Through the Lens of Motherhood: Change

For some time now we as a family have been facing change, looking to the future to try and discover God's next move, if there was a move, where in the Kingdom he wants us, what plans he has for us. It has been a very long and sometimes difficult discernment process.

Yesterday it was announced that Tim (my hubby) will be leaving our St. Paul's community to take on the position of Rector (Senior Pastor) at Little Trinity in downtown Toronto. This is an exciting time in the life of our family but also I feel in the lives of the people we love so much at St. Paul's. The timing it seems is completely in God's hands and I am so excited to see what he has in store for the people of St. Paul's.

When Tim and I were dating he told me once that he had a real heart for the church of Little T, so it does not surprise me that God has called him up as their new leader. I am excited for Tim, for Little T and for the Kingdom as I see God making moves for change and growth.

This time of change is both exciting as well as a time for grieving. The St. Paul's community was my first church home in Toronto, my first real community after living in Austria, we were married there and started our family there. The people of St. Paul's have walked us through some difficult times, seen us through some of the toughest years of our lives and saying goodbye is difficult on many levels. My consolation is that we are remaining in Toronto and these people we love so much will remain a part of our lives.

As I have watched the St. Paul's community grow in numbers over the last 6 years I have been amazed at God's hand in their lives, but more than numbers I have been touched by the depth and growth in the lives of these wonderful people. I have no doubts that God is alive and working in this church family. They are so full of love for God's Kingdom and because I know this, I know that the changes they are about to undergo will bring them even deeper, even stronger in their faith and that the end result will be a more faithful, even more? beautiful work in the bigger picture. Saying goodbye to two of their leaders (Tim and Jenny) will be challenging but I also know that they are under the powerful and wonderful leadership of Barry Parker, a man who can lead them powerfully into their future, into God's plan for them. I have complete faith that God has a plan for them and I am excited for them.

Change is never easy, it's hard and it's at the times of change in our lives that we have to lean solely on God to see us through. We (Tim and I) will face challenges, as will all the people of both St. Paul's and Little T, but in the end it is God who is our leader. It is God who is our High Priest and with his as our ultimate hope we cannot lose. He will guide us all, He will see us through, and when it's all said and done His Kingdom will flourish if we choose to trust Him as we march forward into this new future awaiting us.

May we all find peace and hope. May the days and months ahead lead to fuller understanding of His mighty plans for us, may we all dare to find the strength he offers as we face these changes together, as brothers and sisters working for His glory.

L

Source: http://lensofmotherhood.blogspot.com/2012/12/change.html

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Mental Fitness Through Boating : Boating Times Long Island

You are here: Home / Features / Mental Fitness Through Boating

We know that an apple a day may keep the doctor away, but are there extra benefits from eating that apple on a boat? According to psychiatrist Dr. Sue Varma, who practices in Manhattan, being out on the water may help keep us mentally healthy.

We instinctively know that sitting at a computer and interacting on social networking sites isn?t as good for you as getting out on the water. Whether the boating activity is leisurely cruising on your powerboat, or on a dinghy racing a gale, time spent on a boat may keep you sane.? Dr. Varma elaborates, ?I often encourage people to exercise, to seek social support, to schedule activities and limit time on TV and computer. Outdoor sports combine all these prescribed treatments.?

Those suffering from mental health problems often find themselves isolated, and the social side of boating cannot be underestimated. Joining others for a drink in the yacht club after an outing is part and parcel of why some boaters head out in the first place. Rafting up with friends makes boat ownership appealing to others. Even singlehanded round-the-world yacht racers require regular contact with a shore team!

The head of a sail training organization once described sailing as taking ?the me out of you.? ?Dr. Varma agrees, stating that ?socialization is one of the cornerstones of mental health.? However, she cautions against excess alcohol as a social lubricant. ?Many of the patients in my practice boat to relax ? but some tend to drink a lot during it. Be careful that the drinking doesn?t take a life on of its own.?

Do those engaging in extremely energetic activities such as white water canoeing derive more mental health benefits than a shoreline kayaker? No? even gentle activities such as a leisurely sail can be as mentally positive as a blast on a racing dinghy, but in different ways. Dr. Varma notes, ?Physical activity that is more demanding elevates the heart rate ? promoting heart health, increased oxygenation, lower blood pressure, and a release of endorphins. However, more sedentary sports can be calming, relaxing and be beneficial for other reasons, as long as we are mindful.?

Research shows that those who keep mentally active may ward off the ill effects of aging, in the same way as someone might prevent cardiovascular illness through physical fitness. Per Dr. Varma, ?The concept of flow implies being absorbed and in the moment. It can be good when one is aging to promote concentration and memory.?

However, as in other areas of life, mental benefits come from moderation and balance. Dr. Varma counsels, ?Being a weekend warrior on a regular basis doesn?t help anyone. It?s good to alternate exhilarating weekends (particularly those that may include heavy partying) with more restful, relaxing activities. You don?t want to burn out! During the weekend, schedule some down time. Balance is always key?don?t burn the candle at both ends.?

However, an evening at anchor, gazing at the stars as candles glow softly on the deck, does sound like a prescription for mental clarity.

By Richard Shrubb

Filed under Features ? Tagged with boat, boating, boating + Long Island, Boating magazine, Boating Magazine Long Island, boating times long island, Dr. Sue Varma, kayaking. heart elevation, li sound, Long Island, Long Island boating magazine, Long Island Sound, mental benefits of boating, mental clarity, Mental Fitness Through Boating, mental health, peconic bay, psychiatrist, Richard Shrubb, Sue Varma

Source: http://boatingtimesli.com/NY/mental-fitness-through-boating/

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Basic Guide On How To Be Successful In Online Marketing | Mike ...

If you are really serious about success, you have to be really serious with your efforts in Internet marketing. You just cannot avoid it. The good news is, this investment can really pay off. Continue reading this article below if you want to find out some great ways in which you can bolster your business through easy-to-implement Internet promotion techniques.

Watch what people say about your sales, promos, and site. This is a very important step toward finding out what works for you. Gather feedback on an event or special promotion by keeping a close eye on comments left on message boards, forums and blogs related to your business?s niche. Apply the advice your visitors have in order to make sure they feel like their needs are important.

TIP! If you employ a good enough plan for internet marketing, you should already have decided what products are going to make you the most money. Use your most profitable products as a way to generate additional sales.

Think of original ways for your readers to earn a prizes. One creative example is creating a scavenger hunt that requires prospective buyers to locate certain words within a given body of text. Once they find these words, provide them with a discount or reward. When your customers can interact with your site, they will feel like members. They?ll have fun and get to know you. Then they will trust you to do business.

Avoid giving in to frustration in Web marketing. If you stop, all of your effort will have been for nothing. Be sure that all your i?s are dotted and t?s crossed before you launch a new product line. This can require a lot of effort. No matter how arduous this journey may be, always keep in mind that your efforts will pay off.

TIP! Give people a limited time offer. It could be anything from free shipping to a rebate.

Do everything you can to ensure your site?s ordering system is safe and secure. Consider PayPal or a comparable service for secure transactions on your site. Consider having your customers create a password protected account before they submit any personal information on your site.

Find out common complaints and you might find the perfect niche. Why is this? This way, you can find out what problems need to be solved. Try creating a FAQ to answer everyday issues. So, by finding problems, you are really discovering potential market niches!

TIP! It is important that your site?s URL be easy to remember. When possible, the site name should incorporate your business?s name Customers can use Google to find your site, of course, but make it even simpler with an easy to remember address they can type into the URL field.

Use the emphasis tags that HTML provides when creating your website copy. Tools like bold, italics, and underline are ways to make a word more important than the surrounding words. This technique can improve clarity in the message that you want to convey so that your audience can receive your message in the intended interpretation.

For help with marketing on the Internet, you might want to create some sort of customer management database. Use it to identify past and present customers and their respective purchase history. You can then create custom communications that highlight accessories, complementary, or similar products to those which they have most recently purchased from your company.

TIP! Reduce the amount of Flash that is used on your site. This kind of content can be great if you want an original website, but search engines will not be able to interpret any of it.

Test the effectiveness of your marketing techniques by implementing tech tools that will show you the conversion rate of visitors to paying clientele. The most successful sites use customizable applications that track site statistics like sales and traffic.

You should be sure to have a place for customers to comment on your products within your site. People like to research what other consumers are saying about a product they are thinking of purchasing. They will tend to feel safer purchasing from you, as well as feeling more at home on your website.

TIP! Create a video presentation of yourself using the products you are promoting. This is often a much more direct and unambiguous way to convince potential customers of the product?s value.

Affiliate marketing isn?t just a luxury now, it?s a necessity. If you are conducting business online, it?s something you can?t ignore. By including these tips in business plan, you will maintain high visibility on the Internet and increase the profitability of your business.

To find some additional related information, take a look at this specific comprehensive discussion MLM Sponsoring because what you will certainly discover will certainly help to increase your personal business and give you new insights into Internet Marketing.

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Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/getfreedom/blog/basic-guide-on-how-to-be-successful-in-online-marketing/

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3-Step Diabetes Obese Naturist Treatment | Quick Fitness Solutions

The diabetes obese naturist treatment that works best for losing weight and lowering blood sugar is controlled eating. Careful food choices combined with some exercise is the best natural way to fight back. A diabetes obese naturist treatment plan would include low-sugar and low-carb foods and a moderate exercise regimen.

The way of eating that works best as a diabetes obese naturist treatment is a very simple way of eating. Some say that it?s more expensive, but if you compare your grocery bills before and after there shouldn?t be much of a difference. Of course, this is only true if you?re not still buying lots of other processed foods for your family members.

The first thing to do in your new eating plan is to cut out most processed foods. Processed foods are any foods that have been processed far from their natural state. A cake, pie or any type of baked good you buy already made is highly processed, for instance.

Those types of foods are the worst kind for diabetes because not only are they processed and full of sugar, their ingredients are also processed. Flour is a processed food, made from wheat. You may not be able to eliminate all of it, but eliminating the obvious sources of flour can make a huge difference.

Baked goods like cakes, cookies, pies and breads are hard to give up. And you may not have to give up all of them for a diabetes obese naturist treatment. You can still enjoy certain baked goods occasionally that are made with whole grains and nut or soy flours instead of wheat flours. Sugar substitutes can make them palatable.

If you can give them up altogether, your recovery rate will be even faster. Other processed foods like canned foods, boxed foods, frozen foods and pre-made meals should be severely restricted or eliminated for the best results.

Even in ?healthy? pre-packaged foods you?ll find flour, hidden sugars and other ingredients that are believed to contribute to weight gain, diabetes and other conditions. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and high-fructose corn syrup are the biggest offenders. MSG is in almost every pre-packaged food, and the corn syrup is used in place of sugar because it?s cheaper.

Focus on vegetables that you cook yourself. Steam them or cook them in healthy olive oil, and add a small amount of fresh grated parmesan cheese. Add lots of seasonings and soon you won?t miss the butter, sour cream and other fattening additions.

Another part of a diabetes obese naturist treatment is to drink plenty of water. You shouldn?t force yourself to drink 80 oz a day if you?re not thirsty, but getting in 64 oz per day isn?t that hard if you choose water instead of soda or other caloric drinks.

Finally, start exercising, even if it?s just a short walk in place three or four times a week. You can build up to the recommended amounts. The important thing in your diabetes obese naturist treatment is to start where you are and keep going.

Source: http://quickfitnesssolutions.com/3step-diabetes-obese-naturist-treatment/

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Actor W.C Fields Haunts His Old Abode! | Paranormal Encounters

W.C. Fields in the Encino home that its current owner say is haunted by the late comic actor. (Photo courtesy Bison Archives)The deadpan comedian W.C. Fields was fresh off the movie ?It?s a Gift? when he leased a secluded Spanish-style estate for $300 a month on 6 acres of orange groves in Encino.
That was October 1934.

By that time, historians say, he had lived at addresses all over Los Angeles, most recently in Toluca Lake.

But he quit Encino after 19 months for new digs. And while the hacienda would be home to other silver-screen legends of the era, including cowboy Roy Rogers, Fields remains a karmic presence .

?The ghost of W.C. Fields is in the house, and I?m telling you, he?s in the house,? says Lisa Helfend Meyer, an A-list family law attorney, as she regales visitors with stories about bumps in the night and quarrels .

Older homes that boast a Hollywood connection often come with what Fields? researcher Howard Prouty ? acquisitions archivist at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences? Margaret Herrick Library ? calls ?an incredible stew of myth, rumor, half-truth and distortion.?

Prouty which recently ended a two-month engagement in New York. He adds that most people are ?perfectly content to live with the myth, whether or not there?s also a ghost involved.?

For Meyer, it?s about revelry.

The Fields? legend had no sway over her decision 15 years ago to purchase the Spanish revival. She was possessed by the house, which sits on an acre behind a nondescript gate at the end of a long and hard-to-find driveway off of White Oak Avenue.

Even Meyer had trouble finding the place when it went on the market in the mid-?90s.

?I remember driving up and down trying to find the address,? she says. ?When I finally found it and I went past the gate, I saw this beautiful Spanish home that was pink at the time ? but it was still so charming.

?It was like a jewel.?

And she?s made it sparkle all the more in the years since moving in with her family.

Several years ago, Meyer embarked on a major remodel of the house, opening up the kitchen, raising the ceilings on the dining and family rooms and adding on a second-story master suite and study.

Meyer and her husband, Ron Cherney, a dentist and avid golfer, had grown out of the 3,400-square-foot home they now share with Meyer?s 19-year-old autistic daughter, Megan, from another marriage. She needed more closet space, and he needed a wing for his golf collection.

At the same time, they wanted the remodel to respect the architectural past, so the couple brought in interior designer L.M. Pagano to keep the look authentic.

?We had (an understanding) immediately,? says Pagano, who specializes in historical renovations for a global clientele

W.C. Fields outside the Encino home he once leased. (Photo courtesy Bison Archives)that includes movie stars Nicolas Cage and Johnny Depp. As she explains, ?Ron and Lisa really wanted to stay true to the house and not everybody does.
?It was such an easy marriage between us because they had great stuff.?

Like Pagano, Meyer is passionate about antiques. She regularly joins her mother on shopping excursions through swap meets and flea m long after death of long-lost lovers traced Fields? residences for a travelling exhibit he co-curated, ?The Peregrinations & Pettifoggery of W.C. Fields,? arkets from Long Beach to Pasadena for vintage California pottery, moody paintings and light fixtures.

In fact, that?s where many of the items that furnish the now 6,800-square-foot home came from. Others were brought to the remodel by Pagano, who also designed custom pieces such as a 24-foot-long patio table that she says ?weighs so much we had to tile it in place.?

The table sits on the newly extended back patio overlooking the small pool and lawn.

?This is where we do the majority of our entertaining,? Meyer says, adding that at least once a week she has people over.

Since moving in, the house has set the stage for High Holy Days celebrations, a wedding, charity functions and a murder mystery-theme birthday party for her daughter-in-law. Meyer and her husband, who recently became grandparents, each have an adult son from a previous marriage.

The combined family can be seen in pictures throughout the house, including a painted depiction of each member in early California dress. It hangs in the dining room furnished with a 200-year-old Irish wake table and chairs, and a vintage light fixture that hangs from the coffered ceiling, decorated in embossed Anaglypta paper that has been hand-painted and gilded.

A similar treatment is found on the walls of the newly carved-out powder room.

Of course, some areas of the house were left untouched during the remodel, including a narrow staircase leading to a turreted tower that abounds in legend.

?This house was a hideaway for W.C. Fields and his girlfriend Carlotta Monti,? Meyer says. ?She used to banish him to that little room when they would get in fights.?

The tower seamlessly flows into the second-story addition, which includes the master bathroom with its fireplace, soaking tub, spa-style shower and French-style encaustic tile flooring (also found in the kitchen).

Meyer shows off her room-size closet.

?It needs to grow,? she tells Pagano. ?There?s no more room for my Louboutins. I?m such a shoe fanatic.?

Of course, the tour isn?t complete without seeing the ?haunted room,? which the impeccably dressed blonde leads her visitors to across the handpicked antiques and family portrait-filled house.

?This is W.C. Fields? room,? she announces while stepping into the space decorated with memorabilia of the late comedian, who died Christmas Day 1946 in Pasadena.

She insists his spirit lingers here.

?My housekeeper will tell you that during the day things will inextricably fall off the shelf and you will hear noises here at night,? Meyer says. ?Other people that have lived here have also heard noises in this room.

?It?s very creepy.?

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/lalife/ci_16471150/

Source: http://www.paranormal-encounters.com/wp/?p=2306&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=actor-w-c-fields-haunts-his-old-abode

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Syrian army pounds Damascus suburbs, flights to resume

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian army forces pounded rebel-held suburbs around Damascus with fighter jets and rockets on Sunday, activists said, killing and wounding dozens in an offensive to push rebels away from the airport and stop them closing in on the capital.

The army struck hard after a week of rebel advances, including the capture of two military bases near the capital. Rebels had been planning to push into central Damascus from their strongholds on the outskirts and fighting in the past week has been fierce.

Activists said heavy rocket fire struck towns close to the Damascus airport highway, where rebels and the army were locked in three days of clashes. Some described constant shelling, similar to carpet bombing, in towns like Beit Saham.

"It was frightening because it was the first time we heard continuous shelling. Really powerful explosions, one after the other, were shaking the area. I could see fire coming up from the town," said Samir al-Shami, from the opposition's Syrian Youth Union, speaking by Skype.

"This was the worst day in those people's lives."

In a sign the government had regained some control over the airport, EgyptAir said it was resuming flights to Damascus and Aleppo on Monday after a three-day halt in which Damascus airport was effectively closed due to unrest. The airline's head said conditions were stable.

No comment was immediately available from Emirates Airline, which also suspended its flights indefinitely.

The army's assaults appear to have staved off a rebel advance into central Damascus so far. But neither side has gained ground in recent days, and fighting continued along the outskirts of the city despite heavy shelling by Assad's forces.

But rebels said the area around Damascus airport was not secure, with clashes still erupting along the highway. It is difficult to verify opposition reports because the government restricts media access into Syria.

Other activists said the highway was in army hands but the area was still unstable due to fighting in nearby towns like Beit Saham, about 1 kilometer away.

"No one controls that road. The army has tanks along the road, but the whole area is exposed to rebel attacks and they could fire on it any time," said one, asking not to be identified.

ROCKET ATTACKS AND LEBANESE BORDER CLASH

Rocket attacks on Sunday killed at least 10 in the town of Deir al-Asafir, 12 km east of Damascus, activists said. Video published by activists from the town showed at least five bodies, one of them a young boy and one an elderly man. The other bodies were wrapped in blood-spattered white sheets.

Syrian security officials and diplomatic sources say the army's goal is to push rebels back and seal off central Damascus from the surrounding suburbs where the opposition is dominant.

Rebels say they want to control the airport because the army has used it to bring in weapons. Western intelligence reports earlier this year said that Iran, Assad's main backer, had been using civilian aircraft to fly military equipment and personnel through Iraqi airspace into Syria.

American officials say the arms flow into Syria has continued due to Iraqi reluctance to check flights, according to a New York Times article. It said only two inspections had occurred since Iraq agreed to a U.S. request in September and that Iran may have been tipped off about the searches.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told reporters in a press conference in Baghdad that there was no such request.

"There is no ability to inspect all planes destined to Syria and there was no U.S. request to inspect all aircrafts because they know that this is not possible," he said on Sunday.

Lebanese troops on Sunday clashed with Syrian rebels on the border between the two countries on Sunday, in what a security source called the first such fight between Lebanon's army and the rebels.

The clash occurred when a Lebanese border patrol spotted the rebel fighters along the border and the rebels opened fire to prevent the patrol from approaching, a Lebanese military source said. He said there were no casualties.

CAR BOMBS

In Syria's central city of Homs, a car bomb killed at least 15 people and wounded 24 on Sunday, Syria's state news agency SANA said. It said the blast in the city's Hamra district also damaged many nearby residential buildings. The government and the opposition traded blame for the blast.

There has been a rise in the number of car bombs around the country. The British-based Observatory, which has a network of activists across Syria, reported four car bombs on Saturday.

The group gave a preliminary death toll for Sunday's fighting of 140, including about 39 in the Damascus suburbs.

Violence has risen in Syria particularly since rebels began to contest Assad's control around the capital and Syria's largest city Aleppo, but foreign powers remain deadlocked.

Western countries support the opposition but Russia, Syria's main arms supplier, and China have blocked three U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning Assad and reject sanctions.

Assad, whose family has ruled Syria autocratically for four decades, says he is fighting off radical Islamist militants funded by the West and Gulf Arab countries.

State television on Sunday said the army was "eliminating al Qaeda terrorists" in the rebel stronghold of Daraya.

Rebels said the army entered part of Daraya, a suburb on the southern outskirts of Damascus where fighters have launched mortars into the capital. Rebel spokesman Abu Nidal said the army had entered one side of the town but that rebels were still in control of the rest of the area and were fighting back.

The army was firing heavy artillery and rockets into the town, rebels said.

(Additional reporting by Suadad al-Salhy in Baghdad; Editing by Roger Atwood)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-rebels-bombed-opposition-open-peacekeepers-000135777.html

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Will Supreme Court decide if gay marriage is constitutional?

The Supreme Court meets Friday to decide whether it should take up a case on same-sex marriage, and the claim that the Constitution gives people the right to marry regardless of sexual orientation.

By Mark Sherman,?Associated Press / November 30, 2012

Gov. Chris Gregoire, center, applauds as she stands with Sen. Ed Murray, left, at an election watch party in Seattle earlier this month for proponents of Referendum 74, which would uphold the state's new same-sex marriage law. The referendum narrowly passed.

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Enlarge

?The running fight over gay marriage in the U.S. is shifting from the ballot box to the Supreme Court.

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Three weeks after voters backed same-sex marriage in three states and defeated a ban in a fourth, the justices for the country's top court are meeting Friday to decide whether they should deal sooner rather than later with the claim that the Constitution gives people the right to marry regardless of sexual orientation.

The court also could duck the ultimate question and instead focus on a narrower but still important issue: whether Congress can prevent legally married gay Americans from receiving federal benefits otherwise available to married couples.

The court could announce its plans as soon as Friday afternoon. Any cases probably would be argued in March, with a decision expected by the end of June.

RECOMMENDED: Gay marriage laws around the globe

Gay marriage is legal, or will be soon, in nine states ? Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington ? and the District of Columbia. Federal courts in California have struck down the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, but that ruling has not taken effect while the issue is being appealed.

Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington approved gay marriage earlier this month.

But 31 states have amended their constitutions to prohibit same-sex marriage. North Carolina was the most recent example in May. In Minnesota earlier this month, voters defeated a proposal to enshrine a ban on gay marriage in that state's constitution.

The biggest issue the court could decide to confront comes in the dispute over California's Proposition 8, the constitutional ban on gay marriage that voters adopted in 2008 after the state Supreme Court ruled that gay Californians could marry.

The case could allow the justices to decide whether the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection means that the right to marriage cannot be limited to heterosexuals.

A decision in favor of gay marriage could set a national rule and overturn every state constitutional provision and law banning same-sex marriages. A ruling that upholds California's ban would be a setback for gay marriage proponents in the nation's largest state, although it would leave open the state-by-state effort to allow gays and lesbians to marry.

In striking down Proposition 8, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals crafted a narrow ruling that said because gay Californians already had been given the right to marry, the state could not later take it away. The ruling studiously avoided any sweeping pronouncements.

But if the Supreme Court ends up reviewing the case, both sides agree that the larger constitutional issue would be on the table, although the justices would not necessarily have to rule on it.

Throughout U.S. history, the court has tried to avoid getting too far ahead of public opinion. The high court waited until 1967 to strike down laws against interracial marriage in the 16 states that still had them.

Some court observers argue that the same caution will prevail in the California case.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Mdb96ODDUkI/Will-Supreme-Court-decide-if-gay-marriage-is-constitutional

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