Rose Thompson faces an unknown future with a trail of shattered dreams and devastating betrayal. But with the help of her faithful new Tinkers Well friends and her irrepressible grandmother, she picks up the pieces to discover her own strengths and a true vision that will face many trials on the road to fruition. Abe, army vet and former Muslim turned Christ follower, must embark on his own shaky path that not only challenges his new faith but his closest relationships as well. And Tim Ludlow and his mother, Marilyn, encounter a ghost from the past that leaves them walking a fine line between doubt and hope in the redemptive power of God’s forgiveness. Throw in an epic storm, a burgeoning romance, and the hilarious antics of Granny Gert and her old school chum, Aletha, who are as nosy and conniving as they are kind and generous, and Rose can’t help but find more adventure than even she could imagine.
She wanted her husband to attend the town’s society-driven church. God answered her prayer in a radical way. An emptiness dogs Mary Lynn Scoville. But it shouldn’t. After all, she’s achieved what few believed possible. Born in the rural south, she has reached the pinnacle of worldly success in Charleston, South Carolina. Married to a handsome real estate developer and mother to three accomplished daughters, Mary Lynn is one Debutante Society invitation away from truly having it all. And yet, it remains—an emptiness that no shopping trip, European vacation, or social calendar can fill. When a surprise encounter leads her to newfound faith, Mary Lynn longs to share it with her husband. But Jackson wrote God off long ago. Mary Lynn prays for him on Christmas Eve . . . and her husband undergoes a life-altering Damascus Road experience. As Jackson begins to take the implications of the Gospel literally, Mary Lynn feels increasingly isolated from her husband . . . and betrayed by God. She only wanted Jackson beside her at church on Sunday mornings, not some Jesus freak who evangelizes prostitutes and invites the homeless to tea. While her husband commits social suicide and the life they worked so hard for crumbles around them, Mary Lynn wonders if their marriage can survive. Or if perhaps there really is a more abundant life that Jackson has discovered, richer than any she’s ever dreamed of.
This book focuses on the artistic process, creativity and collaboration, and personal approaches to creation and ideation, in making digital and electronic technology-based art. Less interested in the outcome itself – the artefact, artwork or performance – contributors instead highlight the emotional, intellectual, intuitive, instinctive and step-by-step creation dimensions. They aim to shine a light on digital and electronic art practice, involving coding, electronic gadgetry and technology mixed with other forms of more established media, to uncover the practice-as-research processes required, as well as the collaborative aspects of art and technology practice.
Rose Thompson set out for Tinkers Well, Kansas, with no expectations for anything but a quiet summer spent with her kind but outspoken grandmother during their visit to the home of Granny Gert's old school chum, the wealthy widow Aletha Mason. Raised in a quiet town with no real excitement, Rose had always longed for adventure yet had resigned herself to never actually experiencing any. But as luck would have it, she is unexpectedly swept into a fairy-tale romance with Simon, the personification of male perfection, volunteers to help with the resurrection of a decrepit but glorious old Victorian mansion, and develops surprisingly rich friendships with three army-veterans-turned-home-renovators. In the course of her exploits, she learns that blissful dreams aren't always what they seem and that faith in the reality of God's grace and purpose is richer and more rewarding than any fantasy.
The Game: Intersect. It is love manufactured, distilled and transmitted directly into the minds of billions. Played by an elite group of young women over a worldwide network of computers, it enthralls humankind with its beauty. But there is a dark side to Intersect, its love commanding a price higher than any can imagine. This is the story of Shannon O'hea, the greatest player of her time, and of Georgie Collins, a young, avid fan. Against the backdrop of the World Championship, both will learn the dangers of Intersect and its hidden cost, and as they unravel its secrets, each will face a struggle for their own salvation.
The themes of war and time are intertwined in unique ways in Japanese culture, freighted as that nation is with the multiple legacies of World War II: the country’s militarization, its victories and defeats, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the uneasy pacifism imposed by the victors. Delving into topics ranging from the production of wartime propaganda to the multimedia adaptations of romance narrative, contributors to the fourth volume in the Mechademia series address the political, cultural, and technological continuum between war and the everyday time of orderly social productivity that is reflected, confronted, and changed in manga, anime, and other forms of Japanese popular culture. Grouped thematically, the essays in this volume explore the relationship between national sovereignty and war (from the militarization of children as critically exposed in Grave of the Fireflies to reworkings of Japanese patriotism in The Place Promised in Our Early Days), the intersection of war and the technologies of social control (as observed in the films of Oshii Mamoru and the apocalyptic vision of Neon Genesis Evangelion), history and memory (as in manga artists working through the trauma of Japan’s defeat in World War II and the new modalities of storytelling represented by Final Fantasy X), and the renewal and hybridization of militaristic genres as a means of subverting conventions (in Yamada Futaro’s ninja fiction and Miuchi Suzue’s girl knight manga). Contributors: Brent Allison; Mark Anderson; Christopher Bolton, Williams College; Martha Cornog; Marc Driscoll, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Angela Drummond-Mathews, Paul Quinn College; Michael Fisch; Michael Dylan Foster, Indiana U; Wendy Goldberg; Marc Hairston, U of Texas, Dallas; Charles Shiro Inouye, Tufts University; Rei Okamoto Inouye, Northeastern U; Paul Jackson; Seth Jacobowitz, San Francisco State U; Thomas Lamarre, McGill U; Tom Looser, New York U; Sheng-mei Ma, Michigan State U; Christine Marran, U of Minnesota; Zilia Papp, Hosei U, Tokyo; Marco Pellitteri; Timothy Perper; Yoji Sakate; Chinami Sango; Deborah Scally; Deborah Shamoon, U of Notre Dame; Manami Shima; Rebecca Suter, U of Sydney; Takayuki Tatsumi, Keio U, Tokyo; Christophe Thouny; Gavin Walker; Dennis Washburn, Dartmouth College; Teresa M. Winge, Indiana U.
A comprehensive neurocognitive theory of dreaming based on the theories, methodologies, and findings of cognitive neuroscience and the psychological sciences. G. William Domhoff’s neurocognitive theory of dreaming is the only theory of dreaming that makes full use of the new neuroimaging findings on all forms of spontaneous thought and shows how well they explain the results of rigorous quantitative studies of dream content. Domhoff identifies five separate issues—neural substrates, cognitive processes, the psychological meaning of dream content, evolutionarily adaptive functions, and historically invented cultural uses—and then explores how they are intertwined. He also discusses the degree to which there is symbolism in dreams, the development of dreaming in children, and the relative frequency of emotions in the dreams of children and adults. During dreaming, the neural substrates that support waking sensory input, task-oriented thinking, and movement are relatively deactivated. Domhoff presents the conditions that have to be fulfilled before dreaming can occur spontaneously. He describes the specific cognitive processes supported by the neural substrate of dreaming and then looks at dream reports of research participants. The “why” of dreaming, he says, may be the most counterintuitive outcome of empirical dream research. Though the question is usually framed in terms of adaptation, there is no positive evidence for an adaptive theory of dreaming. Research by anthropologists, historians, and comparative religion scholars, however, suggests that dreaming has psychological and cultural uses, with the most important of these found in religious ceremonies and healing practices. Finally, he offers suggestions for how future dream studies might take advantage of new technologies, including smart phones.
Dive into the enigmatic realms of quantum physics and spiritual exploration with "Quantum Spirits: An Entertaining Guide to the Intersection of Science and Spirituality." This captivating book by Emmanuel Eroume A Egom, MD, PhD, bridges the often wide gap between scientific discovery and spiritual inquiry, inviting readers to consider the profound ways these two fields intertwine and influence our understanding of the universe and our place within it. Whether you're a physician, scientist, spiritual seeker, or simply curious about the harmonization of science and spirituality, this book offers fresh perspectives and enlightening insights. Through engaging explanations and thought-provoking discussions, Dr. Egom reveals how quantum mechanics mirrors spiritual phenomena, providing a theoretical framework that challenges and expands our traditional notions of reality. Readers will gain a new appreciation for the mysterious behaviors of quantum particles, which not only define the physical world but resonate deeply with spiritual experiences, suggesting a universe far more interconnected and dynamic than previously imagined. "Quantum Spirits" is not just a book; it's an invitation to embark on a transformative journey, reshaping how we perceive health, wellness, and our spiritual connections. Join us on this exciting adventure, where the mysteries of the quantum world wave back and the spiritual insights deepen our grasp of life's complexities. Unlock the secrets to a more holistic understanding of your being and discover the intricate dance between the seen and the unseen.
