Category: Thanksgiving

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All The Time

Thanksgiving – Joy – Praise – Gratitude!

I know you won’t be surprised by the theme of this morning’s blog. As I said a couple days ago I will be bringing you thoughts on being thankful each day for the next several weeks.

It should be a way of life to those of us who trust the Lord and follow Christ. Does that mean that we never face obstacles, challenges, tought times or persecution? No! Most emphatically not. However, when we are thankful and take time to praise the Lord the struggles we are facing take a backseat to God’s greatness.

“I will always praise the Lord. 2 With all my heart,  I will praise the Lord. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad. 3 Honor the Lord with me! Celebrate his great name.” Psalm 34:1-3 CEV

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I am greatly encouraged each morning as the birds start their morning chorus. Their songs are a constant reminder of the faithfulness of the Lord. The doves coo, the meadowlarks warble, the wrens chirp, the finches tweet and even the crows caw their welcome to the dawning of a new day.

Not once have I heard them complain that there aren’t enough bugs to eat or seeds to feast on. Yes, there is an occasional squawk or clicking when they feel threatened but they go right back to singing their sweet songs of thanksgiving.

“I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?” Matthew 6:25-26 CEV

I have learned a lesson from the winged creatures around my home. When I hear them sing, I take a moment to say “thank you Lord for caring for me like You care for them”. Whether they are welcoming the sunrise or calling their young to nest at night it reminds me that the Lord is always there caring for me.

I will bless the Lord at all times!

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Let’s Start Giving Thanks

The last few days I have seen friends posting pictures of the Fall colors in their areas. Hard to believe that things are changing around the country when here in Arizona we are still having temperatures of 100+.

One friend posted some pictures they had taken in the Grand Tetons and another one had images of apple picking near Spokane WA. I was reminded of the years we lived in the Spokane area and how the trees turned color and eventually dropped their leaves. It started my pie baking season which led to cinnamon rolls and banana breads and all things that meant the holidays were coming and so were visits from family and friends.

Fall, autumn, has always been a season of thankfulness! Shouldn’t everyday be a day of giving thanks?

I know you might think I’m starting early but for the next seven weeks I am going to share verses of thanksgiving. We can never be too thankful, and if this past year has taught us anything it is to be thankful for the small blessings.

A lot of folks these days have forgotten how to say “thank you” or to properly appreciate the things that are done for them. We tend to take so many things for granted or, worse yet, feel that we deserve it. Nothing could be farther from the truth – if we all got what we deserved we would be sent straight to hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

We might be better than someone else but when compared to God’s standard we have all failed and fallen short. His grace gives us what we don’t deserve. Things like forgiveness, peace, joy and reconciliation fill His harvest basket. He prepares a feast of blessings for us even though none of us have done anything on our own to merit His loving-kindess.

“Praise the Lord because he is good!  His faithful love will last forever!” Psalm 118:1 ERV

Let’s adopt an attitude of gratitude. Begin now to tell someone thank you. When was the last time our kids heard “Your special, I love you. I’m so glad I’m your parent”? No lectures, no instructions, just thank you for being my kid, you hold my heart. When it comes to our spouses we should open the flood gates and deluge them with gratitude. They go to work everyday to provide for us, they are an example for the kids, or perhaps they are the ones to stay home doing the laundry, making dinner and taking care of the household.

I use a phrase constantly in expressing gratitude and the thing is, I really mean it. I will say, “Thank you, I really appreciate that” and sometimes I hear, “sure you do” but you know I do! I want people to know they are truly appreciated.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. “1 Thessalonians 5:18

We don’t have to be thankful “for” everything but “in” everything. Thanksgiving is the will of God for our lives!

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Apple of My Eye

When I was a little girl, I mean little, about three years old, our neighbor across the road coined a phrase when he greeted me. He would say, “You’re my apple pandowdy, you make my eyes light up”. He said that every time he saw me and then he would laugh and give me a hug.

Jay was such a sweet man. He and his wife had two boys who were my brother’s age and older. They never had a little girl and so I guess he adopted me. Even when I was married and had kids of my own, Jay would burst into his little greeting when he saw me. (For the record, apple pandowdy is a dessert like an apple cobbler.) It was Jay’s way of telling me I was loved.

Just like Jay always told me I was loved, I enjoy telling and showing people they are loved. God loves us all unconditionally. Believe it or not that irritates some people. They mistake my confidence in God’s love as arrogance.

Over the years I have been asked multiple times, “what makes you think that God would do anything for you, who do you think you are”. The answer comes in complete humility, “I’m the apple of God’s eye and He loves me unconditionally”.

As a child, if you would have asked me what made me think that Flo & Gene Vorland were going to provide for me, feed me, clothe me, take care of me when I was sick, give me a warm place to sleep, get me something special for my birthday or take me someplace fun, like fishing; I’d say I know they will – they’re my parents and they love me! End of conversation – you couldn’t convince me differently. Neither can I be convinced any differently when it comes to God – He’s my loving heavenly Father! I’m the apple of His eye and so are you. That’s why He sent His wonderful gift of Jesus.

“The Lord sent me to the nations that took away your wealth. He sent me to bring you honor. And this is what the LORD All-Powerful said: “If anyone even touches you, it is as if they did it to the apple of my eye.'” Zechariah 2:8 CEV

This Thanksgiving Day things may not be perfect in your life but there is one thing that is, God’s love. It’s perfect love!

“Show me the wonders of your great love,  you who save by your right hand  those who take refuge in you from their foes. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;  hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,  from my mortal enemies who surround me.” Psalm 17:7-9 NIV

Be thankful! I can hear God say “you’re my apple pandowdy, you make my eyes light up”.

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Tradition with Purpose

This morning I spent quite a bit of time thinking about traditions; especially the ones we have around Thanksgiving and Christmas. These are holidays. Holiday means holy day.

So many modern traditions are or those created in the last hundred years have consciously or subconsciously set about to downplay the real reason and purpose we celebrate these days.

I know I have posted this before but it’s been a couple years and I wanted to make you aware of the history behind Thanksgiving. Yes, it was a celebration of life and survival by the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. A time for thanking God for His providence and protection. The days of feasting – the days of thanksgiving. But did you know it was Abraham Lincoln who officially proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be day of Thanksgiving?

Here is his official proclamation:

“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and even soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

Abraham Lincoln

By the President: William H. Seward. Secretary of State.”

Praise God for a president who pointed our nation to God Almighty and His wonderful provision. This day is truly a tradition with purpose.

“Praise the Lord, all you nations.  Praise him, all you people of the earth. 2 For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 117 NLT

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Maxamino’s Portion

Sometimes I am surprised at the things that come to mind and the lessons the Lord teaches me from those memories.

Years ago when Dave and I were farming alfalfa in central Arizona we had a man who worked for us. His name was Maxamino. He was such a great help. He was responsible for doing all the irrigating of the 900+ acres we farmed. He was a happy man, always a smile on his face, always willing to do what he was asked.

It was Thanksgiving and we were cutting hay. When alfalfa needs to be cut it doesn’t matter what day the calendar says it is. I had made the traditional Thanksgiving dinner and we ate after we swathed hay in the morning. I fixed a big platter of food for Max and Dave took it down to his house. He was overwhelmed by the amount of food that we took to him. He told us that this plate would have been enough for his whole family.

I realized how blessed we were and was grateful for how the Lord had provided for us. Since that Thanksgiving I have been reminded again and again how important it is that we share what the Lord gives us.

There will always be someone who has more than we do but there will also be those who have less. We have been commissioned to be a light in the world. The Lord wants to shine through us and one way He does that is through our giving.

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 The Message

As I was reading this morning I came across these words:

“He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly. 14 May the Lord richly bless both you and your children. 15 May you be blessed by the Lord  who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 115:13-15 NLT

Part of the blessing we receive from the Lord comes through giving. Look for someone to bless and let God’s light shine through you.

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In My Heart

With Thanksgiving only a few days away I’m sure some of you are like me and are beginning to plan the timing of the food preparation, everything needs to come out of the oven at the same time. As a child I had already checked the TV Guide to see what time the parades would start; I didn’t want to miss a single float, band or balloon. I never was into football but know some who are and they have been strategically planning to watch the games, oh the games.

But this morning I find myself in prayer for friends and family I won’t be seeing on Thanksgiving Day. Some of you have experienced real heart ache this past year- the loss of a loved one or the severing of relationships. Others have hearts full of joy; a new birth, a new home, a marriage, renewed health. The Lord has brought many of you to mind and I’ve been praying for you individually.

I can’t help but think of what the Apostle Paul said to all of us. He wanted us to recognize that we have an important part in this life. God has gifted each of us with a unique and personal role; it’s a calling that no one else can fill.

“If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back, says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them, If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 812:8-21 NLT

These verses are God’s command to us. Even when we are treated badly we are not to retaliate; we are to be loving. This kind of loving attitude will cause the one who is hatedful to be ashamed of their actions. We will conquer evil by doing good.

Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about – doing good. The Native Americans helped the Pilgrims through that first year and this was the festival of celebration. Look at your past – when did someone come along side of you and help you through a rough situation? Thank God for them and enjoy this wonderful time of reflection and gratitude!

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Loaded Up

Here we are just a few days before Thanksgiving and other than the grocery store commercials not a lot is being said about this day that was set aside for giving thanks. The focus is already on the Christmas shopping season and it has been for several weeks now.

It seems that less and less time is allotted for thankfulness. Our hearts should be overflowing with thankfulness. God has been gracious and kind. There may have been disappointments and even heart aches in the last year but God remains faithful and trustworthy.

He continues to bring blessings and benefits into our lives.

“Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes]. 19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; ” James 1:16-19 AMP

He is the giver of every good and perfect gift and He does not change. We need to listen more and murmur less. This will definitely bring us closer to thankful hearts.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” Psalm 68:19 NKJV

Daily, He loads us up with benefits…Selah means stop and think.

Yesterday I stopped in at our local grocery store to pick up a few things that I wanted to have on hand for our Thanksgiving meal next week. I saw a number of people who had their shopping carts loaded to the top. It made of think of this verse. I consider a full shopping cart to be a benefit from the Lord. Loaded up. I remember the days when we had very little in our weekly grocery budget and so my cart was never loaded. A full shopping cart always makes me grateful; I’m thankful for the blessing of enough to eat.

“After you eat and are full, give praise to the Lord your God for the good land he gave you. 11 Make sure that you never forget the Lord or disobey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today. If you always obey them, 12 you will have plenty to eat, and you will build good houses to live in.” Deuteronomy 8:10-12 CEV

As you go about your day, Stop and Think about the ways the Lord has been good to you. I guarantee it will make you thankful!

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Grateful for Grandeur

I have lived in Arizona most of my life; I was born and raised here. I grew up in the desert and we took family vacations in the mountains. I lived in the small town, at that time, of Yuma. We didn’t even have a McDonald’s or a Burger King, shocking. I worked and went to college in metro Phoenix before I was married.

Dave and I moved back to Phoenix within the first year of our marriage. We started a business here. We closed a business during the gasoline shortage of 1974. We found jobs and started our family here. All three of our children were born here. We moved away for twenty-five years and returned when we retired in 2014. We’re home!

In the last year, I have realized how little of the State I have actually discovered. I learned that Arizona is the sixth largest state in land mass. I was surprised by that and I am in awe of the diversity of terrain. We have arid desert, farm land, larger metropolitan cities, ski resorts, pasturelands and wastelands. One of the things that I enjoy the most is the tremendous rock formations; there are huge, jagged rocky crags and also the smooth, round boulders that look like misplaced loaves of bread. We plan to spend a great deal of time traveling the backroads of Arizona and learning more about my home.

Do I sound like a travel log? I don’t mean too but I truly love the grandeur that God has placed before me, here in my home state. Yesterday Dave and I took a localized road trip and drove to a couple of lakes on the far east side of the Valley of the Sun. We went to Saguaro Lake and Canyon Lake; we stopped at the little settlement of Tortilla Flats and we went to the campground at the base of the Superstition Mountains.

I had never been there! It is absolutely beautiful! We are making plans to return – I can hear the Father speak to my heart there.

“The heavens are telling of the greatness of God and the great open spaces above show the work of His hands. 2 Day to day they speak. And night to night they show much learning. 3 There is no speaking and no words where their voice is not heard. 4 Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun. 5 It is as a man soon to be married coming out of his room and as a strong man who is happy to run his race. 6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and it makes its way to the other end. Nothing is hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6 NLV

When I see the beauty of creation my heart is filled with gratitude for the physical glory that the Lord has placed all around us. No matter where we go, creation speaks of God’s love. The snow capped peaks of the mountains, the rolling waves of the ocean, the rich green of the farmlands and the glow of a desert sunset are a reflection of God’s creativity and imagination. He was thinking of us when He designed all of this.

“Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. 4 For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. 5 He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth. 6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. 7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. 8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,  and let everyone stand in awe of him. 9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command…We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice,  for we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,  for our hope is in you alone.” Psalm 33:3-9, 20-22 NLT

I hope you will take time to read all of Psalm 33 today. The timelessness of nature is an example of the eternal power of God’s word, it was created by His word. Creation is a testimony to us of God’s faithfulness. He has left his fingerprint in creation and He uses it to draw us in to relationship with Him.

Oh yes, I am grateful for the grandeur of God’s panoramic display!

“It is wonderful to be grateful and to sing your praises,  Lord Most High! 2 It is wonderful each morning to tell about your love and at night to announce  how faithful you are.” Psalm 92:1-2 CEV

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Gratitude Month

Welcome to November!

I don’t know about you but I am ready to start a month of gratitude. Thirty days before us in this month of Thanksgiving. I challenge you to find something/some things to be grateful for each day and to write them down.

Maybe your coming to the end of a long week and not sure you have all that much to be thankful for? Then make King David’s words yours.

“Then David praised the Lord in front of all the people who were gathered together. David said, “Lord, the God of Israel, our Father, may you be praised forever and ever!
11 Greatness, power, glory, victory, and honor belong to you, because everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you! The kingdom belongs to you, Lord! You are the head, the Ruler over everything. 12 Riches and honor come from you. You rule everything. You have the power and strength in your hand! And in your hand is the power to make anyone great and powerful! 13 Now, our God, we thank you, and we praise your glorious name! 14 All these things didn’t come from me and my people. All these things come from you. We are only giving back to you things that came from you.” I Chronicles 29:10-15 ERV

Look for things to be grateful for today. Let’s be honest, you may be grateful that you held your tongue and didn’t say the first thing that came to your mind. Possibly, you were up in time to see a beautiful sunrise or it could be the practical stuff (payday, lighter traffic on the freeway, a good doctor’s report), safe travel and clear roads. But, write it down because there will be days that you don’t think there’s much to be thankful for and on those days you can be thankful that you have a list of blessings to go back and re-read.

Make a gratitude list!

Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father and we give Him thanks for all that He has done in loving us!

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Thankful for the Sparrows

I woke up this morning thanking God for His goodness and telling Him of my love.

Yesterday started out to be nothing special. Since we had been gone almost two weeks there were no groceries in the house and Dave had a couple of projects he needed to get to now that we were home. He made a list of things he needed and I made a list of groceries and out the door we went.

As we drove down the interstate we found ourselves counting our blessings. Did you do that too? Simple things – a good, dependable truck; no real traffic; our kids and grandkids; money to buy the groceries that we needed and our home.

Yes, it was a good day. At one of our stops we were able to help a couple buy their groceries. They were so embarrassed when they learned that they didn’t have enough money for the few groceries they were buying. The Lord put it on my heart to help so I told the clerk to add it to our bill and we would pay for it. They were so grateful and God got the glory. They walked out saying “thank God”!

What has all this got to do with being thankful for sparrows? Glad you asked.

“Five sparrows are sold for just two pennies, but God doesn’t forget a one of them. 7 Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 CEV

The sparrows that sing each morning from our trees remind me that God is ever-present watching over me so there is no need to be afraid. Just like that couple in the grocery store; the Lord knew their need and provided for them. I love being used.

Those of you who remember watching the Billy Graham Crusades on television may remember George Beverly Shea. He was a soloist who sang many of the special music numbers at the services. There was one song I can still hear him singing, His Eye is on the Sparrow.  If you’re a bit younger than me, you may recall  that Lauryn Hill sang the same song in Sister Act.

  1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
    Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
    When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

    • Refrain:
      I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
      For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
  2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
    And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
    Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

His eye is on the sparrow. I know He watches me! Oh…so much to be thankful for! He watches me. He cares for me, He provides for me, He loves me!!

“I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?” Matthew 6:25-26 CEV

Has something got you worried – really worried? Take a look at the sparrows; they wake up each morning singing. No worries there, they know God has more than enough bugs to keep them fed.

Aren’t you worth more than birds? Yes,  yes you are and My Father cares for you! Now sing, sing because you know He watches over you.

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