A place to find Hope

Tag: Lord (Page 1 of 2)

Who Do We Trust in This Not So Friendly World?

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It is hard to know who to trust anymore. The news media have tons of fake news. The people in congress seem to be lying all the time. Is there no hope, because of that?

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Suicide rates are very high now, especially in the military. To let you know…we are dead without Jesus.

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Now on to positive thoughts:

  1. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower. We can run into it and be safe.
  2. Our hope is anchored in the past. Jesus rose again.
  3. Our hope remains in the present. Jesus lives.
  4. Our hope is completed in the future. Jesus is coming again.

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We do not need to panic. If you are a Christian you are not part of this not so friendly world. Never let the darkside over come you with lies. Leave the darkness and go to the light of Jesus.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Some Say it is Bad to Be Rich. Really?

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I was reading the Bible the other day and had a big awakening. I read Mark Chapter 10. It told about being rich and how that can hard on you. Being rich hard? I had a hard time accepting that until I read the whole chapter.

This chapter is about rich ruler who comes up to Jesus and asks him what He needs to do to be a follower. Jesus told him, “Sell everything you have and give it to the poor and then follow me.”

The ruler looked very sad because he felt he was doing all right things in the eyes of God. Jesus told him different.

Later Jesus said in Mark 10:25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of god.”

I came up with some thoughts from this.

  1. We need to give away the things that’s blocking Jesus’ way.
  2. Give away barriers like that new boat, car house; give to the poor.
  3. The one thing you lack is everything you need, and that is Jesus.

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I also thought, “The cross before me and the world behind me.” Which way should I go?

I should follow Jesus and leave the world behind me. We are only here for a short while, and the rest is eternity. Eternity can be with the Lord, or with the dark one. Which one do you choose?

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Man’s Way Leads to a Hopeless End-God’s Way Leads to Endless Hope

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We are in the middle of putting together a Living Will and Trust. It is extremely complicated, and has many things you have to do to make it valid. We are charging ahead however, because we know how important it is to our family.

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Here is another excerpt from my first book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in the Unfriendly World, that won a national award.

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Man’s Way Leads to a Hopeless
End—God’s Way Leads to
Endless Hope


Chapter 5
A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD
will prosper. He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in
wisdom is safe.
—Proverbs 28:25–26


THERE ARE TIMES when I think I am doing fine and do not
need to worry about tomorrow. I will be strong against the
sin that I may face. Every time I feel that way, I fall flat on
my face, and I let Satan creep in inch by inch. You give Satan an
inch, and he will become the ruler. (Another great bumper sticker!)
God has a plan for me, and I need to understand that He already
had my life planned before I was even born. A plan was begun for
mankind before God put the first breath into Adam. God knows
my every move. Wherever I go, He will be there with me.
I sent a saying to my son when he was stationed in Iraq. It said,
“I know your name, and I will be with you wherever you go.” That
is true for everyone. He knows your name. He is wherever you go.
God cares for you.
And God even cares for “little people.” What I mean by little
people are the people who come into your church—the ones youcharity store,
don’t want to sit next to because they need a bath. They need help
because they don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
They are the hungry. Their clothes look like they came from a
charity store.
Let me make sure you understand! God always hears and loves
those who seek Him—little people or not. He doesn’t care what
they wear. He doesn’t care if they smell. He does care that they are
hungry. He does care that they need love—just like you do.
I realize that to love these people you are going out on a limb,
taking a risk. They could take advantage of you. They may want to
steal the church offering. But you should embrace them as people
of worth and welcome them into your church. God cares about
them—and you need to as well.
Speaking of taking a risk: Don’t you take a risk when you let
your daughter go to her first dance alone? Don’t you take a risk
when you give the car keys to your son for the first time? You worry
about them, but you love them enough to let them stretch their
wings a little. They are a little person in your eyes yet. They are
still your little girl or boy, but you trust them enough to let them
enjoy increasing independence.
Our heavenly Father takes a risk with His children every day.
He lets us stretch our wings. He trusts us to do the right things.
We don’t always do the right things, but God loves us just the same
as you would still love your children if they didn’t make the right
decisions.
We often try to make decisions without God’s help. But as the
bumper sticker says, “Man’s way leads to a hopeless end.”
Try to remember the risk takers from the Bible. Think of David
and his slingshot, Mary washing Jesus’ feet, Abraham raising his
knife to kill his son. They took the risk, but they relied on God to
help them. They had a heavenly Parent to trust them and protect
them. He let them stretch their wings because, “God’s way leads
to endless hope.”

Stay with God’s way, and the narrow path you walk will lead to
endless hope. The wider path leads to destruction, disappointment,
shame and despair. You may stretch your wings if you wish, but
stay the course that God has in mind for you, and you will receive
the fi nal reward—the eternal love of your heavenly Parent.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

—1 John 4:16
Further Adventures
Man’s way does lead to a hopeless end. We have all been there.
You think everything is going great and that you don’t need God
to help you during that time. Like clockwork, something knocks
you to your knees, and you are praying (crying) to God to help
you through it.
Let me suggest an alternative: Pray without ceasing! Let God
know every day about your day. If it was a good day, thank Him for
it. If it was a bad day, ask for His loving care. It is so easy to get in
touch with God. It is a much better way to communicate than any
electronic invention man has come up with. It is similar to e-mail,
except you would call it knee mail.


Something to Ponder
Isn’t it funny that if God is for us, no one can be against

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I will share more excerpts in the future so keep coming back to check them out. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future post will come directly to your inbox.

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Are you struggling in this not so friendly world? You aren’t alone. Many people struggle with what is happening in our world today.

FEAR NOT!! God is with you. He knows all your troubles. He knows what is best for you. Let Him guide you for the rest of your life.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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We Need to Slow Down Now and Let God Show Us the Way

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The timing of the COVID-19 vaccinations seems to be rolling along right now. However, I know there are many of you who haven’t even gotten your first one yet. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the format they have going.

In my home state the process seems to change every day. Caregivers only one day. Teachers only the next, then 80+ starting today. There needs to be some consistency to help the people be clear when they can get their shots.

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Random thoughts:

Lord, I am sorry when I forgot you are enough for me. I just want you and nothing else.

Ingratitude is bad and is very contagious like the virus.

Do you think our lives are much more enriched than existed in Moses’ time?

People are self centered when they pray, “Give us this day our daily bread, but throw in a Filet Mignon while you are at it.”

God always gives us what we need WHEN we need it.

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Is your world rotating just right for you, or is it too fast. Are you caught up in the “rat race?”

Time to slow down and enjoy the smell of the roses. This world is spinning out of control right now, but you do not need to be a part of it. We need to pray for patience and gratitude.

God will take care of everything if we just relax and let Him do it. The,
“I can do it on my own,” attitude doesn’t cut it.

Lean on God in prayer. You will feel better, and He will answer your prayer. Not necessarily the straight answer you want from him. But it is the answer He thinks you need.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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We Have to Remember God is Near to Help us

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I am tired and weary today. The rigorous days I have faced are slowing me down. I had a doctor’s appointment today that was good news. Sure needed that.

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We are close to our second week without knowing who our next president is going to be. There is growing evidence that something is not being done like it should be. My thoughts are that no matter who wins, it has to be fair and square. Not cheating. Time will tell.

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I really enjoyed my online church service last Sunday. It stressed calmness, and turning all of our burdens over to God. I have to reminded often about this. I take on way too many burdens that God could be helping me with.

The service online went on to say: We are never alone. One of my closing thoughts on every post I send out to you. Must be true then don’t you think?

Some think Jesus was very alone on the cross. Jesus was fulling human and felt in the ways we do. However, He was not alone. God was there with Him. You have to know that God was in pain watching His only Son die.

My pastor also mentioned that God allowed all the turmoil we are going through right now, because He wanted to bring the world closer together. Makes sense to me.

It’s almost like we have all fallen asleep about God being there for us. We fear everything. We doubt everyone. We are angry way too much.

Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Be anxious about nothing.” That pretty much covers it in my world.

If you have fallen asleep like so many Christians seemed to have done, wake up, it is time to praise the Lord. Do not hold it in any longer!!

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I hear you when you say, “I love the Lord, but I am overwhelmed with burdens.”

In this day and age, there seems to be way too many burdens each of us has to carry. Stop in your tracks right now and turn all of them over to God. Now, can’t you feel the weight lifting off of your shoulders. I do every time I give him my hurts, disappointments and fear.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Surprises Tear Into Our Daily Struggles in Life

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What a day I have had so far. Had a doctor’s appointment early this morning and it was almost frightening.

My doctor surprised me with a dementia test. He was concerned and wanted to see if my thinking process was OK.

He handed me a sheet with several test questions on it. He pointed to the first one where I had to draw a line from dot to dot. Somehow I missed number ten. BUSTED!

Then he had me draw a copy of a square that was on the page. It seemed like an optical illusion to me so I blew it there too. BUSTED!

Then he had me read five words in a row three times. After that he had me repeat them without looking. Got four out of five. PASSED!

Then he had me name three pictures of animals. Peachy easy! Passed.

He went on to me repeating two sentences right after he said them. Aced!! Passed!

He then aske me what year, month and day it was. He finished that part with what day of the week it was. My mind blocked. (I am retired. What do I know about days of the week.) Before he went on I blurted out WEDNESDAY! He allowed that. PASSED IT!

The final question from him was the game changer. If I missed it I failed the test. He asked me what the five words were that he had me say at the beginning of the test. I named four out of five. He said that this test was the best one he had had in many months. PASSED! 27 out of 30!

He suggested that I do a lot of crossword puzzles, and solitaire to keep my brain active. Already doing both of them.

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Do you like surprises? Is it hard to accept them? We all have surprises every day. The car won’t start. You turned on the wrong street. You forgot your cell phone. (I do that a lot.)

Surprises are hard, at best, hard to handle, but they come and test us frequently.

We still have our Lord looking out for us even when those pesky surprises attack us. He is there to calm the spirit and let us handle them.

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Do not give in to this world. We are not part of it. We are only here for a short while if we believe. The world is a very scary place right now. The pandemic is just getting worse. The rioting has not stopped. Wild fires are still burning. The election is upon us.

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We need to remember that God is our fortress during our storms. He will never let us face something that we can not handle. Lean on Him during these troubling times.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Let God be in Charge as You Walk the Rough Paths

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Just received some wonderful news. I was tested for the COVID-19 virus and it was negative. A huge relief. Thank you Lord!!!

When I had my test done, there was a big line of others needing the test. Not a good sign. I hope they all tested negative like I did.

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I was very worried before the results came back. I am older than most and I have a couple underlining problems. If I do ever get the virus, I am toast.

I just started thinking about the results. I just saw them five minutes ago. Why was I so worried? When didn’t I trust the Lord. 99% of what we worry about never happens. We just need to give the rest to God.

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Have you been faced with the unknown? Did you fret and worry? How many times did it really work out to be serious. Not very many times I am guessing. Please rely on God to help you with your fears.

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I went for a walk the other day. The smoke in Oregon had cleared and I needed to get out my prison because of the virus.

As I was walking everything look so different. The flowers looked more beautiful. The trees looked more majestic. Even the people I met seemed very happy. Of course, this could very easily been because I had been locked up for so long. I don’t think so though. Looking at God’s creations excites me no matter when it is. It is all around you. Check it out on your next walk.

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Never take anything for granted. Let God guide you through the tough paths you have to walk. Remember to let him be in charge.

He loves you. He made you in His own image, and he wouldn’t do that if He didn’t want you as His child.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Thoughts for Survival inThis Not so Friendly World

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I really loved just putting positive thoughts on my last post. That’s what this site is all about.

With all the turmoil we have been going through for months, I saw some lyrics from a song that fits perfectly:

To God:

  1. Let the rain of your love soak our souls.
  2. Let it come as a flood.
  3. (for the West Coast people facing wild fires.) You bring beauty from the ashes.

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Some of my own thoughts:

  1. 34% of all quotes from the founding fathers came from the Bible.
  2. Our #1 prioity is read the gospel of Jesus Christ, and not some politicians words.
  3. You have read in the Bible, “Give onto Ceasers what is Ceasers, and give onto to God what is God’s.” That means go ahead and pay your taxes to the government, but obey God. (Matthew 4:8-10)
  4. you ahve heard the new term of “Canceled culture.” That means to eliminate a culture that doesn’t agree with you. That is what is happening in the rioting. They are trying to destroy our way of life to fit theirs.
  5. Forgiveness:

A. Pray for those who pursecute you. Do not dwell on the incident.

B. Do not bring the rpoblem up again.

C. Do not talk to others about it.

D. Do not let it hinder the relationship.

Remember, Jesus always has and atitude of forgiveness.

If we don’t forgive others, we are turning our back on God’s forgiveness.

We aren’t sinless, but we can sin less.

Without god as your centerpiece, you will fail.

To fear the Lord is to take God seriously.

A Christian life is never boring.

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To survive:

  1. Be on guard.
  2. Stand firm in the faith.
  3. Be courageous.
  4. Be strong.
  5. Do everything in love.

Much of what is written above will give you peace and hope. Reread each of the words and let them guide you.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

Bad Things Happen When you Least expect it.

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Had a very intersting weekend. Went and stayed in Portland for my niece’s wedding. Yes, that is the Portland that has had 101 straight days of rioting. Well, we hit it lucky. The smoke from the wild fires in Oregon was so thick, the rioters were too much of cowards to come out and play. Of course they were back in full force today.

Ted Wheeler, (Weak Man) told the Portland Police they couldn’t use tear gas anymore because it was too harmful. So the Federal Agents protecting the Federal buildings used it instead. I love it!!

I know this all sounds harsh, but people have died; businesses have been destroyed, and many police were hurt.

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Let’s move on to happier moments.

Like I said, we were there for my niece’s wedding. It was a very beautiful wedding held in a very small church that is a histroical meusum. It had the old wooden pews with carvings on them. The walls were wooden, The platform was very small, but fit for this small wedding.

My grand Nephew carried the rings. He released the tension a little by dropping the rings not once but twice. His mom just laughed and kept doing her vows.

My wife lost one of her diamond ear rings, so there was some panic for a while. As I was out to the car checking there, I asked the lord to guide us to the ring.

When I got back one of the attendies found it outside in the rain. My wife was overwhelmed with joy. Thank you Lord.

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Then we went to the reception

It was held at the top steak place in town called, The Morton’s. There was much relaxing, and laughing during this time. People who didn’t know each other mingled, and we all were one by the time it was over.

There were some interesting things that happened during the gathering. I was the center of two of them. About half way through the toasting I knocked over my champaigne glass, and it went all over my shirt and suit pants. That was extremenly imbrassing, but my wife was very kind and consoled me.

Then a few mintues later, I knocked over my water glass. It spilled all over where the wine had spilled. I joked, ” I did that on purpose to wash out the chanpaigne!” I was very silent much of the rest of the time, because I felt so badly about what I had done.

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We eat the wedding cake, said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel.

I was beyond exhausted at that time, and got ready for bed immediatley. My wife was busy getting cloths back to her sister we had stored for them.

Finally got into bed and concked out fast. Half way through the night I fell out of bed and hit my head on the end table by the bad. Got a bump on my head, but I am OK now, because I am back in my lovely home resting up.

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Have you been through sudden stress like I went through heavy stress three times in one day?

Have you wondered why me? I did. I kept asking the Lord to help me through everything, and he did. Everytime I had a crises someone came to me to give me encouragement. When I fell out of my bed, Charlotte was right there helping me.

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We all face stress.

There will be stormy days where it seems nothing is going right. You may even feel like you should have stayed in bed on those days.

God is always there for you.

He never leaves you. He is just a prayer away. Don’t be discouraged. God will not let you go through anything He feels you can not handle.

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Be strong. Do not let the dark side overcome you. Seek the light at all times.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

There is Fear Because of Wild Fires, Riots, and the Pandemic

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The wild fires are out of control. Two big fires are about to merge here, and then that area will be an inferno. I pray that you are not affected by the fires. We are on a stage one here right now. The fires are about 15-20 miles away. That is pretty close.

So may people are under tremendous stress right now. There are the wild fires, rioting in the big cities, looting and arson, plus the pandemic. It is pretty overwhelming for the average Joe like me.

This is suicide prevention month. I fear that many people are thinking there is no more hope and are considering this. Do not let the dark side overcome you! Go to the light of Jesus. He is your fortress, your comfort, and your savior. Pray to him for your families and your safety.

If you are at the end of your rope and can’t go on, there is a toll free number to call for help. There are highly qualified counsleors there to help you. They will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255

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When I think of all of this turmoil, I think of Paul, who was shipwrecked, beaten, put in jail, bitten by a snake, and disliked by many people.

Yet, this man fought hard for the Lord. He loved the people. He reached out to them, and gave them comfort.

This was a man that was killing Jews, and dispised by his fellow people. He had his awaking on the road to Damascus. Jesus wondered why he was so against Him. Paul fell down and was blinded for a while. That woke him up big time.

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Where are you at today? Do you dispise the way God is running the show? Do you wish He would end all of the tragic happens? I am with you there. I so would like all this pain to go away, but we have to always remember, GOD IS IN CHARGE!

He knows what is happening, and there is a reason for His approach.

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We, as Christians have to be strong to show those who do not believe how we react, and then they will say, “I want to be like them.”

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If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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