LayGuy

If you’re on the lookout for a high quality bible recording that won’t cost you a cent, then read on.  This story is making it’s rounds on the net and I thought it would be great to make this resource known here at LayGuy also.

A word of warning though.  Although free, if you want the whole bible, you’ll need to do a fair amount of work to get it.  Having said that, you can easily download high quality MP3 recordings of entire chapters – up to 500 versus at a time.  Without further ado, here’s how:

1. Head over to the ESV bible online.
2. Click on the “Options” link in the top right hand corner.
3. Don’t worry about the visual options for now, head down to audio options and select “MP3 (David Cochran Heath, complete Bible).”
4. Press “save” at the bottom of the screen.
5. Do a search on the chapter and/or versus you want to download.
6. For the purpose of this exercise, I’m searching Genesis 1
7. Genesis 1 pops up onto the screen.  You’ll notice the “(listen)” next to the chapter title.
8. Right click “listen” and select “save link as” (Firefox) “save target as” (Explorer) etc.
9. Choose a place to save it on your computer and rename the file to something meaningful – such as “Gen 1” in our example – make sure you add “.mp3” after your file name.
10. Save and download it.

This can then be easily be listened to on your computer or transferred to an MP3 player or iPod.

Crossway are the publishers of the ESV and have made this resource available for all – very generous despite the times we live in.

And the quality?  Well just have a listen to this…

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

My home state of Victoria, and indeed Australia, is still trying to come to terms with the horrific bush fires which swept through the state over the weekend.  Almost 200 people have died with fears that the final figure could reach 300 – making this more than 3 times the disaster which was Ash Wednesday back in 1983.

The most sickening and disgusting thought of all is that many of these fires were lit deliberately on what was Victoria’s hottest day ever – 47.3C (117.1F).  Strong northerly winds fanned these flames into hundreds of homes and whole towns have been literally wiped off the map.

To make things worse, there are reports of arsonists relighting fires which have been put out, looting of homes which have survived the fires and money collectors pretending to work for a worthy cause only to pocket the proceeds themselves.  A pathetic picture of the vermin of humanity.

In complete and utter contrast are the reports of heroic efforts by professional and volunteer firefighters, paramedics, police and the generosity and outpouring of the human spirit to help out those in need.

I decided to make a short video to capture only but an essence of what has transpired over the last couple of days.  I encourage you to watch it.  To feel it.  To imagine what it was like. And to never forget what these people have just been through.

I also ask you to help pass on this message/post/video – whatever it takes – to others to raise awareness of this incident.  Australians, and the world, are digging deep to help those in need.  Already tens of millions of dollars have been raised to help rebuild lives and communities.

The biggest push is through Australian Red Cross – please visit and make any contribution possible.  The video ends with this website also – so please pass it on to whoever should see it.  Please help make it go viral – as my goal is to make donations to this appeal go viral also.

These people need it.

“My little girl was saying to me, ‘Mum am I going to see my friends again?’, she also said to me, ‘Mum am I going to live tomorrow?’

The spine tingling words of a little girl as her parents packed their belongings when the power went out.  The cause?  Australia’s worst bushfire disaster – ever.

On Saturday 7th February 2009, my home state of Victoria, Australia had it’s hottest day ever.  Melbourne peaked it’s temperature at 46.4 degrees Celsius (115.52 F) and the state recorded 47.3 (117.14) – the hottest temperature since records began.

After years of drought and barely getting over the worst heatwave for 100 years a week ago, our state was dry, grass was dead and brown and the scene was set for a catastrophe come Saturday.  Most people around the world wouldn’t have heard of this as Melbourne and Victoria doesn’t have that much celebrities compared to the Malibu fires in the US – where the “precious” homes of the Hollywood elite were threatened.

Cast Hollywood and the big wigs aside, what we faced here was a disaster – and it came, it saw and it conquered.  As I write this post on Sunday night – the day after – 84 people have died and 700 homes have been lost.  It’s feared that the death toll will be over 100 once authorities finally reach the devastated areas.  You see there are still 26 fires burning and 12 are completely out of control.

National headlines are saying that Victoria experienced “hell on earth” and, although I wasn’t personally affected, my heart goes out to my fellow Victorians as they come to terms of their loss.  There are horrible stories of loss – husbands, wives, children, homes and livestock.  Check out the following video to get but a glimpse of what these people went through.

Click here for some photo’s of this horrible day..

This was a day never to be forgotten here in Victoria.  I pray that those who suffered loss are comforted amidst their tragedy.  My state is hurting as a result of all this – it has been through extremely tought times lately.  And the most sobering thought is that more hot weather is yet to come.  Traditionally Victoria swelters well into March – giving ample time for repeat occurrences of this day.  I hope not but something inside says there is more to come…

I’ve just about had it with how pathetic Richard Dawkins is.  Even more pathetic how an unbelieving world throws itself at his book, The God Delusion.  What a thinly veiled attempt at dismissing the Creator God into the realm of only “lunatics” believe  in God.

I came across this video of him today which showcases his own delusion and how people like him clutch at straws while trying to defend the debunked theory of evolution.  What a joke!  Where’s the science behind any of his assertions?  Lol – I wonder how long the camera had to “cut” as he fabricated his pathetic response. 10 points to you Dawkins for totally deflecting the actual question!  Loser.

Hope you enjoy…