Pluralist - Out Of Bounds!

Adrian at Pluralist Speaks is incorrigible. See here and here. If he had not left Anglicanism of his own volition, surely we'd need to show him the door. I'm all for inclusion, but surely, there are boundaries....

And yet, and yet, I'd still share the table with Adrian, but - alas! - he won't share the table with me, more's the pity.

How To Dance In The Rain

From a surgical nurse.....

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late...He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?' He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, That is the kind of love I want in my life. True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

What a beautiful story of unconditional love.

From Doug. He doesn't do only jokes.

Sprout May Be On The Way

If you could please keep me and (Mrs. H.) in your prayers today we would appreciate it. It looks like she is in the first stage of active labor, so we may have Sprout by the end of the day... Thank you all and I'll post to the blog and facebook as soon as I can on the progress.

Arkansas Hillbilly

UPDATE: It's a girl!!! Go see the little beauty at Hillbilly's blog.

Contratulations to Hillbilly and especially to Mrs. Hillbilly, who, after all, did the hard work, which turned out to be not so hard, because Sprout was kind enough to her mama to come quickly. Thanks be to God. Great news and great rejoicing all around! Welcome to our world, dear little Sprout.

Thanks, IT.

Update On Sue's Brother, Myron

Hi Everyone,

While I didn't get in to see Myron today, ( I'm still awaiting results from his cultures to come back negative), Stephanie posted a brief up-date on the Carebridge page.

Myron was kept sedated last night and today because he became agitated. So much so that his blood pressure became elevated and he required a B/P medication to bring it down. This could have been associated with pain or a drug reaction to the versed. He is being weaned off the Versed and begun on Ativan. The wound vac was to be changed today and there was a possibility that it may be completely taken out.

He will have a feeding tube inserted into the stomach and possibly a tracheotomy done to replace the breathing tube.

He has continued to responded to people, but not today due to the sedation. This is a small set back, but I don't think it is anything to be greatly concerned about.

I'll keep you all posted.

Sue

Thanks for keeping us posted, Sue. Prayers continue.

Watch This!

Fr. Terry Martin, aka Fr. Jake at his blog Father Jake Stops the World, gave a lecture in a series on evangelism in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC. His lecture is excellent. I've had the pleasure of meeting Fr. Terry at our gathering New York some years ago and again in Anaheim, where we had a lovely chat in the lobby of the Hilton, and I enjoyed his company at another gathering of a group of us the following evening. He's a bit of an introvert, which was the only surprise to me when I first met him. I expected him to be an extrovert. So much for expectations.

The video is nearly one hour long, but it's well worth your time. You watch TV that long, don't you? Well, take the time to watch this TV. The time flies. You won't be sorry. Fr. Terry is not selling snake oil in the video.

Italian Honeymoon

After returning from his honeymoon in Florida with his new bride, Virginia, Zio Luigi stopped by to say hello to Grandpa.

Grandpa said, "Hey Luigi, how wasa da honeamoona?"

Zio Luigi said, "Everyting wasa perfecto except for da train ride down."

"Whata you mean, Luigi?" asked Grandpa.

"Well, we boarda da train at Grana Central Station. My beautiful Virginia, she pack a biga basket a food. She broughta da vino, some nice cigars for me, and we were lookina forward to da trip and open upa da luncha basket. The conductore come aby, waga his finger at us anda say, 'no eat indisa car. Musta use a dining car.'

So, me and my beautiful Virginia, we go to da dining car, eat a biga lunch and starta ta open da bottle of a nice a vino!

Conductore walka by again, waga his finger and say, 'No drinka in disa car! Musta use a cluba car.'

So, we go to cluba car. While a drinkina da vino, I starta to lighta my biga cigar. The conductore, he waga his finger again and say, 'No a smokina disa car. Musta go to a smokina car.'

"We go to a smokina car and I smoke a my biga cigar. Then my beautiful Virginia and I, we go to a sleeper car anda go to bed. We just about to go boombada boombada and the conductore, he walka through da hall shouting at a top of his a voice...'Nofolka Virginia! Nofolka Virginia!'

"Nexta time, I'ma just gonna taka da bus."

PS: I should tell you that no man in our family ever dated or married a woman named Virginia again.

That would be Doug's family, not mine.

Italian-Americans who read this, please note that I post this joke with all the good will in the world. I have three Italian-American grandchildren, and I love them very much. I think the joke is hilarious, and when my grandsons grow up, I hope that they would laugh at it. One of the boys is 15 and another is 13. Maybe they would enjoy it right now.

Send Prayers Their Way

Not much comment on Susan Russell's blog posts about being in the shadow of the Station Fire, Miss June. This morning winds are worse and I fear for their family and neighbors. The Jet Propulsion Lab stands between them and the fire, not good news for JPL/NASA either. There is also a wide ravine, but that will be nothing against wind-blown sparks.

I get the feeling not many people know. Would you ask for prayers please.

Thanks and God bless you and your loved ones!
Pat Klemme

See Susan Russell's post at An Inch at a Time and let them know that you care.

This Will Crack You Up

The delightful Dom Deluise with an egg trick on the Johnny Carson Show.

From Doug. I don't know about you, but I need cheering up.

Feast Of John Bunyan

From James Kiefer at the Lectionary:

Bunyan was born in 1628 near Bedford, in the agricultural midlands of England. He was the son of a tinker (a maker and mender of metal pots). He had little schooling. During the English Civil War, he served in the Parliamentary Army. He underwent a period of acute spiritual anxiety, and finally found peace in a Baptist congregation. He became a lay preacher, while earning his living as a tinker.

After the Restoration in 1660, Bunyan (under suspicion for having fought on the anti-Anglican side) was ordered to preach no more, and, since he refused to desist, he was several times sentenced to jail, where he spent his time studying, preaching to his fellow prisoners, and writing. His first substantial work was an autobiography, Grace Abounding To the Chief of Sinners. This was followed by other works, of which by far the most read and most loved is his The Pilgrim's Progress From This World To That Which Is To Come, usually called Pilgrim's Progress. The work recounts in allegorical form the experience of a person (called Christian), from his his first awareness of his sinfulness and spiritual need, to his personal conversion to Christ, to his walk as a believer. He is shown as a pilgrim in this world on his way to the "Celestial City," which will be his true home forever. The work was an immediate sensation, and its popularity endured. For a century and more thereafter, there were many English-speaking Christians who were thoroughly familiar with only two books, The Bible and Pilgrim's Progess.

I love The Pilgrim's Progress. Bunyan's Puritan theology is not my theology, yet I love his book. Amidst Christian's awareness of the Wrath to Come for those who are not saved, are many references to God's love and tender mercies. To me, there's a sweetness about the book that shines through and overcomes the ever-present sense of impending doom. And humor, yes humor. The description of poor Mr. Fearing in the Slough of Despond brought a smile to my face the first time, I read it, and it still does today.

THE HISTORY OF MR. FEARING.

GREAT-HEART. Why, he was always afraid that he should come short of whither he had a desire to go. Every thing frightened him that he heard any body speak of, that had but the least appearance of opposition in it . I hear that he lay roaring at the Slough of Despond for about a month together; nor durst he, for all he saw several go over before him, venture, though they, many of them, offered to lend him their hand. He would not go back again neither. The Celestial City, he said, he should die if he came not to it; and yet was dejected at every difficulty, and stumbled at every straw that any body cast in his way. Well, after he had lain at the Slough of Despond a great while, as I have told you, one sunshine morning, I do not know how, he ventured, and so got over; but when he was over, he would scarce believe it. He had, I think, a Slough of Despond in his mind; a slough that he carried everywhere with him, or else he could never have been as he was.

The passage is sad, but it's also funny. It's a classic description of a depressed person, but Bunyan's manner of expressing it as "the Slough of Despond in his mind; a slough that he carried everywhere with him" is so perfect as to perhaps give even a depressed person a smile. Of course, I could be wrong.

Folks say, "How can you read that? It's so dull and boring and out of touch with the times." But it's not to me. There's much in it that is good and wise and still

The Golden Rule

‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

The Narrow Gate

‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:12-14

PRAYER

God of peace, you called John Bunyan to be valiant for truth: Grant that as strangers and pilgrims we may at the last rejoice with all the faithful in your heavenly city; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Image from Wiki.

Our Lady Of The Driveway - I Remember Katrina

Mary, Full of Grace

Thanks to Athenae at First Draft for the photo and the title. She took this picture when she was in New Orleans at the end of March, when a group of us led by FD bloggers, Athenae and Scout Prime, gathered to gut a house, view the destruction, and squeeze in a little fun.

The statue of the Virgin Mary stood in a driveway. The head was broken off, but someone had put it back in place. The photo and the title struck me with such force when I first saw it that I have never forgotten it. The image of the statue of Mary in the driveway - "Mary, full of grace" as Athenae calls her - was the symbol of my destroyed and broken home town, my abandoned city, my beloved New Orleans - always full of grace to me.

Our Lady Of The Driveway

O Mary of the Driveway,
Broken like your city,
Your head lies on the ground.
A sorry sight, a sign,
A sign of devastation
Wrought by wind and water,
Angry blow and raging flow.

A passer-by, one of tender heart,
Sees and stops and mourns your head
Lying there apart,
And gently, gently takes it
And replaces it.
There. Our Lady's whole again.
Or so it seems. Or is it so?

Grandmère Mimi - 5-13-07

I posted the picture and the poem first on May 13, 2007 and then again on the anniversary of Katrina in the years that followed. Until I change my mind, I will post the picture and the poem every year on the anniversary of Katrina and THE FEDERAL FLOOD, which, in New Orleans, was not a natural disaster but an ENGINEERING DISASTER. I remember the more than 1800 people who died and all those who loved them. I remember the 275,000 who lost their homes. I remember those who survived, but suffered through horrendous conditions in the days after Katrina. I remember those who have not returned to their home towns, and who want to, but can't find affordable housing. I remember those in Louisiana and Mississippi still struggling to recover and rebuild their homes and their lives.

Katrina - August 29, 2005

UPDATE: See Paul the BB's post "Lest We Forget".

Yes, I know it's quite circular. Paul links to me; I link to him. But I don't care. His post is a beautiful tribute and memorial on this the anniversary of the tragedy.

As I said in his comments, "You know, I couldn't bear to do a post like yours. I'd be overwhelmed. But I'm so very pleased that you did in honor of those who suffered so much."