I see from Mark Harris at Preludium that not only is Rick Warren a friend and admirer of Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, but that he is now offering a home to those who departed from the Episcopal Church and were told by the California Supreme Court that they cannot take the property with them. I'd say that the two groups are a good match for each other. Go for it.
Rick Warren will pretty much spoil the inauguration for me, but I tell myself that it's only one day, and that it's the four years that follow that count. The four years that follow will be quite a challenge for our president and the Congress. I knew that Bush would leave a mess behind, but I never dreamed that things would be as bad as they are. The jobless rate in the US is at 7.2%. Want to bet that it won't reach 10%?
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign for ever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 146
Despite Rick Warren, I regret that I will not see Obama's inauguration. I will be in a plane flying back over the Atlantic that day.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend years ago who would read the Sunday paper during sermons he found disagreeable. That's something to consider if America's Pastor starts listing exceptions to his benediction.
Lucky you. Where are you going? I'm going to England in March. It will be the first time I've left the country in 10 years, mainly because of embarrassment over our dear leader.
ReplyDeleteI shall probably watch the inauguration due to a deep-seated masochistic tendency, gritting my teeth throughout the invocation at the mere sight of Warren. Not the proper spirit for prayer at all, is it?
I'm going to a get-together in my town at a local restaurant to watch the inauguration. I will make sure to be busy getting my plate of food while Warren is speaking.
ReplyDeleteHas MP been warned?
ReplyDeleteYou won´t believe it...there´s going to be a ¨ball¨ here...tickets are blowing out for the even (which is going to be held in a old Convent)...I´ve soured regarding the Warren selection...I feel very little enthusiasm for Obamas apparent careless spiritual life and that, matters to me! I´ve was very active in the campaign/fundraising etc...now the best I can do is to wish him well...he´s stabbed fairminded and loving people in the back with his Warren/Bigot choice for opening prayer.
ReplyDeleteI feel very little enthusiasm for Obamas apparent careless spiritual life and that, matters to me!
ReplyDeleteLeo, I don't really care about Obama's church attendance or his spiritual life. I want him to do right by us as president. I'd take an atheist who would govern well and justly and fairly.
I was appalled by Obama's choice of Warren from the beginning, feeling very let down from the moment I heard of it.
An inaugural ball in another country? I understand that. The whole world rejoices when Bush goes.
Mauigirl, I'm one of those this-will-be-awful-but-I-have-to-look types.
ReplyDeletePaul, MP has been warned, but he has a very bad memory, so he may have forgotten. He's told me I won't like where I'm going, but I'm going anyway. I'll be in the Yorkshire area, based in Leeds.
Are you sure you won't have time to schedule one small terrorist raid in Newcastle? (teehee)
ReplyDeletePaul the Other, the trip is a long time away. Who knows what will happen? This I know, DP and his lovely wife have been a great help to me. I'll tell the story on my blog of how the trip came about, since it was Grandpère's idea, but he has now backed out, so I'll be going alone, but DP and his family are in Leeds, so I will have someone to turn to if I get in a dire situation. Not that I'll be parasitic and expect them to entertain me the entire time.
ReplyDelete"Lucky you. Where are you going?"
ReplyDeleteYou'll find the answer over at my blog.
I'll be watching at school, probably via the web. My partner decided to go to work, rather than take the day off - "I'm saving that day for the Queen's funeral," he said.
ReplyDeleteI wish I were going somewhere soon. I may have to chaperone a school trip to Israel later this year, but I'm hoping not (Israel is a great place to visit, but I think that a gaggle of eighth graders would put a damper on the enjoyment). I decided recently to do something that I did when I was a kid: plan an imaginary, or virtual, trip to England. I've always wanted to go, and have only been inside its airports during transfers. So I bought the Lonely Planet guide and am plotting where I'd go if I had the time and money.
Grand'mère wrote; "I never dreamed that things would be as bad as they are. The jobless rate in the US is at 7.2%. Want to bet that it won't reach 10%?"
ReplyDeleteWhen in Waterloo over Christmas I met an old Swede who had been much into Swedish companies abroad since leaving the Fleet ages ago.
He beleived this will be a very deep Depression, lasting for 4 years or more... So definately 10 %.
Oh, come on, we don't have an established church or monarchy. We're deep in debt; save money and have a ten minute ceremony and save the country a lot of trouble and time.
ReplyDeleteAck... I have no words.
ReplyDeleteBillyD, I'd love to visit Israel, but not with a group of eighth graders. I'm with you there.
ReplyDeleteGöran, I tend toward agreement with the old Swede, but I pray we're both wrong.
Fred, I would not be opposed to a ceremony such as you suggest in most instances, but I see the departure of Bush as an occasion for a great celebration. If the prayers were not included, that would be fine with me.
Want to bet that it won't reach 10%?
ReplyDeleteIt's almost that high in Michigan now.
JCF, who will give a raspberry to Warren, but will not allow him to otherwise ruin a Glorious Inauguration!
[Saw a very funny cartoon today: three little green aliens climb out of their saucer, and say to Dubya, "Take us to your Leader-Elect!" *LOL*]
JCF, LOL. The cartoon translates well even without the visual.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of cartoons, I liked "Curtis" today. Here's the link.
ReplyDelete