Saturday, April 9, 2011

AILEEN - GOOD NEWS! - PLEASE PRAY FOR LOU ANN

From Sally Boyd --- good news

Begin forwarded message:

From her husband, Mike: (Saturday, April 9,2011, 5 p.m.)
Aileen is no longer taking steps forward, she is absolutely sprinting! The trach tube has been reduced in size and she is now able to speak quietly but with relative ease. Other than some large holes in her memory, she very much seems herself: funny, witty, caring, all the wonderful things that make her who she is. One slight hiccup and now we can't transfer back to Rapid until next Thur or Fri. But that's ok.

Pray that Aileen continues to recover and for strength and courage for Aileen, Mike, and all who love her and care for her.

From Ann Fontaine:

also will you pray for my friend and colleague Lou Ann -- her neck fusion operation is not fusing like it is supposed to - pray for fusion.

Thanks

DIVORCE PENDING?

A judge was interviewing a woman regarding her pending divorce and asked, "What are the grounds for your divorce?"

She replied, "About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property with a stream running by."

"No," he said, "I mean what is the foundation of this case?"

"It is made of concrete, brick, and mortar," she responded.

"I mean," he continued, "what are your relations like?"

"I have an aunt and uncle living here in town, as well as my husband's parents."

The judge took a deep breath and asked, "Do you have a real grudge?"

"No," she replied, "we have a two-car carport and have never really needed one."

"Please," he tried again, "is there any infidelity in your marriage?"

"Yes, both my son and daughter have stereo sets. We don't necessarily like the music, but we can't seem to do anything about it."

"Ma'am, does your husband ever beat you up?"

"Yes," she responded, "about twice a week he gets up earlier than I do."

Finally, in frustration, the judge asked, "Lady, why do you want a divorce?"

"Oh, I don't want a divorce," she replied. "I've never wanted a divorce. My husband does. He said he can't communicate with me."
.
.
.
Divorce granted!

Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

ON CHECKING THE DRIFT IN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

Lionel Deimel struck gold. At least, I think he has with the statement by Bishop John Akao, chair of the Church of Nigeria Theological Resource group, on the original intention of the Anglican Covenant in the Church Times. (Not yet online, but David Virtue posted the statement in its entirety.)
The idea of an Anglican Covenant was suggested by the Global South to check the drift of some members especially in TEC and Canada as well as some other parts of Europe like Germany and Britain in the wake of revisionist agenda manifested radically by the recognition of same -sex relationships by the Church, especially the consecration of two same-sex practitioners as bishops in The Episcopal Church of America.

Aside: Are "same-sex practitioners" members of a new medical specialty of which I've never heard?

The Global South's intention was to "check the drift" in certain churches in the Anglican Communion with the Anglican Covenant. How does one "check the drift" without consequences? Indaba is not what the Global South had in mind.

The bishop has no kind words for the Episcopal Church:
The offending TEC remained defiant and recalcitrant despite series of appeals and resolutions. This attitude of TEC to the entire Communion smacks of arrogance and colonial mentality against the African voice.

Read the quote from Bishop Akao's statement at Lionel's blog as to why the Anglican Covenant is no longer acceptable to the Global South, along with Lionel's commentary.

The original intention of the Anglican Covenant was to force the churches in the Communion into compliance with "the faith handed down", as certain member churches interpreted the faith. Let's not forget that the disciplinary consequences for non-compliance are still present in the final draft of the covenant, admittedly in a softened form, in the objectionable Section 4.

Friday, April 8, 2011

RUTH BROWN - DADDY DADDY



"Daddy Daddy" was the kind of song we danced to when I was in high school. Yes, I know. "Daddy Daddy" is naughty naughty, and I could not own this type of song at the time. Where would I play the record? On the family Victrola? I don't think so. Almost all the rock and roll songs of the period had naughty lyrics.

TIME TO SEND YOU AWAY...

...to read two excellent blog posts. I've included quotes to entice you to read further.

First from Doug on the miserable State of the Union at his blog Counterlight's Peculiars:
These days, we find ourselves in a fun house world of morality where a large group of already very wealthy people committed what is probably the largest act of larceny in history, almost wrecking the global economy, and yet it is the rest of us suffering the consequences who are told to feel ashamed for our wanton ways. Our representatives go out of their way to coddle the very people who ruined us all, and meanwhile try to take away our last remaining protections against the predations of the market economy. They tell us solemnly to "take responsibility," while dodging their own responsibility for creating this whole crisis. People who keep overseas tax shelters, even in times of war and crisis, are congratulated on their patriotism.

Next on the daft Anglican Covenant from Lionel at Lionel Deimel's Weblog:
Alas, Rowan has increasingly become a threat to the Church of England and to the Anglican Communion. He is, in the end, a political appointee of the English government who has exploited the respect given his office to wield power he has not been granted, to interfere in the affairs of churches not his own—rumor has it that Rowan’s was the hand behind B033, for instance—and to press for a Covenant that will change the nature of the Anglican Communion and, some would say, of Anglicanism itself.

The rich want more money, and the powerful want more power, and to hell with the rest of us.

GLENUIG INN - ARISAIG SOUND



Pictured above is MadChauffeur, aka as MadPriest, aka Fr Jonathan Hagger, who blogs at Of Course I Could Be Wrong.... When I requested permission to use his picture and told him that the stars of the post would be langoustines, he insisted that if I used his picture, he had to be at the head of the credits, and there he is with his wonderful suntan. Foxy, isn't he? (Psst...his blog is well-titled, as he is often wrong.)

MadChauffeur was the driver for the greater part of our trip in the Northwest of Scotland last August. Links to my other posts on the travels of the Mad Three, MadChauffeur, Cathy, and me, may be found on the right sidebar under the heading "Scotland".

Pictured below are the stars of the post, the mouth-watering, to-die-for langoustines which we ate at Glenuig Inn on the Arisaig Sound. The proprietor, Steve, who was also a bit of a fox, even though he was bald, told us that the langoustines went from the water into the pot. That's how fresh the delicious shellfish were.



The Glenuig Inn offers contemporary-style accommodations, which are nothing fancy, but quite comfortable and clean, and the proprietors make much of being green, which is a good thing, surely. The restaurant serves delicious food, and it is there that I fell madly in love with the savory taste of langoustines. I didn't order them for my first meal, but MadChauffeur did, as a starter, I believe, with only about 6 in his dish, but he didn't like them, so he gave me his leftovers. How could he not like them?!!! Well, you can be sure that for my next meal I ordered langoustines, and perhaps for every meal after that, except breakfast, while we stayed at the inn. As you see below, the buildings are nondescript, but the setting at the end of nowhere is gorgeous.



For most of our stay there, we didn't spend a lot of time at the inn, except in the evening, for we used it as a jumping off spot to visit other places.

Below are the lovely flowers at the front door of the restaurant/pub part of the inn. We saw gorgeous flowers in gardens and pots all over the places we traveled in Scotland.



The adorable boy with auburn curls and a couple of sheep, along with beautiful scenery which surrounds the inn on every side are pictured below.



See the adorable sheep crossing in front of the inn. Cathy, the prime wildlife photographer in our group, was in heaven when the sheep approached, although cows are her first love.



MadChauffeur left us stranded without wheels for a day, as he headed home to Newcastle, so, since Cathy and I did not want to spend money on an expensive taxi into Mallaig, we entertained ourselves in the vicinity of the inn. We wanted to take a nature walk, but it rained all morning, so we were confined indoors, except for a pleasant lunch at the tea shop just a way up from the inn - pleasant except for the moment when a woman at the next table knocked a floor lamp over onto me. Fortunately, only the shade hit me, but I had raspberry-flavored tea all over my jeans.

On the way to the tea shop, we passed the old church pictured below.



The weather cleared in the afternoon, and Cathy and I walked to a beach on a lake (I believe it was a lake, but I'm not sure. It was water, water, everywhere.) not far from the inn, where we had a lovely, peaceful, soothing sit-down in view of the beautiful surroundings.

Note: I'm told the body of water was very likely an inlet of Arisaig Sound.



We sat on rocks just above the scene pictured below. There's something about a beach....







Here I am in the restaurant at the Arisaig Inn. You can see MadChauffeur's shoulder and side, but I feared he'd think more than one photo of himself de trop, so I cropped him out.





The picture to the left has nothing to do with our time in Arisaig, but I found the photo when I was searching for a picture of langoustines, and I could not resist posting it here. It's a Scottish dish called Tian of White Crab. I had the starter at a restaurant in Tobermory upon the recommendation of MadChauffeur, and, once again, it was food for the gods, food to die for. Can you tell I'm a foodie? Have I rhapsodized enough over the food in Scotland for you to know how much I enjoy good dining?

The following morning, Cathy and I left for the Isle of Skye, where we hired a car, and Cathy drove for the rest of our trip. Several posts on our travels and dining on the Isle of Skye may be found in the list under the "Scotland" heading on the sidebar.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

GAY PASSION OF CHRIST SERIES


(Photo by Dorie Hagler)
From the Jesus in Love Blog:
A gay vision of Christ’s Passion starts tomorrow here at the Jesus in Love Blog. New posts will run daily for three weeks from April 8-29.

Each daily post features art by gay New York painter Douglas Blanchard, text by lesbian author Kittredge Cherry of Los Angeles, and a short Bible passage. The three-week blog series includes all 24 paintings in Blanchard’s epic masterpiece “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision.”

Doug blogs as Counterlight at Counterlight's Peculiars. His "The Passion of Christ" paintings are marvelous, indeed. Doug was kind enough to give me permission to post the images of selected paintings from the series during Lent last year and the year before. I urge you all to follow the posts at Jesus in Love. Kittredge Cherry writes beautifully, and the pairing of Doug's paintings and Kittredge's text, along with appropriate passages from Scripture, will make for excellent Lenten meditations.

Thanks to Ann Fontaine for the link.

UPDATE: Part 1 of "The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision" started today at the Jesus in Love Blog. It is excellent.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Why is it that in discussions and negotiations within Congress and with the administration on balancing the budget and where cuts will be made so little attention is given to the cost in lives and treasure of the several wars in which the US is presently engaged?

GOD CHOOSES DAVID TO BE KING


ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO -The Youthful David
National Gallery of Art, Washington

‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’
1 Samuel 16:7

He sent and brought him [David] in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’
1 Samuel 16:12

But God did not choose David because of his appearance but because of what God saw in his heart.

Image from the Web Gallery of Art.

THEY ARE STILL DYING IN IRAQ


A U.S. Army carry team transfers the remains of Army Staff Sgt. Quadi S. Hudgins, of New Orleans, La., at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Tuesday. Hudgins was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
DOD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died April 2 of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their position with indirect fire in Babil, Iraq.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Quadi S. Hudgins, 26, of New Orleans, La.

Sgt. Christian A. S. Garcia, 30, of Goodyear, Ariz.

They were assigned to the Maintenance Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.


From NOLA.com:
Hudgins was featured in a story about soldiers boxing at Fort Hood in the Fort Hood Sentinel in March 2010. It said he had been fighting his way to-and-from school in his "highly territorial" New Orleans neighborhood.

He quoted his uncle telling him: "If I was going to fight somebody I might as well do it in the ring."

May Staff Sgt. Quadi S. Hudgins and Sgt. Christian A. S. Garcia rest in peace and rise in glory.
An Internet Prayer For Peace

O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of crisis.
Your power changes hearts.

Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
that they are followers of the one God,
Children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.

Strengthen our resolve to give witness to these
truths by the way we live.
Give to us:
Understanding that puts an end to strife;
Mercy that quenches hatred, and
Forgiveness that overcomes vengeance.
Empower all people to live in your law of love
Amen.

From GodWeb.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

GOD'S EAR


Prayer is the little implement
Through which men reach
Where Presence is denied them.
They fling their speech

By means of it in God's Ear
If then He hear.
This sums the apparatus
Comprised in prayer.


Emily Dickinson

In haste.

Image from Wikipedia.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

SLIVERED CRESENT MOON

 


Resting on its curve
The moon a slivered crescent
Ends pointing upward

(June Butler - 4/15/10)

STORY OF THE DAY

Fits into a really tight suit to
keep his blood from rushing
to his feet where it just
makes him want to get up & go

Change that "his" to "her" and you have moi.

From StoryPeople.

DIOCESE OF LOUISIANA RESOLUTION: HONEST, HEARTFELT CONVERSATIONS WITH GAYS AND LESBIANS


From Walking With Integrity:
Integrity USA applauds the Diocese of Louisiana for it's passage of Resolution R-3 this past weekend. The resolution calls for "honest, heartfelt conversations" to take place across the diocese. Respectful conversations and the sharing of each other's stories are a first step toward bringing folks together and changing the hearts and minds of those in the moveable middle or even those who say thay are opposed to support equality and inclusion for all.
2001 Resolution R-3

Purpose: A Resolution for Unity and Honest, Heartfelt Conversation within our Diversity

Resolved, that the 174th Convention encourage each ecclesiastical unit to honor our Baptismal Covenant and sustain our unity in light of the diversity of our opinions by engaging in honest, heartfelt conversations in order to listen to the experiences of gay and lesbian Christians as God works to change us all into holy people.


The resolution was introduced by the Rev. Canon William Barnwell (Trinity, New Orleans)

Read the full text of Canon Barnwell's statement, titled A Resolution for Unity and Honest, Heartfelt Conversation within our Diversity here. The statement is excellent and a very welcome step forward to inclusion and equality for all in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

Thanks to Ann Fontaine for the link.

Monday, April 4, 2011

FEAST DAY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR


From The Reverend King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech on April 3, 1968:
It's all right to talk about "long white robes over yonder," in all of its symbolism. But ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here. It's all right to talk about "streets flowing with milk and honey," but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, and his children who can't eat three square meals a day. It's all right to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day, God's preachers must talk about the New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. This is what we have to do.
....

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
King was assassinated the following day. The speech in its entirety is here.

PRAYER:
Almighty God, by the hand of Moses your servant you led your people out of slavery, and made them free at last: Grant that your Church, following the example of your prophet Martin Luther King, may resist oppression in the name of your love, and may secure for all your children the blessed liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Readings:

Psalm 77:11-20
Genesis 37:17b-20
Ephesians 6:10-20
Luke 6:27-36

Repost from the feast day in 2008.

A PRE-SCHOOL TEST FOR YOU

Which way is the bus below traveling? To the left or to the right?




Can't make up your mind? Look carefully at the picture again. Still don't know?


---------------------------------


Pre-schoolers all over the United States were shown this picture and asked the same question. 90% of the pre-schoolers gave this answer. "The bus is traveling to the left."


--------------------------------


When asked, "Why do you think the bus is traveling to the left?"

They answered: "Because you can't see the door to get on the bus."


--------------------------------


How do you feel now ???

"Stupid!" was my answer to Ann Fontaine, who sent me the test.

And why not visit Ann's blog, What the Tide Brings In, and read her notes for a sermon for Lent 4 and see the drawing and quote from one of my favorite books?

STORY OF THE DAY - JOY OF SPRING

The birds brought seed & flowers & bits
of brightly colored string & placed them
in her hair while she slept so that she
would remember the wild joy of spring
when she finally awoke.

From StoryPeople.

LIGHT BLOGGING OR NONE...

My brother-in-law, Frank, will be visiting for a few days, so blogging may be light to non-existent. Frank's trying to beat the heat down heah, and I think he may just do it.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

HELP KIRSTIN RAISE FUNDS FOR ACS RELAY FOR LIFE


From Kirstin at Barefoot and Laughing:
I'm doing the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Sacramento on April 16. I signed up two weeks ago, and finally tonight got it together and finished my fundraising page. (I'm still feeling the sleeplessness from a four-week course of steroids that went with radiation.) I'd been thinking about it since I was first in treatment, while I was still in seminary. I went to their website more recently, clicked the "Survivors" tab, and started crying. I also know that if I'm going to do this sort of thing, it needs to be now. I'm capable, mentally and physically competent, and in the lightest course of treatment (oral chemo only) that I've ever had.

Please don't feel pressured to contribute. Your love is enough. But please do feel welcome to. Money raised doesn't go to me; it goes to the American Cancer Society. You're helping to fund research, and support patients in any number of ways.

You are also welcome (very welcome) to walk the survivors' lap with me. The event begins at 10am at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 6151 H Street, Sacramento.

Thank you. Love to all.

TWO QUICK ONES

I dialed a number and got the following recording:

"I am not available right now, but thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life.

Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes."

Cruel!
A woman asks man who is traveling with six children, "Are all these kids yours?"

The man replies, "No, I work in a condom factory and these are customer complaints".

These two were culled from a group of nine jokes for which you can blame or thank Doug.