Grief

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Sometimes the news comes quick. Sometimes the news comes slow. No matter how or when it comes, grief travels in the wake of the news. Grief is heavy, weighty, a burden, especially when it involves someone deeply loved. Grief is not meant to be carried alone. It’s too heavy and may last a while—and that’s ok. That’s what family and friends are for, to share the load. Jesus stood outside the tomb of his friend and wept but He did not weep alone. It was a deep, human moment. “ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted ” (Matt 5:4). If anyone knows how we feel in grief, it’s Him. But His grief did not linger long, as at the mention of his name, Lazarus came forth. We are not meant to dwell in grief, but should leave room enough for it. Let it run its course. Like the song says, “ Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain .” Another song says, “ The storm We will dance as it breaks The storm It will give as it takes And all of our pain is washed away Don't cry or be afraid Some things...

Scholarly Journals as Original Sources of Data

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The significance of identifying scholarly journals as original sources of data is first understood by noting the distinction between scholarly books and journals. The contents of a book are static while journals are fluid. In other words, the book represents an attempt to be a comprehensive treatise on a subject while academic journals record current professional activity, conversation. The academic journal is the meeting place of minds, a formal interchange of ideas, and the documentation of the current study, statistics, and debate. “Journals are scholarly or professional periodicals available primarily in academic libraries and by subscription. . . . Journals are not the same as magazines, which are usually intended for a more general readership.” (Turabian, 254) In other words, subscriptions and a specialized audience are other distinctions that elevate the scholarly journal over a book.

Discovering the vast array of academic societies represented by journals is as rewarding as discovering articles in and of themselves. Just think that a small group of men and women are equally curious to understand such a small cross-section of the world with the view to make a significant contribution to it by exchanging ideas! This writer was delighted to discover what areas of attention each journal represented, noting how these foci revealed a kind of topography to be considered in shaping one’s own topic of interest. One example is found in researching the writing style of Marcus Aurelius only to discover an obscure theory in a medical journal (of all places) suggesting that the good Emperor was influenced by opium and not philosophy, hence his so-called dissociated writing style. This revelation unearthed an unexpected element of consideration as an examination of leadership provided by this Roman Emperor is at the heart of this writer’s work.

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Turabian, Kate L. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Ninth Edition: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers. Edited by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, William T. FitzGerald, and The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff. Ninth edition. Chicago ; London: University of Chicago Press.

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