Swine Flu Fear Out of Hand!!

Just like my granddaughter. What else could we do?

Don't blame me. It was Doug's idea.

Thanks Be To God And My Partners In Prayer

My granddaughter is pretty much recovered from the swine flu, but she must stay out of school for this week. She had a fairly light case. She felt really sick for only two days and is taking Tamiflu. In the Advocate I read that "The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the swine flue outbreak in Louisiana is considered 'widespread'". The outbreak preceded the arrival of the vaccine. However, the disease is not to be taken lightly, as the Advocate also reports:

State health officials say a man from the Houma/Thibodaux area is the eighth person to die in Louisiana from complications related to swine flu.

Feast Day Of Hildegard Of Bingen

* There is the Music of Heaven in all things and we have forgotten how to hear it until we sing.

* Underneath all the texts, all the sacred psalms and canticles, these watery varieties of sounds and silences, terrifying, mysterious, whirling and sometimes gestating and gentle must somehow be felt in the pulse, ebb, and flow of the music that sings in me. My new song must float like a feather on the breath of God.

* When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit.

Hildegard of Bingen

Readings:

Psalm 104:25-34
Sirach 43:1-2,6-7,9-12,27-28
Colossians 3:14-17
John 3:16-21

PRAYER

O God, by whose grace your servant Hildegard, kindled with the fire of your love, became a burning and shining light in your Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

I love this story about Hildegard from James Kiefer's biography at the Lectionary:

In the last year of her life, she was briefly in trouble because she provided Christian burial for a young man who had been excommunicated. Her defense was that he had repented on his deathbed, and received the sacraments. Her convent was subjected to an interdict, but she protested eloquently, and the interdict was revoked.

Hildegard's quotes from About.com.

"What joy? Whose joy?"

Another good read on the Anglican Covenant by the Rev. Dr. Gregory Quinn at the Daily Episcopalian.

Excerpts here, but there's more. Do read the entire article.

A revolutionary aspect of the English Reformation was placing the Bible in the hands of the people (“Laity” is another missing word in the Covenant). The current draft (1.2.4) speaks of the Bible, but its interpretation is primarily left in the hands of bishops and synods. Guess where that leads.

I noted with disapproval the missing mention of the laity.

The draft Covenant appeals to tradition (1.1.2). But carefully read the footnote. Tradition is not the via media that is Anglicanism’s balanced, delicately wrought heritage, but the 39 Articles and 1662 English Prayer Book (never adopted in Scotland or the United States).

Obviously, I did not read the footnote, because this came as a surprise to me. The footnote reads:

The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordering of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons

Mercy!

Lesson: Read the footnotes.

Note to self: Brush up on the Thirty-nine Articles and the 1662 English Prayer Book, just in case....

Myron Update

Dear Friends,

I have a brief update on Myron.

On Monday afternoon Myron underwent surgery to place stabilization plates on 3 ribs on the left side of his chest because he had flailing in his chest. He wasn't able to get a deep inspiration. The pain catheters were again inserted on the left side also so he doesn't require morphine shots. He recovered from that very well.

On Tuesday there was an ultrasound done on his left arm and it was determined there is a blood clot there also, but the filter that was placed in his groin can also be used for the arm. Don't ask me, I don't know how that works. Another CAT scan was performed to check on the cranial bleeds, and they appear to be resolving.

The respiratory therapist was in yesterday and tried on 2 separate occasions to remove Myron from the CPAP (assisted breathing) and place him on the trach collar, and both attempts were unsuccessful as his heart rate elevated. They thought he might be having a panic attack. Today the RT was able to get him on the trach collar for a short while and will attempt this again tomorrow, (Thursday).

A speech therapist was in yesterday also had had My write Eric, Stephanie, and Mary Ann's name on a piece of paper. He was also able to play some tic-tack-toe with Eric.

Today the infectious disease doctor took him off the antibiotics because his lungs were clear, and he wasn't producing any sputum. The antibiotics were causing a slight elevation in his liver enzymes, so it was good to stop them.

I did go to see him this evening and he was attempting to mouth words, and was very active with his right hand. He wanted to hold my hand, but without the latex glove on so he worked at them until they were off, then he took my watch off, and was starting on my rings, when I told him I really didn't want them off. I could see myself fishing around in his bed looking for them.

I'm sorry, I did say this would be brief, but so much is happening to him every day, and I probably only cover part of it.

Blessing to you all,

Sue

It's for the long haul, my friends. Let's keep the prayers going for Myron and his family.

How To Avoid The Swine Flu

Eat right!

Make sure you get your daily dose of fruits and veggies.

Take your vitamins and bump up your vitamin C.

Get plenty of exercise because exercise helps build your immune system.

Walk for at least an hour a day..

Go for a swim..

Take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.

Wash your hands often.
If you can't wash them,
Keep a bottle of antibacterial stuff around.

Get lots of fresh air.
Open doors & windows whenever possible.

Try to eliminate as much stress from your life as you can.

Get plenty of rest.

OR

Take the doctor's approach..
Think about it...
When you go for a flu shot,what do they do first? They Clean your arm with alcohol...

Why ???

Because Alcohol KILLS GERMS..
So......

I walk to the liquor store. (exercise)
I put lime in my lager ....(fruit)
Celery in my Bloody Mary (veggies)
Drink outdoors on the bar patio..(fresh air)
Tell jokes, laugh....(eliminate stress)
Then pass out. (rest)
The way I see it...

If you keep your alcohol levels up
Flu germs Can't get you!

My grandmother always said...
'A shot in the glass
Is better than one in the ass!'


Live Well and Laugh Often!

If this advice doesn't work for you, don't blame me. Blame Doug.

FOCA NA Is On The Way

Mark Harris at Preludium in his post titled "FOCA NA? Rounding Up the Cattle", tells us that FOCA (Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans), after establishing themselves in England and South Africa, will form a branch in the US, named FOCA NA. Mark tells us of their plans for North America in quotes from their own press release. Their attitude toward the Episcopal Church seems a tad unfriendly. Of course, I could be wrong! In his two final paragraphs, Mark neatly and succinctly wraps it all up for those of us with simpler minds. This is a must-read.

Here's the first paragraph of Mark's post as a teaser to get you to go to his site to read the whole thing:

If there is anyone left who thinks that the conglomeration of agents for realignment change all left The Episcopal Church for the Anglican Church of North America, they have another think coming. The dance is going on and the conga line is forming.

"Who am I in Gods mirror?" - Richard Rohr

Finally you must allow yourself to stand before one mirror for your identity—you surrender to the naked now of true prayer and full presence. You become a Thou before the great I AM. Such ultimate mirroring gives you the courage to leave other mirrors behind you.

“Human approval means nothing to me,” Jesus said. “Why do you waste time looking to one another for approval when you have the approval that comes from the One God?” (John 5:41, 44).

Henceforward, as Teresa of Avila said, “You find God in yourself and yourself in God,” a discovery that precedes, outdoes, and undercuts all of the best psychology in the world. Think of the thousands of dollars you can save in therapy!
From The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See (pp.19)

Daily Meditations by Richard Rohr.

You know, this is so very true. Once I was able to take hold of the truth that God loves me unconditionally, whether at this moment I am a saint, or whether I am a sinner, whether in my eyes and the eyes of the world, I am a great success or a miserable failure, whether I am strong, or whether I am weak, (I could go on!) and make that grand truth a part of my very being, my world turned upside down in a way that is still a miracle and a wonder to me.

Story Of The Day

coasting on his reputation today
because he's a little fragile, so it's hard
to be fierce


From StoryPeople.

Question Of The Day

As those of us in the US discuss whether the Episcopal Church will or will not sign the Ridley-Cambridge Draft Covenant, can anyone say with certainty that the Church of England, as an established church, will be able to sign the document?