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BulletinGold
#110
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February
2010
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Vol.
9
Num. 12 |
Editors:
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David Bragg
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Edward
Thomason
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| BulletinGold |
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In
This Issue:
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Articles
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Nuggets
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Poems
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Quotes
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- The
Innocense of Childhood, Alan Smith
- Protecting
Our Kids, Lance Cordle
- What You Need to Say to
Your Children, Norman and Ann
Bales
- A Helper Fit For Him,
David R. Ferguson
- Building A Sense Of
“Self-Worth” in Our Children, Don
Loftis
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- Honor
Parents, Ron Thomas
- Three Mothers, James D. Burns
- Grandma's Cake
- Blunt Children |
- Perfect Love, H. L. Gradowith
- What Makes a Home? By Fanny S. Reeder
- Hugs
- A Place
for Boys |
quotes & sayings
for
bulletins and signs
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| Editorial by David Bragg |
The
dominant theme of this issue of BulletinGold revolves around the
family, a vital institution that impacts not only the community and
nation but also our Lord's church. As a "guest editorial," I thought
the following item spoke eloquantly of the very practical and pressing
need of stronger relationships strenghtening our homes.
David
Bragg
http://www.davidbragg.org/
Dad's
Greatest Gift
"The greatest gift I ever received from my dad," said a
successful attorney, "was a small box he gave me with a note inside,
stating, 'Son, this coming year I will give you 365 hours, an hour
every day after dinner. It's yours. We'll talk about what you
want to talk about. We'll go where you want to go and play what
you want to play. They will be your hours.'
"My dad not only kept his promise of that gift," said the
attorney, "but every year he renewed it, and it's the greatest gift he
ever gave me. I am the result of him giving me those hours."
-Selected; via THE SOWER, a weekly publication of the Arthur church of
Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as minister and editor,
may be contacted through their website at http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com |
| Panning
for Gold Feature Articles: |
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The Innocense of Childhood
By
Alan Smith
Sometimes I want to be a kid again. I want to go back to the time when:
-- Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo."
-- Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming "do over!"
-- "Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
-- Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly."
-- Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening.
-- Being old referred to anyone over 20.
-- The net on a tennis court was the perfect height to play volleyball
and the rules didn't matter.
-- The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
-- It was magic when dad would "remove" his thumb.
-- It was unbelievable that dodgeball wasn't an Olympic event.
-- Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot.
-- Nobody was prettier than Mom.
-- Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.
-- It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people"
rides at the amusement park.
-- Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.
-- Abilities were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare."
-- Saturday morning cartoons weren't 30-minute ads for action figures.
-- "Oly-oly-oxen-free" made perfect sense.
-- Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for
giggles.
-- The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
-- War was a card game.
-- Water balloons were the ultimate weapon.
-- Baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.
-- Taking drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin.
-- Older siblings were the worst tormentors but also the fiercest
protectors.
(author unknown)
There's an innocence about childhood. As
we grow older, we lose that innocence and life becomes more
complicated. Like Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, we all live
out in our own lives what it means to have sin affect our relationship
with God and our relationship with one another.
"So when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to
make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to
her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of
them were opened, and they knew that they were naked..." (Genesis
3:6-7a)
Taking the fruit of a tree giving us more
knowledge isn't as wonderful as we think it will be. As we grow
older, we know more and more, but often find ourselves wishing that we
were younger when we didn't know nearly as much. We can never
regain that innocence, but thank God we can find forgiveness!
Have a great day!
- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For Today," and minister
for the White House church of Christ in White House, TN, may be
contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com
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Protecting Our Kids
By
Lance Cordle
As Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot by
watching.” A couple of weeks ago my wife, Laura, and I were walking
across the church building’s parking lot when we noticed a bird that
appeared to have a broken wing. We looked down with pity on the bird
and even commented on its condition. Little did we
know that we had become part of a natural scenario in which a bird
cares for its young.
A few days later, Laura noticed that the bird (we
now know to be a killdeer) had laid eggs just beside the steps leading
up to the church building. After she had pointed them out to me,
I went back to see them. When I approached, the adult bird ruffled its
feathers and ran away, trying to distract me from bothering the eggs. I
was fascinated by this behavior and took others to see it as well.
As I reflect on the experience, I think of the
marvelous foreknowledge that moved the Creator to instill within the
killdeer the instinct to protect their young. If God cares so much for
such a small, frail-looking creature, surely he cares for us. That is
exactly the point of Jesus in Matthew 6:24-34.
But even more importantly, I think, such instincts
teach us that the duty of a parent is to protect his or her children.
The distraction techniques of the killdeer are just the way the
protective instinct plays out in that species. Other animals have other
methods, but the instinct was placed there by God.
Man, however, is different in that he can think, and
knows that he should protect his children. He may not always do so,
however. It is a sad commentary on our society to see mothers and
fathers fail to protect their children. They should be doing everything
within their power to provide them food, shelter and clothing. The
Bible clearly says that a Christian man who fails to provide for his
house has denied the faith (1 Timothy 5:8).
Providing physical shelter is not the only way of
protecting children. Emotional and spiritual protection is also
needed. Our children need to know that we love them. They need lots of
hugs and kisses. They also need to know that their mothers and fathers
love each other. The security of a good, solid
marriage will help keep children from seeking emotional fulfillment
elsewhere. Finally, being attentive to our children’s behavior and
reasonably monitoring their activities can protect them from the tragic
circumstances of evil people and things such as pornography, drugs, etc.
- Lance Cordle preaches the Calvert City church of Christ in Calvert
City, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website:
http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com
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What You Need to Say to Your Children
By
Norman and
Ann Bales
Our entire community went into shock last week when
the lives of five wholesome, well-liked American girls were forever
altered within the space of a few seconds. Five teenage girls got into
one vehicle and started down the interstate highway intending to cheer
for their school at a Friday night football game. Somewhere along the
way, they lost control of the vehicle. The car flipped; and when it
came to rest, three of the girls were dead; another was severely
injured. The other young lady survived with only minor injuries.
We know what you may be thinking, but according to
police reports, no drugs or alcohol were involved. Everyone who knew
them speaks highly of their character. The girls were said to be fine
Christian young ladies. How did they lose control of the car? No one
really knows.
So why are we writing about a traffic accident in
All About Families? The father of one of the girls said something that
we can’t put out of our minds. He said, “Tell your children that you
love them every day.” We think about our readers. Our readers include
husbands, wives, parents, grandparents, children, and single
people - people who have caring relationships with others, either
through
family ties or friendship. How long has it been since you let those who
are closest to you know how much you care about them. Do you just take
it for granted that they understand the depths of your
feelings?
You need to tell them you love them, and you need to
do it often.
- Norman and Ann Bales—All About Families; via The Family Friend, a
monthly newsletter published by the Calvert City church of Christ,
Calvert City, KY. It is an excellent resource for articles
relating to the family. To learn more consult the congregation's
website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com
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A Helper Fit For Him
By
David R.
Ferguson
“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper
fit for him” (Genesis 2:18 [RSV]).
It is rare that one finds spiritual wisdom and godly
truths in a rock song, but such is the case with a little ditty from
1965 called Game of Love by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. In
this tune are found these words: “The purpose of a man is to love a
woman, and the purpose of a woman is to love a man. It started
long ago back in the Garden of Eden when Adam said to Eve, ‘Baby,
you're for me!’”
As this song so rightfully declares, God made us to
be men and women. He made men to desire women, and He made women
to desire men. Adam soon discovered that animals were not a
substitute for a wife. God also did not provide another man to be
Adam’s helpmeet. What God has reserved in the union of marriage
between a man and a woman is not to be abused by men with men, men with
animals, or women with women. Woman was made for man. Men
are to desire women, and vice versa. As the words to the song
rightfully say, “The purpose of a man is to love a woman, and the
purpose of a woman is to love a man.” Even more than this, the
purpose of both men and women is to “Fear God, and keep His
commandments; for this is the whole duty of man,” (Ecclesiastes 12:13
[RSV]).
The answer to man’s loneliness was provided by God,
and it was one woman. Adam had no one to love, to talk to, or
embrace, no one to help or give himself to, no one to comfort and no
one to produce others like himself. But God provided. If we
are in a married relationship we should be thankful for His provision.
We see the Lord God in Genesis 2 as the first
matchmaker in history. God was also the first
anesthesiologist. He put Adam in a deep sleep before performing
this rib surgery. When Adam awoke, God presented him with a great
gift. Adam could see he was like her, but she also differed from
him. He had an immediate reaction. It is not unreasonable
to conclude that Adam offered the first love poem in history at the
initial moment he laid his eyes upon her. “This at last is bone
of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because
she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23 [RSV]). In Hebrew, ‘ish’
means man and ‘ishshah’ means woman, but ‘ishshah’also can mean soft
and cuddly. It was love at first sight! You might think you
could make a more beautiful poem, but this is quite spectacular for the
spur of the moment. It is interesting to note that from the first, even
before Valentine’s Day and Hallmark cards were invented, love expressed
itself in poetry. Adam accepted God’s gift.
May the Lord bless you!
- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Lakeland Church of Christ in
Mattoon, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's
website at http://lakelandchurchofchrist.web.officelive.com/default.aspx
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Building A Sense Of “Self-Worth” in Our
Children
By
Don Loftis
Good parents help their children develop healthy
independence. The goal is for children to function and make good
decisions even if parents are not present. One tool in achieving that
goal is continually instilling a sense of self-worth into their lives.
This is more than self-esteem—it is an inherent value of being created
in the image of God. As parents, three activities will be useful.
First, children need to know how important they are
to their family. Emphasis needs to be placed on their uniqueness and
the role they play in the family. They need to hear, “What did we ever
do before you were a part of our home?” Unconditional love will help
them feel wanted, secure, and accepted.
Secondly, all children need to have a sense of
control over their own bodies. We warn against sexual abuse. With the
concept of good touch—bad touch. A child needs to know they have the
right to say “NO” to someone who is making them uncomfortable.
They also need to know that key adults in their
lives will listen to these concerns and take seriously any threats to
this “safe space.”
While protecting younger children from sexual abuse,
sadly our culture almost promotes sexual exploitation of teens and
young adults. Styles of dress, immodest by nature, are increasingly
disrespectful of the person wearing them. Linda White comments,
“Modesty declares that a woman’s body is precious; for when something
is precious, it is protected. Modesty,
therefore, enhances self-respect.
Finally, parents need to have high, but realistic
expectations for their children. Praise needs to be expressed both for
accomplishments and effort. Guiding children to use their talents and
to maximize their strengths is important. However, even in failure, it
is possible to stress a child’s potential for future success.
Too many children develop destructive habits because
they feel defeated and unimportant. Others grow up feeling
unworthy to be loved by even their mate. Every child needs
to discover the immense value of both life and soul.
- Don Loftis, Families 2000 & Beyond; via The Family Friend, a
monthly newsletter published by the Calvert City church of Christ,
Calvert City, KY. It is an excellent resource for articles
relating to the family. To learn more consult the congregation's
website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com
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| Nuggets
& Quick Riches - misc. goodies |
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Honor Parents
By
Ron Thomas
For years Hollywood has taught (and confused) kids
into thinking that parents are nitwits. Parents are old, too set in
their respective ways, too confining, and just plain not fun!
Unfortunately, in some families this is dead on!
However, parents are crucial to a child’s physical
existence, and they are crucial to a child’s moral compass as well. In
Matthew 15, the Lord rebuked the religious leaders because they
regarded the children’s responsibility toward their parents (Matthew
15:1-6) in a disrespectful way. They relegated God’s divine will to
something submissive to man-made traditions. Honoring our parents was
(is) something the Lord thinks important; when a child refuses to do
this, not only is the family unit affected adversely, but society is
affected as well. But someone might say, “My parents do not deserve the
honor the Lord wants me to give them!” Perhaps your parents have not
done what needs to be done, but couldn’t you do much good in respecting
(honoring) them as the Lord would have you?
- Ron Thomas serves as preacher and an elder for the Highway church of
Christ, Sullivan, IL Visit their website as
http://www.highwaycofc.com
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Three Mothers
By
James D. Burns
The second Sunday in May is a day set aside to
honor mothers. Perhaps modern mothers can identify with one of
these three from the Bible.
Eve was “the mother of all living” (Genesis
3:20). She and Adam had “sons and daughters” (Genesis 5:4); only
three are named: Cain, Abel and Seth. Of the first two, Abel was
righteous, Cain was wicked. Cain even killed his brother (Genesis
4:1-8). Eve could well have asked, “When two children are reared
in the same home, what causes one to be good and the other one to go
astray?” It’s an old question.
Mary was chosen of God to be the mother of His
Son. Much is implied about her character in God’s choice.
Her years of mothering are but touched on in the New Testament.
Her Son was brutally killed at age 33. She could understand those
who ask, “Why did my child have to die before I did?”
Eunice was a faithful Jewish woman married to
a Greek (Acts 16:1; 2 Timothy 1:5). She reared her son Timothy
without the full support of her husband. Timothy had not been
circumcised as a baby as the law commanded (Acts 16:30> Even
today some godly mothers are not able to do all they desire in rearing
their children because their husbands are not faithful. But
Timothy was taught well (2 Timothy 3:15). Many mothers today
teach their children the Scriptures without the help of the fathers.
- James D. Burns, Henderson, Tenn.; via THE SOWER, a weekly publication
of the Arthur church of Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as
minister and editor, may be contacted through their website at http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com
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Grandma's Cake
A little boy told his Grandma how "everything"
was going wrong. He was having problems with school and his
friends, and even his computer was broken. Meanwhile, his
Grandmother was baking a cake.
She asks her grandson if he would like a snack.
He answered an enthusiastic, "Yes!"
She said, "Here, have some cooking oil."
"Yuck!" answered the boy.
"How about a couple raw eggs?"
"No, grandmother."
She then asked, "Would you like some flour or
baking soda?"
The amazed little boy said, "Those things are
bad."
The grandmother replied, "Yes, all those
things seem bad all by themselves. But when put together in the
right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!"
The truth is that life is composed of many
good things and some bad things. What we do with the good and the
bad determines who and what we become. Don't get me wrong.
Tough times are no fun, but they sure can make us better and stronger
if we face and deal with them.
- Pure Living, 11-10-2000; via THE SOWER, a weekly publication of the
Arthur church of Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as
minister and editor, may be contacted t hrough their website at http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com
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Blunt Children
Who is the boss at your home?
Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad is such a
goofball.
Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
- Copied; via The Lantern, Highway church of Christ, Sullivan, IL
Visit their website as http://www.highwaycofc.com
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| Hearts
of Gold - poetry |
Perfect Love
By H. L. Gradowith
Together, side by side, we've stood for many years,
And so often we've known days of joy, days of tears;
I can't think of a time in my life without you,
The precious things you say, the lovely things you do;
When we stood there before all the world and our Lord
Life for me then began when I gave you my word.
I don't know who'll go first, but I know we'll both go,
For no one ever stays in this old world below;
And I don't guess I'd want to at that, anyway,
But should you leave me here -- how I'd dread that awful day!
How could I then go on, how could I make it through.
For so much of my life has been built around you.
But should He then see fit to let me first go Home,
Though I'd leave you alone in this old world to roam,
I would linger close by the Gate of that City,
With its Street of pure gold, and its sights so pretty.
Waiting there for the day when you'll walk through the Gate.
Why, just thinking about it - I can hardly wait!
Together, side by side, we've stood for many years,
And so often we've known days of joy, days of tears;
But when we come at last to the end of our way,
The sun of our lifetime marks the end of our day,
May we meet over there in that City Above,
Where we'll dwell, There as here, in the Lord's Perfect Love!
[ For My Wife, Freda,
And Ray's Wife, Nell,
And The Love Shared By All Devoted Husbands And Wives]
- H. L. Gradowith For more information on H. L. Gradowith and
GRADOWITH POEMS e-mail group visit http://www.geocities.com/fp5699/
- the website of Tim Smith, minister of the Enon church of Christ in
Webb, AL.
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What Makes a Home?
By Fanny S. Reeder
What makes a home? Four walls of polished stone?
Or brick and mortar laid with nicest care?
Nay! Prison walls are made without as fair.
Within--look not within--corruption there
With ignorance and sin defiles the air.
What makes a home? 'Twere better far to roam
Unhoused than have a part in dainty halls,
Where rarest gems of art adorn the walls,
If there's no hearth-fire bright for poorest poor
Who linger in the night without the door.
What makes a home? 'Tis where the weary come
And lay their burdens down, assured of rest.
'Tis where we learn to know our dearest best;
Where little children play, blessing and blest --
Though walls of coarsest clay enwarp the nest.
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Hugs
There's something in a simple hug
That always warms the heart;
It welcomes us back home
And makes it easier to part.
A hug's a way to share the joy
And sad times we go through,
Or just a way for friends to say
They like you 'cause you're you.
Hugs are meant for anyone
For whom we really care,
From your grandma to your neighbor,
Or a cuddly teddy bear.
A hug is an amazing thing-
It's just the perfect way
To show the love we're feeling
But can't find the words to say.
It's funny how a little hug
Makes everyone feel good;
In every place and language,
It's always understood.
And hugs don't need new equipment,
Special batteries or special parts -
Just open up your arms
And open up your hearts!
- Author Unknown
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A Place for Boys
A place for the boys, dear mother, I pray,
As cares settle down round our short earthly way;
Don't let us forget, by our kind, loving deeds,
To show we remember their pleasures and needs,
Though our souls may be vexed with problems of life,
And worn with besetments and toilings and strife,
Our hearts will keep younger, --your tired heart and mine--
If we give them a place in their innermost shrine;
And to our life's latest hour 'twill be one of our joys
That we kept a small corner, -- a place for the boys.
-Boston Transcript as given in A Mother's Year, Helen Russ Stough,
1905. Submitted by Mark McWhorter. Mark may be contacted at mtmcvb@concentric.net
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| Gold
Mines ---- quotes, sayings & sign messages |
Worry doesn’t eliminate
tomorrow from its griefs, but it does empty today of its joys!!
- via The Central Message, the weekly
bulletin of the Central church of Christ in Paducah KY. Jim
Faughn serves as an elder and preacher for the congregation. He
may be contacted through the church’s website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org
It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. In
this life we get nothing save by effort. [T. Roosevelt]
No home can rise above the people in it.
Back when a woodshed stood behind the American house many cases of
juvenile delinquency were settled out of court.
It is harder to hide feelings we have than pretend to have feelings we
lack.
One who thinks he can get along without others is mistaken. One who
thinks others can get along without him is even more mistaken.
Patience is the willingness to become what you can be, and not a
readiness to accept what you are.
Patience is when you can listen while a fellow tells you about the same
operation you had.
The trouble with patience is, the more you have, the more people expect
you to use it with them.
To be sure the bank of friendship does not fail you must make frequent
deposits.
What you do not start you will not have to stop.
If you don’t strike the match you won’t have to put out the fire. If
you don’t commit the sin you won’t have to suffer the consequences.
- via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin
for the Dongola church of Christ, Dongola, IL. Gerald Cowan
serves the congregation as minister. He may be contacted at Geraldcowan1931@aol.com
Anyone can count the seeds in an apple... but only God can count the
apples in a seed. [Author Unknown]
- Via Family Matters, the weekly bulletin
of the Jackson church of Christ in Jackson, MO. Edd Sterchi preaches
for the congregation. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.com
“At times, it is better to keep your mouth shut and let people wonder
if you’re a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.” [Andrew
Carnegie]
“It is very difficult for an individual who knows the Scripture ever to
get away from it. It haunts him like an old song. It
follows him like the memory of his mother. It remains with him
like the word of a reverenced teacher. It forms a part of the
warp and woof of his life.” [Woodrow Wilson]
“It seems that every family tree has some sap in it.”
Laughter: The shortest distance between two people..
- via THE SOWER, a weekly publication of
the Arthur church of Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as
minister and editor, may be contacted through their website at http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com
Home is the place where we are treated best and grumble most.
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| BulletinGold
Extra ---- recent postings on
our Blogsite |
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Step By Step
Christianity
on
the Jobsite, Adam Faughn
Your
Choice,
Charles V. Cash
When
Dark Days
Come, Phil Sanders
Facing Monumental Decisions, Dan Jenkins
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