R. I. P. LINDA LAHME - WE LOVE YOU

Linda, our missionary who worked in Zambia, passed away yesterday afternoon in her beloved Zambia. We received the news last night at a meeting at church.

When Linda left to return to Zambia she said:

“I’m going back because I can’t get any medical care here,” she said Friday.
....

But last week, she said she had run out of options. Medicaid had found out about a bank account she set up in Africa to pay for Kunda’s [Linda's adopted daughter] education and said the asset made her ineligible for the program, Lahme said. Lahme refused to tap into the account, opting to return to Zambia and limited medical care rather than compromise Kunda’s future.

“To qualify for Medicaid, I would have to spend all the money I set aside for my daughter’s education,” Lahme said.

There's our health care system for you.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Linda. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

My earlier posts on Linda are here and here.

R. I. P. ELIZABETH TAYLOR

Elizabeth Taylor is so beautiful. I remember her in "National Velvet", which I saw when I was about 10 years old. Her beauty was nearly unbelievable to me. I wanted to look like her, even then. Elizabeth grew up gracefully, never passing through the awkward stage.


Then I remember "A Place in the Sun" with the marvelous Montgomery Clift, with whom Elizabeth remained dear friends as long as he lived. Indeed, she was in love with him, but, he was gay. Monty loved Elizabeth, too, but not the way she loved him. He did a damned fine job of acting the part of a man deeply in love in the film.

Elizabeth as Maggie the Cat in "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" is one of my favorites of her roles. She maneuvers Brick (Paul Newman) and Big Daddy (Burl Ives), until she gets what she wants.

"That girl's got life in her, alright."

Words that Tennessee Williams put into the mouth of Big Daddy have a permanent place on my sidebar.

"There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity...You can smell it. It smells like death."

What an emotional workout it was when Grandpère and I went to see "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" We felt battered and bruised when we left the theater after watching Elizabeth and Richard Burton verbally duke it out for a couple of hours. The movie caused us to cringe a bit, because it hit home in that we both realized that a good many of our own quarrels were unnecessary and served no useful purpose, except to upset us and those around us. For me, as a result of seeing the movie, I was inspired to try to do better.

Though Elizabeth may have been a bit confused at times about the direction of her life, as we all are from time to time, she was as good as she was beautiful. Don't fail to read Leonardo's moving post at Eruptions At the Foot of the Volcano about Elizabeth's early advocacy in the cause of AIDS. She was amongst the first of the Hollywood celebrities to jump in and call attention to and demand help for those suffering from AIDS and HIV.

Eternal rest grant unto Elizabeth, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.

R. I. P. BISHOP SAMUEL RUIZ GARCIA

From the New York Times:

Bishop Samuel Ruiz García, an impassioned defender of the Mayans in southern Mexico and a mediator in peace talks between Indian rebels and the government, died on Monday in Mexico City. He was 86.
....

During his 40 years of presiding over a Roman Catholic diocese in Chiapas State, Bishop Ruiz cast light on abuses suffered by the Indians and sought to bring them into the church as equals with other Mexicans, challenging the rigidly stratified social order.

His advocacy and egalitarian views, which were tinged with socialism, brought him into conflict with the Mexican government, which accused him of fomenting a violent uprising in Chiapas in 1994. He also rankled the Vatican, which said he had strayed from ecclesiastical principles to create a politicized ethnic church, and in 1993 publicly invited him to step down. Mexican clerics rallied to his defense, however, and he remained as bishop until he retired in 2000.

Bishop Ruiz attracted a fervent following among Indians in Chiapas, who called him “Tatic,” which means “father” in a Mayan language. On Tuesday, Indian parishioners filled the cathedral in San Cristóbal de las Casas, a colonial town in the Chiapas highlands, for a memorial Mass that also commemorated the 51st anniversary of Bishop Ruiz’s ordination there.
....

As economic changes in the 1980s deepened the poverty and isolation of the Indians, many Catholics joined an uprising that erupted when the Zapatista National Liberation Army, a group of armed Indian rebels, occupied several Chiapas towns in January 1994.

Bishop Ruiz openly supported the Zapatistas’ goal of fighting injustice, but he did not endorse their violent tactics.

Bishop Ruiz Garcia had the heart of a true shepherd for his flock which included in its numbers so very many of the poor and dispossessed. Please read the entire account in the NYT.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Samuel. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.
Amen.

May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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Let us also pray for all who mourn, that they may cast their care on God, and know the consolation of his love.

Almighty God, look with pity upon the sorrows of your servants for whom we pray. Remember them, Lord, in your mercy; nourish them with patience; comfort them with a sense of your goodness; lift up your countenance upon them; and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

H/T to The Daily Office.

R. I. P. CAROLYN WAGNER - GAY RIGHTS PIONEER

From the Arkansas Times:

Carolyn Wagner, the feisty Fayetteville mother whose struggle to stop gay and lesbian bullying in schools resulted in a landmark legal agreement, has died in Tulsa after a long struggle with cancer, liver failure and hepatitis she acquired through a blood transfusion.

Wagner filed a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education in 1997, saying that her son William had endured years of homophobic harassment and bullying while a student in the Fayetteville School District, resulting in a broken nose and other injuries. Wagner and her son claimed school officials and teachers turned a blind eye to the abuse. In 1998, the OCR reached an agreement with Fayetteville School District which forced both OCR and the school district to recognize the harassment of gays and lesbians as falling under Title IX, which prohibits sexual harassment and discrimination. It was the first case in which Title IX was deemed to cover gay and lesbian bullying.

Wagner's victory in her struggle to protect her son is considered a milestone in the gay and lesbian community — so much so that it has been immortalized in song.

Thanks to Dave Adkins (Arkansas Hillbilly) for the link. Dave has a new blog called Hillbilly Cooking.

PLEASE PRAY...

From Ann Fontaine:

My friend Tracy died on New Year's Day -- sometime in her sleep between the years. Her services will be Friday in Vernal, UT at the Episcopal Church. She was about 20 years younger than my age. No word on why.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Tracy. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Let us also pray for all who mourn, that they may cast their care on God, and know the consolation of his love.

(Book of Common Prayer)

GOOD-BYE, ZOE

From my brother-in-law:

Zoe was euthanized today at 4:30. She had gone down considerably in the last 24-48 hours. Will miss here sorely.

Frank

We prayed for Zoe earlier. Please pray for Frank.

Prayer for the Death of a Beloved Pet

O Lord our God, we come before You this day in sadness. Zoe, who brought us so much joy in life, has now died. Her happy times in our family’s embrace have come to an end. We miss Zoe already.

Help us, O God, to remember the good times with Zoe. Remind us to rejoice in the happy times she brought to our home. Let us be thankful for the good life we were blessed to give to her.

We are grateful to You, God, for creating Zoe, for entrusting her to our care, and for sustaining her in our love for a measure of time. We understand that all that lives must die. We knew that this day would come. And yet, O God, we would have wanted one more day of play, one more evening of love with Zoe.

O God, as we have taken care of Zoe in life, we ask that You watch over her in death. You entrusted Zoe to our care; now, we give her back to You. May Zoe find a happy new home in Your loving embrace.

As we remember Zoe, may we love each other more dearly. May we care for all Your creatures, for every living thing, as we protected the blessed life of Zoe. May her memory bless our lives with love and caring forever. Amen.

By Rabbi Barry H. Block

R. I. P. MARVA WRIGHT

 

From the Times-Picayune:

Marva Wright, the powerhouse New Orleans blues and gospel belter who left her job as a school secretary to sing around the world, died Tuesday of complications from a pair of strokes she suffered in 2009. She was 62.

Ms. Wright died at the eastern New Orleans home of her eldest daughter, where she had been living since her health declined last year.

Enormously popular among fellow musicians, Ms. Wright moved easily between gospel spirituals and bawdy blues romps. In her late-blooming career, she released albums on local and international record labels, and performed across Europe, in Russia and Brazil, and at blues festivals around the United States. She drew large crowds at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell, and staged an annual Christmas concert at Tipitina’s.

“She truly was and will remain the Blues Queen of New Orleans,” said Adam Shipley, Ms. Wright’s manager. “She was one of the highlights to ever grace the stage at Tipitina’s.”
....

She nurtured her early career in such Bourbon Street clubs as the Old Absinthe Bar.

“I love Bourbon Street,” she said in 2008. “If it wasn’t for Bourbon Street, I wouldn’t be where I’m at now. You meet a lot of people from all over the world.”
....

Her tenth album, 2001’s “Marva,” was a typically eclectic affair, featuring such guests as Bo Dollis and Terrance Simien. She covered Bob Dylan’s “Serve Somebody” and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”

“To me, those are gospel,” Ms. Wright said at the time. “It’s new wave gospel, but it’s gospel.”

Of “Marva,” she surmised, “You can’t say it’s a gospel CD, you can’t say it’s a blues CD, you can’t say it’s an R&B CD, you can’t say it’s a country CD. You can say it’s all of it.”

And I love this.

From January 2007 through March 2008, Ms. Wright sang most weekends in the Ritz-Carlton’s On Trois Lounge. After leaving the Ritz — she apparently sang too loudly for the lounge — she returned to Bourbon Street with her band, the BMWs, an acronym for “Band of Marva Wright.”

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Marva. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Good-bye Sweet Babs

May flights of doggie angels woof thee to thy rest.

Babs moved on. She had eaten nothing today, so now was the time. May she have a grand welcome by friends in the land where the grass is always green and there's always room to run and play and a comfortable spot for a good nap. And maybe even a beach. Her joints will be sound again and fit for running.

My son dug her grave earlier. Her body will rest in their back yard under the grape vine.

My brother-in-law sent me the old picture below of our dog, Ginger, who lived with us when we were children and teenagers. We sometimes dressed her in baby clothes, and she didn't mind. Babs will meet up with Ginger and won't they have a grand time sharing stories! Ginger was a good dog, too. When I was feeling really sad, I'd go sit on the back steps and pet Ginger and we'd love each other until I'd feel better.




"The Dog" by Ogden Nash

The truth I do not stretch or shove
When I state that the dog is full of love.
I've also found, by actual test,
A wet dog is the lovingest.



Babs

Picture at the head of the post courtesy MadPriest. Thank you, MP, for the sweet tribute to Sweet Babs .