God appears one day to John and tells him: You have been a good man all your life. I would like to reward you. Tell me anything you want and I will do it for you provided it does not harm other people.
John: I hate to take the boat to go every day from this little island I live to the mainland to work. Can you make a bridge so I can drive to work?
God: well John, I could do that, but is there an alternate wish that will not upset the environment at this point?
John: Yes, I would like to understand why my wife goes shopping so often and spends so much money on useless things. I was never able to understand why she does it, despite the fact that we had extensive conversations about it.
God: John, how many lanes do you want on that bridge?
From Dennis, who just passed his orals for his doctorate. He will soon be Dr. Dennis, but if he thinks I'll call him that....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
From Margaret - A Diagnosis For Joel
We have a diagnosis. --Hydrocephaly. We are relieved. There will most likely be surgery to correct the condition--but one of the leading clinics to treat this condition is here in our home town.
The strokes also did not cause damage and are treatable --may even by symptomatic of the hydrocephaly...
We are not out of the woods, but we found the path.
We are and have been so blessed with so many acts of kindness and the outpouring of prayer. Thank you.
And, yes, Joel is home tonight. Eating rice and beans. Happy campers!
Thanks be to God that Joel's conndition is treatable and that there was no damage from the small strokes. Prayers now for the treatment to go well and for a full recovery for Joel. Prayers for strength and hope for Margaret and Joel as they walk the path to the restoration to full health for Joel.
The strokes also did not cause damage and are treatable --may even by symptomatic of the hydrocephaly...
We are not out of the woods, but we found the path.
We are and have been so blessed with so many acts of kindness and the outpouring of prayer. Thank you.
And, yes, Joel is home tonight. Eating rice and beans. Happy campers!
Thanks be to God that Joel's conndition is treatable and that there was no damage from the small strokes. Prayers now for the treatment to go well and for a full recovery for Joel. Prayers for strength and hope for Margaret and Joel as they walk the path to the restoration to full health for Joel.
"Pickled Cabbages"
From Andrew Teather, an Anglican priest in Manchester, England, in a post titled "Pickled Cabbages" at Anglican Wanderings, "Passionately Anglican. Unapologetically Catholic".
Please read Teather's Parable of the Cabbage at his website first.
The Parable of the Cabbage holds true for Churches in this country, we see those around us, as they see us, with different ecclesiologies, but still part of the same Church of England, for better or for worse. There is an acceptance that in this climate we have at least some sense of shared mission, at least this is the narrative I hear time and time again.
....
This strained relationship is continually about to crack at the joints though. We see the American situation, with the Episcopal Church, GAFCON and their variants at loggerheads in the courts and from the pulpits and, to be honest, I despair somewhat, knowing that we will be in the same boat soon, whether we like it or not. Again, I stress as I have done before that we would be very foolish to import the American situation into the UK, as we have no tradition of 'continuing' Churches ever attracting much in the way of a congregation, and at this point in time it would be ecclesiastical suicide. However, come it has. On June 17th to the 19th our brothers and sisters in FiFNA are having a meeting at which it will probably be decided that there will be a split in FiFNA between those, like St Clement's Philadelphia, who are happy with the Episcopal oversight offered by TEC and those who are not, who will join the new Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) which will join the many, many denominations in that country.
....
Let us, once more, return to the cabbage. Cabbages, as we have discovered, come in many guises, but all sharing an essential family resemblance. We in FiF UK, I do not see, have a family resemblance with the Archbishop of Sydney. We are concerned with the Catholic Faith, branch theory, the faith delivered to the Saints presented in a way which - it has been proved, do not forget this - is accepted and loved by people of these isles. I do not feel called to be a Priest in FOCA, I cannot accept the Jerusalem declaration and my vocation comes from this Church, through which almighty God worked and works to this day, witnessed by our growing Churches. I have no interest in off shore morality havens and I do not want to go from being a minority in the Church of England to a minority in FOCA, for we know what will happen eventually. The end will come, we are poised to leap out of the frying pan into the fire and I, for one, do not intend jumping unless there is absolutely no choice.
(Emphasis mine)
Change the name of church to the Episcopal Church or the Anglican Church of Canada, and many of the priests in North America, of many different cabbage flavors, would very likely, agree with Teather.
Ever since the Archbishop of Canterbury began meddling in the affairs of the Episcopal Church, telling us what to do, with little understanding of our church polity, telling our bishops how to be bishops, as he did at the meeting of the bishops of the Episcopal Church in New Orleans, seemingly cutting slack to those who desire to spread division in our church, I have wanted to say to him, "Archbishop, take a look at the groups that are trying to divide the Episcopal Church. They will soon be at your church door. Do you really think that they will stop at the borders of North America. Do you really think that the the crown jewel, the Church of England, is not in their sights?" Unfortunately, I never had the chance. However, I have said it around the blogosphere time and time again.
As to Tether's desire not to "import the American situation into the UK", I suspect that neither he nor the Archbishop of Canterbury may have a choice as to whether that happens, as those of us loyal to the Episcopal Church had no choice. The groups intent on division come in and do their thing, permission or not.
I have quoted a goodly portion of Teather's post, but I urge you to read the entire post. It's quite good.
Please read Teather's Parable of the Cabbage at his website first.
The Parable of the Cabbage holds true for Churches in this country, we see those around us, as they see us, with different ecclesiologies, but still part of the same Church of England, for better or for worse. There is an acceptance that in this climate we have at least some sense of shared mission, at least this is the narrative I hear time and time again.
....
This strained relationship is continually about to crack at the joints though. We see the American situation, with the Episcopal Church, GAFCON and their variants at loggerheads in the courts and from the pulpits and, to be honest, I despair somewhat, knowing that we will be in the same boat soon, whether we like it or not. Again, I stress as I have done before that we would be very foolish to import the American situation into the UK, as we have no tradition of 'continuing' Churches ever attracting much in the way of a congregation, and at this point in time it would be ecclesiastical suicide. However, come it has. On June 17th to the 19th our brothers and sisters in FiFNA are having a meeting at which it will probably be decided that there will be a split in FiFNA between those, like St Clement's Philadelphia, who are happy with the Episcopal oversight offered by TEC and those who are not, who will join the new Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) which will join the many, many denominations in that country.
....
Let us, once more, return to the cabbage. Cabbages, as we have discovered, come in many guises, but all sharing an essential family resemblance. We in FiF UK, I do not see, have a family resemblance with the Archbishop of Sydney. We are concerned with the Catholic Faith, branch theory, the faith delivered to the Saints presented in a way which - it has been proved, do not forget this - is accepted and loved by people of these isles. I do not feel called to be a Priest in FOCA, I cannot accept the Jerusalem declaration and my vocation comes from this Church, through which almighty God worked and works to this day, witnessed by our growing Churches. I have no interest in off shore morality havens and I do not want to go from being a minority in the Church of England to a minority in FOCA, for we know what will happen eventually. The end will come, we are poised to leap out of the frying pan into the fire and I, for one, do not intend jumping unless there is absolutely no choice.
(Emphasis mine)
Change the name of church to the Episcopal Church or the Anglican Church of Canada, and many of the priests in North America, of many different cabbage flavors, would very likely, agree with Teather.
Ever since the Archbishop of Canterbury began meddling in the affairs of the Episcopal Church, telling us what to do, with little understanding of our church polity, telling our bishops how to be bishops, as he did at the meeting of the bishops of the Episcopal Church in New Orleans, seemingly cutting slack to those who desire to spread division in our church, I have wanted to say to him, "Archbishop, take a look at the groups that are trying to divide the Episcopal Church. They will soon be at your church door. Do you really think that they will stop at the borders of North America. Do you really think that the the crown jewel, the Church of England, is not in their sights?" Unfortunately, I never had the chance. However, I have said it around the blogosphere time and time again.
As to Tether's desire not to "import the American situation into the UK", I suspect that neither he nor the Archbishop of Canterbury may have a choice as to whether that happens, as those of us loyal to the Episcopal Church had no choice. The groups intent on division come in and do their thing, permission or not.
I have quoted a goodly portion of Teather's post, but I urge you to read the entire post. It's quite good.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Sick Girl And Rattus Norvegicus
What a fine finish to the day! Tonight, as I was walking, a rat ran out of the storm drain right in front of me. I screamed and scared the rat as much as the rat scared me, and he scurried back down the storm drain. I looked for a picture with a rat that was not too scary. Ain't he cute? He (I made him a boy) looks rural amongst the leaves.
Earlier, I picked up my granddaughter at school. It's her day to be at her mom's, but she is graduating from the 7th grade this year, and there was a party at school tonight. She wanted to get dressed at her dad's, because the clothes she wanted to wear were at my son's house. I was a little late to pick her up, but she was not the last child there. As soon as she got in the car, she began to cry. I said, "What's wrong?" She said that she was afraid that I would forget to pick her up, because it was not my regular day. That didn't compute. Even if I do forget, all she has to do is call, and I can be at the school in 10 minutes, tops. But I let it go. When she reached the house, she started to cry again. "What IS it?" She felt sick. She had a headache. I felt her head, and she was hot. We took her temperature, but the damned new-fangled thermometer wouldn't work for us, but I knew she had fever.
I gave her Tylenol and waited to see what she would say about the party, which I knew she would not be able to attend. She finally admitted that she could not go. To make things worse, tomorrow and Thursday, her class was going on field trips, and she was concerned that she would miss them, too. The grand wind-up of her time at her school, and she might miss most of the fun. Poor baby. She called her mom to pick her up, and off she went. I pray she feels better, and that she can make at least one of the field trips.
Image from Wiki.
From Roseann - Gary Update
Gary has a torn rotator cuff and will have surgery soon. He will be down for at least 10 days recovering at home and then 3 months of light duty at work. I'm very worried about both of us being down at the same time. We will need lots of help during his 10 days of recovery. Please keep him in your prayers for a successful surgery and complete recovery.
Love, R
Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant Gary in his suffering, and bless the means made use of for his cure. Fill his heart with confidence that, though at times he may be afraid, he yet may put his trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Roseann's blog, Give Peace A Chance.
Love, R
Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant Gary in his suffering, and bless the means made use of for his cure. Fill his heart with confidence that, though at times he may be afraid, he yet may put his trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Roseann's blog, Give Peace A Chance.
Dangerous Times
The Louisiana Legislature is in session, always a dangerous time for the citizens of the state. There's no telling what kind of mischievous and stupid bills may be passed during the session.
First though, there is this sad news from yesterday of a dangerous time in Cut Off, Louisiana, from The Advocate:
A 15-year-old boy accused of shooting at a teacher and critically wounding himself apparently worked alone and was intent on killing, Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said Monday.
....
“He was laughing and joking. Then as we were all getting ready to leave, he stood up and yelled that he was going to kill us and everyone else.”
The suspect, whose identity has not officially been confirmed, shot himself in the head shortly after 9 a.m. Monday. He was taken to Lady of the Sea Hospital in Galliano in critical condition and then transferred to Terrebonne General Medical Center.
....
Macey Cheramie, a seventh-grader at the school, said the teenage boy came into her reading and language arts class.
“He screamed at us to get down, but nobody did,” Cheramie said. “He then pointed the gun at the teacher and told her to get down, but she didn’t.”
The teen aimed a .25-caliber, nickel-plated semiautomatic pistol at a whiteboard and pulled the trigger once, but it did not fire, Webre said.
The youth made some adjustments and then fired the weapon above the teacher’s head, the sheriff said.
As of today the boy is still in critical condition and has been identified as Justin Doucet.
One tragedy took place, but others were averted due to a malfunctioning gun. Keep this news in your mind as we head over the Louisiana Legislature.
Also from The Advocate:
Louisiana should have its own Second Amendment sales tax holiday, two House and Senate committees agreed Monday.
The two bills would exempt the 4 percent sales tax on purchases of firearms during one weekend each year.
However, the much more broad Senate version also would exempt local sales taxes and apply to ammunition and other hunting supplies as well.
State Rep. Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, and a few other legislators expressed concern about making tax holidays for guns.
“I guess I’m a little bit miffed as to why it’s just firearms,” Burrell said in Monday’s House ways and Means Committee meeting. “Are you using tax-exempt status to support a political issue?
“It’s encouraging putting more guns on the street,” he added.
Bill author and State Rep Cameron Henry, R-Jefferson, said the legislation is simply to support hobbies, recreation and local businesses.
“The whole logic is to bring everyone in to purchase a firearm and then they buy everything else,” Henry said, calling it a “win-win.”
South Carolina started the Second Amendment sales tax holiday trend last year.
Henry’s National Rifle Association-backed House Bill 128 was amended Monday with his approval so the legislation would cost the state nothing, or very little.
Well, of course, "win-win", Rep. Cameron. Everyone wins! It makes perfect sense. Each of us should rush out and buy a gun. We don't have nearly enough guns here in Louisiana. Let's have a holiday for criminal checks on gun buyers, too, so we can get even more guns into more hands. The more, the merrier! Is anyone surprised that the National Rifle Association backs this insanity?
And as the lawmakers propose a tax holiday, the state faces a large budget deficit. Thank you South Carolina for that excellent idea.
Do you see why fear is the default position for at least some of the citizens of the Gret Stet of Loosiana while the legislature is in session?
The Louisiana House did something right today, but they didn't mean to. Or some did, or something. You can't make this stuff up.
The Louisiana House unanimously agreed to override Gov. Bobby Jindal's rejection of $98 million in federal stimulus dollars to expand unemployment benefits. But it's unlikely most representatives even knew what they were voting for.
Rep. Avon Honey, D-Baton Rouge, quietly slipped the language to sidestep Jindal's refusal of the stimulus dollars into a worker's compensation bill on the House floor Monday evening in the final minutes of House work for the day. There was little discussion about what the changes did.
"The amendment is merely adding language for the requirements for ARRA, and I ask for your favorable adoption," Honey told lawmakers, never explaining that ARRA stands for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus act.
The House adopted the amendment without questions and then quickly approved the bill, sending it to the Senate for debate with a 99-0 vote. During the final vote, House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, was heard asking an aide, "What does the amendment do?" The aide responded that she didn't know.
Those who have lost their jobs need the stimulus money, but this good thing won't stand, of course. Governor Jindal and the business folks have their principles, after all, and the Senate will likely go along with them.
First though, there is this sad news from yesterday of a dangerous time in Cut Off, Louisiana, from The Advocate:
A 15-year-old boy accused of shooting at a teacher and critically wounding himself apparently worked alone and was intent on killing, Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said Monday.
....
“He was laughing and joking. Then as we were all getting ready to leave, he stood up and yelled that he was going to kill us and everyone else.”
The suspect, whose identity has not officially been confirmed, shot himself in the head shortly after 9 a.m. Monday. He was taken to Lady of the Sea Hospital in Galliano in critical condition and then transferred to Terrebonne General Medical Center.
....
Macey Cheramie, a seventh-grader at the school, said the teenage boy came into her reading and language arts class.
“He screamed at us to get down, but nobody did,” Cheramie said. “He then pointed the gun at the teacher and told her to get down, but she didn’t.”
The teen aimed a .25-caliber, nickel-plated semiautomatic pistol at a whiteboard and pulled the trigger once, but it did not fire, Webre said.
The youth made some adjustments and then fired the weapon above the teacher’s head, the sheriff said.
As of today the boy is still in critical condition and has been identified as Justin Doucet.
One tragedy took place, but others were averted due to a malfunctioning gun. Keep this news in your mind as we head over the Louisiana Legislature.
Also from The Advocate:
Louisiana should have its own Second Amendment sales tax holiday, two House and Senate committees agreed Monday.
The two bills would exempt the 4 percent sales tax on purchases of firearms during one weekend each year.
However, the much more broad Senate version also would exempt local sales taxes and apply to ammunition and other hunting supplies as well.
State Rep. Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, and a few other legislators expressed concern about making tax holidays for guns.
“I guess I’m a little bit miffed as to why it’s just firearms,” Burrell said in Monday’s House ways and Means Committee meeting. “Are you using tax-exempt status to support a political issue?
“It’s encouraging putting more guns on the street,” he added.
Bill author and State Rep Cameron Henry, R-Jefferson, said the legislation is simply to support hobbies, recreation and local businesses.
“The whole logic is to bring everyone in to purchase a firearm and then they buy everything else,” Henry said, calling it a “win-win.”
South Carolina started the Second Amendment sales tax holiday trend last year.
Henry’s National Rifle Association-backed House Bill 128 was amended Monday with his approval so the legislation would cost the state nothing, or very little.
Well, of course, "win-win", Rep. Cameron. Everyone wins! It makes perfect sense. Each of us should rush out and buy a gun. We don't have nearly enough guns here in Louisiana. Let's have a holiday for criminal checks on gun buyers, too, so we can get even more guns into more hands. The more, the merrier! Is anyone surprised that the National Rifle Association backs this insanity?
And as the lawmakers propose a tax holiday, the state faces a large budget deficit. Thank you South Carolina for that excellent idea.
Do you see why fear is the default position for at least some of the citizens of the Gret Stet of Loosiana while the legislature is in session?
The Louisiana House did something right today, but they didn't mean to. Or some did, or something. You can't make this stuff up.
The Louisiana House unanimously agreed to override Gov. Bobby Jindal's rejection of $98 million in federal stimulus dollars to expand unemployment benefits. But it's unlikely most representatives even knew what they were voting for.
Rep. Avon Honey, D-Baton Rouge, quietly slipped the language to sidestep Jindal's refusal of the stimulus dollars into a worker's compensation bill on the House floor Monday evening in the final minutes of House work for the day. There was little discussion about what the changes did.
"The amendment is merely adding language for the requirements for ARRA, and I ask for your favorable adoption," Honey told lawmakers, never explaining that ARRA stands for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus act.
The House adopted the amendment without questions and then quickly approved the bill, sending it to the Senate for debate with a 99-0 vote. During the final vote, House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, was heard asking an aide, "What does the amendment do?" The aide responded that she didn't know.
Those who have lost their jobs need the stimulus money, but this good thing won't stand, of course. Governor Jindal and the business folks have their principles, after all, and the Senate will likely go along with them.
Doing Other Things
Sorry for no posts yet today. I have, as they say, been doing other things. I'll try to scrape something up for this afternoon. Meanwhile, lunch awaits, a take-out from Western Sizzlin'. Oh, joy! But I ain't complaining. I didn't have to cook it, and I didn't even have to pick it up. Dear, dear Grandpère was kind enough to do the errand.
It's a beautiful spring day here, a little cool, a rare treat in our weather, which usually jumps from winter (such winter as we have) into warm or hot summer. I hear that it's 59 degrees in Panama City, Florida. Brrr... if you're on the beach in your swim suit.
Cheers!
It's a beautiful spring day here, a little cool, a rare treat in our weather, which usually jumps from winter (such winter as we have) into warm or hot summer. I hear that it's 59 degrees in Panama City, Florida. Brrr... if you're on the beach in your swim suit.
Cheers!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Canine/Feline Sayings
"Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful."
Ann Landers
"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him."
Dereke Bruce
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." Robert A. Heinlein
From Grove Books.
Thanks to Erika for the link.
Ann Landers
"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him."
Dereke Bruce
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." Robert A. Heinlein
From Grove Books.
Thanks to Erika for the link.
The Chickens Going Home To Roost?
From Anglican Mainstream:
On May 15, Christ Church Virginia Water hosted + Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes and President of the Church of England Evangelical Council. + Wallace spoke on Confessing Anglicans in Global and Local Mission.
....
THE launch in the UK and Ireland of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), an orthodox Anglican movement for mission at global and local level, is to take place on July 6 in London.
The Fellowship is the outworking of last year’s GAFCON conference in Jerusalem, at which 1200 delegates signed up to the Jerusalem Statement. Those attending Gafcon 2008 represented some 40 million Anglicans world-wide, 70% of the total active membership of 55 million.
The launch event, entitled ‘Be Faithful! – Confessing Anglicans in Global and Local Mission’ will be held at Westminster Central Hall from 10.30am-5.30pm. The aim is to encourage and envision Anglicans who are committed to the orthodox teachings of the Anglican Church and who are passionate about global and local mission. It will be the first of regular ‘fellowship’ events both in the UK and across the world.
Perhaps, the Archbishop of Canterbury didn't foresee the launching of FOCA or FCA, as they now call themselves, on his turf, but I surely did. Once the group sets up in England, I wonder if it might occur to them to want their own province.
Speakers at the event in England will include:
Bishops Keith Ackerman, President of Forward in Faith North America
Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes
John Broadhurst, Chairman of Forward in Faith UK
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali
Dr Chik Kaw Tan
Archbishop Peter Jensen, secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
PS: 1200 delegates representing 40 million Anglicans and 70% of the active membership seems an unrealistic estimate to me. Of course, I could be wrong.
On May 15, Christ Church Virginia Water hosted + Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes and President of the Church of England Evangelical Council. + Wallace spoke on Confessing Anglicans in Global and Local Mission.
....
THE launch in the UK and Ireland of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), an orthodox Anglican movement for mission at global and local level, is to take place on July 6 in London.
The Fellowship is the outworking of last year’s GAFCON conference in Jerusalem, at which 1200 delegates signed up to the Jerusalem Statement. Those attending Gafcon 2008 represented some 40 million Anglicans world-wide, 70% of the total active membership of 55 million.
The launch event, entitled ‘Be Faithful! – Confessing Anglicans in Global and Local Mission’ will be held at Westminster Central Hall from 10.30am-5.30pm. The aim is to encourage and envision Anglicans who are committed to the orthodox teachings of the Anglican Church and who are passionate about global and local mission. It will be the first of regular ‘fellowship’ events both in the UK and across the world.
Perhaps, the Archbishop of Canterbury didn't foresee the launching of FOCA or FCA, as they now call themselves, on his turf, but I surely did. Once the group sets up in England, I wonder if it might occur to them to want their own province.
Speakers at the event in England will include:
Bishops Keith Ackerman, President of Forward in Faith North America
Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes
John Broadhurst, Chairman of Forward in Faith UK
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali
Dr Chik Kaw Tan
Archbishop Peter Jensen, secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
PS: 1200 delegates representing 40 million Anglicans and 70% of the active membership seems an unrealistic estimate to me. Of course, I could be wrong.
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