Graduation Speech: Remain in Christ :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

It's been great attending County Christian School. Where else do students walk into school at 7:55 and receive a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie? Then, after third period, Mr. Obrastoff combs our hair and sings to us. It really has been a delightful place to go to school. In all seriousness, we have been blessed to go to this school. We have been looked after and protected. Now, we prepare for the real world. We will be facing new temptations and challenges. It's not like as soon as we walk out these doors after receiving our diploma there's going to be a line of rough-looking guys who are going to be saying, "Hey I'll give you ten million dollars if you go rob that bank," or "Hey, do you want to join the mafia?" It's not going to be like that. However, once we are out from the protection of our school and families, it will be between just God and us. Our society today will be encouraging infidelity, lying, and substance abuse. Self-centeredness will be the dominant viewpoint. For those of you who are going on to another Christian community, I challenge you to be the different ones. Christian groups too often say, "yeah, praise God," and then not always walk in His steps. They see Christianity as just obeying the big rules instead of a daily faith relationship with God. They might even ask you to do subtle things that break God's rules. Take that extra step and really be a leader. Be the one person that everyone can look up to and say that you have the love of Jesus in your heart. Show them that you are truly on fire for God. For those of you who are going on to a secular society, I challenge you to remain in Christ and try to find some Christian friends. You are going to be in a hostile environment. Most people won't believe the same things as you. People will not only be asking you to do little things that will break God's rules, but also things that seem big. You need to stand up for your beliefs and show them that you are different. This means you can't be afraid to say no, that's not right, but remember you can't resist temptations on your own, you need God working openly in your life. If you find a good group of Christians, it will also help you to have someone to hold you accountable and fellowship with.

Compare and Contrast the Way in which Emerson and Thoreau Represents Am

In the year of 1600’s, the United States of America was being colonized by European countries especially by England. However, on 4th of July 1776 America became independent after having drafted the â€Å"Declaration of Independence† initiated by Thomas Jefferson [History of the United States, Wikipedia]. The difference between these two time periods shows that Britain had colonized America for about 176 years which ultimately led to prosper European cultures. Although America became an independent nation, European culture was still playing its role. Therefore, American writers namely Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau presented an idea about American Identity. Emerson in The American Scholar and Thoreau in Walden represents the idea of American identity by connecting this concept with nature and individuality but Emerson presents his idea about American identity in an intelligent manner whereas Thoreau uses mockery to present his idea. Emerson and Thoreau both have connected the idea of nature and individuality to represent an American identity. Well, the reason for both the writers having mentioned nature and individuality is because they are transcendentalist. Ralph Waldo Emerson had first published nonfiction essay called Nature which brought about a movement called the transcendentalism (1840-1855) [American Literature Timeline, Honors American Literature]. This movement influenced many writers amongst who is Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism believed in individuality being affected by politics and religion. They also believed in God being reflected in nature. Emerson and Thoreau both being transcendentalist had different ways of presenting their ideas about transcendentalism with regard to American identity. Emer... ...divert away from such cultures and to create a unique American identity, two transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson in his literary work The American Scholar and Henry David Thoreau in Walden represents the idea of an American identity with relation to nature and individuality. However, Emerson presents his concept on American identity intelligently whereas Thoreau uses mockery to present his idea on American identity. Works Cited American literature timeline. Retrieved from msbowman1290.com/Honors_Amlit-Timeline .pdf History of United States. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the-United_States Emerson, R.W. (1907). The American Scholar. In Essays. Retrieved from http://www. gutenberg.org/files/16643/16643-h/16643-h.htm Thoreau, H.D. (1854). Walden; or life in the woods. Retrieved from http://www. gutenberg.org/files/205/205-h/205-h.htm

Generation X, Less Happy, Why? :: essays research papers

Generation X, Less Happy, Why?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays divorce is so common it's hard for people to try hard, fight through their problems and make a marriage last when there's such an easy way out, divorce. Marriages of earlier generations were sometimes happier, because divorce wasn't the immediate anecdote to family or marital problems. I come to this conclusion from hearing about my moms childhood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandparents have stayed together to this day regardless of their problems which made my moms childhood happier. One incident which illuminates my moms childhood being happier is when my grandpa had to take care of the kids because my grandmother was in the hospital. It was great for my mom to have her own father take care of them instead of being left with an aunt or a close family friend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandmother was told she'd be in the hospital for a couple of weeks , it ended up being three. This was the first time she was separated from her children, and the first time my grandpa, the businessman, had to take care of the house and kids. All the household duties changed and it was hectic, my grandpa had to take on the mother role. He had to make breakfast for the kids, pack their lunches, go grocery shopping, help with homework and take the kids to school. My mom who was only nine was the only girl so they made her make the beds and clear the table. Those three weeks were hell, for all of them. For my grandpa it was difficult to take care of everything and work over forty hours a week. For the children it was hard to be separated from mom. All my grandmother did was worry the whole time about the kids, the house and my grandpa probably having a nervous breakdown.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was very difficult, but this incident brought all of them closer, in a way. My grandmother missed her family as much as they missed her. My mom and uncles also became a lot closer to my grandfather. Overall this experience showed my grandparents how much they loved, missed, and needed each other but it was better when they handled things together and then they knew they made the right decision by staying together. This experience, in a way, showed them what it would be like if they were divorced or separated, lonely, sad, and very Generation X, Less Happy, Why? :: essays research papers Generation X, Less Happy, Why?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays divorce is so common it's hard for people to try hard, fight through their problems and make a marriage last when there's such an easy way out, divorce. Marriages of earlier generations were sometimes happier, because divorce wasn't the immediate anecdote to family or marital problems. I come to this conclusion from hearing about my moms childhood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandparents have stayed together to this day regardless of their problems which made my moms childhood happier. One incident which illuminates my moms childhood being happier is when my grandpa had to take care of the kids because my grandmother was in the hospital. It was great for my mom to have her own father take care of them instead of being left with an aunt or a close family friend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandmother was told she'd be in the hospital for a couple of weeks , it ended up being three. This was the first time she was separated from her children, and the first time my grandpa, the businessman, had to take care of the house and kids. All the household duties changed and it was hectic, my grandpa had to take on the mother role. He had to make breakfast for the kids, pack their lunches, go grocery shopping, help with homework and take the kids to school. My mom who was only nine was the only girl so they made her make the beds and clear the table. Those three weeks were hell, for all of them. For my grandpa it was difficult to take care of everything and work over forty hours a week. For the children it was hard to be separated from mom. All my grandmother did was worry the whole time about the kids, the house and my grandpa probably having a nervous breakdown.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was very difficult, but this incident brought all of them closer, in a way. My grandmother missed her family as much as they missed her. My mom and uncles also became a lot closer to my grandfather. Overall this experience showed my grandparents how much they loved, missed, and needed each other but it was better when they handled things together and then they knew they made the right decision by staying together. This experience, in a way, showed them what it would be like if they were divorced or separated, lonely, sad, and very

Bio-cosmetics in the 20th Century: The Response to the Revolution

In this rapidly-changing environment, one has to keep phase with the developments in the patterns of consumer purchasing behavior, currently of varying degrees and categories, especially if one is in the field of marketing.The tastes and preferences of the consumers, which we also aptly call as the market demand, is what fuels marketing.   The capacity of a company or a firm to determine early-on the demand of the market of responsibility is of an advantage.   At the same time, meeting this specific demand will complete the formula to success; otherwise, the extensive marketing research will all be put to waste.Change is everything especially when the universe entered the stage of globalization, where markets across regions face issues of product customization or adaptations according to the needs of the target segments.   Exploring further unto this topic will be the main core of this paper which will particularly tackle the status and the progress made by the Bio-cosmetics in dustry in the 20th century, and how the market has reacted or is reacting to it.The subject of discussion will delve into the evolution of this trade or field of commerce and what has been the efforts conducted by the involved companies in strengthening their core competencies for survival and competitiveness.As previously mentioned, the behavior of the target market will be analyzed thoroughly in this paper by demonstrating the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the factors at play.   In so doing, it is aimed that the stability of the bio-cosmetics industry be determined and that the prospects for future possible ventures be identified.   This consumer behavior study will enable the marketers to garner feedback on this side of the cosmetics industry and leverage on the potential of the business, vis-à  -vis the key market segments with strong demand for the bio-cosmetics line of products and services.Theory and Practices of NegotiationDefinitionWhen you hear the word nego tiation, what comes first to mind?   Negotiation is almost always an everyday transaction being dealt with by each and every one of us.   Indeed, how often do you negotiate – often, seldom, or never?Everything in life is negotiated, under all conditions, at all times: from asking your parents to bring you to the shopping malls to take out the morning garbage to driving in the express lane in rush-hour traffic, from determining what time to schedule an appointment with a client to deciding which tv show to watch with your family—to some extent, every facet of life is linked with one’s using of negotiation.Negotiation occurs â€Å"whenever people exchange ideas with the intention of changing relationships or whenever they confer for agreement.†Ã‚   Another definition expanding slightly the above meaning of negotiation is to note that â€Å"negotiation is conducted neither to widen nor to breach the relationship, but to form a new or different configura tion.†Ã‚  Ã‚   In short, most of us are constantly involved in negotiations to one degree or another for a good part of any given day. Negotiation should be considered as a positive way of structuring the communication process.It is usually more than helpful in one’s work environment and in closing deals with new clients or prospects.   Win-win negotiation skills are assets to a company especially if you will be in-charge of marketing new and pioneer products to the market.Effective negotiation helps you to resolve situations where what you want conflicts with what someone else wants. The aim of win-win negotiation is to find a solution that is acceptable to both parties, and leaves both parties feeling that they've won, in some way, after the event.Preparing for a successful negotiation†¦Depending on the scale of the disagreement, some preparation may be appropriate for conducting a successful negotiation.   For small disagreements, excessive preparation can b e counter-productive because it takes time that is better used elsewhere. It can also be seen as manipulative because, just as it strengthens your position, it can weaken the other person’s.However, if you need to resolve a major disagreement, and then make sure you prepare thoroughly. Using our free worksheet, think through the following points before you start negotiating:Goals: what do you want to get out of the negotiation? What do you think the other person wants?Trades: What do you and the other person have that you can trade? What do you each have that the other wants? What are you each comfortable giving away?Alternatives: if you don’t reach agreement with the other person, what alternatives do you have? Are these good or bad? How much does it matter if you do not reach agreement? Does failure to reach an agreement cut you out of future opportunities? And what alternatives might the other person have?Relationships: what is the history of the relationship? Could or should this history impact the negotiation? Will there be any hidden issues that may influence the negotiation? How will you handle these?Expected outcomes: what outcome will people be expecting from this negotiation? What has the outcome been in the past, and what precedents have been set?The consequences: what are the consequences for you of winning or losing this negotiation? What are the consequences for the other person?Power: who has what power in the relationship? Who controls resources? Who stands to lose the most if agreement isn’t reached? What power does the other person have to deliver what you hope for?Possible solutions: based on all of the considerations, what possible compromises might there be?Negotiating successfully†¦The negotiation itself is a careful exploration of your position and the other person’s position, with the goal of finding a mutually acceptable compromise that gives you both as much of what you want as possible. People's posit ions are rarely as fundamentally opposed as they may initially appear – the other person may have very different goals from the ones you expect!In an ideal situation, you will find that the other person wants what you are prepared to trade, and that you are prepared to give what the other person wants. If this is not the case and one person must give way, then it is fair for this person to try to negotiate some form of compensation for doing so – the scale of this compensation will often depend on the many of the factors we discussed above. Ultimately, both sides should feel comfortable with the final solution if the agreement is to be considered win-win. Only consider win-lose negotiation if you don't need to have an ongoing relationship with the other party as, having lost, they are unlikely to want to work with you again. Equally, you should expect that if they need to fulfill some part of a deal in which you have â€Å"won,† they may be uncooperative and legalistic about the way they do this.Facets of NegotiationNegotiation is a peaceable procedure for reconciling, and/or compromising known differences. It is the antithesis of force and violence. A negotiation will be fruitful or completely meaningless, depending upon the existence of two essential elements. There are other less important elements, but two are absolutely essential – Good faith and flexibility.   Both must be present on both sides of the table—one without the other on either side is a fatal defect.Good faith and flexibility cover many facets. By good faith is meant an honest desire to reach agreement on the differences which exist through com promise and a realization that the agreement thus reached should be fair and reasonable for both sides, if the agreement is to endure.   A negotiation must not be viewed as an adversary proceeding, such as a case in court, where one party wins and the other loses. The existence or non-existence of good faith is sometimes difficult to determine with assurance, but there will come a time when a good negotiator will be able to tell if this essential element is missing.   The second essential element of flexibility is the heart of a negotiation. In every negotiation it must be assumed—unless you are dealing with juveniles—that your opposite numbers will always table maximum positions first. Equally important, it must be assumed—unless you are dealing with fools—that your opposite numbers have not disclosed their minimum positions in any manner. The challenge to the able negotiator, therefore, is to start with the tabled maximum positions and by skillfully using all of the tools in his kit, reach the essence or basic minimum positions upon which an agreement can and should be concluded.If a negotiator is unable to obtain any concessions whatsoever from the tabled positions, then either the element of flexibility is missing or the negotiator is inept, in which event you find yourself with no negotiation at all. As in the case of good faith, it may be difficult and time consuming to convince yourself that what you are facing is a set of non-negotiable demands, but here again a good negotiator will see the handwriting on the wall and eventually realize just the situation he is in.   The crucial and delicate decision to be made by the negotiator is—are his opponents still negotiating for advantage or is their position truly flexible, as it appears to be?Thus, it is somewhat naà ¯ve to take the position that you will not negotiate on known differences until the other side has given assurances, satisfactory to you, and prior to the negotiations, that the negotiable positions are such that an agreement can be reached. If the negotiator eventually concludes that these essential elements do not exist, he must proceed to make the record clear for all to see and suspend the so-called negotiations, in a manner which unmistakably places the onus on the non-negotiating party.Processes of NegotiationIn simplest terms, negotiation is a discussion between two or more disputants who are trying to work out a solution to their problem.   Negotiations typically take place because the parties wish to create something new that neither could do on his or her own, or to resolve a problem or dispute between them.   The parties acknowledge that there is some conflict of interest between them and think they can use some form of influence to get a better deal, rather than simply taking what the other side will voluntarily give them.

History and Films Black Robe Essay

In the films Black Robe, The Crucible, The Patriot, The Alamo, and Cold Mountain, the authors created historical inaccuracies for the audience of the generation they were made for. This means they would change some details to fit their idea of what the people felt in that time in history, to grip the audience and give some insight to the characters. These inaccuracies also helped to develop a point, even though a few minor details were changed, the audience eventually saw the whole picture and knew the story. In The Crucible, the director would have been hesitant to address the actual age of Abigail, 11, and John, 60, because the age difference of these two people being involved in a sexual relationship would have been so unacceptable. While the author certainly knew this was going on, it wouldn’t have been talked about in his day. This is why the director chose characters closer in age, to develop a point and show that those type of scandals had been occurring between younger women and older men since Puritan times, making the film also more realistic to its viewers. One major example of these historical inaccuracies, which is also found in Re-Viewing the Past: The Crucible, is that he took the language taken directly from trial records, but would sometimes alter the lines, leaving the movie with a historical feel and providing proof of the satanic possession. For example, he changed the words in the Lord’s Prayer from â€Å"hollowed by the name† to â€Å"hallowed be thy name. † These differences of the text and the movie aren’t negative, but just present more of an understanding of these historic events for the audience. The inaccuracies of these films do not harm my understanding of past events because they didn’t change the huge event in history that they were trying to give a picture of, they just altered minor details. If anything, the changes made by the directors helped me appreciate and get to know these historical figures even more. While using the text to make the movie exactly right, word for word, would be good for students studying the subject, it wouldn’t show the emotion of the event occurring or how the people involved felt. In many cases, this is what helps people to understand what is going on better they would otherwise. While these movies are about historical events, they are still meant to entertain people, any small, left-out details could easily be found in history books; which should be used to learn or understand the past from the beginning.

Alcoholism and Its Effects on the Family

Alcoholism is also known as a family disease. Alcoholics may have young, teenage, or grown-up children; they have wives or husbands; they have brothers or sisters; they have parents or other relatives. An alcoholic can totally disrupt family life and cause harmful effects that can last a lifetime. According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, seventy six million American adults have been exposed to alcoholism in the family.Alcoholism is responsible for more family problems than any other single cause. According to Silverstein (1990), one of every four families has problems with alcohol. Alcoholism may be defined as the disease that affects the environment, genetic, and psychosocial factors of an individual. The said disease is said to be distinguished by periodic or continuous intake of alcohol, without worrying about the adverse effe cts the addiction may incur on the individual (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, February 3, 1990). For this, Alcoholism has been regarded to have several effects on families.Like any other addiction, Alcoholism has its detrimental effects on the user. The normal signs include problems in the stomach and in the intestines, ulcer, nausea and vomiting, deliriums, and the urge to have more of the habitual vice. However, excessive intake of the alcoholic beverage would cause much damage to the body. Starting from ulcer, the problems would tend to become psychological, greatly affecting the individual. If not taken seriously, the symptoms would progress and would eventually lead to kidney problems, insomnia, weight loss, liver failure, and even death (National Treatment Referral, n.d. ). Although Alcoholism has not been taken seriously, families have been greatly affected by the symptoms and effects it has exuded on the people involved. The addiction starts with an indi vidual drinking an estimated two bottles of beer a day. Eventually, the individual increases his tolerance for the said drug by drinking more of the habitual vice each day. Eventually, the individual begins to show signs of irritability and impatience towards his peers and people around him. Contact with peers is limited, for conflicts normally arise when this happens (Alcoholism Symptoms, n. d. ).Unfortunately, the family and its members are the most affected people in this dilemma. This may be attributed to the fact that alcoholism can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, income and social status, and even ethnicity. This means that almost anyone can be afflicted by this. The worst part of them all is the fact that the simple drinking of beer could lead to a child’s heartbreak, or worse to the child being emotionally broken (Parsons, December 4, 2003). Alcoholism present in families has been classified into four types: type one, type two, type three, and type four respecti vely.The first type was regarded as active alcoholism. This was the type that included family members, such as the parents, children, grand parents, and so forth. It has been stated that this type has been present in all family lineages. The second type involved a family member that has stopped drinking alcoholic beverages. Although there was no more active alcoholic in the house, the family still supports the way that alcoholics follow. However, conflict still becomes a great part of the family. On the other hand, Type Three shows how the alcoholic has been removed from the family, for a generation or so.This type shows how a parent would not be considered as an alcoholic regardless of the family’s history. Regardless of this, characteristics for possible alcohol addiction may still become evident. Lastly, Type Four is considered to be an alcoholic system. This may be attributed to the fact that alcoholism easily progresses, and may easily attack members of the family causin g chaos (Olivera, November 19, 2005). Sometimes, Alcoholism is regarded to be genetic, and inherited from previous generations.Individuals who have family members who are alcoholics have a high risk of acquiring the said disease. Unfortunately, it is the children who suffer the most. As mentioned earlier, having parents for alcoholics would have an effect on the children. They would tend to be emotionally disturbed, and their behavior changes as well. Some even tend to be rebellious as a sign of protest to what is being shown by the parent. Although the whole situation is being blamed on genes, sometimes the behavior of the parents and what the children see are what matters most.When they witness such heartbreaking moments at such a young age, different queries would be formed at the back of their minds and would eventually lead to different factors (Alcoholism: A Family Component, August 2005). Alcoholism may be attributed for numerous things. Although there are certain things that people can do to cope with life, there are certain things that alcohol does in an individual’s body to console them. Human needs are given and everyone becomes happy. However, there are still certain things in life that are not taken into consideration.Furthermore, I believe that it is best to say that circumstances are really pivotal in the relationships of family members. For one, excessive heartaches cannot be cured with just a simple snap of a finger. Regardless of how an individual would try to forget a heartbreaking moment, he just can not. In turn, they shift their attention to other mediums, such as alcohol, to make them feel better. Being consumed by the alcohol inhibits them from wallowing on their heartaches, and in turn, go on with their interrupted life. Another instance that may be attributed to alcohol intake is depression.The individual would feel that being drunk is better than suffering from the heartaches and problems brought about by the circumstances tha t happened around them. It is just but human nature to feel hurt when some things are done unwillingly; however, it also depends on the individuals on how they would be able to cope up with such circumstances. Furthermore, I believe that it is best to say that the family is the primary structure of society affected by such dilemma. Seeing a family member wallow on the negative effects of alcohol may become heartbreaking, and worse, detrimental to the once healthy relationship that the family had.In addition to this, unborn babies who have no idea of the real world are also being affected by this habitual vice. Pregnant women tend to pass on some of the alcoholic content into their unborn children, while trying to enjoy this extraordinary lifestyle. Unfortunately, the intake of alcoholic beverages also causes some abnormalities and defects on the unborn babies. These tend to become irreversible and would forever remind the parents of their habitual vice. Children, on the other hand, also tend to be affected by such dilemma.Witnessing a parent wallow on the harsh effects of alcohol would make them perceive things differently from those of children their age. They tend to form guilt feelings toward themselves, and have very low esteem. In addition to this, they form a feeling of abandonment from their parents, because they feel that their parents would opt to satisfy their needs for the habitual vice than care for them. From here on, the children would develop insecurities about themselves that greatly affect their academic standing. In school, these children would be regarded to be different from their peers, for they tend to deviate from the crowd.In this light, they would also opt to be alone and become anti-social. Building relationships with others would become difficult from their end, for they would feel that they would also be blamed for any wrong action made by their peers (Effects of Alcoholism on Families, n. d. ). Although adults may tend to become mo re understanding of such situations than children, they may also be affected by the addiction. Having an alcoholic for a spouse would come as a challenge that has effects on the relationship. Like the children, the spouse also has to deal with the emotional and mental torture brought about by alcoholism.The role as father and mother would be passed on to the normal spouse’s hands, because of the partner’s inability to fulfill them. In this regard, the non-alcoholic spouse would have difficulty in handling everything, which would also have an effect on the children. As much as possible, the non-alcoholic spouse would accomplish tasks deemed from both, even to the extent of trying to be perfect. Unfortunately, the emotional and mental turmoil experienced by the spouse would come in between the relationship with the children.In this regard, the children would develop a sense of rejection from both parents. Alcoholism also affects the financial stability of the family, for much money is being spent in purchasing alcoholic beverages. In this regard, other privileges are sacrificed by the other members of the family. Quite a heartbreaking situation, but this is the way things go. For this, many couples would opt for separation and divorce (Parsons, December 14, 2003). From everything that has been said, it may be clearly stated that Alcoholism definitely as an effect on the family.Although it was evident how much emotional and mental turmoil Alcoholism may have on each member of the family, it may also be seen that not all are negative. Giving people temporary bliss would also help in the emotional state of an individual. However, this would come as a threat when things go overboard. Alcoholism is not as bad as it may seem. People should only be careful when dealing with such, so that no other person may be broken emotionally. Furthermore, having control over one’s self is essential in making the individual more capable of facing the future ahea d of him. References Parsons, T.(2003). Alcoholism and its effect on the family. All Psych Online. Retrieved November 27, 2008 from http://allpsych. com/journal/alcoholism. html (n. d. ). Alcoholism in the family: What can you do. Retrieved November 27, 2008 from http://www. learn-about-alcoholism. com/alcoholism-in-the-family. html (2005). Alcoholism: A family component. Retrieved November 27, 2008 from http://www. alcoholismresources. com/family_alcoholism. html (n. d. ) Alcoholism sysmptoms. http://www. learn-about-alcoholism. com/alcoholism-symptoms. html Leskinen, S. (n. d. ). Alcoholism: A family illness. Retrieved Nove

Short Story about Old Woman

In a large town there was an old woman who sat in the evening alone in her room thinking how she had lost first her husband, then both her children, then one by one all her relations, and at length, that very day, her last friend, and now she was quite alone and desolate. She was very sad at heart, and heaviest of all her losses to her was that of her sons; and in her pain she blamed God for it. She was still sitting lost in thought, when all at once she heard the bells ringing for early prayer. She was surprised that she had thus in her sorrow watched through the whole night, and lighted her lantern and went to church. It was already lighted up when she arrived, but not as it usually was with wax candles, but with a dim light. It was also crowded already with people, and all the seats were filled; and when the old woman got to her usual place it also was not empty, but the whole bench was entirely full. And when she looked at the people, they were none other than her dead relations who were sitting there in their old-fashioned garments, but with pale faces. They neither spoke nor sang; but a soft humming and whispering was heard all over the church. Then an aunt of hers stood up, stepped forward, and said to the poor old woman, â€Å"Look there beside the altar, and thou wilt see thy sons. † The old woman looked there, and saw her two children, one hanging on the gallows, the other bound to the wheel. Then said the aunt, â€Å"Behold, so would it have been with them if they had lived, and if the good God had not taken them to himself when they were innocent children. † The old woman went trembling home, and on her knees thanked God for having dealt with her more kindly than she had been able to understand, and on the third day she lay down and died.