity

Creating successful, diverse and dynamic learning organizations involves developing processes to ensure that the differences of employees, customers, and community are taken into account. Diversity management is an active process that requires an investment in time and resources. It is a paradigm shift from intentional exclusion to an intentional full utilization of resources. Valuing and managing diversity requires policies, relationships, procedures, and practices that will ensure fairness and equity.

It means more than increasing awareness, but also changing the system to support differences for the benefit of all. This comparative analysis compares the diversity strategy of the Monitor Company and IBM. It identifies how individuals are motivated to become change agents for diversity by evaluating how the individuals in each case defined diversity and discern conflicts that arise from the varying definitions. Finally, I outlines how the Monitor and IBM cases accommodate diverse learning styles.

Organizational Dimensions of Diversity

Diversity is a simple word that contains many human variables. As simple as it is, it represents the distinctions that exist between individuals that sometimes include culture, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomics, age, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation, religion, language, appearance, personality, learning and thinking styles, communication and conflict styles, family status, geography, military status, education, life and work experiences, functional responsibility in a given organization. Diversity management in organizations involves understanding and leveraging similarities and differences of all people involved in accomplishing the organization’s mission. The individuals in both the Monitor Company and IBM defined diversity based on their differences and uniqueness. According to Lieberman (2003), “Diversity looks at the differences that shape people’s thinking and behavior.” (p. 24).

Jonathan Rotenberg, who happens to be Jewish consultant at Monitor, began to realize that “he held an educationally strategic position bridging the gulf between the often misunderstood gay world and the corporate world.” Nick Basden, an African-American consultant at Monitor, stated “I feel black [at Monitor]. I feel different because I am black.” (Gentile and Gant, p. 3-4). The initiative created by IBM was designed to improve the understanding of the differences. “Rather than attempt to eliminate discrimination by deliberately ignoring differences among employees, IBM created eight task forces, each focused on different groups such as Asians, gays and lesbians, and women.” (Thomas, 2004, p. 1).

The Learning Organization

Though the individual reasons for diversity were similar, the organizational motivations that drove the change were slightly different. The Monitor Company was concerned with how inclusion affected the individual’s growth, development and quality of life. Monitor wanted to learn how the company might be different “if the workforce were more diverse, and what barriers might exist to the success of nonwhite and female consultants.” (Gentile and Gant, 1994, p. 2). IBM’s driving force behind their diversity initiative was an extension of Monitor’s inclusion for individual growth. IBM, according to Thomas (2004), believed that “…greater diversity in the workplace could help IBM attract a more diverse customer set.” (p. 4).

While Monitor was concerned about the human factor and IBM was concerned about the bottom line. It is possible that diversity influences both. Many organizations have come to realize that diversity is a resource that should be leveraged to increase performance as well as improve human relations. Lieberman (2003) identified three capital resources of diversity that every business must manage successfully: financial capital, human capital, and material capital. Financial Capital, profit, “keeps an organization in existence, motivates its stakeholders, and enables it to invest in its future.” Human Capital, people, “makes an organization live and work, no matter how technical or automated it may be. People are our managers, our employees, our customers, and our communities.” Material capital, physical resources, “provides the energy and resources to produce goods and services.” (p. 3). Diversity management is a process that allows groups of people to maximize productivity, creativity, and enjoyment to reach their full potentials.

Accommodating Diversity Styles

Monitor and IBM cultures and value systems can accommodate diverse styles without sacrificing their distinctive identity. Values drive beliefs, attitudes, actions, and are culturally derived. Therefore a leader who understands others’ cultural background is better able to understand why those people act, think, and speak the way they do, and is better able to predict how those people will react to his or her own words and actions. “Understanding diversity means moving into the box all these ideas and the ones that others make you aware of, so that you start thinking of diversity as many differences, not just the most apparent ones.” (Lieberman, 2003. p 25). When working with people of different cultures, leaders are “able to apply common sense and good will to act and respond accordingly when they understand the forces driving behavior.” (Scarborough, 1998, p. 11). In both cases, the diversity initiative was about more than just education or awareness but rather an understanding of the differences of the stakeholders.

The Impact of Culture

High-performing organizations consciously create their desired corporate culture, rather than simply letting one develop. Unfortunately, organizational culture change efforts often attempt to “abolish” differences by imposing a pre-defined culture while ignoring the existing values, beliefs, visions, and behaviors. Diversity management is the process of creating a culture that is flexible enough to promote, support, respect, and value the multiple differences that exist in the organization as an asset to be valued and sought after. “The impact of culture is omnipresent; it has both a conscious and an unconscious influence on human behavior.” (Zachary, 2005, p. 15). It is recognized that group intelligence and performance is higher when systems and skills are in place that create an environment of inclusion, trust, collaboration, and respect and the ability for each to reach full potential.

Leading Diversity

Diversity is rapidly gaining ground as an asset of businesses as a means of widen their market. This dramatic shift to a highly diverse work force is part of the organizations’ efforts to understand, accept, and capitalize on differences. “The demand for new customer-focused products, the desire to reach global markets, and the need to tap a diverse workforce for talented employees drives this trend.” (Lieberman, 2003, p. 13). However, the primary objective of diversity is to unify the entire organization and deepen the cultural change within the institution so that processes, communication and actions align with institutional beliefs, values and priorities. In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the distinctions that separate us are no longer significant. “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free…” (Colossians 3:11). Organizations that desire to reach their full potential must transcend all barriers and engage all people, from all cultures, races, and backgrounds.

References

Gentile, Mary and Gant, Sara B. (1994). Monitor Co.: Personal Leadership on Diversity. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press Case 395049.

Lieberman, Simma. (2003). Putting Diversity to Work: How to Successful Lead a Diverse Workforce. Menlo Park, CA: Course Technology Crisp.

Scarborough, Jack. (1998). Origins of Cultural Differences and Their Impact on Management. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated.

Thomas, David A. (2004). Diversity As Strategy. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review.

Zachary, Lois J. (2005). Creating a Mentoring Culture: The Organization’s Guide. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

We are experiencing a plague in the United States. Unwanted and stray cats and dogs. I believe a great deal of this is due to lack of education.

Some cities and municipalities put a lot of funding behind spaying and neutering education. Many communities have no-kill shelters, and a lot of other good is being done. But more can be done. The amount of strays is epidemic in the U.S and does not seem to be getting better. We know better, most of us.

For every baby born in the U.S there are seven cats and dogs born.

A female cat and her offspring can (and usually does) produce 420,000 kittens within seven years.

One female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years (and usually does).

As many as 25% of dogs entering shelters each year are purebreds.

Approximately 61% of all dogs are killed in animal shelters.

Approximately 75% of all cats entering shelters are killed.

It costs approximately $100 to capture, house, feed, and eventually kill each stray animal — a cost which you, the taxpayer, eventually pay.

Can you see the importance of becoming educated regarding spaying and neutering pets? The Doris Day Animal League has a wonderful program http://www.ddal.org which can give you a great bit of important information.

I do not sit in judgment Though I owned pets all my life, I truly did not understand true pet care until I reached my adulthood. I only knew what my parents taught me which was very limited.

As a upper-middle class child, like other upper-middle class kids, my parents bought me “the dog du jour” or what was trendy from a recent movie. From Irish Setters to Golden Retrievers to Great Danes to Sheepdogs.

And only from the finest breeders.

There is nothing wrong with that. Those animals need homes as well, and I feel good about every animal I learned to take care of as a child (from wherever they derived).

As I matured, I understood owning and caring for an animal is more than “just looking good next to an exotic or popular breed”. It is about bonding, caring, and loving that animal and learning unconditional love from it.

I will give you an example. The Northridge earthquake in 1994 destroyed my home. I was forced to move into an apartment that didn’t allow dogs. I had a beautiful blonde golden retriever I was forced to give away.

I cried on and off for a month (even though Otis got a home in Malibu and was living better than me).

I moved back to my home state of Mississippi to take care of an ailing mom. As a writer, I knew this could put me in a vulnerable situation, but I also knew that my mom took care of me whenever I was ill and that was the right thing to do. And as I expected, writer’s block set in and I did not write for four years. That was okay. One learns some valuable lessons (much more important than writing) when caring for an ill parent. She was once an English teacher, in love with the English language, and, as goofy as it might seem, sometimes I feel her soul is guiding my own text. I have heard more than one writer or artist share the same sentiment; didn’t believe them at the time, now I do.

It was 1997. Some college friends from Newburyport, MA invited me up to relax and take a break from my loss. I went. They asked if I wanted to see a movie, and I said “sure, why not”. We drove to New Hampshire as they wanted to see a new Jack Nicholson movie “As Good As It Gets”. I enjoy his movies so figured I would at least be entertained, in spite of the depression and continued writers block I was experiencing.

If anyone has not seen the film, I strongly suggest it. Nicholson plays a crusty author with writer’s block who is a rude misogynist, homophobic man who seemed to just take up space and complain. His neighbor, played wonderfully by Greg Kinnear was a gay man with an effeminate poodle-looking dog, that only served to make Nicholson more homophobic and stereotyping his neighbor (for the dog). Suddenly Kinnear is violently attacked in a robbery and nobody is there to take care of the dog. Enter (hesitantly), Jack Nicholson.

As time goes by, he is walking the dog, taking care of it, and his paternal instincts have kicked in. His

“hidden” love for Helen Hunt, who played a waitress at a cafe at which he frequented blossomed.

Everything changes for Jack. Nicholson realizes he has learned unconditional love from this little dog while his wounded gay neighbor recovered.

By the end of the movie, he “won the girl”, befriended Kinnear, and it had a very happy and somewhat predictable ending, but, it was so well-acted and written, it swept the Academy that year.

I returned home to Mississippi to my small house, alone. I was a volunteer at an equestrian center owned by the University. I really was not a “horse-person” but enjoyed caring for them as always loved animals in general.

One day, a pack of three dogs showed up at the center. There had been a tornado that day, and they appeared to have been out in the elements for weeks. One seemed near-death and was frightened to death of humans. He barked at the omnipotent thunder so I named him “Thor”.

A veterinarian friend of mine told me she would take him home and bring him back to health if I would keep him, probably wouldn’t live long due to his trauma but could at least have a few happy months or years. I reluctantly agreed. By his teeth, she estimated his age to be around eight years old.

Fast forward twelve years. Thor is still with me and my shadow. I have written over 200 articles, essays, etc. since he’s been in my life. I have written and produced the largest cartoon site on the Internet. I have the unconditional love of a beautiful, sweet successful woman who I would never have given the time of day, or vice versa, had I not learned what I learned from Thor.

He is a mixed-breed, probably part bearded collie and something else, who knows. He’s very smart and wise reaching age 20. He is on the b.a.r.f diet (biologically appropriate raw foods) and does not eat dog food. Until this year, he had no vet bills for nearly 11 years. Now his heart is a bit weaker but he still has all his cognitive abilities and can be very puppyish. More on pet nutrition at http://www.drianbillinghurst.com

He’s just a stray. A 35 pound ball of fur that looks somewhere between Benji and a sheepdog.

I never knew a stray mutt “Thor” could be my inspiration, even after seeing the Nicholson movie, but he is.

I have taken in probably 20 stray dogs and cats since I’ve had Thor but found them all homes. Thor does not like to share his space with me, and at his age, he is the boss. I don’t want him feeling “replaced”.

I encourage you to run by the shelter and take a look at some of the gorgeous sweet animals desperate for a home. Most shelters are not no-kill so most of them are on death row. You can be a hero to them, and believe me the payback is a million times over.

Don’t believe me? Give it a try.

“I prayed until my mouth was dry.” From about ten o’clock to six in the morning this man in Strath prayed until the risen living Jesus satisfied him! One group in the north sat outside listening to the Word of God and when the snow came on it just covered them. No one ran for shelter, because there was no shelter to which they could run. These were tough times for very ordinary and yet extraordinary believers in Jesus Christ. Not often do we hear of that type of intensity today.

Do you want a book to whet your spiritual appetite? Then go for this very readable and accurate and historical volume.

Police sergeant Steve Taylor’s compact and concise style of writing recounts the various spiritual awakenings which the Isle of Skye, off the beautiful west coast of Scotland, has experienced, mainly in the 19th Century, but including 20th Century outpourings of the Holy Spirit, as well as the great falling away from God, through formality.

The resistance these folks faced from religious authorities counterbalances the breathtakingly detailed accounts of how God moved among the people of Skye.

God was speaking through various preachers, yet parish ministers refused permission to use the church buildings.

How often men of God found down through the centuries that it has been religious leaders with closed hearts that have the major stumbling blocks to what God was doing?

But God continued to speak and people continued to come to faith, as they listened on the hillsides and by the seashore. The description of these gatherings depict the spiritual depth of what was happening on the island.

These were socially distressing and disruptive days, as many were turned off the land by landlords who occasionally and tragically were supported by what was regarded as the established church.

Thousands forced from their crofts sailed for Cape Breton, in Canada and hence the name Nova Scotia. If you are in any way interested in revivals and spiritual awakenings then this is a thoroughly recommended read.

Amazing happenings, related in this stirring salutary and yet exciting book, occurred all across Skye, as men and women were hungry for God.

There are times when you have to pray, ’til your mouth is dry, to be spiritually satisfied.

Sandy Shaw