Category: Nehemiah

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Smile & Feel Better

Today’s blog is amazingly practical.

Late yesterday Dave and I were watching a program on television that was dealing with some real life, very emotional issues that face teenagers. They were completely without hope and it left both of us sad and downcast.

I knew I couldn’t let this premeate our evening or we’d both go to bed feeling depressed. I asked him to find something funny we could watch, “I need something to make me laugh”. He switched to YouTube and there we found old clips of Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. We watched a few of those and then Dave found an old Abbott & Costello movie – more laughter.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 NLT

“Happiness makes you smile; sorrow can crush you.” Proverbs 15:13 CEV

We went to bed last night with a smile on our faces and our spirits were lifted.

Somedays it’s hard to be joyful. I understand that completely but we must take these verses on joy and happiness for what they are – instructions from the Lord. He wants us to have a glad heart, He wants us to be “care free” and roll all our worries over on Him. When we do He promises to replace our worries with His strength.

“Ezra said to them, “Go, eat and drink what you enjoy, and give some to him who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 NLV

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” I Peter 5:7 NLV

A couple of weeks ago I had to go into the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for my mother. As I was standing in line waiting for the pharmacist the woman at the counter turned and looked at me. Behind her mask, I saw that her eyes were filled with sadness. She turned back and then turned around one more time, we made eye contact and I gave her my biggest smile, behind my mask. She said to me “I can tell you are smiling. Your eyes are twinkling. Thank you I needed that”. I said a simple “God bless you” and our encounter was over.

Lord, I want you to use me and all who read this to bring joy to a hurting world. We have a message to proclaim “Joy to the world, the Lord has come”!

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed… 3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-3 NLT

The words above were written about Jesus. This is why He came – He came to bring God’s favor (His life) to the earth.

The next time you are feeling down ask the Lord to fill your heart with joy. He will! With joy will come strength and with His strength we can do all things!

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Joy & Laughter

“A cheerful heart is good medicine,  but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 NLT

Some people in our nation have spent the last six to eight weeks shut up, living in fear. Now, some of those same people are frustrated, angry and striking out. Heart and determination have given way to disillusionment and mistrust.

It’s time for us to focus on what’s good, pure, honest, and lovely. Our family and our friends need our strength and our joy.

“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some food and drinks to those who didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV

A true and honest joy gives strength to our bodies and our emotions. Find something to laugh about, do silly things. If you have children old enough to participate, tell everyone that tonight’s dinner conversation has to be only words that begin with the letter “r”, or whatever letter you choose. Before long everyone will be laughing.

Find an old comedy on Netflix, Prime or whatever streaming source you have. The sillier the better – Carol Burnett, Jonathan Winters, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. If you’re not old enough to know who these people are do a search on them.

Marvel in the small things. We spent a good deal of time this weekend watching two little wrens fly back and forth feeding their young, who are in a nest on our back patio. They were tireless in their efforts to provide for their babies. Look for shapes in the clouds. Go for a walk and count all the different kinds of flowers you find. Have a water fight!

Do something to bring joy and amazement into your life.

“61 The Spirit of the Lord God  has taken control of me! The Lord has chosen and sent me to tell the oppressed the good news, to heal the brokenhearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives. 2 This is the year when the Lord God will show kindness to us and punish our enemies. The Lord has sent me to comfort those who mourn,3 especially in Jerusalem. He sent me to give them flowers in place of their sorrow, olive oil in place of tears, and joyous praise in place of broken hearts. They will be called  “Trees of Justice,” planted by the Lord to honor his name. 4 Then they will rebuild cities that have been in ruins for many generations.” Isaiah 61:1-4 ERV

There’s a header on these verses which reads “The Good News of Victory”. These words were spoken about the coming of Jesus nearly four hundred years before He was born. Now that Jesus has come He has brought us freedom, peace, kindness, comfort, joy and restoration for what was ruined.

Sounds like a good word for what we’ve been experiencing.

Let the peace of God and joy in the Lord be our guiding force and then let’s share it generously with all we meet!

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Choose Joy

I was up quite early this morning and I have been enjoying the quiet. I asked the Lord, as I so often do, what will this day have in store? Sometimes He gives me a glimpse into my day but most of the time it is a walk of faith.

God has given us the power to set the tone of our day by the choices we make. We can get up dreading what may come or we can choose to be joyful no matter what may come. I’m not talking about an empty-headed, irresponsible or irrational type of mindless thought. Not at all. But I am saying if we focus on God’s greatness and love, we will be able to handle anything that invades our day and still remain joyful.

“But let all who put their trust in You be glad. Let them sing with joy forever. You make a covering for them, that all who love Your name may be glad in You. 12 For You will make those happy who do what is right, O Lord. You will cover them all around with Your favor.” Psalm 5:11-12 NLV

Each one of us have multiple opportunities each day to lose our joy. They can come via email, text, phone call, personal interaction or old memories. It’s up to us whether we allow those things to steal our joy.

“May honor and thanks be given to the Lord, because He has heard my prayer. 7 The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song. 8 The Lord is the strength of His people. He is a safe place for His chosen one.” Psalm 28:6-8 NLV

Right before Jesus was crucified He was talking to his disciples and He told them things were going to get bad. In fact, He said that all of them would leave him; when he needed them the most they would abandon Him. However, He went on to say, the Father would be with Him so He wouldn’t be alone. That my friend is a reason to have peace and joy. When we’re in the Father’s presence there is reason for joy.

“Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:32-33 NKJV

What I hear Jesus saying is this, “you are going to face troubles, trials and disappointments but keep your joy and stay close to Me because I have overcome all that the world can throw at you”. That’s my paraphrase on those verses.

There isn’t anything too big for God, there isn’t anything that He can’t handle so today I will choose joy and in that joy I will find strength.

“Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV

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The Gift of Friendship

Last night our home was filled with dear friends…some we’ve only known a few years and others for more than half our lifetime. How precious they each are to us!

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I just wanted to take a quiet moment to tell you how much I love and appreciate you. Although, you weren’t in our home I am touched by your love. God has blessed me with wonderful friends. Some of you I know personally and have been able to hug, to touch, to share a cup of coffee with or a meal and we have shared times of laughter and tears.

Others of you I only know through social media and your comments here on the blog. I’ve seen pictures of your families, shared your joys and your prayer requests. True friends just the same. I really don’t think there is time or distance when the Lord joins hearts.

Whatever your plans are for these upcoming days of Christmas I want you to know that I feel truly blessed to call you friends.

“I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace! 3 Every time I think of you, I thank my God. 4 And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy.” Philippians 1:2-4 CEV

But I also want you to know that our heavenly Father, the author of our friendship, has such a great love for you. He designed our meeting and crafted the bond that we have for one another.

His purpose – To show us His amazing love. Each time we reach out to love someone new, to develop a new relationship, His love is put into action. We can never truly love on our own. That deep and lasting commitment we experience for others comes from His heart. Friendship is a tangible example of His amazing love.

We are always in His heart and on His mind. His love is overwhelming, His peace reassuring and His comfort beyond comparing!

I can hear Him saying:
“I love you with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3
“My peace I give to you; peace, be still.” John 14:27
“I will send the Comforter that will abide with you forever” John 14:16
“Let my joy be your strength” Nehemiah 8:10
” I know the thoughts I have for you; thoughts of peace”. Jeremiah 29:11-13

Yes, my world is quiet and my Father is speaking to me and He’s speaking to you as well. Enjoy your time with Him this morning and all through the day.

The song I want to share with you this morning isn’t a traditional Christmas Carol. However, if Jesus never brought heaven to earth as He did that day we wouldn’t be able to experience the blessed relationship we have with him.

Heaven Came Down by John W Peterson 1961

O what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met.
O what a tender, compassionate friend, He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.

Chorus: Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,  (filled my soul)
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;  (made me whole)
My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!  (filled my soul)

Born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary’s love, O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made, when as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer, of grace He did proffer, He saved me, O praise His dear name!

Chorus:

Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day, when at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal, from His precious hand I received.

Chorus: Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,  (filled my soul)
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;  (made me whole)
My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!  (filled my soul)

Thank you Father for allowing all of us to experience heaven on earth through the gift of your Son!

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Counting Our Blessings

We’ve been gone from home for about two weeks. Got home yesterday afternoon and this morning I am enjoying the quiet of my own living room.

It’s good to be home and I am thankful for all of the Lord’s blessings. We had a wonderful time taking care of Sam and Kristine (a blessing) for nine days and then we had time with Mom (a blessing) before arriving back home.

Blessings:  1 God’s love    2  Family    3 Friends    4 Home    5 Food    6 Clothing…

And the list goes on. But there are some around us who have lost everything. I’m thinking specifically about those who have lost all their earthly possessions in the California fires. We need to pray for them and then find a good outreach ministry that is there giving aid and financially support them as well.

Jesus said when we have done a kindness for those in need we have done that kindness for Him.

“When did we see you with no place to stay and welcome you into our home? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?’

40 “Then the king will answer, ‘The truth is, anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.’” Matthew 25:38-40 ERV

We need to be mindful of the many blessings the Lord has given us each and every day. Making a list is just one way of keeping our hearts centered on gratitude.

We’re only a week from Thanksgiving. We should make gratitude a part of our daily routine. While we’re  brushing our teeth or combing our hair, say thank you for three things.  Taking a sip of that first cup of coffee should be time to be thankful for two or three more. Arriving at work unscathed by traffic deserves a big “Praise God”.  Sitting at a desk or standing at a work station we need to be thankful, some people have no job to go too.

Yes, making a list of blessings is a great way to keep our lives filled with thanksgiving.

“Stand and shout praises to your Lord, the eternal God! Praise his wonderful name, though he is greater than words can express. 6 You alone are the Lord, Creator of the heavens and all the stars, Creator of the earth and those who live on it, Creator of the ocean and all its creatures. You are the source of life, praised by the stars that fill the heavens.” Nehemiah 9:5-6 CEV

There’s an old song in the movie White Christmas. The lyrics  say “when I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep then I fall to sleep counting my blessings”. The perfect way to begin and end any day is counting blessings and thanking the Lord for all He has done.

Lord, I love you and I thank you for the many blessings you have given me. Let me see the needs that others have and be used to help.

 

 

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A Spoonful of Sugar

The lyrics from Mary Poppins are running through my mind today. Can’t really think of those songs without a smile coming to my face.

In my mind’s eye I can see Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke singing and dancing. Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in a most delightful way.

Have you ever looked to the Scripture for a good dose of medicine? It has healing qualities you know.

I particularly like these verses from Proverbs.

“ Happiness is good medicine, but sorrow is a disease.” Proverbs 17:22 ERV 

“If you are happy, your face shows it. If you are sad, your spirit feels defeated.” Proverbs 15:13 ERV

Happiness is good medicine! Is it any wonder that so many in life today are feeling sick and so their spirits feel defeated? They have lost their joy.

It’s essential that we become ambassadors of joy.

Dave and I love spending time with our little grandson, Sam. He always seems to be happy about something. Dave calls him Smiley Joe and calls his little sister Smiley Josephina. Their smiles come from a happy heart and they carry joy to everyone around them.

If we allow ourselves to stay focused on the things in our world that seem to being going wrong or those events in our lives that are contrary, we will be overtaken by the disease of sorrow.

But a good dose of the medicine of a merry heart will strengthen us and bring us peace.

“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some food and drinks to those who didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV

The word disease interests me. Break it apart, dis – ease. When our hearts are uneasy, worried or distressed we are susceptible to disease. How do we avoid dis ease?

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” I Peter 5:7 CEV

Don’t look  at the circumstances  that are beyond our control instead look to God who changes circumstances. Then we can be filled with good medicine.

“I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 ERV

There’s a song that children sing in pre-school and Sunday School. If You’re Happy and You Know It – the song says if you’re happy and you know it…clap your hands, stomp your feet, say Amen.  And there’s one line in there that says “if you’re happy and you know it then your face will surely show it”, our faces will show it – we’ll smile and our eyes will twinkle and those who look at us will wonder what makes us so happy.

“I will celebrate and be joyful because you, Lord, have saved me.
10 Every bone in my body will shout: “No one is like the Lord!”
You protect the helpless from those in power; you save the poor and needy from those who hurt them.” Psalm 35:9-10 CEV

Dear Father, let our faces show what You have done in our hearts. Let us be ambassadors of joy today.

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Like A Spring Bouquet

 

There are days when life would seem so much better if we could enjoy  a bouquet of Spring flowers. The beauty, the fragrance, the color bring a comfort to the soul.

Now I know that none of you have ever been tempted to give up or to complain and quit when you have been waiting for the answer to your prayers but I have been there on occasion. In fact, I dealt with wanting to give up just this week.

However, when that temptation comes to complain or just quit, I have to go back to God’s word and find strength, encouragement and joy, yes, real joy to continue to stand.

“My Christian brothers, you should be happy when you have all kinds of tests. 3 You know these prove your faith. It helps you not to give up. 4 Learn well how to wait so you will be strong and complete and in need of nothing. 5 If you do not have wisdom, ask God for it. He is always ready to give it to you and will never say you are wrong for asking. 6 You must have faith as you ask Him. You must not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave which is pushed around by the sea. 7 Such a man will get nothing from the Lord. 8 The man who has two ways of thinking changes in everything he does.” James 1:2-7

When I wait patiently with joy the wait doesn’t seem as long somehow. Do you remember when we were a kid and our folks promised to take us somewhere? Maybe it was for an ice cream, to a rodeo, or on a vacation but we had to wait! Waiting wasn’t easy was it? Oh but the anticipation…how sweet, it was.

We knew what we were going to wear, what we wanted to see first, what we were going to get to eat, etc. The waiting was hard but when we looked ahead to what was in store it was exciting. Well, that’s how it should be as we are waiting on the Lord.

We gain strength as we wait on the Lord knowing He has our best at heart and that He will provide all we need.  Sometimes the Lord uses good friends to remind us we shouldn’t give up. Sometimes a song comes on the radio or a verse comes to mind. He uses all these things to renew our strength.

“He gives strength to the weak. And He gives power to him who has little strength. 30 Even very young men get tired and become weak and strong young men trip and fall. 31 But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.” Isaiah 40: 29-31

On those days, when we feel weak and want to give up or start complaining we need to draw on the strength that God provides. We aren’t joyful because of the wait but we can be full of joy during the wait because God is providing the strength we need.

 “Ezra said to them, “Go, eat and drink what you enjoy, and give some to him who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

I don’t know if you’ve picked up on it here but we are dealing with two of the seeds we planted in our garden just a few weeks ago, joy and patience. They bring beauty to our lives much like the spring bouquet brings beauty to the room. 

We must keep the weeds of worrisome thought out of our gardens.

So today, count or consider it joy to be patient in trials; wait on the Lord to renew your strength. His joy will provide us with all the strength we need.

 

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The Sweet Taste of Joy

By now you’ve probably realized that we are planting a “character” garden. Each of the seeds that grow will produce Christ-like character in our lives.

Do you remember summers when you were a child? The warm weather, playing outside with your friends, the ball games, the picnics, the bar-b-q’s and the watermelon. Oh yes, the watermelon. Big green oblong bladders filled with the most delicious, ripe, red, juicy fruit!

Makes me smile just thinking about it. You barely start the knife to slice it and you hear that crack. You know this is going to be a good one – ruby red inside. You take that first bite and the juice begins to run down your arms and drips from you elbows. You don’t care – this is summer, this is watermelon season.

This is your happy place. Folks all around are laughing and talking and enjoying the fruit of the harvest. There is joy in the air.

Happiness goes with summer fun but happiness is conditional. What we need to plant in our character garden isn’t seeds of happiness but seeds of joy. Joy has deep roots and it is an abiding characteristic that can be present even when happiness eludes us.

It’s important to mention here that when planting seeds, you need to get them from a reputable dealer and that’s why our seeds should always come from the Word of God – those are seeds that are certified pure, weed free.

So before I give you this packet of seeds, let’s take a look at how our garden is coming along.

“But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.” Galatians 5:22-23

That’s a pretty fine looking garden.  These joy seeds are amazing.

“You have given him blessings that will last forever. You have given him the joy of being near you.” Psalm 21:6

“You have changed my sorrow into dancing. You have taken away my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” Psalm 30:11

“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some food and drinks to those who didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV

“Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.” Philippians 4:4

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

As I stated above, joy isn’t happiness. I’m sure that Paul, the apostle, wasn’t happy that he had been beaten and was in a dark prison cell but he was joyful that he was serving Jesus and began to sing at midnight in spite of his circumstances.

Years ago, I was going through a devastating experience! My relationship with Jesus brought me comfort and joy through the heartache and the pain. I even had one woman tell me “I was going to try and comfort you but you have such a look of joy about you, I guess you’re ok.”

Oh, I needed my friends. I needed their prayers, kind words and even their hugs but I was ok because I was depending on God and His word to bring me comfort and joy in a difficult time. My eyes were on Him and not my own circumstances.

I wasn’t depending on people although good friends are invaluable but I was dependent on God! And “in His presence is fullness of joy”.

Plant some joy today – it will sustain you and give you nourishment in the toughest times!

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Comfort in Troubling Times

Do you ever have thoughts come to you out of the clear blue? You know, you’re thinking about one thing and then something else just invades you thinking process. That’s the way it was for me this morning.

I wasn’t even really awake when a song I had heard on the radio on Sunday arrived in my heart and head bringing me to a place of conscious thought. Here are just a few of the lyrics that were written by Hillsong.

“What a wonderful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus”

And as I kept repeating that refrain my mind went to what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 18:9

“The Lord is a mighty tower where his people can run for safety—”

And then I began to pray for those who lost loved ones yesterday in Las Vegas and those who were injured and those who were called to care for the injured and the dying. How do we cope with such senseless acts of violence and destruction?

I run to the Lord and find comfort in His loving arms.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me!
I praise God for his promise to me.” Psalm 56:3-4 ERV

God wants to use us to bring comfort and consolation to those around us. It’s important that we aren’t overwhelmed but that we stay anchored in His love.

“Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.” Romans 12:21 CEV

So even as I am writing this the chorus above keeps going through my mind. What a wonderful name it is, The name of Jesus! I will continue to trust in Him, to lean on Him for strength and will praise Him because He is greater than all my fears.

“Stand and shout praises to your Lord, the eternal God!
Praise his wonderful name, though he is greater than words can express.” Nehemiah 9:5 CEV

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Don’t Worry – Be Happy!

Time to start a new week. What’s on your calendar today? Bring strength to your life today. Bring health to your body. Don’t let stress or “dis – ease” rob from you today!

Be thankful – focus on God and what is has done and is able to do and live in peace, joy, health and strength.

” Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some food and drinks to those who didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10

” A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. 4 So always trust the Lord
because he is forever our mighty rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

So many times we end up thinking that if we live a godly life we’ll be missing out on all the fun. However, just the opposite it true. God will show us the answer to our problems and fill our lives with joy and pleasure! If you are anxious, worried, stressed out and don’t know which way to turn – hang out with God today – there’s joy, pleasure and peace in His presence.

“You will show me the path of life, in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

Let the Lord fill your life with joy and bring you pleasure today!

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