Take the Sandals from your feet for the place you stand is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5 HNV)

While doing some reading ( I bet you know what I was reading, and where at in the book I was)

     I came upon the phrase “holy ground” and of course my ADD brain went several different directions at once. Aside from being a great name for a coffee shop (get it?) it’s an image from Exodus where Moses is summoned by the Lord to Mt. Sinai and He commissions Moses to go back and set His people free. God, in the form of a burning bush, tells Moses to remove his shoes because he is standing on holy ground. This got me thinking. Why would God want Moses to do that?

This may sound obvious (I have a knack for that), but when you take your shoes off you are barefoot. This assumes no socks of course, which would have been the case with Moses. Why does God want bare feet on His holy ground, right there in His presence? The answer I got while praying about this surprised me and I hope it does something for you too.

At first I was thinking that having our bare feet on God’s holy ground sounded like a bad thing. After all, it’s our flesh in direct contact with where the Lord is. We are unclean. Feet are unclean. We cannot, on our own, have direct contact with a holy God. So why not have some kind of covering on our feet, on our flesh? I mean, that sounds like a Biblical picture to me, having our sin covered and all.

But think about it. Shoes, sandals, are man-made things. We make them and use them to protect our feet, which is fine. But when we are in God’s presence, when we are on His holy ground, we cannot stand on anything that we have made. We cannot stand on our own works in His presence. Our works don’t bring us closer to God, they actually separate us from Him. They must be removed.

Since God is the one who calls us into His presence, we are holy. He makes us holy. His calling upon us transforms us, it isn’t something we do. He commands us in Deuteronomy and Peter repeats the command to “be holy, for I am holy”. In God’s presence, because He has called us, we can stand barefoot. We do not and cannot stand on our own works, because we have been made holy. The two can’t coexist.

What about the shoes? I’ll bet you that Moses put them back on when he left that mountain. What do shoes do? They provide protection and make it so we can move around easier. Out in the world we need protection from the world. We are to walk in it and on it, but separate from it. As Paul puts it, our feet are shod “with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Actually, we wear new shoes. These aren’t the old shoes of our old works or of our own design, these shoes also come from Him. It’s like when Adam and Eve traded in their fig leaf suits for God’s sheep skin suits. Instead of being covered by their own works, they are covered by God’s grace, the Lamb that was slain.

Are you standing on your own shoes on holy ground? Are you expecting God to be impressed with all that you are doing for Him? God gives grace. God gives mercy. You don’t get more grace or more mercy for doing stuff for God because they aren’t used as a reward. They are used as a gift. Take off your shoes. Feel God’s grace and mercy squish between your toes. When it’s time, put on your gospel shoes, walk into the world, and be used of God to lead people back to that holy ground. Show them how to untie, unbuckle, and unvelcro their shoes and stand in the presence of the living God.

Answer to the question " What did you mean when you said "And the Band played on"?

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic is a nonfiction book written by San Francisco Chronicle journalist Randy Shilts, published in 1987. It chronicles the discovery and spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) with a special emphasis on government indifference and political infighting—specifically in the United States—to what was initially perceived as a gay disease. Shilts' premise is that while AIDS is caused by a biological agent, incompetence and apathy toward those who were initially affected by AIDS allowed the spread of the disease to become much worse; AIDS was allowed to happen.
The book is an extensive work of investigative journalism, written in the form of an encompassing time line; the events that shaped the epidemic are presented as sequential matter-of-fact summaries. Shilts describes the impact and the politics involved in battling the disease on particular individuals in the gay, medical, and political communities. The book begins its discussion in the late 1970s with the then-first confirmed case of AIDS, that of Grethe Rask, a Danish doctor working in Africa. It ends with the announcement by actor Rock Hudson in 1985 that he was dying of AIDS, when international attention on the disease exploded.
And the Band Played On was critically acclaimed and became a best-seller. Judith Eannarino of the Library Journal called it "one of the most important books of the year", upon its release. It made Shilts both a star and a pariah for his coverage of the disease and the bitter politics in the gay community. He described his motivation to undertake the writing of the book in an interview after its release, saying, "Any good reporter could have done this story, but I think the reason I did it, and no one else did, is because I am gay. It was happening to people I cared about and loved." The book was adapted into an HBO docudrama of the same name in 1993. Shilts was tested for HIV while he was writing the book; he died of complications from AIDS in 1994.

XMRV: Silence is not Science.

Watch the three videos in order.. It is a great way to get the foundations you will need to gain an understanding of the virus and what it does. Now read the blog;

A newly discovered retrovirus may be the explanation for old diseases. But there were clues that this existed going back to the 1980's. Government inaction over the past few decades has caused this retrovirus to spread widely in the general population and blood supply. This epidemic is at least 10 times the size of HIV/AIDS.

They say it's spread by blood & bodily fluids, but not sure if sexually spread? At least 50% of family members in a family where one person has been diagnosed test positive. CDC dropped the ball in1984 after Lake Tahoe outbreak, calling it "Mass Hysteria. Definitely in US blood supply; SO many suffer w/ condition; financial disaster of unprecedented proportion if Fed. Government forced to pay for all the costs. So they cover it up. Surprising?

Not really because news like this isn't popular. Reagan (and the rest of our government) went the two terms of his presidency without once mentioning HIV/AIDS while the epidemic took off globally. It grew into what would be a harder to control illness as they did nothing. HIV/AIDS has grown beyond medical reasoning because it was not attacked when it first popped out on the radar. In the UK, the psychiatric ('it's all in your head') treatment plan dominates ME/CFS, keeping hundreds of counselors & physiotherapists employed. And hundres and thousands of people tourtured and locked away against their will without chance of getting out. They control the entire £11m CFS/ME research budget. There are some dedicated, underfunded and amazing doctors who believe CFS/ME is a biological condition, but they are not being heard. There's no money in it if the testing becomes firm and the condition gets solid and the test for infection becomes as common as the HIV test is today. So why listen?

The US Govt's PNAS paper by Lo & Alter was mentioned at the Zagreb conference and said to have found XMRV in a greater % of samples than the Lombardi paper. This was in press but when the CDC were about to publish their negative study (proved only their inability to find XMRV), Alter was told to modify it to bring it in line with the CDC study. He removed refs to XMRV so that the paper, published 2 months later, only talked about the MLV sequences, while the CDC study was published immediately. Lo and Alter have never explained why they presented at Zagreb that they had found XMRV in a majority of ME patients but they then changed it to MLVs not including XMRV. (Wonders how much the CDC paid for blood and silence) It doesn't seem credible that that was a mistake in the conference presentation as these are very sophisticated and careful scientists. ( What dirt did the CDC find that they don't want to let out?) Meanwhile, millions suffer and are left to lay in their dark secluded rooms praying that the hurting and slow agony of death will end. Many have already died and become nameless faceless victims of the CDC's lies and there "smoke and mirrors" sideshow of errors.

Listen to that heartbreaking honest appeal for help for those who need it due to this murderer that has gone unchecked and non-researched for years. Imagine its your mother, grandmother, wife, sister, daughter, co-worker, father, grandfather, brother, husband, boyfriend, domestic partner... Now imagine its your child speaking and ask yourself how can you listen to this and still not be moved? Can you still not take action? How many people must die or suffer silently in this new age death camp not unlike the suffering of the victims of the Nazi holocaust? Read the Open Letter to Dr. Elizabeth Unger, new Chief of Chronic Viral Diseases Branch. Read the wonderful use of terms such as the raising of their middle finger to the people who suffer and ask why are you not moved? Read the suggestions such as "There is an alternative. We cannot wait ten years for science to grind outs its conclusions. Every person in the world who believes that CFS is important should send $10 to the WPI. I plan to send $10 today. It may not be much, but it is a start." read that and ask what can I do?

The CDC releases a site, DANGEROUS LIES are hidden there if tyou don't educate yourself to know better.. We can not afford for this to stay marked by the term "The band played on", we must stand up for those who can not stand up literally or figuratively for themselves. We that are able and have the energy must stop hiding in the sand and ask ourselves " Why do we not care for those around us?" I am standing up, I stand for one person who can not stand, I will take up arms to fight until my body says it can not stand. But when I fall who will stand up in my place?

That's only part of the issue who is standing up for those who can't why is there such a stand still in our society to help those who need it? I bet if XMRV research or care for the patients was a tax they took from your paycheck you'd wanna know the who what when where why how of it all... So why not know those all to often ignored answers when its just for the help of your fellow human beings? Osler's Web: Inside the Labyrinth of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic is a fascinating resource, my ground work in my understanding came from there. I also can say I know paitents of CFS/ME and XMRV and have gotten to learn from them first hand. I can not imagine my body slowly saying I quit, I'm done. I am afraid of that feeling.

I am keeping up on the WPI site as well to learn everything that I can about the how it the why the what and so forth until the energy to study is no longer there and the ability to stand up is passed on to the next generation. This is something that we can not ignore, you cant brush it under a rug like it is not happening, they tried that and it did not work, it only made a backlash.

The Tea Party

The tea party is group of undercover republicans posing as grassroots-everyday kind of people. It was founded by a republican strategist (Sal Russo), one its top donors is a republican activist (Mike Huckabee), and Jim DeMint, a republican senator, is one of its biggest supporters. It doesn't seem very "of the people" to me.

Those Tea Party protests at town hall meetings were real, regular, everyday people, but the idea, the "belief" that was instilled in their minds were created by [undercover] republicans. While the tea party maintains conservative beliefs and values (like republicans), its claim of being a grassroots movement is merely a ploy to appeal to the American people and gain their support.

I would think that a true grassroots, of-the-people political movement would claim independent/moderate. I believe they will have little to no effect on the American political system. If Tea Party people like Christine O'Donnell, who doesn't know what the first amendment states, (The phrase "separation of church and state" is usually traced to President Thomas Jefferson. In a letter in 1802, he referred to the First Amendment and added that it built "a wall of separation between Church & State." It is widely known that the first amendment is the source of the "separation of church and state" legal concept and goes back to the very founding of our great country. Very basic civics.) and Joe Miller (whos website now asks for donations to pay off his debts), who filed a federal lawsuit against Murkowski when he openly opposes federal power, keep running for office, I don't see the movement lasting too long. ( He openly opposed federal powers until they could be used for his gains...)

I think the "tea party" is a group who is only made popular by those who talk negatively about them. I think they will soon enough go back to being included back into their republican party and fade out. I do not think they are strong enough to provide a candidate for president unless they get someone like Sarah Palin who was brought to fame as Alaska's Governor as a republican who jumped to the tea party ship after being disgraced in her role as the vice presidential bid. She left the role of governor and has not successfully loaned her tea party support to candidates in Alaska such as Joe Miller.

I think the "tea party" would die if they were not given so much publicity by those who want to negatively impact them. If the media would just turn their cameras off of them the "tea party" would end and the flash in the pan would have stayed just that. I see it as a spoiled child they act out to get attention and its the attention that keeps them where they are. So when the question was posed to my entire class about there feelings on the tea party and you know only one in 56 thats right one in 56 said that the tea party is more than just a republican party undercover... So if thats your support 1 in 56 then your slowly going to die...

School is sucking today

School so worth it that I wanna beat my brains out lol.. A Dictionary of Law (Oxford Paperback Reference), thats one book i need to use all day and its ok but it defeats me. I can know that this book will have the terms i need but, then why do i have to remember all the terms?? Does anyone remember everything they learned off hand? Black's Law Dictionary, Standard Ninth Edition (Black's Law Dictionary (Standard Edition)) is another book i am using for this class and i love this class and i love the law but really come on now.... I know i will use a lot of this info on a daily basis but some of it I am learning i think just to kill time cause some of it i dont foresee ever using.. Tort Law: AND Dictonary Law (Longman Law) Im not even going to discuss that book ....

In my other class today we discuss court cases involving schools, some where the school is a defendant and some where students have been defendants. Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence, was useful in this i loved the book anyway... i also used Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, to put a real look on to it all. All and all a great day..

Week1 day 3

Breakfast was made (4 egg whites, 1/2 cup greens, 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup fruits) Used real egg whites today not the fakes. ... the fruit was raspberries YUM! so this is breakfast for today on this makeover, tomorrow is steak and eggs for breakfast...

Going to sisters for the day to do the laundry.. awesome...

AM Snack today was made (3 oxz lean steak and 2 cups greens) and yummy! The steak was seasoned with salt and pepper rub and the greens was spinach with light olive oil and salt. YUMMERS! Decided not to have Chickennn

LUNCH!
made my lunch today 4 oz. chicken breast 2 cups mixed veggies and 1/2 cup rice. MMM the rare occurrence of chicken! a treasured rarity and coveted gift the goes bok bok bok. So keeping in mind i am eating every two hours the meals are close togeather but i find that i am hungry just before time and full right after with pleanty of energy to carry on.


So then on to the afternoon snack which is preceded by doing homework for school and housework was great (4oz chicken, 2 cups veggie) today. Enjoy the rare appearance of chicken to break up all the steaks. Watched the movie "Salt" while eating..

Dinner time!!! Made my dinner (5oz steak, 2 cup veg) drank my water and watched T.V. After dinner willbe my workout but im not going to go to gym to do it tonight im going to stay home to do it. Can we say flexible but not lazy tonight.

PM Snack now mind you the pm or what we call the midnight snack is usually a guilty pleasure or a light snack but to this diet it means 5 oz chicken and 1/2 cup fruit. a midnight snack that taco bell calls the 4orth meal. gotta love it... Nothing like trying to sleep with that much food just getting put in the belly...

Enjoyed the night out at sissy's house.. Until her husband thought he had the right to decide how i wanted to be addressed...

Week1 day 4
Breakfast was made (4 egg whites, 1/2 cup greens, 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup fruits) Used real egg whites today not the fakes. ... the fruit was raspberries YUM! so this is breakfast for today on this makeover, tomorrow is steak and eggs for breakfast...

Going to sisters for the day to do the laundry.. awesome...

AM Snack today was made (3 oxz lean steak and 2 cups greens) and yummy! The steak was seasoned with salt and greens was spinach with salt. Decided not to have Chicken

LUNCH!
made my lunch today 4 oz. chicken breast 2 cups mixed veggies and 1/2 cup rice. MMM bok bok bok. So  i am eating every two hours i find that i am hungry just before time pleanty of energy to carry on.


So then on to the afternoon snack which is preceded by doing homework for school and housework was great (4oz chicken, 2 cups veggie) today. Enjoy the rare appearance of chicken to break up all the steaks. no movies today extra homework.....

  Made my dinner (5oz steak, 2 cup veg) drank my water and watched T.V. After dinner wil lbe my workout but im going to go to gym to do it tonight.

PM Snack  5 oz chicken and 1/2 cup fruit. a midnight snack that taco bell calls the 4orth meal. gotta love it... Nothing like trying to sleep with that much food just getting put in the belly... 

And i realize how today is just like the las two days so is it going to be the focus of this blog again... hmmm maybe not...

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 And For those that wanna follow my Six week body makeover progress check this out..Here is where you can get your copy of the diet plan.         

The six week body makeover

Week 1 day 2

Breakfast was made (4 egg whites, 1/2 cup greens, 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup fruits) hate egg whites... And had to sub grits for oatmeal today yuckies... the fruit was blueberries YUM! so this is breakfast for today on this makeover, tomorrow is steak and eggs for breakfast...

AM Snack today was made (3 oxz lean steak and 2 cups greens) and yummy! The steak was seasoned with salt and pepper rub and the greens was spinach with light olive oil and salt. YUMMERS! tomorrows am snack is chicken fingers with baked potato wedges.

LUNCH!
made my lunch today 4 oz. chicken breast 2 cups mixed veggies and 1/2 cup rice. MMM the rare occurrence of chicken! a treasured rarity and coveted gift the goes bok bok bok. So keeping in mind i am eating every two hours the meals are close togeather but i find that i am hungry just before time and full right after with pleanty of energy to carry on.


So then on to the afternoon snack which is preceded by doing homework for school and housework was great (4oz chicken, 2 cups veggie) today. Enjoy the rare appearance of chicken to break up all the steaks. Watched the movie "Salt" while eating..

Dinner time!!! Made my dinner (5oz steak, 2 cup veg) drank my water and watched T.V. After dinner willbe my workout but im not going to go to gym to do it tonight im going to stay home to do it. Can we say flexible but not lazy tonight.

PM Snack now mind you the pm or what we call the midnight snack is usually a guilty pleasure or a light snack but to this diet it means 5 oz chicken and 1/2 cup fruit. a midnight snack that taco bell calls the 4orth meal. gotta love it... Nothing like trying to sleep with that much food just getting put in the belly...

and so its pm snack and then a 18 minute power workout at home not in gym yay!

The six week body makeover

So I am back on the six week body makeover. I got good results the last tie=me. I filled out to a healthy weight and gained some muscle so its a new year and time to do it again. So I am back to eating steak 3 times a day with chicken twice a day and egg whites and spinach for breakfast. Doing more water and little soda, and this makes me happy.

I also got the partner to do it with me, we decided to blog our daily feelings and weekly progress so others looking into the program can get an idea of what they might see. So lets begin...

Day 1 week 1

I am 29 years old
I am 5ft4in tall
I weigh 123 Lbs.

I made my dinner meal (5 oz lean steak, 2 cups veggies) and drank 8 oz of water.
I forgot how filling a meal that is. two hours later my pm snack was ready (4 oz. chicken breast, 1/2 cup fruit) and again I was full. I cheated though had 4 oz glass of milk.
No gym workout today, did the home exersizes for the required 18 minute routine for the day.

Since I started this at dinner time day 2 will always start at dinner.

I do need however a new tape measure and scale for body measurements. More to come tomorrow..