Vincent Ventola (1948-1991) painted his way to light and life! This video features many of his most inspired portrayals of new horizons along the journey to Paradise. The lyrics of Troy Bishop and music by various artists complement the imagery in the most thrilling, yet tranquil, way.
An audiovisionary portrayal of the cycle of reality by Troy R. Bishop.
What is the Urantia Book? Why have you never heard of it before? Find out from real students of this life changing book, and hear how its teachings are changing the world we know.
In November of 2008, the Lead Trustee for the soon to be established Aevia Charitable Trust (The ACT), gave a talk wherein he stressed the importance of understanding how all that is implicit to being born again, is seen through the context of the parent/child relationship and the larger family to which we are born. The talk included the following statement:
“While we gain entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven by means of a child-like faith, we are expected to grow spiritually. We must each bear appropriate fruits of the Spirit. And we can look forward to an expansion of intellect, factual enlargement, and increased social service. As we awaken to individual and societal needs, as we begin to discern enhanced meanings and discover supreme values, we become highly active personalities. But it all really begins with a child-like response to the wonder lure.”
In testimony on February 16, 2017, before the House Committee on Agriculture, Angela Rachidi with the American Enterprise Institute made four main points before the House Committee on Agriculture. Here is her opening statement:
Chairman Conaway, Ranking Member Peterson, and other Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning on restrictions on purchases in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
My name is Angela Rachidi, and I am a research fellow in poverty studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Prior to joining AEI, I spent almost a decade at the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) as the Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Evaluation. HRA is New York City’s main social service agency and administers SNAP. During my time at HRA, the city provided SNAP benefits to almost 2 million New Yorkers each month.
In my role, I studied all aspects of the program. Most relevant for today is my experience—under the direction of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Commissioners for Health Thomas Friedan and Thomas Farley, and HRA Commissioner Robert Doar—drafting a proposal for a demonstration project in New York City to restrict the use of SNAP benefits to purchase sweetened beverages. We proposed a restriction as a way to support the overarching goal of the program, which is to improve nutrition. Regrettably, it was denied by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2011.
In the years since I left HRA, the public health problems caused by sweetened beverages have not solved themselves. I am here today to urge the Committee to support demonstration projects that test whether a sweetened beverage restriction in SNAP can improve the health and well-being of SNAP recipients.
I will make four main points to support this recommendation:
1. Obesity and related health problems remain one of the most challenging public health issues of our time, affecting millions of poor and non-poor Americans, with sweetened beverages identified as one the main contributors.
2. The integrity of SNAP as a publicly-funded program rests on how well its implementation matches the stated goals of the program. Congress has stated that the purpose of SNAP is to support nutrition among low-income households, which is directly contradicted by allowing sweetened beverages to be purchased.
3. This public health problem is complex and requires a comprehensive approach that includes multiple strategies, including changes to SNAP.
4. A demonstration project to test a sweetened beverage restriction in SNAP is consistent with bipartisan efforts to support evidence-based policymaking. Through rigorous evaluation, a demonstration project could assess whether government efforts can achieve potential gains, such as better health, without adversely affecting other measures of well-being.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.
Courage, Character, and Loyalty — Little League Baseball’s Motto, 1939
Peace,
Jim
PROMINENT
BOLD
Synonyms: adventurous, audacious, dauntless, forward, high-spirited, stouthearted, valiant
Symbol: youth
Read between the lines.
Talk slowly but think quickly.
Don’t believe all that you hear.
Silence is sometimes the best answer.
Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
Peace,
Jim
FOCUSED
Compatible Qualities: determined, motivated
Parental Qualities: disciplined, joyful
Familial Qualities: attentive, thorough
Quote:
Positive Living Skills, Joy and Focus for Everyone
LISTENER
Comment: A good listener understands not only the words but also the meaning and intent of the speaker. A good listener hears with thoughtful attentiveness because the other person is worthy of respect. A good listener will also try to remember what was said hoping to incorporate the best of it in their own realm of reason.
Consider the Source
This is the true joy in life: the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. — George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Author
Peace,
Jim
TRUE-BLUE
INNER-DIRECTED
Definition: guided in thought and action primarily by one’s own scale of values as opposed to external norms
Parental Quality: faith
Comment:
When focusing on the inner realm, you will discover subconscious, conscious, and superconscious. You will know the superconscious by its feel. This is the area from which your higher impulses and a sense of right action emanate. This is what to heed.
Consider the Source
He looked at all his choices and said, What would a good person do, and then did it. But he has now learned something very important about human nature. If you spend your whole life pretending to be good, then you are indistinguishable from a good person. — Ender in Exile, Orson Scott Card (1951-)
Extroverted, in this context, would imply a love of others, a willingness to serve, and a kind-hearted outlook. These actions may, and should, result in a recognition of and an appreciation by others of a Distinguished personality.
Peace,
Jim
EXTROVERTED
Balancing Qualities: courteous, sensitive
DISTINGUISHED
Consider the Source
As a man thinks within himself, so he is. — The Bible, Proverbs 23:7, Solomon
The young and the conformist seek the safety of compliance. It takes Gallant insight to recognize the Unique personality we are alone. And even more courage to act upon this self-reflective acumen.
Peace,
Jim
GALLANT
Synonyms: bold, fearless, intrepid, valiant
UNIQUE
Quotes:
When strangers meet, great allowance should be made for differences of custom and training. — Frank Herbert (1920-1986) Heretics of Dune
— Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet
Consider the Source