#Demon of light: Oliver Phillips

[triiiplegoddcss]

Tag dump: Relationships

[knightinink]

Do you have any reccomendations for Dip/Pip fics??

OH BOY DO I!!! Let me give you some that I just love!!!

Ao3

Stairway-“Damien was sick and tired of being treated like dirt by his father. He decided it was high time to hop on the bus and head out of town. Sadly, he missed the bus the first night, but it did lead him to a chance encounter with a pretty blonde who seemed to be having the same troubles and an unlikely friendship was formed. DamienPip romance or friendship. Implied abuse.”

Accidental-“The first thing Pip noticed when he opened his eyes was a sense of numbness. The second thing he noticed was the pile of flesh and bones smashed into the concrete. Oh.”

The Fault in our Battle Against Climate Change-“Damien Thorn watches his father lose to ManBearPig.”

Sincerely, Pip-“Damien really has nothing to do, so when he gets a letter Invitation from a familiar blonde haired boy, who is he to refuse? Better than being in hell anyway. And who would've though so.ething as small as olives would of gotten them together?”

Spectacular-“Phillip and Damien cuddle.”

Tears of a demon-“Damien and Pip are having a sleepover at pips and Damien can't help but feel an emotion he isn't used to: sadness. Though, he doesn't know that, so he tries to ask and it doesn't go well.”

A Stone a Day Keeps the Pond at Bay-“"Can I kiss you?” The words were sudden, completely unexpected, especially from Pip.”

The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known-“Damien is totally fine by himself, on his own, no friends or anyone required. He figures it'll be like that forever. Until Pip shows up, his halo broken and looking for help.”

A little too much comforting-“Basically Pip carried and comforted his child too much and Lucas became too attached and managed to cry his way into sharing the big bed with his dad's.”

Wings-“Life in hell is difficult, especially when you're Satan's son, but Pip was always there to hear Damien complain, curse at everything and everyone around him, as well as heaven and earth as they shared a cup of tea. Pip did so much for him, more than he could ever imagine. Even without wings, Pip was a true angel. At least for Damien.

Camelias-“𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 ▎damien regalaba ramos de camelias a philip, para demostrarle que sin importar la diferencia de clases sociales, su amor sería eterno y puro.”

Eisoptrophobia-“While on vacation in the mountains, Damien finds a tourist attraction he really wants to visit, but Pip is hesitant to go, puzzling the antichrist.”

Power Outage-“Pip and Damien are in the middle of a sleepover when suddenly the lights go out. Damien's isn't bothered too much by it, but Pip is another story.”

Growing Pains-“Damien’s horns and wings are starting to grow in, but he’s got extremely painful headaches and backaches and his dad’s excitement about it isn’t helping. Pip immediately notices the shift in demeanor of his friend and is quick to aid him through the process, even if Pip is unfamiliar with the situation.”

Shelter In The Forge-“It’s storming in a small England town one night and poor Pip can’t get to sleep because he’s afraid of it. Thankfully, Joe knows just to to comfort the boy, and they take shelter in the forge together until Pip falls asleep.”

Love Letters-“Pip has a secret admirer.”

Summon Me and I’ll Come Running-“Damien grants Pip a magic power and Pip doesn't abuse it, because he's the only good person in South Park.”

Stay with me and I’ll stop the hurt-“Pip renounces his position in Heaven to be with Damien, also renouncing his one chance to finally meet his parents and reunite with them, because he's a selfish human being.”

Fanfiction.net

Need A Little Cheering Dip-“Damien comes home to find a crying Pip.”

Dip oneshots-“Damien and Pip, Dip galore, ranging from fluffy and cute to...not. T for South Park and yaoi. Fluff,angst, and randomness ahead!”

Name-“Damien hadn't anticipated that he'd have to be a shoulder to cry on. First and foremost, he had not a clue what he could say that might serve as a form of comfort. But comfort, it seems, can sometimes come from the most seemingly insignificant things.”

Graceful-“Even as married adults, Damien is always enchanted by every little bit of grace that Pip exudes. Every ounce of grace, intertwined with every action Pip takes, still manages to positively enchant him.”

Anthology of DIP-“A series of prompt short-stories involving he pairing of Damien and Pip”

The Red String-“What happens when a blonde is born without a string, especially in a world where almost everyone has one? What happens when a fateful encounter happens? Phillip longed to have a string, but maybe it wasn't meant to be.”

Hot Chocolate-“Pip is working in an empty café when a dark-looking customer comes in for a drink.”

Dear Santa-“Christmas isn't usually the best time of year when you're the son of Satan... (Festive Dip one-shot!)”

A Purrfect Christmas-“'Twas the night before Christmas, and there Pip Pirrup sat, eyes full of glistening sorrow, talking to a red-eyed cat. Meow. (Festive ONE-SHOT)”

Like Father, Like Son-“Luca Thorn-Pirrup and his father Damien like to torment Pip sometimes.”

Just for you-“damien finds a crying pip on his bedroom and tries to cheer him up.”

A Home Away from Home-“While getting ready to leave South Park forever, Pip looks back fondly on the small mountain town.”

How The Stars Came To Be-“It is not a tale of war, or of lovers, ill-fated or otherwise. Be it a tale of the stars, and how they came into the heavens above. Their origin be not from thy heart, or thy soul, but from the eyes of two younglings, an angel and a demon.”

20 Questions-“Damien and Pip ask 20 questions.”

Angel and Demon-“Damien is telling a bedtime story to his two kids”

Phoenix Wings-“How does one run from something that is everywhere at once? There is nothing safe to them, except the security of their arms.”

It’s Just A Nightmare-“Pip has a nightmare while sleeping at Damien's house.”

Unconventional-“Their romance was hardly picture-perfect, but it made them happy.”

Fancy Hand Sandwiches and Sunsets-“They sealed it with a kiss.”

[heightenedemotions]

&Phillip Powell

Name: Phillip Powell

Age: 33

Species: Harpy

Occupation: Author, under the alias G. N. Farrington

Orientation: Bisexual

Faceclaim: Oliver Jackson-Cohen

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Death, murder, gaslighting, addiction

Donna Powell had made mistakes in her past, but it was something she had to do. Or she believed so. You see, Donna Powell was seeking the money and glory the richest people had, so she’d pull on a couple of acts as a very young adult to gain the money she so desired. She’d get close to rich men and once they trusted her enough, she would withdraw a couple of thousands from their banks and move on to the next person. She wasn’t proud of it, but any means to get to her goal... right?

Eventually, a demon caught notice of it, and decided she needed some payback. However, she wasn’t the most terrible person, so he opted for... an indirect way. The demon was able to seduce his way in her bed, and got her pregnant. Giving up on the child wasn’t something she could ever imagine, so she kept the boy. However, not even a day after she gave birth, the demon told her she would get the karma she deserves, cursing the child on his way out, making the baby a harpy.

Phillip was barely a few months old when Donna fell for a man and married, almost instantly. And just as he was two, his mother gave birth to a little girl. As he grew up, his half sister became the one person in the family he actually liked, seeing as his step father was often reminding him he wasn’t his, and his mother did nothing to help the situation.

Eventually, Phillip took to books and writing as a mean to escape the situation. And while snooping around his room while he was at work, his mother found some of his writing... and was speechless. She showed it to her husband, whose brain seemed to light up with what he believed was the best of ideas. The moment he came home, Phillip was sat at the table, and told about how he could do so well as a writer. And he believed them blindly.

About a year and half later, his first book was published. Nothing big, just a fantasy story writing by a 12 years old. But that got the attention of medias, of course, and his step father was at the front of all of it. Phillip understood the man really wanted the fame and attention for himself, and it became more apparent when he would answer every single question, even the ones targeted at him specifically.

At one point, almost a year later, he got done with it. It was an interview, yet again, to see where he was now and if he planned on writing more. His step father just kept on saying how proud he was of his “son” and how he knew he’d come up with something new very soon. Which Phillip wasn’t planning on, at least not so soon. So he said it. He told him he had no rights to answer for him and that he wasn’t planning to any time soon. It turned into an argument and soon, he just started throwing punches at the man.

All of it was filmed. Thankfully, it wasn’t on live television, but the news talked about it constantly. Meanwhile, Phillip was forced into therappy. Twice a week for nearly 6 years. It made him feel more miserable than anything, really.

But the moment he turned 18, Phillip left the house. The only person he kept in touch with was his half sister. He moved as far as he could, took on a small job in a restaurant, and started studying literature part time at a community college. He really didn’t have much money so his apartment was tiny, and he really could only afford to pay for part time semesters(which in turn, allowed him to work a couple more hours than he could handle on full time). 

There, he met a boy. Royce. It wasn’t long until the two of them started dating. However... there was something off. He could tell the other was hiding something, something big that he felt bad about, but he didn’t know how to approach the subject. Eventually, the feeling grew even stronger as they moved in together. 

One night, having suspicions and wanting to be certain they were false, Phillip followed his boyfriend into the night. Only to find the other try to break into a home. Something... something felt like it consumed him. It all happened too fast, but he remembers standing above Royce’s body, before promptly heading back to his apartment. The next morning, news talked about an attempted break in that turned into a nightmare as the thief was brutally murdered.

Phillip knew it was him, and he knew he couldn’t stay. He just had one year more to do to graduate, but he got a transfer to another college and left as soon as he could. He got another small apartment and another job there, and tried to start fresh.

He tried to make friends, something he’d rarely done before, and ended up meeting Catalina. Out of all those people, he felt the best when he was with her, so when they decided to just... try dating a year or two later, he thought it’d be nice.

He also started therapy again when he moved to that new town. However, his therapist was... shady, not that he noticed it. But that person knew he wasn’t human, and they knew of one way to help with his... urges. He was prescribed some angel blood, although he believed it was just some medication in a syrup form. He’d been told this one was more effective as a syrup and he just believed them. 

And oh boy did that help. Whatever the things he felt were, it became numb whenever he’d take it, and he soon became addicted to the “medicine”. It was rare and hard to find, but he went through all the lengths possible to get it. He has no idea just how bad for his health it could actually be, he just thinks he feels better now.

At age 26, Phillip published another book. A mystery this time, something he’d been interested in for a while. Of course, when medias heard that boy had published something new, and cameras turned to him again. And of course, his step father jumped on the opportunity to go leech on his relative fame, and decided to drive all the way to his book release. And his half sister decided to come along. However, they never made it, getting in a car accident and ending up in the river.

He’d be lying if he said he was sad about his step father, however, he had a harder time accepting the fact his sister was gone, particularly has they buried an empty casket, with her body never being found. 

But the funeral also brought him a tiny bit of hope for something better. A cousin on his mother’s side, Andrea, who he’d barely even heard of before - really, all he’d been told was that he had cousins. But she told him about Bellport, where she lived, and how it could be a good change for him to stay there. So he moved there with Cat not too long later.

Following the accident, Phillip decided he was done being in the spotlight. Forever. He had a talk with his team, and they all agreed to let him write under an alias. His style also shifted towards a more horror genre. More psychological, something with a meaning to it. And a lot of inspirations he gets from his own life, or from other events he sees on the news. So really, people never connected G. N. Farrington to him.

He also found a new provider for his “syrup” and does videocalls with his therapist - he could find a new one but he’s built some trust and bond with this one, that he can’t think about doing that.

Bellport has been good to him, and he feels more at peace now. He has completely cut contact with his mother, not wanting anything to do with her. However, he often believes he sees the ghosts of his step father and half sister, believing he’s being haunted by them as he blames himself for the accident.

He’s recently married Catalina, and they moved into a new place after coming back from their honeymoon, so they’re doing all that domestic setting up the house together and all that.

[my-chemical-rot]

:3

Stuff I Like/Stuff you should tag me in

favorite animals

Hyenas

Bunnies

Moths

Butterflies

Mantises

Beetles

Dinosaurs

Snakes

Rats

Peacocks

Opossums

Racoons

Alligators

Ravens, crows, corvids

Vultures

Woodpeckers

Cats

Bats

Tigers

Lobsters

favorite shows

BoJack Horseman

Young Justice

the Hollow

Hannibal

Disenchantment

Scooby Doo Mystery Inc.

Schitt’s Creek

Santa Clarita Diet

favorite movies

the Shining (1980)

Clue (1985)

Heathers (1989)

the Addam’s Family (1991)

Cats (1998) (not 2019 for the love of fuck not 2019)

Chicago (2002)

House of Wax (2005)

Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Monsters vs Aliens (2009)

Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

Knives Out (2019)

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

Cruella (2021)

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Free Guy (2021)

favorite fictional characters

Garfield

Roast Beef (Achewood)

Ray Smuckles (Achewood)

Phillipe (Achewood)

Lyle (Achewood)

Molly (Achewood)

Victor Frankenstein

Frankenstein’s creature

Binary Bard (Poptropica)

Dr. Hare (Poptropica)

Ringmaster Raven (Poptropica)

Rumplestiltskin (Poptropica)

Red Hood/Jason Todd

Red Robin/Tim Drake

Green Lantern/Kyle Rayner

Arsenal/Roy Harper

Robin/Damian Wayne

Spoiler/Stephanie Brown

Superman/Clark Kent

V (V for Vendetta)

Evey Hammond (V for Vendetta)

the Rum Tum Tugger (Cats (not 2019 film. literally anything other than 2019 film)

Mr. Mistoffelees (Cats)

Bustopher Jones (Cats)

Demeter and Bombalurina (Cats)

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer (Cats)

St Jimmy (American Idiot)

Whatsername (American Idiot)

Heather (American Idiot)

Fun Ghoul (true lives of the fab. killjoys)

Kobra Kid (true lives of the fab. killjoys)

Val Velocity (true lives of the fab. killjoys)

Agent Cherri Cola (true lives of the fab. killjoys)

Show Pony (true lives of the fab. killjoys)

Will Graham (nbc hannibal)

Margot Verger (nbc hannibal)

Abigail Hobbs (nbc hannibal)

Spencer Shay (iCarly)

Jade West (Victorious)

Cat Valentine (Victorious)

Jason Voorhees

Vincent Sinclair

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Banquo

Malcolm

Macduff

Lady Macduff

Romeo Montague

Mercutio

Juliet Capulet

Benvolio

Robin “Puck” Goodfellow

Lysander

Helena

Hermia

favorite bands

GWAR

MCR

FOB

Green Day

Hands Off Gretel

Fangbanger

Waterparks

IDKHow

blink-182

Nine Inch Nails

Slipknot

favorite colors

neon green

light blue

teal

dark blue

hot pink

bright yellow

red

favorite games

webkinz

poptropica

minecraft

progress quest

pre-civilization bronze age

favorite poets

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Robert Frost

Lord Byron

John Keats

William Shakespeare

Emily DIckinson

Sappho

Maya Angelou

Audre Lorde

Mary Oliver

Walt Whitman

Anna Swir

favorite painters

Salvador Dali

Vincent van Gogh

Frida Kahlo

Edvard Munch

Edward Hopper

Andy Warhol

Leonardo da Vinci & the rest of the tmnt

favorite aesthetics

cottagecore

cozycore

farmcore

naturecore

corvidcore

scenecore

neoncore

glowwave/glowcore

punk academia

dark academia

light academia

witchcore

goth

romantic academia

vampirecore

halloweencore

wormcore

trendercore

jestercore

clowncore

opossumcore

sciencecore

mad sciencecore

villaincore

misc stuff you should tag me in

stimboards! especially with gifs of soap cutting

art and fics you’d like me to reblog

posts about mortsafes and cemeteries

posts about 19th century bodysnatching

Posts about science! specifically: 

      Astronomy

      Chemistry (Literally just anything to do with atoms, they’re cool)

      Quantum Mechanica

      Biology 

                  anatomy

                  biochemistry

                  botany

                  evolution

                  genetics

witchy stuff

recipes! especially baking

Stuff about cryptids!! The Loch Ness monster is my favorite but I’m always a sucker for Mothman or the Jersey Devil

[dfroza]

“Don’t be afraid or intimidated by others,

for God will bring everything out into the open and every secret will be told.”

A line from Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the book of Matthew

[Chapter 10]

Jesus gathered his twelve disciples and imparted to them authority to cast out demons and to heal every sickness and every disease.

Now, these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is nicknamed Peter, and Andrew, his brother. And then Jacob and John, sons of Zebedee. Next were Phillip and Bartholomew; then Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; Jacob the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus; Simon, the former member of the Zealot party, and Judas the locksmith, who eventually betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out the Twelve with these instructions: “Don’t go into any Gentile or Samaritan territory. Go instead and find the lost sheep among the people of Israel. And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’ You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life. Freely you have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others. You won’t need a lot of money. Travel light, and don’t even pack an extra change of clothes in your backpack. Trust God for everything, because the one who works for him deserves to be provided for.

“Whatever village or town you enter, search for an honorable man who will let you into his home until you leave for the next town. Once you enter a house, speak to the family there and say, ‘God’s blessing of peace be upon this house!’ And if those living there welcome you, let your peace come upon the house. But if you are rejected, that blessing of peace will come back upon you. And if anyone doesn’t listen to you and rejects your message, when you leave that house or town, shake the dust off your feet. Mark my words, on the day of judgment the wicked people who lived in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will have a lesser degree of judgment than the city that rejects you, for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did not have the opportunity that was given to them! Now, remember, it is I who sends you out, even though you feel vulnerable as lambs going into a pack of wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes yet as harmless as doves.”

“Be on your guard! For there will be those who will betray you before their religious councils and brutally beat you with whips in their public gatherings. And because you follow me, they will take you to stand trial in front of rulers and even kings as an opportunity to testify of me before them and the unbelievers. So when they arrest you, don’t worry about how to speak or what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will give you at that very moment the words to speak. It won’t be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“A brother will betray his brother unto death—even a father his child! Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. Expect to be hated by all because of my name, but be faithful to the end and you will experience life and deliverance. And when they persecute you in one town, flee to another. But I promise you this: you will not deliver all the cities and towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

“A student is not superior to his teacher any more than a servant would be greater than his master. The student must be satisfied to share his teacher’s fate and the servant his master’s. If they have called the head of the family ‘lord of flies,’ no wonder they malign the members of his family.

“Don’t be afraid or intimidated by others, for God will bring everything out into the open and every secret will be told. What I say to you in the dark, repeat in broad daylight, and what you hear in a whisper, announce it publicly. Don’t be in fear of those who can kill only the body but not your soul. Fear only God, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. You can buy two sparrows for only a copper coin, yet not even one sparrow falls from its nest without the knowledge of your Father. Aren’t you worth much more to God than many sparrows? So don’t worry. For your Father cares deeply about even the smallest detail of your life.

“If you openly and publicly acknowledge me, I will freely and openly acknowledge you before my heavenly Father. But if you publicly deny that you know me, I will also deny you before my heavenly Father.

“Perhaps you think I’ve come to spread peace and calm over the earth—but my coming will bring conflict and division, not peace. Because of me,

A son will turn against his father,

a daughter her mother

and against her mother-in-law.

Within your own families you will find enemies.

“Whoever loves father or mother or son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple. And whoever comes to me must follow in my steps and be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he is not worthy of me. Those who cling to their lives will give up true life. But those who let go of their lives for my sake and surrender it all to me will discover true life!

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the One who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is God’s messenger will share a prophet’s reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous person because he follows me will also share in his reward. And whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of my disciples, I promise you, he will not go unrewarded.”

The Book of Matthew, Chapter 10 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 7th chapter of the book of Ezra that includes a letter given to Ezra:

[Ezra Arrives]

After all this, Ezra. It was during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.

That’s Ezra. He arrived from Babylon, a scholar well-practiced in the Revelation of Moses that the God of Israel had given. Because God’s hand was on Ezra, the king gave him everything he asked for. Some of the Israelites—priests, Levites, singers, temple security guards, and temple slaves—went with him to Jerusalem. It was in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

They arrived at Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king’s reign. Ezra had scheduled their departure from Babylon on the first day of the first month; they arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month under the generous guidance of his God. Ezra had committed himself to studying the Revelation of God, to living it, and to teaching Israel to live its truths and ways.

* * *

What follows is the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra, priest and scholar, expert in matters involving the truths and ways of God concerning Israel:

Artaxerxes, King of Kings, to Ezra the priest, a scholar of the Teaching of the God-of-Heaven.

Peace. I hereby decree that any of the people of Israel living in my kingdom who want to go to Jerusalem, including their priests and Levites, may go with you. You are being sent by the king and his seven advisors to carry out an investigation of Judah and Jerusalem in relation to the Teaching of your God that you are carrying with you. You are also authorized to take the silver and gold that the king and his advisors are giving for the God of Israel, whose residence is in Jerusalem, along with all the silver and gold that has been collected from the generously donated offerings all over Babylon, including that from the people and the priests, for The Temple of their God in Jerusalem. Use this money carefully to buy bulls, rams, lambs, and the ingredients for Grain-Offerings and Drink-Offerings and then offer them on the Altar of The Temple of your God in Jerusalem. You are free to use whatever is left over from the silver and gold for what you and your brothers decide is in keeping with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels given to you for the services of worship in The Temple of your God. Whatever else you need for The Temple of your God you may pay for out of the royal bank.

I, Artaxerxes the king, have formally authorized and ordered all the treasurers of the land across the Euphrates to give Ezra the priest, scholar of the Teaching of the God-of-Heaven, the full amount of whatever he asks for up to 100 talents of silver, 650 bushels of wheat, and 607 gallons each of wine and olive oil. There is no limit on the salt. Everything the God-of-Heaven requires for The Temple of God must be given without hesitation. Why would the king and his sons risk stirring up his wrath?

Also, let it be clear that no one is permitted to impose tribute, tax, or duty on any priest, Levite, singer, temple security guard, temple servant, or any other worker connected with The Temple of God.

I authorize you, Ezra, exercising the wisdom of God that you have in your hands, to appoint magistrates and judges so they can administer justice among all the people of the land across the Euphrates who live by the Teaching of your God. Anyone who does not know the Teaching, you teach them.

Anyone who does not obey the Teaching of your God and the king must be tried and sentenced at once—death, banishment, a fine, prison, whatever.

[Ezra: “I Was Ready to Go”]

Blessed be God, the God-of-Our-Fathers, who put it in the mind of the king to beautify The Temple of God in Jerusalem! Not only that, he caused the king and all his advisors and influential officials actually to like me and back me. My God was on my side and I was ready to go. And I organized all the leaders of Israel to go with me.

The Book of Ezra, Chapter 7 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for friday, march 12 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons about not giving up:

The Lord is likened to a potter and we are as clay in his hand (Isa. 64:8). Life on the "potter's wheel" can be messy, unsettling, and sometimes excruciatingly hard, but it is God's sovereign work to form your life according to his design and purposes....

Contrary to the assumption that the life of faith should always be triumphant, we all inevitably will experience various setbacks, pratfalls, troubles and sorrows in our lives. This does not mean that God does not care for us however, because on the contrary, this is by his design; a plan supervised by God's love and blessing, and the afflictions we therefore encounter are part of his work for our good (Rom. 8:28; Heb. 12:6). We descend in order to ascend. It make seem counterintuitive, but the heart of faith gives thanks for all things - the good as well as the evil (see Job 2:10). We affirm: "This too is for the good," yea, even in the midst of our struggle, no, even more -- precisely in the midst of our struggle -- for this, too, is for our good. Faith is the resolution to trust in the reality of God's goodness even during hard times when we feel abandoned or lost (Isa. 50:10). The Lord uses the "troubles of love" (יִסּוּרֵי אַהֲבָה) for our good - to wake us up and cling to him all the more, since this is what is most essential, after all...

The difficulty of personal suffering is intensely intimate: how do you keep hope in the midst of this tension? “Lord I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). How do you affirm that your heavenly Father will heal you but at the present hour you must endure suffering? Do you devise a “soul-building theodicy” seeking to explain your struggle – providing an answer about the “why” of your suffering – or do you attempt to sanctify suffering as a means of healing others by the grace of the Messiah (Col. 1:24)? Or do you wither in your despair? As Soren Kierkegaard said, “It is one thing to conquer in the hardship, to overcome the hardship as one overcomes an enemy, while continuing in the idea that the hardship is one's enemy; but it is more than conquering to believe that the hardship is one's friend, that it is not the opposition but the road, is not what obstructs but what develops, is not what disheartens but ennobles" (Four Upbuilding Discourses, 1844).

When Yeshua victoriously proclaimed, “It is finished” just before he died on the cross, he foreknew that his followers would experience a “purging process,” a “refining fire,” and time on the “potter’s wheel” to perfect their sanctification. At the cross of Yeshua death itself was overcome – and all that it implies – and yet it is nevertheless true that we will suffer and die and that death persists an enemy (1 Cor. 15:26). While we celebrate the reality of the final redemption, the “instrumentality of our sanctification” needs to be willingly accepted and endured. I say “endured” here because I don’t think we will ever have a complete answer to the question of “why” we undergo the various tests we face in this life. Our disposition in the midst of this ambiguity, in the midst of seemingly unanswered prayers, is where our faith is disclosed: will we despair of all temporal hope or not? Will we console ourselves with the vision of a future without tears and loss – a heaven prepared for us? Will we trust God with our pain and submit to his will, or will we “curse God and die” inside – losing hope and despairing of all remedy?

God forbid we should give up now, friends. Faith “sees the unseen” and believes that the day of our ultimate healing draws near. You are in good hands as the Lord forms your soul for the glory of his purposes... Stay strong and keep your hope alive (Psalm 27:14). [Hebrew for Christians]

3.11.21 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

March 12, 2021

The Limited Knowledge of Jesus

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32)

This verse has always been difficult to understand. If Jesus was God, how could He be ignorant of the time of His second coming? Indeed He was, and is, God, but He also was, and is, man. This is a part of the mystery of the divine/human nature of Christ. In the gospel record, we see frequent evidences of His humanity (He grew weary, for example, and suffered pain), but also many evidences of deity (His virgin birth, His resurrection and ascension, as well as His perfect words and deeds).

He had been in glory with the Father from eternity (John 17:24), but when He became man, “in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren” (Hebrews 2:17), except for sin. As a child, He “increased in wisdom and stature” like any other human (Luke 2:52). Through diligent study (as a man), He acquired great wisdom in the Scriptures and the plan of God. After His baptism and the acknowledgment from heaven of His divine Sonship (e.g., Matthew 3:16-17), He increasingly manifested various aspects of His deity, but He still remained fully human.

With respect to the time of the end, this depends in some degree on human activity. For example, He said that “the gospel must first be published among all nations” (Mark 13:10), and only God the Father could foresee just when men will have accomplished this. Although the glorified Son presumably now shares this knowledge, in His self-imposed human limitations He did not.

In no way does this compromise His deity. In our own finite humanity, we cannot comprehend fully the mystery of the divine/human nature of Christ, but He has given us more than sufficient reason to believe His Word! HMM

[firstnamedirector]

ust another muse traits meme

NAME: Phillip Jules Coulson

BOLD all that applies to your muse!

• EYES: blue | green | brown| hazel | grey | gray-blue | other • HAIR: blonde | sandy | brown| black | strawberry blonde | auburn | ginger | grey / white | multi-color | other • BODY TYPE: skinny | slender | slim | built | curvy | athletic | muscular | chubby | overweight • SKIN: pale | light | fair | freckled | tan | olive | medium | dark | discolored • GENDER: male | female| trans | cis | agender | demigender | genderfluid | other | doesn’t like labels • SEXUALITY: heterosexual | homosexual | bisexual| pansexual | asexual | demisexual | other | doesn’t like labels • ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: homoromantic | heteroromantic | biromantic| panromantic | aromantic | demiromantic | unsure | doesn’t like labels • SPECIES: human| undead | shapeshifter | demon | angel | witch | ghost | incubus / succubus | werewolf | alien | mutant | other • EDUCATION: ged| high school | college | university | master’s degree | PhD | other • I’VE BEEN: in love | hurt | ill | mentally abused | bullied | physically abused | tortured | raped | brainwashed | shot • POSITIVE TRAITS: affectionate | adventurous | athletic | brave| careful| charming| confident | creative| cunning | determined| forgiving | generous | honest| humorous | intelligent | loyal | modest | patient | selfless | polite | down-to-earth | diligent| romantic | moral| fun loving | attractive| charismatic| calm • NEGATIVE TRAITS: aggressive | bossy | cynical | envious | shy | fearful | greedy | gullible | jealous | impatient | impulsive | cocky | reckless | insecure| irresponsible | mistrustful | paranoid | possessive | sarcastic | self-conscious | selfish | swears | unstable | clumsy | rebellious | emotional | vengeful | anxious | self-sabotaging | moody | peevish | angry | pessimistic | slacker | thin-skinned | overly dramatic | argumentative  • LIVING SITUATION: lives alone | lives with parent(s) / guardian | lives with significant other | lives with a friend | drifter| homeless | lives with children | DEPENDS ON VERSE • PARENTS/GUARDIAN: mom| dad | adoptive | foster | grandmother| grandfather | sibling(s) | sister(s) | brother(s) | uncle • RELATIONSHIP: single| crushing | dating | engaged | married | separated | it’s complicated | verse dependent  • I HAVE A(N): learning disorder | personality disorder | mental disorder | anxiety disorder | sleep disorder | eating disorder | behavioral disorder | substance-related disorder | ptsd | mental disability | physical disability | verse dependent  • THINGS I’VE DONE BEFORE: had alcohol | smoked | stolen| done drugs | self harmed | starved themselves | had sex | had a threesome | had a one-night stand | gotten into a fist fight | gone to a hospital | gone to jail | used a fake id| played hooky | gone to a rave | killed someone| had someone try to kill you

TAGGED BY: @inhumxnterrigenmist

[torentialtribute]

UFC London preview – Darren Till vs Jorge Masvidal, Leon Edwards vs Gunnar Nelson

The UFC returns to London and the UK fans have been served up a cracker or a card at the O2 Arena.

Darren Till, the biggest name in British MMA, headlines the show and is desperate to get back on track against the dangerous Jorge Masvidal. His domestic rival Leon Edwards faces Gunnar Nelson in the co-main event.

Here, Sportsmail takes a closer look at each fight on Saturday's main card.

     Darren Till (17-1-1) vs Jorge Masvidal (32-13-0) )

WELTERWEIGHT

The 'Gorilla' returns to home comfort after suffering a fair beating by Tyron Woodley in his title shot last September.

Till has been typically honest in his self-assessment after that failure but is equally adamant that there will be a welterweight coronation in his future somewhere along the line.

The heavy-handed Liverpudlian loves fighting on home peat and will milk every second of his walk to the cage as 'Sweet Caroline' rings around the O2 Arena on Saturday night.

     The 'Gorilla' (bottom) was comprehensively beaten by Tyron Woodley in his title fight

He's No 3 in the rankings, meaning no softball opposition to get back on track, just a potentially nasty pot-hole in the shape of perennial contender Jorge Masvidal.

'Gamebred' is a bit of a fan favorite, doesn't take himself too seriously and is one of those fighters you can actually tell the combat itself.

Growing up with fights on the street, Masvidal is unlikely to be overawed by the occasion but cage-rest could be a concern.

By the time he steps into the octagon, the American will have out of action for 497 days, the longest lay-off of his career.

A defeat by Till would be his third in a row following losses to Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia but the 34-year-old can't get desperate.

If Masvidal becomes reckless and marches forwards, there is no doubt that Till has the power and size at this weight to switch his lights off.

Till has described the botched title shot as a 'thorn' in him that he can't get out but an emphatic victory would go some way to exorcising those demons.

If he is going to fulfill his title ambitions and one day earn a dream fight at his promised Anfield, these are the fights he must win.

Leon Edwards (16-3-0) vs. Gunnar Nelson (17-3-1)

WELTERWEIGHT

Edwards has been champing at the bit for a domestic showdown with Till.

So far the Birmingham fighter's appeals have fallen on deaf ears but it feels inevitable that their paths will cross at some point, particularly if he adds to the six-fight winning streak he's pieced together over three years.

'Rocky' overcame Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone last June and has been rewarded by another big name, Gunnar Nelson.

     Leon 'Rocky' Edwards has huge fights on the horizon but Gunnar Nelson is a tough task

As part of John Kavanagh's SBG stable in Ireland and training with the likes of Conor McGregor, the Icelander has benefited from some shine-by-association but fully deserves his spot in the co-main event.

He is a ruthless killer on the ground and Edwards will have to avoid a tangle on the mat at all costs.

The British fighter, ranked three spots above Nelson at No. 10, will be right in the mix of top challengers if he can escape the black-belt's clutches with a win.

If Nelson ever moves onto pastures new, perhaps you'll see him as a professional dancer, his Call On Me take in the build-up to this one was something to behold …

Volkan Uzdemir (15-3-0) vs Dominick Reyes (9-0-0)

HEAVYWEIGHT

"No Time" has been having a tough time recently with two successive losses for the first time in his UFC career.

The Swiss fighter fell short in his title shot against Daniel Cormier and was then ruthlessly sent by Anthony Smith.

Whether he's found his level will be determined by how he gets on about unbeaten slugger Dominick Reyes.

Reyes has the longest reach on the whole card at 77 inches and Uzdemir's lights could go out if he finds himself on the end of one of those shots.

These two could really get the crowd going prior to the co-main and main events to follow.

          Volkan Uzdemir (left) wants to desperate to get back to winning ways about Dominick Reyes

Nathaniel Wood (15-3-0) vs. Jose Quinonez (7-2-0) )

BANTAMWEIGHT

Wood will be one of the most supported fighters on the card. London is his hometown and the fans will be baying for blood.

He's undefeated since joining the UFC but faces the toughest test of his career against Mexican Jose Quinonez.

On paper they are very matched, Quinonez with a height reach advantage but Wood with lightning speed.

As ever with the bantamweights, the pace of the fight will be pedal to the metal and there should be blink-and-you'll-miss-it action from start to finish.

If Wood has raised his hand, he'll be right in the thick of the bantamweight division with a big fight surely to follow.

     Nathaniel Wood (top) has excelled since being signed by the UFC and has the crowd on his side

     Nathaniel Wood will have the home crowd behind him against Jose Quinonez (right)

Danny Roberts (16-3-0) vs Claudio Silva (11-1-0)

WELTERWEIGHT

"Hot Chocolate" may not yet have drawn the acclaim or attention of his welterweight compatriots further up the card but he's entering his prime now.

With two victories in his two most recent fights under his belt, the 170-pounder can take a major step in the right direction with a win over unbeaten challenger Claudio Silva.

Silva may have a loss on his record but that was a disqualification for illegal elbows.

He is a submission expert and the thicker man so Roberts would be wise in keeping the exchanges on the feet if he can. 'Hot Chocolate' won in the O2 a year ago with a huge KO or Oliver Enkamp (see below)

He's been training with new welterweight champion Kamaru Usman so should be well battle hardened for this one.

     There was some tension between Danny Roberts (left) and Claudio Silva (right)

Jack Marshman (22-8-0) vs John Phillips (21-7-0, 1 NC)

MIDDLEWEIGHT

The first all-Welsh fight in UFC history.

This one has been in the pipeline for years as both Marshman and Phillips have been on the same MMA circuits but never crossed paths.

There has been sportsmanship in the build-up but neither will want to head back across the Severn as the beaten man.

Marshman was the only fighter on the card who missed weight and hasforced 20 per cent of his purse to his rival.

         Source link

[newyorktheater]

The first Broadway revival of “Once on This Island,” a ravishing storybook production of a Caribbean-flavored folktale, begins in the aftermath of a natural disaster, as a story of love and loss told to soothe a frightened girl. With a terrifically appealing cast, including Lea Salonga as the goddess of love (what else?) and several impressive Broadway debuts, as well as a rhythmic score, infectious choreography, vibrantly colorful design, and clever stagecraft,  the musical itself could well serve to soothe audience members reeling from the year’s many disasters. There are even live roosters and a goat cute enough to be the star attraction in a petting zoo.

Taking place on a little island in the French Antilles (whose history resembles Haiti), the musical focuses on Ti Moune, a black peasant girl. First, we see her as a child (portrayed by Emerson Davis or Mia Williamson at alternate performances) orphaned in a storm, and then adopted by Mama Euralie (Kenita R. Miller) and Tonton Julian (Phillip Boykin, magnificent as always, but this time kindly, in sharp contrast to his Tony-nominated performance as the evil Crown in Porgy and Bess.) Ti Moune grows up to be graceful and spirited, as performed by Hailey Kilgore, the graceful and spirited 18-year-old making an exciting Broadway debut. She meets Daniel Beauxhomme (lanky, sexy Isaac Powell, also making an auspicious debut) when he recklessly crashes his car. Ti Moune discovers him, nurses him back to health, and falls in love with him. But, while Daniel is happy to have Ti Moune as his mistress, he won’t marry her. He lives on the other side of the island – a place of wealth and power – and his rich and connected family has promised him from childhood to the equally upper class Andrea (Alysha Deslorieux.) If this story makes “Once on This Island’ sound like a serious musical that explores issues of income inequality or, a la South Pacific, racial prejudice, these elements are played down in favor of those that turn the show into a grim fairy tale, complete with a supernatural ending that’s sad and touching and meant to be uplifting. The musical is a loose stage adaption of “My Love, My Love: Or, The Peasant Girl,” a 1985 novel by the Trinidad-born Rosa Guy, which is itself something of an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” Center stage are a quartet of gods — colorfully and cleverly costumed by Clint Ramos — who rule over the island and the fate of its inhabitants. Salonga, is Erzulie, the Goddess of Love, dressed all in white with her still-heavenly voice, which we first heard in the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon;

Quentin Earl Darrington is Agwe, the God of Water, rendered particularly striking by Cookie Jordan’s blue body paint; and then there are two gender-flipping casting choices: the actress Merle Dandridge as terrifying Papa Ge, the Demon of Death, and Alex Newell, who portrayed Unique Adams on TV series “Glee,” making an astonishing Broadway debut as Asaka, Mother of the Earth, who gets the show-stopping number, “Mama Will Provide,” and makes the most of it.

the car crash

One might question some aspects of this 1990 musical, which was the first Broadway show by the team of Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynne Ahrens (book and lyrics) who went on to create such musical adaptations as Ragtime and Rocky and, (currently playing six blocks away) Anastasia. A former colleague recently complained to me about the score, mentioning the now-common phrase “cultural appropriation,” but objecting not to the fact that the composers are white but to what she sees as their pale imitation of Caribbean music, at a time when reggae, reggaeton, bachata, calypso, salsa, soca, meringue, Latin trap etc. music created by Caribbean artists have become much more familiar to music lovers in North America. I can’t agree with her – I’m not knowledgeable enough about Caribbean music to be a purist. I found the music consistently pleasing. But I have to admit this was largely for its lively percussive qualities; for all the exquisite voices, I found only a handful of songs melodically memorable. The second issue is the discomfort parents might feel in the explicit message of female sacrifice. We are supposed to see Ti Moune’s tragic transformation as magical, beautiful, while meanwhile the cad Daniel gets off unscathed. I didn’t get a sense that the musical or any of its characters even see him as a cad. But any such quibbles are swept away like the detritus in a hurricane thanks to the delights large and small in the production – one of which is the swirl of detritus in a fan-induced hurricane. Director Michael Arden created a fresh new Spring Awakening on Broadway in 2015, just six years after the original had closed, by mixing deaf and hearing actors. Here he mixes races and genders deliberately willy-nilly, but it’s in the inventive details of “Once in This Island” that he makes it most distinct. Before the show even begins, theatergoers enter the auditorium of the Circle in the Square walking past walls hanging with laundry and bursting with tropical vegetation, while below, Alex Newell, the god Asaka, wearing a skirt that looks like a picnic tablecloth, stand in the sand as he busily barbecues; the rich scent from the persuasively real meal wafts up at least to Row E. Dane Laffey’s set is a dense and endless scavenger hunt of unusual objects. In the best tradition of storybook theater, makeshift objects are enlisted to create a scene, with the help of fog and the dramatic lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer.

Then there is Camille A. Brown’s thrilling choreography, climaxing in “Ti Moune’s Dance,” her dance in the sand, so alluring that the “grand hommes” join her (and the audience does vicariously too.)

  The last of the 20 songs in “Once on This Island,” is entitled “Why We Tell This Story,” and includes the lyrics:

Life is why we tell the story

Pain is why we tell the story

Love is why we tell the story

Grief is why we tell the story

Hope is why we tell the story

  All of which may be true. But fun is why we listen.

Once on This Island Circle in the Square Book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; Music by Stephen Flaherty; Directed by Michael Arden Scenic Design by Dane Laffrey; Costume Design by Clint Ramos; Lighting Design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer; Sound Design by Peter Hylenski; Hair and Wig Design by Cookie Jordan; Make-Up Design by Cookie Jordan Cast Phillip Boykin, Alysha Deslorieux, Quentin Earl Darrington, Kenita R. Miller, Isaac Powell, Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Tyler Hardwick, Loren Lott, Alex Newell, T. Oliver Reid, Lea Salonga and Aurelia Williams Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission

Tickets to Once on this Island

Once On This Island Review, Pics, Video: Enchanting Caribbean Vacation on Broadway The first Broadway revival of “Once on This Island,” a ravishing storybook production of a Caribbean-flavored folktale, begins in the aftermath of a natural disaster, as a story of love and loss told to soothe a frightened girl.

[footyplusau]

Melbourne Demons beat Collingwood Magpies in Queen’s Birthday classic

Melbourne 4.3 6.6 12.9 15.14 (104) Collingwood 3.2 10.5 12.8 15.10 (100)

GOALS: Melbourne: C Petracca 3 J Watts 3 J Garlett 2 T Bugg 2 C Pedersen J Harmes J Melksham M Hannan T McDonald. Collingwood: A Fasolo 2 D Moore 2 J de Goey 2 L Greenwood 2 S Sidebottom 2 T Phillips 2 A Treloar B Crocker J Aish. 

BEST: Collingwood: Sidebottom, Grundy, Howe, Treloar, Maynard, Pendlebury, Broomhead. Melbourne: Petracca, Oliver, Jones, Hibberd, Watts, Garlett, Tyson, Viney

Melbourne are in the eight, Collingwood are not. At six different times during the match, that sentence would have been reversed. At the point in the second term when Collingwood led by 28 points, it certainly appeared likely to be a different arrangement.

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AFL plays of round 12

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Melbourne thwart Collingwood in thriller

Melbourne thwart Collingwood in thriller

The Demons defeated Collingwood in an exciting finish to move into the top eight.

AFL plays of round 12

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AFL plays of round 12

AFL plays of round 12

Doggies whimper against Swans, Big Tex gorgeous on the left, Gold Coast own the Hawks again, McDonald-Tipungwuti lights up Etihad and Jeremy Howe performs his usual aerial brilliance.

Stars freeze at the ‘G for Motor Neurone Disease

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Stars freeze at the ‘G for Motor Neurone …

Stars freeze at the ‘G for Motor Neurone Disease

Celebrities slide for the Big Freeze to raise money to fight MND at the MCG Round 12 match between Melbourne Demons and the Collingwood Magpies on Monday.

Carlton pip Giants by slimmest of margins

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Carlton pip Giants by slimmest of margins

Carlton pip Giants by slimmest of margins

There was a massive difference between the two teams on the ladder but it appeared no one had told the Blues that as they held on in a tight finish.

Carlton’s cheap shot on Steve Johnson

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Carlton’s cheap shot on Steve Johnson

Carlton’s cheap shot on Steve Johnson

Steve Johnson became the target in a fiery moment during the Carlton and GWS match.

Bombers blitz Power

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Bombers blitz Power

Bombers blitz Power

Essendon had their shooting boots on in a demolition of a lame Port Adelaide outfit.

Suns sneak home against Hawthorn

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Suns sneak home against Hawthorn

Suns sneak home against Hawthorn

The Gold Coast Suns held off Hawthorn in a tense final quarter at the MCG.

Melbourne thwart Collingwood in thriller

The Demons defeated Collingwood in an exciting finish to move into the top eight.

There was nothing between these teams in ladder position before the game, there was four points separating them on th scoreboard after the siren. There is now also four premiership points separating them on the ladder.

Alex Fasolo goaled after the siren to keep the margin to that four points but the most critical goal was kicked moments earlier when Jack Watts, the emblem of Queen’s Birthday misadventure of years past, was the man to seal the game and it came in a manner reflective of the game – a fast rebound from defensive fifty.

Tom McDonald and Christian Petracca celebrate winning the Queen’s Birthday stunner.  Photo: Quinn Rooney

It occurred after the most critical play of the day. Collingwood had a last serious final surge forward as they trailed by five points with less than two minutes left. A long kicked found Jordan De Goey on the lead but he was unable to hold the chest mark, a fist snaking in to spoil. If De Goey takes the mark and kicks the goal Collingwood is in front. The mark was spoiled then whisked down the wing for Watts to run in and complete the moment.

It was a moment that appeared unlikely in the first half when Collingwood rollicked ahead yet by stealth Melbourne reigned them back in. At first by capitalising on silly turnovers- twice early Christian Petracca sweated a bad decision and skill into a goal. He kept his side in it.

Tactically early on it was a coaching double bluff with players setting up off the back of the square at the centre bounce.

Collingwood always favours putting one of the forwards to the defensive side of the square while Melbourne liked putting two back so there was a heavy imbalance of defenders to forwards in Collingwood’s forward line and both teams trying to exploit the straight line run of a player through the square to the contest.

Clayton Oliver of the Demons is tackled by Taylor Adams and Callum Brown of the Magpies.  Photo: Quinn Rooney

Collingwood was happy for Steele Sidebottom to be left alone to be loose and while he made a mistake early for a goal he was plainly the most dominant player on the ground. Melbourne had Bernie Vince, Nathan Jones or Dom Tyson running from the back of the square. The plot worked better for Collingwood – they had double the centre clearances.

With Jamie Elliott out, Alex Fasolo back from a week out with depression and a debutant in Callum Brown the Magpies attack looked thin and reliant on a spread of contributors.

Jeremy Howe of the Magpies marks the ball over Tom McDonald of the Demons.  Photo: Adam Trafford/AFL Media

Levi Greenwood offered two goals in the first term then a strange thing happened for a Collingwood game this year – they had a seven goal quarter and at half time had kicked twice as many goals as behinds. Unheard of.

Fasolo had a hand in three of those second term goals: a centring kick, a tap on and a run around to boot one of his own, a moment that drew every teammate to him.

To half time Melbourne had kicked six goals; four of them from Collingwood skill errors or bad decisions for turnovers and two from free kicks. They were creating few deliberate meaningful forward attacks of their own a process made even more difficult for the fact they kept players behind the ball and relied on hard running counter attacks.

Melbourne was under siege and finding it difficult not only to get the centre break but find ways out of defence through Collingwood’s pressure or over Jeremy Howe’s head. They tried sitting the ball on Tom McDonald’s head but rediscovered that this was precisely where their former teammate enjoys it most.

Collingwood led by 28 points until turnovers that Petracca cleverly turned into goals kept Melbourne in touch.

Goodwin changed the balance of numbers around the ball after half time with only one loose and Melbourne began to earn more of the ball.

Jack Watts was able to shake loose for a couple of shots at goal and they tightened up on Sidebottom whose influence after the main break was dulled.

Clayton Oliver was superb in the middle in he second half and initiated the change that was the difference in the game. Where Melbourne had been down 3-6 for centre clearances at half time they were suddenly leading 10-8.

Jones was creative behind the ball and Melbourne was running harder in numbers in waves. It was a game of both teams trying to score on the fast counterattack. And in that game Melbourne’s small forwards Tom Bugg and Jeff Garlett caused more mayhem.

While several critical decisions favoured melbourne it was Collingwood’s turnovers that were the most important difference. And that was the difference of four points. On the scoreboard. On the ladder. 

Votes:

Christian Petracca (Mel) 8

Clayton Oliver (Mel) 8

Steele Sidebottom (Coll) 7

Brodie Grundy (Coll) 7

Nathan Jones (Mel) 7 

The post Melbourne Demons beat Collingwood Magpies in Queen’s Birthday classic appeared first on Footy Plus.

from Footy Plus http://ift.tt/2rj7Lrk via http://footyplus.net

[footyplusau]

Please stay fit: Your club’s most crucial player

EVERY team has a host of star players who provide the cream on top of a fine group performance.

And then there’s that one player who holds the key to his club’s fortunes, whose absence when sides are picked makes fans tremble in trepidation.

AFL.com.au reporters have taken on the task of nominating each club’s most critical player. Do you agree with our assessment?

Rory Sloane is the heart and soul of the Crows. The reigning Malcolm Blight medallist is a contested-ball animal, able to extract the Sherrin from stoppages and get it moving forward. But it’s his pressure acts and defensive running that set him apart from the field. Sloane’s one-game suspension for the round 23 clash with West Coast proved costly. With a top-two spot on the line, the Crows couldn’t cover his absence, lost the game and eventually bowed out in the second week of the finals to Sydney at the SCG. With Sloane, the Crows can win the premiership. Without him, they would be lucky to make the top four. – Lee Gaskin

The horrors of last year compared with the early-season promise can be put down to a number of things, not least the health of new skipper Dayne Beams. The star midfielder played just two games in 2016 because of persistent knee problems, and after a slightly interrupted pre-season has started this year on fire. Not only is his inside grunt a huge help to Tom Rockliff and company, but his outside class is something the Lions have been begging for. They look a more polished and composed unit with Beams in the middle. With youthful key position players at both ends, they can cover injuries in most places and not lose much, but a full season from Beams would make a world of difference. – Michael Whiting

In the absence of Andrew Phillips, Matthew Kreuzer carries a huge responsibility in the ruck, and in the three games this year he has been most impressive. Finally his battles with injury are behind him and he is playing to the level that the Blues hoped for when they took him as the No.1 selection in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft. The ruckman, who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, has averaged 30 hit-outs a game and is in the top five at Carlton for contested possessions, clearances, tackles and inside 50s. Importantly, he has booted three goals straight. – Howard Kotton

Matthew Kreuzer celebrates the Blues’ win over traditional rivals Essendon. Picture: AFL Photos

The Pies’ Achilles heel is their leaky defence, and in particular their shortage of quality key defenders, so the importance of premiership and All Australian centre half-back Ben Reid cannot be understated. If the ‘Woods lost the consistent, strong-marking left-footer, it’s likely the dam wall would be irreparably broken, and they’d be forced to call up former Demons veteran Lynden Dunn or perhaps Lachie Keeffe, or even make do with admirable undersized options Tyson Goldsack and Jeremy Howe. Brodie Grundy would also be difficult to replace given the Pies are light on for ruckmen, and they can ill afford to lose skipper Scott Pendlebury, whose absence would potentially leave a gaping leadership void. – Ben Collins

There are a few options here for the Bombers given some of their midfield stars and Joe Daniher’s importance in attack. But Michael Hurley would be very close to the top of John Worsfold’s list. Hurley is the Bombers’ most valuable defender, he takes on the opposition’s leading forward while also creating rebound, and his tough, uncompromising approach sets a standard for his team. The Bombers do have some depth in defence, but not of Hurley’s quality. The Bombers could always swing Cale Hooker back if Hurley went down with injury, but that would have repercussions for the forward-line structure too. – Callum Twomey

You could mount a strong argument for Aaron Sandilands, but it’s impossible to go past the 2015 Brownlow medallist and new skipper Nat Fyfe – especially after his heroics in dragging Fremantle over the line against the Western Bulldogs. Fyfe’s herculean final quarter – including 12 touches, eight of which were contested – was pivotal in the Dockers clawing their way back from a 14-point deficit and his teammates walk taller with him in the side. When Fyfe dominated the first half of 2015, the Dockers looked genuine premiership material. His absence after round five last season due to a broken leg was a hammer blow with Sandilands already sidelined by broken ribs, and it’s no coincidence Freo’s season slid into the abyss. – Travis King

The most prolific Cats aren’t necessarily the ones they can’t afford to lose. If one of Patrick Dangerfield or Joel Selwood went down, the other – plus the likes of Mitch Duncan, Cam Guthrie and Sam Menegola – are still there. But, they just don’t have another player like power forward Tom Hawkins. The 28-year-old leads their goalkicking with 12 from Daniel Menzel (10), and while the team is less reliant on Hawkins than in the past, the 198cm, 110kg forward takes the biggest defender each week and is a strong contested marking target for his midfielders to spot. ­– Jennifer Phelan

The Suns have some of the best key-position players in the competition, but it’s also the area in which they are most vulnerable. They could ill afford to lose either co-captain Steven May or Tom Lynch, but an absence from May would be particularly harmful. Last year he was suspended for five matches and the Suns spiralled to an average losing margin of 80 points (although they were also in the middle of a midfield injury crisis). Aside from trusty sidekick Rory Thompson, there is precious little depth in the key defensive posts, with youngster Jack Leslie and versatile Keegan Brooksby the only alternatives. An injury to All Australian Lynch would also be a huge blow, but coach Rodney Eade has previously shown he can conjure magic from small forward lines. – Michael Whiting

Tom Lynch and Steven May are crucial to the Suns’ leadership. Picture: AFL Photos

The Giants’ list is stacked with talent and depth but star ruckman Shane Mumford remains the one man they can’t afford to lose. The emerging Rory Lobb does a solid job giving the big man a chop-out during games but he’s still learning the craft, Dawson Simpson doesn’t have the mobility to play regularly at senior level, and Tom Downie is on the long-term injury list while he deals with some mental health issues. Mumford’s aggressive nature and physical presence sets the tone for the side and his importance goes well beyond the stats sheet. – Adam Curley

Not a lot is going right for the once-mighty Hawks, so it would be just their luck if ex-Sydney Swan Tom Mitchell was forced to miss time. Mitchell, one of the men brought in to reinvent a midfield sans Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell, has easily been Hawthorn’s best player through the first three rounds, averaging 34 disposals and more than six tackles per game. That impressive output has not saved the Hawks from an 0-3 start, but imagine how dire the situation would be if he wasn’t there to carry such a heavy on-ball load. – Marc McGowan

Melbourne’s worst fears have been realised with All Australian ruckman Max Gawn to be sidelined for up to three months because of a significant hamstring injury. Gawn had surgery on Tuesday after hurting his right hamstring in the Demons’ 29-point loss to Geelong. Starting this week against Fremantle and Aaron Sandilands (No.1 in the AFL for hit-outs), Melbourne will now have to start rolling out its contingency ruck plans. Back-up big man Jake Spencer is likely to get the call up in Gawn’s place, with the Demons now considering how best to set up their midfield in Gawn’s absence. Melbourne is equal-third in the competition in centre clearances, thanks largely to Gawn’s influence, and his ability to give midfielders Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney first use out of the centre is a crucial element of the Demons’ game plan. – Ben Guthrie

The Roos have already shown, to varying degrees, they can cope without Jarrad Waite (replaced by Ben Brown) and Todd Goldstein (Braydon Preuss). But could they do the same if key defender Robbie Tarrant went down for an extended length of time? Tarrant, the 2016 club champion, provides genuine height at 196cm, with the undersized-but-dogged Scott Thompson and kids beside and underneath him. He has repeatedly proven himself capable of manning the competition’s gorillas, and that would become a serious problem area if his history of injuries repeated. It might be worth Brad Scott persisting with last week’s first-gamer Sam Durdin just in case the scenario presents. – Marc McGowan

Key defender Robbie Tarrant is the Kangaroos’ 2016 best and fairest. Picture: AFL Photos

Ollie Wines has taken the mantle as the Power’s best player, but the emergence of Sam Powell-Pepper and Brad Ebert’s return to an inside midfield role means they have back-up in that department. You can’t say the same about the key forward position. Charlie Dixon is crucial to the Power’s attacking structure. Even if he’s not kicking goals himself, Dixon brings the ball to ground and presents a contest so his small forwards can pick up the scraps. If Dixon is unavailable, the Power will have to rely on 27-year-old rookie Brett Eddy, raw draftee Todd Marshall, utility Jackson Trengove or take Patrick Ryder out of the ruck. – Lee Gaskin

The Tigers may have increased their midfield depth and ability to cover injuries there if need be, but Dustin Martin is in a different class. Damien Hardwick’s willingness to send him forward for periods and isolate him 25m ahead of the ball has been a feature of the Tigers’ play and an element they can’t afford to lose. Martin has won 22 per cent of his possessions inside 50 this year, compared to eight per cent in 2016. He has also been involved in 35.4 per cent of Richmond’s scores this season (ranked No.1 at the club). He hasn’t lost a one-on-one contest, neutralising them at worst, and he is averaging a career-best 32.7 possessions (No.4 in the AFL), despite his increased time forward. The Tigers might be able to cover him in the midfield and get by, but they can’t forward of centre. – Nathan Schmook

This is a tough decision but the answer is probably Jack Steven, narrowly over Nick Riewoldt. There’s a reason Steven has won three of the last four Trevor Barker Awards. His work inside the contest is obvious to anyone who watches Saints games, but his burst out of stoppages is what makes him a star of the competition. Steven’s absence was felt against the Brisbane Lions last week, when St Kilda lacked star power in its midfield. While Riewoldt’s best-on-ground effort in that match underlined his importance, the club is well stocked for forward targets and is better equipped to handle the former skipper’s absence than Steven’s. – Dinny Navaratnam

The Swans have an elite midfield unit but there’s no doubt skipper Josh Kennedy is the main man in the middle. The three-time club champion and All Australian is the contested ball and clearance king in Sydney, and has played 23+ games in all six of his years at the Swans, showing how consistent he is as the linchpin of John Longmire’s onball division. Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and Kieren Jack are also stars, and Isaac Heeney is coming of age, but without Kennedy, the team loses its most reliable ball winner and stoppage specialist. – Adam Curley

Many would have said the Eagles couldn’t afford to lose spring-heeled ruckman Nic Naitanui if they were to stay in the premiership hunt, but time will tell if that’s the case. The addition of Hawthorn champion Sam Mitchell has somewhat softened that midfield blow. However, if dual Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy went down the Eagles’ flag hopes would hang by a thread. The gun full-forward has booted 162 goals in the past two seasons and when he fires West Coast rarely loses. The Eagles have only been beaten once in 18 games since the start of 2015 when Kennedy has kicked at least four goals. – Travis King

The Eagles can’t afford to lose star forward Josh Kennedy. Picture: AFL Photos 

While he’s the Bulldogs’ best player, Marcus Bontempelli is also their most important. At 21, the midfielder is already an elite player in the competition, with his all-round game impossible to stop at times. He’s ranked third at the Dogs this season for disposals (76), equal second for goals (five) and fourth in tackles (17). A snapshot of the reigning best and fairest’s importance was when he more or less dragged his side across the line against Sydney in round two. Versatile big man Tom Boyd hasn’t recaptured the form this year that saw him one of the best in the Dogs’ premiership triumph, but he’s still critical to Luke Beveridge’s set up with No.1 ruckman Jordan Roughead sidelined through injury. – Ryan Davidson

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