In session 4 of Gideon, Priscilla used a lot of verses to explain God's patience
So, I decided to look them up tonight.
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above and beyond all that we ask or think or even imagine according to the power that is at work in us." Ephesians 3:20
I can just see Priscilla at a conference talking about God doing abundantly above and beyond what we can think or ask, or imagine. Beyond
Beyond
Beyond
Anything that we can think or ask or even imagine.
He is able.
Exodus 34:6A
The LORD GOD is merciful, compassionate and gracious...
slow to anger, long-suffering and abounding in loving-kindness and truth.
Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in POWER
She took 1 Timothy 1:16,15,14,13,12 and discussed them backwards from 16 - 12
to explain that Paul was an example of God's perfect patience.
Even tough he declared himself chief among sinners,
God showed him mercy and abundant grace and love
by strengthening him and using him
to serve Him by serving others
1 Peter 3:20
"God showed his patience by waiting while Noah built the ark to send the flood."
Genesis 18:26-33
Shows us a discussion between God and Abraham....."will you spare this place for the sake of
50.....45.....40.....30.....20......10 righteous people?" God agreed to spare the nation if only....
they could find 10 righteous people in the entire nation.
In Jonah, God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent and sent a reluctant prophet.
Titus 2:11-12
"The grace of God has been revealed bringing Salvation to all"
2 Peter 3:9
"The Lord is not slow about His promise to return.
But patient, not willing that any one should perish but \
wanting all to come to repentance,"
From Genesis 4:26 where during the time of Enoch,
"The men began to call upon the name of the Lord"
To Judges where, "Everyone did what was right in there on eyes"
God has shown His patience over and over again for His people
From Adam and Eve in the garden where sin came into the world
To Jesus, who came to die and bring hope back into the world
God has been showing his patience and love for his people.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
We can pray
Big Mike walked up to the front of Mom's church on crutches and sang. He had hip replacement and due to complications has been in pain for some time. I love going to church with Mom and to see the same faces that I saw when I was a little girl. This church is struggling, suddenly without a preacher, but the core group keeps on keeping on serving God and praying. I wrote down a few words from the song that Mike sang.
I can pray
calling on your name
What can I do
to bring them to you
and my words
don't get through.
Till the walls
come tumbling down
You can pray.
The Lord hears
us when pray
We will pray
Will you pray?
I know that when I have a prayer request
That I can call Mom and her church will
go to the throne of God and pray.
Now I feel like we need to pray
for this special church called Faith.
I can pray
calling on your name
What can I do
to bring them to you
and my words
don't get through.
Till the walls
come tumbling down
You can pray.
The Lord hears
us when pray
We will pray
Will you pray?
I know that when I have a prayer request
That I can call Mom and her church will
go to the throne of God and pray.
Now I feel like we need to pray
for this special church called Faith.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
The Living Word
Woke up at Mom's at 5:30 this morning. My Bible was in the car,so I grabbed one of Mom's Bible. This one was given to her in Memory of her Daddy, my Granddaddy, Ezra Simpson. It is a large print, (nice for early morning, dim light reading) red letter, King James version. In the front of this Bible, I found these words The Living Word.
From the creation in Genesis with the words, " In the beginning God Created", we see God is active with His plan and purpose. Max LaCado says that, God is always active, even when we can not see it. He created a world for His crowning glory Mankind. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He Him , Male and Female, created He them." Genesis 1:27
God's love is revealed throughout the Living word of God
The Word of God:
lives
breathes
and acts
through the lives of people
In the Living Word we see:
God's love in action and
God's ultimate sacrifice
The Living Word
teaches wisdom
equips
reveals God
gives practical advice for life
allows us to spend Time with God
The Living Word is:
Truth
our only Hope
the Good News (Gospel)
our Daily bread
(are you starved)
relevant today
His love Letter to us
God's blueprint for a Blessed life
The living Word of God tells the greatest story ever told
We are to live the Living Word
B-I-B-L-E
B asic
I nstructions
B efore
L eaving
E arth
From the creation in Genesis with the words, " In the beginning God Created", we see God is active with His plan and purpose. Max LaCado says that, God is always active, even when we can not see it. He created a world for His crowning glory Mankind. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He Him , Male and Female, created He them." Genesis 1:27
God's love is revealed throughout the Living word of God
The Word of God:
lives
breathes
and acts
through the lives of people
In the Living Word we see:
God's love in action and
God's ultimate sacrifice
The Living Word
teaches wisdom
equips
reveals God
gives practical advice for life
allows us to spend Time with God
The Living Word is:
Truth
our only Hope
the Good News (Gospel)
our Daily bread
(are you starved)
relevant today
His love Letter to us
God's blueprint for a Blessed life
The living Word of God tells the greatest story ever told
We are to live the Living Word
B-I-B-L-E
B asic
I nstructions
B efore
L eaving
E arth
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
God Bless America
Waiting for the bank to open while sitting in the shade, I watched an American flag dancing in the wind. The song "God Bless America" came to mind. While singing, I thought about the words. Unfortunately, we often sing songs and don't ever think about the words.
" God Bless America",
and He has.
We are a blessed nation.
"Land that I love"
do we?
do we still love our country
The more I travel,
the more I fall in love
with our country and it's people
"Stand beside her"
We need to stand up for
our country and to ask
God to stay with us
instead of pushing Him out
"And Guide Her"
Who do you think he was
asking to guide our country?
It had to be God
We are asking God to guide
our country when we sing this song
Do we really mean it or it just
words to a pretty song
"Through the night"
through dark times
are we in dark time?
"With the light from above"
That settles it right there
He is talking about God
Asking God to lead us.
Then I saw the shadow of the flag
dancing on the roof of the bank
This thought hit me....
We are a shadow of the nation of our
forefathers who wrote patriotic songs
like:
"God Bless America"
and meant.
Think about that the next time
you sing this song
lets mean what we sing
God Bless America
" God Bless America",
and He has.
We are a blessed nation.
"Land that I love"
do we?
do we still love our country
The more I travel,
the more I fall in love
with our country and it's people
"Stand beside her"
We need to stand up for
our country and to ask
God to stay with us
instead of pushing Him out
"And Guide Her"
Who do you think he was
asking to guide our country?
It had to be God
We are asking God to guide
our country when we sing this song
Do we really mean it or it just
words to a pretty song
"Through the night"
through dark times
are we in dark time?
"With the light from above"
That settles it right there
He is talking about God
Asking God to lead us.
Then I saw the shadow of the flag
dancing on the roof of the bank
This thought hit me....
We are a shadow of the nation of our
forefathers who wrote patriotic songs
like:
"God Bless America"
and meant.
Think about that the next time
you sing this song
lets mean what we sing
God Bless America
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Sara is Home
Sara is back from California. She is the baby of the family and we spoiled her rotten.. The thing is, she is not rotten, she is delightful. She is a free spirit and her best quality seems to be love. She loves completely and does things for others as naturally as others breath. She takes care of orphan children in Africa, teaches art to adult mentally handicap, serves coffee as a barristers, and jumps around spreading her own special kind of joy. Every thing she does, she does with all her might and in a spirit of love.
When I got sick, she stayed on the computer for hours and brought be an entire book on solutions for my health issues. She is very into nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. She has only been home a few days and will soon be gone for her next adventure.
In the short time she has been home she has painted a princesses castle for her nieces that delighted them both. Helped her sister at the Square with the hard work of knocking plaster off the walls to expose the beautiful brick behind it. Not a very glamorous job. She cooked a healthy meal for us and hid our salt and talked to me about what she has learned in about nutrition. She made a salad for her sister and took it to Carrie's studio to share with Renee. Last night she went to Drew's with lentil and couscous to cook for them and talk to him about healthy veggie dishes for the Square. Tomorrow, she will guest teach a yoga class at the coffee shop.
We miss her when she is gone, but you can not tie her down. She has to go to spread more joy and help others where ever she goes or what ever she decides to do next.
When I got sick, she stayed on the computer for hours and brought be an entire book on solutions for my health issues. She is very into nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. She has only been home a few days and will soon be gone for her next adventure.
In the short time she has been home she has painted a princesses castle for her nieces that delighted them both. Helped her sister at the Square with the hard work of knocking plaster off the walls to expose the beautiful brick behind it. Not a very glamorous job. She cooked a healthy meal for us and hid our salt and talked to me about what she has learned in about nutrition. She made a salad for her sister and took it to Carrie's studio to share with Renee. Last night she went to Drew's with lentil and couscous to cook for them and talk to him about healthy veggie dishes for the Square. Tomorrow, she will guest teach a yoga class at the coffee shop.
We miss her when she is gone, but you can not tie her down. She has to go to spread more joy and help others where ever she goes or what ever she decides to do next.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
back to work to rest
We have been home for 35 days - 5 weeks
some kind of record for us since retirement.
We will be going back to work Wednesday
Flea across Florida in Madison Florida.
I will be staying at Mom's, where
She will be spoiling me rotten
All we have to do is
set up and sell stuff.
We need to go back to work to rest
Since we came home we have:
Had two yard sales
moved into a new house
had guest 4 weekends
and Sara back from California
this weekend......yea
cooked a few family meals
built storage room
built roof for stable
shoveled stuff in stable
made compost piles
put in drain tile
in driveway and stable
had trees cut down around stable
had man fall through old stable roof
redid old stable roof
put in electric wire
and fans and lights
explored the woods on property
gone fishing in our pond
put in gravel drive way
Driven ERV for Red Cross
Met Megan's Grandparents
Wedding and shower plans
Started new Bible Study
Kept our precious grand kids a few times
Helped Clint build princess castle bed
and move his family into our old home
and clean out his old house
and paint and repair
At night, we compare
bruises, cuts and sore muscles
we have both lost weight
I think that we have bought
a life time of projects for Mark.
But for now, it is time
to go back to work
so we can rest and let
our poor old bodies recoup
some kind of record for us since retirement.
We will be going back to work Wednesday
Flea across Florida in Madison Florida.
I will be staying at Mom's, where
She will be spoiling me rotten
All we have to do is
set up and sell stuff.
We need to go back to work to rest
Since we came home we have:
Had two yard sales
moved into a new house
had guest 4 weekends
and Sara back from California
this weekend......yea
cooked a few family meals
built storage room
built roof for stable
shoveled stuff in stable
made compost piles
put in drain tile
in driveway and stable
had trees cut down around stable
had man fall through old stable roof
redid old stable roof
put in electric wire
and fans and lights
explored the woods on property
gone fishing in our pond
put in gravel drive way
Driven ERV for Red Cross
Met Megan's Grandparents
Wedding and shower plans
Started new Bible Study
Kept our precious grand kids a few times
Helped Clint build princess castle bed
and move his family into our old home
and clean out his old house
and paint and repair
At night, we compare
bruises, cuts and sore muscles
we have both lost weight
I think that we have bought
a life time of projects for Mark.
But for now, it is time
to go back to work
so we can rest and let
our poor old bodies recoup
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Back to James
Can you believe it.
I am back studying James again.
I studied it for over a year.
We did a study on it from the Bible.
Then, Beth Moore did a study on James
We did that one.
Then one by Kay Arthur.
I spend months memorizing most of it.
I see verses from it all over the place
Now, our Sunday School lessons
are based on the Book of James.
This time the theme will be:
Pressure points.
Does any one out there
besides me
feel pressured by:
time
temptation
partiality
words
conflicts
retaliation.
Maybe, we all need to study
James
one more time.
I know that I am slow
God knows, I must still
have some lessons
to learn from the
step-brother of Jesus Christ.
When I get to heaven
I am want to look him up
and talk to him
or maybe just listen to him.
I am back studying James again.
I studied it for over a year.
We did a study on it from the Bible.
Then, Beth Moore did a study on James
We did that one.
Then one by Kay Arthur.
I spend months memorizing most of it.
I see verses from it all over the place
Now, our Sunday School lessons
are based on the Book of James.
This time the theme will be:
Pressure points.
Does any one out there
besides me
feel pressured by:
time
temptation
partiality
words
conflicts
retaliation.
Maybe, we all need to study
James
one more time.
I know that I am slow
God knows, I must still
have some lessons
to learn from the
step-brother of Jesus Christ.
When I get to heaven
I am want to look him up
and talk to him
or maybe just listen to him.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
The Shack
Several years ago when this book came out, it cause quite a stir. A friend gave it to me to read and warned me that some people hated it and others loved it. When I finished the book, I was not sure and about it tucked it away on my book shelf.
I found the book while I was going through and giving away a lot of books during our move. This labor day weekend was kind of quiet. So, I picked it up and re-read this thought provoking book. I decided to get past the tragedy that set the story in motion and the way it described God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Wisdom.
This time I was looking for lessons to be found . Of course the Bible is my primary source for learning, but I like to read things that make me think.
When Mack said that he would go talk to God because he felt obligated, this was the response.
"Don't go because you feel obligated. That will not give you points around here. Go because it is what you want to do."
How often do we read the Bible, go to church and pray or even give or serve because we feel obligated ?
Words spoken to Mack by God to think about when tragedy strikes
" I want to heal the wound that has grown inside of you and has come between us...There is no easy answer that will take your pain away. Life takes a bit of time and a lot of relationship."
"I often find that getting head issues put out of the way first, makes the heart stuff easier to work on.......later... when you are ready"
"Only I can set you free. But freedom can never be forced. The truth shall set you free and truth has a name and it is Jesus. Every thing is about Him and freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with Him."
Trying to describe God
"I am holy and wholly other than you The problem is man tries to take the best version of themselves and project that to the nth degree, add all the goodness they can perceive and call that God. " I am above and beyond all you can ask or think." Even though we can not grasp God, He still wants to be known by us. So, He sent Jesus. You still can not grasp His nature. That is a good thing. Who wants to worship a God who can be fully comprehended?.... Not much mystery there. "
Love and Relationship
God is the great( I am who I am) and can not act apart from Love
Relationships are never about power. One way to avoid the will to assert power over another is to limit oneself - to serve -a choice to facilitate a relationship and to honor it. We often do his when dealing with the infirm, sick, the very young or very old.
True Devotion
Love expressed - good - simple - warm - intimate - genuine
Jesus loves the Father and wants to please Him and praise Him and really enjoys spending time with Him...Holy and Pure
relationship with the trinity
Jesus is living in us and us in Him through His Spirit
Jesus created the world as the Word before He ( the Word) became flesh
Mankind is intended to be in the very center of God's love and purpose.
The Trinity wants to share with us the Love, Joy, and Freedom and Light that they already know.
The real underlying flaw in our life is that ,.....We don't believe that God is good and we don't trust Him
Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know that you are loved.
God IS good and desires only what is best form us. We can only believe that in a relationship of love.
Freedom
Freedom involves trust and obedience inside a relationship of love.
God does not justify pain and lost, but redeems it.
We must give up our right to decided what is good and evil on our own terms. Choose to live in Him..to do that, you must know, God is enough and trust Him and learn to rest in His inherit goodness.
God = I am good Evil = absent of good
I am light Darkness= absent of light
I am life Death = absent of life
Results: apart from God = evil - darkness - death
We must give up our rights
after all
Jesus gave up His right and willingly became a servant
HE gave up everything so that He could open the door
that would allow us to live free enough to give up our rights
and to learn to serve Him by serving others
Live in the present
God is in the present
We are to live in the present.....not the past
.although we can remember and learn by looking back
(but don't get stuck there)
for sure, don't dwell in the future with fear
Because you rarely picture Jesus when you are worrying about the future
The person living in fear will not find freedom in His love
Because they do not believe that He really loves them
they do not trust Him with their future.
Submission
Submission is not about authority or obedience
it is all about relationships of love and respect
Eden
In Eden we abandoned relationship with God to assert our own independence
men and women
most men find fulfillment in achievement
most women find fulfillment in relationships
Jesus loves the church
My church is all about people
and Life is about relationship
We can not build it
only Jesus can build the church
You don't have to figure it all out
Just be with Jesus
Jesus is not fond of the trinity of
terrors that ravage the earth and
deceive those He cares about
Religion - politics - economics
Abundant Life
Jesus came to give life to the fullest..
the simplicity and purity of enjoying a
growing friendship and relationship
with Him
sinking in sin
It is extremely hard
to save a drowning person
unless they are willing to trust you.
When you start to sink
lets Jesus save you
do not worry
even if you do not'
understand
Just trust Him and
grow in your love.
God's purpose
His purposes are always
an expression of love
God's purpose is:
to work life out of death
to bring freedom out of brokenness
to turn darkness into light
It is all about Jesus
He is the center of purpose
through His death and resurrection
God is fully reconciled to the world
reconciliation is a 2 way street
God has done His part
totally, completely, finally
It is not the nature of love
to force a relationship
But it is the nature of love
to open the way
God is a verb
I am that I am
I am alive
dynamic
ever active
always moving
Holy Spirit verbs
confession, repenting,
living, loving,
responding, reaping
changing, sowing
sunning, dancing, singing
We have a knack for taking a verb
that is alive and full of grace
and turning it into a dead noun
verb: ability to respond and expectancy
alive and dynamic full of life
noun: responsibility and expectation
dead, full of law and fear and judgement
Respond not react
to every situation
under the power of
Holy Spirit
Priority list
Jesus does not want to be first on your list
He wants to center in all that you do
Find Holy Spirit in the Bible
Don't look for rules and principle
Look for relationship
Please help me live in truth.
As you can see, the book gave me a lot to think about.
There is much more, but I am tired and going to bed.
Read " The Shack" and see if it makes you think about
God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Wisdom
and relationship
and love.
Good night.
I found the book while I was going through and giving away a lot of books during our move. This labor day weekend was kind of quiet. So, I picked it up and re-read this thought provoking book. I decided to get past the tragedy that set the story in motion and the way it described God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Wisdom.
This time I was looking for lessons to be found . Of course the Bible is my primary source for learning, but I like to read things that make me think.
When Mack said that he would go talk to God because he felt obligated, this was the response.
"Don't go because you feel obligated. That will not give you points around here. Go because it is what you want to do."
How often do we read the Bible, go to church and pray or even give or serve because we feel obligated ?
Words spoken to Mack by God to think about when tragedy strikes
" I want to heal the wound that has grown inside of you and has come between us...There is no easy answer that will take your pain away. Life takes a bit of time and a lot of relationship."
"I often find that getting head issues put out of the way first, makes the heart stuff easier to work on.......later... when you are ready"
"Only I can set you free. But freedom can never be forced. The truth shall set you free and truth has a name and it is Jesus. Every thing is about Him and freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with Him."
Trying to describe God
"I am holy and wholly other than you The problem is man tries to take the best version of themselves and project that to the nth degree, add all the goodness they can perceive and call that God. " I am above and beyond all you can ask or think." Even though we can not grasp God, He still wants to be known by us. So, He sent Jesus. You still can not grasp His nature. That is a good thing. Who wants to worship a God who can be fully comprehended?.... Not much mystery there. "
Love and Relationship
God is the great( I am who I am) and can not act apart from Love
Relationships are never about power. One way to avoid the will to assert power over another is to limit oneself - to serve -a choice to facilitate a relationship and to honor it. We often do his when dealing with the infirm, sick, the very young or very old.
True Devotion
Love expressed - good - simple - warm - intimate - genuine
Jesus loves the Father and wants to please Him and praise Him and really enjoys spending time with Him...Holy and Pure
relationship with the trinity
Jesus is living in us and us in Him through His Spirit
Jesus created the world as the Word before He ( the Word) became flesh
Mankind is intended to be in the very center of God's love and purpose.
The Trinity wants to share with us the Love, Joy, and Freedom and Light that they already know.
The real underlying flaw in our life is that ,.....We don't believe that God is good and we don't trust Him
Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know that you are loved.
God IS good and desires only what is best form us. We can only believe that in a relationship of love.
Freedom
Freedom involves trust and obedience inside a relationship of love.
God does not justify pain and lost, but redeems it.
We must give up our right to decided what is good and evil on our own terms. Choose to live in Him..to do that, you must know, God is enough and trust Him and learn to rest in His inherit goodness.
God = I am good Evil = absent of good
I am light Darkness= absent of light
I am life Death = absent of life
Results: apart from God = evil - darkness - death
We must give up our rights
after all
Jesus gave up His right and willingly became a servant
HE gave up everything so that He could open the door
that would allow us to live free enough to give up our rights
and to learn to serve Him by serving others
Live in the present
God is in the present
We are to live in the present.....not the past
.although we can remember and learn by looking back
(but don't get stuck there)
for sure, don't dwell in the future with fear
Because you rarely picture Jesus when you are worrying about the future
The person living in fear will not find freedom in His love
Because they do not believe that He really loves them
they do not trust Him with their future.
Submission
Submission is not about authority or obedience
it is all about relationships of love and respect
Eden
In Eden we abandoned relationship with God to assert our own independence
men and women
most men find fulfillment in achievement
most women find fulfillment in relationships
Jesus loves the church
My church is all about people
and Life is about relationship
We can not build it
only Jesus can build the church
You don't have to figure it all out
Just be with Jesus
Jesus is not fond of the trinity of
terrors that ravage the earth and
deceive those He cares about
Religion - politics - economics
Abundant Life
Jesus came to give life to the fullest..
the simplicity and purity of enjoying a
growing friendship and relationship
with Him
sinking in sin
It is extremely hard
to save a drowning person
unless they are willing to trust you.
When you start to sink
lets Jesus save you
do not worry
even if you do not'
understand
Just trust Him and
grow in your love.
God's purpose
His purposes are always
an expression of love
God's purpose is:
to work life out of death
to bring freedom out of brokenness
to turn darkness into light
It is all about Jesus
He is the center of purpose
through His death and resurrection
God is fully reconciled to the world
reconciliation is a 2 way street
God has done His part
totally, completely, finally
It is not the nature of love
to force a relationship
But it is the nature of love
to open the way
God is a verb
I am that I am
I am alive
dynamic
ever active
always moving
Holy Spirit verbs
confession, repenting,
living, loving,
responding, reaping
changing, sowing
sunning, dancing, singing
We have a knack for taking a verb
that is alive and full of grace
and turning it into a dead noun
verb: ability to respond and expectancy
alive and dynamic full of life
noun: responsibility and expectation
dead, full of law and fear and judgement
Respond not react
to every situation
under the power of
Holy Spirit
Priority list
Jesus does not want to be first on your list
He wants to center in all that you do
Find Holy Spirit in the Bible
Don't look for rules and principle
Look for relationship
Please help me live in truth.
As you can see, the book gave me a lot to think about.
There is much more, but I am tired and going to bed.
Read " The Shack" and see if it makes you think about
God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Wisdom
and relationship
and love.
Good night.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Words from Monday devotion. Gideon study and The Shack
"Lord, I rejoice in the living and loving relationship that I enjoy with You . Thank you so much for freedom and life in Christ. Empower me to walk in your power and to bear lasting fruit for you"
Fruit:
1) winning souls for Christ
2) manifestation of God's Spirit of God in us
3) Spiritual growth in character
4) productive service and ministry for Jesus
All of the above + completeness in Christ = Fruit
Gideon study
Empowerment by God's Spirit is a necessary for success
Our Goal:
1) see truth in God's word
2) open our selves to His activity daily
3) learn from good examples
4) seek to inspire by being a good example
We have two roles:
student ..to learn from others
teacher..others learn from us
Notes from The Shack
"Everything is about Jesus and freedom is a process that
happens inside a relationship with Him.
The God who is the great "I AM" can not act apart from Love.
God is love
Love and Relationship
Have a wonderful Labor Day and drive careful.
Fruit:
1) winning souls for Christ
2) manifestation of God's Spirit of God in us
3) Spiritual growth in character
4) productive service and ministry for Jesus
All of the above + completeness in Christ = Fruit
Gideon study
Empowerment by God's Spirit is a necessary for success
Our Goal:
1) see truth in God's word
2) open our selves to His activity daily
3) learn from good examples
4) seek to inspire by being a good example
We have two roles:
student ..to learn from others
teacher..others learn from us
Notes from The Shack
"Everything is about Jesus and freedom is a process that
happens inside a relationship with Him.
The God who is the great "I AM" can not act apart from Love.
God is love
Love and Relationship
Have a wonderful Labor Day and drive careful.
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