BILL MAHER ON COVID

We are truly living in interesting times when I agree with Bill Maher on anything, but the point the HBO host is trying to make here is absolutely correct. Slavery isn't freedom, people, and those who exchange liberty for security end up with neither.

ZERO WASTE COUNTDOWN NEWS

Coming Up Next

Don't forget to download our latest episode featuring the one and only National Geographic spokeswoman, author, and founder of GoingZeroWaste.comhttps://goingzerowaste.com/ Kathryn Kellogg! She has an exciting announcement for the zero waste community, and chats with us about what she's been up to in San Francisco since her recent book, 101 Ways To Go Zero Waste.


Not For Profit
In other news, the Zero Waste Countdown Initiative recently gained not for profit status and we are currently looking for partnerships, collaborations, funding, and donations to extend the reach of the show. If you're interested, please email me with your ideas or questions, or you can click here to send a few dollars our way. If you're a sustainable company or organization looking for ad space, we have a few spots still available for this summer. Over half of our listenership is American so we reach a lot of American listeners, particularly from California and New York. You can also become a patron of the show here.https://patron.podbean.com/zerowastecountdown

If you don't want to spend anything or partner up but still want to support the show, please leave a review on Apple or your favorite podcast app :)

Covid
I hope you all are doing well and weathering the shut downs and container/cloth bag bans that we've been encountering, and let's hope they all end soon, which I'm sure they will. It's been rough out there for the zero waste world, and I've had to regress into buying some food in packaging. Luckily we have an excellent recycling service in my local area but I look forward to getting back into my zero waste shopping routine soon. I really hope that your loved ones are okay, and that everyone is staying healthy and safe.

Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day, and I look forward to seeing the results of the survey!

Your host,
Laura Nash

BEDTIME PRAYER

God Almighty,
There you are,
Shining like the star you are.

God Almighty,
Here me weep,
As I pray,
And fall asleep.

God Almighty,
Stay in my heart,
For tomorrow brings
A fresh new start.

In Jesus Christ's name,
Amen.

Doug

GOD IS THE FEAR OF DARKNESS

    In order for there to be a holy truth there must also be an unholy truth (a lie), as in order for there to be light there must also be darkness, one being the opposite of the other so that both exist.

God's given right to choice and free will is about learning to make the right choices in this life of good and evil.

As we fall into sin, we begin to fear truth. With God's Word and God's son, Jesus, to direct us through the Holy Spirit of truth will direct you back to Him, when you begin to see God is in charge.

Doug

A TRIBUTE TO RAVI ZACHARIAS

"The entire canvas"

Learn to see the whole picture: not just the tiny part of it that has you in it. Do not social distance yourself from the holy truth of God.

Our life is just a puff of vapour rising from the endless ocean of life. However, all that is from the ocean, all that is in the ocean and all that is around that ocean is just as important to God as that ocean in His plan through Jesus Christ.

Doug

TRUDEAU'S WAY OR GOD'S WAY: WHAT'S THE CHOICE?

The leader leads his people into temptation by asking us to accept and support the lies that condemn us.

I asked God how do believers in Christ follow a leader like this into the darkness the leader chooses to walk in.

The demons that lurk around him are Satan's deflectors of God's truth.

What this leader said on May 16, 2020 as he opened his address to the people asked Christians to deny the truth. For a Christian to support a lost person's lie is to carry the burden of all lies that lead to temptation, darkness and eternal death.

Telling a lost person God's truth about their choices in this life is not hate. God's words, as they are laid out in the King James Bible is the truth that can not hate or know any gender outside of man and woman or agree with any sexual behaviour outside of one man and one woman in marriage to bond in God's love and become family.

The fearless grace of God reaches out to you. It's never too late to turn to Christ for salvation. (Acts 2 38)

God gave us the freedom of choice even if the choice we make brings us to death without Him.

Doug

DEMONIC BEINGS WHO LIE IN WAIT

Demonic beings who lie in wait,
That linger among us to feed off our hate,
Some we know,
And praise as great,
When we give ourselves over,
And pass through sin's gate.

God gave us the choice,
To choose our own fate,
Choose to turn to His light,
Before it's too late.

Humble yourself,
Pride's the devil's bait.

Doug

DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE US

In this life,
We travel and meet,
Most people pass by,
But some we greet.

The connection with people
Can be small or great,,
All people we meet
Even those with demons of hate,
When touched by Christ's light through us,
That can turn their fate.

Encourage the love of the Lord,
And be God's timing in wait.

Amen.

Doug

DEMONS HERE, DEMONS THERE

Global Luciferians and the arrogance of their web of lies; how insane can it get?

The fools that will always do the wrong thing tell a lie to cover a lie. When your first lie fails, the next lie will only lead to another lie, becoming knowledge without direction forward, only back to the knowledge that will destroy the fool. The Spirit of truth is the enemy of any lie. There is no wisdom, common sense and logic but a chain of lies going forward. Only going back to the seed of the lie will find the knowledge of the truth: God's way. The Spirit of truth is all knowledge.

Demons here,
Demons there,
They'll hide in the dark,
Too look and stare.

They'll try to lure you
Into their lair,
So, lost souls.
Beware.

Doug

THE MIRROR OF DECEPTION

Too many people are looking at the future through a very narrow tunnel of vision reflecting off the mirror of deception. Turn away from the darkness you're in and turn to the light of what is to be: the trinity, that is God in charge.

Doug

THOUGHTS FROM READING PSALM 23

Lead us not into temptation, but into everlasting life and the four steps of truth, which are wisdom, knowledge, logic and common sense: the stepping stones to the answer.

Turn to Jesus and begin to know God, His father's wisdom, knowledge, logic, and common sense and the power that it becomes within you through the Spirit of truth who will help you to see more and more of the big picture, which is yourself, the trinity and everything else. Your purpose will become more directed when you begin to look at it in this way. Begin to pray through Jesus Christ to His Father God who will then begin to water the seed of truth that he planted into you at conception.

Learn to reach out to the good in people around you but do not allow people you meet to sin against God through you. Refuse any hospitality that they seem to be offering if you begin to feel that you are becoming a tool of their trade. Walk away and then pray for them and forgiveness of their sins against God. Then, if they cross your path again they will avoid you unless they want you to approach them again with the Gospel, and going forward they will always be a part of the whole picture that through the trinity you will begin to see more and more of God's way through them and everything else.

Doug

SOCIAL DISTANCE: HOW WILL THEY COPE?

Defend the weak and the fatherless;
  uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
“The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.
    They walk about in darkness;
    all the foundations of the earth are shaken.”
—Psalm 82:3, 5

For many of our patrons, social distance is not a recent experience. Many have been dealing with it for years. Routines to stay connected—like visiting friends, going to the library, or attending church—have always been a challenge.But now with drastic changes meant to stop the spread of disease, everything is harder. Transportation, which is always tough, is even more difficult for those who must access health care or testing. Because the causes of blindness include serious health conditions like diabetes, those with visual impairment are sometimes at greater risk of contracting and succumbing to new infections.
For them, the benefits of online technology are limited. Grocery shopping has always been tough, but without help, online buying is now a maze. Children are affected too. Visually impaired kids can’t easily take advantage of the “online learning” proposed by our public schools.

TBL is one of the few organizations dedicated to our brothers and sisters who are often left out by our communities and churches. Let’s not forget them again.
TBL has been there, helping to bridge the distance for those with visual challenges. It is in times of such isolation and loneliness that our friends say, “Thank God for the books!”

In the past year, we have been getting the Word out in different ways. We have introduced our ministry to more churches. We started narrating audio versions of magazines, and have released more audio books about Christians bringing hope to those who are weak and oppressed (Psalm 82), such as Bent Hope and Hope for the Hopeless.

Our board has also felt the burden to call upon more Christians to minister directly to people who face visual impairment and print disability.

We want to send more people into the field to be a light to them. Will you help us?
In this season of remembering the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour, let us remind ourselves what a privilege it is to help others stay connected to the Source of Life.

Humbly yours,
Peter Van Velzen
Chair, Board of Directors

TBL is committed to building bridges for you and all our patrons, donors, and volunteers. E-mail us at info@talkingbooklibrary.org and share your concerns or stories with us.Tell us how the board can pray for your concerns at this time!
How have you found fellowship and inspiration during this time of isolation?
Do you or someone you love face visual impairment or print disability? Please provide your name and contact information so we can learn more about your needs.
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P.O. Box 700, STN Main, Stouffville, ON L4A 7Z9
905-640-8825

LAST NIGHT

I was able to view this flick via the YouTube channel Encore +.

At the turn of the milennium, the end of the world is seen through the lives of a number of Toronto residents.

This movie reminded me how much I loved the little bit of Don McKeller's work I'd seen before, namely the first five minutes of the first episode of "Twitch City" and part of an episode of the second season of the aforementioned when I was on March break many moons ago.

"Last Night" displays that same quirky humour, as well as having some scenes with heart. However, its dated nature, the fact Y2K was a big lie all along and this non-country's inability to actually support and make successful its cultural products is what caused "Last Night's" box office to be much less than its budget, at least in my opinion.

NEW WATERFORD GIRL

I came across this movie thanks to the YouTube channel Encore +.

Set in the seventies, an intelligent fifteen year old girl wants more than anything to get out of the depressing mining town of New Waterford, Nova Scotia. She'll do whatever it takes, even faking pregnancy in order to be sent away, as well as a lot more stuff.

On the whole, I enjoyed this film. Leading lady Liane Balaban turns in an excellent performance, as do Mary Walsh and Nicholas Campbell as her father and mother, irrespectively. I laughed a few times, especially at the scenes involving Campbell and his homemade cake.

One thing though: how do all concerned fall for the "if they're guilty, they fall" thing?

This picture is begging for a sequel. How would Mooney Pottie have faired out in the big wide world, especially with a last name like hers?

EASY A

This film is chock-a-block full of situational ethics.

Olive (Emma Stone) is a preppy, precocious teenager who feels her life is incomplete because she's never had a boyfriend. She makes up a story about losing her virginity, the tale spreads and before long, guys are paying her to say she performed various sexual acts with them. Olive happily takes their gifts and money until of course everything turns horrible for her.

This being Hollywood, everything works out in the end, but Olive never truly learns her lesson. She was still a prostitute, even if she wasn't actually doing anything. She took money to say what people wanted, and that's one of the most prevalent forms of prostitution around.

Aditionally, she begins her vocal prostitution by accepting a gift card for saying she slept with the school male homosexual, a favour to him so he'll stop being bullied. Again, this being Hollywood, homosexuality and homosexuals are treated as something and someones who can't be helped, rather than homosexuality being treated as a sin, as it rightly should.

Another moral bugaboo is the fact the Christians who speak out against Olive's alleged adultery are the typical judgmental movie Christians who are steeped in a whole bunch of sins and problems they're trying to keep hidden. In real life, love and compassion would and should be the desired order of the day.

THE CRAZIES (2010)

The devil's children, those who run the world, including and especially Hollywood, love to tell the masses what they are going to do in real life through the medium of film and this 2010 remake of a 1973 picture of the same name is no exception. Whether it is partially fictional, generally foreshadows the global pandemic we are now in, or whether it more closely forecasts one of the future plagues coming on this planet, who knows. One thing is for sure: the viewer can't help relating art to life.

MICHAEL FERRIS - A JOURNEY TO THE POTTER'S HOUSE

The Bible is full of analogies, including that of a potter and the clay with which he works. In a thorough demonstration, potter and evangelist Michael Ferris carries this analogy to it's full, showing how all our life can be compared to the potter, God, molding us, His clay. Ferris speaks with a refreshing frankness, interspersing his presentation with stories of his own life, including his wounds and struggles. Watch a presentation of this instructional demonstration here.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZwXgSr6_RE

LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

Much of what's written in the four Gospels is so familiar to most Christians there's a tendency to gloss over things, but it's amazing what you can find in God's Word when you look at the small details. Have you ever wondered why the events of Mark 6 are laid out in the order they're in? Have you ever thought about how Mark 6 relates to Psalm 23? Pastor Aaron Vriesman explores this passage of the Bible in a sermon you can watch here.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB29WknVofM

THE VANITY RHYME

When you sit high above
On that pedestal you love
To look down at the people below,
The people below
Will look up to see you
In a place they would rather not go.

The vanity you love
Will reach far and wide
Then come back to you dark and alone
Therefore when you sit high above
On that pedestal you love,
Your heart will become like a stone.

Doug

ENCOURAGEMENT, WISDOM AND PRAYER

We need to learn how to battle the beast that is trying to get through our door.

God encourages us to know His wisdom. Prayer, repentance and becoming baptised is the unlocking and opening of God's door that allows God into your heart and the Spirit of wisdom into your soul.

The modern-day Stalins and Maos of the world represent the dillusional hatred and ignorance; the absolute lie that blinds to the absolute truth: the smokescreen that hides the raging fire behind it: the good, the bad and the ugly. The fire behind is Satan's endless hatred of God. The goodness of Jesus Christ is what we have our backs to and the bad is the smoke in our eyes that blinds us from the ugly, raging fire we're not seeing.

If you believe there's nothing worse than death, then you don't know Jesus.

Wisdom, knowledge, logic, and common sense will bring the answer to any question in God's truth, but when one of the elements of this formula of God's truth is missing, as in the question of the coronavirus we face. What is missing is the wisdom, logic and common sense because we only have the knowledge of fear and control. Without the wisdom, knowledge and common sense we can not see that God is in control of the knowledge of fear.

As the smoke becomes thicker the eyes of our soul begin to burn till we turn and receive God's breath of new life through Jesus Christ who awakens the knowledge of the Spirit of truth within us.

Thank You for this day, Lord,
Thank You for last week,
Thank You for the years I've had
And all there's yet to seek.

Thank You for Your Son, oh Lord,
Whom You sent to set us free
And thank You for the Holy Spirit
Whom You sent to help us see.

Amen.

Doug