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| Sometimes I wrestle with skepticism when it comes to praying for broad categories or people or big, global issues. World hunger would be a good example because I simply don't think it will be solved - at least, not until the day when all things are made new. But today I was thinking of it a little differently.
It may be true that God won't completely solve all the big problems we pray about just yet. Poverty is not going to disappear from the earth just because we ask God to help the poor. But that doesn't mean that there is no effect, even when we don't see it. Who knows but that when a little child gets on her knees at night and prays "God bless everybody," He really answers and sends just a little bit more of his common grace, an extra ray of sunshine they wouldn't have had before, to "everybody" because one of his children prayed in faith? Who knows what things would be like if God's people didn't pray? Maybe kids have it right when they pray "God bless everyone," but then also go on to list those they love by name.
God bless everyone, and my family and friends.
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| Hey folks, this is a request for information/advice from you martial artists.
What do you think of MMA?
I want to learn both standing and ground techniques, but most styles seem to focus pretty heavily on one or the other. Jiu Jitsu kicks butt on the ground, and Aikido is awesome standing (not so much b/c of kicks and punches, but because if you're good at it nobody can even get near you without being sent cartwheeling off in one direction or another, or face-planted with an arm uncomfortably twisted behind your back...), Kung Fu kicks face with standing techniques, but...nobody seems to do both. I know MMA generally includes a lot of grappling, borrowed from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but also has a lot of strikes and standing stuff. I'm naturally inclined away from MMA towards some kind of gi-wearing, ancient eastern art, but it seems like a good way to get both sides of the coin. I hear Krav Maga instructors usually know a fair bit of Jiu Jitsu, though, so that could work... Thoughts?
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| Starting next week, the semester gets crazy. I've been just keeping up instead of getting ahead because I've been sick, but I think I'm getting better and it's time to pick up the pace. Time to kick some assignments. 
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| A guy in my Romans class says he has a problem with ‘a
strong emphasis on the wrath of God,’
not really seeing how it’s ‘necessary’ – maybe for people’s sins against other
people, but not ‘just being angry for his own sake.' I was tempted to raise my hand and say ‘I don't know about that. I think people giving God the finger, even
though it doesn’t hurt anyone, is a good enough reason for God to be angry.’ I didn't though...
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| Comment from a friend:
"Hey, I just wanted to clarify something. When one says that martial
arts like Aikido and Jiu-Jitsu deemphasize offensive techniques, that
just means that they aren't training you to be the aggressor. In these
arts, you "control and defend" through the ability to break joints with
locks, give concussions via throws, and choke your attacker into
unconsciousness. So, a defensive focus isn't a negative, it's just
approaching martial arts from the perspective of the attacked, rather
than the attacker."
Well, that makes this much easier, eh? I had been thinking about that, b/c breaking someone's elbow or throwing them on pavement would probably make them disinclined to pursue the matter further...  (As Will pointed out last night, leaving someone's hand "dangling limply" because you just broke their wrist would be pretty effective.) So, with this now confirmed (thanks David!), I'll be checking around to see what's close.
All this just goes to show you what happens when you get your information from internet research! Any moron can put his 2 cents online (and a lot of 'em do). For this reason I had been and plan to continue asking people I know to be knowledgeable. My teacher for what I refer to as Kick Butt Class and his assistant will be my sources for recommendations of what is nearby and good.
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