Where Everything Else Goes http://gregsimas.org Greg Simas posterous.com Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:16:27 -0700 Coolest Pulpit Ever | PastorGear.com http://gregsimas.org/coolest-pulpit-everpastorgearcom http://gregsimas.org/coolest-pulpit-everpastorgearcom

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Coolest Pulpit Ever

31 Comments 24 August 2010

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I’ve seen some pretty amazing pulpit designs before but this one has to be the coolest one ever made.  It’s from the folks at Little Mountain Productions and it’s called the iPodium.  It’s basically a curved stand with a place cut out for your iPad.  It holds your iPad at the perfect angle so you can easily see it.  And, you can work with the iPad with one hand.

I’ve been preaching from an iPad for a while now and I’ve enjoyed it.  It’s great for making changes to my notes between services.  I typically preach from a small bar table though and my only complaint has been the reading angle.  When the stage lights hit it while laying flat on the table I can have a hard time seeing everything.  To fix that, I’ve been using the Apple iPad case in reading wedge mode to prop my iPad up.  This podium would eliminate this problem, and look a lot cooler while doing it.

As you can see, they’ve got two models.  One is just large enough for an iPad.  The other has a bit of space for a Bible or some other notes.

There are no pricing details that I can find on the maker’s site so I’m afraid it might be one of those “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” type of things but it still looks great.

You can contact Little Mountain Productions here.

via pastorgear.com

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:52:50 -0700 Carmel getaway http://gregsimas.org/carmel-getaway http://gregsimas.org/carmel-getaway

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:19:24 -0700 Oakland Getaway http://gregsimas.org/oakland-getaway http://gregsimas.org/oakland-getaway

Cocina Poblana

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:11:00 -0700 Santa Cruz Getaway http://gregsimas.org/santa-cruz-getaway http://gregsimas.org/santa-cruz-getaway

An amazing Restuarant

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:17:25 -0700 Redding Vacation http://gregsimas.org/redding-vacation http://gregsimas.org/redding-vacation

This is a good problem! It keeps coming :-)

More pics as the week unfolds.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:03:27 -0700 Sunday Morning @ Harvest http://gregsimas.org/sunday-morning-harvest http://gregsimas.org/sunday-morning-harvest

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:55:11 -0700 Friends of the Bridegroom Forerunner Messengers http://gregsimas.org/friends-of-the-bridegroom-forerunner-messenge http://gregsimas.org/friends-of-the-bridegroom-forerunner-messenge
via mikebickle.org

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Sat, 22 May 2010 07:30:44 -0700 Psalm 105,106; 1 Chronicles 13-16 http://gregsimas.org/psalm-105106-1-chronicles-13-16 http://gregsimas.org/psalm-105106-1-chronicles-13-16
Psalm 105,106; 1 Chronicles 13-16

Once made King, David proceeds to move the Ark back to Jerusalem. After the death of Uzzah, David finds a great respect for the law of God and the importance of following and doing things as God has prescribed. 

David, heart to see worship and praise 24/7 begins here. He finally gets the Ark to Jerusalem and sets up skilled musicians, singers and gatekeepers to minister. The greater reality here is that he is prophetically looking ahead to what is to take place in the New Jerusalem we see in Revelation. 

It's important to note how David organized and planned and funded this worship and prayer movement. He did not do it for his own personal renewal or regional revival. He did it to declare God's worth. He did it out of a zeal for the Name of the Lord to be declared 24/7. I believe He is looking for a people who will love Him that much. The end result is not how I will benefit (though i do), but rather for a corporate expression for his glory and worth to be declared.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 19:17:50 -0700 50 at 50 http://gregsimas.org/50-at-50-2 http://gregsimas.org/50-at-50-2
Fifty is an amazing number in the Bible. Fifty signified the year of Jubilee where all slaves were set free, all land was giving back to their original owners and all debt was forgiven. It is a place of new beginning and fresh starts. The word Jubilee means "blowing the ram's horn" which Israel did at the beginning of this year. The root word for Jubilee is taken from the word "Jubel", the father of musicians (Genesis 4:1).
People could not sow or reap during a Jubilee, but rather they lived off the abundance of the land. A Sabbath year. Whatever the ground produced in this year is eaten. Provision came from God himself, supernaturally.
Reflecting and praying about this, I sense a few changes in my personal life as I break into my 50th year. I will fill you in on some of these changes as God brings them to me.
Below is a list of 50 things I have learned over the first 50 years of my life. I am sure there are more if I took to the time to keep writing. This list was put together in about an hour. Hopefully they will benefit you as well.
1. Take more risks.
2. We do what we value.
3. Your gifts will make room for you.
4. Failure is a step forward.
5. Decisions are easy when your values are solid.
6. Ministry is our life purpose with the priority of God, family then others.
7. Think Biblically to live successfully.
8. Embrace pain to live, you don't have to die from it.
9. Embrace disappointment to make you better not bitter.
10. Guard your mouth and your heart.
11. “Forgive them for they know not what they do”.
12. Look for God lessons in everything.
13. Don’t let life intimidate you. You serve a big God
14. Your sermon is your life, not your words. Talk is cheap if its not supported by lifestyle.
15. Don’t expect it if your unwilling to live it.
16. People don’t just help you with the vision, they are the vision.
17. Forgive quickly. Forgetting will take time.
18. God is your defender.
19. Be far more concerned about your character then your reputation.
20. Help others to become successful.
21. If you spend your time looking back your not moving forward
22. People will forget your sermons but they will not forget your life
23. Love the least to love the most.
24. Love is really four original words. Learn to live each one well.
25. God is faithful and God is good. Always.
26. What you think about God shapes your identity. Know who He is to know who your are.
27. If you cannot lead yourself you will not be able to lead others.
28. Find the gifts in your kids and call them out. Help bring them into THEIR destiny not yours.
29. Don’t live your life through your children.
30. Ministry is fun even when it hurts.
31. If you lose hope you lose.
32. People who ask questions are not rebellious.
33. Be responsible for your own life.
34. It’s not what happens to me but what happens in me that is important.
35. An offense never has to have a long life.
36. If you live with excuses you will die thinking it is someone else’s fault.
37. Always do a little more than what is expected.
38. Give all because He did.
39. Discover yourself and be yourself.
40. You can question God, but you may not understand for years to come.
41. There is a mystery in God. I don’t fully understand.  I cannot fit God into my thinking, so I trust.
42. Do what’s right, not what’s popular unless popular is right.
43. Relationships take work. Be committed.
44. Children teach us to serve.
45. Successful people go to God and others to fill the cracks in their foundations.
46. Speak the truth in love. God honors the attitude behind each word.
47. Establish your own history in God. It cannot be someone else’s.
48. Have intimacy with the Living Word and knowledge of the Written Word.
49. A disciplined life results in a passionate life.
50. Love is the greatest of all!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 19:10:05 -0700 The Tipping Point Reality http://gregsimas.org/the-tipping-point-reality http://gregsimas.org/the-tipping-point-reality

"The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference" authored by Malcolm Gladwell is a study in shifts that happen in cultures. From music, politics and even revivals. What interested me to investigate this further is a teaching on Tipping Points by Lance Walnau and a segment in Malcolms book on how revivals create tipping points in cultures.

Tipping-points are "the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable." They are moments when critical mass is reached and a shift takes place. The Azusa Street Revival is the ongoing result of a tipping-point. The current move of God today is a result of a tipping-point that reached critical mass in the middle 90's.

Surprisingly, tipping-points are released through a small percentage of people. We see how this can work as we look at the parable of the sower and the seed found in the gospel of Matthew. Mind you, this is a completely different look at this parable viewing it in the context of a tipping-point. I don't have the room to develop this fully in this blog post so what is referenced is Jesus explanation of the parable to his disciples. I then broaden the tipping point reality to other events found in the early church.

Matt. 13:18-23  “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.  20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.  22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.  23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

According to the parable, 100% of the harvest comes from 25% of the people.

•    From the 25% there is 100 fold, 60 fold, 30 fold people.
•    100 fold believers make up about 8.3% and contribute to 53% of Kingdom results. These are your tipping-point people.  These are the Warriors, the Revivalist, and the Revolutionaries.

Nearly 91% of believers are not pursuing what these 8.3% are.

Tipping-point people are the change agents. They are culture-shifters. For example, revivalists like Martin Luther, John Wesley, William Seymour, Aimee Semple McPherson, Oral Roberts, John Wimber and more were past tipping-point people. I would say that tipping-point people today are Bill Johnson, John Arnott and Heidi Baker, Mike Bickle and Lou Engle and of coarse Billy Graham, just to name a few. These people influence others to be tipping-point people. The instill a confidence to see cultures change.

Jesus was a tipping-point person for the 12 (he was the 8.3% in His core group of disciples)  Peter James John made up the 25% his core.

•    The 12 disciples were the tipping-point for the 120 found in the upper room in Acts 2. (the 12o is approx. 25% of the 500 who Jesus appeared to in Acts 1)
•    The 120 were the tipping-point of the 3,000 that got saved in the later half of Acts 2.
•    The 3,000 were the tipping-point for the 30,000 living in Jerusalem. These literally "turned the city upside down".

What is encouraging here is the fact that it doesn't take a lot of people to create a tipping-point. What it does require is absolute focus and resolve. The 8.3% are hardcore! They will give their life for His Kingdom cause. They work tirelessly and give themselves completely.

What would happen if a city, your city, reached a critical mass of these types of tipping-point people. What if there were a company of 8.3% people that had the resolve and focus to see a move of God in their city. I believe that this is happening currently in some cities today. Critical mass is becoming a greater reality as these cities are closing in on a tipping-point.

Let's become a people with this kind of resolve! We might not see the full results in our lifetime but we will be blazing a trail for our children and grandchildren and others that we have the privilege to influence!

Your thoughts?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:17:37 -0700 Throw Away the Glasses: Womens Eyes Healed during our Church Service http://gregsimas.org/throw-away-the-glasses-womens-eyes-healed-dur http://gregsimas.org/throw-away-the-glasses-womens-eyes-healed-dur

Ralph and Sara (the woman who was healed) have recently moved to the area to attend CSSM, our Supernatural School of Ministry. During our morning service she recieved healing to her eyes. What is interesting is that it happened at the end of the service during corporate prayer. No one officially laid hands on her.  I love it when God shows up and gives gifts to people just because he loves us. He is always good!

Here is Sara's Testimony:

"Recently, I have been experiencing a progressive degeneration of my vision, in particular, when reading and driving a car. During Sunday’s service, on 10/18/2009, there was call for corporate prayer. During the prayer, I felt a burning/hot sensation come upon my eyes as if a hot compress was placed upon them. This sensation lasted approximately for

30 minutes. After the service, when my husband and I started to drive back home I first noticed that my eyes were sensitive to light. Then to my surprise, not only I was able to clearly read fine print, but also I notice a significant improvement in my overall vision. Now I am able to read and drive a car without the use of my glasses.

First and foremost, I would like to thank and praise our Lord Jesus for this healing. I would like to encourage others to faithfully bring your prayers to Him and He will answer them"

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:12:03 -0700 This Weekend-Vision (2) http://gregsimas.org/this-weekend-vision-2 http://gregsimas.org/this-weekend-vision-2

This weekend we continue on in our Vision Series, Vision 2 (what an incredibly unique title)

You are saved for a purpose. God has something specifically set aside for you to do. Vision is getting a revelation of your purpose.

•    Without a personal vision, life loses meaning
•    Without meaning life loses hope
•    Without hope we become resentful (among so many other things)

If we have no vision we are bound to re-live our past. We have to have a vision from the Lord that exceeds our current circumstances. Our vision has to be far beyond just getting through our week (or day for that matter). Vision points you to true North. It charts your coarse. Helen Keller once said, “what is worse then being blind is to have sight without vision.”

Finding God’s purpose and vision will lead you to five unique challenges . This weekend we will look at these challenges, studying them in Exodus 3 and 4 out of the life of Moses. With each challenge the Lord affirms Moses, providing him an answer that moves him to confidently go into Egypt and free over 2.5 million people. The answers the Lord gives Moses apply for each us today.

I believe the church should be a house of visionaries, fulfilling the purpose and dreams God has put in their hearts. Looking forward to going after this together!

Getting God’s Vision For Your Life A vision worksheet pdf

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:08:05 -0700 Change your day. Change your life. http://gregsimas.org/change-your-day-change-your-life-0 http://gregsimas.org/change-your-day-change-your-life-0

Proverbs 21:5  "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." I change my life when I decide to change my day. What I am becoming is the result of what I am doing, today. So a snapshot of my future lies in what I do with my day. Remember, it is the small things, the important things, done consistently that brings success in life. I must make right decisions and manage those decisions daily. For me determining the right decisions is the easy part, what seems difficult is managing those right decisions consistently on a daily basis. The greatest gap in life is between knowing and doing. Have you ever caught yourself saying something like this, “I know I need to do this but I really don’t want to”. At this exact point you and I are making a decision about how successful our future will be. Here are a few thoughts to give you perspective to move forward Don’t exagger ate yesterday: Staying in your past is simply not worth it. Don’t overestimate tomorrow: Tomorrow can be better, but you must have a strategy to make it better. Don’t underestimate today: Today is the only time you have within your grasp, don’t let it slip through your fingers. Many people want to change their lives, but do not see that the secret to that goal is practically changing their day. Do something today to change the outcome of your life tomorrow.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:05:55 -0700 Reflections of the 7 Mountain Conference http://gregsimas.org/reflections-of-the-7-mountain-conference-1 http://gregsimas.org/reflections-of-the-7-mountain-conference-1

Whoa! What an amazing 7 Mountain (7M) Conference we had this past weekend. All of us were touched by heaven and are now more determined to change earth! God is so gracious to us. His Holy Spirit is out of the box (as always). The timing was right, our speaker was right, the focus was right and God is so good!

Here are some reflections from our conference that I have:

• Each of the 7 Mountains (7M) reveals the face of God. It is far more than a program or evangelistic reach into a city. It is actually revealing the nature of God.

• The seven seals in Revelation 5 can be looked at as each of the seven mountains. Jesus is the only one who could remove the seals and open the scroll. He gives us access.

• Each of the 7M is fully established in Heaven. As we are establishing them on earth we are releasing the fulness of His Kingdom reality.

• Each of the 7M represents an aspect of the nature and attributes of the Lord.

Rev. 5:12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

⁃ Government - Power

⁃ Economy - Riches

⁃ Education - Wisdom

⁃ Family - Strength

⁃ Religion - Honor

⁃ Celebration/Arts â€" Glory

⁃ Media/Communications - Blessings

• God's people need to start showing up with God solutions in every realm of society. The prophetic gift will be increasingly more important now and in the days to come.

• The House of Prayer will be the Center of Operations for meditation and revelation for God's people to advance in each of the 7 Mountains.

What is one thing you learned? What do you think God did overall? What were the conference strengths and/or how could we have made it better?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:02:03 -0700 New Early Morning Routine http://gregsimas.org/new-early-morning-routine http://gregsimas.org/new-early-morning-routine

Lately, I have been getting up extra early to make sure I get the important things done in my day. I noticed that the urgent has a way of overtaking the important. I made a decision that in order for me to make sure that the important things in my life get accomplished it would require me to create an environment that would be free of distraction so I can focus.

The most important thing in my day is my life in God. Period. I can only give away what I have. For some reason if I don’t prioritize this as the first thing I do in my day, it gets lost, scattered and pieced together. I can function and do ministry but I loose my edge, my confidence and focus.

So here is what I have been doing for the last week or so.

  • Wake up between 5:00 and 5:30 in the morning.
  • Drink water and grab a cup of coffee
  • Have a little breakfast, usually oatmeal.
  • Read my Bible. I have committed to a least 4 chapters a day.
  • Reflect on what I have read and post it to Life in God and Leaders Life in God (accountability and encouragement blogs)
  • I then Journal. Whatever has my attention and what I feel needs to be written. At times I will find the inspiration to write a post for my blog.
  • Pray. I do this in my family room or sometimes I will get on the treadmill and pray. I am still trying to figure this out. I pray throughout the day...learning to lean into His voice constantly. But i find it important to have a solid extended focus time. I try to get into the Prayer Room at the church to pray as well.
  • Workout. I am trying to do this 3x a week.
  • Review my Task List and my Calendar. I determine at the 3 Most Important Tasks in the day to complete. These are musts. I make sure they are the first things I do.
  • I try and read one chapter in a book a day. I don’t have time in the morning so I need to make time somewhere in my day to put that in.

I am still experimenting with this. I have discovered that this little plan has really given me resolve and strength as I move throughout my day. For me, when I connect with the Lord first thing, I am much more focused and confident with tasks, decisions that need to be made  and with people I connect with. I am getting more things accomplished and I am keeping my priorities solid.

If you have tips on what you do and want to share, that would be welcomed!

Do you have a routine? If so, what is it?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:00:26 -0700 Exercise Faith http://gregsimas.org/exercise-faith http://gregsimas.org/exercise-faith

"Exercise faith, and take possession of what you have obtained in prayer."

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 18:00:15 -0700 Quotes http://gregsimas.org/quotes-546 http://gregsimas.org/quotes-546

"Exercise faith, and take possession of what you have obtained in prayer."

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 17:59:04 -0700 Don't Wait for Perfect Conditions http://gregsimas.org/dont-wait-for-perfect-conditions http://gregsimas.org/dont-wait-for-perfect-conditions

“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
 If they watch every cloud, they never harvest” - Ecc. 11:4

Don't wait for perfect conditions to do something.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 17:58:37 -0700 Quotes http://gregsimas.org/quotes-545 http://gregsimas.org/quotes-545

“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
 If they watch every cloud, they never harvest” - Ecc. 11:4

Don't wait for perfect conditions to do something.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas Mon, 03 May 2010 17:57:39 -0700 Quotes http://gregsimas.org/quotes-544 http://gregsimas.org/quotes-544

Our experiences rise to the level of our declarations. The gap-time is faith.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/677264/Photo_on_2010-04-16_at_12.20.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eME3gy3Ahr Greg Simas pg Greg Simas