2 Corinthians 4

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Do not lose heart.
Do not lose heart.


Peres: 'Obama Was Chosen by the Whole of Humankind'

How world leaders see Obama's coming

World Celebrates With U.S. Obama Inauguration

UN chief looks to new partnership with Obama

School children wear masks of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama

Obama Is Like Biblical Joshua, Boxing Promoter Don King Says


Do not lose heart.
Do not lose heart.


Inauguration or Worship Service?

Iowa Insider » Weird things are happening before Obama’s inauguration
-----Matthew J. Clark

Israeli PM says Obama will be 'full partner' in Mideast

Israeli officials: Obama a true friend

Obama gives call for ‘remaking America’

The Dawn Of New Hope For The World

Words Made Flesh - washingtonpost.com
---In case you need help: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.--John 1:14

Do not lose heart.
Do not lose heart.
[I'm preaching at myself here, btw.]


One Man's Suggestion - Jay Nordlinger

Unreal Expectations? --VDH

YouTube - Post-Barackalyptic Wasteland

Sources: Obama may quickly reverse abortion policy

Obama gets to keep 'enhanced' BlackBerry
Sounds like a great way to keep stuff under the table, IMNSHO.

U.S. Stocks Slide to Worst Inauguration Day Drop in Dow Industrial History


Obama calls Middle East leaders

Ex-envoys: Israel has nothing to worry about
Hahahahahahahahahahaha...

Lebanon claims natural gas well
Avner Oil refutes Lebanese claim to gas field find

Olmert Prepared to Pay 'Terrible Price' for Shalit

Construction sparks talk of U.S. embassy

Report: Olmert privately proposed division of Jerusalem to Arab leaders


So here's what I'm thinking, and I realize it sounds like crazy talk:

Obama negotiates the release of Gilad Schalit, moves the official embassy to Jerusalem, vows help in protecting and maybe extracting that gas, and makes deals with Hamas, Iran, and Syria, in return for dividing Jerusalem.




Minister Says: We May Need a Billion Desalinated Liters

Emboldened Hamas declares victory

Iran: Ahmadinejad lauds Hamas chief on Gaza 'victory'

Iran renews efforts to supply Hamas

'Bogey' Ya'alon to Address 6th Jerusalem Conference Monday

Catalunya cancels Shoah memorial ceremony over Gaza op


'Member the plague story?
Al Qaeda bungles arms experiment

A Top Sunni Survives an Attack in Iraq

Iraq minister: Arabs unable to agree on Gaza

Taliban warn Obama: Leave Afghanistan

U.S. Secures New Supply Routes to Afghanistan

It’s in world’s interest to help Pakistan: Petraeus

Pakistan kills 22 militants near Afghan border: officials

'7/7 bombings suspect' arrested in Pakistan

India tests missile amid tensions with Pakistan

Pakistan - School Attacks Tied to Taliban

Iranian AIDS doctors sentenced to prison

Iran calls for more OPEC meetings

Iran-Russia gas co-op benefits all, Gazprom says

Iran shuts gas pipeline to Turkey for maintanance

Gaddafi says looking at oil firm nationalization

Syria attracts Gulf retail investors as it opens up economy

Syria holds Israeli war crimes exhibition

Erdoğan will not attend Nabucco pipeline meet

Turkey links pipeline to EU membership talks

Turkey seeks 15 pct of Nabucco gas, partners opposed

Turkey says energy chapter not precondition for Nabucco project

Turkey’s first nuclear tender to be cancelled due to high price-report

Global recession to dim Turkey's 2009 gold demand
"Gold imports by Turkey, one of the top three consumers of bullion, dropped 30 percent in 2008, while its gold jewellery exports fell around 14 percent."

Armenia Says Close To Mending Ties With Turkey

Israel-Turkey diplomatic spat worsens, despite end of Gaza fighting

Qassem: Defense Strategy is to Strengthen Lebanon and Not Score Political Points


Researchers find Moors built with powdered bones
Moors, of course, were the Muslim hordes that covered Spain from 711 to 1492.

"Cardell said there is evidence that the bone powder, mostly from pigs, may have been used in other Moorish structures in the area but so far there is nothing to indicate it was used in the Alhambra itself."

So pigs are horrible and unclean, but you can cook them and use their bones for building? Nice.




Steel prices: Ready to recover ?

World oil demand expected to contract sharply in 2009

Spain says Algeria gas pipeline for European market

Slovenia backs South Stream gas pipeline

Russia likely to join OPEC soon - Pickens

Russia restarts gas, Europe sighs with relief
Flow of natural gas from western line of Russia to Turkey restarts
Tying in with the Ascension, you'll note.

Putin Emerges From Gas Wars With Yushchenko Sidelined

GDF Suez Says Mobilized To Supply Gas To Central Europe

Russia: arms sales to Georgia will draw sanctions

Putin urges keeping up housing construction rates 2009

London newspaper to be sold to Russian tycoon

Russia plans 'circle of energy security'

Russia to drop nickel, copper cathode duties

Ukraine, Russia to hold Kiev talks on maritime borders

Ukraine, Belarus could deepen cooperation in energy transit, say presidents

Georgians in support of Israel

France could order two nuclear power plants

Looters descend on Kent beach to collect the timber lost by Russian ship

Burglary, fraud and knife-point robbery rise as recession sees crime increase

Police fire pepper spray at Iceland protesters

Envious of Obama, Icelanders hurl yogurt and stage riots for new leaders
What, they don't have tomatoes there?


PSOE says, it too, claims Gibraltar's sovereignty
While Gibraltar doen't sit exactly on the strait that bears its name, it's pretty darn close, and everybody is wanting a piece of it.




Cholera moves to rural Zimbabwe
"The UN says at least 2,755 people have now died - a 20% rise in a week.

The rainy season could lead to even more infections, as water sources become contaminated, aid workers warn.

MSF Zimbabwe representative Manuel Lopez said that small villages off the main roads were now being affected following the Christmas holidays, when urban residents went home. "


Congo says it invited in Rwandan forces
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo said on Tuesday it had invited in Rwandan forces onto Congolese soil as observers for an offensive against Rwandan Hutu rebels which would last 10-15 days.

Men held for railway explosives: South Africa



Mining Company Announces Potential Find

WINDHOEK – Canadian mining company Etruscan Resources announced that additional surface samples from its Lofdal permit in northern Namibia have indicated that rare earth elements (REEs) occur and could be of potential economic significance.

The company, which has been exploring for gold and diamonds in Africa for over 13 years, has been exploring for iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) in two areas in Namibia: in the northern part along the southern and eastern margins of a large basement complex (Kamanjab Project), and in the central area covering a volcano-sedimentary belt of the Rehoboth Volcano-Sedimentary Sequence (Witvlei Project), east of the capital.

The continuing search for IOCG deposits has gained momentum in Canadian mineral exploration due to their large size potential and polymetallic grades of mineralization, including sizeable amounts of uranium.

India plans to triple trade with Africa, deepen ties
"India expects to triple trade with Africa over the next five years to reach $100 billion, officials said on Wednesday, as it tries to strengthen ties in a region where Asian rival China has made rapid inroads."

Obama brings sense of foreboding to India

India’s Rupee Strengthens on Speculation Exporters Sold Dollar

China plays maritime chess

China mounts big raid on illegal weapons factories

China, EU should 'unite' to tackle economic crisis: foreign minister

SKorean officials probe clash that left 6 dead



Bringing population back into focus at World Bank

Nazi angel of death Josef Mengele 'created twin town in Brazil'

Venezuelan Students March to Protest, Support Chavez Amendment


Terror At Hugo Chavez's Hand

Both Colombia and Venezuela house Lebanese merchant communities where affinity and extortion have fashioned compliant agents for Hezbollah, which is also known to be allied with the FARC narco-guerillas of Colombia, the government of Venezuela and arms dealers like Viktor Bout of Russia.

Clandestine transportation of Hezbollah agents, money and technology--even for nuclear weapons--became much easier in 2007 when Chavez and Ahmadinejad instituted weekly Iran Air flights between Caracas and Tehran (with one stop, Damascus). There is no immigration and passport control on either side, and in Caracas the plane has its own entrance and exit monitored by Chavez's secret police.

VW Mexico to lay off 900 temporary workers - union

MRSA rising in kids' ear, nose, throat infections

Prison locked down following 100-inmate riot

BNSF Announces $2.7 Billion Capital Commitment Program

A $17 Trillion Alliance Can Save World Economies: William Pesek




Evacuations amid fears for eruption Nevado del Huila

Scientist: New fault could mean major Ark. temblor



Magnitude 6.2 - KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA
Strong quake hits Indonesia

Magnitude 4.6 - CRETE, GREECE

Magnitude 4.9 - REYKJANES RIDGE

Magnitude 5.1 - GUATEMALA

Magnitude 6.0 - NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Strong quake off PNG

Magnitude 5.0 - EAST OF THE KURIL ISLANDS

Magnitude 5.2 - HALMAHERA, INDONESIA

Magnitude 1.7 - NEW YORK

Magnitude 5.1 - MAURITIUS - REUNION REGION

Magnitude 6.3 - SOUTHEAST OF THE LOYALTY ISLANDS

Magnitude 4.7 - NEAR THE SOUTH COAST OF MYANMAR

Magnitude 4.9 - COSTA RICA

Magnitude 4.7 - OFF THE COAST OF EL SALVADOR

Magnitude 5.5 - BANDA SEA

Quake near Hollister measures at magnitude-3.8

Notice three 6+ in the last 15 hours.
Strong quakes becoming more frequent.
Labor pangs.