#uncompromisingly devoted

[teafiend]

Am happily surprised to find that this latest drama adaptation has my favourite portrayal of Guo Jing (although the actor is not really my cup of tea visuals wise but am more concerned about portrayal and characterization than looks when it comes to my favourite male fictional characters. Aesthetics wise, though, I think Ci Sha is a perfect GJ as is described in the books. And the actor is very compelling and attractive in his own ways).

Ci Sha brought out the Guo Jing of my ideals and I am enamored with his portrayal, an especially steady and composed version of GJ, yet still wonderfully kind and gentle, earnest, chivalrous and generous. And he is so expressively devoted and loving *squee and swoon* towards HR 😍🤩✨🫡 Also a super-dogged bodyguard extraordinaire who can take instructions well ✨🫡☺️🥰 And his Wuxia moves are exceedingly magnificent and cool 👏🏽

This version is also particularly amazing at highlighting the relationship dynamics between my favourite OTP. So many little details in the pairing to make me squee in shipper-fangirl delight ✨🫡🥰☺️

(To be fair, I think all the versions of JingRong - and individual GJ and HR - did the pair justice, and simply a matter of preference which who one prefers. I love all the JingRong I have ever watched, and each brings a different flavour of fabulous to this evergreen pairing/and characters).

I just LOVE, LOVE them to bits ✨🤩🥰☺️🥹 They are literally the perfect canon OTP (JingRong forever✨)

[saturnsbabyboii]

✧Saturn Through the Houses✧

(Brought to you by Sailor Saturn)

(It's important to note that Saturn, it's energy and lessons are transcending so you may not completely relate to it's house exclusively, as the the placement of the sign ruler, along with the aspects made to Saturn play a vital role in understanding the planet.)

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Within astrology, the planet Saturn is renowned for its role as a strict but devoted and highly effective mentor and teacher. Its overarching influence and energy are said to challenge us to work diligently, with an unwavering sense of discipline, while also placing a strong emphasis on the importance of responsibility and constraints. Often depicted as a personification of Father Time, Saturn serves as a powerful reminder of the limitations and constraints that time places upon us all. We would make little or no progress if Saturn did not exist. We live in a physical world, and Saturn encourages us to deal with it. Saturn plays a crucial role in bringing order and discipline into our lives. It challenges us to confront the harsh realities of life and helps establish a sense of structure and control. When Saturn influences a particular area of our natal chart, it can cause delays or obstacles. It is often associated with a cold and unyielding nature, earning it the nickname of "heavy" or "leaden." Going against Saturn's influence, would cause your life to turn chaotic and lacking in direction.

As the governor of old age and the lessons that come with it, Saturn is a planet that emphasizes the value of learning life's lessons as we grow older and wiser. It is said to admire the wisdom and authority that comes with age and is often considered the planet of karma, representing the lessons that we must learn in this lifetime. Despite its association with life's more challenging aspects, it is often noted that things tend to improve significantly after the age of thirty, as we become wiser and better equipped to handle life's many challenges.

Saturn represents a wide range of important concepts, aspects, and attributes within life that can be seen in astrology, including concentration, effort, perseverance, time, consequences, old age, authority, discipline, work ethic, life lessons, and karma. It rules the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius and is noted for taking a total of 28-30 years to complete its orbit.

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���Saturn in the 1st house✧

Dealing with Saturn in the natal chart is never easy, as it is known as the Greater Malefic for a reason. When Saturn is placed in the first house, it gains strength and influence over your life. This placement indicates that your childhood was not as carefree as that other children, this could be especially when it comes to your peers and/or your siblings. You may have had to mature quickly. Your parents expected you to take responsibility for things that a child cannot, and this caused you to experience limitations and hardships. Individuals with Saturn in the first house are also extremely critical of themselves. They may possess a reserved or cautious disposition in social gatherings and exhibit a strong inclination toward maintaining structure and order in their daily lives. This placement may also bring challenges and obstacles to the individual's sense of self-identity. However, with consistent hard work and perseverance, they can effectively conquer these hurdles and gradually cultivate a strong sense of self. 

As an individual with Saturn in the first house, you may have been a timid child and have found it challenging to be spontaneous or feel at ease around others. When encountering a new situation, you tend to approach it with indefinable skepticism and challenge its foundations. You are wary of situations and people, uncovering their machinery step-by-step, and if necessary, dispute them uncompromisingly. People may perceive you as serious and reserved, which can be difficult when trying to make friends or to feel accepted. These perceptions may lead to a diminished sense of self-worth, which can be reinforced by the reactions of others. As you gain more life experience, you will conquer these challenges and enhance your confidence. Surrounding yourself with supportive and understanding individuals can be immensely beneficial in this situation. It is important to choose those who will encourage you to become the best version of yourself rather than force you further down in the covert guise of wanting "what's best for you". Your sense of what's right and what's wrong is stronger than most, so unless you value and respect someone's then I wouldn't recommended taking their advice.

Your appearance and identity are likely closely tied to your status in society. Regardless of your size, complexion and general expression and appearance, it may not have been easy for you to walk through this world earlier in life. This could mark you for a special purpose or destiny. Such a feeling can weigh heavily on you and may prompt you to be ambitious and assume loads of responsibility and leadership at an early age. However, it may also cause you to move through life with a heavy heart and a chip on your shoulder. You might take your life and yourself too seriously and lament that others, especially adults when you were younger, don't live up to their ideals. Because Saturn is related to the 10th and 11th house, respectively, its position in the 1st house suggest you might've been in the public eye since a very young age or you're part of a generational pathology of some sorts that is related to public image, money, business or belonging to an all around strong and influential family.

The first house represents your childhood. Saturn in the first house suggests that you didn't have one, or at least it wasn't perfect or easy, as you were likely seen as the family pillar. You assume the role of provider, both emotionally and literally, very early on. However, if you can't be a child, you won't be able to be an adult later on. Saturn in the first house indicates that you did not have enough time to mature, engage in romantic relationships, or have fun with your friends. You may not have had any friends at all. This could suggest that you experience feelings of anxiety and guilt. Saturn represents your innermost fears, and with it placed in the first house, these apprehensions may be deeply ingrained within you.

People with Saturn in the first house usually had strict parents. With this placement, your relationship with your parents was rarely smooth. When you were a child, you often perceived them as cold and emotionally unavailable. Saturn in the first house people frequently have a parent who has unrealistic expectations and is very strict. You frequently felt judged, and in some cases, you learned to be a harsh judge of yourself as well. Your parent or someone you saw as an authority figure as a child was most likely conservative and traditional and desired to raise you by these principles.

As you mature, you can learn to lighten up and laugh at life and everyone's foibles, including your own. Saturn in the first house teaches you to rely on yourself. Often, you can't rely on anyone except yourself, and rarely on your family. People with Saturn in the first house often had to mature at a young age. Perhaps their family expected them to care for a family member, and Saturn's position in the natal chart placed a heavy burden on their shoulders. The benefit of Saturn in the first house is that you learned self-control and persistence, which will serve you well later in life. You've grown accustomed to hard work and aren't afraid of it.

Being emotionally stunted and being detached are one the hardest lessons you'll have to tackle under Saturn, as it is a survival tactic you had to develop to be able survive yet at some point it won't serve you anymore, as it would in fact harm you later in life. As you heal with time and self work, the sensitive child within you will have it's time to heal and shine. The biggest lesson you'll learn in life is to be able to have a healthy and sustainable a sense of self. 

✧Saturn in the 2nd house✧

The planet Saturn is a challenging presence in one's natal chart. It reveals the karmic lessons that must be learned during this lifetime. If your natal Saturn is in the second house, you must master the art of being self-reliant and working hard. Eventually, you will have to confront your fears and challenges. People with Saturn in the second house are often afraid of financial and material scarcity. They fear being left without any assets to rely on. As a result, they tend to be very frugal with their resources. However, Saturn in the second house also brings a strong sense of responsibility and discipline when it comes to managing finances and possessions. This placement may lead to challenges and delays in accumulating wealth, but with patience and perseverance, financial stability and security can still be achieved. It is important to strike a balance between saving and enjoying the fruits of one's labor, and not become overly attached to material possessions. Saturn in the second house can bring a practical and grounded approach to managing resources and building a solid foundation for the future.

The position of Saturn in the second house of an individual's chart is a significant indicator of long-term financial security. It suggests that nothing is certain and that what one possesses today may be lost tomorrow. Consequently, money becomes a top priority for those with this placement, instilling in them a reluctance to spend irrationally and instead directing their focus towards saving and investing for the future. While Saturn's placement in the second house can bring about prosperity during later years of life, thanks to responsible financial habits, it also represents a fear of losing material possessions and wealth. This fear can sometimes lead to setbacks, even for those who are extremely affluent. This can be a challenging lesson, but Saturn's ways of making money are often obtained through honesty, hard work, perseverance, and consistency. Building up experience over time can also help you become financially successful. Individuals with this placement understand that success is a product of hard work and determination, but Saturn's anxieties are often deeply seeded and require significant effort to overcome. It is imperative to remember that Saturn's challenges tend to subside after one's Saturn return, as they become older and more experienced.

From your childhood to young adult years, you had to learn how to live with minimal help. There may have been a lack of available resources or you had to start working at a young age. This often indicates that you may have come from a less privileged background. Growing up, you may have felt a sense of lack and learned to work hard for what you needed, rather than asking for it. This can sometimes lead to low self-esteem, as you may have compared yourself to others who had more. This can make it difficult for you to charge for what you earned or ask for money, as you may not believe that you are worth it. However, it is important to learn to value yourself more and work on your self-esteem. Remember, there are no get-rich-quick schemes with Saturn in the second house. It may take time and effort, but with dedication and persistence, you can overcome any financial obstacles. Saturn may delay, but it is never denied.

Saturn's biggest lesson for you is that you're worth it. Regardless of what you have, how much you earn, and what you do and don't do with your money and time, you're worthy of being loved, of being appreciated, of being happy.

✧Saturn in the 3rd house✧

Having Saturn in the 3rd house often indicates a serious and disciplined approach to communication and learning. This placement may suggest a cautious or reserved attitude towards expressing oneself and a tendency towards self-criticism or perfectionism in intellectual pursuits.

Saturn in astrology represents constraints, impediments, and delays. Wherever Saturn appears, one can expect to face struggles in some way. People with Saturn in the third house may have difficulty connecting with others, as Saturn represents blockages in this life area, which is the house of communication. Learning to communicate can be a challenging task for them. Their mode of assimilation is demanding and selective, which excludes simple relationships and fanciful innovations. Before accepting a person, an idea, or a formula, they need to sift them through their inflexible will and understand them. They sort out all pieces of information with a serious mind, but also with caution and skepticism. 

People with Saturn in the third house may face speech impediments, require hearing aids, or need specialized education. They may struggle with difficult sibling relationships or experience delays in their education. They may also find it challenging to engage in small talk or make friends, especially with those who live nearby. These individuals may feel uncomfortable around strangers and acquaintances, and they may not be well-known in the community. Childhood scars may have a greater influence on them, and they may remember their immediate surroundings as being cold and depressing, especially when they were younger. 

Individuals who have Saturn in their third house often struggle with their interactions with the outside world and may feel insecure about it. Short trips can still be challenging and exhausting. As a child, they may have been teased by their peers, and they may have communication or speech problems. They may find it difficult to speak up, and their thought process may require more time to process information. However, this placement suggests that an individual may frequently beat themselves up over past events. It is crucial to consciously shift focus to the present and future, which are areas where one has control. The third house represents elementary school years and relationships with peers, teachers, and acquaintances. Therefore, Saturn in this house may indicate difficulty in school, whether it be learning or socializing. As a child, one may have felt lonely and misunderstood, struggling to share their ideas with others. They may have had difficulty connecting with relatives, including siblings, and avoided meeting new people. Their minds work slowly but steadily, and they need to organize their thoughts to learn effectively. It is important to note that these challenges do not indicate a lack of intelligence but rather a much thorough mind. In astrology, Mercury and the third house describe an individual's mental abilities. Those with Saturn in the third house have a unique way of thinking and are capable of solving difficult problems and testing out theories, they're also endowed with a great memory.

The good news is that problems with Saturn usually improve after one's Saturn return. In time these individuals become more self-assured in their interactions with people in their neighborhood and local community as they can overcome obstacles. With dedication and effort, this placement can also bring rewards in terms of increased mental clarity, focus, and mastery of skills. It may also indicate a need to establish clear boundaries or structure in one's relationships with siblings, neighbors, or other close contacts. but with effort. Another benefit of Saturn in the third house is the ability to keep secrets, getting the truth, interrogating, and keeping track of information making them ideal to work with sensitive information, as a detective, a judge, or possibly even politics and the military.

Learning that you have the right to hold court and to speak your mind is Saturn's biggest lesson here.

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✧Saturn in the 4th house✧

Having Saturn in the fourth house can be challenging. Saturn represents limitations and difficulties, making it a challenging planet. People who have this placement are often from families that are emotionally distant. As a child, you may have felt like you couldn't get the love and attention you needed from your parents. This placement is associated with inner insecurity and delays in energy, causing roadblocks and obstacles in life. The fourth house is related to home and family, and people with Saturn in this house typically come from families where they didn't receive emotional nurturing. This placement can indicate a karmic task related to one of your parents, typically the nurturing one, and these relationships are rarely easy. Saturn in the fourth house can bring challenges related to family and home life and may indicate a difficult or restrictive upbringing with a heavy emphasis on duty and responsibility. You have a highly selective attitude, seeking a personal world devoid of compromise. Saturn in the fourth house is associated with childhood issues and difficulties growing up and may have resulted in poor living conditions. However, with hard work and discipline, this placement can also bring a strong foundation and deep sense of security in the home. 

People with this placement may have a strong connection to tradition and a desire for stability and structure in their domestic and private lives. Although you may have gone through difficult times as a child or had to flee a strict or traditional family, setting your sights on worldly success with determination and grit, the pull of the past may keep a firm grip on you. It may cause difficulty finding mentor figures or receiving support from others, but if you can honor your independence and remain optimistic, you will eventually gain the momentum and progress you seek.

When Saturn is in your fourth house, it means that you share a karmic bond with your mother or the more nurturing parent. This bond can be quite challenging to handle and may require significant time and effort to resolve in your lifetime. You may need to help your parents at some point in your life. The fourth house signifies your ancestors and family karma, as well as your astrological roots. Saturn is a planet of the past and karmic in the birth chart, so when it collides with the fourth house, you may need to work out some issues before you can move forward. The fourth house also represents endings, such as your final years and what you can expect during old age. Having Saturn in the fourth house may lead to loneliness, restrictions, or poverty in old age, so it's important to develop self-control and confront the past. Once you have healed from past scars, you can live the life you want, rather than what your subconscious beliefs tell you. The way a planet's sign and aspects influence its manifestation is always significant. If Saturn receives harmonious aspects, it may be easier for you to learn the lessons your soul needs to learn in this lifetime. The fourth house also represents your home country and where you grew up. Some planets in the fourth house have an emotional impact on you. People with Saturn in the fourth house may work in real estate or agriculture and have an attachment to the past. They could be collectors who struggle to let go of their possessions, or they may want to return to their childhood home. Saturn's conservatism in this area is not necessarily a bad thing unless it's combined with a lack of understanding. This may result in rigid viewpoints and difficulty understanding where others are coming from. You may also try to impose your beliefs on others. Being nostalgic is not a bad thing, but it's essential to remember that the past was not always easy or better and learn to live in the present moment.

Saturn is not only the planet of the past but also the planet of responsibility. People with Saturn in the fourth house often feel responsible for their family's events, and when things go wrong, they tend to blame themselves. This placement indicates that you're very attached to the past and may torture yourself in the present with things from the past. If Saturn is in the fourth house, your parents or guardians were most likely strict. You may have learned to be harsh on yourself and others. This placement describes a disciplinarian upbringing, where you felt your parents didn't understand you and couldn't love you properly. People with Saturn in the fourth house often have a significant fear of losing their property or home, as well as their family members, whether it's through death or emotional loss. When it comes to building your own home, Saturn can be a constraint, and you may have to fight for a place to live. In some cases, Saturn in the fourth house can lead to a long life. Although those with Saturn in the fourth house may face complex challenges in their family and home life, they can create a solid foundation for themselves and their loved ones by being determined and willing to confront challenges head-on.

✧Saturn in the 5th house✧

The placement of Saturn in the fifth house of a person's birth chart signifies that they may encounter challenges and difficulties regarding their love life, creative expression, and relationships with children. Such individuals may have to put in more effort than usual to achieve success in these areas. Saturn's influence can lead to self-doubt and insecurity, and a tendency towards being overly critical of oneself and others. However, with patience and dedication, Saturn in the fifth house can bring discipline and mastery in creative pursuits and a deeper understanding of the responsibilities and joys of parenthood. 

People with Saturn in the fifth house are not frivolous when it comes to love, childhood, or creativity; they are complex and selective. They seek genuine passion and creativity and are prone to doubt and questioning. Childhood memories usually involve a strict education that adheres to established rules. The fifth house is known as the House of Joy, while Saturn desires work, self-discipline, rules, and structure. The clash between these two entities can create difficulties in the areas of life represented by the fifth house. Saturn in the fifth house can make a person serious and in charge of everything, limiting their ability to connect with their inner child and experience a state of flow. They might feel guilty and ashamed of expressing themselves and be self-conscious. 

People with Saturn in the fifth house tend to be productive, even in their spare time, and find it difficult to unwind and enjoy themselves. However, taking art classes or pursuing creative hobbies can be beneficial, as it can help them get to know themselves better and let go. Saturn desires structure in art, and after the age of 30, people with this placement tend to enjoy life more in the second half of their lives. With effort and determination, they can overcome the challenges posed by Saturn and pursue their interests with passion and discipline.

The fifth house is commonly associated with romance, flirting, and enjoying the company of others. However, if Saturn is present in this house, it can cause delays and a lack of dating opportunities. This may result in a person entering into romantic relationships later in life or feeling a sense of guilt or pressure associated with dating. There may also be insecurities about attractiveness and social skills, leading to difficulty with flirting or dating. Once a partner is found, however, they are likely to stay committed to a solid relationship. These natives tend to take romance seriously and may prefer relationships that lead to long-term commitments. Their love life typically improves after the age of thirty, when the person becomes more carefree and spontaneous. The fifth house also represents children and parenting. With Saturn in this house, it may take longer to become a parent, and there may be a strong sense of responsibility towards one's children. Becoming a parent can lead to increased self-discipline and maturity for both the parent and the child.

✧Saturn in the 6th house✧

Saturn is a valuable planet in our solar system. It embodies order, structure, and discipline, all of which are beneficial in the sixth house. This astrological house is associated with work, health, and daily routines, and in this article, we will explore how Saturn influences each of these areas. Those with Saturn in the sixth house are diligent, hardworking, and often feel a strong sense of obligation. As the sixth house is the house of service in astrology, this trait is not surprising. Saturn's placement in the sixth house can create a sense of responsibility towards work and health, with a need for structure and discipline in daily routines. This can sometimes lead to perfectionism and self-criticism, with a focus on maintaining physical and mental well-being. However, Saturn's influence, hard work, and dedication can also lead to success and mastery in one's chosen field. 

Individuals with this placement may experience some challenges. They may feel separate from their coworkers, struggle to fit into the office environment, and prefer to work independently. They may also feel run down and tired due to the constant workload. However, their character is serious, and they approach their daily tasks with meticulous attention to detail. Their integrity is highly appreciated in the professional arena, and they prefer to speak the truth rather than make shaky compromises. At times, this intransigent image may result in negative consequences. 

While Saturn in the sixth house emphasizes the importance of work in one's life, it is essential to find a balance. People with this placement tend to work hard throughout their lives, and they are extremely self-disciplined. They may be workaholics, but success usually comes later in life due to Saturn's slow and steady growth. Despite the insecurities that Saturn can bring, those with this placement are often concerned with making a positive impact on the world. 

It is common for those with Saturn in the sixth house to undervalue themselves and feel underappreciated by their boss. However, their sense of duty keeps them working hard, and with time and confidence, they may receive the recognition they deserve. They are well-suited for service-oriented fields, such as healthcare or social work, and can also support their coworkers by sharing their knowledge and problem-solving skills. Saturn's placement in the sixth house offers an opportunity to pay back karma through work. The sign of Saturn reveals more about one's karma.

Individuals with Saturn in the sixth house place a high value on routines and stick to them regardless of circumstances. Once they integrate something into their daily routine, it is highly likely to remain there. These individuals are typically loyal to their workplace and do not switch jobs unless necessary. They enjoy structure and organization, preferring to spend their days in a structured and organized manner. Moreover, they do not like changing their routines, not only at work but also in their personal lives. They have a specific plan for how everything should proceed on a good day and tend to enjoy repetition and planning ahead. 

This placement also implies that they have to take care of their bodies, more so than others. Saturn in the sixth house may cause chronic illnesses, as it slows and prolongs everything. Consequently, individuals with this placement may experience pain in their bones and knees and may also have dry skin or digestive issues. However, with self-discipline and perseverance, they can adopt healthy habits and lifestyles. 

Individuals with Saturn in the sixth house may also be prone to anxiety, especially if Virgo is prominent in their natal chart. They tend to worry about things that may never happen. Nonetheless, they can develop healthy habits and be disciplined in taking care of themselves, which should alleviate their anxiety.

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✧Saturn in the 7th house✧

Saturn, in astrology, is known for its serious, responsible, and confining energy. When Saturn is in the seventh house of a natal chart, it affects the area of committed, one-on-one relationships, including both marriage and business partnerships. People with Saturn in the seventh house take their relationships very seriously. Relationships are not just a part of their life but where they have karmic lessons to learn in this lifetime. However, Saturn in the 7th house can also create challenges in partnerships and relationships, leading to a sense of responsibility and duty towards one's significant other, but also a feeling of restriction or limitation in personal freedom. It is essential to learn how to balance one's own needs with those of their partner and communicate openly and honestly to avoid misunderstandings. With effort and patience, this placement can lead to growth and maturity in relationships.

This configuration predisposes to some degree of rigor in human relations, associations, or within the couple. It may not be easy to link up with the world and blend in, but steady honesty works wonders once confidence has dispelled any reluctance and modesty. However, people should never cheat on someone with this placement. One might always feel like the challenger in a world of defending champions. At their best, this constant positioning forges their will, patience, and determination into a stainless-steel quality and nature. While they may be tough and cranky at times, their toughness also makes them reliable. Others can trust them with a great deal, especially if they allow themselves to be governed by fair-minded principles and ideals.

At their worst, they allow life's school of hard knocks to give them a degree of cynicism with honorable mentions in bitterness. Then they'll discover there are fewer and fewer people willing to give them a shot at more as they mature. The world does not owe them anything, but they do owe the world as much as they have to offer. The more they offer what's of lasting value, the longer more of them will exist in the world.

People with Saturn in their seventh house are drawn to serious individuals with serious plans for the future. They seek a long-term, committed relationship. However, Saturn is also associated with limitations and impediments, meaning they are more likely to meet their ideal partner later in life. Additionally, their partners may be significantly older than them and are usually successful in life. These individuals tend to be very shy when young, and their relationship with a parent is often at the root of this. They have a small circle of committed friends rather than a larger circle of shallow friendships, and their friendships tend to last a long time. They are dependable and protective friends, usually meeting their friends at work or in a business setting. They may even meet their future partner this way. While they may struggle in the corresponding life areas in the beginning, they can become a master here later in life, usually after their first Saturn return, around the age of 28-30.

In the realm of astrology, Saturn is widely associated with patience and time. This celestial body is known for embodying life lessons, discipline, and perseverance, but it also tends to evoke fear. For those whose natal chart places Saturn in the seventh house, it is common to experience trust issues and fear abandonment in relationships due to past experiences. This can manifest as a fear of intimacy and a tendency to choose partners who may not be the best fit. Furthermore, childhood issues with a parent can also have a significant impact on adult relationships. Despite these challenges, individuals with Saturn in the seventh house tend to take relationships very seriously and highly value loyalty and accountability. A well-aspected Saturn can lead to a mature and long-lasting marriage, whereas negative aspects may result in a difficult union. Overall, Saturn's placement in the seventh house suggests that relationships will develop at a steady and deliberate pace, even if they come with certain limitations. Saturn in the seventh can also indicate marrying someone powerful, wealthy, intelligent, or may be the head of a business, institute, or act as a member of a board. If Saturn here is in aspect to Pluto then it could indicate marrying into a royalty, presidency, or any person with powerful familial connections. 

✧Saturn in the 8th house✧

The placement of Saturn in the eighth house of a birth chart is a fascinating one. This planet, representing life lessons and karma, is found in a house that strongly influences karma. While it is true that this position has karmic implications, it also has other meanings.

Individuals with Saturn in the eighth house often struggle with establishing intimate relationships. Maintaining strict boundaries in intimate relationships, such as keeping separate bank accounts, may be a pattern for those with Saturn in the eighth house. This placement may result in a lack of commitment or an inability to connect deeply with partners. Such individuals may feel cut off from their instincts, gut feelings, and deeper energy. They may set clear boundaries between themselves and others, leading to a hardened and rigid sense of gut. Fear of losing control of their power may also lead them to hide their abilities and avoid deep transformation. This placement may also result in barriers to intimacy and to transformation due to taking things too seriously. 

In your natal chart, the placement of Saturn in the 8th House can indicate a negative reputation. This is because Saturn is associated with fears, limitations, and restrictions, and its placement in the sector of death, inheritances, and destructions can lead to unconscious manifestations of these effects. The 8th House is also linked to hidden secrets and problems that require dedication to uncover. People with Saturn in the 8th House often have difficulty recognizing their fears, but this placement can also lead to a deep understanding of life, death, and transformation. While Saturn struggles with the emotional intensity associated with water houses, overcoming its challenges can lead to a talent for healing and an ability to see into the soul. Ultimately, facing the challenges of Saturn in the 8th House can lead to radical transformations and a deeper understanding of oneself and others.

Individuals with Saturn in the eighth house may experience a reluctance towards intimacy. Although the eighth house is associated with sex, those with this placement view it as a mysterious bond rather than an instinctual act. Emotional intimacy issues often prevent these individuals from achieving a close connection with their partner. While some may experience physical limitations, the root cause is typically apprehension towards vulnerability. Some choose to avoid commitment altogether, despite appearing to have a high sex drive and engaging in promiscuous behavior. You may marry someone who leads you into debt. It's important to establish boundaries in intimacy, including setting rules for professional intimate relationships. By mastering intimate relationships, you can maintain a healthy balance in your personal and professional life.

People with this placement go through karmic relationships that involve lessons learned in intimacy. It touches upon the issue of limited sexual options and partners, as well as difficulty in forming deep connections with others. There may be a period of celibacy, whether it is voluntary or not, and the possibility of feeling like an incel. Saturn in the 8th might suggest that you're withholding your sexuality from others by restricting and conserving your sexual energy. You control your sexual urges, it doesn't control you. You may be picky when it comes to choosing an intimate partner. Learning to master your sexual energy, accepting intimate experiences, and trusting your gut will help you establish a better trajectory for yourself in love. Put your foot down, stop unwanted advances, and learn who is and is not right for you, and who is to have your energy. Despite what toxic optimists say, not everyone is right for you, and not every lesson needs to be learned in pain. You can grow in greater ways by learning slowly and from a nurturing environment rather than traumatizing yourself. A tree grows much more solid with time, while iron that has been through the test of flames will rust and decay. 

If Saturn is in the eighth house, it may suggest that marriage may bring financial shortages and that there are limitations to your partner's income due to a fear of intimacy. Some people are in relationships where they feel misunderstood by their partner, leading to financial demands as a means of revenge after a divorce. This can result in the loss of money, assets being frozen, or payments of alimony or child support. Such situations can be detrimental to the relationship and should be addressed. 

Your birth chart's Saturn placement indicates areas in which you need to focus your efforts. Specifically, if you have Saturn in the eighth house, you need to learn to manage your deep emotions. If you're willing to work hard on these issues, Saturn will reward you. People with Saturn in the eighth house often have a talent for handling money, making it an ideal placement for bankers, tax advisors, or accountants. However, this placement also comes with financial risks, such as those that can arise from relatives, spouses, taxes, loans, or business partners. Understanding human nature is crucial when dealing with finances, especially in relationships or marriages, where the loss of financial assets during breakups or divorces is common. Individuals with Saturn in the eighth house may have a mastery of psychology and may benefit from lessons in psychotherapy. Shedding outworn rules and regulations is necessary for them to grow. 

The eighth house represents joint assets, such as those from marriage or inheritance, but Saturn's influence can limit these assets. Inheritance battles may be necessary, and it's important to be aware of the fine print in intimate relationships. Saturn's influence in the eighth house emphasizes the need for formality and caution in these situations, as carelessness or naivety can lead to cycles of abuse or manipulation. These natives may find themselves as the will and estate executor.

This placement brings challenges and obstacles in areas of shared resources, intimacy, and inheritance. However, with hard work and perseverance, it can also bring profound growth, inner strength, and resilience. Individuals with this placement can benefit from confronting their fears and facing their shadow selves, leading to a greater sense of empowerment and understanding of the mysteries of life and death. It is essential to note that not all fears are justified, and some may be holding individuals back. 

✧Saturn in the 9th house✧

The ninth house is the house of the abstract mind in astrology. Saturn, the planet of material things, isn't quite at home here. If Saturn is in the ninth house, you may need more time to process new information than others. This does not imply a lack of intelligence; rather, it indicates a lack of structure and discipline in your beliefs and philosophies. Religion, education, and travel may be taken more seriously and maturely by you than by others. The disadvantage is that you may encounter challenges or delays when pursuing higher education or long-distance travel. Nonetheless, with dedication and perseverance, you can achieve your academic or spiritual objectives. 

You may also have a strong appreciation for tradition and cultural heritage, but it's critical that you don't become too rigid or dogmatic in your beliefs. The distinction between conservative rigidity and intolerance, as well as seriousness and austerity, is extremely thin. You value honesty both intellectually and morally. You do not pretend to be knowledgeable, and you value open relationships, even if it means making sacrifices. 

The ninth house is associated with philosophy and your worldview. Saturn in the ninth house people have a strict moral code, may be religious, or express their own opinions. You can gradually change your philosophical viewpoints, but you need proof that you can rely on something. You prefer a structured view of the world and find it difficult to broaden your horizons. If Saturn is afflicted in your natal chart, you may seek external validation for your ideas and be wary of challenging authority figures. 

Saturn seeks stability and structure, whereas the ninth house represents expanding one's horizons. People with Saturn in their natal chart may be resistant to change and fearful of new perspectives, especially if Saturn receives challenging aspects. Some people, on the other hand, may be drawn to foreign cultures, devoting time and effort to learning new languages. As you get older, you may find yourself traveling more and interacting with people from other countries. When traveling, you prefer to plan ahead of time and be organized. 

Higher education is also represented by the ninth house. Some people with Saturn in the ninth house may have been unable to attend college or studied later or for a longer period of time than others. When Saturn is blessed with harmonious aspects, it may indicate a career in higher education or research. Saturn represents endurance, persistence, and a willingness to work hard, making it an excellent sign for a career in education or research. You are a structured thinker who views the problem holistically, and you do not trust new ideas until they have been tested. When you learn something, it sticks with you, and you effectively manage your mental assets. As a teacher, you have a strong sense of responsibility for your students, and you are strict but fair, like Saturn. If you had Saturn in the ninth house as a student, you may have been afraid of authority figures and asking questions, fearing appearing stupid or being mocked.

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✧Saturn in the 10th house✧

When Saturn is placed in the tenth house it describes you as someone who possesses strong self-discipline and determination. You command respect from those around you and are well-regarded in your community. Career-wise, you hold yourself to high standards and have lofty ambitions. Your work ethic is unparalleled, especially if Saturn is in an earth sign. Responsibility comes naturally to you and you have a realistic outlook on life. With Saturn in the tenth house, you are grounded and focused on stability in your professional life. You maintain an authentic public identity and reputation and are aware of the limited time you have to achieve your goals. You have likely faced setbacks in the public eye, which has honed your public identity and professionalism. You are someone who commands great respect and sets an example for others in your profession. While others may have the luxury of slacking off, you uphold rules and codes of conduct and take your work very seriously. Your persistence and ability to handle pressure will eventually lead you to the top.

Your relationship with authority figures in your life can be revealed by examining the tenth house and Saturn. When Saturn is in the tenth house, it may indicate the presence of a strict parental figure, usually the father. Saturn's influence may have taught you discipline and persistence, which can be beneficial for achieving success later in life. However, the strict upbringing may have also resulted in perceiving this parent as cold and emotionally unavailable. It's possible that one or both parents held notable authority or were powerful individuals, with rigid expectations that you had to live up to. This may have included following their rules, acting mature and responsible, or even living out their unfulfilled goals and wishes, regardless of your own desires. As a result, you may have matured quickly and become wise beyond your years, ambitious, hardworking, and professional from a young age. You may have even started working very early in life, such as becoming a child actor or entertainer. Your upbringing may have also made you desire to leave a mark on the world and influence it. 

Being afraid of or having an absent parent may have forced you to learn to be emotionally self-sufficient and mature ahead of your time. Your relationship with your parents serves as the foundation for all of your other relationships, including those with your partner, children, friends, employer, and coworkers. A conflicted relationship with authority figures may be indicated by Saturn in the tenth house, leading you to feel like you cannot rely on them.

Saturn in the tenth house indicates that you are determined to achieve your goals, no matter how much effort it takes. You are willing to work hard, even if it means staying up until the wee hours of the morning. People with Saturn in the tenth understand that success comes with time and effort. They have lofty goals in life and want to be known for their work. However, they are prone to overworking and need to learn how to take breaks. You may also have tendencies toward being a control freak. However, with time and experience, you will become increasingly successful. Success in this area usually comes later in life, usually after your Saturn return. Many people with this placement may have had low self-confidence when they were younger, which in turn they compensate for as they get older by working more than everyone else.

The placement of planets in the tenth house can be a great indicator of one's career path. It can provide insight into the profession that may be best suited for an individual, as well as what experiences they may encounter in their professional life. Saturn in this house is in accidental dignity and is traditionally associated with Capricorn, a zodiac sign ruled by Saturn. People In regards to your career, Saturn in the tenth house often works in fields that require perseverance, long hours, and the ability to climb the ladder. As a governing planet of hierarchy, structure, and organizations in astrology, Saturn's influence in your professional life may lead you to value these aspects. This placement may also indicate a career in government, where a great deal of responsibility is often placed on your shoulders. 

With Saturn in the tenth house, your vocation may involve investing in long-term projects and deepening your knowledge, rather than being swayed by momentary illusions. While you may be criticized for your rigorous, austere, and realistic personality traits, your capacity for self-reflection and learning from setbacks are assets that can benefit you greatly in your professional life. Though you may show your qualities later than others, your tenacity and demanding nature enable you to grow despite setbacks and failures. When well-aspected, this placement endows you with seriousness and reliability that your colleagues and acquaintances will acknowledge and respect. 

You may have had to rely on yourself or your family to succeed, and as a result, you place a great deal of value on your reputation and status. People may look up to you as a leader, particularly if they have seen you rise from humble beginnings. However, it's essential to remember that leadership requires grace and character when stepping down, just as much as it does grit and determination while climbing the ladder. 

People with Saturn in the tenth house often excel in science, research, or teaching careers. This placement also makes for an excellent manager, as it allows you to bring structure to an organization. While success may be slow in coming, Saturn's rewards are permanent and can lead to lasting success.

The tenth house and the sign on its cusp reveal how others tend to perceive you. This perception can often be influenced by any planetary placement in this house. If you have planets in the tenth house, you may be well-known in your community due to your professional accomplishments. However, if Saturn is also present, you may not enjoy being in the spotlight. While you may gain notoriety, it may not come naturally to you and you may need to learn how to deal with it. During your younger years, you may be shy and awkward. Saturn in the tenth house can cause others to see you as strict, hardworking, and serious. You may be well-liked and respected in your community, but at the same time, viewed as cold and distant. Despite being known by many, you may not be particularly close to them. If Saturn is aspected negatively in your natal chart, you may become arrogant and insensitive.

✧Saturn in the 11th house✧

Saturn is familiar with the eleventh house as it is associated with Aquarius, which was previously ruled by Saturn before the discovery of Uranus. Individuals with Saturn in the eleventh house may feel lonely in social situations, particularly during their younger years, and may have difficulty making friends due to a lack of like-minded individuals. Connecting with large groups of people is also challenging for those with this natal chart placement, and they may be late bloomers when it comes to socializing. This is because they may have misused their talents or experienced suppression in the past, leading to difficulty in this aspect of life. Social anxiety is common among those with Saturn in the eleventh house, leading to caution around others and a lack of self-confidence. Some may avoid social situations altogether, while others may overcompensate and try extremely hard to fit in. Success in the professional realm may also come later in life, as individuals with this placement tend to prefer staying in the background, missing out on potential opportunities that come through others.

Although the eleventh house pertains to friendship, it doesn't pertain to close friendships, but rather to impersonal and casual friendships or your social circle. If Saturn is in the eleventh house, it indicates that you tend to be quiet and reserved in social situations. You have a reserved personality type, which means that you require a significant amount of time to be yourself in any group, and even then, you are rarely the center of attention. Peer recognition is usually lacking in your life, and you may sometimes feel invisible as if no one hears you in a crowd. You frequently feel as if you don't belong anywhere.

If Saturn receives challenging aspects, you may become arrogant or develop a dislike for networking. Learning to be dependable and genuine while remaining self-confident is a significant challenge with this placement. However, you must learn how to have a healthy relationship with groups and how to behave in your social circle during this lifetime. This is not to say you're a bad friend. You are not: People with Saturn in the eleventh house are caring and loyal once they become close to someone. You feel responsible for your friends, and your friendships typically endure. You can give love and affection, but you may struggle to accept it, resulting in an imbalance in your relationships.

People with Saturn in the eleventh house frequently have older friends, and the groups and organizations they belong to are usually exclusive or only permitted for upper echelons. These organizations tend to be formal, with a dress code and strict rules. Some examples include AARP or the Soho. A group of professionals or business people, and traditional groups with outstanding panels, rings of accountability, wise orders, gulf clubs, country clubs, conscience councils, or gathering duties. This person is interested in being part of a secret society or even to be an aristocrat.

When you have Saturn in the eleventh house, you tend to withdraw from the crowd and surround yourself with serious, solemn, and mature individuals. You prefer organizations for the mature and feel that an old friendship should not be traded for a superficial, short-lived relationship. Instead, you carefully select your friends and keep them for a long time, as you need loyal friends to build long-term projects. As you get older, you often make younger friends, and friendships are frequently formed in the workplace. This planet emphasizes the significance of professional networking, and depending on your Saturn sign, you may work best in business groups and associations.

The eleventh house in astrology also represents hopes and dreams and how they materialize and income from your profession. Saturn's influence in this house brings stability, but financial gains earned through hard work may be postponed. However, as you age, your financial situation is likely to improve. People with Saturn in the eleventh house tend to focus on long-term goals and prefer a consistent approach to making money instead of quick and unstable methods. Saturn rewards hard work, but it is not a planet of instant gratification. Individuals with this placement may have a hard time believing in their ability to achieve their goals due to a fear of failure. However, the eleventh house is also associated with humanitarian ideals, and helping others can improve Saturn's influence. Volunteering is an excellent way to contribute to those in need and share your knowledge, experience, creativity, time, or money. Remember, everyone has something to offer, and we can all make a difference.

✧Saturn in the 12th house✧

If Saturn is in your twelfth house in astrology, it suggests that a lot is happening beneath the surface. Saturn is known as the planet of obstacles and challenges, while the twelfth house is associated with dissolution. Consequently, it can be challenging to relax and let go, and you may frequently feel lonely or trapped. Those with Saturn in the twelfth house often struggle to forgive themselves and may be trapped in the past. Empathy and forgiveness are essential, but it can be difficult to access your unconscious and imaginative world. This placement may indicate difficulty remembering dreams or experiencing insomnia. 

Individuals with Saturn in their twelfth house may be withdrawn, withhold from themselves, and have a serious approach to spiritual life. They may struggle with personal freedom and may need to learn how to structure their time and create support systems. Saturn in the twelfth house can lead to self-imposed limitations, but it is essential to master your fears and expand in a confined space. This placement may also indicate missing a father figure and difficulty with vulnerability. 

People with Saturn in their twelfth house benefit from spending time alone and may work in isolated settings, such as hospitals, prisons, or as researchers. Volunteering and charitable work can be fulfilling, as the Twelfth House is about selfless service. Additionally, Saturn in the twelfth house may indicate the need to travel to distant countries for work.

If Saturn is in the twelfth house, it shows that you struggle with letting go of things. You tend to hold onto things and often berate yourself for things that happened a long time ago that you cannot change. You don't like feeling overwhelmed by emotions, so you tend to repress them. Sometimes, you may not even be aware of what you are feeling. You push your emotions away rather than allowing them to go away on their own. This can lead to hidden pain that you are not aware of, causing you to suffer greatly. You may feel depressed all the time, and Saturn's influence can manifest as frequent melancholy. You may also experience panic attacks or anxiety. If you have planets in the twelfth house, psychotherapy can be very helpful. You may not be interested in spiritual beliefs and prefer to focus on the realities of life. This can lead to an interest in dark, tedious, or secret works. You may be an introverted person who gives up your social life for spirituality. Over time, you may become more open to spirituality after your Saturn return.

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Byee Bissshhh

[strollsroyce]

it's so weird when ppl on this site hear "romance isn't the end-all be-all relationship" and respond with "right! you can have devotion and obsession that isn't romantic!" and it's like no you don't understand. some of us are not interested in devotion at all.

did you know? gentleness and intimacy can meaningfully exist in a casual sexual environment.

did you know? you can fuck your friends without feeling or desiring any kind of love.

did you know? some people are actively specifically pursuing the type of friendships that can contain casual sex, kindness, and intimacy--without love. without devotion. without placing each other on a pedestal above everyone else in their lives. the type of friendship that can be important and valuable without the idea that it's any more important or valuable than any other friendship.

i don't want your love. sure, you can feel it, i don't really care, but regardless of what you feel, i want you to know that i am not going to love you. i am not going to be devoted to you. i am not going to be obsessed with you for any length of time. i am not going to hold you closer to my heart than anyone else in my life.

if i like you, i will be your friend. i will enjoy your presence and i will be uncompromisingly kind to you and i will be intimate with you and i will be soft + happy + free around you. these are not gifts i give lightly, but they are also not gifts i withhold from anyone i am friends with. and if you feel like these actions indicate feelings that i have not otherwise verbally expressed, that is a YOU problem.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Good morning World Daily Devotionals for November 17, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 28:10-12 (KJV): 10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. 11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out. 12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. Proverbs 28:10-12 (AMP): 10 Whoever leads the upright astray into an evil way, he will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance. 11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes and conceit, but the poor man who has understanding will find him out. 12 When the (uncompromisingly) righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration; but when the wicked rise (to power), men hide themselves.

Thought for the Day

Verse 10 – Pay attention to the reckless investments of those who remain upright and have a good inheritance but those who cause the righteous to go astray are warned that they will fall into their own pit. Those who peddle drugs, evil and nonsensical merchandise fall into this category as they squander their money and disregard the poor and suffering of others. Offering cigarettes to children or teaching them to dishonor their parents is another example of causing the innocent to go astray. Men who exploit children and young adults by using them for pornography and evil doing are in a class of unspeakable wickedness deserving death.

"And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it was better for him that a millstone was hanged about his neck, and that he was drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" (Matthew 18:5-7).

Verse 11 - Rich men can easily become conceited, as we are witnessing today. Many think they are invincible, believing their money will buy them out of any situation or establish a nonsensical goal.  However, a poor person who follows God has a greater advantage than the rich man does. The Lord will give poor men who listen to Him the understanding and wisdom that they need to thwart the schemes of the wealthy. Evil men throughout the ages have used their money and power for selfish and wicked agendas. Does not our politics usher the same thing in today as well? The Lord can strip positions and power from those who abuse them. "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another" (Psalm 75:6-7).

Verse 12 - People openly rejoice under righteous leaders, knowing they are safe, but the wicked are cruel and vengeful. Any power that they gain will be used to damage, ruin, or even kill people who oppose them. Men hide themselves when wicked rulers are in charge, to protect themselves and their belongings.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for those good and righteous leaders in our businesses, in our cities and in our nations. Lord, remove those who are wicked, so that righteousness might reign in the earth. Father, cleanse our societies of those who prey on the weak, the helpless, and the innocent children. Deliver us from evil. May Your kingdom come in the earth, as it is in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name, and in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen. 11/17/2024 4:18:46 AM Jacksonville, Florida USA From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ,gatekeeperwatchman.org  TM ‎Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups. #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO. www.facebook.com/gatekeeperwatchnan www.facebook.com/ Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956

[black-metal-artists]

From the shadows of Queens, New York rises Protagony — a force devoted to resurrecting the essence of 90s melodic black metal. With savage precision and sweeping, epic narratives, Protagony blends the icy ferocity of old-school black metal with the grandeur of melody-driven chaos. Every track is a passage through forgotten realms, driven by the relentless spirit of the past and a vision uncompromisingly their own."

Members:

Vocals/Keys/Lyrics: Janan Kerry Guitars/Bass: Anastasios D. (Tasso) Guitars: Rob Maldonado Session Drummer: Ameer Aljallad

Links:

Hearnow: https://protagony.hearnow.com/ Bandcamp: https://protagony.bandcamp.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2wzpVRaFjtmNrfDWjzpHGb?si=o5imHIVoTymr9y9d0mtpCA Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@protagonyband Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/protagony-single/1808774160

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[itsyourchoicedevotionals]

Strive For Consistency

“He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.” Proverbs 10:17AMPC

Proverbs 10 is the beginning of Solomon’s wisdom nuggets, some a half verse in length, others as long as five to six verses. How does a person go about selecting one verse to discuss?

Going through Proverbs, I’ve focused on wisdom, God’s and man’s. Obviously man’s wisdom doesn’t take us very far towards a positive goal. In chapter 10— ‘word,’ ‘tongue,’ ‘mouth’ are written about negatively nine times: i.e. V14 “a present destruction.” Ahh, we think ourselves so smart as our words tumble out expressing opinions, ideas, and thoughts. Especially when nearby scriptures expound, V19NLT “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” Easier said than done.

While speaking positively— ‘word,’ ‘tongue,’ ‘mouth’ is written about six times: i.e. V11 “The mouth of the [uncompromisingly] righteous man is a well of life…” A well of life is much better than a “present destruction.”

My mouth has caused me much trouble, especially regarding my health. I tend to proclaim “facts” rather than the truths of God’s scriptures. Then I have to recant my words commanding them to die, asking God to forgive me for releasing them in the first place. Job 22:28NKJV “You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you…” The words I needed to declare are Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 103:3 and 1Peter 2:24, that would be consistent with my faith and God’s truths.

Will I heed “instruction and correction”? By writing devotionals, I’ve been placed in a difficult area. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” James 3:1ESV. As writer, I am showing the right or wrong way to go to everyone reading these devotionals, hence teaching. This isn’t a place to say, ‘Do as I say, don’t do as I do.’ It’s important for me to strive for consistency in living out God’s Word, not just saying them.

Each of us are teachers to someone. People are judging, following, disregarding, or accepting everything we say. Do our words show love? Wisdom? Foolishness? Apathy? Empathy? Care? Kindness? Boldness? Pride? Humility? Consideration? Stupidity? Carnality? Godliness? My prayer is: “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” Psalm 141:3ESV

What are you saying? What do you need to say? What do you want to say? Are you being a good guide to follow? Or are your ways leading to destruction? It’s your choice. You choose.

LET’S PRAY: Father God, as David prayed— “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer, ” Help me strive for consistency in words, faith and actions, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

by Debbie Veilleux Copyright 2025 You have my permission to reblog this devotional for others. Please keep my name with this devotional, as author. Thank you.

[yhwhrulz]

Streams in the Desert Devotional for April 2

"They looked? and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud" (Exodus 16:10).

Get into the habit of looking for the silver lining of the cloud and when you have found it, continue to look at it, rather than at the leaden gray in the middle.

Do not yield to discouragement no matter how sorely pressed or beset you may be. A discouraged soul is helpless. He can neither resist the wiles of the enemy himself, while in this state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others.

Flee from every symptom of this deadly foe as you would flee from a viper. And be not slow in turning your back on it, unless you want to bite the dust in bitter defeat.

Search out God’s promises and say aloud of each one: "This promise is mine." If you still experience a feeling of doubt and discouragement, pour out your heart to God and ask Him to rebuke the adversary who is so mercilessly nagging you.

The very instant you whole-heartedly turn away from every symptom of distrust and discouragement, the blessed Holy Spirit will quicken your faith and inbreathe Divine strength into your soul.

At first you may not be conscious of this, still as you resolutely and uncompromisingly "snub" every tendency toward doubt and depression that assails you, you will soon be made aware that the powers of darkness are falling back.

Oh, if our eyes could only behold the solid phalanx of strength, of power, that is ever behind every turning away from the hosts of darkness, God-ward, what scant heed would be given to the effort of the wily foe to distress, depress, discourage us!

All the marvelous attributes of the Godhead are on the side of the weakest believer, who in the name of Christ, and in simple, childlike trust, yields himself to God and turns to Him for help and guidance. -- Selected

On a day in the autumn, I saw a prairie eagle mortally wounded by a rifle shot. His eye still gleamed like a circle of light. Then he slowly turned his head, and gave one more searching and longing look at the sky. He had often swept those starry spaces with his wonderful wings. The beautiful sky was the home of his heart. It was the eagle’s domain. A thousand times he had exploited there his splendid strength. In those far away heights be had played with the lightnings, and raced with the winds, and now, so far away from home, the eagle lay dying, done to the death, because for once be forgot and flew too low. The soul is that eagle. This is not its home. It must not lose the skyward look. We must keep faith, we must keep hope, we must keep courage, we must keep Christ. We would better creep away from the battlefield at once if we are not going to be brave. There is no time for the soul to stampede. Keep the skyward look, my soul; keep the skyward look!

"Keep looking up--

The waves that roar around thy feet,

Jehovah-Jireh will defeat

When looking up.

"Keep looking up--

Though darkness seems to wrap thy soul;

The Light of Light shall fill thy soul

When looking up.

"Keep looking up--

When worn, distracted with the fight;

Your Captain gives you conquering might

When you look up."

We can never see the sun rise by looking into the west. -- Japanese Proverb

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[mstexalicious1961]

Devotion by Tricia Goulbourne

Made In His Image

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (NKJV)

A few weeks ago, I was among my coworkers at work. They were standing on business about matching other people’s energy and whatnot. As I sat there, something about that conversation just didn’t quite sit well with me. When I went home, it still lingered on my mind. Then a thought (from the Holy Spirit) came to me. “If I match their energy, then I become the image of those around me rather than Whose image I’m actually made in.” To which I agreed, “Exactly”!

Many times when we are wronged, especially by those closest to us, we want them to hurt as much as they hurt us. We want to show them that we can be like them or even worse for that matter, until we are satisfied with our vengeance. We feel the need to inflict the right amount of pain or shame on the person(s) who have wronged us. Believe me, I work in an environment where my coworkers and even management sometimes try me daily. Some downright hurt me to my core, but after ranting and raging to the Holy Spirit about the blatant disrespect that was shown me, by the time I see them again, He, most times have already worked on my heart. He had graced me with the sincere heart posture of mercy…a mercy that is bestowed on each of us daily. Am I tired of being there with them everyday? I sure am. It’s a battlefield. But in that process, God is making Himself known��through me.

He wants to do the same with you…His children, His image bearers. How can we be light in the darkness if we adjust to the darkness of the room? How can we proclaim that we are made in His image yet when tested by the actions of others, we display a different image?

Daughters of the King, we are chosen. Chosen not only to do great things on earth for the Kingdom of God, but to bear image of the One who laid His life down for us. This is by no means an easy task, but with daily, in my case, every few hours, surrender the pain and grief and frustration in your heart to Him and allow His peace and His grace to fill you so can uncompromisingly bear His true image. Matthew 5:16 says “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” We already have light inside us which comes from Him, so as we go to Him with our troubles, He will fill that space with His light so it has no choice but to come forth.

Prayer: Lord, we come to you with open hearts. We have been hurt and mistreated. We try to keep the peace but it is exhausting. You said that we should come to You, all who are weary and heavy burdened and You will give us rest for our souls. We thank You for Your faithfulness of Your Word. That You are a promise keeping God. May You remind us, Father, that we were created in Your image and Your likeness, and not that of the world’s. May we stand true in who we really are in You. Help us to not compromise just to prove a point, but remember that we were chosen to reflect You. In Jesus Name. Amen.

[thechestnutworkshop]

lazy day | short rib & brisket ragu and gremolata, on ready-made mushroom raviolli

There are just times—certainly during many workdays—when we can't fathom the idea of cooking because of the schedules that life demands from you. Or on those sundays that are a bit too rainy for you to want to get out of bed and do anything but lazy around. It is on these nights that we wish for nothing more than to open a few jars, mindlessly throw the contents into a pot, but still have something warm and comforting to eat. And thankfully, some dishes, though not most, are gracious enough to be amenable to shortcuts with the help of the supermarket—this ragu happens to be one of them.

It is uncompromisingly delicious, very hearty, and deeply savory due to the short rib and brisket, and the long cooking mellows the subtler notes of the aromatics enough, that using a jar of good quality tomato sauce like Rao's well fulfills the role of homemade marinara. And anyway, you want the flavors of the brisket and short rib shine; if the aromatics are too assertive, such cuts a waste to use. The pestata (which here is really just blended soffritto) dissolves into the ragu as it cooks, and at the end of the braising when most of the liquid has evaporated, adds a subtle creaminess to the sauce, along with that lovely signature taste of bolognese hinted from behind the robust beefy taste that takes forefront stage. And I only add cheese when finishing the dish, instead of adding it into the sauce pre-braise—I find that it muddies the flavor and depth of the ragu.

I love this with a good mushroom ravioli that I purchase at a local italian deli, filled with all kinds of mushrooms and other good things like madeira and garlic and herbs. If I'm using a filled pasta that already includes truffle, then I omit it in the ragu, but if not, I like to add a little bit to the ragu itself at the end so that it can harmonize softly with the mushroom filling in the pasta. It is still perfectly wonderful without it, however, so do not feel obligated to add it. Searing the meat is the most time-consuming part of the preparation that you will have to devote in the morning, but the pot should be in the oven and braising within 30 minutes of entering the kitchen. Let the ragu simmer while you're away at work or running errands on a lazy sunday, so once you come back home after the long day, all that's required of you is to boil some good quality, ready-made pasta for a few minutes, toss in the sauce, turn on the television, and relieve the day's worries with a warm, cozy bowl. Do not skim the fat; it is this fat that stains the pasta a sunset mahogany and coats the ragu with a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel.

lazy day | short rib & brisket ragu with gremolata for 6-8 servings 1 lb (453g) brisket 2 lb (907g) bone-in short rib 16.9 oz (479g, about a pint) beef bone broth 24 oz (680g) of a clean-tasting, bright tomato sauce (e.g. standard jar of Rao's marinara or arrabiata) 10 oz (283g) prepared soffritto / mirepoix (1:1:1 onion, celery, carrot) 4 cloves of garlic a little bit of fresh woody herbs, e.g. a small sprig of rosemary, thyme, & marjoram, just to impart slight warmth sear meat deeply. blend the soffritto with the garlic, and cook at high heat in the leftover tallow, adding olive oil if additional fat is needed, until the water evaporates. lower the heat and sweat gently for 10 minutes with the herbs added whole. add bone broth, herbs, tomato sauce, and nestle in the meat, making sure that the bones of the short ribs are submerged. 270F (130C), ~7 hours, with lid slightly ajar—though adjust the temperature according to how long you will be away, as you will need to stir the sauce about the last two hours of cooking to prevent scorching. fish the herbs out and shred the meat with a fork. drizzle with a gremolata:

gremolata californian olive oil 1 tbsp parsley or basil 1 tbsp chives zest of a small lemon 8 rosemary needles, equivalent of thyme, & 4 leaves of marjoram salt nutrition for ragu only (rough approx.): ~2800 kcal, 219g protein (350 - 467 kcal / 27 - 36.5g per serving)

[gemsalive]

HIIIII IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED. just remembered joy and whimsy are free forever actually so thank u sm for your trust and for the excuse to elaborate

as ever this ran long so full details (especially re: baritone!) are hiding under the cut, but for a quick summary, if you would kindly direct your gaze to this helpful diagram:

now then! button for cool people ⬇️

hello cool person!!! thank you for joining me under the cut!!!

first of all, quick barbershop overview for the uninitiated: the four parts of a quartet are classically split up into the lead, the tenor, the baritone, and the bass. as you may be able to guess, the lead is the one who carries the melody, while the tenor and bass stay on high and low harmonies respectively. i recognize i have missed baritone i will get to that in a minute i promise

in the quartet in my brain i have mirabelle on lead — because she’s the party leader, yes, but more importantly because:

she’s versatile (little miss took-every-class-in-the-house), which a lead needs to be since they don’t necessarily always stay in one range, and

she carries herself with such a strong conviction in her own distinct character. mirabelle has a mirabelle-ness that cannot be shaken, and even if she’s still figuring out who mirabelle is she knows that it is someone she loves, an identity she is happy to stand firm and unmoving on, someone she wants to embrace wholly and without compromise.

in a genre otherwise all about blend — about changing oneself to meet the demands of the group sound — the lead’s voice not only needs to be versatile, not only needs to sets the direction and intention for the rest of the group, but it is also the one that is allowed and encouraged to stand out within the sound as uniquely, uncompromisingly itself. mirabelle, champion of the change belief AND of staying as true to oneself as one should feel, fills this need beautifully.

isabeau is on bass. again this feels obvious but please please stay with me stay on my wavelength keep humming w me i promise this is more than me going “oh, the most masc-aligned one goes on the lowest part”.

bass is about support; it’s about providing the rock-solid and steady foundation for the rest of your team to stand upon. there’s a post going around rn about how funny it is that odile is the massive damage-dealing firepower character instead of isabeau but like, the Point Of Isabeau is to be a tank, to defend, to be that foundation. his strength is devoted to paving the way for his allies; to setting up and standing back to let them absolutely shine, safe in the knowledge that if they should ever waver he’s got their backs and will protect them with his life. he has learned to be loud, yes, the bass always needs to be — but that’s not to draw attention to himself, it’s to be as powerful as possible a supporting and uplifting force for the voices of everyone around him.

i’m gonna complete this isabeau tank / odile glass cannon thing in a sec with odile on tenor, but since i did also consider her for baritone for a HOT sec, first i wanna go ahead and lay out the baritone part. and anyway i know yall are just here for the siffritone lore so dw we're finally getting to it here

the thing about the baritone in a barbershop quartet, right. the thing is that rather than being just another vocal range descriptor, the baritone part is typically the part that ends up getting all the pieces of the harmonies that didn't fit anywhere else, just... shoved into one line that, particularly when carelessly done, sounds ridiculous and unmusical in isolation because it is literally just all the detritus that the arranger couldn't work into the other harmonies.

the baritone line is designed not to be heard. it is a line that is audibly and obviously missing something, off-kilter and strange, when you listen to it in isolation, but that as soon as you hear it in harmony with the rest of its arrangement you realize that all along it has been the piece that glues everything together. it only sounds so strange because it is has been custom-built to slot into the spaces left by everybody else; it is completely defined by how inseparably it belongs to its greater whole, and it unifies the separate ideas of each of the other lines into something so much more than the sum of their parts.

SO YOU SEE THE VISION, RIGHT.

so — yeah, as much as my heart dreams of an odile bari reality to represent odile’s ability to pinpoint and accurately fill niches and master complex lines and also to represent the hot low voice she has in my brain, the siffrin baritone narrative is just too good to turn down. so like… waves my hands around… odile blasts are ummm the high notes of the tenor voice. brief powerful supercharged bursts that cut straight through the curtain of sound to make their point and make it undeniably. the tenor is the odile is the mass damage dealing glass cannon of the barbershop world <- man, the things this webbed site just lets you say

if you made it to the bottom of this post thank you so much for indulging my nonsense. have a dumb doodle for your services feat. my favourite classic barbershop standard that’s weirdly fitting for isat

on second thought the fact that i haven’t and will not have the ability to work on Projects for another couple weeks is probably for the best for everybody atm (vids from the 2024 barbershop quartet nationals finished releasing last week and i have been 🤏 this close to making the world’s most inside baseball isat post for me and me alone ever since)

[green-ann]

The latest arrivals books on my Chernobyl bookshelf

1. G. Kopchinsky, N. Steinberg "Chernobyl: about the past, present and future", 2021

Abstract: The authors are nuclear physicists with extensive experience in the operation of nuclear power plants, management of nuclear energy and regulation of its safety. The book highlights the true role of the Chernobyl NPP personnel in the occurrence of the 1986 accident and the elimination of its consequences, analyzes the causes of the accident and concludes about the lessons to be learned from it.

A very good book. The real causes of the accident are clearly and uncompromisingly analyzed, as well as the authors' opinion on the "official version" of what happened, the report of the Soviet Union at the IAEA meeting in August 1986. Also, big part of the book is devoted to the technical analysis of the RBMK reactor, its features and disadvantages.

I personally really like to read stuff like this.

2. L.A. Ilyin "Realities and myths of Chernobyl", 1994

Abstract: The author of the book is Professor L.A. Ilyin, academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, member of the Main Committee of the International Commission on Radiation Protection. He was directly involved in the liquidation of the Chernobyl accident, being there in the most difficult period after the disaster and was one of the scientific supervisors of work to mitigate its biomedical consequences.

A pretty voluminous book, almost 500 pages in small print, a lot of details, precisely from the medical point of view of the impact of radiation on the human body, as well as criticism of the Soviet government in the field of public health protection and the organization of scientific and practical activities of relevant departments in this area, which even at the time of publication of the books was not brought into proper condition.

3. E.A. Kozlova "The world of the sculptor Nikolai Selivanov", 2004

The third book, which I will tell you about today, does not relate directly to the topic of the Chernobyl accident, but it is quite rare and, in my opinion, interesting to study

Abstract: The book dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the birth of the Honored Artist of Russia, sculptor Nikolai Alexandrovich Selivanov, presents with maximum completeness all of his works created over a more than 50-year career, starting from 1952 to 2004. Selivanov is the author of a unique series of portraits and compositions about the great Russian poet Sergei Yesenin and his entourage, portraits of academics, scientists, creators of the atomic fleet, sailors, war heroes, Chernobyl victims, writers and poets, as well as his many friends.

 

As follows from the description, Selivanov (as well as his son), is the author of all busts and sculptures associated with Valery Legasov.

Let me know in the comments if you want to get a more detailed analysis of any on these books, and stay tuned, more interesting things are coming ;)

@elenatria @connihd @leonaevelyn @legasovas @bewareofdragon @johnlockismyreligion @alyeen1 @litttlesilkworm @valerafan2 @odense @natasharedfox @ignalina-c0re @art-is-a-malady @arthoe3105

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for November 28, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 29:5-7 (KJV): 5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet. 6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. 7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

Proverbs 29:5-7 (AMP): 5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his own feet. 6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, but the (uncompromisingly) righteous man sings and rejoices. 7 The (consistently) righteous man knows and cares for the rights of the poor, but the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.

Thought for the Day:

Verses 5-6 - Hunters in ancient times used nets in several ways to ensnare birds and animals. In the same way, flatterers can spread two sorts of spiritual nets, setting a snare for others. With one net, a flatterer manipulates people to do what he wants. With the other, he entangles them in pride. The one who has these nets set for him can escape them through discernment and God's guidance. Eventually, all flatterers will be tripped by their own nets.

An evil man's sin is like a snare, for it influences and entraps others to sin with him. This is how many people have fallen into a snare of drinking and partying, becoming addicted to alcohol, drugs, or crime. They may not have had an interest in taking drugs, drinking, or stealing until friends encouraged them to join them. For this reason, it is very important to choose your friends wisely. Bad companions will corrupt good people.

Verse 7 - A wicked person is selfish. His world revolves completely around his own desires. He does not care about the poor, and he has no interest in helping the needy. The Bible tells us that "the poor shall never cease out of any land" (Deuteronomy 15:11). As long as sinful man reigns on earth, he will make decisions and actions that create poverty, and thus there will always be poor people. Only Christ can establish true justice and provide abundantly for all His subjects, thereby eradicating poverty. Only when Christ returns to earth and reigns during the Millennium, will poverty cease because the Lord told us we would always have the poor to minister to. "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always" (Mark 14:7). We are called to reflect God's heart to the world and the poor, to be compassionate as Jesus was. The strong are to help the weak.

We cannot truly follow Christ and ignore the needy or the helpless. In Israel, "the poor, the orphan, and the widow" described the most destitute and helpless of the people. Today, the most helpless among us are unborn children, murdered by abortion in atrociously painful ways, usually for convenience or out of the ignorance of their parents. The Bible teaches that we are to overcome selfishness, not encourage it. We must do all we can to reverse the laws in our countries that allow abortions so freely. "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it" (Numbers 35:33).

Prayer Devotional for the Day:

Dear Father in heaven, thank You for Your great mercy and compassion toward us. Lord, create in us that same heart of compassion that You possess; not only for Your children, but also for the poor and needy. Use us to reach out and help them both physically and spiritually. Give us heartfelt love for those who are suffering in the world, and anoint us to share the gospel with them so that they might know You. Forgive us for our selfishness, and deliver our land from the curse that abortion and murder bring on a nation. May this evil cease in this country and all other nations in the world. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Good Morning World and Happy Thanksgiving; 11/28/2024 6:59:27 AM. From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ,   gatekeeperwatchman.org, TM, ‎Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups., #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Sparkermiller, www.facebook.com/gatekeeperwatchnan www.facebook.com/ Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956

[gatekeeperwatchman]

Daily Devotionals for November 28, 2022

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living Devotional Scripture: Proverbs 29:5-7 (KJV): 5 A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet. 6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. 7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

Proverbs 29:5-7 (AMP): 5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his own feet. 6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, but the (uncompromisingly) righteous man sings and rejoices. 7 The (consistently) righteous man knows and cares for the rights of the poor, but the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.

  Thought for the Day

Verses 5-6 - Hunters in ancient times used nets in several ways to ensnare birds and animals. In the same way, flatterers can spread two sorts of spiritual nets, setting a snare for others. With one net, a flatterer manipulates people to do what he wants. With the other, he entangles them in pride. The one who has these nets set for him can escape them through discernment and God's guidance. Eventually, all flatterers will be tripped by their nets.

An evil man's sin is like a snare, for it influences and entraps others to sin with him. This is how many people have fallen into a snare of drinking and partying, becoming addicted to alcohol, drugs, or crime. They may not have had an interest in taking drugs, drinking, or stealing until friends encouraged them to join them. For this reason, it is very important to choose your friends wisely. Bad companions will corrupt good people.

Verse 7 - A wicked person is selfish. His world revolves completely around his desires. He does not care about the poor, and he has no interest in helping the needy. The Bible tells us that "the poor shall never cease out of any land" (Deuteronomy 15:11). As long as sinful man reigns on earth, he will make decisions and actions that create poverty, and thus there will always be poor people. Only Christ can establish true justice and provide abundantly for all His subjects, thereby eradicating poverty. Only when Christ returns to earth and reigns during the Millennium, will poverty cease because the Lord told us we would always have the poor to minister to. "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always" (Mark 14:7). We are called to reflect God's heart to the world and the poor, to be compassionate as Jesus was. The strong are to help the weak.

We cannot truly follow Christ and ignore the needy or the helpless. In Israel, "the poor, the orphan, and the widow" described the most destitute and helpless of the people. Today, the most helpless among us are unborn children, murdered by abortion in atrociously painful ways, usually for convenience or out of the ignorance of their parents. The Bible teaches that we are to overcome selfishness, not encourage it. We must do all we can to reverse the laws in our countries that allow abortions so freely. "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it" (Numbers 35:33). Prayer for the Day Dear Father in heaven, thank you for Your great mercy and compassion toward us. Lord, create in us that same heart of compassion that You possess; not only for Your children but also for the poor and needy. Use us to reach out and help them both physically and spiritually. Give us heartfelt love for those who are suffering in the world, and anoint us to share the gospel with them so that they might know You. Forgive us for our selfishness, and deliver our land from the curse that abortion and murder bring on a nation. May this evil cease in the USA and all others nations in the world. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. From: Steven P. Miller Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups, At @GatekeeperWatchman1 , @ParkermillerQ, @steven_p_miller; https://www.facebook.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ https://www.tumblr.com/ Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA.;

GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #GatekeeperWatchman1, #Shebuel, #Melkizadeck, #Brainstormer, #Ephraim1, #IAM

[itsyourchoicedevotionals]

Nuggets Of Wisdom

“ The [uncompromisingly] righteous is delivered out of trouble…” Proverbs 11:8AMPC

Righteous means: ‘living in right relationship with God, other people, and all creation.’ The word ‘righteous’ and ‘righteousness’ are listed 540 times in 520 verses of the Bible indicating: righteousness is one of the most important lifestyles to God out of the scriptures. Proverbs 11AMPC lists unrighteous, upright, uprightness, righteous, righteousness nineteen times.

Per AI Overview: ‘In the Bible, righteousness is the quality of living in a way that is morally right and just, and in line with God's standards. It is a central aspect of God's character and a standard for human behavior.’

GotQuestions says: ‘Righteousness is “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word.’

Talking to a Muslim recently, he proudly bragged about how they lead holy lifestyles. Should he decide to break his god’s command and steal, his hand would be cut off. No one steals in the land of his origin. His life is lived ‘righteously’ because of rules.

Try as I might— without the help of Holy Spirit I cannot achieve righteousness in my life. We might be righteous in one place, while failing completely in the others. Proverbs 11’s righteous living is the sole way to have a right relationship with God, as well as a better relationship with all mankind.

Jesus Christ gave me a choice in living righteously or not. Where I have a deficit, His blood infuses me with His righteousness. If I fail miserably, His blood has paid for my sins. I don’t have to take the punishment of failure past my repentance. My choice— or my desire— to live pleasing to God equals being righteous because He covers me with His righteousness.

Solomon gave us God’s nuggets of wisdom to live by throughout the entire book of Proverbs. Learning to live by those nuggets brings hope, integrity and a future. Where we fail at fulfilling those righteous deeds, He elevates us to righteousness by His blood. It is here where we make a great exchange of our choice and desire being accomplished— righteousness by Him in our place. Now I can aspire to be righteous. He makes me righteous, without punishment for my failures— I am “delivered out of trouble” by Him, through Him and for Him.

Will we make it our life’s work to seek God to live in the righteousness He so richly gives us? It’s your choice. You choose.

LET’S PRAY: LORD God as we learn from Proverbs how to live, help us to not just read and then forget. Help us Lord to submit our lives to living according to righteousness in all areas of our lives, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

by Debbie Veilleux Copyright 2025 You have my permission to reblog this devotional for others. Please keep my name with this devotional, as author. Thank you.

[dwellordream]

“…First and foremost, one of the strongest and most fundamental influences on medieval scholarship about women throughout the entire Middle Ages was the bible. Christian writers relied on the bible because of the fact that it represented God’s holy word, and as such offered important and (at least theologically) irrefutable ideas about women, the majority of which cast women in a decidedly negative light.

To be sure, there were (and still are) biblical verses that portrayed women in a more favourable – even militant – light, such as Deborah, a prophetess and leader of Israel who helped guide the Israelite army to victory over the Canaanites, and Jael, who it is written killed the Canaanite general Sisera, but the overall image of women is a negative one. Various passages throughout the bible reiterated how women were supposed to be, for instance, silent in public, submissive to their husbands, periodically unclean to touch, and scheming seducers of men.

Yet it was the Genesis story of creation and the Pauline Epistles which were to exert the most influence upon medieval conceptions of women. Indeed, Paul himself used the Genesis creation story, specifically the idea that women were created of man and that they caused the Fall of Man, to justify man’s superiority over women and show how women cannot be trusted and require male guidance. Similar concerns about women were displayed by the early Church Fathers, whose writings bridged the gap between the biblical and the medieval period and helped formulate much medieval Christian doctrine.

Their thought is indicative of why later medieval conceptions of women were primarily negative. There is, for instance, the uncompromisingly misogynistic view of writers like St Ambrose (c.338- 397) and St Jerome (c.347-420), who contended that ultimately women were the root of all evil and defined them primarily as lustful beings who must strive for the ascetic life in order to be reconciled with God. Only through a life of reflection and controlled living could women achieve salvation, for nothing else would suffice.

A slightly more temperate view is that of St Augustine of Hippo (354-430), whose writings, for various reasons, were highly influential in shaping the attitudes of the western Church in the Middle Ages and beyond. He adopted a more subtle approach to the issue and argued that although God only made man in his image and not women, both sexes resemble God at the level of the soul, a level which occurs whenever anyone from either sex contemplates or spiritually seeks out God through prayer and religious devotion. In that activity gender becomes redundant, and they both resemble God’s likeness.

Nevertheless, despite this spiritual unity of the sexes, women still differ from men physically and can only ever hope to be man’s helper, as noted in Genesis, thus it is only when a woman is together with her husband that she forms the image of God. By identifying women’s inferiority in their bodies therefore, Augustine was free to highlight the inherent sinfulness of the body and hence argue that women were more prone to sin and must be under male control.

Patristic and biblical sources, therefore, were highly influential in shaping High and Late medieval conceptions about women. Yet in order to understand one of the key writers in this area during the high medieval period, Thomas Aquinas, it is necessary to understand the work of Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), whose ideas about the nature of women remained virtually unknown in Europe until the mid-thirteenth century, but which then became an important base for later medieval discussions about women. We shall come to the rediscovery of Aristotle shortly, but first it is necessary to explore the essential elements of his thought.

He was, of course, the student of another great classical philosopher – Plato (c.428-c.347 B.C.), but unlike Plato, who suggested that men and women could to a certain extent participate equally in political life and military matters, Aristotle’s work left no doubt as to the subordinate and inferior role women should play in society. The clearest expression of this inferior status is found in Aristotle’s Politics and his ideas about the natural hierarchy of beings. This book described a natural order of ruler to ruled, where he contended that just as tame animals are by nature better than wild ones and should be ruled by humans if they are to be preserved, so ‘the relation of the male to the female is by nature that of better to worse and ruler to ruled’.

Such a statement leaves little doubt as to the subordinate role women naturally assumed in relation to men. Nevertheless, evidently trying to clarify and further distinguish the nature of this male-female relationship, he states that within the household the male rules over the female ‘for by nature the male is more fitted for leading than the female’. The male’s right to rule ‘by nature’ stems from the fact that, although women have the ability to deliberate and make decisions, they are nevertheless ‘not in control’ of this ability. In other words, women are able to reason, but they are unable to control their passions, unlike men, who can both reason and control their passions, and who therefore should rule over women.

Moreover, nature makes things for only one purpose; for women, their natural role was in bearing children and tending the household, which left the men free to practise politics – a role that accorded with, and was dictated by, nature itself. As a consequence, women must also be excluded from military participation, since, as Aristotle notes, ‘the political way of life...[is one]...divided between the needs of war and peace’. In other words, war was a political – and by implication – male-only affair. Women’s natural procreative purpose and inability to be in full control of their reasoning capacity shut them off from any political rule or military participation.

Important as these ideas would become in later medieval thought, however, they found no traction in medieval political thought until the mid-thirteenth century, when firstly the Nichomachean Ethics and then the Politics were translated into Latin in 1246/7 and c.1260/65 respectively. Their translation formed part of the larger rediscovery of Aristotle’s philosophy in the medieval West at that time and coincided with the flowering of Aristotelian studies in the universities at Paris and Oxford during the 1240s and 1250s.

Amongst the first to engage with this rediscovered material was Thomas Aquinas (c.1225-1274), whose Summa Theologica (written 1265-1274) is notable for the way in which it wove together the patristic writings of the early Church with the emerging naturalistic Aristotelian world view into a text which has been described as ‘at once more androcentric and less misogynist than the patristic inheritance’. More specifically, Aquinas helped synthesise the rediscovered works of Aristotle with more traditional Christian notions regarding the body-soul duality, and in so doing offered a new foundation and justification for male superiority in the physical world.

Adopting the Aristotelian idea of a natural hierarchy, in which those with more rationality ruled those with less, Aquinas applied it to the Christian tradition by placing God at the apex of a divine order of beings, over which He had supreme control. In this divine order man was possessed of a better intellectual capacity than woman, and although both sexes had a rational soul, men’s greater ability to reason made them naturally superior to the female sex, and the logical rulers of society. Women, on the other hand, were a sex created solely for purposes of reproduction and no other, since procreation was the only task which unquestionably required male- female cooperation, and in all other tasks man would be better served by another man in fulfilling that task.

Moreover, although women help ensure the survival of the species, Aquinas maintained that ‘man is yet further ordered to a still nobler vital action, and that is intellectual operation’, as man’s ultimate goal must be in striving for rationality through the perfection of the soul. Thus, in his conception, women serve an inferior bodily-related function, unlike men’s role as leaders and the natural rulers of the world in which they live. Furthermore, while both sexes have a rational soul and are formed in the image of God, men nevertheless have this image in a superior form to that of women.

In essence, therefore, Aquinas used Aristotle’s ideas on natural order to assert that the inferiority and subjugation of women was a natural state of affairs, and in so doing he helped reinforce the biblically based arguments earlier Christian theologians (such as the Fathers) employed to justify the subordinate position of women. Additionally, it is clear that his conception of women’s avowedly domestic social function left no place for women to fight in medieval militia or command troops.

In Aquinas’ view, women’s only true hope for equality with men lay in the resurrected state (after death) where, because both men and women are possessed of a rational soul, both sexes are able to come together in worshipping and loving God in a place where there is no need for any form of carnal expression or coitus. Thus, only once free of all bodily processes and temptations is Aquinas willing to afford women equal standing to that of men. For all his efforts to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy with the bible, however, it was not Aquinas but rather one of his students, Giles of Rome (c.1243-1316), who in fact made Aristotle’s ideas accessible to more than just a university audience.

His lengthy mirror-of-princes work De regimine principum (c.1281) – dedicated to the future French king Philip IV (1268-1314) and intended to help guide him in governance as well as princely conduct – was highly popular and widely translated into numerous languages (even today more than three hundred Latin manuscripts still survive). Indeed, it has been described as ‘the most successful product of the mirrors for princes genre’, probably because it was one of the few such works to bridge the gap between lecture theatre and noble household. This success can be attributed to the way in which Giles distilled the ideas contained in Aquinas’ work and presented them in a very readable and systematic format.

While the specifics of Giles’ arguments as far as they relate to female militancy are presented in the third subsection, for now it is enough to note that it was his work that provided the most publicly accessible expression of Aquinas’ political thought and of women’s supposed inferiority to man. Examining the development of political and theological thought up to its fusion in Aquinas’ work, therefore, there was evidently a generally negative, even hostile, attitude toward women, combined with a broad denial of any possibility that they could be useful for any public leadership role. It is fair to ask then what prejudiced these men, and many others not mentioned here, against women, why they were so unwilling to acknowledge that women could reason, and why they were so quick to denounce their sinfulness.

Although it is possible that individual experiences may have influenced what these authors wrote, the clearest explanation for such attitudes is that women’s roles were classified on the basis of their biological differences from men, and they were held to a different standard because of it. As Susan Okin notes, philosophers and theologians were led to define women ‘by their sexual, procreative and child-rearing functions within [the family]’, thus theoretically constraining the roles which women might perform outside of private life. Moreover, by linking women to temporal and less rational bodily processes, Christian theologians could argue that women were more prone to suffering a loss of control or reason (for instance, during sex), just as the first woman, Eve, was the one tempted and who caused the Fall of Man.

Invariably this line of argument led them to conclude that all women were inferior to men in practically every way and that their only conceivable temporal purpose was as an aid in reproduction. Such sweeping generalisations suggest that there was a subtle, if ill-defined, male fear of ‘female sexuality and reproductive functions’, perhaps because the vast majority of medieval authors were members of an educated but celibate clergy who rarely came into contact with women and were, consequently, quick to point out the supposed faults and weaknesses of women.

Furthermore, we cannot rule out the role patriarchy had in shaping negative views of women in the High to Late Middle Ages. Patriarchy emphasised a certain core set of male-centred values and beliefs that included such qualities as strength, logic, rationality, calmness under pressure, control and toughness – all of which were well suited to the political and military arena. In medieval times (and even today) this meant that more traditionally ‘feminine’ values, such as cooperation, equality, compassion, and emotional awareness, were not emphasised and consequently less valued, especially when it came to war.

As a result, medieval authors espoused a general belief in the universally passive or timid nature of women, as opposed to the ‘active’ nature of all men, which they used to help delineate the differences between the turbulent (but logical and rational) male world and the more tranquil female domestic sphere. Thus, female involvement in public affairs would have challenged or compromised the traditional image of men as the ones who engaged in public activity and who defended those believed to be unable to defend themselves, namely women and children.”

- James Michael Illston, ‘An Entirely Masculine Activity’? Women and War in the High and Late Middle Ages Reconsidered

[starry-sky-stuff]

Historical Sortings

I've done a lot of reading about royalty in the 19th century and I decided to have some fun and try my hand at sorting historical figures.

I wonder if you can tell who my favs and unfavs are from my sortings.

Cut for length.

British Royals:

Queen Victoria: Snake/Lion. An unhealthy Snake Primary who expected that level of unhealthy devotion from everyone around her. Probably burned a bit after Albert died. Also an unhealthy Lion Secondary who strong-armed, controlled, and domineered others, particularly her children.

I don't know too much about her husband, but I think Albert might've been an Idealist.

Edward VII, aka Bertie: Lion/Badger. His charm strikes me as more of a Badger than a Snake. He seems to me to be the ‘I know a person’ guy. Just the vibes I get. He also really liked routine and wasn’t a particularly good conversationalist, just genuinely interested in others. Not too sure about his primary, but I didn't get Loyalist vibes so I went with Lion.

Alexandra of Denmark {wife of Bertie}: Snake/Badger. She usually gets characterised as the long-suffering wife so it’s not surprising she’s the love interest sorting. She was loyal to her husband despite all his infidelities, and her interests were confined to her children and pets

Princess Alice {daughter of Queen Victoria}: Bird/Badger. Experienced a crisis of faith in middle age which I interpret as a Fallen Bird trying to reconfigure their system. Her dedication to helping others makes me think Badger Secondary. Also, she died after contracting diphtheria from giving her sick son comfort which seems like a very tragic Badger.

Prince Alfred {son of Queen Victoria}: Lion/Lion. He was wilful and abrasive, and had a no-nonsense attitude, so probably Lion Secondary. I can’t really get a read on his primary but maybe also a Lion. That would mean he and his wife houseshare, which might’ve contributed to the breakdown of the marriage.

Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna {wife of Alfred}: Lion/Lion. Very caustic and abrasive, I definitely wouldn’t want to be around her in real life but I admire her no-nonsense attitude and no tolerance for BS. Her marrying off her daughters young because she thought it was right makes me think Lion Primary.

Princess Beatrice {daughter of Queen Victoria}: Snake/Badger. She subjugated her entire life to fulfilling her mother’s needs and the only major conflict they had was over her wanting to get married (Snake on Snake loyalty conflict maybe). Very much a background character who worked behind the scenes, so Badger Secondary.

I don't know enough about Queen Victoria's other children to sort them.

George V: Badger/Badger. Dull, dutiful and dependable is how he tends to be described, which always makes my mind go to Badger (I swear, I love Badgers, they’re great but they’re not very flashy). Considering he refused to give sanctuary to his cousin Nicholas II because he was afraid he might threaten his own country and throne, I’m going with Badger Primary who put the good of his group over individual loyalty.

Mary of Teck {wife of George}: Badger/Badger. Duty and dignity defined her, so I think she was a Double Badger who was loyal to the institution of the British Monarchy and her family (above any individual member). Her and her husband houseshare, which might explain some of their parenting issues since neither could compensate for the other’s shortcomings.

Marie of Edinburgh, aka Missy {daughter of Alfred}: Snake/Snake. Charismatic and flamboyant, she started out as a young bride in a foreign country with no support and she ended her life as a beloved figure and the most popular member of the royal family. Part of this was her finding meaning in her life by working for the benefit of Romania, which makes me think she was a Snake whose loyalty came to include all of Romania. Also, she was disgusted with her son’s selfishness and his (initial) abdication of his rights.

Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, aka Ducky {daughter of Alfred}: Lion/Lion. Strong-willed, temperamental, and uncompromisingly honest, Ducky unabashedly followed her own course in life. She divorced her first husband despite family and social pressure, married her second husband despite protests from his family, and was no-one’s fool.

German Royals:

Victoria, Princess Royal, aka Vicky {daughter of Queen Victoria}: Lion/Lion. I read in her biography that someone was quoted as saying she was “always clever, never wise”, which I think just fits this sorting. You’ve really got to admire her steadfast belief in liberalism in the face of Prussian conservatism, but sometimes reading about her aggravates me because I’m like, can’t you chill for just a second. Like, stop doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome.

Frederick III, aka Fritz {husband of Vicky}: Lion/Badger. He and Vicky were really united in their shared Lion Primary and belief in liberalism, from which they never wavered. His indecision and constantly subjugating his beliefs to family loyalty make me think he of an unhappy Badger Secondary loyal to a group that doesn’t value him.

Wilhelm II {son of Vicky & Fritz}: Lion/Lion. Considering his fraught relationship with his mother I find him and Vicky having the same sorting to be kinda funny. But he was such a Glory Hound Lion, a total egomaniac, bombastic, and a bully. A deeply unhealthy Double Lion.

Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein {wife of Wilhelm}: Badger/Badger. Definitely an unhealthy Badger Primary, she exalted anything that was German and was prejudiced against anything that wasn’t. Probably a Badger Secondary too, who dedicated herself to her husband, children, and throne.

Otto von Bismarck: Lion/Snake. Also a Glory Hound Lion judging by his visceral reaction to the implication anyone but him was responsible for German unification. The ultimate politician and opportunist, his Snake Secondary allowed him to stay in power for decades and outmanoeuvre pretty much everyone until the system he created failed him. The irony of that is hilarious to me (Bismarck’s a figure I find interesting but utterly despicable)

Russian Royals:

Nicholas I: Badger/Lion. I’m going with Badger just on his dehumanisation of ethnic minorities, liberals, and anyone who opposed him. And he was known as the Iron Tsar, so definitely a Lion Secondary who crushed any dissent both large and small. Very ironic that he’s the Protagonist sorting, since he was someone who really wanted to do what was right for his country, but what he believed was right was the worst and he's generally considered one of the worst tsars.

Alexandra Feodorovna {wife of Nicholas I}: Snake/Badger. Similar to Alexandra of Denmark, she was defined as being the perfect wife, loyal to her husband and overlooking his infidelities, with few interests outside of her family.

Alexander II {son of Nicholas I}: Lion/Snake. Definitely not a Loyalist based on the way he treated his wife. Loyalists can commit adultery too, but if he’s a loyalist than he’s not one who valued his wife or their children. And he definitely gives me immature Lion Primary vibes, doing what makes him happy to the detriment of others, his family, and his country. He was known for his charm and congeniality, but his way of dealing with his ministers was to play each of them off each other which makes me think Snake.

Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich {son of Nicholas I}: Lion/Lion. A total firebrand and idealist, he pursued his goals relentlessly and often tactlessly. Burned later in his life after his brother took a conservative bent and then Konstantin was basically removed from power after his brother’s death, so he retreated to life with his mistress and second family.

Alexander III {son of Alexander II}: Badger/Lion. Very similar to his grandfather, Nicholas I. Dutiful and hardworking, but also a lot of dehumanisation and running roughshod over others. Treated his family better than his father, and family was very important to him which could also be Snake.

Maria Feodorovna {wife of Alexander III}: Lion/Badger. She was vivacious and friendly and flourished in court life, which makes me think either Courtier Badger or Snake. I think Badger because she really understood the institutional power of the role of empress and was also really suspicious of anyone outside of the family. Nothing about her suggests Loyalist to me, but she was very firm in believing in the correctness of her own opinions. Her conflict with her daughter-in-law definitely makes sense when viewed through the lens of a Lion/Badger vs Lion/Lion

Nicholas II {son of Alexander III}: Badger/Badger. He garnered a reputation for duplicity because, since he hated conflict, he would agree with a minister during a meeting and then fire them via note the next day, so definitely not a Lion. Probably a Badger since he was obsessive over doing every single aspect of his job, including even sending letters and he refused a secretary. His attachment to autocracy derived at least partly from duty and he was very attached to his family, so maybe Badger Primary. He was also very close to his cousin George V and they houseshare.

Alexandra Feodorovna {wife of Nicholas II}: Lion/Lion. A deeply unhealthy Lion, she was obstinate, imperious, and completely inflexible. Wholeheartedly believed that she was entirely correct in her opinions, often based on little evidence, and objectivity was completely beyond her.