Harry - A Tale Of A Good Dog

For several days, I've been sitting on this bittersweet tale of a good dog, written by Sheila Stroup in the Times-Picayune, because it makes me sad. Sheila writes beautifully about her menagerie, which has even included donkeys:

I worry about my little dog Harry. He is slowing down.

His muzzle is completely gray now, and he no longer comes running when I call him.

He is getting deaf. The one good thing about it is he isn't as terrified of thunder as he used to be. Sometimes, he'll sleep right through a storm instead of leaning his head against me and shaking while I pet him and say softly, "It's OK. It's OK."

Harry took up residence at Sheila's house when he followed her home one day, as she was walking her other dogs. Sometimes that's reason enough to accept a new member into the family. When one says in doggie talk, "Your house is my house," what can you do?

Later, when he needed an X-ray, we found out Harry was full of buckshot.

"No wonder he's afraid of loud noises," I said.

He'll be 14 in a few months, and I hope by now he has forgotten the first year of his life, when he was chased with brooms and shot at, unwanted and alone.

He has been a good dog. He has never bitten anyone, and the only thing he ever chewed up was my book of synonyms -- but only the words that start with w, x, y and z, and who really needs them?

Roger's (aka Lapinbizarre) rescue dog Becky was found to be full of buckshot, too. My Diana was rescued with an arrow in her leg. The cruelty of certain members of the human race toward God's other creatures amazes me still. I sent this story to Roger some days ago, but I haven't had the heart to post it until today.

I'm thankful that Harry, Becky, and Diana were rescued and welcomed into loving homes. Harry and Diana have had good, long lives with their humans. Becky, unfortunately, was diagnosed with lung cancer, but, as Roger says, she will spend what time she has left in a loving and caring home.

At least, thunder doesn't scare Harry so any longer.

Fran, The Minister

One of Fran's ministries in her parish is to prepare the arrangements for funerals. We have talked about this beautiful ministry, and I have expressed my admiration that she serves her spiritual community in this manner. Fran told me that she loves doing this work. She's written a must-read post about one of the funerals. I won't write more about her story, except to say that you won't regret it, if you take the time to read it.

"Wassup?????"

Stick with it, peeps. Watch until the end.

Thanks, Doug.

Late Breaking News

Genghis at TPM:

In a surprise move, the McCain campaign has announced that it has fired the public face of the campaign, Senator John McCain. Campaign spokesperson, Nancy Pfotenhauer, announced the decision to dumbstruck reporters at a hastily arranged press conference on Thursday:

"As of this morning, Senator John McCain has been placed on indefinite administrative leave. John and the campaign leadership have agreed that he is not a good fit for the campaign right now. The parting was amicable, and we wish him well in all his future endeavors."

The rest is over there.

What Did She Look Like Before?

Sarah Palin in the governor's office in Alaska.

In addition to the $150,000 for clothes and accessories for Sarah Palin and her family, the McCain campaign paid out $22,800 to makeup artist Amy Strozzi and $10,000 to hair stylist Angela Lew, within two weeks, for Palin's appearances on the campaign trail.

Below is a recent picture.


Was it worth it?

Tobias' Icon Of St. James Of Jerusalem

"The Mother of God" - Tobias Haller

Tobias Haller and others will come to think of me as one of his groupies, if I continue to highlight his words and his work on my wee blog. I wonder how he feels about an elderly lady groupie. If you have not done so, you must visit his blog to view the most recent example of his iconography. It is exquisite. I did not post it here, because I want you to go to his website to see it and read his account of writing the icon.

Obviously, that's not St. James pictured above. That's another of his icons, "The Mother of God". If you click on "icons", you will find his other works, all of which are very fine. Tobias says that we are not to look upon an icon as a work of art, but as a reflection of the very presence of God. And I do. I do! But I can't help but admire the face of La Madonna and the beautiful colors and drape of the fabric and the gold leaf in the halo and the manner in which all of it comes together.

The web page links to an article by Tobias titled "How Icons Are Written", and to his sermon on icons titled "Image and Likeness". From the sermon:

So the simple four-letter word icon carries a lot of weight! In the orthodox tradition, an icon is not simply a religious picture intended to remind you of some saint or other. Any more than the Eucharist is simply a memorial celebration for our dear departed friend and teacher Jesus. For just as the Eucharist makes Christ present to us in a very real way, in bread and wine and in our hearts as sisters and brothers gathered in his name, where he has promised he would be in our midst; so too the icon does not simply provoke a memory, but invokes a presence, for the icon is a window into heaven.

Please. Read the whole sermon.

I finish with words from JCF, which I copied from the comments at Tobias' blog:

Once again, Tobias, I stand in awe: actor, composer, iconographer, first-rate Biblical scholar. That you couldn't play Center in the NBA is only fair! ;-) JCF

We Pray And We Vote

After my rather dispirited post on voting and my anxious mood about the coming election, Margaret reminded me in the comments of the following from the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States in the election of officials and representatives, that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I thank Margaret for the prayer for guidance for us all, which I find quite comforting.

Lord, guide us to Obama. Well, don't you think that it's obvious to God who should be elected? Or am straying into Pat Robertson territory?

All joking aside, it's a fine prayer. It's No. 24 on page 822. She suggest prayers Nos. 27 and 28 on pages 823 and 824, also.

Please Pray For Roseann

In an email this morning:

Morning Mimi,

Would you mind posting a prayer request for me? This is for Roseann who is undergoing dialysis, and she has discovered the port for the dialysis is infected and is in surgery to probably have the port removed and a new spot opened. she asked for prayers. Could you pass this on to Maddy too?

Thanks,

Suzanne Taber

Suzanne, thanks for letting us know. Give my love to Roseann.

UPDATE: Being Peace has left a new comment on your post "Please Pray For Roseann":

Hi everyone! Turns out I had a fairly minor complication that they were able to fix both quickly and painlessly! I am home and fine and grateful for all the prayers and support!

Love to all, Roseann

Thanks be to God, Roseann. The prayers worked quickly.

New Obama - Biden Seal

For your nighttime comtemplation. Sweet dreams.

From Doug.

I Voted!

 

"And when one glides low over a mirror-smooth body of water...!" - Paul the BB

Yesterday, I took advantage of the early voting procedure. There was no crowd, only a steady stream of voters making their way to the electronic machines, which I do not trust to record the votes properly. Nor do I have confidence that they will not be hacked. It's been proved that it can be done, and that it's not all that difficult. But it's all I have, so I voted.

I voted for Barack Obama (D) - Joe Biden (D) for president. Yay! It's done.

I voted for Mary Landrieu (D) for the Senate.

I voted for Chip Badeaux (R) rather than Beau Brooks (R) for the vacant position on the Thibodaux City Council. As you see, both are Republicans, but for a city office-holder, party doesn't really matter all that much. I know Chip, but I don't know Beau, and I'd find it a little hard to vote for someone named Beau, unless I knew him. How can a parent name a boy the equivalent of handsome? Suppose they grow up to be ugly. I know a young woman named Jolie, and fortunately she grew up to be pretty. But it's a risk.

I voted for some of the several constitutional amendments to the state constitution and against others. The Louisiana legislators think they must put everything into the constitution, rather than just pass laws. As a result, it is a bloated document, which will soon need to be redone in a constitutional convention. They should stop.

Now for a little soul-baring. I am a wreck, and I will be a wreck until the election is over. I relate well to Larry David's essay posted by Fran.

I can't take much more of this. Two weeks to go, and I'm at the end of my rope. I can't work. I can eat, but mostly standing up.
....

Five times a day I'll still say to someone, "I don't know what I'm going to do if McCain wins." Of course, the reality is I'm probably not going to do anything. What can I do? I'm not going to kill myself.
....

I just don't like what I've turned into -- and frankly I wasn't that crazy about me even before the turn. This election is having the same effect on me as marijuana. All of my worst qualities have been exacerbated. I'm paranoid, obsessive, nervous, and totally mental. It's one long, intense, bad trip. I need to come down. Soon.

Leave out the marijuana and Larry David is me, or I, or whatever. My bad trip comes without the aid of psychoactive substances. I want to sleep, sleep, sleep. Wake me when it's over to rejoice or to weep.

If you're wondering what the picture has to do with the post, the answer is nothing. The egret was in my neighbor's front yard, and it was a lovely thing to see. I see many egrets, but not often in front yards. The sight cheered me a little, and I wanted to post one of the pictures of the beautiful bird. I've named him/her Beau.

The election has done its work. It's made me crazy. Good thing I voted first.