Psalms 107:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His loving kindness is everlasting.
Every day is a day for giving thanks. Many times we talk to God because we need something from Him. I think that God must expect that, that's how children are, but when a child tells their father "thank you", it is warming to the heart. How good it must make God feel to hear us, His children, say thank you for all the good He has done in our lives.
In the book I am currently reading, the author writes that (and I'm paraphrasing), "out of great suffering comes great good". She lists many examples but of course the most obvious is that of Jesus. No doubt His passion was a horrible experiences for Him and those who loved Him, but He knew that what would come of His suffering was so great, that the suffering would be worth it. It is hard to be thankful to God in our own times of suffering but if we can just say a small prayer of thanks in acknowledgement that our suffering will bring something greater.
While listening to Relevant Radio last night I heard Monsignor tell a caller that "God doesn't call us to be successful, He calls us to be faithful." That really resonated with me. We think that to please God we have to make all the right choices and excel at that which we are lead to do, but really, the strength of our faith pleases Him most. So, I choose to be thankful, I feel that it is the best way to show God how much I love Him. Not only love Him, trust Him. I am thankful because I trust His judgment over mine. I trust His plan before mine.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Friday, November 22, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Psalms 119:64
Psalms 119:64
The earth is full of Your loving kindness, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.
One of the wonderful things about mankind is that it seems to me that God created us with a hunger to learn. From the time we come out of the womb, we begin to learn and grow. We learn what our mother looks like and are finally able to match that beautiful voice to a face. Babies learn how to feed themselves within minutes of being born when they are first placed to the breast to nurse.
We continue to learn with each passing day. Small things at first and then our milestones become larger and grander. We learn to walk, potty train, have our first day of school. Can you remember the first time you realized you could read?! We learn simple things that help us become more independent, like tying shoes and zipping our own coats. And we learn some major things that give us more freedom than our parents probably care for, like driving.
We never stop learning. Once we are married and have children, we have a whole new set of things to learn. Each phase of life brings new challenges and new skills to be acquired. Our faith is no different. And just like everything else in our lives, we have to make an independent attempt to learn. We have to seek out that which we do not know and we have to have a desire to learn more. We also have to have the humility to understand that we need our Lord to teach us. The power does not come from within. As children we understand that our grown ups are there to teach us and because our thirst for learning is so strong we gravitate towards those people who want to help us.
Somewhere along the way our pride takes over and we begin to feel that if we can't obtain the knowledge ourselves it is not worth obtaining. We have a strong rejection to being told "what to do". But God wants to teach us, He wants us to learn His ways. And we, as His children, should rush to Him to help us learn. No matter how old my children will be, they will always by my babies. And no matter how old we grow to be, we will always be His children. Let Him teach you, start with things that are small and work your way into those major milestones. And understand that our journey will never be complete until the day He calls us home.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
The earth is full of Your loving kindness, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.
One of the wonderful things about mankind is that it seems to me that God created us with a hunger to learn. From the time we come out of the womb, we begin to learn and grow. We learn what our mother looks like and are finally able to match that beautiful voice to a face. Babies learn how to feed themselves within minutes of being born when they are first placed to the breast to nurse.
We continue to learn with each passing day. Small things at first and then our milestones become larger and grander. We learn to walk, potty train, have our first day of school. Can you remember the first time you realized you could read?! We learn simple things that help us become more independent, like tying shoes and zipping our own coats. And we learn some major things that give us more freedom than our parents probably care for, like driving.
We never stop learning. Once we are married and have children, we have a whole new set of things to learn. Each phase of life brings new challenges and new skills to be acquired. Our faith is no different. And just like everything else in our lives, we have to make an independent attempt to learn. We have to seek out that which we do not know and we have to have a desire to learn more. We also have to have the humility to understand that we need our Lord to teach us. The power does not come from within. As children we understand that our grown ups are there to teach us and because our thirst for learning is so strong we gravitate towards those people who want to help us.
Somewhere along the way our pride takes over and we begin to feel that if we can't obtain the knowledge ourselves it is not worth obtaining. We have a strong rejection to being told "what to do". But God wants to teach us, He wants us to learn His ways. And we, as His children, should rush to Him to help us learn. No matter how old my children will be, they will always by my babies. And no matter how old we grow to be, we will always be His children. Let Him teach you, start with things that are small and work your way into those major milestones. And understand that our journey will never be complete until the day He calls us home.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
How blessed we are that God will welcome us into the promised land even if we are not as rich in our faith as He would like us to be. I love how loving and forgiving our God is. This scripture gives me hope. Hope that even if there are times in my life when I am doubting God and His awesome plan for me, that He won't just cast me aside as a sinner unworthy of Him. There is always time to come back.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples for them to pass on after He was gone. He never wanted us to lose hope. How many times have you gotten down on yourself for making a poor choice and figured, "Well, I've screwed that up so I guess it's never going to happen." It doesn't really matter what the "it" is, in our faith, this is never the case. We can never screw up so badly that God won't welcome us back with open arms.
I know this from my own personal faith journey. I wanted to create my own path, be my own source of grace. I wanted things to go according to my plan and didn't give much thought to what His plan was. I attended church because my husband wanted us to go. I didn't have any particulars feelings about my faith, neither love nor hate, I was simply there. When I lost three pregnancies in 12 months, my indifference turned to hate and I was angry with God. I abandoned my faith because I felt abandoned by Him. My story of return is another post but slowly I returned to the faith, dipping my toe in at first and carefully immersing myself until I was filled with the Holy Spirit.
While I was pregnant with my first son I had what I consider to be first true confession. I cried to the priest and poured out my soul desperate to be forgiven and scared that he would consider me to be a lost cause. That my sins had been to much for God to bear. With his response to my confession, I wept even more. I wept tears of thankfulness that God still loved me and still wanted me in His Church. Father told me my feelings were natural and ok and that God understands. That God is strong enough to handle our angriest feelings.
The parable of the prodigal son proves to us that it is never too late. So if you don't feel like you pleased Him how you wanted to today, don't give up. Tomorrow is a new day and there is time to repent and return to Jesus Christ, our Savior. There is also time for others you know who have walked away from the faith so don't give up on them either. Pray for them! Pray that they hear His voice calling them back and be their gentle reminder that they are never too far away to turn back to the faith.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
How blessed we are that God will welcome us into the promised land even if we are not as rich in our faith as He would like us to be. I love how loving and forgiving our God is. This scripture gives me hope. Hope that even if there are times in my life when I am doubting God and His awesome plan for me, that He won't just cast me aside as a sinner unworthy of Him. There is always time to come back.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples for them to pass on after He was gone. He never wanted us to lose hope. How many times have you gotten down on yourself for making a poor choice and figured, "Well, I've screwed that up so I guess it's never going to happen." It doesn't really matter what the "it" is, in our faith, this is never the case. We can never screw up so badly that God won't welcome us back with open arms.
I know this from my own personal faith journey. I wanted to create my own path, be my own source of grace. I wanted things to go according to my plan and didn't give much thought to what His plan was. I attended church because my husband wanted us to go. I didn't have any particulars feelings about my faith, neither love nor hate, I was simply there. When I lost three pregnancies in 12 months, my indifference turned to hate and I was angry with God. I abandoned my faith because I felt abandoned by Him. My story of return is another post but slowly I returned to the faith, dipping my toe in at first and carefully immersing myself until I was filled with the Holy Spirit.
While I was pregnant with my first son I had what I consider to be first true confession. I cried to the priest and poured out my soul desperate to be forgiven and scared that he would consider me to be a lost cause. That my sins had been to much for God to bear. With his response to my confession, I wept even more. I wept tears of thankfulness that God still loved me and still wanted me in His Church. Father told me my feelings were natural and ok and that God understands. That God is strong enough to handle our angriest feelings.
The parable of the prodigal son proves to us that it is never too late. So if you don't feel like you pleased Him how you wanted to today, don't give up. Tomorrow is a new day and there is time to repent and return to Jesus Christ, our Savior. There is also time for others you know who have walked away from the faith so don't give up on them either. Pray for them! Pray that they hear His voice calling them back and be their gentle reminder that they are never too far away to turn back to the faith.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Ephesians 3:20, 21
Ephesians 3:20, 21
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
I have to admit, I am a bit of a daydreamer at times. Not because I am unhappy with my current situation but more so because I like to imagine what other amazing things will occur in my life. I like to imagine having more children, what my children will someday grow into and accomplish, my husband and I growing old together. Now, logically I know that He will do greater things in my life than I could ever imagine. I think in my daydreaming, I am offering up to God my excitement to have Him work through me.
I am excited to where He will lead me, scared too, no doubt, but undeniably excited. The best, and worst, part of life is not knowing what more is to come. He is with us every day, with every decision and every failure is a burden He helps us bear, and every success is due to His glory. Funny how we often take on the blame when things go wrong and then give God the glory for things going right. But He is there for all of it, why not let Him share the experiences with us, good and bad. We do not have to carry these woes on our own and He is constantly working from within us.
When we let ourselves go, and I mean, let go of trying to control all the circumstances around ourselves, we open ourselves up to God's grace. We let Him know that we are ready and willing to do His work. Glory be to God that He will always provide us with what we need. We have to let go of what we think we want. With our children, we pass on our love for God and all His great works in an effort to teach our children not to be arrogant. What can be given can be taken but with Him we will never be at a loss.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
I have to admit, I am a bit of a daydreamer at times. Not because I am unhappy with my current situation but more so because I like to imagine what other amazing things will occur in my life. I like to imagine having more children, what my children will someday grow into and accomplish, my husband and I growing old together. Now, logically I know that He will do greater things in my life than I could ever imagine. I think in my daydreaming, I am offering up to God my excitement to have Him work through me.
I am excited to where He will lead me, scared too, no doubt, but undeniably excited. The best, and worst, part of life is not knowing what more is to come. He is with us every day, with every decision and every failure is a burden He helps us bear, and every success is due to His glory. Funny how we often take on the blame when things go wrong and then give God the glory for things going right. But He is there for all of it, why not let Him share the experiences with us, good and bad. We do not have to carry these woes on our own and He is constantly working from within us.
When we let ourselves go, and I mean, let go of trying to control all the circumstances around ourselves, we open ourselves up to God's grace. We let Him know that we are ready and willing to do His work. Glory be to God that He will always provide us with what we need. We have to let go of what we think we want. With our children, we pass on our love for God and all His great works in an effort to teach our children not to be arrogant. What can be given can be taken but with Him we will never be at a loss.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Monday, November 18, 2013
Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
I just watched an interview with one of the greatest Green Bay Packers and NFL players of all time, Brett Favre. Besides talking about football, he said something that I found very relevant to this scripture. "I don't just want to be remembered as a football player......Without two people, I wouldn't be here, I would be dead......Those people are Jesus Christ and Deanna (his wife)."
Isn't that true for all of us? That without Jesus Christ, our Father, and the Holy Spirit, that we would all cease to exist? He is the reason life is possible. The reason life is possible after death as well. What a sad existence to think that we would be walking around living our lives and then dying without the possibility of eternal life. I can't fathom the concept....
I guess that's what keeps you going when the days are tough, when times are bad, when tragedy strikes. He keeps us going, even when we would rather give up. Before I found my faith, I was so angry when things did not go as planned. Hopelessness was easy to fall into when facing difficulties. And forget about a light at the end of the tunnel, I was in a cave.
We have to do more than just believe in Him though, we have to seek Him. We have to learn about our faith through communities, literature, radio, etc. We have to go to church. The mass is a gift that He gave to us to receive Him, not His words, HIM. Can you believe that?! He becomes a part of us every time we go to the mass! We must pray to him, formally and informally. Don't be afraid to have a conversation with God. He is always listening. We have to trust in Him. We surrender to His will. The hardest thing to do, trust that He will lead you. Trust that He knows better than you.
All we need in this life to make it to the eternal life is the Trinity. Faith, family, friends, everybody else. Don't mis-prioritize your life. He will reward you!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
And without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
I just watched an interview with one of the greatest Green Bay Packers and NFL players of all time, Brett Favre. Besides talking about football, he said something that I found very relevant to this scripture. "I don't just want to be remembered as a football player......Without two people, I wouldn't be here, I would be dead......Those people are Jesus Christ and Deanna (his wife)."
Isn't that true for all of us? That without Jesus Christ, our Father, and the Holy Spirit, that we would all cease to exist? He is the reason life is possible. The reason life is possible after death as well. What a sad existence to think that we would be walking around living our lives and then dying without the possibility of eternal life. I can't fathom the concept....
I guess that's what keeps you going when the days are tough, when times are bad, when tragedy strikes. He keeps us going, even when we would rather give up. Before I found my faith, I was so angry when things did not go as planned. Hopelessness was easy to fall into when facing difficulties. And forget about a light at the end of the tunnel, I was in a cave.
We have to do more than just believe in Him though, we have to seek Him. We have to learn about our faith through communities, literature, radio, etc. We have to go to church. The mass is a gift that He gave to us to receive Him, not His words, HIM. Can you believe that?! He becomes a part of us every time we go to the mass! We must pray to him, formally and informally. Don't be afraid to have a conversation with God. He is always listening. We have to trust in Him. We surrender to His will. The hardest thing to do, trust that He will lead you. Trust that He knows better than you.
All we need in this life to make it to the eternal life is the Trinity. Faith, family, friends, everybody else. Don't mis-prioritize your life. He will reward you!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Sunday, November 17, 2013
1 Corinthians 2:9
1 Corinthians 2:9
but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."
Heaven! There are things we can't even fathom about heaven. We all have an idea of what heaven is. What it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like. We talk about what we will finally be able to do, like golf for a person who has been restricted by injury, or eat, for those of us who worry about calories. We talk about who we will see again, those who have passed before us. And we know, not assume, but KNOW that heaven will be everything and anything we could ever imagine it to be.
But now ponder this.....there are things about heaven, or heaven itself, that we can't even begin to imagine, fathom, or anticipate. We have not experienced it, we can't talk to anyone who has experienced it, and it is an experience beyond our earthly comprehension. Everything we do, in theory, is in an effort to get there. Imagine what the world would be like if we were consumed with not only making sure we are behaving in a manner that God will welcome us into heaven, but if we also helped our neighbor get there as well!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."
Heaven! There are things we can't even fathom about heaven. We all have an idea of what heaven is. What it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like. We talk about what we will finally be able to do, like golf for a person who has been restricted by injury, or eat, for those of us who worry about calories. We talk about who we will see again, those who have passed before us. And we know, not assume, but KNOW that heaven will be everything and anything we could ever imagine it to be.
But now ponder this.....there are things about heaven, or heaven itself, that we can't even begin to imagine, fathom, or anticipate. We have not experienced it, we can't talk to anyone who has experienced it, and it is an experience beyond our earthly comprehension. Everything we do, in theory, is in an effort to get there. Imagine what the world would be like if we were consumed with not only making sure we are behaving in a manner that God will welcome us into heaven, but if we also helped our neighbor get there as well!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Monday, November 11, 2013
Philippians 3:13, 14
Philippians 3:13, 14
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Everything we do here determines if we achieve that goal, the prize of eternal life. I don't understand being so concerned with how others are behaving and whether or not other people are achieving that goal. I mean, I worry about my children, of course, but that comes with the responsibility of being a mother. I will always worry about their souls and I hope to be able to help guide them in their choices so that they too can receive the gifts of God. But I don't stress about other people's relationship with God. And I don't understanding passing judgment on those who do not conduct themselves the way I would. I am far from perfect, as a wife, mother, friend, neighbor, etc. I believe that Jesus came here, teaching us to love, respect, and care for one another. I don't remember Him telling us to condemn, judge, and abhor each other.
So as I go along each day I try to remember what the goal is. And I try to remember to have empathy for everyone. There are plenty of things going on in other people's lives that we just don't know about. When someone doesn't respond to your communication, maybe they aren't trying to ignore you, maybe they have things they are dealing with in their own home that cause them to be distracted or just not in the mood to converse. We don't have to bare our souls to everyone we meet, instead it would be nicer if others had a level of patience and understanding for that which they do not know. We all face difficulties and we all are doing our best to reach that prized goal, or at least that's what I would like to believe, and until someone tells me outright that they have no desire to live eternally with our Father, I will just continue to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Everything we do here determines if we achieve that goal, the prize of eternal life. I don't understand being so concerned with how others are behaving and whether or not other people are achieving that goal. I mean, I worry about my children, of course, but that comes with the responsibility of being a mother. I will always worry about their souls and I hope to be able to help guide them in their choices so that they too can receive the gifts of God. But I don't stress about other people's relationship with God. And I don't understanding passing judgment on those who do not conduct themselves the way I would. I am far from perfect, as a wife, mother, friend, neighbor, etc. I believe that Jesus came here, teaching us to love, respect, and care for one another. I don't remember Him telling us to condemn, judge, and abhor each other.
So as I go along each day I try to remember what the goal is. And I try to remember to have empathy for everyone. There are plenty of things going on in other people's lives that we just don't know about. When someone doesn't respond to your communication, maybe they aren't trying to ignore you, maybe they have things they are dealing with in their own home that cause them to be distracted or just not in the mood to converse. We don't have to bare our souls to everyone we meet, instead it would be nicer if others had a level of patience and understanding for that which they do not know. We all face difficulties and we all are doing our best to reach that prized goal, or at least that's what I would like to believe, and until someone tells me outright that they have no desire to live eternally with our Father, I will just continue to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Psalms 121:1, 2
Psalms 121:1, 2
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made the heaven and earth.
We all go through difficult times. Some are more difficult than others. But no matter how difficult your days are, He is always there for you. He is waiting for you to call on Him for help because He longs to help you, just like any parent wants to help their child. He is there to guide you and love you, no matter what. And He will not let you fail. Look to Him in your darker times, He always provides you with what you need. Let Him help you.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made the heaven and earth.
We all go through difficult times. Some are more difficult than others. But no matter how difficult your days are, He is always there for you. He is waiting for you to call on Him for help because He longs to help you, just like any parent wants to help their child. He is there to guide you and love you, no matter what. And He will not let you fail. Look to Him in your darker times, He always provides you with what you need. Let Him help you.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Monday, November 4, 2013
1 Corinthians 13:6, 7
1 Corinthians 13:6, 7
[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Marriage is hard. My husband and I did not become enlightened with the faith until I was pregnant with our second child so we were able to "play house" for about a year before getting married. I thought that while we were living together that we were practically married. I was excited to get married and all that but I felt, at the time, that we were pretty much already married and were just missing a sheet of paper and some name changes. I was so excited to check the "married" box on any paperwork that asked me to!
Funny thing though, once we were truly married, things felt different. I can't really explain it, but it was just different. I knew that if I changed my mind about this person, it wasn't as easy as saying, "Ok, sorry, guess I don't like you as much as I thought I did. Later!" I knew that we had started a whole new chapter of our lives and that our lives together would forever be different. It was no longer all about me, my stuff, my wants, my concerns. It was about us, our stuff, our wants, our concerns. Now we needed to figure out how to make our relationship last forever, not just until we got tired enough to move out and move on.
I was really young (at least by today's standards) when I got married so I was pretty naïve. I thought that things would just be rosy forever. I thought that I would continue to enjoy cleaning up after my husband and that he would continue to find my emotional outbursts endearing. Anyone who has been married for any amount of time understands that this is not the case and once you are married you have to figure out everyday how to stay that way! There are things about my husband that make me fall in love with him each day. Even when I am mad at him (which is really just an expression of frustration or feeling like I am not being heard) there are things that I thank God for in him.
My husband and I were tested early in our marriage and we had to decide if we were going to work through any obstacle that came our way or if we wanted to just jump ship. We decided that we would rather face any difficulty together than alone. We continue to be tested and expect that, but we are determined to "bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things". I trust that so long as we keep God as the center of our marriage, we will be successful. Thank you God for finding the perfect partner for me, even if our marriage is not perfect all of the time!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Marriage is hard. My husband and I did not become enlightened with the faith until I was pregnant with our second child so we were able to "play house" for about a year before getting married. I thought that while we were living together that we were practically married. I was excited to get married and all that but I felt, at the time, that we were pretty much already married and were just missing a sheet of paper and some name changes. I was so excited to check the "married" box on any paperwork that asked me to!
Funny thing though, once we were truly married, things felt different. I can't really explain it, but it was just different. I knew that if I changed my mind about this person, it wasn't as easy as saying, "Ok, sorry, guess I don't like you as much as I thought I did. Later!" I knew that we had started a whole new chapter of our lives and that our lives together would forever be different. It was no longer all about me, my stuff, my wants, my concerns. It was about us, our stuff, our wants, our concerns. Now we needed to figure out how to make our relationship last forever, not just until we got tired enough to move out and move on.
I was really young (at least by today's standards) when I got married so I was pretty naïve. I thought that things would just be rosy forever. I thought that I would continue to enjoy cleaning up after my husband and that he would continue to find my emotional outbursts endearing. Anyone who has been married for any amount of time understands that this is not the case and once you are married you have to figure out everyday how to stay that way! There are things about my husband that make me fall in love with him each day. Even when I am mad at him (which is really just an expression of frustration or feeling like I am not being heard) there are things that I thank God for in him.
My husband and I were tested early in our marriage and we had to decide if we were going to work through any obstacle that came our way or if we wanted to just jump ship. We decided that we would rather face any difficulty together than alone. We continue to be tested and expect that, but we are determined to "bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things". I trust that so long as we keep God as the center of our marriage, we will be successful. Thank you God for finding the perfect partner for me, even if our marriage is not perfect all of the time!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
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