#very honoured to have had my art and designs praised by so many people

[fairytail-rewritten]

Here’s Aquarius!!!

She changed like, just barely. To be honest I don’t have much of a problem with her og design so this is mostly just personal preference. The vase is totally oc tho :->)

Im aware that Aquarius is an air sign but having the water bearer not use water feels silly to me. And to be honest I like the mermaid idea personally.

[wri0thesley]

Hello again, dearie~ I'm really enamored with your naga Dio works, if it's alright may I request an oviposition scenario (or headcanons) of naga Dio with small fem s/o? Thank you, and I hope your day is treat you well~

[naga dio stuff is here! this piece can be considered an au; reader is still definitely a member of dio’s cult but a different member to the one in these fics - dio’s breeding obviously works a little . . . differently.] this is my first time writing oviposition but i’ve always wanted to try it >:3 

warnings! oviposition! naga dio! breeding! pregnancy mention! double dicks! eggs! 

Being one of Lord Dio’s most favourite postulants is heady, intoxicating - that, among all those who are devoted to him, he has seen your willingness and adoration of him and you have been rewarded? Being called to your Lord’s bedroom is always an honour. That you were given more than just his words - that he had shown you his appreciation for you to the tune of his tongue flicking over your bare skin, his lengths filling you, his hands clinging to your hips and his tail curling around you to hold you against him after he had been sated? You feel like the chosen one of a God, which you suppose you very much are. 

When he had whispered about how well you had done as you had laid, exhausted, your breath coming in short pants and your hair sweat-soaked against your forehead, you had briefly wondered if perhaps this was a rite of passage. If maybe the other people you passed in the halls of his mansion had been beneath him like this - when Lord Dio had called you to his bedroom tonight, though, and you had been taken there by wide-eyed servants who looked at you like you reflected Lord Dio’s sun . . . you had realised that perhaps there was something special. That Lord Dio had chosen you for something more. 

He whispers your name when the door to his chambers close behind you, a sibilant hiss that has the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. His voice, low like velvet, travels through you like a caress, and your body recognises it - even as the whisper of scales on the floor as Lord Dio approaches you begins, you feel heat and dampness between your thighs. 

“I have something special planned for you, little one,” Lord Dio murmurs, as you’re encouraged towards the bed - a behemoth of satins and silks, with enough room for even Lord Dio’s impressive tail length. When you had woken up the next day after Lord Dio had claimed you as his own with coils of his tail wrapped around you, you had felt safely cocooned - now, as he urges you to lie down upon the luxurious pillows and his slitted eyes flick up and down your body, you feel rather less safe. With Lord Dio approaching you, his fingers gently pulling off the lush fabrics you’re permitted to wear and his eyes hungrily drinking in your form, you feel rather more like prey. 

You’re surprised to find that the idea of being prey is not unappealing. 

You do not have time to dwell on that, of course. Lord Dio is nothing if not skilled in the art of making you think of nothing but him - and he does that in abundance, as he lavishes your body with the touch of his fingers and the brush of his lips. He teases your exposed nipples to reddened points with a combination of the flick of his tongue and the suckle of his mouth, the tease of dangerous fangs. He rakes claws oh-so-gently over your bare skin until your body is all goosebumps and then soothes the sting with where is soft skin. His hair brushes over your own bare body, making you shiver and shudder - and though he does not kiss you, you do not feel like a toy. 

“Oh,” Lord Dio murmurs, as hands part your thighs at the same time as coils of his tail shift. You feel one wrap around your ankle, urging you to spread further. The shifting of scales is barely noticeable, though, when you feel bathed by the way golden eyes drink up the sight of your aching, soaking sex. Your face flushes to be studied in such a way, but Lord Dio is quick to assuage those fears. A hand trails up your thigh. “No, do not be ashamed of yourself. Your body is merely welcoming its Master. And I am more than willing to be welcomed.”

“My body is yours entirely, My Lord,” you whisper, your chest rising and falling rapidly. Even though he has seen you bare before, you cannot help to be afraid that he’ll not find you pleasing. Perhaps something will have changed. But Lord Dio’s full mouth is curling into a smile, and he lowers his face, breathing in the scent of your arousal like it’s something to be savoured. 

“I know, little one,” he soothes. “And believe me, I will make good use of it. Do you wish to know what I’m planning for you, my darling?” 

His tongue flicks out and you see the pink flash of it - inhumanly long and forked - before you feel it instead, flicking along the length of you, drinking in where your desire is pooling. A hot flash of want goes off low in your stomach, making you arch your back, a whimper of pleasure falling from your lips. You win a chuckle from Lord Dio for that. 

“Yes, you’ll do beautifully,” he praises, lifting his mouth and body away from you. His tongue flickers out again, only to trail across his bottom lip as if he is savouring the taste of you. “My darling. I’ve chosen you to carry for me.”

“C-carry?” You blink up at him wide-eyed.

Your eyes are drawn to where his stomach morphs into scales, and the sheath of where his twin cocks are usually covered - now, they are emerging, glistening with Lord Dio’s own pre-arousal. You feel your body clench in preparation for the sheer size of him - you have taken his lower cock before, which you know from experience is the firmer and one he prefers to penetrate with. You realise that at some point, another section of his tail has wrapped around your other ankle, and even if you wished to move your legs you would not be able to. 

“You’ll see, little one,” Lord Dio soothes, his sculpted body moving over you, his cock nudging at your entrance. You have no desire to close your thighs - you spread them wider at the same time as his tail tugs just so, and he releases a fluid hiss of pressure at your display of eagerness and deference. “Good. I knew you’d be . . . perfect for this--”

He eases himself into you. Even with your body clearly wanting him inside you, he’s sizeable enough for you to breathe through the sting of his cock stretching you out - but you’re rewarded threefold for breathing through it by the way that Dio’s breath feels cool on your neck, the travels of his tongue over your bare skin making you shiver, and the way he murmurs noises of encouragement as he breaches each new inch. 

It does not take long for Lord Dio to earn the movement of your hips as you search for friction - as his second cock rubs just so against your clit with each rock, you find your breath feeling unsteady in your chest as dim sparks of pleasure course through you. Lord Dio follows through - his pace is leisurely as he fucks you, but that does not at all affect the way it makes you feel. The assured way that he plays your body like an instrument. 

The coolness of his scales and his skin, the knowledge of who it is fucking you, the insistent rub of his smooth, damp cock against your swollen clit - they all converge, and you feel little thrills travel through you and a tightening in your body that makes you bite your lip, trying to stave off the orgasm that is coming embarassingly quickly. 

“Oh, little one,” Lord Dio murmurs, his tone amused, “you may come, if you’re already so needy - perhaps it will make later proceedings a little simpler--”

Biting your lip as warmth washes over you, you have the presence of mind to gasp out a ‘th-thank you, My Lord!’ before the white noise hits and your moans die in your throat, your first peak of the night crashing into you. 

It is not the last.

You come twice more, your thighs twitching and shaking, before Lord Dio’s pace becomes frantic. His hips moving in snake-like jolts against you, you notice that his breath is beginning to be a little more . . . strained. Your third orgasm is ebbing away, your sex feeling soaked and swollen where his cock is still buried inside you, when you feel something inside of you shift. 

It seems almost - if it is even possible - as if his cock has grown just a little, reaching further inside you in a place that you’re not sure any cock has ever truly breached. It hurts a little, but nothing more than a brief discomfort like the first time you had taken Lord Dio’s girth, and your breathing evens out slowly.

Lord Dio’s face turns into something more primal and fierce; at once concentration and terrible pleasure, a grin splitting his lovely mouth. 

You squirm beneath him, but his tail keeps your thighs spread wide. 

“Don’t worry,” he says, though there’s a catch in his breath you’ve never heard before. “I won’t hurt you. You can take my clutch--”

Your eyes widen, your mouth falling open. 

“I--I--”

“Shh,” he murmurs again, and you feel something cool and smooth inside you, further than anything has ever been before. You whimper, but not entirely in pain - as something round passes inside of you to a place that you’re not certain your body is designed to allow entrance to. There’s a moment - a blinding, warm moment where the pressure is almost overwhelming - and then, you’re aware that whatever it is Lord Dio has put inside you is very much inside you, nestling deep in your womb. “Ah. Good--”

Again. The coolness, the roundness, the pressure - but this one passes quicker. You look down to where Lord Dio’s body is pressed inside you and you’re fascinated at how his muscles flex as his cock and ovipositor deposit another inside you, filling you up more certainly. 

“H-how many--”

Lord Dio hushes you as you feel the fourth. You’re not entirely sure how large they are, but only as the fourth - egg, you realise - finds a space in your body do you begin to feel uncomfortably full. One of Lord Dio’s hands sweeps over your stomach and you realise that it’s a little distended - that you’re swollen with the clutch of eggs that your Lord has put inside you. Your breathing feels too shallow.

“One more, little one,” he purrs, and his hips roll slowly, luxuriously, as the fifth egg pushes past the discomfort. He soothes you with his mouth, tongue and lips brushing your neck as a whimper of pain escapes you. You have never felt so full--

Lord Dio pulls back, dragging his cock out of you. Although you know it shifted inside of you - you suppose to allow it to pass the eggs into your body - you’re still surprised to see the tapered head, the slight difference in the thing you’ve had inside you, before he retracts it back into his slit, as it slides out of you and back into him. Your hips rock uselessly, your breath feeling unstable in your chest - and then, his cock is out of you, and you’re at once full and empty. 

Before, his hand had merely stroked across your stomach in a fleeting moment, as if checking that he had fully given you what he wanted to. Now, though, he lays one of his hand-claws over your body protectively, pressing down enough to make you shift and moan at the feeling of being so surreally, strangely full of something else. Something other. 

You know by rights you should be horrified and frightened. But looking down at your stomach just makes you feel proud. 

“You’ll carry them wonderfully,” Lord Dio says, his eyes glittering dangerously - and when he says it, it’s at once a prediction and a threat. “And until then, little one, my darling, my chosen - you’ll have the best of everything.” There’s a smirk on his face as he leans over, his lips brushing over yours. He speaks quietly but intensely, mouth a breath away. “After all. You’ll spend a long time on your back incubating them. You’ll swell and grow beautifully. What kind of monster would I be if I didn’t ensure your safety?” 

His tongue flicks out and tastes your lips and you wonder if he is tasting you or tasting the faintness of his own mouth on you. 

“And this,” he murmurs, “is just the first clutch.”

[apenitentialprayer]

A Parable for Religious Pluralism

From  Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, The First Day, Third Story

Saladin, who by his great valour had from small beginnings made himself Soldan of Egypt, and gained many victories over kings both Christian and Sacacen, having in divers wars and by divers lavish displays of magnificence spent all his treasure, and in order to meet a certain emergency being in need of a large sum of money, and being at a loss to raise it with a celerity adequate to his necessity, bethought him of a wealthy Jew, Melchisedech by name, who lent at usance in Alexandria, and who, were he but willing, was, as he believed, able to accommodate him, but was so miserly that he would never do so of his own accord, nor was Saladin disposed to constrain him thereto. So great, however, was his necessity that, after pondering every method whereby the Jew might be induced to be compliant, at last he determined to devise a colourably reasonable pretext for extorting the money from him. So he sent for him, received him affably, seated him by his said, and presently said to him: "My good man, I have heard from many people that thou art very wise, and of great discernment in divine things; wherefore I would gladly know of thee, which of the three laws thou reputest the true law, the law of the Jews, the law of the Saracens, or the law of the Christians?" The Jew, who was indeed a wise man, saw plainly enough that Saladin meant to entangle him in his speech, that he might have occasion to harass him, and bethought him that he could not praise any of the three laws above another without furnishing Saladin with the pretext which he sought. So, concentrating all the force of his mind to shape such an answer as might avoid the snare, he presently lit on what he said, saying: “My lord, a pretty question indeed is this which you propound, and fain would I answer it; to which end is it apposite that I tel you a story, which, if you hearken, is as follows: If I mistake not, I remember to have often heard tell of a great and rich man of old time, who among other most precious jewels had in his treasury a ring of extraordinary beauty and value, which by reason of its value and beauty he was minded to leave to his heirs forever; for which cause he ordained that, whichever of his sons was found in possession of the ring as by his bequest, should thereby be designate his heir, and be entitled to receive from the rest the honour and homage due to a superior. The son, to whom he bequeathed the ring, left it in like manner to his descendants, making the like ordinance as his predecessor. In short the ring passed from hand to hand for many generations; and in the end came to the hands of one who had three sons, goodly and virtuous all, and very obedient to their father, so that he loved them all indifferently. “The rule touching the descent of the ring was known to the young men, and each aspiring to hold the place of honour among them did all he could to persuade his father, who was now old, to leave the ring to him at his death. The worthy man, who loved them all equally and knew not how to choose from among them a sole legatee, promised the ring to each in turn, and in order to satisfy all three caused a cunning artificer secretly to make two other rings, so like the first that the maker himself could hardly tell which was the true ring. So, before he died, he disposed of the rings, giving one privily to each of the his sons; whereby it came to pass, that after his death each of the sons claimed the inheritance and the place of honour, and, his claim being disputed by his brothers, produced his ring in witness of right. And the rings being found so like one to another that it was impossible to distinguish the true one, the suit to determine the true heir remained pendent, and still so remains. “And so, my lord, to your question, touching the three laws given to the three peoples by God the Father, I answer: Each of these peoples deems itself to have the true inheritance, the true law, the true commandments of God; but which of them is justified in so believing, is a question which, like that of the rings, remains pendent.” The excellent adroitness with which the Jew had contrived to evade the snare which he had laid for his feet was not lost upon Saladin. He therefore determined to let the Jew know his need, and did so, telling him at the same time what he had intended to do, in the event of his answering less circumspectly than he had done. Thereupon the Jew gave the Soldan all the accommodation that he required, which the Soldan afterwards repaid him in full. He also have him most munificent gifts with his lifelong amity and a great and honourable position near his person.

[selenitii]

AYSE

❝ law without justice is a wound without cure

𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 !

FULL NAME.   ayse NICKNAME / ALIAS.  moon goddess, resce’s daughter GENDER. female HEIGHT.    155 cm AGE. ancient ZODIAC. libra LANGUAGES.  sign language, encean, fiorean, icebergian, stellean and more than passing knowledge of all other languages

𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 !

HAIR COLOR.    long, wavy white hair, somewhat restrained by her diadem EYE COLOR.    gold SKIN TONE.     she has her mother’s dark skin  BODY TYPE.   ayse is tiny and she is petite, but she has a ballerina’s body in terms of musculature and is much stronger than she appears.  ACCENT.  it is not quite an accent, but her speech sounds . . . stilted, as if she rehearses everything inside her head before saying it out loud FACE CLAIM. kahlua shuzen DOMINANT HAND.  left POSTURE.  her posture is excellent, she never slouches and always stands at full height, not that this is particularly noteworthy. there always seems to be energy inside of her, as if she barely manages to keep herself from bouncing. it is, in fact, true --- to be motionless is not in ayse’s nature and to be able to move at her own accord is certainly pleasant for her SCARS.  none, but she thinks there should be a mark where chaldene’s sword serrated her body TATTOOS.   none so far, but this is definitely subject to change. she would like something to honour her parents, but she has not found the perfect design yet BIRTHMARKS.   none MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE(S).  her eyes --- their colour is unusual, even in a world full of magic and the way they freeze over when she sees injustice make them appear rather non-human

𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 !

PLACE OF BIRTH. in her father’s temple, on a no longer existing island HOMETOWN. same as above --- there was a town near the temple and she spent many a day playing there, but she does no longer hold any strong attachment to either place MANNER OF BIRTH.  as her father was one of the major gods, her birth was overseen by the goddess of healing, lyrinne, and her most trusted followers who were almost as dedicated to the art of healing as their goddess. as far as births go, it was rather uneventful and her parents were very happy to welcome her into this world FIRST WORDS.  her first word was river, something her mother was very happy about SIBLINGS.   none in the strict sense of the word, but due to her father’s fatherly attitude towards those who lived in his temples, ayse grew up in a large family with many, many sisters --- mortals and demigoddesses alike PARENTS.   resce, the god of moon and truth, and amyra, a river nymph PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.   very high !! ayse was her parents’ only child and they doted on her, loving her dearly. and in turn, she loved them just as fiercely. her mother died when she was very young  ( for the standards for those of divine blood, at least )  and she grew only closer to her father, supporting him as he supported her as they grieved. her mother's death marked the beginning of her to lean more towards her godly side and this eventually led to her oath of silence, taken not long before her father was slain

𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 !

OCCUPATION. well, she does not really have a job at the moment, considering that being a goddess does not pay at all CURRENT RESIDENCE.  in the house she shares with the other thirteen freed ones, found on one of the smaller encean islands. more precisely --- she has her own room which are filled with all sorts of worthless trinkets that she has found as she tries to grow used to people again RELATIONSHIP STATUS. single, but --- deeply in love with arin FINANCIAL STATUS. she is not one to complain, but she knows that their financial situation could be a lot better. however, as long as she can afford a decent sword, she is happy --- and she did buy a decent sword RELIGIOUS STATUS. polytheistic by virtue of knowing that gods exist VICES.  she hoards. she hoards so much stuff. stuff that ranges from ‘the flower arin tucked behind my ear when we went for a walk’ over ‘this broken sword might come in handy one day’ (it won’t, at least not in its broken state) and ‘this pretty bottle that i found on the beach’

𝐬𝐞𝐱 & 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 !

SEXUAL ORIENTATION. bisexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION. biromantic LOVE LANGUAGE.  words of affirmation. she likes to be told that she is doing a good job, she likes to be complimented and validated. the latter is partially due to her being, technically, just a demigoddess and her fear that others will consider her lesser because of this, but while she is working on these troubles, she blooms like a rose when she is praised and, in turn, praises others as well RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES.  the last time she had a decent shot at being in a relationship, it was cut short by chaldene killing first her beloved and then his mother, a bunch of other people and finally ayse, so she does not have much experience with being in a loving relationship, but she imagines that if she is herself and does not listen to chaila’s advice, everything will be fine

𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 !

CHARACTER’S THEME SONG.  tba HOBBIES TO PASS TIME.  she loves to dance, but she also likes to stargaze as she is generally most awake at night. other hobbies are cooking (with, so far, little success), people watching and, most importantly --- reading. there are so many words she wants to learn, so many new phrases . . . and she gets very excited over books MENTAL ILLNESSES. ptsd, ‘night’ terrors PHYSICAL ILLNESSES. none LEFT OR RIGHT BRAINED. left brained PHOBIAS. if she is very honest? she is afraid of chaldene, but she is more angry than she is afraid and hopes that once the confrontation happens, she won’t break down SELF CONFIDENCE LEVEL.  an 8, going up to a 10 --- when she was just validated. there are not many things that drag her down, even her status as demigoddess only troubles her when others decide that because of it, she cannot do her job. VULNERABILITIES.  her sense of honour is what drives her, and it is what forbids her from letting things go, something that puts her at risk when it leads her into situations where she cannot win, where she cannot even hope that it will --- by some miracle --- turn out just fine. after all: she knew that chaldene would kill her and faced him to accuse him of his wrongdoings

[hyannah]

Anon Archives Vol. 3

I think I already answered a similar question in a previous anon archives, but just in case - most of the time I make my own textures and I may release them publicly one day! In the meantime though, WebTreatsETC has a wonderful library of subtle grunge patterns. The trick to textures is “less is more” so the more concentrated the imperfections are, the better.

...*resolution ;; This isn’t the case with everything. Depending on the subject of your drawing you may want different consistencies. Objects and  materials like metals or concrete might require harsher textures as a guide when painting, but for character illustration I’d highly recommend the subtle approach.

Mhmm, well, I’m so bad at explaining... Let me try. I’ll make a proper breakdown one day! (awkwardly written tips under the cut)

Babies and small children have very soft features. They have round, undefined jaws, large eyes with small mouths & noses. As a child grows older, their eyes adjust and grow into their fully developed skulls but, in their early years they can look disproportionately large. You can use this to your advantage in character illustration!

Women typically have curved, rounded features but that’s not always the case. Genetics determines a whole lot when it comes to appearance, so females can inherit masculine traits and vice versa. If you’re going with a typical feminine approach, then rounded eyes, thin eyebrows and delicate chins/jawlines will help. I urge you to experiment, but start simple like this!

Men typically have more chiselled , angled bones with deeper-set features, but as I said before that’s not always the case. Low-set eyebrows and smaller eyes are, in my opinion, the part of the face that most determines “masculinity”, but sharp jawlines with high or wide cheekbones are equally important.

That being said though, it all depends on the character you’re designing. Your character’s age, weight and genetics determines a lot. Many of men have soft features and women can develop sharp jawlines, noses, small eyes, etc. Have fun!

Hey there! That’s an interesting question, because lately I’ve been fluctuating. If I’m well rested and focused, a full piece can take anywhere from 6-8 hours, but depending on the complexity of the piece and other factors like concentration levels, motivation and my mental state - a single piece can take a day or several.

Thank you very much! I wish I could have faith in my character design “process” enough to teach you in confidence, but the truth is a lot of my choices are down to intuition and my own personal aesthetics. Uhm, I can try giving you some pointers though!

It helps to have a rough idea of your characters personality, disposition or backstory first. An individual's appearance can often reflect who they are underneath. It can determine if they are well dressed, if they look after their appearance or what kind of style they carry themselves with. A sad or depressed person may look worn or unkempt. Alternatively, they may be the exact opposite - and have an immaculate complexion in an attempt to hide it from others. It’s all about their personality!

Having a “theme” can do wonders. Much like using fixed colour pallets in art, having a word, object or animal as a reference can help draw parallels between the symbolism and their design. for example:

Wolfe is made to resemble a wolf, so his hair has little tufts and his eyes are yellow. He has claws, sharp canines, and an aloof disposition

Rose, as her name suggests, resembles a rose. She has a prominently red colour pallet, a petal-like birthmark on her eye and subtle blue accents to make her details pop.

Hunter’s appearance purposefully contrasts with his profession as a priest. He’s gruff, strong, foreboding and a man of few words.

Definitely cartoon! I just got so smitten with comics as a kid, I went from still life painting to cartoons pretty quick. So quick that I never really had a true “realism” phase. But I can certainly still appreciate it.

I’m pretty sure everyone’s style is an amalgamation of the things they loved about other artists growing up. By all means, if you wish to take inspiration from my art then go ahead - it’s an honour! I only ask that you don’t copy or replicate my art. Be open to all kinds of style. Experiment and adjust. It’s more fun that way!

(Excuse the awful photo, I missed the short window of natural light Scotland gets in the winter)  I have been using the UGEE 2150 monitor tablet for maybe...a year and a half now. It was by far the biggest investment I’ve ever made on a graphics tablet but it was worth it, and is still cheaper than a Cintiq by a country mile (retailing at about £340) He’s a big boy, but he’s reliable, responsive, and feels great to work with. I had a lot of issues with SAI when I set up my dual-monitor workspace and it seems to be a frequent issue with UGEE products, but I did eventually find a workaround and the tinkering was well worth the money I saved. The screen is 21.5 inches and it weighs in at around 8kg total, so he’s not ideal if you travel a lot. However, if you have a fixed workspace environment he’s a keeper!

A Malignant without a host is pretty much powerless. They have no ability to manipulate physical matter, so words are their most powerful weapons. When a Malignant has a host and is possessing their body, they can do all the things a human can. If a hosted Malignant is apparated but isn’t possessing anything, then they can still manipulate their host’s body but nothing else. For example, if Ghasper is apparated but is not possessing Wolfe at the time, then he can still touch Wolfe, but not Hunter or Rose.

I can’t, sorry! That’s for the comic!

Uhm, well Malignants still know enough about their time spent alive to tell you all about that stuff. Their names, voices, etc helps. My ghosts don’t have genitals.

“TBoA” is the acronym for the comic and the full title will be released along with the trailer :)

Oh my gosh, please don’t ever worry about something like that! Anything people make for me is treasured deeply and put on my wall or kept by my desk. I truly care about all the support I receive and I don’t want you to ever feel like I won’t!

This honestly made my day when I read it! What a wholesome story, I’m so glad! Tell your brother he has good taste! And let your mother know she’s right!

What a delight! The more Hunters there are in the world, the better. At least for me. ;)

I dunno why this made me laugh as much as it did, but thank you for making me smile! Wolfe is...not in a good place right now :’(

I looked up the song and the band as soon I received your message and I love them both! Thank you very much for the song recommendation. I absolutely love to listen to new music.

Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I don’t deserve the praise but I really appreciate it. I’d make the worst art wife though.

Yup! I haven’t had the chance to play Warriors or Echos though ... I’m broke and I struggle to make leisure time these days.

ACE!!! You little rascal, I forgot all about this - but thank you so much! My handwriting is chicken scratch, honestly ... I do try to reign it in for my art but I have no doubt you’d soon grow tired of my lopsided, wriggly handwriting.

[dfroza]

A metamorphosis

illuminated by the new covenant

(grace)

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 3rd chapter of the Letter of 2nd Corinthians:

Are we back to page one? Do we need to gather some recommendations to prove our validity to you? Or do we need to take your letter of commendation to others to gain credibility? You are our letter, every word burned onto our hearts to be read by everyone. You are the living letter of the Anointed One, the Liberating King, nurtured by us and inscribed, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God—a letter too passionate to be chiseled onto stone tablets, but emblazoned upon the human heart.

This is the kind of confidence we have in and through the Anointed toward our God. Don’t be mistaken; in and of ourselves we know we have little to offer, but any competence or value we have comes from God. Now God has equipped us to be capable servants of the new covenant, not by authority of the written law which only brings death, but by the Spirit who brings life.

Now consider this: if the ministry of death, which was chiseled in stone, came with so much glory that the Israelites could not bear to look at Moses’ face even as that glory was fading, imagine the kind of greater glory that will accompany the ministry of the Spirit. If glory ushered in the ministry that offers condemnation, how much more glory will attend the ministry that promises to restore and set the world right? In fact, what seemed to have great glory will appear entirely inglorious in the light of the greater glory of the new covenant. If something that fades away possesses glory, how much more intense is the glory of what remains?

In light of this hope that we have, we act with great confidence and speak with great courage. We do not act like Moses who covered his face with a veil so the children of Israel would not stare as the glory of God faded from his face. Their minds became as hard as stones; for up to this day when they read the old covenant, the same veil continues to hide that glory; this veil is lifted only through the Anointed One. Even today a veil covers their hearts when the words of Moses are read; but in the moment when one turns toward the Lord, the veil is removed. By “the Lord” what I mean is the Spirit, and in any heart where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is liberty. Now all of us, with our faces unveiled, reflect the glory of the Lord as if we are mirrors; and so we are being transformed, metamorphosed, into His same image from one radiance of glory to another, just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it.

The Letter of 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 54th chapter of the book (scroll) of Isaiah that points to a rebuilding of Jerusalem in Love.

the alphabetic number of the word “Love” is 54:

“Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby.

Fill the air with song, you who’ve never experienced childbirth!

You’re ending up with far more children

than all those childbearing women.” God says so!

“Clear lots of ground for your tents!

Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!

Use plenty of rope,

drive the tent pegs deep.

You’re going to need lots of elbow room

for your growing family.

You’re going to take over whole nations;

you’re going to resettle abandoned cities.

Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed.

Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short.

You’ll forget all about the humiliations of your youth,

and the indignities of being a widow will fade from memory.

For your Maker is your bridegroom,

his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!

Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel,

known as God of the whole earth.

You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief,

and God welcomed you back,

Like a woman married young

and then left,” says your God.

Your Redeemer God says:

“I left you, but only for a moment.

Now, with enormous compassion, I’m bringing you back.

In an outburst of anger I turned my back on you—

but only for a moment.

It’s with lasting love

that I’m tenderly caring for you.

“This exile is just like the days of Noah for me:

I promised then that the waters of Noah

would never again flood the earth.

I’m promising now no more anger,

no more dressing you down.

For even if the mountains walk away

and the hills fall to pieces,

My love won’t walk away from you,

my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.”

The God who has compassion on you says so.

“Afflicted city, storm-battered, unpitied:

I’m about to rebuild you with stones of turquoise,

Lay your foundations with sapphires,

construct your towers with rubies,

Your gates with jewels,

and all your walls with precious stones.

All your children will have God for their teacher—

what a mentor for your children!

You’ll be built solid, grounded in righteousness,

far from any trouble—nothing to fear!

far from terror—it won’t even come close!

If anyone attacks you,

don’t for a moment suppose that I sent them,

And if any should attack,

nothing will come of it.

I create the blacksmith

who fires up his forge

and makes a weapon designed to kill.

I also create the destroyer—

but no weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged.

Any accuser who takes you to court

will be dismissed as a liar.

This is what God’s servants can expect.

I’ll see to it that everything works out for the best.”

God’s Decree.

The Book (Scroll) of Isaiah, Chapter 54 (The Message)

to be accompanied by these lines from The Voice:

Every one of your children, the people who call you home,

will be students of the Eternal; oh, they’ll be so happy and live in peace!

This time, you will be founded and grounded

on right thought, speech, and action.

The Book (Scroll) of Isaiah, Chapter 54:13-14 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, August 1 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about finding the place of “Home”

Teshuvah (“repentance”) is often described as "turning" back to God, though practically speaking it is an ongoing turning, that is, a turning to God both in moments of ambiguity, pain, and distress, as well as in moments of respite and relative happiness... It is in the midst of the ego's clamor, before the parade of worldly fears or pressures, in the crucible of "everydayness" that we must "come to ourselves" and (re)find God. In that sense, teshuvah is a sort of focus, a direction, a seeking, and a center of life, the place of constant repair for the inner breach we constantly feel. It’s a long road home to finally understand you belong at your Father’s table... That is the message of the parable of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-32).

It is written in the Mishnah (Avot:15b), "repent one day before you die," but who knows the day of one's death in advance? Therefore "seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him when he is near" (Isa. 55:6). "In eternity you will not be asked how large a fortune you are leaving behind - the survivors ask about that. Nor will you be asked about how many battles you won, about how sagacious you were, how powerful your influence - that, after all, becomes your reputation for posterity. No, eternity will not ask about what worldly goods remain behind you, but about what riches you have gathered in heaven. It will ask you about how often you have conquered your own thought, about what control you have exercised over yourself or whether you have been a slave, about how often you have mastered yourself in self-denial or whether you have never done so" (Kierkegaard).

Just as God humbled Israel with manna in the desert, so He humbles us. "Give us this day our daily bread and deliver us..." The purpose of affliction is ultimately good and healing: God humbles us with manna, the "bread of affliction, so "that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" (Deut. 8:3). In other words, God uses tzuris to lead us to do teshuvah and accept the truth. We often pray that our problems be taken away, but God sometimes ordains these very problems so that we will turn and draw near to Him... We are being weaned from this present age to be made ready for heavenly glory, for things unimaginably wonderful, soon to be revealed to you. Chazak – stay the course, friends; the hour is near. [Hebrew for Christians]

7.30.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

August 1, 2021

Scripture Says/God Says

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Among the many evidences for verbal inspiration, both within and without Scripture, is the frequent interchange of God recognized as the author of a particular passage with the human author who actually penned it. This can be true only if the very words recorded by the various authors are “God breathed” (the meaning of “inspiration”).

For example, the early Christians exclaimed, “Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?” (Acts 4:24-25), thereby recognizing that God spoke through David, who wrote God’s words in Psalm 2:1-2.

Likewise, Paul, in his masterful dissertation on God’s sovereignty, claimed “the scripture saith unto Pharaoh” (Romans 9:17) that which God Himself had spoken unto Moses (Exodus 9:13). In other words, what Scripture says, God says.

Even Christ Jesus, who Himself had written with His finger “honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12) on tables of stone, personally ascribed the authorship of the passage to Moses (Mark 7:10). Evidently to Christ, there was no difference. That which Moses had written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and in this case what he had copied from the stone tablet, was fully the Word of God.

We can be sure that what Scripture says, God says. “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17). We can trust our lives on Earth, our view of history, and our eternal destiny to what is written on the pages of Scripture. JDM

[drmonte75-blog]

An Ordinary Commentary by Ordinary Men  

“Living to Glorify God Brings Satisfaction to the Soul” 

#Christianity #Church #Bible #Commentary  

ordinarycommentary.blogspot.com

Types of Righteousness and Religion Matthew 6:1-18 Our Lord warns His followers against counterfeit spirituality seeking to be seen and praised by men.

Harvey Goodwin—Verse 1: “In these verses our Lord applies to the subject of almsgiving, to what we commonly call in these days charity, the same spiritual principles according to which He has already explained and expanded several of the Laws of the Old Testament. All the men of our Lord’s time would admit almsgiving to the poor to be a great duty; but then many of them held or seemed to hold that there was virtue in the mere giving, independently of the spirit in which it was done, so that a man might make his charitable doings redound to his own praise, sounding a trumpet when he was going to distribute his alms, and the rest. Our Lord declares that, of which we can have no doubt when we hear it asserted, namely, that in the sight of God such almsgiving can have no virtue, no beauty, no excellence: the spirit which can alone render almsgiving pleasing to Him who sees the heart is the simple spirit of love, which withdraws itself from observation, seeks not its own, is unselfish, desiring to do what is charitable for the sake of charity only. But mark the awful emphasis, and something like irony, with which our Saviour says of those who make parade of their charity, Verily I say unto you, They have their reward; yes, they have their reward; they wish to gain the attention of mankind, and they gain it; they wish for applause, and they have it; they are pleased when they hear people say, ‘What a liberal man he is! and they have plenty of pleasure such as this. But what does it all amount to? what treasure is laid up in heaven by mere earthly applause? what satisfaction can it be to have cheated men into the belief of our excellent qualities, if the rottenness of our hearts is open and undisguised in the sight of Him who sees in secret, and who knows the thoughts and intents of the heart? They have their reward, have it already in this present world, and a poor unsatisfactory delusive reward it is.” 42 Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Verses 2-4: “'2. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.' We must not copy the loud charity of certain vainglorious persons: their character is hypocritical, their manner is ostentatious, their aim is to be seen of men, their reward is in the present. That reward is a very poor one, and is soon over. To stand with a penny in one hand and a trumpet in the other is the posture of hypocrisy. ‘Glory of men’ is a thing which can be bought: but honour from God is a very different thing. This is an advertising age, and too many are saying, ‘Behold my liberality!” Those who have Jesus for their King must wear his livery of humility, and not the scarlet trappings of a purse-proud generosity, which blows its own trumpet, not only in the streets, but even in the synagogues. We cannot expect two rewards for the same action: if we have it now we shall not have it hereafter. Unrewarded alms will alone count in the record of the last day. 3, 4. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine atms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shalt reward thee openly. Seek secrecy for your good deeds. Do not even see your own virtue. Hide from yourself that which you yourself have done that is commendable; for the proud contemplation of your own generosity may tarnish all your alms. Keep the thing so secret that even you yourself are hardly aware that you are doing anything at all praiseworthy. Let God be present, and you will have enough of an audience. He will reward you, reward you ‘openly’, reward you as a Father rewards a child, reward you as one who saw what you did, and knew that you did it wholly unto him. Lord, help me, when I am doing good, to keep my left hand out of it, that I may have no sinister motive, and no desire to have a present reward of praise among my fellow-men” 43 William Nast—Verse 5: “Verse 5. The Jews attached to prayer a still greater importance than even to fasting and almsgiving, but had reduced it to a mere mechanical performance. They prayed three times a day, at nine o'clock, A.M., at twelve o'clock, and at three o'clock, P. M., and resorted to the synagogue for prayer on the Sabbath, on Monday, and Thursday. Many a zealous Jew spent nine hours a day in prayer. Nor did they go for public prayer only to the synagogue, but, like the Roman Catholics, also for private prayer, because greater efficacy was ascribed to prayer in the synagogue. The Pharisees managed it so—this is implied in ‘they love’—that they were overtaken by the hour of prayer while on their way to the synagogue, that the people might see them pray and praise their piety. It is evident from the context that these remarks of our Lord are not directed against common or public prayer—a duty resting on express Divine command—but against performing private prayer in public places..” 44 Adam Clarke—Verse 6: “But thou, when thou prayest. This is a very impressive and emphatic address. But thou! whosoever thou art, Jew, Pharisee, Christian—enter into thy closet. Prayer is the most secret intercourse of the soul with God, and as it were the conversation of one heart with another. The world is too profane and treacherous to be of the secret. We must shut the door against it: endeavour to forget it, with all the affairs which busy and amuse it. Prayer requires retirement, at least of the heart; for this may be fitly termed the closet in the house of God, which house the body of every real Christian is, 1 Cor. iii. 16. To this closet we ought to retire even in public prayer, and in the midst of company. Reward thee openly. What goodness is there equal to this of God! to give, not only what we ask, and more than we ask, but to reward even prayer itself! How great advantage is it to serve a prince who places prayers in the number of services, and reckons to his subjects’ account, even their trust and confidence in begging all things of him!” 45 James Morison—Verse 7: “But, in addition to secrecy as regards men, take heed as regards another matter, namely, the fitting mood of mind in relation to God, when engaged in praying, use not vain repetitions: ‘Battering’ away at God, as it were, and ‘blattering’ (Luther has it, viel plujypern). ‘Babble’ not in prayer, in the spirit of those worshippers of Baal ‘who called on his name from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us’ (1 Kings xviii. 26), or of those worshippers of Diana who ‘about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians’ (Acts xix. 34). As the Gentiles do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking: They think that in heaping word upon word, and persistently holding on with their speechifying, they shall secure attention and a hearing. Such multiplication of speaking is utterly in vain. ‘It proceedeth,’ as good David Dickson remarks, ‘from a base misconception of God.’ It is well observed however by Augustin that there is a great difference between much speaking and much praying. And even repetitiousness, when it is not wordiness but the expression of intensity of desire, will not be unacceptable to the Hearer of prayer. Such repetitiousness will not be immoderate. It is found in many of the psalms; and it was characteristic of our Saviour’s own prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, when He again and again ‘prayed, saying the same words’ (Matt. xxvi. 44).” 46 James Glentworth Butler—Verse 8: “Your Father knoweth what ye need. Prayer is the preparation and the enlargement of the heart for the receiving of the divine gift; which, indeed, God is always prepared to give, but we are not always prepared to receive. In the act of prayer there is a purging of the spiritual eye, which thus is averted from the things earthly that darken it, and becomes receptive of the divine light—able not to endure only the brightness of that light, but to rejoice in it with an ineffable joy. In the earnest asking is the enlargement of the heart for the abundant receiving; even as in it is also the needful preparation for the receiving with a due thankfulness; while, on the contrary, the good which came unsought would too often remain the unacknowledged also. Prayer is not designed to inform God, but to give man a sight of his misery, to humble his heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to raise his soul toward heaven, and to put him in mind that there is his Father, his country, his inheritance. He is a Father to whom we pray; let us go to him with confidence; he knows our wants; let us remove far from us all anxious disquiet and concern.” 47 Edwin Wilbur Rice—Verse 9: “After this manner, or ‘thus.’ Jesus gives a pattern or specimen of true prayer. Thus it was understood by nearly all the early fathers and by the majority of evangelical Christians. Some hold that he gave this as a formula always to be used. Others say this is against his teaching in v. 7; and that he did not make the use of this particular form obligatory on his followers. There is no historical evidence, so far as known, that it was used as a formula of prayer by the apostles themselves. It is to be accepted as a proper mode of prayer, and it may be used in the worship of God privately or publicly, but always and only in accord with the principle already declared by Jesus—not to use display or vain repetitions in praying. Onr Father. ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ so called because the Lord gave it as a pattern, might more accurately be called ‘The Model Prayer.’ It is usually divided into three parts: 1, preface; 2, petitions.; 3, conclusion. The Latin fathers and the Lutheran Church make the number of the petitions seven. The Greek and Reformed Churches and the Westminster divines make the number six, by making only one petition of the first part of v. 13, while the others divide it into two petitions. The works written on this ‘Model Prayer’ would make an immense library. The Preface is literally ‘Father of us, who art in the heavens;’ ‘our,’ not my, implying the brotherhood of the human race, especially of believers. The ‘fatherhood of God’ was an old thought in the Jewish worship. It seems a common thought of the race. The Vedas of India, the Zend-Avesta of Persia, Greek literature, as Plato and Plutarch, and the older Baal worship, have the same idea. It seems to be a relic of God's earliest revelation of himself in patriarchal times. But Jesus brings it into a new form and touches it with a new life. First Petition. Hallowed he thy name. That is, help us and others to revere, hallow, sanctify and make holy God’s name and being. Reverence lies at the foundation of all true prayer. 48 Phillip Schaff—Verse 10: “Thy kingdom come (second petition). The Messiah’s kingdom, which in organized form had not yet come, but was proclaimed by the Lord Himself, as at hand. It did speedily come, as opposed to the Old Testament theocracy; but in its fulness, including the triumph of Christ’s kingdom over the kingdom of darkness it has not yet come. For this coming we now pray and the prayer is answered, in part by every success of the gospel, and will be answered entirely when the King comes again. A missionary petition, but not less a prayer for our own higher sanctification and for the second coming of Christ. —Thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth (Third petition). ‘Heaven’ and ‘earth,’ put for their inhabitants. As by pure angels, so by men. The idea of human doing is prominent, our will subordinate to God’s will. ‘As’ expresses similarity in kind and completeness.” 49 Matthew Henry—Verse 11: “Give us this day our daily bread. Because our natural being is necessary to our spiritual well-being in this world, therefore, after the things of God’s glory, kingdom, and will, we pray for the necessary supports and comforts of this present life, which are the gifts of God, and must be asked of him,—Bread for the day approaching, for all the remainder of our lives. Bread for the time to come, or bread for our being and subsistence, that which is agreeable to our condition in the world, (Prov. 30.8.) food convenient for us and our families, according to our rank and station. Every word here has a lesson in it: (1.) We ask for bread; that teaches us sobriety and temperance; we ask for bread, not dainties, not superfluities; that which is wholesome, though it be not nice. (2.) We ask for our bread; that teaches us honesty and industry: we do not ask for the bread out of other people’s mouths, not the bread of deceit, (Prov. 20.13.) not the bread of idleness, (Prov. 31.27.) but the bread honestly gotten. (3.) We ask for our daily bread; which teaches us not to take thought for the morrow, (ch. 6.34.) but constantly to depend upon divine providence, as those that live from hand to mouth. (4.) We beg of God to give it us, not sell it us, nor lend it us, but give it. The greatest of men must be beholden to the mercy of God for their daily bread. (5.) We pray, ‘Give it to us; not to me only, but to others in common with me.’ This teaches us charity, and a compassionate concern for the poor and needy. It intimates also, that we ought to pray with our families; we and our house-holds eat together, and therefore ought to pray together. (6.) We pray that God would give it us this day; which teaches us to renew the desire of our souls toward God, as the wants of our bodies are renewed; as duly as the day comes, we must pray to our heavenly Father, and reckon we should as well go a day without meat, as without prayer.” 50 John Bird Sumner—Verses 12-13: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. We are, then, trespassers: we need forgiveness. Our hearts must be ill-instructed in the divine law, if they do not tell us that it is so. And he who lives through mercy, must show mercy. An unforgiving spirit would mar the effect even of this Christian prayer, because it would betray a most unchristian state of mind. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. There are temptations which ‘are common to men.’ We see throughout all Scripture, that it is God’s will that his people should be tried. But who, that knows his frailty, and the infirmity of his best purposes, will not pray that he may be kept from temptation, and delivered from the evil one?” 51 Joseph Addison Alexander—Verses 14-15: “14. For, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The next two verses, as already stated, purport to give a reason for something in the previous context, which can only be the last clause of v. 12. As if he had said, ‘In asking for forgiveness, you must stand prepared to exercise it also, for unless you are, you cannot be forgiven, not because the one is the condition of the other, but because the two must go together, and the absence of the one proves the absence of the other.’ The verb four times repeated here is the same with that in v. 12; but instead of the word delts another figure is employed, that of a fall or false step, rendered in the English versions, trespass, and intended to express the same idea, that of sin, which may be considered either as a debt due to the divine justice, or as a lapse from the straight course of moral rectitude. The fulness and precision with which the alternative is here presented may appear superfluous, but adds to the solemnity of the assurance, and would no doubt strengthen the impression on the minds of the original hearers. In this, as in the whole preceding context, God is still presented in his fatherly relation to all true believers; as if to intimate that even that relation, tender as it is, would give no indulgence to an unforgiving spirit.” 52 Charles John Elliott—Verse 16: “(16) When ye fast.—Fasting had risen under the teaching of the Pharisees into a new prominence. Under the Law there had been but the one great fast of the Day of Atonement, on which men were ‘to afflict their souls’ (Lev. xxiii.27; Num. xxix.7), and practice had interpreted that phrase as meaning total abstinence from food. Other fasts were occasional, in times of distress or penitence, as in Joel i.14, ii.15; or as part of a policy affecting to be religions zeal (1 Kings xxi.9, 12); or as the expression of personal sorrow (1 Sam. xx.34; 2 Sam. xii 16; Ezra x.6; Neh. i.4; et al.). These were observed with an ostentatious show of affliction which called forth the indignant sarcasm of the prophets (Isa. lviii.5). The ‘sackcloth’ took the place of the usual raiment, ‘ashes’ on the head, of the usual unguents (Neh. ix.1; Ps. xxxv. 13). The tradition of the Pharisees, starting from the true principle that fasting was one way of attaining self-control, and that as a discipline it was effectual in proportion as it was systematic, fixed on the fasts ‘twice in the week,’ specified in the prayer of the Pharisee (Luke xviii.12); and the second and fifth days of the week were fixed, and connected with some vague idea that Moses went up Mount Sinai on the one, and descended on the other. Our Lord, we may note, does not blame the principle, or even the rule, on which the Pharisees acted. He recognises fasting, as He recognises almsgiving and prayer, and is content to warn His disciples against the ostentation that vitiates all three, the secret self-satisfaction under the mask of contrition, the ‘pride that apes humility.’ The very words, ‘when thou fastest’ contain an implied command. Of a sad countenance.—Strictly, of sullen look, moroseness of affected austerity rather than of real sorrow. They disfigure their faces.—The verb is the same as that translated ‘corrupt’ in verse 19. Here it points to the unwashed face and the untrimmed hair, possibly to the ashes sprinkled on both, that men might know and admire the rigorous asceticism.” 53 Charles Rosenbury Erdman—Verses 17-18: “Very popular with the Jews among whom Christ lived, was that of fasting. If this is practiced in order to show to God our sorrow for sin; or if it is involved in our devotion to his service, it is right and commendable; but if it is employed as a means of winning the approval and praise of men, it is hypocrisy and pretense. Jesus insists that fasting, and all forms of self-denial, should be in secret; we are not to parade our sacrifices; we are not to make capital out of our devotion. We are to have regard only to the Father who is in secret, who sees in secret and who surely will reward.” 54 Endnote: 42   Harvey Goodwin, A Commentary on the Gospel of S. Matthew (Cambridge: Deighton, Bell and Company, 1857), 93-94. 43   Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893), 32. 44   William Nast, A Commentary on the Gospels of Matthew and Mark (Cincinnati: Poe & Hitchcock, 1864), 262. 45   Adam Clarke, The New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew to the Acts), Volume 1 (New York: Lane & Scott, 1850), 84. 46   James Morrison, A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1895), 88. 47   J. Glentworth Butler, The Bible Work (or Bible Readers Commentary) The New Testament, in Two Volumes, Volume 1 (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1889), 157. 48   Edwin W. Rice, Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew (Philadelphia: The American Sunday School Union, 1897), 79. 49   Philip Shaff, A Popular Commentary on the New Testament, Volume 1 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1891), 67. 50   Matthew Henry, An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, Volume 5 (Philadelphia: Edward Barrington & George D. Haswell, 1825), 67. 51   John Bird Sumner, A Practical Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark, in the Form of Lectures (London: Hatchard & Son, 1831), 70. 52   Joseph Addison Alexander, The Gospel According to Matthew (New York: Charles Scribner, 1861), 176. 53   Charles John Ellicott, A New Testament Commentary for English Readers (Matthew-John), Volume 1 (Edinburg: The Calvin Translation Society, 1884), 26. 54   Charles Rosenbury Erdman, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition (Philadelphia: The Westminister Press, 1920), 56.

[showbizchicago]

Enrique Mazzola To Succeed Sir Andrew Davis As Lyric Opera Music Director

Photo Credit: Sarah Gabriele As general director, president & CEO Anthony Freud announced today, big changes are underway at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Acclaimed and beloved music director Sir Andrew Davis plans to conclude his two-decade-long tenure at the end of the 2020/21 season. Eminent Italian conductor Enrique Mazzola has been named as Lyric’s music director designate, effective immediately, and will become Lyric’s music director beginning with the 2021/22 season. As Davis continues his substantial responsibilities while overseeing the transition, Mazzola looks forward to his role in leading Lyric through the next, dynamic chapter of the iconic company’s journey. Mazzola and Davis joined Freud onstage for the announcement at the Lyric Opera House. Meanwhile, Davis is preparing to conduct Rossini’s The Barber of Seville to open Lyric’s 65th season on Sept. 28, and Mazzola will begin rehearsals next week for Verdi’s early masterpiece, Luisa Miller, which opens Oct. 12.  “I am thrilled that Enrique Mazzola has accepted Lyric’s invitation to become our next music director,” Freud says. “He has accrued a wealth of international experience in his career to date, and he is tremendously well liked and respected by the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. I am confident that our audiences and the people of Chicago will be captivated by his artistry, his charm and personality, as has certainly been the case during his initial engagements here in the past few years. I look forward with great excitement to working very closely with Enrique. Our artistic partnership has already started and is proving both very fruitful and extremely enjoyable.” As Sir Andrew Davis enters his 20th season as Lyric’s music director and principal conductor, Freud notes, “Sir Andrew is on the podium for an astonishing six operas: The Barber of Seville, Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, and the four operas of our new Ring cycle. Since I came to Lyric in 2011, we have collaborated on an incredible two-dozen operas, nearly half of them new productions including one world premiere, not to mention several outstanding concerts.  Andrew’s contribution to opera in Chicago, and internationally, is immeasurable, and we all have much to anticipate over the next two years. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future.”  Says Davis, “I had actually intended to leave after the Ring cycles next spring, until Anthony persuaded me to stay for one more season! It will be hard to leave, but the timing is right for me and I am confident that Enrique will be a splendid music director for Lyric. I am greatly looking forward to working closely with him over the next two years. He’s a fine musician and someone who will continue the tradition of the Lyric Opera family. It’s fantastic to have two years together for our transition.”   “Lyric has been my artistic and personal home for more than two decades, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities that I have enjoyed here, professionally and personally. It continues to be a joy to work with our magnificent orchestra and chorus on such a wide range of repertoire, and to join forces with so many brilliant singers and directors in bringing great opera to the Lyric stage.”  Just prior to returning to Chicago in late August, Davis led a triumphant performance of Götterdämmerung at the Edinburgh Festival (with the stars of Lyric’s upcoming new production, Christine Goerke and Burkhard Fritz, in the leading roles). Over the course of more than three decades, to date Davis has conducted 674 opera performances at Lyric, plus nine special concerts at the opera house, and the majority of Lyric’s free concerts in Millennium Park. The vast repertoire that he has led at Lyric encompasses operas by Berg, Berlioz, Bizet, Britten, Dvořák, Gilbert & Sullivan, Gounod, Janáček, Lehár, López, Massenet, Mozart, Mussorgsky, Poulenc, Puccini, Rossini, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Wagner, and Weinberg. Chief conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and conductor laureate of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (he was previously that ensemble's principal conductor), Davis is also conductor laureate of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conductor emeritus of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and former music director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera. He has led performances at many of the world's most important opera houses, among them the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Covent Garden, the Bayreuth Festival, and the major companies of Munich, Paris, San Francisco, and Santa Fe. In addition to those ensembles previously mentioned, he has appeared with virtually every other internationally prominent orchestra including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and all the major British orchestras. Recent engagements include the Last Night of the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall and concerts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. A vast discography documents Sir Andrew’s artistry, with recent releases including programs of Berlioz and Ives, as well as his orchestration of Messiah. In 1992 Davis was created a Commander of the British Empire, and in 1999 he was made a Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours List. He has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. Widely recognized as one of today’s foremost interpreters and champions of bel canto opera and a leading specialist in French repertoire and early Verdi, Enrique Mazzola is in high demand worldwide as both an operatic and symphonic conductor. He is principal guest conductor at Deutsche Oper Berlin, and until recently served as artistic and music director of the Orchestre National d’Île-de-France (ONDIF) in Paris. In recognition of his significant contribution to musical life in France, Mazzola was made a Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in October 2018.  His arrival in Chicago follows his recent return to New York’s Metropolitan Opera for a spring production of La fille du régiment and his back-to-back summer engagements in Austria. He led a “phenomenal, monumental” Rigoletto (Opern magazine, Germany) at the Bregenz Festival and made his Salzburg Festival debut in August, conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in a new staging of Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld that marked his first collaboration with director Barrie Kosky. Following the performances of Luisa Miller at Lyric Oct. 12-31, Mazzola’s 2019/20 season includes his return to the Zurich Opera House (Don Pasquale, new production), Vienna Symphony Orchestra for concerts at the Musikverein and Bregenz Festival, Deusche Oper Berlin (Meyerbeer’s Le prophète and Dinorah), Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (L’elisir d’amore), Taiwan Philharmonic, and symphonic concerts in Germany. Future plans include his return to London Philharmonic, both in London and on tour in Europe.  In addition to his extensive conducting roster, Mazzola is the first international brand ambassador of Tuscany’s Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, promoting the culture of Vino Nobile and the surrounding Montepulciano wine region in Italy and abroad. It’s an area he knows well, having served as artistic director of Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte in Montepulciano from 1999 to 2003. As Mazzola told Chicago Wine Journal in 2016, “The life of an ambassador is never being at home. That’s basically true of a conductor, as well.” Mazzola has promoted Vino Nobile whenever the opportunity arises, offering insights into the region, its history, and its wine production. Lyric audiences first experienced Mazzola’s artistry when he conducted Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor here in 2016/17. The Chicago Tribune praised “the gifted young Italian conductor Enrique Mazzola, a first-rate bel canto opera stylist making an impressive company debut… Mazzola was ever at the ready to support the vocal lines with shapely, refined orchestral playing that soared along with the singers, but also delivered firm dramatic urgency and tension when so required. This conductor is a discovery indeed.” Mazzola’s return to Lyric for Bellini’s I Puritani inspired similarly heartfelt praise in 2017/18. “I am so looking forward to working closely with Anthony in my new role as music director at Lyric starting in 2021, and to working with both Anthony and Sir Andrew as music director designate during the transition period,” says Mazzola.  “Anthony has made me feel very much like part of the Lyric Opera family from the beginning, and our working relationship is always an excellent collaboration.” Mazzola says he felt “love at first sight for Chicago – amore a prima vista, as we say in Italian,” and has enjoyed exploring the city’s neighborhoods, restaurants, and cultural attractions. “I got to know everything you can discover by walking through the Loop, the Gold Coast, Chinatown, what remains of Little Italy,” he recalls. “I did what every tourist should do -- the architectural tour, the Art Institute, the Chicago Symphony, and some rooftop bars after some shows.”  “I’ve also had some important experiences which made me a little closer to the city,” Mazzola notes. “The first of course was my invitation to Lyric,” which provided the opportunity “to get to know a lot of people” and to get a sense for the audience here. Also, “when I come to Chicago, I rent an apartment, so for that month and a half I become a Chicago citizen and live a real Chicago life. The days between performances are perfect for me to walk and to feel and to see and to enjoy the city in a different way.” He finds Chicagoans “ready to listen, ready to explain, ready to show, ready to accompany you.” He describes Lyric as “an opera house where all the artists are warmly welcomed, where there is enough time to rehearse and to express personal and artistic ideas. I found in Chicago a very attentive and prepared audience, fantastic orchestra and chorus, and a wonderful organization.” Mazzola intends to make Chicago his principal residence. About Lyric Opera Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.   Under the leadership of general director, president & CEO Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting and drawing strength from the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists -- magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city. Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down. Join us @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. #Lyric1920 #LongLivePassion.  Read the full article

[stylessemantics]

11 Questions Tag

Rules:

1. Always post these rules. 2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you. 3. Write 11 questions of your own. 4. Tag 11 people.

I was tagged by my sweet @roseonhissleeve and there is a cut cause y’all know I love to babble on for ages! I also love this cause this is one of those tags you can get tagged back and do again every time! Isn’t that fun?!

1. What are three things that you are proud of?

My parents. My love for reading. Harry Styles.

2. If you could learn how to sing/perform one song perfectly, what song would it be?

Change The World by Eric Clapton and/or Don’t Know Why by Norah Jonas. Those two songs are masterpieces and beautiful to play on the piano which is what I need to learn so I can stop asking my mom to accompany me on the piano. CTW is also a very beautiful arrangement that I would kill to know the guitar part of as well.

3. If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?

What would I want my superpower to be? Power of persuasion? The power to copy other powers? Telekinesis, telepathy?

4. Do you have any tattoos/do you want any tattoos? Tell us about them.

I don’t have but I do want. The only thing i can tell you about them is that i like simple small designs like line art, minimal style things, pointillism as a method of shading, not extremely detailed or like hard just simple things like idk planets, roses, constellations, figures, cartoons or doodles, etc etc . Check my inkspiration tag.

5. Where do you go when you need to think?

I wish I had a place. I wish I could tell you there’s this little house on a hill or a treehouse or a cafe o some interesting spot like that but I don’t leave my house much and there are no spots like those over here that I could just escape to. So I’m guessing I don’t go anywhere physically but I do mentally with the help of music or a good book. 

6. What is your favourite Disney/animated movie?

I can’t choose. Every time Ella Enchanted is on I just have to watch it, but that’s not an animated movie, and I wouldn’t consider it a favourite (i can’t choose any favourites in anything sorry) Maybe Ratatouille? Or The Lion King?(the timon and pumbaa one)

7. What is your favourite book & why?

If I can’t pick an animated film how do you expect me to pick a book WOWOWOWOWOW talk about unfair, and impossible. Wings by Aprilynne Pike always comes to mind because I just LOVED it when I read it back in like 9th grade, and because I recently discovered it’s 5 books NOT 2 AND I HAVE ONLY READ 2!? Also To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. Palacios’ WONDER. The Book Of Lost Things? The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. Red Queen? IDK IDK IDK I want to read more. There was this line in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower that goes “this is my favourite book, but then I’ll read another and that will be my favourite book” or something along those lines and that right there is the definition of me. 

8. What is a song that not a lot of people know that you wish was more popular?

Nope. Not Saying. JK I Don’t have one. I’m always searching for new music and even older tunes that catch my eye I just... IDK. I do love sharing music, I love being able to light up someone’s day with a song recommendation cause it feels good to be all “yo listen to this, you’re going to love it” and share the love, but then again sometimes you discover a song and you’re like “nope, mine mine mine” and you want to keep it to yourself and then it’s on the radio and you’re like pissed but also glad cause now it gets the well deserved praise? That’s me too. And I don’t have any songs right now. Let’s go with Always by Panic! At The Disco. IDK why but I feel like not everyone has listened to that beautifully written jam, and everyone has to.

9. Where do you get your inspiration?

anywhere. I haven’t lived many experiences. Writing romantic fics/songs? I have the most inactive romantic life ever. It has never been activated for me to say it’s NOW inactive so... I just have a vivid imagination and I enjoy coming up with things, stories, scenarios, visuals, etc. I sometimes grab a tenth part of something that happened to me and sprinkle all the fiction possible and write it. My love songs are all stories I wish had happened to me or me writing from a friend’s perspective after they tell me their story and i live the romance vicariously through them. It’s why I don’t think my songs are any good. They are not real cause I never experienced that. And that’s just when it comes to romance stuff, there’s a whole other batch of genres I’ve never experienced IRL and still try and talk about.

10. What makes you happy?

Harry Styles. Music. Writing. Reading. Doodling. My Family. Imagining a future in which im happy and have some answers to some of my questions. my friends. making friends. Discovering things i like. Travelling. Not having depressive thoughts. Watching my fave youtubers. Seeing other people happy

11. Why are you a 1D fan?

boy, oh boy. I have no idea. They just drew me in, without me looking for anything they just popped and I liked it and there was nothing wrong with that, I just like music idc who sings it and then we see if I like the artist as a person to explicitly follow all their work, which happened with 1D, I read up on them and caught their performances on the tv or looked them up and realised how awesome they were as humans and that made me like them a bit more to the point where I was a fan. An Actual Fully Fledged fan, not just an “oh i like this song” and I have no idea how, or why, it just happened and they were too good to drop. I am a fan cause they are amazing people. Isn’t that just how it goes? You don’t know why you love someone, you just do, and that’s how it goes.

MY QUESTIONS

Do you have a favourite pet name? What is it and why, and if you don’t have/don’t like pet names; why?

Tell me a Joke:

Are you a plant inside the house person? If yes; fake or real plants. if not: why?

Take me down memory lane and tell me a first. (first tattoo, first kiss, first time you saw the colour pink idc, just take me with you)

Pick one of Harry’s 8 unreleased songs and give me a prediction. What does it sound like? What is it about? Get creative and write a verse of the song if you want. Just for funsies!

You’ve just won a Grammy/Oscar/Emmy/IDK. Thank you speech? Go:

Fill in the blanks: I instantly smile when _____ because _____

Favourite Harry Trait? #AHarryLovePlatform.

What don’t you understand? (besides this question, come on, be creative) ((example: IDU how people don’t like Harry Styles))

If a sandwich was named after you, what would it be called (your name or something else)? What did you do to earn that honour? What’s in it? (taken from my 1 page at a time daily creative companion book)

Recommend me: a song, a book and a movie. (they can be Harry inspo or not. Just give me art!)

AND NOW I TAG: @hstylescouk @roseonhissleeve @inwhichitrytowritesomething @harrycarryme @legend-waitforit-harry @kasiwrites @permanentcross @trulymadlysydney @aqua-harry @adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy @ihearthemcallingxx Wish i can tag more of youse but i was asked for 11 sorryyyyy You’re all more than welcome to do these and tag me back!

[studio183-blog]

MEET THE DESIGNER CORRINA GOUTOS

Corrina, please introduce yourself and your label.

I am a jewelry and object artist born and raised in Upstate New York, now based in Hamburg, Germany.  Although a piece of my heart still resides in Berlin, where I first landed ship nearly 4 years ago. I graduated with a BA in Jewelry and Objects from the Savannah College of Art and Design and immediately moved to Berlin-where I founded my practice.

My work is heavily inspired by the fluctuation between things man-made and things natural - a boundary that proves evermore transient and hard to define.  I am interested in the temporary and the long-term relationships we have with the objects around us; from the mundane plastic coffee cup to the most sacred family heirloom. I trill in reading the unfinished stories of these objects abandoned in urban environments or at flea markets.

As a creative what stood out for you in Berlin?

Berlin was a goldmine for me for this reason; a texture bomb of painted, bannered surfaces, colourful personalities, borderline hoarders and unapologetic black sheep. Going on a walk was the best way to get inspired. The ideas piled up but slowly the possibilities got narrower.

Living in middle Weserstraße Neukölln working out of my 11sq meter bedroom - unable to find a decent studio; great project ideas started getting ruled out real fast. Can’t wake the whole apartment building with my brutal dentistry noises anymore, don’t have a car to transport that, can I install ‘Stark Strom’ in the basement and run my machines there!?

I needed to grow and I had a very expansive offer standing idle from my lovely boyfriend. A 300 plus year old straw-roof farmhouse on the outskirts of Hamburg that he and his brother jumped on 10 years ago due to the rarity of these things coming on the market. Already equipped with a full wood and metal working workshop, it wasn’t long till my dream studio was unfolding before my eyes.  One year later and I have 5 chickens, a garden, and a million new restoration skills.

You now live in the countryside, has the change of scenery influenced your work in any way?

There is no doubt my productivity has also improved from the increase in focus. The urban and consumerist themes remain strong in my work, but that has been a constant since the first art pieces I have made.  What’s different now is my perspective - as an observer, no longer knee deep in the buy-o-sphere rather, as a person much closer to living a self-sufficient life.

Although I won’t claim to be free from temptation, I see that my art has taken on a more pure, refined style - ridded with the myriad of influences; stripped down to the essentials - like my life has. The freedom to make messes and noise at any hour has led me to do a lot more experimenting.  

Do you have a favourite material for sculpting your pieces?

At the moment my favourite technique is still “lost wax casting” where pieces are sculpted in wax, set in ceramic, burned out and then metal is cast into the ceramic making a 1:1 cast of the wax model.

Wax is a remarkable material with many diverse properties that make it my favourite to work with. I experiment with just about every type of wax there is on the market. Silver is my second, a beautiful material no doubt - a soft, skin-friendly metal that once you get to know it - it starts working for you!

Do you have any specific inspirations/processes when you start a new collection?

I don’t use moodboards as I make or design because I feel they limit the wider pool from which I draw inspiration. Since I enjoy the end product to be a fusion of the aesthetic, I desire plus a good dose of the accidental; the spontaneity of the material often ends up being more interesting than anything I can sketch out or imagine.

Regardless I start every collection with a sequence that starts with word mapping: in which I translate usually psychological/social themes (my inspiration) into visually descriptive adjectives. This helps me think more abstract and see new associations and build metaphors into the collection’s aesthetic. From there I do many sketches and at the same time experimenting with materials and techniques that help me achieve the feeling of these adjectives.

From the strongest samples I create objects and sculptures, and finally I distill the objects into wearable work - taking the details I found most interesting and translating them into small pieces of adornment that travel the world with their wearers! I also take many photos around the urban environment, which are integral to my overall design thinking process.

I love the combinations of things that end up in the trash or on the streets.The collaboration of people and places and times that we see intercepting in the urban environment every day. It’s Ironic, beautiful and loaded with fun juxtapositions and interesting silhouettes.

Do you create for a certain persona? If so, please describe them.

I do not create for a certain person currently. I generally try to achieve the most unisex products possible. But as I stated, the concept and material play dictate most of the end product’s appearance. If I had a dream client though - it would definitely be Iris Apfel and all of her Advanced Style friends. She is fabulous and I would be honoured to adorn her with my work!

What’s the best compliment/description/comment someone has given your designs?

I definitely am still glowing from my best compliment and that was a month ago in Munich for Munich Jewelry Week, a.k.a. Mecca for Art Jewelers; a huge citywide exhibition with the best of the best from world-wide on display.

Somehow I found myself in a casual conversation one-on-one with a legend - one of the founders of Art Jewelry, Ruddt Peters - and of course an Idol of mine. His eyes went immediately to my brooch (the silver one listed in my favourites on top) and he told me he had never seen anything like it and I must continue with this.

One month later turns out he was the guest judge for an exhibition I entered and he saw that brooch in print and picked out my application first for the “definitely in” pile.  The creator of the event wrote me asking if I knew him, because he couldn’t have believed I made such a strong impression on him in the 2 minutes we spoke in Munich!

Tell us about more about your current collection.

Corrina’s current collection - “Self-Made”is a series of remnants of Generation Z’s search for permanence in an attention-deficit-disorder society. Also known as the ‘Me’ Generation or ‘Selfie’ Generation-Z’s have mastered the catered image of self. They design the face they will present to the world; they build a platform on which to receive praise and filter criticism. They are beautiful but lacking in depth - a fragile façade.  

The pieces reference cheap modern mass production, but are constructed with materials associated with luxury and employ high handcraft technique. Handled with neurotic, obsessive control of the material to fit our desires - yet they remain distinctly human. “Self-Made” is a souvenir to this era of indifferent indulgence; a contemporary artefact to commemorate the modern consumer and his/her many short lived personalities.

Your current collection is gorgeous. Is there anything you could tell us about the next one?

Another fun thing about being an artist and not a designer is only I decide when it is time for the next collection. There are no rules about trending or seasons that dictate my work - I move on when I feel the idea is exhausted or has met its fullest potential. Some concepts are really rich and I can develop them for years: allowing them to transform aesthetically far from the first few samples.

These are the ideas I hope for - they allow a degree of mastership in a technique and allow me to clarify my idea and visual signature. My current collection “Self-Made” continues to excite me, so you will all have to stay tuned to see what new faces it takes on.  I can say that I am playing with many alternative materials at the moment which I hope to incorporate - such as papier-mâché and electroforming on clay.

Can you tell us about any exciting plans for the year ahead?

In the next year there is lots in the works! As I just mentioned I was accepted into an esteemed Art Jewelry Exhibition - that will take place next month - in May, in Bucharest, Romania.  I am also working on collaboration with a very talented digital mapping and 3-D printing artist that I hope we will be seeing some pieces from in summer.  As well as I am planning to open small group- bed and breakfast style weekend jewelry courses out of our country home! Partners could make an engagement ring for one another, or bring a friend learn some basics in jewelry construction with me! Interested people can e-mail me for more information on signing up - corrinagoutos@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/corrinagoutos/

https://www.facebook.com/corrinagoutosjewelry/

http://corrinagoutos.com/

[pamphletstoinspire]

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE, FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BIBLE

Chapter 14 - Part 1

PREFACE.

St. Luke was a physician, a native of Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, and well skilled in the Greek language. In some ancient manuscripts, he is called Lucius, and Lucanus. Some conjecture that he was at first a Gentile and a pagan, and was converted by the preaching of St. Paul, at Antioch; others, that he was originally a Jew, and one of the seventy-two disciples. Sts. Hippolitus and Epiphanius say, that hearing from our Lord these words, he that eateth not my flesh, and drinketh not my blood, is not worthy of me, he withdrew, and quitted our Saviour, but returned to the faith at the preaching of St. Paul. But, to leave what is uncertain, St. Luke was the disciple, travelling companion, and fellow-labourer of St. Paul. Of him St. Paul is supposed to speak: (2 Corinthians viii. 18.) We have sent also with him (Titus) the brother, whose praise is in the gospel, through all churches: and again, Luke, the most dear physician, saluteth you: (Colossians iv.) and, only Luke is with me. (2 Timothy iv.) Some are of opinion that as often as St. Paul, in his Epistles, says according to my gospel, he speaks of the Gospel of St. Luke. This evangelist did not learn his gospel from St. Paul only, (who had never been with our Lord in the flesh) but from the other apostles also, as himself informs us in the beginning of his gospel, when he says, according as they have delivered them unto us; who, from the beginning, were eye-witnesses, (Greek: autoptai) and ministers of the word. His gospel, therefore, he wrote as he heard it; but the Acts of the Apostles, from his own observations; and both, as some believe, about the same time in which his history of the Acts finishes, towards the year of Christ 63. But the received opinion now is, that St. Luke wrote his gospel in Achaia, in the year 53, ten years previously to his writing of the Acts, purposely to counteract the fabulous relations concerning Jesus Christ, which several persons had endeavoured to palm upon the world.

There is a plenary indulgence attached to those who study scripture for at least a half-hour per day under the usual conditions.

Chapter 14 - Part 1

Christ heals the dropsical man. The parable of the supper. The necessity of renouncing all to follow Christ.

1 And it came to pass, when Jesus went into the house of a certain chief of the Pharisees, on the sabbath-day, to eat bread, and they were watching him.

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. This was the Hebrew expression for taking a meal; their frugality probably suggested this method of expression, bread being the principal part of their repast. (Calmet) --- What a contrast here between the actions of the Pharisees and those of our Saviour! They watched all his actions, in order to have an opportunity of accusing him, and of putting him to death; whilst he, on the contrary, seeks after nothing but the salvation of his enemies' souls. (Tirinus)

2 And behold there was a certain man before him, who had the dropsy.

Ver. 2. Our divine Saviour, regardless of the wicked designs which these Pharisees meditated to destroy him, cures the sick man, who did not dare to ask the favour of him, for fear of the Pharisees. He could only persuade himself to stand in his presence, hoping that Christ would at length cast a compassionate look upon him: who being well pleased with him, did not demand of him if he wished to be cured, but without demur proceeded to work this stupendous miracle in his behalf. (St. Cyril) --- In which Christ did not so much consider whether the action would give scandal to the Pharisees, as whether it would afford the sick man comfort; intimating, that we ought ever to disregard the raillery of the fools, and the scandal which men of this world may take at our actions, as often as they are for the honour of God, and the good of our neighbour. (Theophylactus)

3 And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-day?

Ver. 3. Is it lawful? Jesus knew their thoughts, and that they would blame him as a sabbath-breaker: yet he healed the man, and confounded them by the example and common practice of pulling an ass out of a pit on the sabbath-day. (Witham)

4 But they held their peace. But he, taking him, healed him, and sent him away.

Ver. 4. No explanation given.

5 And answering them, he said: Which of you, whose ass or his ox shall fall into a pit, and he will not immediately draw him out, on the sabbath-day?

Ver. 5. By this example Christ convicts his adversaries, as guilty of sordid avarice, since, in delivering beasts from the danger of perishing on the sabbath-day, they consult only their own advantage, whilst he was only employed in an act of charity towards his neighbour; an action they seemed so warmly to condemn. (Ven. Bede)

6 And they could not answer him to these things.

Ver. 6. No explanation given.

7 And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them:

Ver. 7. A parable. What parable? In the text there is no parable, but only instruction. Maldonatus thinks that our Saviour spoke a parable on this occasion, which St. Luke has omitted, giving us only the moral and the substance of the instruction conveyed by it. (Calmet) --- To take the lowest place at a feast, according to our Saviour's injunctions, is certainly very becoming; but imperiously to insist upon it, is far from acting according to our Saviour's wishes, particularly when it is destructive of regularity, and productive of discord and contention. (St. Basil)

8 When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the highest place, lest perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him:

Ver. 8. No explanation given.

9 And he who invited thee, and him, come and say to thee: Give place to this man; and then thou begin, with blushing, to take the lowest place.

Ver. 9. The lowest place. A person of the first quality is not to do this literally, which would be preposterous; but it is to teach every on humility of heart and mind. (Witham)

10 But when thou art invited, go sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee cometh, he may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee.

Ver. 10. No explanation given.

11 Because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Ver. 11. No explanation given.

12 And he said to him also that had invited him: When thou makest a dinner, or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor thy neighbours who are rich; lest they also invite thee again, and a recompense be made to thee.

Ver. 12. Christ does not here forbid the invitation of friends and relatives, since that would be acting directly contrary to his own maxims and spirit, which breathe nothing but charity and union. He merely wishes to purify our motives in the disposal of our charity, by insinuating that there is more merit in giving to the indigent, from whom we can expect no remuneration. (Calmet) --- It is only an effect of avarice, to be liberal to those who will repay us, says St. Ambrose. It is our duty as acknowledged even by heathens (Cicero de Off. lib. i.) to assist those who stand most in need of it; but our practice says the same author, is to be most obsequious to those from whom we expect most, though they want our services the least. St. Ambrose, Ven. Bede, and St. Chrysostom are of the same opinion.

13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the feeble, the lame, and the blind:

Ver. 13. No explanation given.

14 And thou shalt be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make thee recompense: for recompense shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just.

Ver. 14. No explanation given.

15 When one of them that sat at table with him, had heard these things, he said to him: Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Ver. 15. No explanation given.

16 But he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many.

Ver. 16. By this man we are to understand Christ Jesus, the great mediator between God and man. He sent his servants, at supper-time, to say to them that were invited, that they should come; i.e. he sent his apostles to call the people of Israel, who had been invited to his supper on almost innumerable occasions: but they not only refused the invitation, but also murdered the Lord who had invited them. We may remark, that the three different excuses exactly agree with what St. John says: All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, and concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life. The one says, I have married a wife, by which may be understood the concupiscence of the flesh; another says, I have bought five yoke of oxen, by which is denoted the concupiscence of the eyes; and the pride of life is signified by the purchase of the farm, which the third alleges in his justification. (St. Augustine, de verb. Dei.)

17 And he sent his servant, at supper-time, to say to them that were invited, that they should come, for now all things are ready.

Ver. 17. No explanation given.

18 And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, have me excused.

Ver. 18. No explanation given.

19 And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, have me excused.

Ver. 19. No explanation given.

20 And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Ver. 20. No explanation given.

[monkeyandelf]

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A Year in Fashion: 2017’s Biggest Stories

2017 has undoubtedly been a big year for the fashion industry and there has been plenty to talk about. From the surprise departure of Christopher Bailey at Burberry to the death of Azzedine Alaïa, the year has seen some of the more shocking things to have happened in the industry in recent years. Suprise collaborations between the likes of Louis Vuitton and Supreme were also shocks. Here we round up the biggest stories that have rocked the industry in 2017. 

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2017 was a big year for the fashion industry and there were a few shocks to be had. There were deaths, collaborations and departures from posts you never thought you’d see, and there was plenty to keep the fashion lot talking. We’ve rounded up the biggest talking points and the things that we think were notable for the year, from collaborations between Louis Vuitton and Supreme to the departure of Christopher Bailey at Burberry.

Azzedine Alaïa’s Death

On the 18th November, the fashion industry was rocked by the death of legendary designer Azzedine Alaïa. The Tunisian-born designer had been a figurehead in the industry for many years and passed away at the age of 82 in Paris. He was famed for his clothing, notably his dresses, and he was dubbed the ‘king of cling’ due to the way his clothes wrapped around a woman’s body.

It was confirmed that he had suffered a heart attack. Edward Enninful, the recently appointed editor-in-chief of British Vogue, said of the death, “Azzedine Alaïa was a true visionary, and a remarkable man. He will be deeply missed by all of those who knew and loved him, as well as by the women around the world who wore his clothes”.

Azzedine Alaia with Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

Alaïa was born in Tunis in 1940 (although this date is unconfirmed as he frequently lied about his age) and has had a very illustrative career. He initially started at the Institut Supérieur des Beaux Arts in Tunis to study sculpture, but soon realised that his ambitions to be the best were above him and so he moved towards the fashion industry. In 1957 he moved to Paris and after building up  client base of his own he began assisting Christian Dior. However this was ended after five days as his immigration papers were incorrect.

From Dior he went on to Guy Laroche, Thierry Mugler and eventually he started his own atelier. In the Seventies he became a hit with Hollywood stars, including Greta Garbo, and in the early 1980s he put out his first ready-to-wear collection for women, which was met with critical acclaim. Over the years he did his own thing and in 1992 he completely dismissed the seasonal timeframe of the fashion industry. He said ““When the collection is ready, it’s ready. Unless I have a length of fabric in my hand and a girl in front of me, I really can’t come up with a lot of ideas.”

Azzedine Alaia PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

Christopher Bailey resigns from Burberry

One of the big shocks of the year was Christopher Bailey‘s decision to depart from British fashion house Burberry. After 16 years of working for the brand he decided that it was time to depart and move down other creative paths. He will see out his position as president and chief creative officer and Burberry said Christopher will remain president and chief creative officer until March 31, 2018, when he will step down from the board. He will provide his full support to chief executive officer Marco Gobbetti and the team on the transition until Dec. 31, 2018.”

Christopher Bailey PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

It has been rumoured for some time that Christopher Bailey was to leave Burberry, especially after he handed over the CEO role to Gobbetti. It came as a shock that he was completely leaving the company as since 2001 he had been a key player in transforming the company’s image and fortunes. He is praised with turning the brand around, stripping it of its ‘chav’ image and giving it a new lease of life. Thanks to him campaigns have been stronger than ever with the brand working alongside the likes of Cara Delevingne, Naomi Campbell, Brooklyn Beckham, Eddie Redmayne and Rosie Huntington Whiteley.

Cara Delevingne PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

On the decision to leave, Bailey has said “it has been the great privilege of my life to be at Burberry, working alongside and learning from such an extraordinary group of people over the last 17 years. Burberry encapsulates so much of what is great about Britain. As an organization, it is creative, innovative and outward-looking.” He continued “I do truly believe, however, that Burberry’s best days are still ahead of her, and that the company will go from strength to strength with the strategy we have developed and the exceptional talent we have in place led by Marco. I am excited to pursue new creative projects, but remain fully committed to the future success of this magnificent brand and to ensuring a smooth transition.”

There is still speculation about who will take over the creative director position, but the key player seems to be Phoebe Philo of Céline.

Supreme x Louis Vuitton

2017 was the year we saw one of the biggest collaborations ever between two brands. Supreme and Louis Vuitton hooked up after rumours were flying about and Kim Jones finally confirmed the collaboration.

Kim Jones and the Supreme team presented the collaboration in January 2017 and it immediately became the talking point of Paris fashion week. It was sold across the world at pop-up stores in June of the same year. With Louis Vuitton Kim Jones has introduced street wear to high end, using brands like Umbro and Fragment Pieces to do so. Supreme was his biggest player yet. When asked about the collaboration he said “You can’t have the conversation of New York men’s wear without Supreme right now, because it’s such a massive global phenomenon. I just feel that the strength of their graphic versus the strength of the Louis Vuitton graphic, and that kind of Pop Art feeling — it works together perfectly.”

Louis Vuitton x Supreme PHOTO CREDIT: PAUSE Magazine

Supreme x Louis Vuitton has been hailed as one of the greatest collaborations ever, but prices were not kind to those fans who wanted to get a slice of the action. Kim Jones decided that prices would fall under the Louis Vuitton price point, rather than Supreme‘s and so things were not cheap.

Versace honours Gianni Versace

To mark the 20th anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death, Donatella pulled out all the stops. For her catwalk show in September 2017 the Versace creative director got the old gang back together and her catwalk show saw the original supermodels team up. Walking down the catwalk at the end of the unveiling of Versace‘s collection which was in tribute to Gianni Versace, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, Naomi Campbell and Carla Bruni were the picture of Nineties glory.

Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, Naomi Campbell and Carla Bruni for Versace PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

Kaia Gerber dominated fashion week

Kaia Gerber, the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, made her catwalk debut in 2017, walking first for Calvin Klein. At 16 years old she is one of the youngest models on the circuit, but the Spring/Summer 2018 shows proved that she was the most buzzed about. She basically walked for every designer, from Valentino and Fendi to Chanel and Alexander Wang.

Kaia Gerber walking for Calvin Klein, making her debut PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

Edward Enninful takes over British Vogue

In August, Ghanian-born Edward Enninful became the first black male Editor-In-Chief of British Vogue.  He became the 11th editor of the fashion magazine, taking over from Alexander Schulman who had been at the helm of the magazine for 25 years and stood as the longest serving editor of Vogue. Prior to joining British Vogue Enninful had been creative and fashion director of US magazine W since 2011.

When Edward Enninful was just 19 years old he became the youngest fashion editor in the game when he became that at ID magazine. For his first issue of British Vogue he had model of the moment Adwoa Aboah on the cover and completely changed the way the magazine worked. It was a celebration of all things Britain and he worked with the likes of Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, John Galliano, Victoria Beckham and Skepta. Prior to his first issue coming out, he had completely overhauled the Vogue office, firing all those he thought were elitist and the “Sloaney sloths” and making it a more diverse place.

British Vogue, December 2017 PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

The revival of the dad trainer took place

2017 was the year that unlikely happened and the so-called “dad trainer” became on of the most popular shapes in the game. The likes of Gucci, Prada, Balenciaga, Raf Simons and Acne Studios have all got involved and it has seemingly been a game of who can get the ugliest and biggest trainer silhouette. Even Kanye West took a step away from his Yeezy Boosts and began to show off a new range of Yeezy wave runners which look more appropriate on the foot of a 40-year old father of two. Yet this is 2017 and the chinky trainer is the shoe that everyone wants and wore. We reckon next year will see more of the same.

Balenciaga Triple S PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

Balenciaga took on Ikea

2017 was the year that Balenciaga essentially ripped of Ikea’s shopping bag – you know those blue ones you get to carry your purchases in when you’re walking round one of the giant stores. The Internet went into a meltdown when the fashion house, head up by Demna Gvsalia of Vetements, started to sell near-identical bags to those at Ikea for a price of £1600.

Ikea was quick to respond and they even went as far as putting out an ad to highlight the fact that Balenciaga has essentially copied their design. The ad basically highlighted how to differentiate the £1600 Balenciaga design from one of Ikea’s 40p carrier bags, highlighting the durability of the Ikea “original”.

Ikea’s advert in response to Balenciaga PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest 

Nike x Off-White

Louis Vuitton and Supreme weren’t the only big brands collaborated in 2017 and Virgil Abloh’s Off White teamed up with the Nike team on a collection of ten trainers. The collab saw the creation and release of ten special editions of previous trainers, from rehashed Air Jordan 1s and Blazers to Air Max 90s and Prestos. The collab was spotted being worn by everyone from Kendall Jenner and Naomi Campbell to Justin Bieber and was undoubtedly (sitting just behind Louis Vuitton and Supreme‘s hook up) one of the biggest of the year.

PHOTO CREDIT: Modern Notoriety

On That Note

2017 proved to be a big year for fashion, with the death of Azzedine Alaïa seeing everyone come together to mourn the untimely passing of a true fashion icon. Edward Enninful became the first male Editor-In-Chief of British Vogue, replacing Alexandra Schulman and beginning a new era for the fashion bible. Collaborations were aplenty and two that really stood out were those between Supreme and Louis Vuitton and Nike and Virgil Abloh’s Off-White. It has been a mixed year though, with Ikea coming to heads with Balenciaga and let’s not forget those moments that made us quite literally question the fashion industry (those Vetements bum zip jeans anyone?)

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[yegarts]

A Timeless Legacy - Celebrating Alex Decoteau

(Closeup detail of Esprit - rendering by Pierre Poussin)

Soaring 15 feet above the new Alexander Decoteau Park, Canadian artist Pierre Poussin’s sculpture, Esprit, will celebrate Decoteau’s spirit and legacy.

Born in Saskatchewan in 1887, Alexander Decoteau served in the Edmonton Police Force from 1909-1916 as Canada’s first Indigenous police officer. He was also a celebrated long-distance runner, winning most major Western Canadian races while serving Edmonton. He competed at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics before enlisting in the Canadian Army in 1916. His achievements are enshrined in the Edmonton, Alberta, and Saskatchewan Sports Halls of Fame, the Police Museum and Archives, and at the annual Alex Decoteau Educational Run with Edmonton’s inner city schools.

Decoteau lost his life during the Battle of Passchendaele and was buried at Ypres, Belgium. In 1985, his relatives performed a special ceremony to bring his spirit home to Edmonton.  This new park celebrates his spirit.

Like other publicly accessible municipal projects, the new park triggered Edmonton’s Percent to Provide and Encourage Art in Public Areas – Percent for Art – policy.  One percent of the overall construction budget was used to commission Pierre Poussin following a nation-wide call to artists. Poussin’s sculpture is “… a large scale, abstract sculpture, Esprit (Spirit), that honours and celebrates the legacy and achievements of Alex Decoteau. Park users can expect to see floating, abstracted ribbons, intersecting in the form of a man mid-sprint”.

Poussin’s art practice is informed by his early scientific studies – he originally aspired to be a biochemist before the art world beckoned.  “I have a great fondness for the natural world and the intricacies and patterns that make up our shared Earth, such as molecules, invisible to our naked eye. Naturally, my art touches upon many themes in nature, science, and a larger theme of making the invisible visible - the powerful forces that we are part of.”

(Scale Rendering - Esprit by Pierre Poussin)

Esprit draws strongly upon these mandates and is intended to “live” within the park rather than simply decorate. “My hope is that Esprit can be a reference point for the downtown community. As a sculpture that honours and pays homage to Alex Decoteau, I of course, hope that the sculpture can raise awareness of this important figure in Canadian history, and I hope that this awareness contributes to the greater discussions being had around Indigenous rights, and Indigenous stories. Lastly, a sculpture being a sculpture, I hope Esprit livens up a strangers' day, and allows a brief reprise of beauty”. 

As Poussin has moved forward with the finalization of his design for Esprit and its fabrication, he has spoken with Izola Mottershead, Alex Decoteau’s great-niece, who offered “her grace and permission in allowing me the honour to celebrate her great-uncle through this sculpture”. 

“She praised the arts council for spearheading a public art call for the park, and was very enthusiastic and excited about the sculpture. We got to talk about the intersectionality of his identity, the meaning of Decoteau (or etymology of the name), as well as speaking about the truly intercultural experience of me, a Caucasian Franco-Ontarian man, dedicating and creating a sculpture for an Indigenous Canadian Hero. We spoke about the beauty of how, as Canadians, our stories are expanding past the status quo, and opportunities like this, to have various artists from differing backgrounds to share in, and create work, that speaks interculturally is a unique privilege of being a Canadian artist. We have also talked about her great-uncle and she was so generous in mailing the book on him that she wrote Before - Alex Decoteau – After”. 

(Architectural Rendering of Alexander Decoteau Park - City of Edmonton)

Although the sculpture is currently named Esprit, Poussin is in conversation with Indigenous communities in Edmonton to collaboratively discuss this choice. His outreach may also affect the final colour choice.

He strongly believes that this approach highlights the “public in public art – art that is meant for a community, that lives with the community”. More importantly, public art can also allow people to delve deeper and truly examine those elements that shape their world.

“Projects like this allow artists of all walks of life, to dialogue with a piece of history, or a figure from history, to create something for now, something old seen anew, so that we never forget the history that has shaped our present. Alex Decoteau is an inspiration for many, and this project allowed me to really sit with his story, and to find a way to honour him through abstraction, through visualization, and through public art, to highlight and continue his legacy.”

[readbookywooks]

[Several contrivances of the author to please the king and queen. He shows his skill in music. The king inquires into the state of England, which the author relates to him. The king's observations thereon.] I used to attend the king's levee once or twice a week, and had often seen him under the barber's hand, which indeed was at first very terrible to behold; for the razor was almost twice as long as an ordinary scythe. His majesty, according to the custom of the country, was only shaved twice a-week. I once prevailed on the barber to give me some of the suds or lather, out of which I picked forty or fifty of the strongest stumps of hair. I then took a piece of fine wood, and cut it like the back of a comb, making several holes in it at equal distances with as small a needle as I could get from Glumdalclitch. I fixed in the stumps so artificially, scraping and sloping them with my knife toward the points, that I made a very tolerable comb; which was a seasonable supply, my own being so much broken in the teeth, that it was almost useless: neither did I know any artist in that country so nice and exact, as would undertake to make me another. And this puts me in mind of an amusement, wherein I spent many of my leisure hours. I desired the queen's woman to save for me the combings of her majesty's hair, whereof in time I got a good quantity; and consulting with my friend the cabinet-maker, who had received general orders to do little jobs for me, I directed him to make two chair-frames, no larger than those I had in my box, and to bore little holes with a fine awl, round those parts where I designed the backs and seats; through these holes I wove the strongest hairs I could pick out, just after the manner of cane chairs in England. When they were finished, I made a present of them to her majesty; who kept them in her cabinet, and used to show them for curiosities, as indeed they were the wonder of every one that beheld them. The queen would have me sit upon one of these chairs, but I absolutely refused to obey her, protesting I would rather die than place a dishonourable part of my body on those precious hairs, that once adorned her majesty's head. Of these hairs (as I had always a mechanical genius) I likewise made a neat little purse, about five feet long, with her majesty's name deciphered in gold letters, which I gave to Glumdalclitch, by the queen's consent. To say the truth, it was more for show than use, being not of strength to bear the weight of the larger coins, and therefore she kept nothing in it but some little toys that girls are fond of. The king, who delighted in music, had frequent concerts at court, to which I was sometimes carried, and set in my box on a table to hear them: but the noise was so great that I could hardly distinguish the tunes. I am confident that all the drums and trumpets of a royal army, beating and sounding together just at your ears, could not equal it. My practice was to have my box removed from the place where the performers sat, as far as I could, then to shut the doors and windows of it, and draw the window curtains; after which I found their music not disagreeable. I had learned in my youth to play a little upon the spinet. Glumdalclitch kept one in her chamber, and a master attended twice a-week to teach her: I called it a spinet, because it somewhat resembled that instrument, and was played upon in the same manner. A fancy came into my head, that I would entertain the king and queen with an English tune upon this instrument. But this appeared extremely difficult: for the spinet was near sixty feet long, each key being almost a foot wide, so that with my arms extended I could not reach to above five keys, and to press them down required a good smart stroke with my fist, which would be too great a labour, and to no purpose. The method I contrived was this: I prepared two round sticks, about the bigness of common cudgels; they were thicker at one end than the other, and I covered the thicker ends with pieces of a mouse's skin, that by rapping on them I might neither damage the tops of the keys nor interrupt the sound. Before the spinet a bench was placed, about four feet below the keys, and I was put upon the bench. I ran sideling upon it, that way and this, as fast as I could, banging the proper keys with my two sticks, and made a shift to play a jig, to the great satisfaction of both their majesties; but it was the most violent exercise I ever underwent; and yet I could not strike above sixteen keys, nor consequently play the bass and treble together, as other artists do; which was a great disadvantage to my performance. The king, who, as I before observed, was a prince of excellent understanding, would frequently order that I should be brought in my box, and set upon the table in his closet: he would then command me to bring one of my chairs out of the box, and sit down within three yards distance upon the top of the cabinet, which brought me almost to a level with his face. In this manner I had several conversations with him. I one day took the freedom to tell his majesty, "that the contempt he discovered towards Europe, and the rest of the world, did not seem answerable to those excellent qualities of mind that he was master of; that reason did not extend itself with the bulk of the body; on the contrary, we observed in our country, that the tallest persons were usually the least provided with it; that among other animals, bees and ants had the reputation of more industry, art, and sagacity, than many of the larger kinds; and that, as inconsiderable as he took me to be, I hoped I might live to do his majesty some signal service." The king heard me with attention, and began to conceive a much better opinion of me than he had ever before. He desired "I would give him as exact an account of the government of England as I possibly could; because, as fond as princes commonly are of their own customs (for so he conjectured of other monarchs, by my former discourses), he should be glad to hear of any thing that might deserve imitation." Imagine with thyself, courteous reader, how often I then wished for the tongue of Demosthenes or Cicero, that might have enabled me to celebrate the praise of my own dear native country in a style equal to its merits and felicity. I began my discourse by informing his majesty, that our dominions consisted of two islands, which composed three mighty kingdoms, under one sovereign, beside our plantations in America. I dwelt long upon the fertility of our soil, and the temperature of our climate. I then spoke at large upon the constitution of an English parliament; partly made up of an illustrious body called the House of Peers; persons of the noblest blood, and of the most ancient and ample patrimonies. I described that extraordinary care always taken of their education in arts and arms, to qualify them for being counsellors both to the king and kingdom; to have a share in the legislature; to be members of the highest court of judicature, whence there can be no appeal; and to be champions always ready for the defence of their prince and country, by their valour, conduct, and fidelity. That these were the ornament and bulwark of the kingdom, worthy followers of their most renowned ancestors, whose honour had been the reward of their virtue, from which their posterity were never once known to degenerate. To these were joined several holy persons, as part of that assembly, under the title of bishops, whose peculiar business is to take care of religion, and of those who instruct the people therein. These were searched and sought out through the whole nation, by the prince and his wisest counsellors, among such of the priesthood as were most deservedly distinguished by the sanctity of their lives, and the depth of their erudition; who were indeed the spiritual fathers of the clergy and the people. That the other part of the parliament consisted of an assembly called the House of Commons, who were all principal gentlemen, freely picked and culled out by the people themselves, for their great abilities and love of their country, to represent the wisdom of the whole nation. And that these two bodies made up the most august assembly in Europe; to whom, in conjunction with the prince, the whole legislature is committed. I then descended to the courts of justice; over which the judges, those venerable sages and interpreters of the law, presided, for determining the disputed rights and properties of men, as well as for the punishment of vice and protection of innocence. I mentioned the prudent management of our treasury; the valour and achievements of our forces, by sea and land. I computed the number of our people, by reckoning how many millions there might be of each religious sect, or political party among us. I did not omit even our sports and pastimes, or any other particular which I thought might redound to the honour of my country. And I finished all with a brief historical account of affairs and events in England for about a hundred years past. This conversation was not ended under five audiences, each of several hours; and the king heard the whole with great attention, frequently taking notes of what I spoke, as well as memorandums of what questions he intended to ask me. When I had put an end to these long discources, his majesty, in a sixth audience, consulting his notes, proposed many doubts, queries, and objections, upon every article. He asked, "What methods were used to cultivate the minds and bodies of our young nobility, and in what kind of business they commonly spent the first and teachable parts of their lives? What course was taken to supply that assembly, when any noble family became extinct? What qualifications were necessary in those who are to be created new lords: whether the humour of the prince, a sum of money to a court lady, or a design of strengthening a party opposite to the public interest, ever happened to be the motive in those advancements? What share of knowledge these lords had in the laws of their country, and how they came by it, so as to enable them to decide the properties of their fellow-subjects in the last resort? Whether they were always so free from avarice, partialities, or want, that a bribe, or some other sinister view, could have no place among them? Whether those holy lords I spoke of were always promoted to that rank upon account of their knowledge in religious matters, and the sanctity of their lives; had never been compliers with the times, while they were common priests; or slavish prostitute chaplains to some nobleman, whose opinions they continued servilely to follow, after they were admitted into that assembly?" He then desired to know, "What arts were practised in electing those whom I called commoners: whether a stranger, with a strong purse, might not influence the vulgar voters to choose him before their own landlord, or the most considerable gentleman in the neighbourhood? How it came to pass, that people were so violently bent upon getting into this assembly, which I allowed to be a great trouble and expense, often to the ruin of their families, without any salary or pension? because this appeared such an exalted strain of virtue and public spirit, that his majesty seemed to doubt it might possibly not be always sincere." And he desired to know, "Whether such zealous gentlemen could have any views of refunding themselves for the charges and trouble they were at by sacrificing the public good to the designs of a weak and vicious prince, in conjunction with a corrupted ministry?" He multiplied his questions, and sifted me thoroughly upon every part of this head, proposing numberless inquiries and objections, which I think it not prudent or convenient to repeat. Upon what I said in relation to our courts of justice, his majesty desired to be satisfied in several points: and this I was the better able to do, having been formerly almost ruined by a long suit in chancery, which was decreed for me with costs. He asked, "What time was usually spent in determining between right and wrong, and what degree of expense? Whether advocates and orators had liberty to plead in causes manifestly known to be unjust, vexatious, or oppressive? Whether party, in religion or politics, were observed to be of any weight in the scale of justice? Whether those pleading orators were persons educated in the general knowledge of equity, or only in provincial, national, and other local customs? Whether they or their judges had any part in penning those laws, which they assumed the liberty of interpreting, and glossing upon at their pleasure? Whether they had ever, at different times, pleaded for and against the same cause, and cited precedents to prove contrary opinions? Whether they were a rich or a poor corporation? Whether they received any pecuniary reward for pleading, or delivering their opinions? And particularly, whether they were ever admitted as members in the lower senate?" He fell next upon the management of our treasury; and said, "he thought my memory had failed me, because I computed our taxes at about five or six millions a-year, and when I came to mention the issues, he found they sometimes amounted to more than double; for the notes he had taken were very particular in this point, because he hoped, as he told me, that the knowledge of our conduct might be useful to him, and he could not be deceived in his calculations. But, if what I told him were true, he was still at a loss how a kingdom could run out of its estate, like a private person." He asked me, "who were our creditors; and where we found money to pay them?" He wondered to hear me talk of such chargeable and expensive wars; "that certainly we must be a quarrelsome people, or live among very bad neighbours, and that our generals must needs be richer than our kings." He asked, what business we had out of our own islands, unless upon the score of trade, or treaty, or to defend the coasts with our fleet?" Above all, he was amazed to hear me talk of a mercenary standing army, in the midst of peace, and among a free people. He said, "if we were governed by our own consent, in the persons of our representatives, he could not imagine of whom we were afraid, or against whom we were to fight; and would hear my opinion, whether a private man's house might not be better defended by himself, his children, and family, than by half-a-dozen rascals, picked up at a venture in the streets for small wages, who might get a hundred times more by cutting their throats?" He laughed at my "odd kind of arithmetic," as he was pleased to call it, "in reckoning the numbers of our people, by a computation drawn from the several sects among us, in religion and politics." He said, "he knew no reason why those, who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public, should be obliged to change, or should not be obliged to conceal them. And as it was tyranny in any government to require the first, so it was weakness not to enforce the second: for a man may be allowed to keep poisons in his closet, but not to vend them about for cordials." He observed, "that among the diversions of our nobility and gentry, I had mentioned gaming: he desired to know at what age this entertainment was usually taken up, and when it was laid down; how much of their time it employed; whether it ever went so high as to affect their fortunes; whether mean, vicious people, by their dexterity in that art, might not arrive at great riches, and sometimes keep our very nobles in dependence, as well as habituate them to vile companions, wholly take them from the improvement of their minds, and force them, by the losses they received, to learn and practise that infamous dexterity upon others?" He was perfectly astonished with the historical account gave him of our affairs during the last century; protesting "it was only a heap of conspiracies, rebellions, murders, massacres, revolutions, banishments, the very worst effects that avarice, faction, hypocrisy, perfidiousness, cruelty, rage, madness, hatred, envy, lust, malice, and ambition, could produce." His majesty, in another audience, was at the pains to recapitulate the sum of all I had spoken; compared the questions he made with the answers I had given; then taking me into his hands, and stroking me gently, delivered himself in these words, which I shall never forget, nor the manner he spoke them in: "My little friend Grildrig, you have made a most admirable panegyric upon your country; you have clearly proved, that ignorance, idleness, and vice, are the proper ingredients for qualifying a legislator; that laws are best explained, interpreted, and applied, by those whose interest and abilities lie in perverting, confounding, and eluding them. I observe among you some lines of an institution, which, in its original, might have been tolerable, but these half erased, and the rest wholly blurred and blotted by corruptions. It does not appear, from all you have said, how any one perfection is required toward the procurement of any one station among you; much less, that men are ennobled on account of their virtue; that priests are advanced for their piety or learning; soldiers, for their conduct or valour; judges, for their integrity; senators, for the love of their country; or counsellors for their wisdom. As for yourself," continued the king, "who have spent the greatest part of your life in travelling, I am well disposed to hope you may hitherto have escaped many vices of your country. But by what I have gathered from your own relation, and the answers I have with much pains wrung and extorted from you, I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth."

[our-beginnings]

Cat Noone, founder and CEO of Iris

Tell us a bit about who you are and what you do now.

Hello! My name is Cat Noone and I’m a designer with a love for building products that make a big difference in people’s lives. In 2015, I founded Iris: the modern day emergency alert that keeps your loved one informed during the critical moments when you need them most. I love s’mores, my family, reading and a ridiculously good TV series.

What's your favourite thing about your work? 

I love knowing that what I do can make a difference in people’s lives. Information, communication, and technology are at our fingertips; knowing and believing that makes me confident that there is nothing we can’t bring to life. That alone is something to love, I think.

You hoped to be a vet when you were a kid. When did design enter the picture?

I think, rather than one particular moment, it happened slowly over time and then all at once. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a household with a computer and in a really supportive family that viewed my art as if it were fresh from Picasso’s hands—every grandma gawks over a stick figure with no neck, right? That appreciation for art and beautiful design carried over into high school, to the point where I only brought my sketch-book to class and used that to jot down my notes, while continuing to sketch everything from still life to concept cars on the other side.

One experience I remember is being tasked with redesigning a soda can in class. It was the moment I discovered that I can take what I’m putting on paper and digitise it, and I loved the endless possibilities that came with that. It was history from there. 

And what did your journey look like after that?

From there it was a roller-coaster of events. I went to school as a bio major for a few years and never thought to actually take up design or attend design school, even though I’d dabbled in design since high school.

I didn’t think of it as a career, because I didn’t think design would allow me to support myself and live comfortably. I grew up in the kind of middle-class family who doesn’t jump off the cliff without making sure the parachute works. I also didn’t equate risk with reward. In this industry, reward doesn’t even seem to exist without (calculated) risk.

Eventually, I understood that not only was there more to design in terms of how passionate I would become, but also in terms of how much money I could make. That said, by the time I got into it full-speed, the money wasn’t even something I cared about.

I grew up in the kind of middle-class family who doesn’t jump off the cliff without making sure the parachute works.

I freelanced in college but I couldn’t shake the mindset from before— that I couldn’t support myself by working in design— and ended up in education. I needed a backup plan, and that was it. I worked for the New York City Board of Education and, while I loved working with kids, I knew that if I stayed I’d be miserable, because it wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

When did you finally realise that design could sustain you?

Around 2010, maybe 2011. Dribbble was really big, my activity on there was growing, and I had really started tapping into the Twitter design and tech community. I was at my computer and thought, “I can’t go back to work and keep doing this.” I was waking up at 5 in the morning to go to work, and for what? I wasn’t happy. There’s only so many days you can do that while knowing good and well there is another viable option.

Right then and there, I decided that I was going to quit. I lined freelance clients up the wazoo to ensure that I wouldn’t be on the street or back at grandma’s house— at least not immediately. I took the plunge and from there, the rest was history.

I was naive to say the least, but I had a plan and I made sure to execute on it, and learned my best lessons. I’ve been fortunate enough to get my feet wet in a variety of areas that really taught me the ins-and-outs of being a designer—from corporate design to agency and freelancing. I had a couple “lovely” (read: nightmare) clients, lost out on quite a bit of money, created a few not-so-gorgeous websites, burned out once, learned my lesson there as well and never did it again. 

Then, I decided to really jump off that aforementioned cliff without a parachute. I founded my first startup, Liberio: a simple eBook creation and publishing platform for self-publishers.

All of those events had their own individual “aha!” moment for me that pushed me toward the next. I’ve learned a ton of lessons from each of them:

Much like a game of chess, take time to understand the different scenarios before jumping the gun.

Take 50% from the very beginning with freelance clients.

Bootstrapping is ferociously difficult and extremely gratifying. Do it for as long as time allows, so long as it doesn’t compromise the product or team.

God is in the details

Experimentation and exploration are necessary for any form of innovation.

As a small team, you’re either fundraising or building. Understand when one should be prioritized over the other.

Create a brand and product people can trust and fall in love with.

Any second thoughts along the way? 

Never. I’ve loved every minute of it.

Have you become more comfortable with taking risks? After all, you’ve founded several startups now.

I did spend a lot of time wondering, “what if I’m not good enough?” “What if they fire me?” That imposter syndrome reappears here and there, but with time and experience it’s certainly occurring less.

When I started Liberio, the fear that came with it was something I hadn’t worked out personally yet; where I come from, failure is not necessarily something you strive for. Now I know that while I don’t strive to fail, I do know how to bounce back, and the praise is in the comeback. In the lesson. With Liberio, I felt super-inclined to write about failure because I felt like that was the only way to save myself from it and—if we’re being honest—save face to a good extent. I could then hide away somewhere while I figured out how to bounce back and really work through each lesson learned.

Now I know that while I don’t strive to fail, I do know how to bounce back, and the praise is in the comeback. In the lesson.

Switching gears a little bit: do you ever feel pressure to be a mentor or role model for other women in tech? 

I think pressure would be the wrong word, mainly because I don’t see it as a burden and I don’t question who I am as an individual and my core beliefs any longer—in work and personal areas. I like to think I carry myself, live my life and conduct my business in a way that is quite decent and isn’t dependent on any particular situation.

However, I’m still growing as an individual and if I screw up, it’s because I’m human. We all do, and that’s important for others to see, as well. All in all, I absolutely love the idea of being or knowing I am a mentor for other women in tech. It’s a major honour.

Would you encourage those new to our industry to find mentors? You’ve had a few yourself.

Yes! I am where I am because of the people who I’ve shadowed and paid attention to throughout my life. This especially applies to those folks outside the industry. For example, I have a friend who is not on the internet. From her, I learn the value of detachment and tranquility. 

So yes, find mentors, find advisors, but find them across the board— both inside and outside of design and tech. Speak to doctors, to social workers— you’ll learn so many different lessons. But remember, too, that all advice needs to be filtered and applied so that it works for you; the ability to manipulate and tweak that advice into what works for you is an important skill.

find mentors, find advisors, but find them across the board— both inside and outside of design and tech

What are your general thoughts are on diversity initiatives’ direction and progress?

In the past, anything that has been changed or fought for with change in mind, has started with conversation— to the point where having conversations, to some, might feel like beating a dead horse. But it needs to be continually talked about and continually present in everyone’s face, to the point where you’re unable to run from it.

For a single white man, the sky's the limit. For the underrepresented, the limit is the sky all too often. The goal is to make it so that one day, the former is true for everyone. There’s still a long way to go, but the good thing is that the roles and positions and opportunities are starting to become available. Companies understand the role they play in changing the status quo. Not to mention, the companies benefit immensely with a diverse team. I’m part of a large group of underrepresented people — women — but not the most underrepresented and I can’t imagine what that is like. So as long as whatever group you’re part of and we all work together, I hope we’ll get there eventually and I’m always willing to help wherever I can.

For the underrepresented, the limit is the sky all too often.

You’re a new mom. What has it been like to strike that new balance?

It’s funny; a lot of people ask “How do you do it?” and some seem genuinely curious, while others seem like they don’t believe it’s possible. Why shouldn’t it be possible? For me, it’s not even a question. Having my daughter taught me how to maximise productivity within the hours that I know I have. So while I have less time, I’m significantly more productive, because I know I won’t be able to do it later. I’ve never got more work done and felt more healthy physically than I do now.

Those are the people you want to work with, the people who understand the meaning of true value and respect for another human being.

I don’t understand the hesitation in this industry when it comes to hiring women with children; I know that my husband certainly values and prioritises the same way that I do. For me, if anyone, male or female, knows how to prioritise and balance having children and full-time work, to me, they’re a hell of a team member. Those are the people you want to work with, the people who understand the meaning of true value and respect for another human being.

When your people succeed in their personal life because your company sets up a support system to make it easier for them, your company succeeds. Every time.

If you could do everything all over again, do you think your journey would be the same?

Definitely. I’m really happy that I took the course I did. I have a pretty diverse skill set; having worked in special ed and studied psychology in school, I feel like it gives me the empathy and patience needed when building a product that will has direct impact on someone. The patience part definitely teetered off a bit, but I’m getting there again.

Is there anything about the internet from your childhood/early years that makes you feel nostalgic? 

Probably a few things off the top of my head: Using the internet to replace the encyclopaedia for the first time, the Oregon Trail game (my first digital entrepreneurship), Winamp, Adobe Dreamweaver for website building (cringes), that damn ‘You’ve got mail’ sound, and creating 8-bit characters in MS Paint.

I remember once thinking that I wish there was a way to digitally enable the creation of thin and thick paint strokes (pressure sensitivity). If I wasn’t such a little one at the time with thoughts as fleeting as the wind, I’d probably be kicking myself in the ass for that now. Then again, I wouldn’t have even known where to start.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? Ten?

If you would have asked me this 5 years ago, my answer would be so far off from where I currently am. I’d be lying if I said I knew this is where I would be. In 5 years from now though? Hopefully with my family, enjoying life, building a company that makes a difference in the lives of many people. I have a little one now, so that makes life a bit more predictable.

Who am I kidding? It’s the most unpredictable and wonderful journey I’ve ever been on...

This one’s been in the works for a long time now; thanks so much to Cat for her dedication and patience! I look forward to a drink together one day! 

You can find Cat on Twitter and her personal site, and read more about Iris on the company’s page also.  

[drmonte75-blog]

An Ordinary Commentary by Ordinary Men   "Living to Glorify God Brings Satisfaction to the Soul" ordinarycommentary.blogspot.com

Types of Righteousness and ReligionMatthew 6:1-18Our Lord warns His followers against counterfeit spirituality seeking to be seen and praised by men.Harvey Goodwin—Verse 1: “In these verses our Lord applies to the subject of almsgiving, to what we commonly call in these days charity, the same spiritual principles according to which He has already explained and expanded several of the Laws of the Old Testament. All the men of our Lord’s time would admit almsgiving to the poor to be a great duty; but then many of them held or seemed to hold that there was virtue in the mere giving, independently of the spirit in which it was done, so that a man might make his charitable doings redound to his own praise, sounding a trumpet when he was going to distribute his alms, and the rest. Our Lord declares that, of which we can have no doubt when we hear it asserted, namely, that in the sight of God such almsgiving can have no virtue, no beauty, no excellence: the spirit which can alone render almsgiving pleasing to Him who sees the heart is the simple spirit of love, which withdraws itself from observation, seeks not its own, is unselfish, desiring to do what is charitable for the sake of charity only.📷But mark the awful emphasis, and something like irony, with which our Saviour says of those who make parade of their charity, Verily I say unto you, They have their reward; yes, they have their reward; they wish to gain the attention of mankind, and they gain it; they wish for applause, and they have it; they are pleased when they hear people say, ‘What a liberal man he is! and they have plenty of pleasure such as this. But what does it all amount to? what treasure is laid up in heaven by mere earthly applause? what satisfaction can it be to have cheated men into the belief of our excellent qualities, if the rottenness of our hearts is open and undisguised in the sight of Him who sees in secret, and who knows the thoughts and intents of the heart? They have their reward, have it already in this present world, and a poor unsatisfactory delusive reward it is.” 42Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Verses 2-4: “'2. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.' We must not copy the loud charity of certain vainglorious persons: their character is hypocritical, their manner is ostentatious, their aim is to be seen of men, their reward is in the present. That reward is a very poor one, and is soon over. To stand with a penny in one hand and a trumpet in the other is the posture of hypocrisy. ‘Glory of men’ is a thing which can be bought: but honour from God is a very different thing. This is an advertising age, and too many are saying, ‘Behold my liberality!” Those who have Jesus for their King must wear his livery of humility, and not the scarlet trappings of a purse-proud generosity, which blows its own trumpet, not only in the streets, but even in the synagogues. We cannot expect two rewards for the same action: if we have it now we shall not have it hereafter. Unrewarded alms will alone count in the record of the last day.📷3, 4. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine atms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shalt reward thee openly. Seek secrecy for your good deeds. Do not even see your own virtue. Hide from yourself that which you yourself have done that is commendable; for the proud contemplation of your own generosity may tarnish all your alms. Keep the thing so secret that even you yourself are hardly aware that you are doing anything at all praiseworthy. Let God be present, and you will have enough of an audience. He will reward you, reward you ‘openly’, reward you as a Father rewards a child, reward you as one who saw what you did, and knew that you did it wholly unto him.Lord, help me, when I am doing good, to keep my left hand out of it, that I may have no sinister motive, and no desire to have a present reward of praise among my fellow-men” 43William Nast—Verse 5: “Verse 5. The Jews attached to prayer a still greater importance than even to fasting and almsgiving, but had reduced it to a mere mechanical performance. They prayed three times a day, at nine o'clock, A.M., at twelve o'clock, and at three o'clock, P. M., and resorted to the synagogue for prayer on the Sabbath, on Monday, and Thursday. Many a zealous Jew spent nine hours a day in prayer. Nor did they go for public prayer only to the synagogue, but, like the Roman Catholics, also for private prayer, because greater efficacy was ascribed to prayer in the synagogue. The Pharisees managed it so—this is implied in ‘they love’—that they were overtaken by the hour of prayer while on their way to the synagogue, that the people might see them pray and praise their piety. It is evident from the context that these remarks of our Lord are not directed against common or public prayer—a duty resting on express Divine command—but against performing private prayer in public places..” 44📷Adam Clarke—Verse 6: “But thou, when thou prayest. This is a very impressive and emphatic address. But thou! whosoever thou art, Jew, Pharisee, Christian—enter into thy closet. Prayer is the most secret intercourse of the soul with God, and as it were the conversation of one heart with another. The world is too profane and treacherous to be of the secret. We must shut the door against it: endeavour to forget it, with all the affairs which busy and amuse it. Prayer requires retirement, at least of the heart; for this may be fitly termed the closet in the house of God, which house the body of every real Christian is, 1 Cor. iii. 16. To this closet we ought to retire even in public prayer, and in the midst of company.📷Reward thee openly. What goodness is there equal to this of God! to give, not only what we ask, and more than we ask, but to reward even prayer itself! How great advantage is it to serve a prince who places prayers in the number of services, and reckons to his subjects’ account, even their trust and confidence in begging all things of him!” 45James Morison—Verse 7: “But, in addition to secrecy as regards men, take heed as regards another matter, namely, the fitting mood of mind in relation to God, when engaged in praying, use not vain repetitions: ‘Battering’ away at God, as it were, and ‘blattering’ (Luther has it, viel plujypern). ‘Babble’ not in prayer, in the spirit of those worshippers of Baal ‘who called on his name from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us’ (1 Kings xviii. 26), or of those worshippers of Diana who ‘about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians’ (Acts xix. 34). As the Gentiles do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking: They think that in heaping word upon word, and persistently holding on with their speechifying, they shall secure attention and a hearing. Such multiplication of speaking is utterly in vain. ‘It proceedeth,’ as good David Dickson remarks, ‘from a base misconception of God.’ It is well observed however by Augustin that there is a great difference between much speaking and much praying. And even repetitiousness, when it is not wordiness but the expression of intensity of desire, will not be unacceptable to the Hearer of prayer. Such repetitiousness will not be immoderate. It is found in many of the psalms; and it was characteristic of our Saviour’s own prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, when He again and again ‘prayed, saying the same words’ (Matt. xxvi. 44).” 46📷James Glentworth Butler—Verse 8: “Your Father knoweth what ye need. Prayer is the preparation and the enlargement of the heart for the receiving of the divine gift; which, indeed, God is always prepared to give, but we are not always prepared to receive. In the act of prayer there is a purging of the spiritual eye, which thus is averted from the things earthly that darken it, and becomes receptive of the divine light—able not to endure only the brightness of that light, but to rejoice in it with an ineffable joy. In the earnest asking is the enlargement of the heart for the abundant receiving; even as in it is also the needful preparation for the receiving with a due thankfulness; while, on the contrary, the good which came unsought would too often remain the unacknowledged also. Prayer is not designed to inform God, but to give man a sight of his misery, to humble his heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to raise his soul toward heaven, and to put him in mind that there is his Father, his country, his inheritance. He is a Father to whom we pray; let us go to him with confidence; he knows our wants; let us remove far from us all anxious disquiet and concern.” 47📷Edwin Wilbur Rice—Verse 9: “After this manner, or ‘thus.’ Jesus gives a pattern or specimen of true prayer. Thus it was understood by nearly all the early fathers and by the majority of evangelical Christians. Some hold that he gave this as a formula always to be used. Others say this is against his teaching in v. 7; and that he did not make the use of this particular form obligatory on his followers. There is no historical evidence, so far as known, that it was used as a formula of prayer by the apostles themselves. It is to be accepted as a proper mode of prayer, and it may be used in the worship of God privately or publicly, but always and only in accord with the principle already declared by Jesus—not to use display or vain repetitions in praying.📷Onr Father. ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ so called because the Lord gave it as a pattern, might more accurately be called ‘The Model Prayer.’ It is usually divided into three parts: 1, preface; 2, petitions.; 3, conclusion. The Latin fathers and the Lutheran Church make the number of the petitions seven. The Greek and Reformed Churches and the Westminster divines make the number six, by making only one petition of the first part of v. 13, while the others divide it into two petitions. The works written on this ‘Model Prayer’ would make an immense library. The Preface is literally ‘Father of us, who art in the heavens;’ ‘our,’ not my, implying the brotherhood of the human race, especially of believers. The ‘fatherhood of God’ was an old thought in the Jewish worship. It seems a common thought of the race. The Vedas of India, the Zend-Avesta of Persia, Greek literature, as Plato and Plutarch, and the older Baal worship, have the same idea. It seems to be a relic of God's earliest revelation of himself in patriarchal times. But Jesus brings it into a new form and touches it with a new life.First Petition. Hallowed he thy name. That is, help us and others to revere, hallow, sanctify and make holy God’s name and being. Reverence lies at the foundation of all true prayer. 48Phillip Schaff—Verse 10: “Thy kingdom come (second petition). The Messiah’s kingdom, which in organized form had not yet come, but was proclaimed by the Lord Himself, as at hand. It did speedily come, as opposed to the Old Testament theocracy; but in its fulness, including the triumph of Christ’s kingdom over the kingdom of darkness it has not yet come. For this coming we now pray and the prayer is answered, in part by every success of the gospel, and will be answered entirely when the King comes again. A missionary petition, but not less a prayer for our own higher sanctification and for the second coming of Christ. —Thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth (Third petition). ‘Heaven’ and ‘earth,’ put for their inhabitants. As by pure angels, so by men. The idea of human doing is prominent, our will subordinate to God’s will. ‘As’ expresses similarity in kind and completeness.” 49📷Matthew Henry—Verse 11: “Give us this day our daily bread. Because our natural being is necessary to our spiritual well-being in this world, therefore, after the things of God’s glory, kingdom, and will, we pray for the necessary supports and comforts of this present life, which are the gifts of God, and must be asked of him,—Bread for the day approaching, for all the remainder of our lives. Bread for the time to come, or bread for our being and subsistence, that which is agreeable to our condition in the world, (Prov. 30.8.) food convenient for us and our families, according to our rank and station.📷Every word here has a lesson in it: (1.) We ask for bread; that teaches us sobriety and temperance; we ask for bread, not dainties, not superfluities; that which is wholesome, though it be not nice. (2.) We ask for our bread; that teaches us honesty and industry: we do not ask for the bread out of other people’s mouths, not the bread of deceit, (Prov. 20.13.) not the bread of idleness, (Prov. 31.27.) but the bread honestly gotten. (3.) We ask for our daily bread; which teaches us not to take thought for the morrow, (ch. 6.34.) but constantly to depend upon divine providence, as those that live from hand to mouth. (4.) We beg of God to give it us, not sell it us, nor lend it us, but give it. The greatest of men must be beholden to the mercy of God for their daily bread. (5.) We pray, ‘Give it to us; not to me only, but to others in common with me.’ This teaches us charity, and a compassionate concern for the poor and needy. It intimates also, that we ought to pray with our families; we and our house-holds eat together, and therefore ought to pray together. (6.) We pray that God would give it us this day; which teaches us to renew the desire of our souls toward God, as the wants of our bodies are renewed; as duly as the day comes, we must pray to our heavenly Father, and reckon we should as well go a day without meat, as without prayer.” 50John Bird Sumner—Verses 12-13: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. We are, then, trespassers: we need forgiveness. Our hearts must be ill-instructed in the divine law, if they do not tell us that it is so. And he who lives through mercy, must show mercy. An unforgiving spirit would mar the effect even of this Christian prayer, because it would betray a most unchristian state of mind.📷And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. There are temptations which ‘are common to men.’ We see throughout all Scripture, that it is God’s will that his people should be tried. But who, that knows his frailty, and the infirmity of his best purposes, will not pray that he may be kept from temptation, and delivered from the evil one?” 51Joseph Addison Alexander—Verses 14-15: “14. For, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The next two verses, as already stated, purport to give a reason for something in the previous context, which can only be the last clause of v. 12. As if he had said, ‘In asking for forgiveness, you must stand prepared to exercise it also, for unless you are, you cannot be forgiven, not because the one is the condition of the other, but because the two must go together, and the absence of the one proves the absence of the other.’ The verb four times repeated here is the same with that in v. 12; but instead of the word delts another figure is employed, that of a fall or false step, rendered in the English versions, trespass, and intended to express the same idea, that of sin, which may be considered either as a debt due to the divine justice, or as a lapse from the straight course of moral rectitude. The fulness and precision with which the alternative is here presented may appear superfluous, but adds to the solemnity of the assurance, and would no doubt strengthen the impression on the minds of the original hearers. In this, as in the whole preceding context, God is still presented in his fatherly relation to all true believers; as if to intimate that even that relation, tender as it is, would give no indulgence to an unforgiving spirit.” 52📷Charles John Elliott—Verse 16: “(16) When ye fast.—Fasting had risen under the teaching of the Pharisees into a new prominence. Under the Law there had been but the one great fast of the Day of Atonement, on which men were ‘to afflict their souls’ (Lev. xxiii.27; Num. xxix.7), and practice had interpreted that phrase as meaning total abstinence from food. Other fasts were occasional, in times of distress or penitence, as in Joel i.14, ii.15; or as part of a policy affecting to be religions zeal (1 Kings xxi.9, 12); or as the expression of personal sorrow (1 Sam. xx.34; 2 Sam. xii 16; Ezra x.6; Neh. i.4; et al.). These were observed with an ostentatious show of affliction which called forth the indignant sarcasm of the prophets (Isa. lviii.5). The ‘sackcloth’ took the place of the usual raiment, ‘ashes’ on the head, of the usual unguents (Neh. ix.1; Ps. xxxv. 13). The tradition of the Pharisees, starting from the true principle that fasting was one way of attaining self-control, and that as a discipline it was effectual in proportion as it was systematic, fixed on the fasts ‘twice in the week,’ specified in the prayer of the Pharisee (Luke xviii.12); and the second and fifth days of the week were fixed, and connected with some vague idea that Moses went up Mount Sinai on the one, and descended on the other. Our Lord, we may note, does not blame the principle, or even the rule, on which the Pharisees acted. He recognises fasting, as He recognises almsgiving and prayer, and is content to warn His disciples against the ostentation that vitiates all three, the secret self-satisfaction under the mask of contrition, the ‘pride that apes humility.’ The very words, ‘when thou fastest’ contain an implied command.📷Of a sad countenance.—Strictly, of sullen look, moroseness of affected austerity rather than of real sorrow.They disfigure their faces.—The verb is the same as that translated ‘corrupt’ in verse 19. Here it points to the unwashed face and the untrimmed hair, possibly to the ashes sprinkled on both, that men might know and admire the rigorous asceticism.” 53Charles Rosenbury Erdman—Verses 17-18: “Very popular with the Jews among whom Christ lived, was that of fasting. If this is practiced in order to show to God our sorrow for sin; or if it is involved in our devotion to his service, it is right and commendable; but if it is employed as a means of winning the approval and praise of men, it is hypocrisy and pretense. Jesus insists that fasting, and all forms of self-denial, should be in secret; we are not to parade our sacrifices; we are not to make capital out of our devotion. We are to have regard only to the Father who is in secret, who sees in secret and who surely will reward.” 54📷Endnote:42   Harvey Goodwin, A Commentary on the Gospel of S. Matthew (Cambridge: Deighton, Bell and Company, 1857), 93-94.43   Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893), 32.44   William Nast, A Commentary on the Gospels of Matthew and Mark (Cincinnati: Poe & Hitchcock, 1864), 262.45   Adam Clarke, The New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew to the Acts), Volume 1 (New York: Lane & Scott, 1850), 84.46   James Morrison, A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1895), 88.47   J. Glentworth Butler, The Bible Work (or Bible Readers Commentary) The New Testament, in Two Volumes, Volume 1 (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1889), 157.48   Edwin W. Rice, Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew (Philadelphia: The American Sunday School Union, 1897), 79.49   Philip Shaff, A Popular Commentary on the New Testament, Volume 1 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1891), 67.50   Matthew Henry, An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, Volume 5 (Philadelphia: Edward Barrington & George D. Haswell, 1825), 67.51   John Bird Sumner, A Practical Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark, in the Form of Lectures (London: Hatchard & Son, 1831), 70.52   Joseph Addison Alexander, The Gospel According to Matthew (New York: Charles Scribner, 1861), 176.53   Charles John Ellicott, A New Testament Commentary for English Readers (Matthew-John), Volume 1 (Edinburg: The Calvin Translation Society, 1884), 26.54   Charles Rosenbury Erdman, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition (Philadelphia: The Westminister Press, 1920), 56.