The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’
2 Samuel 18.33
For some reason, that verse from yesterday's reading in the book of Samuel leapt out at me. What a heartrending cry! I have never lost a child, but I know folks who have, and I can't even imagine what it must be like. I still pray that I die before my children or grandchildren. What that verse must mean to parents who have lost a child to death! "Oh yes, that's my cry, too!"
O God, whose beloved Son took children into his arms and blessed them: Give us grace to entrust our children, those who still live and those who have passed on, to your never-failing care and love, and bring us all to your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer, p. 494)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Thought For The Day - Mark Harris
The inward and spiritual reality is that God’s love in Jesus Christ never fails us. And all of us can act in witness to that love by the love we show one another, whatever its cost, and it never fails.
....
Our being, our existence, is created and sustained by God, and without God there is nothing. We exist within the love of God. The issue at hand is how we live within that love.
The thought (should that be thoughts?) for the day is taken from Mark's sermon yesterday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes, Delaware. The entire sermon is excellent and well worth a read.
....
Our being, our existence, is created and sustained by God, and without God there is nothing. We exist within the love of God. The issue at hand is how we live within that love.
The thought (should that be thoughts?) for the day is taken from Mark's sermon yesterday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes, Delaware. The entire sermon is excellent and well worth a read.
Feast Day Of Laurence Of Rome
"Lawrence before Valerianus" - Fra Angelico - Nicholas Chapel, Vatican Museum
Ormonde at Through the Dust has a wonderful post, which includes a lovely icon, on Laurance of Rome, deacon and martyr. His post includes the legend about "the treasures of the church" which the prefect of Rome demanded that Laurence hand over.
2 Corinthians 9:6-10
The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,
‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures for ever.’
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
PRAYER
Almighty God, who called your deacon Laurence to serve you with deeds of love, and gave him the crown of martyrdom: Grant that we, following his example, may fulfill your commandments by defending and supporting the poor, and by loving you with all our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Image from Wiki.
UPDATE: Padre Mickey has a very good post on St. Laurence, too.
A Query
To my readers:
Do you prefer the "pop-up window" or the "embedded below post" format for comments? I changed to the "embedded below post" format recently, but I'm not sure if I like it, especially for longish comments, because the viewing window is so small.
UPDATE: I changed the format back to the pop-up window. Thanks for weighing in.
Do you prefer the "pop-up window" or the "embedded below post" format for comments? I changed to the "embedded below post" format recently, but I'm not sure if I like it, especially for longish comments, because the viewing window is so small.
UPDATE: I changed the format back to the pop-up window. Thanks for weighing in.
Life's Two Questions
Life really boils down to 2 questions...
1. Should I get a dog....?
OR...
2. Should I have children?
Just to let you know I'm thinking of you today.
No matter what situations life throws at you....
No matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem..
Remember ~~ there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
You're laughing aren't you?
That's good ~~ my job here is done!
Have a great day !!!
Thanks to Susan (Erika's beloved) for thinking of me and giving me a good laugh, which I hope my readers share.
1. Should I get a dog....?
OR...
2. Should I have children?
Just to let you know I'm thinking of you today.
No matter what situations life throws at you....
No matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem..
Remember ~~ there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
You're laughing aren't you?
That's good ~~ my job here is done!
Have a great day !!!
Thanks to Susan (Erika's beloved) for thinking of me and giving me a good laugh, which I hope my readers share.
"Flexible Practice"
I was thinking of either
meditating or napping,
but the way I do it, there's not
much difference except in
the explanation to the rest
of my family.
From StoryPeople.
meditating or napping,
but the way I do it, there's not
much difference except in
the explanation to the rest
of my family.
From StoryPeople.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
FranIAm Says "The End"
Fran, the woikin' goil.
Our blogger friend FranIam says it's The End, but I can't believe that's really true. She says. "No - not exactly the end, but a departure of sorts." "A departure of sorts"? That leaves a little crack in the door, just in case she wants to come back.
Here's my farewell message to Fran:
Grandmère Mimi said...
Say, "Good-bye, Fran." "Good-bye, Fran". No it's not good-bye, it's au revoir, arrivederci, hasta luego, anything but good-bye.
Fran, you have given of yourself so generously here on your blog, that I am in awe when I remember your many wonderful posts. I never found BS here, and I loved that.
Enjoy your time away from the bitch mistress, but keep in touch.
And Fran will keep in touch. I expect to see her around and about in Blogland.
May God bless you in your days with nothing to do, dear Fran.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Embrace The Colonel
Nicholls State University, where Grandpère spent well over 30 years of his working life, is named after Francis Tillou Nicholls, who was a brigadier general in the Army of the Confederacy, a two-term governor of Louisiana, and Chief-justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
For many years, the mascot for the university was a caricature of a soldier in a Confederate Army uniform named The Colonel. (Since Nicholls was a general, why was the mascot called The Colonel?) Several years ago, African-American students, joined by white supporters, complained about having a symbol of the Confederacy as their mascot, with the result that five years ago, the mascot took on a new look. Below is a view of mascot no. 2, still The Colonel. At the time of the change, many folks wanted the name moved away from a symbol of the Confederacy to something entirely new, such as Bobcats, or as someone else suggested, Nutria, but that did not happen. The president of the university did not like Nutria, which is understandable, because the animal is nothing but a big rat.
All traces of the first mascot, the caricature of the soldier with a long white beard in a gray Confederate Uniform, seemed to have been scrubbed from the Nicholls websites. I could not find a picture anywhere.
UPDATE: Saintly Ramblings to the rescue! SR found the image on the Alumni website. I haven't found it on the website, but I'll surely take his word for it, since this is it, except that the hat and the uniform should be gray. What are saints for if not to help us in time of need?
Recently, the university announced the incarnation of mascot no. 3, still named The Colonel. From HoumaToday on the new mascot:
So if you're wondering why I didn't give you a link to the story, it's because I saved the best for last. Oh, how I wish I could reproduce the image of the new mascot in all it's glory, but the picture is stamped "TRADEMARKED - DO NOT COPY".
Ta-dah! Here's the link.
What do you think?
Here's what Brent St. Germain, the sports editor at HoumaToday says of the new mascot:
I think the new Colonel looks more like a Nazi. He has the "N" on his cap.
Of the other names the editor suggested I like Swamp Cats. That's my choice. But Brent says we are to embrace the newNazi, uh, Communist, uh, Colonel.
UPDATE: Francis T. Nicholls is buried in St. John's Cemetery, which is behind my church.
For many years, the mascot for the university was a caricature of a soldier in a Confederate Army uniform named The Colonel. (Since Nicholls was a general, why was the mascot called The Colonel?) Several years ago, African-American students, joined by white supporters, complained about having a symbol of the Confederacy as their mascot, with the result that five years ago, the mascot took on a new look. Below is a view of mascot no. 2, still The Colonel. At the time of the change, many folks wanted the name moved away from a symbol of the Confederacy to something entirely new, such as Bobcats, or as someone else suggested, Nutria, but that did not happen. The president of the university did not like Nutria, which is understandable, because the animal is nothing but a big rat.
All traces of the first mascot, the caricature of the soldier with a long white beard in a gray Confederate Uniform, seemed to have been scrubbed from the Nicholls websites. I could not find a picture anywhere.
UPDATE: Saintly Ramblings to the rescue! SR found the image on the Alumni website. I haven't found it on the website, but I'll surely take his word for it, since this is it, except that the hat and the uniform should be gray. What are saints for if not to help us in time of need?
Recently, the university announced the incarnation of mascot no. 3, still named The Colonel. From HoumaToday on the new mascot:
After five years with a simple capital N as its lone symbol — following the retirement of a Confederate-style colonel some found offensive — Nicholls State University has a new mascot.
Wearing a red jacket and wielding a sleek saber, an updated version of the Nicholls colonel will begin appearing today around campus and in Thibodaux stores.
“He’s contemporary-looking and much fiercer than his predecessor,” Nicholls spokeswoman Renee Piper said of the new Col. Tillou.
....
The former mascot, a gray-clad soldier with a thick white beard, was dropped in 2004 amid concerns it represented the Old South and the Confederacy.
Leaders of the on-campus branch of the NAACP were leading voices in the campaign against the colonel. Nicholls President Stephen Hulbert said the old colonel is now “in the past.”
“I am pleased to have the mascot issue resolved,” Hulbert said.
So if you're wondering why I didn't give you a link to the story, it's because I saved the best for last. Oh, how I wish I could reproduce the image of the new mascot in all it's glory, but the picture is stamped "TRADEMARKED - DO NOT COPY".
Ta-dah! Here's the link.
What do you think?
Here's what Brent St. Germain, the sports editor at HoumaToday says of the new mascot:
Is it a Communist soldier?
Or is it a Nazi general?
Apparently, it is neither. It is a Colonel ... make that a Nicholls State Colonel.
Last week, Nicholls State unveiled its long-awaited new Colonel mascot. The new Col. Tillou is more modern looking, as he is wearing an officer's cap and swinging a saber.
It is a stark contrast from the caricature — a white-bearded man dressed in a gray rebel uniform — that was used for 42 years before it was retired in 2004.
....
Although he is clean shaven, younger and fiercer looking, the new Col. Tillou has its share of detractors. Several posts of The Courier and Daily Comet's online forums and a Nicholls State athletic forum have compared the mascot's new look to that of a Soviet soldier or a Third Reich officer.
A poll on The Courier and Daily Comet's website shows that about 85 percent of the voters dislike the new mascot.
That's too bad. Col. Tillou's makeover lasted five years, and after only a few days, some want him to undergo another change.
....
...when the university decided to change the mascot's look, the Colonel name should have also been retired. The university could have closed a chapter in its history.
Picking a new nickname would not have been a problem, especially in south Louisiana.
The university would have hundreds of unique nicknames — Mudbugs, Nutria and my favorite, Swamp Cats — to choose from. Tillou could have remained, but instead of a colonel, he would have been an animal.
I think the new Colonel looks more like a Nazi. He has the "N" on his cap.
Of the other names the editor suggested I like Swamp Cats. That's my choice. But Brent says we are to embrace the new
UPDATE: Francis T. Nicholls is buried in St. John's Cemetery, which is behind my church.
Vespasian's Birthplace Found
From the AP via The Huffington Post:
ROME — Archaeologists have unearthed a sprawling country villa believed to be the birthplace of Vespasian, the Roman emperor who built the Colosseum, they said Friday. The 2,000-year-old ruins were found about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Rome, near Cittareale, lead archaeologist Filippo Coarelli said.
....
The 1st-century residence featured "a well-preserved huge floor, decorated with luxurious marble coming from the whole Mediterranean area," he said.
"It's clear that such things could only belong to someone with a high social position and wealth. And in this place, it was the Flavians," the dynasty to which Vespasian belonged.
....
Born in A.D. 9 into a family of low-tier country nobility, Vespasian rose through the army ranks, becoming the general in charge of putting down a Jewish revolt in Judea.
After being acclaimed emperor by his troops in A.D. 69 and eliminating his rivals, Vespasian found Rome facing a deep economic crisis and still recovering from the fire that consumed it under Nero.
Using riches plundered from Jerusalem and proceeds from increased taxes, he launched a major public works program and started building the Colosseum – the most ambitious and best-preserved of his projects.
After Vespasian left for Rome, he put his son Titus in charge of completing the task of putting down the revolt.
The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote of the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem:
While the holy house (The Temple) was on fire, everything was plundered that came to hand, and ten thousand of those that were caught were slain; nor was there a commiseration of any age...but children and old men...and priests, were all slain in the same manner....The flame was also carried a long way, and made an echo, together with the groans of those who were slain...one would have thought the whole city would have been on fire. Nor can one imagine anything greater and more terrible than this noise.
"The Episcopal Church Has A Life" - 2
The article by Fr. Tom Ehrich, which I removed from my blog, because it was available only through purchase is now available at the IndyStar:
Now that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has slapped my church's wrists for refusing to marginalize gays and has threatened to have us become second-class citizens in the Anglican Communion, I say this to Archbishop Williams:
The Episcopal Church has a life. Not a perfect life. In fact, a messy one, a life that could be more than it is. But we do have a life.
That life preceded the formation of the Anglican Communion. That life will survive our being marginalized within the Anglican Communion.
....
If it's any consolation, Archbishop, I don't like some of the changes in my church, either. I think we have rewarded institutional tinkering and stopped dreaming. We depend on style and not substance. We worry about inherited property and not about the world outside our doors. We fuss about who is ordained when we should be nurturing healthy congregations.
Fear abounds. Fear of offending longtime members and deep-pocket givers. Fear of speaking freely and dreaming grandly. Fear of trying hard and maybe failing. Fear of preaching a Gospel more radical than anything we've said.
But many are determined to get beyond fear -- by taking one brave step at a time, learning to be nimble and to listen, learning from our failures, taking risks.
The dilemma facing Episcopalians is that "soon, and very soon we are going to see the King." Our buildings may crumble, our endowments may tumble, and all we have left is each other and our faith.
....
I think our best days lie ahead. I doubt that our future will bear much resemblance to our past. But we will discover, once the burden of inherited overhead is lifted, that we have much to give.
And so, Archbishop, rather than try to stir even more fear in a church struggling with fear, I suggest you join Jesus in the commandment he actually did give: "Do not be afraid."
The article is very good. I'm pleased that all may read it now. For what it's worth, I agree with Fr. Tom that our best days lie ahead. We will be forced to get back to the basics of Christianity.
As I said in the comments at Fr. Jake's:
Does schism concern me? Somewhat. But I won't mourn what Rowan Williams wants to make of the Anglican Communion.
....
But I see communion in the form of relationships continuing, with or without the top-heavy structures, and perhaps the communion will be the better for it. I hope that we in TEC take special care to maintain relationships with fellow Christians in countries where the people are poor and even destitute.
In the long term, I see the decline in the mainline denominations continuing until the time for the death of the church, as we know it, arrives. Perhaps we'll see merging of denominations, which could be a good thing. I see hard financial times ahead.
But none of this causes me to despair, because the church, the Body of Christ, the Kingdom of God on earth, will surely prevail. I envision the model for the church resembling the very early years of the Christian church.
Thanks to Ann for the new link.
Now that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has slapped my church's wrists for refusing to marginalize gays and has threatened to have us become second-class citizens in the Anglican Communion, I say this to Archbishop Williams:
The Episcopal Church has a life. Not a perfect life. In fact, a messy one, a life that could be more than it is. But we do have a life.
That life preceded the formation of the Anglican Communion. That life will survive our being marginalized within the Anglican Communion.
....
If it's any consolation, Archbishop, I don't like some of the changes in my church, either. I think we have rewarded institutional tinkering and stopped dreaming. We depend on style and not substance. We worry about inherited property and not about the world outside our doors. We fuss about who is ordained when we should be nurturing healthy congregations.
Fear abounds. Fear of offending longtime members and deep-pocket givers. Fear of speaking freely and dreaming grandly. Fear of trying hard and maybe failing. Fear of preaching a Gospel more radical than anything we've said.
But many are determined to get beyond fear -- by taking one brave step at a time, learning to be nimble and to listen, learning from our failures, taking risks.
The dilemma facing Episcopalians is that "soon, and very soon we are going to see the King." Our buildings may crumble, our endowments may tumble, and all we have left is each other and our faith.
....
I think our best days lie ahead. I doubt that our future will bear much resemblance to our past. But we will discover, once the burden of inherited overhead is lifted, that we have much to give.
And so, Archbishop, rather than try to stir even more fear in a church struggling with fear, I suggest you join Jesus in the commandment he actually did give: "Do not be afraid."
The article is very good. I'm pleased that all may read it now. For what it's worth, I agree with Fr. Tom that our best days lie ahead. We will be forced to get back to the basics of Christianity.
As I said in the comments at Fr. Jake's:
Does schism concern me? Somewhat. But I won't mourn what Rowan Williams wants to make of the Anglican Communion.
....
But I see communion in the form of relationships continuing, with or without the top-heavy structures, and perhaps the communion will be the better for it. I hope that we in TEC take special care to maintain relationships with fellow Christians in countries where the people are poor and even destitute.
In the long term, I see the decline in the mainline denominations continuing until the time for the death of the church, as we know it, arrives. Perhaps we'll see merging of denominations, which could be a good thing. I see hard financial times ahead.
But none of this causes me to despair, because the church, the Body of Christ, the Kingdom of God on earth, will surely prevail. I envision the model for the church resembling the very early years of the Christian church.
Thanks to Ann for the new link.
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