Pressing On Luke 6:21
Blessed are ye that hunger now: for
ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh with joy!"
Over the weekend I went to
the Casting Crowns concert by working the table at World Vision. World Vision is an organization that helps raise money
for children in 3rd world countries. (see www.worldvision.org). We didn't get to "see" much of the concert but
the evening itself was very rewarding. One of the things the lead singer (Mark) said about World Vision was this was
a good missions project for families. That stuck with we as the evening went on. How could I tell my children
about WV and them understand? An example Mark gave was when the children come into the kitchen and say, "there
is nothing to eat here." We have all experienced that (in some form ... we have nothing to eat or there is
nothing "good" to eat!) On our ride into church yesterday I was looking at the brochure and out of my daughters
mouth comes ... I am hungry, there was nothing good for breakfast. Wow, God works fast! Instant open door for
discussion! I took out the brochure and we started talking about how these children - literally have nothing.
Not even healthy water. People in the USA are starving today too ~ for a lot of things.
Food, love, happiness, attention, etc. But the good news here is the "Good News"! The Bible tells us that "ye shall be filled." That
is so encouraging! When you are in the valley, isn't encouraging to know that you may weep now, but you shall
one day laugh and once again have joy. I have to remind myself often, that someday I will look back on this and laugh (whatever
the circumstance) and honestly, I usually do. Sometimes it is easier than others. It is good to remember those words
from the Lord at those times. I love the song sung by Selah, called Press On. When
the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall When the choices are hard
When we're battered and scarred
When we've spent our resources
When we've given our all Chorus:
In Jesus' name,
we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the
strength to press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with
the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
To press on ©1983
Belwin-Mills Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP) All rights admin. by Warner Bros. Publications, Inc. (ASCAP) All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission. Jesus
is the prize in Heaven before your eyes. Give all of your burdens to Him and press on! I love you all have a great
Monday, please remember Kathy in Prayer her father passed away on Friday/Saturday. please continue to pray for Steve,
Rita, Bill, Terry, Shirley and Rich. Are you counting all your blessings? Love, Tracy
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Learning to Lean on Jesus
Psalm 31:14
"I trust in you, O Lord, I say, 'You are my God.'" God, my faith
is in You, and I trust You to give me whatever I need to live each moment fully and without fear.
(this prayer is
from a Daily Word for Healing) You have blessed me, God, with a strong body and an intelligent mind. My body is a temple
for Your sacred spirit within, and I am grateful got the ability to move from place to place with ease and efficiency. You also give me understanding, God; through Your
spirit within me I have a vital connection with divine wisdom.
As I was reading this prayer during
my devotion time today. I was praying for the 6 people I know right now facing cancer. Beautiful words
of a desire to give everything to the Lord that we are facing. I was thinking about people that I knew that already
battled cancer and were healed in Heaven and the people I know that have battled it and for now have victory over the disease.
It really is something how we can all handle a trial in a different way, some with grace others with despair.
We are a society that lives in the moment. When we are down we are really down and when
we are up ... well, we are really up! If we would just learn to put our faith and trust in the Lord all the time and
realize that every journey that we go on is traveled for a reason. A plan that God has for our lives. To grow, to witness,
to change, to sacrifice. And through every single step of the way Jesus is by our side. When we will just begin to give our
needs, our wants, our desires and our hearts to Jesus, He will guide us and show us how to live. Submit even the littlest
thing to Jesus in prayer. He will give you peace. He is PEACE!
I hope you have a great weekend! Invite someone to church with you this Sunday. Please continue
to pray for Rita, Steve, Bill, Rich, Terry, Shirley and Kathy's Dad. Count your blessings. Love, Tracy
As I was reading this prayer during
my devotion time today. I was praying for the 6 people I know right now facing cancer. Beautiful words
of a desire to give everything to the Lord that we are facing. I was thinking about people that I knew that already
battled cancer and were healed in Heaven and the people I know that have battled it and for now have victory over the disease.
It really is something how we can all handle a trial in a different way, some with grace others with despair.
We are a society that lives in the moment. When we are down we are really down and when
we are up ... well, we are really up! If we would just learn to put our faith and trust in the Lord all the time and
realize that every journey that we go on is traveled for a reason. A plan that God has for our lives. To grow, to witness,
to change, to sacrifice. And through every single step of the way Jesus is by our side. When we will just begin to give our
needs, our wants, our desires and our hearts to Jesus, He will guide us and show us how to live. Submit even the littlest
thing to Jesus in prayer. He will give you peace. He is PEACE!
I hope you have a great weekend! Invite someone to church with you this Sunday. Please continue
to pray for Rita, Steve, Bill, Rich, Terry, Shirley and Kathy's Dad. Count your blessings. Love, Tracy
I hope you have a great weekend! Invite
someone to church with you this Sunday. Please continue to pray for Rita, Steve, Bill, Rich, Terry, Shirley and Kathy's
Dad. Count your blessings. Love, Tracy
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Are Your Eyes Open?
"Do you believe
that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes Lord. Then He touched their eyes and said, according to your faith let it
be done to you. And their eyes were opened." Matthew 9:28-30 (NIV)
Jesus is teaching us that
we have an active part to play in our healing and understanding of spiritual principles.....we have to believe. We have to
have faith in Christ's Word and that what He said is true. It was true then and it is true now. Do you have faith? Put
your faith in Jesus, not in your church or in your religion. We trust Christ not because we go to church, we trust Christ
because we believe. We trust Him we have faith in His Word and that He will be there for us. Jesus said have child-like faith.
It is hard sometimes....but it is the answer. We were studying the book of Daniel, 6th chapter at church last night.
Daniel was saved from the lions den because of his faith. Is your that faith that strong that it will save you from
your lions den? Do you know, that you know, that you know, that Jesus is Lord of your life and no matter what He will
save you? Just trust in Him. I love to surround myself with Christian music as much as possible ... it not only
is an encouragement to lift my soul up each day - it also is a reminder of all that Jesus has done and will do in my
life. As well as a reminder each day to count every blessing no matter how big or how small!
I hope you all
have a blessed day. Please continue to pray for Bill, Steve, Rich, Terry, Rita and Shirley (all have cancer) and Kathy's
Dad who is in the final days of his life on earth. I hope you are counting all of your blessings ... big and small!
Love, Tracy
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Are Your Eyes Open?
"Do
you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes Lord. Then He touched their eyes and said, according to your
faith let it be done to you. And their eyes were opened." Matthew 9:28-30 (NIV)
Jesus
is teaching us that we have an active part to play in our healing and understanding of spiritual principles.....we have to
believe. We have to have faith in Christ's Word and that what He said is true. It was true then and it is true now. Do
you have faith? Put your faith in Jesus, not in your church or in your religion. We trust Christ not because we go to church,
we trust Christ because we believe. We trust Him we have faith in His Word and that He will be there for us. Jesus said have
child-like faith. It is hard sometimes....but it is the answer. We were studying the book of Daniel, 6th chapter at
church last night. Daniel was saved from the lions den because of his faith. Is your that faith that strong that
it will save you from your lions den? Do you know, that you know, that you know, that Jesus is Lord of your life and
no matter what He will save you? Just trust in Him. I love to surround myself with Christian music as much as
possible ... it not only is an encouragement to lift my soul up each day - it also is a reminder of all that Jesus has
done and will do in my life. As well as a reminder each day to count every blessing no matter how big or how small!
I hope you all have a blessed day. Please continue to pray for Bill, Steve, Rich, Terry, Rita and Shirley
(all have cancer) and Kathy's Dad who is in the final days of his life on earth. I hope you are counting all of
your blessings ... big and small! Love, Tracy
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Standing Firm!
So you think you are standing firm, be careful
that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful;
He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a
way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV)
Are we looking for that way out? Are we seeking God's direction in our life to get beyond the temptations? It is by
God's Grace that we are pulled up out of the valley's. He is always there for us, it is our pride that keeps us away.
We think we can handle it on our own, but we can't.
So many times we face the valley's in our lives - and we
know it took the Lord to get us through it, yet when we face the next trial, we still try and face it alone.
Just
as an infant, toddler, child and teen are constantly learning, we are God's children and even as adults we should be constantly
learning and growing in Him. We are here to share our testimony of how we came through those valley's - by God's Grace!
Giving Jesus all the glory for it. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Him.
He wants us to come to Him in the hard times as well as the good. Praising Him always and lifting Him up to others.
That is a life pleasing to God! Do we fall short? Yes, many times, but that is when we learn
and grow!
I hope you all have a great midweek. Please continue to pray for Rich, Shirley, Rita, Steve, Bill
and Terry (all have cancer) and for the Dad of a lady at church (Kathy). Count your blessings ... name them one
by one, count your many blessings and you will see all that God has done in your life! Love, Tracy
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Jesus Loves You
"You,
however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of Him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth
that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted
by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:20-24 (NIV)
I found this prayer tucked away today ...
it challenges me .... how about you?
Dear Heavenly Father, please bless my efforts to pass on a vibrant faith
to
my children and grandchildren. Help me keep my priorities and my
schedule in order so I can fulfill this awesome
responsibility and this
glorious opportunity with the children that I love. In Jesus' name.
Amen.
I was thinking about how sometimes we can wait until our children are in trouble to begin trying to get them involved
in spiritual matters. By then, it can often
be too late to make a big difference. God wants us to start early in
our
children's lives! That way it is a lifelong foundation that goes with them every step of their way. Don't waste
a moment; don't neglect an opportunity to read Bible stories, discuss life, and pray lovingly with your children or grandchildren!
How often do we tell our children that we love them & Jesus loves them? Sometimes when my children
get mad at me and they are frustrated they will say "you don't love me". Oh, that cuts right to the
core of my heart! BUT, I have to remember they are children and that is the only way they know sometimes to vent
their frustration. They know I love them. They might not like their punishment, but they know. Think about
your child, picture their face or faces at this very moment ... what do they know about Jesus, I mean really know. Can
you cradle their face and say, Jesus loves you this I know, for the Bible tells me so? Even at 12 I will do that to
my son. Jesus should be more to him them someone who has 2 holidays. He gave His life so that we may have life!
I hope that you are challenged to pray that prayer today and no matter what stage of life you are at, write
your children a note - hold their face in your hands, whatever it takes to say no matter what you face today my child ...
Jesus loves you - THIS I KNOW ... for the Bible tells me so! And I love you too.
Have a blessed
day, please continue to pray for Rita, Steve, Rich, Bill, Shirley and Terry (all have cancer). My friend Kathy's
Dad (last days of cancer) and thank you for praying for my sister Sue, her surgery went went, please pray for her recuperation.
Love, Tracy
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Be Prayerful In All Things "Let your speech
be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Colossians 4:6 (KJV)
Did you know that how you say something can carry as much weight as what you say? I read
this quote that said, 90% of friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice. I agree with this statement.
When I read this verse I was thinking about e-mails, Sometimes I have sent an e-mail and then went back and re-read that and
thought, Oh there are many different tones that can come out of this, I hope the person who receives this gets what I mean! I
also thought about how I talk to my children. Sometimes I listen to myself when I am talking to them and think,
oh, I sound so mean. I must sound so angry to them. When sometimes, it takes me four or five times for them to understand
I mean business. I want them to understand what is acceptable and not acceptable. Now I am thinking, are they learning
the lesson I am trying to teach - right from wrong. Or are they just learning mom is mad and I am in trouble? It really
makes you think. As you walk in the world today and people around you hear your conversation - what is it they are
hearing? Count your many blessings for we are so Blessed. Have a nice day today, please continue to
pray for Rita, Rich, Steve, Bill, Shirley and Terry (all have cancer). Love, Tracy
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Seeking the Lord's Direction
"Direct my footsteps according to Your Word, let no sin
rule over me."
Pslam 119:133
If we keep our eyes and our hearts focused on the goodness and Mercy
of God, the Master planner of our lives, we can and we will find hope and encouragement to weather our storms!
Jesus will not leave us. His grip is strong and all we need to do is ask and receive His gift of Salvation and it is ours!
I encourage you today, keep your eyes fixed on the Lord. Live your life to please Him not to impress others. His plan
for your life is grand - don't miss a blessing He has for you because you are trying to do it on your own. Remember Satan
is out to seek and destroy. Stay focused on what God would have you do. He loves you and wants to grow closer to you.
I hope you all have a great day today and a nice long weekend if you are off tomorrow ~ please continue to pray for the
needs of others. Love, Tracy
Trusting Just In God Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like
a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." James 1:2-6 (NIV) Did
you ever ask God for something and then doubt that is was going to be received because it was not happening when you wanted
it to? Faith, our faith in God's love for us is what gets us through these times. Everything happens in God's timing
- He has a perfect plan for your life, don't give up on His plans for you! Whenever we try to make things go our own way
life may seem difficult. But when we submit ourselves to the Lord, His plan for our lives can become complete. He loves you
and His plan is what is best for your life. James 1:2-6 (NIV) Did you ever ask God for something and then doubt that is was going to be received because it was not happening
when you wanted it to? Faith, our faith in God's love for us is what gets us through these times. Everything happens in
God's timing - He has a perfect plan for your life, don't give up on His plans for you! Whenever we try to make things
go our own way life may seem difficult. But when we submit ourselves to the Lord, His plan for our lives can become complete.
He loves you and His plan is what is best for your life. I hope you all have
a great weekend. Please continue to pray for Rita, Steve, Rich, Shirley, Bill (all have cancer) and Terry Murray
(he is going to Duke to consult with doctors because he has Mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer caused by asbestosis).
Thank you all, invite someone to church with you this Palm Sunday. Love, Tracy
God's Grace "I am sure that what we are suffering today, cannot compare with the glory
that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18 NIV)
glory that will be revealed in us."
(Romans 8:18 NIV)
I know all of us at one time or another have asked "Why is this happening?"
In my late teens and early twenties I had trying times. To me anyway. Looking back at them now I see a lot of positive things
that came from the trials I went through. Due to different circumstances and just typical teenager drama looking
back today, I can really see a lot of humor in that period
of my life. We learn and we grow ... we don't stay there.
I KNOW that I went through that time
so I could learn and grow. I can now thank God for the trials. Don't get me wrong, some thing's I can't
be thankful for today. Maybe not even in 5 years. But as I get older, more mature, devote time to God and read my Bible, it
is revealed to me why we go through the trials (financial troubles, marital troubles, the loss of a job, deaths, etc.). God
sees things that we don't and we have to just trust Him. That is so hard isn't it?! My children
were asking me some questions yesterday on the way to school, thinking Mom has all the answers! I said, you know I don't
know why God has planned life that way, but we just have to have faith in Him and know that this is His plan, not always ours
and if we lean on Him ~ in the end we will be better for it. We may never understand, but we just have to accept that. I know all of us at one time or another have
asked "Why is this happening?" In my late teens and early twenties I had trying times. To me anyway. Looking
back at them now I see a lot of positive things that came from the trials I went through. Due to different circumstances
and just typical teenager drama looking back today, I can really see a lot of humor in that period of my life. We learn and we grow ... we don't stay
there.
I KNOW that I went through that time so I could learn and grow. I can now thank God for the trials.
Don't get me wrong, some thing's I can't be thankful for today. Maybe not even in 5 years. But as I get older,
more mature, devote time to God and read my Bible, it is revealed to me why we go through the trials (financial troubles,
marital troubles, the loss of a job, deaths, etc.). God sees things that we don't and we have to just trust Him.
That is so hard isn't it?! My children were asking me some questions yesterday on the way to school, thinking
Mom has all the answers! I said, you know I don't know why God has planned life that way, but we just have to have
faith in Him and know that this is His plan, not always ours and if we lean on Him ~ in the end we will be better for it.
We may never understand, but we just have to accept that. His desire is that with each
passing day we will lean on Him and trust in His word more and more. I love the words to the song Your Grace Still Amazes
Me, by Phillips, Craig and Dean. Because God's Grace is so amazing!! Encourage one another.
Pray for one another. I hope you are looking at each blessing you have in your life and you are thankful for it.
We need to be thankful for the thorns in our life too, for they are put their to help us and to teach us something.
Please continue to pray for Rita, Bill, Steve, Rich, and Shirley (all battling cancer). Have a great Thursday.
Love, Tracy Your
Grace Still Amazes Me by Phillips, Craig and Dean My faithful Father,
enduring Friend
Your tender mercy's like a river with no end
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time
I come into Your presence
I stand in wonder once again CHORUS:
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
Your grace still
amazes me 'Cause Your grace still amazes me
Oh, patient Saviour, You make me whole
You are the Author and the
Healer of my soul
What can I give You, Lord, what can I say
I know there's no way to repay You
Only
to offer You my praise
It's deeper, it's wider
It's stronger, it's higher
It's deeper it's wider
It's stronger, it's higher
than anything my eyes can see
Fall
On Jesus
"Arrogance
will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected. "
(Proverbs 29:23 NIV)
What a good illustration of obeying God and taking a leap of faith!
A Dutch author and priest Henri Nouwen writes
in his book In the Name of Jesus, that he came to a place where he felt as if his life was in a rut.
On the surface, it would seem that Nouwen had it made. He possessed an impressive resume in his field of study. But after
twenty-five years in the priesthood, he found himself praying poorly, living a life isolated from people, and preoccupied
with doubts. Finally, Nouwen asked God if he should leave his prestigious role as a distinguished professor. The answer
was clear. God led Nouwen to the L'Arche Community for the Mentally Handicapped. In Nouwen's words, "God said,
'Go and live among the poor of spirit, and they will heal you'." So he did.
In his new role, Nouwen faced
numerous lessons, some painful, a few humiliating, but in all, he learned humility, compassion, and caring. He carried
pride in his own accomplishments could have kept him from finding the fulfillment he was so desperately seeking. Nouwen's
willingness to swallow his pride and answer God's call led him ultimately to buried treasure.
When I read
this I thought, wow this is like so many of us today. The "power and prestige" of a position has taken over
our thoughts and actions. If you lack purpose and fulfillment, turn your life over to God. Don't let pride stand
in your way! So many of us think about what other people will think. We put on a show on the outside, when we are breaking
on the inside. It is God's desire to heal us from the inside out! We need to bring our broken spirit to Him and only Him.
I
can remember one of our church songs growing up, some of the words were..."be not afraid, I go before you always,
come follow me and I will give you rest." At the time I just sang the words, I liked the tune. But as I grow in my walk
with Jesus, I hear the words and they bring great comfort to me. To know one day, Jesus will call my name - and I
am ready. Are you? If He called your name, would you be ready? Are you bitter and angry about your past? Or do you have things
settled in your heart? Remember, today is the day of Salvation (where do you think the saying came from, today is the 1st
day of the rest of your life)! Get it settled today! Haven't you delayed it long enough? Fall on Jesus.
Please remember Holly in prayer today (she is having surgery this morning) and also a lady named Karen (recovering from Colon
surgery). I hope you all have a blessed day. Love, Tracy
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Perfect
Prayer "I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to hear me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right
hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as
the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of
your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies
who surround me." (Psalm 17: 6-9 NIV)
What a great prayer to start the day! I don't know about you, but I should be saying this Psalm each
morning. "... keep me as the apple of your eye....hide me under your wing..." Isn't that wonderful? Isn't
that how we feel? May we always please God and may He always guard and protect us? The main thing we want is to feel safe.
To feel loved. When we go to the New Testament,
there are 27 books that reassure us, guide us and confirm to us how much God loves us. If you're not reading them you
are missing out on daily cleansing of mind and spirit. I encourage you to start with the book of John. If you can read Psalms
one day and John the next.
So many people are searching for answers today-it has always been right at our finger
tips. Jesus says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock." How long are you going to ignore His call for your life?
Don't wait to long, He may stop knocking! Don't keep putting God off, open the door today. Encourage one another.
Pray for those around you - especially our children.
Please pray for Shirley (cancer), Bill (lung cancer),
Rich (kidney cancer), Rita (cancer), Steve (stomach cancer), Nonna (blood clots) and the many people that you many know
facing a valley today that Jesus ~ the name above all other names will meet their needs. Count your blessings and know
that Jesus, loves you!! Love, Tracy
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To Not See, is to Believe "Then Jesus told him, 'Because
you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed.'" John 20:29 Until we pass from this earth we will not physically see Jesus. There are many ways though
that we do see Him, we see Him blindly through His Word. We can see Him in the actions of Godly people around us. We see Him
in the miracles we see each day. We see Him in rainbows. They are beautiful to look at and a promise they stand for! There are so many people that have nothing to cling to because they don't believe. They
can't SEE Jesus. They have not surrendered all that they are to Him. We still want to fix problems ourselves.
We can't handle problems without turning to Jesus. So when life is hard, we just don't know what to do. We ask why
this is happening? Instead we need to accept that our time here on this earth may have difficult days and through the
love of Christ and sharing that love with others we can get through it. This verse tells us to go out and share
His love. Tell others about the love of Christ. Because there are people who still don't know that Jesus died on a Cross
so that we, those who believe in Him, receive His Mercy and Grace and that serve Him, will have eternal life with Him. I love this song by Mandisa, "What If It's God Speaking",
she has such a soft sweet voice in this song. But the lyrics, saying what if somehow we miss where God is trying
to speak to us? Look at the words below. I hope you each have a beautiful day and don't miss what the Lord
is trying to show you. Count your many blessings. Please remember my cousins friend in prayer, his name is Bill,
he was just diagnosed with cancer. Thank you for all the prayers, I am feeling much better today. Love, Tracy Have you ever heard a love song
That set your spirit free
Have you
ever watched a sunrise
And felt you could not breathe?
What if it's Him?
What if it's God speaking?
Have you ever cried a tear that
You could not explain
Have you ever met a stranger
Who already knew your
name
What if it's Him?
What if it's God speaking?
Who knows how He'll get a hold of us
Get our attention to prove He is enough
He'll do and He'll use
Whatever He wants to
To tell
us I love you
Have you ever lost a loved one
Who you thought should still be here?
Do you know what
it feels like
To be tangled up in fear?
What if He's somehow involved
What if He's speaking through
it all?
His ways are higher
His ways are better
Though sometimes strange
What could be stranger
Than God in a manger
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