What Do You Think?

From Georgianne:

Sarah (my daughter) and I were doing dishes and an image on a bird showed up on the bottom of the frying pan. No hoax here! We are scared, especially since a woodpecker has been pecking on the house for the last two days. Seriously. I did see the virgin under the Fullerton Avenue overpass in Chicago and she did not compare to the clarity of this image!!!!



I said:

It's a bird, all right. It's not a plane or Superman. Damn! It looks like a woodpecker. Maybe it's a protective woodpecker. Maybe you shouldn't be scared.

May I post your pictures with no names and ask my readers what they think? I won't mention the Virgin.

Mimi

As you see, I did mention the Virgin, because Georgianne said I could.

Then Georgianne said:

It just occured to me

Wounded bird

Yikes

Yikes!

The Unstoppable Virus...very troubling

I thought you would want to know about this e-mail virus. Even the most advanced programs from Norton or McAfee cannot take care of this one. It appears to affect those who were born prior to 1960.

Symptoms:

1. Causes you to send the same e-mail twice. done that!
2. Causes you to send a blank e-mail! that too!
3. Causes you to send e-mail to the wrong person. yep!
4. Causes you to send it back to the person who sent it to you ("re-gifting"). Aha!
5. Causes you to forget to attach the attachment. well darn!
6. Causes you to hit "SEND" before you've finished. Oh, no - not again!
7. Causes you to hit "DELETE" instead of "SEND." and I just hate that!
8. Causes you to hit "SEND" when you should "DELETE.." Oh No!

IT IS CALLED THE "C-NILE VIRUS"

Hmmm....Have I already sent this to you?

Yes you have, Doug. Several times.

By the way, that's a picture of Doug up there. It's a perfect likeness. I've met him, you know. Below is you know who.






My mother.

Thank you, "David's Giants"!

I was out to 'burbia last Friday to spend some truly wonderful time with Mam
it was a radiant day- the first of that 'thinner light' of early autumn
Mam was well- as enthusiastic and positive as ever,; we spent a bit of time in her garden- tidying up etc.
over one of several cups of tea we shared heart prayers for a number of folks, and that;s when she told me-
that morning, knowing that I would be coming out, she had called our beloved cousin Frank, and his wide Carol in Brittish Columbia
and through God's unfailing grace, and the love and generosity of your hearts Frank had beaten this latest round of c-difficile.
yes, there's still a form of pneumonia I've never heard of, but the experts say it's 'absolutely exceptional' the way his new immune system is building itself considering it was only a 9 of 10 genetic match.

Frank specifically asked Mam to pass on his deepest thanks to what he calls 'David's Giants', and Carol told Mam he still gets teary and shakes his head with incredulity when they speak of the great web of prayer and love which is upholding them through this.
at present Frank can manage to walk almost three city blocks!

still not out of the woods, Mam and I literally sang the doxology at this news- but then with a Welsh Mam praise is often sung!

as you continue to remember Frank and Carol in your prayers and practice, I'd particularly ask prayers for a beloved sister who has more than nine hours driving ahead of her in the next 24 hours.

to each and every one of you, my heartfelt thanks for your faithful generosity my beloved Giants of Prayer and Practice, you are such an awesome embodiment of the truth and blessing of living as the Living Body of Christ.

with love, prayers and abiding gratitude

David@Montreal

How beautiful to hear the good news of prayers answered. Please continue to pray for Frank and Carol.

PS: I love seeing and hearing in my imagination David and his Mam singing the Doxology.

Shame On You, Democratic Senators!

Dear June:

Yesterday, we fought a battle for the public health insurance option. Though we didn't win it, we came away with a strong showing that put us in a better position for the coming war.

In a long debate on the amendments to add a public health insurance option to the Baucus Bill in the Senate Finance Committee, Senators spoke out vigorously in favor of the idea. The intellectual and moral case for the public health insurance option was clear.

The Finance Committee then voted on two public health insurance option amendments offered by Senators Rockefeller and Schumer.

In the end, 10 out of 13 Democrats on the committee - John Rockefeller (WV), Jeff Bingaman (NM), John Kerry (MA), Ron Wyden (OR), Charles Schumer (NY), Debbie Stabenow (MI), Maria Cantwell (WA), Bill Nelson (FL), Robert Menendez (NJ), and Tom Carper (DE) - voted for a public health insurance option.

Three Democrats - Max Baucus (MT), Kent Conrad (ND), and Blanche Lincoln (AR) - sided with the Republicans to defeat these amendments. The final roll call was 10-13.

In the most conservative committee in the Senate, which is itself the most conservative house of Congress, a public health insurance option got the support of an overwhelming majority of the governing party. And there were some surprises - we picked up more votes than we had originally expected.

So what's next?

A public health insurance option has been passed by four out of five committees in Congress dealing with health care, and received a huge amount of support in the Senate Finance Committee. The next time the public health insurance option will come up for consideration is when Majority Leader Harry Reid merges the Finance bill with the HELP bill.

Yesterday was the first step in building momentum for a public health insurance option in the Senate. Clearly, the idea has weight - even self-described moderates such as Bill Nelson and Tom Carper voted for it. As we move to the floor and into conference, with Schumer, Rockefeller, and other champions pledging support and whipping their colleagues, those numbers can and will continue to grow.

We have hundreds of organizers and thousands of supporters around the country, and we have the American people on our side. As Senator Schumer says, a public health insurance option will be in the bill President Obama signs into law.

Thank you for your continued support. Onwards!

To your health,

Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now

Senators Max Baucus (MT), Kent Conrad (ND), and Blanche Lincoln (AR), I hope you are proud of yourselves for voting to give the health insurance companies higher profits than they already have at the expense of the citizens of the country, two-thirds of whom want the public option included in the bill.

Iraqi Death Squads Target Gays

From the Guardian:

Hardline Islamic insurgent groups in Iraq are targeting a new type of victim with the full protection of Iraqi law, The Observer can reveal. The country is seeing a sudden escalation of brutal attacks on what are being called the 'immorals' - homosexual men and children as young as 11 who have been forced into same-sex prostitution.

There is growing evidence that Shia militias have been killing men suspected of being gay and children who have been sold to criminal gangs to be sexually abused. The threat has led to a rapid increase in the numbers of Iraqi homosexuals now seeking asylum in the UK because it has become impossible for them to live safely in their own country.

Ali Hili runs the Iraqi LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) group out of London. He used to have 40 volunteers in Iraq but says after recent raids by militia in Najaf, Karbala and Basra he has lost contact with half of them. They move to different safe houses to protect their identities, but their work is incredibly dangerous.

Will the human capacity for brutal, cruel treatment of fellow humans ever end? I fear not.

Homosexuality is seen as so immoral that it qualifies as an 'honour killing' to murder someone who is gay - and the perpetrator can escape punishment. Section 111 of Iraq's penal code lays out protections for murder when people are acting against Islam.

Lord, have mercy! The mindset that killing gays is a good thing is widespread throughout the world and, unfortunately, is enshrined in the law in far too many countries. In others, the authorities turn a blind eye, and the crimes of torture and killing are never investigated and prosecuted.

Another report from Human Rights Watch:

The report also documents how fears that Iraqi men's masculinity is under threat propel the killings as much as prejudices about sexuality. Many men told Human Rights Watch that their parents or brothers have threatened them with honor killings because their "unmanly" behavior threatens the reputation of the family or tribe. In a provision left over from the Saddam Hussein era, Iraqi law allows mitigated penalties for crimes committed "with honorable motives." This exception encourages gender-based violence.

The article at HRW is difficult reading because of the descriptions of the atrocities committed upon gay men or men suspected of being gay, but we cannot turn away.

Thanks to D. for sending the links.

Three Women in Mexico‎

Three women go down to Mexico one night to celebrate college graduation, get drunk, and wake up in jail, only to find that they are to be executed in the morning, though none of them can remember what they did the night before.

The first one, a redhead, is strapped into the electric chair and is asked if she has any last words. She says, "I just graduated from Trinity Bible College and believe in the almighty power of God to intervene on the behalf of the innocent." They throw the switch and nothing happens. They all immediately fall to the floor on their knees, beg for forgiveness and release her.

The second one, a brunette, is strapped in and gives her last words. "I just graduated from the Harvard School of Law and I believe in the power of justice to intervene on the part of the innocent." They throw the switch and again, nothing happens. Again they all immediately fall to their knees, beg for forgiveness and release her.

The last one (you knew it), a blonde, is strapped in and says, "Well, I'm from the University of Kentucky and just graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering, and I'll tell ya'll right now, ya'll ain't gonna electrocute nobody if you don't plug this thing in."

Don't blame me. Blame Doug!

La Grâce du Ciel

La Grâce du Ciel is a French interpretation of Amazing Grace (literally:The Grace of Heaven) written by David E. Marcantel and performed by Southwest Louisiana singing group, Les Amies Louisianaises.

Cajun lyrics are here.

Thanks to Joan S.

Well Now...

...the good news is that he was NOT hurt. The bad news is that Grandpère ruined the front fender and bumper on my one-year old car. If you recall, the reason my car is fairly new is that GP totaled my old car driving in New Orleans. Here we are in New Orleans, and he's done it again, only this time with much less damage. He is a very good driver in most instances, but he is not a city-smart driver. Have you guessed who plays the fool in this drama? Moi! Maybe GP learned a lesson. I hope so. If not, next time it won't be in my car.

Story Of The Day - Moving Day

I think you love people until you get to
understand them, she said & I said,
what happens then? & she said,
o, that's when you move away.


From StoryPeople.

Update On Bishop Marc Andrus

Dear friends,

I've just spoken with Sheila Andrus and she reports that Bishop Marc did very well with the surgery. The surgeon, she said, was extremely positive about how the surgery went and the outcome. It is not yet known when Bishop Marc will be released from the hospital, but that will happen in the next few days.

The Andrus family are all very grateful for the prayers and good wishes that they have received and they look forward to this time of healing.

Wishing you peace,

Sean McConnell
Communications Officer, Diocese of California
Canon for Communications, Grace Cathedral


Thanks to Ann.