Chickens outnumber people 4:1, they have more in common, anatomically, with dinosaurs than humans, you can mail order up to 350 different varieties of chicks, and roosters really are much meaner than hens.

The post Book Review: Sy Montgomery shares ‘What the Chicken Knows’ in new mini hardcover appeared first on Boston.com.

More social workers are working in libraries in recent years.

The post Boston-area libraries are employing social workers. Here’s why. appeared first on Boston.com.

The paper was never completed after the teacher discovered its use of AI. The high schooler received a zero and was allowed to start again. He was given a D on the second effort.

The post Parents of Hingham student disciplined for using AI await federal judge’s ruling appeared first on Boston.com.

The Russian Embassy called the officials' announcement “baseless” in an emailed statement, saying Russia “has not interfered and does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, including the United States.”

The post Federal agencies say Russia and Iran are ramping up influence campaigns targeting U.S. voters appeared first on Boston.com.

From a headless horseman to DunKings to Barbie.

The post These are the very best Halloween costumes we saw in Salem appeared first on Boston.com.

One is in Massachusetts.

The post 3 of the best places to visit in December are in New England, according to Good Housekeeping appeared first on Boston.com.

What's more, guests who book an overnight stay can score lift tickets for free.

The post A New Hampshire ski area is offering $4 lift tickets in December appeared first on Boston.com.

I was climbing another mountain. I was near the top, sure I’d reach it soon, but this time I wasn’t making any progress...

Hello, worship leader! My name is Amanda Blankenship. I could put Pastor in front of my name or send you a whole list of job titles that have included everything from Worship Director to Songwriting Pastor as part of some really awesome ministries and churches. But really I’m just a woman on a journey, finding purpose and authority by discovering my Godly identity. So although we could discuss team building and leadership or continue debating what type of songs we should be leading, I’d much rather just talk to you today about identity. Not the worship leader or the worship pastor...just you.

I might not be that old..at least I don’t think I’m that old - haha, but I have spent a lifetime working in and for the church. I’m a preacher’s kid who has seen the beauty and ugliness of church life. And although there have been seasons of hurt and confusion, I could never shake the love I had for God’s people and the desire in my heart to serve her.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.   - Psalm 27:4

To answer the call to serve God’s people, I obtained my local license, a Masters Degree in Ministry, and district licensing within a crazy two years, and all while serving my local church. And when I had to chance to head out and start my own worship team as the lead Worship Pastor, I went for it!  It was a start up and I had to build the entire department from the ground up: AV, Vocalists, Band, everything. We started small, but grew quickly and before I knew it, I had a full team of wonderful people to minister with. I absolutely loved it. I love leading. I love learning. I love building teams, equipping people. And yes, I even love the planning and organization of the ministry and the services. It was perfect! Everything made sense. I had answered God’s call. I had worked to achieve the position of worship pastor and I wasn’t too bad at it either.

Back to that mountain I mentioned earlier.

God has always shown me stages of life in visions of a journey. They are often vague and far off, but they are enough to light the way, enough to keep me on the right path. Well, every time God took me back to this particular mountain, I was still standing in the same place, looking at the top, but no closer to its summit.

God began speaking to me and my husband telling us that it was time for me to step down as worship pastor of the church.  I had built the team he needed me to build and it was time for them to do it without me, time for me to move on. I wasn’t surprised, for He had told me from the beginning of the startup that I would not be there long, but I didn’t expect it so soon.  And I had absolutely no next step. I selfishly worried about everything I would lose if I quit. In a prayer I wrote to God at the time, I remember talking to him about it and saying, “God, you know I love to lead worship and equip people and build teams and ...etc...why would you take this from me now? I won’t have anywhere to fulfill my calling!”

Can you imagine saying this to God? Let me tell you, He was quick to remind me who owns all the resources and who put those desires and passions in my heart in the first place.

He then took me back to that mountain but this time he widened my view. I could not only see the top of the mountain, but I could also see myself standing on the mountain. I was surprised by what I saw. I was standing on side of that mountain with my arms stretched wide, trying to push all kinds of stuff up the mountain with me: people, job titles, resources, education.... everything I had worked so hard to accomplish and obtain.

And God said, “Let them go.”

“Let them go?", I asked,  "All of it? Let it ALL go?”

“Yes," He replied, "All I want is you.”

Tears filled my eyes. Panic gripped my heart. “But God, I’ve worked so hard. I’ve pushed them all this way... I can make it. I can get it ALL up there.”

“No you can’t. You aren’t supposed to. Let them go.”

As I stood there shaking and straining to keep it all balanced, I still begged for assurance. Would it all be lost? If I let them go, were they going to stay there or plummet to the bottom of the mountain and be destroyed?

“God, is it just for now or forever?” I asked.

He didn’t reply and I knew it was time for a decision.

How badly did I want what God had for me? Was I willing to strip myself of all the labels and titles and just be Amanda? “How could that be enough?” I thought.

I looked to the top of the mountain once more, but this time I didn’t look back down at the things in my arms. Instead, I took a deep breath and slowly released them. Every. Single. One.  Until nothing was left.

I finished the climb to the top and stood before God with nothing to offer but my love and my heart. No fancy titles, degrees or accolades, just me, imperfect, vulnerable, but absolutely loved and absolutely known. I heard His voice one last time. And this time he said, “You are enough.”

Saint Francis of Assisi, AD 1181-1226, Assisi, Italy, was the founder of the Franciscan Order. Early in life, his own father took him to court over money that he had used to serve the church. And on the day of the trial, Francis not only handed back his father every dime, but he also removed all of his clothes and placed them in his father’s hands and said: “From now on I can freely say ‘Our Father who art in heaven’, not father Pietro di Bernardone, to whom, behold, I give up, not only the money, but all my clothes too”. A bishop who witnessed the dialogue was so moved by Francis’s willingness to give everything he had, he took off his mantle and put it around the young Francis, “while physically clothing his nakedness, [it] also symbolized a transfer of dignity and respect.” (Poets and Saints, p.170-171)

Worship leader, I’m not sure where you are on the journey up the mountain, whether you’ve just begun or you’ve made it to the top, but know this. There will never be a time that you empty yourself and stand naked before the Lord that He won’t CLOTHE YOU with grace, DIGNIFY what you feel is worthless, and bestow AUTHORITY for you to fulfill the calling on your life! Don’t be afraid to follow Him into the unknown and don’t hold to titles and position more than you do your calling. Your calling is to the people of God and your responsibility is first and foremost to the Lord Himself!

So although I don’t go by Pastor Amanda anymore, God has given me more people to pastor outside of the church than He ever did in. He is using my songwriting, my worship leading, my love for building teams, everything! Maybe one day it will have a name or a title again, but I’m okay if it doesn’t. I will be content to be Amanda. I will worship. I will lead others to worship and follow after God with fierceness. To faithfully follow even when it doesn’t make sense. I will be free and when the next mountain comes, because it will, I will know that I am enough!

Why don’t we dream?

Now I’m not talking about while you sleep, or letting your mind wander during the sermon on Sunday (you know who you are), I’m talking about the ideas and follow through that can shape an entire generation’s future. After all, this is one of the greatest ages of all to dream big. There has been no better time in history to be able to spread news, media and information quickly and efficiently, than today.

Sure, we live in an age of fake news and misinformation, but have we looked at the endless possibilities of what we can accomplish in this information age for the gospel, or for your own families and communities? Have you ever dreamed beyond your current capabilities?

I was visiting Europe recently and asked the locals what they thought of the west (dangerous question, I know) and the difference between our cultures. The answer surprised me. It wasn’t negative or biased, it was actually thought provoking and interesting. They said:

“Western cultures breed dreamers. They don’t have to be experts to do something. They can go out, and do it. No-one tells them they can’t, therefore...they can. Europeans typically don’t work this way. If you are not a master of your craft you have no business creating anything in that field. That’s a big difference.”

Now, that can be eye opening. How many times have we told ourselves we can’t do something because we were too inexperienced, or we lack the necessary skills. Trust me, God loves ideas. He loves for His people to dream beyond their capabilities. Why? Because that’s when we truly HAVE to rely on Him. He gets all the glory, as He should.

Remember, God IS the creator of all things. ALL THINGS. So you can sit there reading this and nonchalantly nod your head and say “Well, duh. Of course”, but don’t you realize that means we can connect with Him directly? We can dream along with Him and get His ideas for our lives??

Church Life

For some, it may seem like the only way to achieve the greatness for God is to endlessly try to regurgitate something that the “world” does so well, when in reality, we should go to the creator of all things and access something new, or something fresh for your local, national or global church body! You were destined to change the world’s thinking!

The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.  Ephesians 1:23 (MSG)

For me, I totally understand the battle of my own mind to either copy a new trend or fad because it’s relevant or cool. But, what if I could establish new trends by talking to the Father who can out-create anything anyone could think or imagine? What could you accomplish then?

So, in saying all that, let’s dream again. Let’s revive those dreams you slowly let fade away. Who said you can’t write that blog/song/screenplay, start that business, preach the gospel, innovate ideas and send those ideas around the world? Pray that God will download His ideas and strategies into your life. Love Him and trust that He will come through on every occasion. Then the easy part is just to be obedient...

...but that’s for another blog.

The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true: an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction. Proverbs 21:21 (TPT)

Pray and ask the Father for new, fresh ideas, or ways to follow through with your current ones. God wants them. The church wants them, and you know what? I need them.  

Dustin and James talk about the current worship culture. Big topic right? They talk through image and what the culture of worship looks like, and maybe what it should (and could) look like.

You won’t want to miss the insights here from some of the best worship leaders in the world. OK, that's highly debatable, but they’ve been around for ages, at least ...

-----------------

The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship in partnership with WeAreWorship.

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
The Worship Podcast on Facebook
The Worship Podcast on Instagram
The Worship Podcast on Twitter

Nov. 3—WILKES-BARRE — The great thing about Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago — and even Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles — is that those ball parks still sit exactly where they were when they first opened. Yes Fenway and Wrigley are the two oldest ballparks in Major League Baseball and Dodger Stadium. Chavez Ravine, is the third oldest. The point here is that those ballparks ...

The Baseball Writers' Association of America on Nov. 11 announced the finalists for its Rookie of the Year Awards. Many Boston Red Sox fans take issue with its American League selections. Red Sox rookie Wilyer Abreu was not selected among the three AL ROY finalists. Colton Cowser, Austin Wells and Luis Gil — all AL East rivals — are the three youngsters nominated for this season's title.

Corey Kluber dominated the American League for most of the 2010s. The Red Sox knew plenty about that as the right-hander dominated the club in his lone playoff start against them during the 2016 American League Division Series. Kluber suited up for five teams, including three in the American League East, over his MLB career. Not only did the Red Sox value his veteran experience, they named him the Opening Day starter in efforts to protect Chris Sale to start the season.

This week Zorba and Karl look at a study about how kids benefit more when parents step back and let them take the lead, and they talk discuss how laughter […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how children’s food pickiness may be pre-disposed, and they talk about why black women are more likely to undergo unnecessary C-sections. Plus, they share […]

After our wonderful seven year run, The Brody File show is ending. Watch our last show full of memories, interviews and a few surprises. Thank you for watching throughout the years. Lots of new exciting plans on the way!

Dealing with Iran: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he and incoming President Donald Trump are on the same page about the threats from Iran after phone calls since Trump's election victory, Iran's supreme leader and foreign ministry hin

So here we are. Stuc- I mean, blessed being home with the fruit of our loins all the merry day.  Even the best, most patient of mothers find themselves feeling extra angst and exhaustion, not having anywhere to go, or to socialize with during quarantine. Here are some helpful tips to get us through. All to be exercised with a constant stream of prayer, and high end caffeine, of course. Create delusional time blocks for activities. It can be mind-numbingly boring sitting on the ground playing...

“I miss you, too.” How many of us grandparents have found ourselves saying that way too often during this coronavirus pandemic? The hugs and kisses and snuggles are beginning to feel like distant memories. Will things ever return to the way they used to be? How can we grandparents be intentionally involved in the lives of our grandkids during this season of social distancing and sheltering in place? Let’s ask God to help us to . . . Be intentional!  How might you use available technology for...

“How could we have prepared for this?” Operation Blessing’s Disaster Relief team hears these words all too often after a disaster destroys a family home. Nobody knows when disaster will strike, so it’s important to be prepared with a disaster emergency kit. Does your family know what do to in case of disaster? How prepared are you? These fun questions are designed to spark a family conversation about your specific preparation plan. Here are some suggested talking points. When will you stay?...

Author Mark Gregston has been working with teens for over 40 years. His years as a youth minister and area director for Young Life inform his expertise and passion for helping teens through their most turbulent years. He and his wife Jan have opened their home to those in need of guidance, or even just a warm hug from a caring parent. After moving their family to Texas, Greg and Jan started Heartlight, a residential counseling center for struggling teens and families in crisis. Now, after years...

Iran threatens missile strikes, Israeli air defenses shoot drones from Iraq. Analysis:John Waage on U.S. elections & Yigal Carmon (MEMRI) on how Iran's ethnic minorities could throw off the Islamic regime. Jewish friends in Shiloh pray for America.

I recently read an article that asked the question, “Are you taking enough risks?”  This is an important question in our work life because without taking risks we will not grow.   While some people's personalities drive them toward taking risks, many people only take risks in their professional life when forced to do so. The layoffs and furloughs forced by COVID-19 have catapulted workers out of what felt like stable jobs into unexpected job searches. Millions of people found stability replaced...

Africans are moving into cities in unprecedented numbers. Lagos, Nigeria, is growing by 77 people an hour — it's on track to become a city of 100 million. In 30 years, the continent is projected to have 14 mega-cities of more than 10 million people. It's perhaps the largest urban migration in history.

These cities are not like Dubai, or Singapore, or Los Angeles. They’re uniquely African cities, and they’re forcing all of us to reconsider what makes a city modern. And how and why cities thrive.

To find out what's going on, we go to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to talk with entrepreneurs, writers, scholars and artists. In this hour, produced in partnership with the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI) — a global consortium of 270 humanities centers and institutes — we learn how the continent where the human species was born is building the cities of the future.

Original Air Date: December 14, 2019

Guests:

Dagmawi Woubshet — Julie Mehretu — Emily Callaci — James Ogude — Ato Qyayson — Teju Cole — Meskerem Assegued

Interviews In This Hour:

Rediscovering the Indigenous City of Addis Ababa — 'People As Infrastructure' — A Tour Of The Networked City — 'I Am Because We Are': The African Philosophy of Ubuntu — How Pan-African Dreams Turned Dystopic — Decoding Global Capitalism on One African Street — Life in the Diaspora: How Teju Cole Pivots Between Cultures — Can Artists Create the City of the Future?

Further Reading:

CHCI

If you look at a mountain, you might see a skiing destination, a climbing challenge, or even a source of timber to be logged or ore to be mined. But there was a time when mountains were sacred. In some places, they still are. What changes when you think of a mountain not as a giant accumulation of natural resources, but as a living being?

Today’s show is part of our project on kinship with the more-than-human world — produced in collaboration with the Center for Humans and Nature, and with support from the Kalliopeia Foundation. You’ll find more information about the project at ttbook.org/kinship and humansandnature.org.

Original Air Date: July 24, 2021

Guests:

John Hausdoerffer — Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk — David Hinton — Lisa Maria Madera

Interviews In This Hour:

What Do You Owe The Mountains Around You? — 'These Are Live, Active Places': A Ute Activist Fights To Save The Bears Ears National Monument — A Poet Finds Life Lessons on Hunger Mountain — 'I Was Born To Volcanoes'

The pandemic has made it clear that parents are walking a tightrope with no safety net. We talk to parents about how they want to change the system, what it's like to raise black boys in a time of racial injustice, and how we might learn from ancient cultures to improve our parenting skills.

Original Air Date: May 22, 2021

Guests:

Alissa Quart — Brittany Powell — Michaeleen Doucleff — Amaud Jamaul Johnson — Cherene Sherrard

Interviews In This Hour:

A Parenting Movement Emerges From the Pandemic — Modern Parenting Tips From Ancient Civilizations — Two Poets On Raising Black Teenage Boys In America

Further Reading:

Economic Hardship Reporting Project

Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.

Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Without skilled workers, both productivity and quality drops, and it can drop dramatically.

Employers, manufacturers, distributors, contractor services, and career seekers with entry-level to advanced experience are all invited to attend the 2022 Insulation Career Fair & Training Expo. 

With ransomware attacks on high profile businesses like Colonial Pipeline and JBS Foods in the headlines, construction managers at organizations of all sizes are increasingly asking, “Are we vulnerable too?” or even “Are we next?”

Advice for women in the construction industry to keep in mind.

When a blues music aficionado uses the term “old school,” he may be referring to artists such as Muddy Waters, Etta James, John Lee Hooker or B.B. King. When old school country music artists are discussed, names such as Bob Wills, Hank Williams Sr., Jimmie Rogers and Patsy Cline will certainly be mentioned. In this instance, old school is used in a positive way. The inference is that these artists were pioneers in their field and that their contributions have stood the test of time and that their art is still considered relevant, even though it was produced decades ago.

Passive fire protection is an essential aspect of gypsum construction. Gypsum firewalls of various types (shaft walls, simple partitions, etc.) prevent fire from spreading without relying on mechanical means of control, such as sprinkling.

Knauf has been awarded a $3.28 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve its Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations. The grant will allow Knauf to provide accurate and reliable information, helping industry professionals make informed, eco-friendly choices and contribute to a more sustainable built environment.

Founded in 1965, LPA Inc., is known as one of the largest integrated design firms in California. With extensive experience in public and private architecture, LPA designs a diversity of facilities that span from K-12 schools, colleges and universities, to civic, corporate, religious and retail establishments.

From comfort, fit and dexterity to protection and durability features for harsh job site conditions, each high-performance glove from Makita meets the needs of the most demanding professional.

Research by the Directory of Social Change analyses governance reviews carried out by more than 1,100 users of its app

The owners of Evolution Drywall Inc. in Palm Coast, Florida, were charged with insurance fraud and organized fraud in 2018 but were cleared a year later, reported Ray Boone of Palm Coast Observer. A judge ruled that no restitution needed to be made.

Dunes Point Capital LP has sold Unified Door and Hardware Group LLC to Foundation Building Materials LLC. Located in Pennsauken, New Jersey, Unified is a value-added distributor of doors and related hardware for commercial building applications.

Participants at the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s 2024 Fall Conference heard color forecasts from an expert in the field, who shared an exploration of trends emerging and evolving in the building products market over the next three to five years.

Several training and education opportunities took place during the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s 2024 Fall Conference in Minneapolis, including an informative session on mockup testing in construction, a primer on corrosion, and an educational, hands-on workshop demonstrating proper application of materials common in fenestration installation, as presented by the FGIA Wall Interface Council.

Those participating in the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s 2024 Fall Conference, which was held in Minneapolis, heard the ways in which Minnesota is leading the nation when it comes to commercial energy codes and efficiency, as well as efforts to mitigate the impact of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances on the environment and local drinking water supply.

A growing number of sector chief executives successfully juggle the day job with parental duties. John Plummer talks to four of them about how they make it work

Exciting things are on the horizon! After months of planning, designing and refining, MarinoWARE announced the launch of its brand-new website — built just for you.

The Magnetic Combination Square hand tool features a magnetic locking system and durable, quality construction.

Finding new software for your construction business can be overwhelming. If you’re in the market for the right estimating software, you are looking for the fastest, more accurate tools to help you calculate labor and materials.

In the highly competitive world of the walls and ceilings trade, all efficiencies that can be gained—from the takeoff process through the project build-out—begins with a high-quality bid. 

For many cost estimators, the days of working with full-size plans and a single digitizer are a thing of the past. 

Communication drives culture and behaviour, so it pays to be alert to the narratives around us