An estimated 1.5 million people crowded along the foreshore of Sydney Harbour last night to watched the fireworks to celebrate New Year's Eve. These images of the midnight fireworks were taken from the north shore suburb of Kiribilli.
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
What is your New Year's Resolution?
The year is almost over, so we wanted to ask what was memorable about 2009 for you, and what are you looking forward to in 2010? Do you have a new years resolution, or any exciting plans for the coming year?
Have a safe and happy New Year, from all of us at Scanlan Orthodontics!
New Year!
Well, the Meyersdale Public Library made it through 2009 intact! We are so very grateful for the financial support of our library friends. Our 2009 fund drive was the best to date. After an extended debate the state ended up cutting public library subsidies by 21%. Any budget cut is painful, however we are grateful the vote for the originally proposed 50% cut was averted . The many letters of support to government officials from library patrons across the state had a huge impact on this decision. We understand the entire country is economically stressed and that sacrifices are being made across the board. We are grateful that our little library will be able to continue services to the public with only a few internal budget adjustments. This is possible in part because of the financial support of the Somerset County Federated Library System. While hours of operation will remain the same, there will be slight cutbacks in collection and staff expenses. Our hope is to continue to provide our community the quality service our library has become known for. How long we can do this is dependant on continued local financial support as well as backing of government officials. Let us all hope for better circumstances in 2010!
Please come in and look through the many books we have for sale!
Please come in and look through the many books we have for sale!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The lovely "Love Train" video...
Probably the most interesting thing, about domain extensions, are the activities of the supporting communities of the domain extensions.
It basically does not matter, how your domain extension looks like, for it to be successful:
What depends and matters, is how it is promoted.
Follow the history of .com, and you will understand, how and why it got strong and popular.
You can follow the history of promotion and forum-support of any domain extension, and you might be able to discover parallels of smart endeavours, time (-line) and success. (Only love, provided by a fan community, is not enough, to make a domain extension succesfull. See .mobi, for example. It is viable, respectively still alive, because of the love it gets, but to be able to be sucessful, it will need some more support, by the powerful companies, that are supposed to be backing it up. And so, same with .tel...)
Basically, it is always common sense, that saves you, a project, or anything in progress that happen to be in a awkward situation.
What counts, are costly and smart pomoting, time and common sense, that must always be used.
The non usage of common sense and brains, it the death to anything.
The non usage of money, won't help promote, because promoting costs.
The cultivation of plein stupidity may be bad, in times, may be good in other times, because people are sometimes stupid, and trained by media and advertising, not to think, but only to consume, what is offered. The language of stupidity is a language, mankind has learned over the years, and understands. Whatever way you are able to make your self understood: You can earn money, if people understand, what you are selling.
The mixture, of intelligence, stupidity, sex, common sense, etc., is what sells.
Try to sell a perfect and usefull product, only by explaining how it functions, and for it is good: Consumers are not used, only to get dry facts served. They are spoiled, and used to get a daily dosis of adverts, that contain sex, crazyness, stunning effects, etc., and where they do not have to think, but only consume.
And now, here you are with the dot tel domain, in our world today: How are you going to sell it?
The „Love Train“ was popular, because it is funny and sexy, and only explained a minimum of the technology, idea, and features about .tel.
If you will, the „Love Train“ is a promotion video for dummies, that just want a good lough, and some sexual stimulation. Well, the „Love Train“ did the trick, and worked for a short while, and only for a few.
But who are the consumers of .tel?...: All sorts of people and groups. Speak to them (and about their needs and dreams) individually. Make ten completly different videos, addressed to ten different groups of consumers...
.
Anyway:
Here is the code for implementing the (premium qualitiy version of the) video within your blog (however, it is still a stunner and a eye catcher, and nevertheless, a lot of fun):
(Just copy and paste...):
.
.
It basically does not matter, how your domain extension looks like, for it to be successful:
What depends and matters, is how it is promoted.
Follow the history of .com, and you will understand, how and why it got strong and popular.
You can follow the history of promotion and forum-support of any domain extension, and you might be able to discover parallels of smart endeavours, time (-line) and success. (Only love, provided by a fan community, is not enough, to make a domain extension succesfull. See .mobi, for example. It is viable, respectively still alive, because of the love it gets, but to be able to be sucessful, it will need some more support, by the powerful companies, that are supposed to be backing it up. And so, same with .tel...)
Basically, it is always common sense, that saves you, a project, or anything in progress that happen to be in a awkward situation.
What counts, are costly and smart pomoting, time and common sense, that must always be used.
The non usage of common sense and brains, it the death to anything.
The non usage of money, won't help promote, because promoting costs.
The cultivation of plein stupidity may be bad, in times, may be good in other times, because people are sometimes stupid, and trained by media and advertising, not to think, but only to consume, what is offered. The language of stupidity is a language, mankind has learned over the years, and understands. Whatever way you are able to make your self understood: You can earn money, if people understand, what you are selling.
The mixture, of intelligence, stupidity, sex, common sense, etc., is what sells.
Try to sell a perfect and usefull product, only by explaining how it functions, and for it is good: Consumers are not used, only to get dry facts served. They are spoiled, and used to get a daily dosis of adverts, that contain sex, crazyness, stunning effects, etc., and where they do not have to think, but only consume.
And now, here you are with the dot tel domain, in our world today: How are you going to sell it?
The „Love Train“ was popular, because it is funny and sexy, and only explained a minimum of the technology, idea, and features about .tel.
If you will, the „Love Train“ is a promotion video for dummies, that just want a good lough, and some sexual stimulation. Well, the „Love Train“ did the trick, and worked for a short while, and only for a few.
But who are the consumers of .tel?...: All sorts of people and groups. Speak to them (and about their needs and dreams) individually. Make ten completly different videos, addressed to ten different groups of consumers...
.
Anyway:
Here is the code for implementing the (premium qualitiy version of the) video within your blog (however, it is still a stunner and a eye catcher, and nevertheless, a lot of fun):
(Just copy and paste...):
.
.
McClure Christmas Recap
We spent the night in Malvern on Christmas Eve and got to see our nieces open presents on Christmas morning. It was so fun to be there!
Gail (mother-in-law) & me:
Christmas morning! Kent & Anders
Christmas Day:
Me, Susannah & Kent
Kent & his sister, Mallery (she just found out she is having a boy!)
Kent's cousins on his mom's side of the family,
with Memaw [at bottom right, holding the baby]:
Here are the two decent pictures we took together:
Can you tell I'm super blonde again?!?!
Strand Arcade, Christmas decorations
Astronauts Aboard the Space Station Talk With Troops in Iraq
This is one of a series of images featuring the International Space Station photographed soon after the space shuttle Atlantis and the station began their post-undocking relative separation. Some scenes in the series show parts of the Mediterranean Sea and Africa and Spain in the background.
>View larger image.
Some U.S. forces in Iraq will get the chance during the holidays to talk with two NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station who also are far away from their families and friends. A 20-minute live video downlink will start at 9 a.m. EST on Dec. 29. The event will be carried live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's Web site.
Station Commander Jeff Williams, a retired U.S. Army colonel, and Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer, an Army colonel, will talk with U.S. forces while orbiting 220 miles above Earth. Service members will have the chance to talk with the astronauts about life on the station, their military careers and what it is like to live in space for up to six months.
Technology developed for the space and Earth science programs at NASA is currently being repurposed for use to protect our soldiers in Iraq and across the globe. Examples include satellite-based communications and weather resources, GPS, and other NASA Spinoffs.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of the conversations, with video from aboard the station during the event. A video file will be available later in the day, with edited footage from both the station and the service members in Iraq.
For more information on NASA TV, including a schedule of events, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
>View larger image.
Some U.S. forces in Iraq will get the chance during the holidays to talk with two NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station who also are far away from their families and friends. A 20-minute live video downlink will start at 9 a.m. EST on Dec. 29. The event will be carried live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's Web site.
Station Commander Jeff Williams, a retired U.S. Army colonel, and Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer, an Army colonel, will talk with U.S. forces while orbiting 220 miles above Earth. Service members will have the chance to talk with the astronauts about life on the station, their military careers and what it is like to live in space for up to six months.
Technology developed for the space and Earth science programs at NASA is currently being repurposed for use to protect our soldiers in Iraq and across the globe. Examples include satellite-based communications and weather resources, GPS, and other NASA Spinoffs.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of the conversations, with video from aboard the station during the event. A video file will be available later in the day, with edited footage from both the station and the service members in Iraq.
For more information on NASA TV, including a schedule of events, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Creed: Oh God, Finally, The Epilogue
Do you remember yesterday when I said I just had one more thing to say about the Creed, and that it would be short...and then it went you know, a little longer than short. And you thought, well, Ok, that was that. At least it's over now.
It's not. But don't give up quite yet. Just one more to go.
Yesterday we were talking about how the Creed is like a shorthand for church history. Well, there's something to be learned from all that, and that is that the church has a history! That is, that the church as a body didn't sort of appear on the scene full grown after Jesus died -- bloop! -- but rather developed in both its mission and in its understanding of God over time, through new questions and conflicts. It's funny, actually, if you study that first 350 years, in which the fundamentals were slowly established, every time they thought they had it all worked out, someone showed up and said, hey, what about this? Which threw light on whole different questions that now had to be worked out. And so on and so on.
It was like a cosmic game of Jenga. Pull one piece, and a whole other section started to wobble.
Yikes!
Now, as of the middle of the 4th century, some things were ruled pretty much definitive. For instance, we'll never go back and say, well, maybe Jesus wasn't resurrected. We might freely grapple with a lot of other questions, like what exactly did he know when, for instance, or struggle to understand what certain things mean, but the statements in the Creed are essentials. You might struggle with them, but dismiss them and you're outside the borders of what can be considered "Catholic".
(Ok, maybe not this far outside. You get the idea.)
But beyond those essentials, the same basic dilemma/debate/new theology cycle has continued for the last 2000 years. How to celebrate the liturgy, whether a given act is right or wrong, the relationship with other religions, what happens when you die -- if you looked at the church from the year 400 and compared it to the church of today, it would adhere to the same creed, but it would also look different in a million significant ways, because it has continued to respond to the questions and needs of the worlds in which it finds itself.
That's not to say it's all been lollipops and beach parties. Our history shows that both individually and institutionally we're quite capable of resisting change, of trying to avoid keeping a question open or the conversation going, sometimes to devastating consequence. We are a "pilgrim" church, according to Vatican II, always on the road, never "there" yet, externally or internally.
And that's part of why we're at Mass in the first place.
Travel day tomorrow. Have a great New Year's. I'll be back on Monday!
It's not. But don't give up quite yet. Just one more to go.
Yesterday we were talking about how the Creed is like a shorthand for church history. Well, there's something to be learned from all that, and that is that the church has a history! That is, that the church as a body didn't sort of appear on the scene full grown after Jesus died -- bloop! -- but rather developed in both its mission and in its understanding of God over time, through new questions and conflicts. It's funny, actually, if you study that first 350 years, in which the fundamentals were slowly established, every time they thought they had it all worked out, someone showed up and said, hey, what about this? Which threw light on whole different questions that now had to be worked out. And so on and so on.
It was like a cosmic game of Jenga. Pull one piece, and a whole other section started to wobble.
Yikes!Now, as of the middle of the 4th century, some things were ruled pretty much definitive. For instance, we'll never go back and say, well, maybe Jesus wasn't resurrected. We might freely grapple with a lot of other questions, like what exactly did he know when, for instance, or struggle to understand what certain things mean, but the statements in the Creed are essentials. You might struggle with them, but dismiss them and you're outside the borders of what can be considered "Catholic".
(Ok, maybe not this far outside. You get the idea.) But beyond those essentials, the same basic dilemma/debate/new theology cycle has continued for the last 2000 years. How to celebrate the liturgy, whether a given act is right or wrong, the relationship with other religions, what happens when you die -- if you looked at the church from the year 400 and compared it to the church of today, it would adhere to the same creed, but it would also look different in a million significant ways, because it has continued to respond to the questions and needs of the worlds in which it finds itself.
That's not to say it's all been lollipops and beach parties. Our history shows that both individually and institutionally we're quite capable of resisting change, of trying to avoid keeping a question open or the conversation going, sometimes to devastating consequence. We are a "pilgrim" church, according to Vatican II, always on the road, never "there" yet, externally or internally.
And that's part of why we're at Mass in the first place.
Travel day tomorrow. Have a great New Year's. I'll be back on Monday!
Invitation for the graduation day.
Let me be frank; till date, I have not heard about graduation invitations. But when I received one from one of my ex-students, I realized what a proud moment for her it will be-the honors day. ![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=8c94b9a3-fd11-4b65-b8cb-8c70d7eaf04f)
Oh my God, how I wish I had known about graduation invitations 2 years ago when my son got his engineering degree? The graduation day-every youth’s most memorable day should be shared with parents, relatives, friends and past teachers.
When I showed the graduation invitation I received (see below) to my present students, there was a loud cheer and some talked about who they will invite on their graduation day.
Surprisingly, the next day, several of my students showed me their own hand drawn design of the future graduation day invitation.
They were childish alright but I appreciated the spirit.
Livro Free Crochet
From: Lú Ribau <luciahrt@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/7/7
Date: 2009/7/7
via Tita Carré - Agulha e tricot de robertagranada@gmail.com (by Roberta Granada Mendes Bortoluzzi) em 06/07/09
Revista Toucas para bebês
From: Lú Ribau <luciahrt@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/7/7
Date: 2009/7/7
via Tita Carré - Agulha e tricot de robertagranada@gmail.com (by Roberta Granada Mendes Bortoluzzi) em 06/07/09
Two Years Ago Today...
We got married!
Today marks year number two having been completed - bring on year number three! Love you Kent!
Cook and Phillip Park, fountain
Monday, December 28, 2009
Easy online resume builder.
It is heartening note my students using the Internet more productively than just playing games online or engage in useless chatting and gossiping.
One of my students studying in 10th standard showed a resume of her sister that she built online using JobSpice.
The resume was built with more useful information than any other resume built using online resume builders. The format was uncluttered and the style was sophisticated.
Composing your resume with Job Spice must be easy since you only choose the fields that you want to include. After building your resume, you can convert it into a PDF doc and get it printed.
One of my students studying in 10th standard showed a resume of her sister that she built online using JobSpice.
The resume was built with more useful information than any other resume built using online resume builders. The format was uncluttered and the style was sophisticated.
Composing your resume with Job Spice must be easy since you only choose the fields that you want to include. After building your resume, you can convert it into a PDF doc and get it printed.
Part time clerical jobs in Philadelpia.
What a learning experience for me exploring jobs philadelphia, a complete portal for several kinds of jobs those are available in Philadelphia and New Jersey!
My duties as an academician don’t just stop at imparting mathematics to high school students. I take it my responsibility to help them find the best courses for higher studies.
Many of my students remember me even after 4 or 5 years of higher studies and approach me again to help them locate the best jobs. This has not only given me immense pleasure of helping but also has given me lots of opportunities to learn to search for jobs for candidates with different qualifications.
I was amazed to know about the abundance of job opportunities in Philadelphia. Though, more openings are open in the sales industry, there are a few opportunities for writers and office assistants.
Hmmm... May be I should think of starting a job consultancy service.
My duties as an academician don’t just stop at imparting mathematics to high school students. I take it my responsibility to help them find the best courses for higher studies.
Many of my students remember me even after 4 or 5 years of higher studies and approach me again to help them locate the best jobs. This has not only given me immense pleasure of helping but also has given me lots of opportunities to learn to search for jobs for candidates with different qualifications.
I was amazed to know about the abundance of job opportunities in Philadelphia. Though, more openings are open in the sales industry, there are a few opportunities for writers and office assistants.
Hmmm... May be I should think of starting a job consultancy service.
Everything You Need to Ring In the New Year!
New's Year Eve is just around the corner, and the Country Store has everything you'll need to celebrate right into 2010. We are staying open until 8pm so stop by on the way to your party!
Veggie Medley Chips
These chips have no preservatives, artificial flavors or transfats and are great for dipping in one of Eckert's house-made dips or your own homemade dip.
Eckert's House Made Buffalo Chicken Dip with our Signature Tortilla Chips
Boar's Head buffalo chicken adds the extra kick to this signature recipe... a customer favorite and best seller!
Prosciutto and Mozzarella Wrap
St. Louis's own Volpi's Porosciutto ham wrapped with mozzarella cheese can be sliced thin and served with Eckert's fresh baked Farm Bread.
Ready-Made Cheese Platters
Three flavors of premium Ohio Amish cheeses cut into cubes and ready for your guests. Serve with fresh baked Mountain Bread or pick from our large selection of crackers.
Eckert's Applewood Smoked Beef - Buy 1 lb get 1/2 lb FREE
This tender, shredded beef was a big hit at Angie Eckert's Christmas Eve party. Just reheat in the micorwave, stove top or crockpot and dress it with Eckert's Vidalia Onion BBQ sauce and make mini sandwiches with our yeast rolls.
Fully-Cooked Bone-In Ham
These fully-cooked, ready-to-eat hams average about 25 pounds and are hand-rubbed and cured from Wenneman's Meat Market in St. Libory, Illinois. If you are having a large New Year's gathering, this will make a great addition to your midnight buffet!
Home Baked Pies
Don't forget to grab a few pies for your dessert spread. We highly recommend our Caramel Apple Walnut pie... the decadent caramel drizzle makes a beautiful presentation!
Bartenura Moscato d'Asti - $14.99
This ever popular wine is on the sweet side with a little carbonation. It's great for toasting with your sweet-wine drinking friends and was rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast!
Korbel Brut Champagne - $12.99
This light and crisp bottle of bubbly is perfect for the midnight toast. Wow your guests by adding a few tablespoons of pomegranate seeds to each glass before you pour.
Simi Landslide Cabernet Sauvignon - $36.99
This is a terrific dry wine for avid wine drinkers. It is full-bodied and well-balanced with plum, blackberry and cherry notes and rates 94 points by Wine Spectator. Hurry in, because we have a limited supply of this great value wine!
State Library, Macquarie Night Lights
The State Library of New South Wales featured Christmas Projections on the Macquarie Street facade of the Mitchell Wing. This is my final look at this year's Macquarie Night Lights. A daytime view of the Mitchell Wing of the library, viewed from Shakespeare Place, can be seen here.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Mayon Volcano, The Phillipines
Tens of thousands of people living within the danger zone of Mayon Volcano in the Philippines were forced to evacuate to emergency shelters in mid-December 2009 as small earthquakes, incandescent lava at the summit and minor ash falls suggested a major eruption was on the way. On the evening of Dec. 14, the local volcano observatory raised the alert level to Level 3, which means "magma is close to the crater and hazardous explosive eruption is imminent."
This natural-color image of Mayon was captured on Dec. 15, 2009, by the Advanced Land Imager on NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite. A small plume of ash and steam is blowing west from the summit. Dark-colored lava or debris flows from previous eruptions streak the flanks of the mountain. A ravine on the southeast slope is occupied by a particularly prominent lava or debris flow.
The Phillipine Star said on Dec. 22 that "ashfall blanketed at least three towns in Albay, raising new health fears for thousands already bracing for an eruption that could come at any time ... Health officials warned the tiny particles could cause respiratory problems or skin diseases, and could affect the thousands of people crammed into evacuation centers.
Also on Dec. 22, CNN reported that "tens of thousands of people have already fled their homes. More than 9,000 families -- a total of 44,394 people -- are being housed in evacuation camps after authorities raised the alert status of the country's most active volcano" as "fountains of red-hot lava shot up from the intensifying Mayon volcano."
This natural-color image of Mayon was captured on Dec. 15, 2009, by the Advanced Land Imager on NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite. A small plume of ash and steam is blowing west from the summit. Dark-colored lava or debris flows from previous eruptions streak the flanks of the mountain. A ravine on the southeast slope is occupied by a particularly prominent lava or debris flow.
The Phillipine Star said on Dec. 22 that "ashfall blanketed at least three towns in Albay, raising new health fears for thousands already bracing for an eruption that could come at any time ... Health officials warned the tiny particles could cause respiratory problems or skin diseases, and could affect the thousands of people crammed into evacuation centers.
Also on Dec. 22, CNN reported that "tens of thousands of people have already fled their homes. More than 9,000 families -- a total of 44,394 people -- are being housed in evacuation camps after authorities raised the alert status of the country's most active volcano" as "fountains of red-hot lava shot up from the intensifying Mayon volcano."
Canvas prints ~ A way to add glamor to home
Canvas printing is an excellent way to add art work to your walls. It can really transform your home into a stylish and alluring place. You can choose a picture of your own and find a canvas shop on Internet that will print it for you. If you have a large area to fill, you need to use many prints. Splitting them into different sizes and shapes would be a great idea. You can add a touch of elegance by hanging canvas prints on the walls. If you are looking for unique and alluring canvas prints, then visit SmartBargains store.
Victorian Garden Set of 4 16in x16in Canvas Prints: Attractive textures, details, and colors are used to give a unique, contemporary flair. Measurement of this set is 16" x 16". Chocolate silhouettes are surrounded by aged, classic patterns in a blocked composition, taking cues from victorian styling, but giving them a very modern twist. It is constructed of weatherized pine, canvas, and galvanized steel staples. Original price is $469.00 but now get it for $279.99 means save 40%.
Botanical Compostion Set 16in x 16in Canvas Prints: Bring new colors to your home with this set of two quirky botanicals. Set of two "botanical composition" canvas prints by jennifer goldberger. Each finished piece measures 16" x 16". It is constructed of weatherized pine, canvas, and galvanized steel staples. The image is sealed with acrylic to further protect outdoor rated ink. Original price is $259.00 but now get it for $139.99 and save 45% on it.
Painted Flowers Set of 4 Outdoor Canvas Prints: Art classics, ltd.'s indoor/outdoor art is constructed with weatherized pine, canvas and galvanized staples. It is a set of four canvas prints. Modern, graphic, bold, and colorful, these images are expressionistic in nature. Unframed artist grade canvas prints stretched over wood frames arrive ready to hang. Each finished piece measures 16" x 16". Real price is $469.00 but get it for $279.99 and save 40%.
Victorian Garden Set of 4 16in x16in Canvas Prints: Attractive textures, details, and colors are used to give a unique, contemporary flair. Measurement of this set is 16" x 16". Chocolate silhouettes are surrounded by aged, classic patterns in a blocked composition, taking cues from victorian styling, but giving them a very modern twist. It is constructed of weatherized pine, canvas, and galvanized steel staples. Original price is $469.00 but now get it for $279.99 means save 40%.
Botanical Compostion Set 16in x 16in Canvas Prints: Bring new colors to your home with this set of two quirky botanicals. Set of two "botanical composition" canvas prints by jennifer goldberger. Each finished piece measures 16" x 16". It is constructed of weatherized pine, canvas, and galvanized steel staples. The image is sealed with acrylic to further protect outdoor rated ink. Original price is $259.00 but now get it for $139.99 and save 45% on it.Painted Flowers Set of 4 Outdoor Canvas Prints: Art classics, ltd.'s indoor/outdoor art is constructed with weatherized pine, canvas and galvanized staples. It is a set of four canvas prints. Modern, graphic, bold, and colorful, these images are expressionistic in nature. Unframed artist grade canvas prints stretched over wood frames arrive ready to hang. Each finished piece measures 16" x 16". Real price is $469.00 but get it for $279.99 and save 40%.
Hypercreed
So, I have this feeling that at this point anybody reading is thinking, my God, enough with the creed already. I get it, it's interesting (although it still doesn't really seem that way when I say it). If that's your take, bear with me just one more day. I have just one more little nugget to share, and I promise to be short(ish).
You know when you go on Wikipedia (or any website for that matter) and you see that every sentence has parts that are actually links to other things? Totally random example, which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that my vision of heaven involves flying an X-Wing fighter, this page.
Well, the Creed is actually just like those hyperlink pages. Every single phrase of the Creed, every single one, has a whole hyperlink-style history behind it. That is to say, every phrase is actually a conclusion to a debate that had taken place sometime during the first 340 years of the church about what exactly it is we believe.
Three examples: 1) Some people believed that the God who created earth was totally different from (and, based on things like death and mean people, far lamer than) the God who saved us. The first God, they said, was Yahweh, the guy we meet in the Old Testament; he throws temper tantrums and creates people who park in handicapped spots.
Also, scary-looking mimes.
And the other God is the Heavenly Father that Jesus talks about. Him, we like.
The results of that debate are all over that first line: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. "CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU?"
2) Some people said, if Jesus is God's son, then he can't be coeternal with God -- that is to say, he can't have existed as long as God the Father, but rather is God's creation. Which sounds logical, but ends up causing a lot of trouble. Either Jesus is therefore NOT god (he's created and not eternal, how can he be God?), or we have more than one.
So in the Creed we find the very repetitive "eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father."
Now ask me what "eternally begotten" or "begotten, not made" mean concretely, and I'll point one way and run away the other. I googled the term "eternally begotten"; here's what came up:
The Crucifixion.
The staff of Microsoft in 1978. (I kid you not.)
And a weird endless circle (which is what conversations on the topic generally feel like).
But still, from the term you get the generally idea. Jesus and God, somehow the same as well as different.
3) I could go with the Holy Spirit. Just the phrase "who proceeds from the Father and the Son" caused the final separation between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. (For more info, click here.) But instead, let me take just one more phrase from the section: "he suffered, died and was buried." Some people, intent on Jesus' divinity, insisted that he couldn't really suffer or die. Gods don't do those things. But even as the church insisted that Jesus was one with GTF (God the Father for a texting generation; I want it to catch on like LOL), it refused to give up his humanity. Hence that phrase, which ends with the burial just to make it clear, he's really, really dead. It's not like the Black Plague:
So, when we read the Creed, we're giving not only the Cliffs Notes story of our salvation, but the shorthand story of our early church history.
Maybe it's just me, but I find that oh so cool.
You know when you go on Wikipedia (or any website for that matter) and you see that every sentence has parts that are actually links to other things? Totally random example, which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that my vision of heaven involves flying an X-Wing fighter, this page.
Well, the Creed is actually just like those hyperlink pages. Every single phrase of the Creed, every single one, has a whole hyperlink-style history behind it. That is to say, every phrase is actually a conclusion to a debate that had taken place sometime during the first 340 years of the church about what exactly it is we believe.
Three examples: 1) Some people believed that the God who created earth was totally different from (and, based on things like death and mean people, far lamer than) the God who saved us. The first God, they said, was Yahweh, the guy we meet in the Old Testament; he throws temper tantrums and creates people who park in handicapped spots.
Also, scary-looking mimes. And the other God is the Heavenly Father that Jesus talks about. Him, we like.
The results of that debate are all over that first line: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. "CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU?"
2) Some people said, if Jesus is God's son, then he can't be coeternal with God -- that is to say, he can't have existed as long as God the Father, but rather is God's creation. Which sounds logical, but ends up causing a lot of trouble. Either Jesus is therefore NOT god (he's created and not eternal, how can he be God?), or we have more than one.
So in the Creed we find the very repetitive "eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father."
Now ask me what "eternally begotten" or "begotten, not made" mean concretely, and I'll point one way and run away the other. I googled the term "eternally begotten"; here's what came up:
The Crucifixion. 
The staff of Microsoft in 1978. (I kid you not.)
And a weird endless circle (which is what conversations on the topic generally feel like). But still, from the term you get the generally idea. Jesus and God, somehow the same as well as different.
3) I could go with the Holy Spirit. Just the phrase "who proceeds from the Father and the Son" caused the final separation between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. (For more info, click here.) But instead, let me take just one more phrase from the section: "he suffered, died and was buried." Some people, intent on Jesus' divinity, insisted that he couldn't really suffer or die. Gods don't do those things. But even as the church insisted that Jesus was one with GTF (God the Father for a texting generation; I want it to catch on like LOL), it refused to give up his humanity. Hence that phrase, which ends with the burial just to make it clear, he's really, really dead. It's not like the Black Plague:
So, when we read the Creed, we're giving not only the Cliffs Notes story of our salvation, but the shorthand story of our early church history.
Maybe it's just me, but I find that oh so cool.
The Never-ending Story
Fun Fact: Most ancient cultures had a creation story that involved a god killing another god, or a god-like monster, and then forming things like the earth, human beings and the universe out of its dead body.
In ancient Babylonian mythology, the earth was formed by Marduk (right) out of the body of Tiamat (left).
Norse God Odin and his brothers create the world out of the body of frost giant Ymir.
Each year in the days surrounding their New Year's Eve, these ancient cultures would reenact that story. And they did so because they believed that it recreated that original act in the present, that it reinstated the order that had been instituted in the past. Creation was not something that happened just once, nor simply an act of building, but something salvific and ongoing.
If you read the first five books of the Old Testament, or sit with the Psalms for that matter, you will find the Jews regularly recalling the story of their salvation. And the rationale is much the same -- to retell the story is to bring it back into life in the present. So today at a Passover seder, practicing Jews reenact the events of the original Passover, eating matzoh and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of Passover, again with a belief that what they're doing is not simply recollecting a past event, but allowing it to happen to themselves. It is they who are being liberated, now.
Last year's White House seder. You fill in the blank what they're praying for liberation from...
Perhaps that sounds sort of cuckoo. But it's sort of like when a married couple is asked by their children to tell again the story of how they met, their dating, their engagement. They're nice stories, yes, but they aren't just that. Something in the telling reaffirms the relationship, feeds the fires.
According to Merrian-Webster's Online Dictionary, a creed is "a brief authoritative formula of religious belief" or "a set of fundamental beliefs; a guiding principle." And what are the first two words of the creed Catholics profess: "We believe." Yet if you take a look at what follows, you'll note the creed is not only a statement of our beliefs -- it's our version of this ancient practice of retelling the story of salvation. If you look at the Creed below, you'll see, in just 226 words, it provides a thumbnail version of the Christian story of salvation.
The first paragraph: God the Father creating. The second paragraph: Jesus -- who he is, what he did in creation, in his life on earth and in the time to come. The final two paragraphs: the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from God and from Jesus to inspire and sustain the church and its saints.
This is not simply a set of principles. It's the story of our faith. And in making our profession, we're asking God to bring that story into existence again today. Order our world, enter into our lives, and send us forth to build the kingdom.
Kinda nifty, isn't it?
In ancient Babylonian mythology, the earth was formed by Marduk (right) out of the body of Tiamat (left). 
Norse God Odin and his brothers create the world out of the body of frost giant Ymir. Each year in the days surrounding their New Year's Eve, these ancient cultures would reenact that story. And they did so because they believed that it recreated that original act in the present, that it reinstated the order that had been instituted in the past. Creation was not something that happened just once, nor simply an act of building, but something salvific and ongoing.
If you read the first five books of the Old Testament, or sit with the Psalms for that matter, you will find the Jews regularly recalling the story of their salvation. And the rationale is much the same -- to retell the story is to bring it back into life in the present. So today at a Passover seder, practicing Jews reenact the events of the original Passover, eating matzoh and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of Passover, again with a belief that what they're doing is not simply recollecting a past event, but allowing it to happen to themselves. It is they who are being liberated, now.
Last year's White House seder. You fill in the blank what they're praying for liberation from...Perhaps that sounds sort of cuckoo. But it's sort of like when a married couple is asked by their children to tell again the story of how they met, their dating, their engagement. They're nice stories, yes, but they aren't just that. Something in the telling reaffirms the relationship, feeds the fires.
According to Merrian-Webster's Online Dictionary, a creed is "a brief authoritative formula of religious belief" or "a set of fundamental beliefs; a guiding principle." And what are the first two words of the creed Catholics profess: "We believe." Yet if you take a look at what follows, you'll note the creed is not only a statement of our beliefs -- it's our version of this ancient practice of retelling the story of salvation. If you look at the Creed below, you'll see, in just 226 words, it provides a thumbnail version of the Christian story of salvation.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary , and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The first paragraph: God the Father creating. The second paragraph: Jesus -- who he is, what he did in creation, in his life on earth and in the time to come. The final two paragraphs: the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from God and from Jesus to inspire and sustain the church and its saints.
This is not simply a set of principles. It's the story of our faith. And in making our profession, we're asking God to bring that story into existence again today. Order our world, enter into our lives, and send us forth to build the kingdom.
Kinda nifty, isn't it?
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