GOOD-BYE MAX

Please pray for my daughter's family. Their cocker spaniel, Max, was put down this afternoon. He suddenly became very ill, and the vet found three large masses around his heart. She said that the masses were very likely malignant, and that Max was in great distress. She advised my daughter to give him an easy passing. Max was 11 years old and was the family's first pet larger than fish or hamsters.



I don't have a really good picture of Max. This is the best I can do. My daughter was extremely distressed, and I can only imagine how grief-stricken the three boys were when they heard the news.

Run into the wind, Max. You run free now. No aches, no pains.

We will miss you.

KING TUT WAS A FRAIL BOY

Golden mask of Tutankhamon

From Yahoo News:

Egypt's most famous pharaoh, King Tutankhamun, was a frail boy who suffered from a cleft palate and club foot. He died of complications from a broken leg exacerbated by malaria and his parents were most likely brother and sister.

Two years of DNA testing and CT scans on Tut's 3,300-year-old mummy and 15 others are helping end many of the myths surrounding the boy king. While a comparatively minor ruler, he has captivated the public since the 1922 discovery of his tomb, which was filled with a stunning array of jewels and artifacts, including a golden funeral mask.
....

The newest tests paint a picture of a pharaoh whose immune system was likely weakened by congenital diseases. His death came from complications from the broken leg - along with a new discovery: severe malaria.

The team said it found DNA of the malaria parasite in several of the mummies, some of the oldest ever isolated.

"A sudden leg fracture possibly introduced by a fall might have resulted in a life threatening condition when a malaria infection occurred," the JAMA article said.

"Tutankhamun had multiple disorders... He might be envisioned as a young but frail king who needed canes to walk," it said.

The revelations are in stark contrast to the popular image of a graceful boy-king as portrayed by the dazzling funerary artifacts in his tomb that later introduced much of the world to the glory of ancient Egypt.

They also highlighted the role genetics play in some diseases. The members of the 18th dynasty were closely inbred and the DNA studies found several genetic disorders in the mummies tested such as scoliosis, curvature of the spine, and club feet.

Dr. Howard Markel, a medical historian at the University of Michigan, said some of King Tut's ailments including his bone disease likely were the result of his parents' incestuous marriage. Children born to parents who are so closely related to each other would be prone to genetic problems, he said.

Ever since we visited the King Tutankhamun exhibit at The New Orleans Museum of Art back in 1977, I've been intrigued by the boy-king of Egypt. Although the golden mask is, indeed, spectacular and demonstrates fine work by the artists, I was more taken with the jewelry on display, some of which may be seen here I believe that the gold falcon collar was in the exhibit, but I could be misremembering.

It appears that the Curse of the Pharaohs which was suggested as the reason for the deaths of a number of people who entered the tomb is not borne out by statistical analyses. The major curse may have rested on the pharaohs themselves, the cause of which seems to have been inbreeding.

Here is Time Magazine's account of the exhibit in New Orleans.

In Washington, D.C., where King Tutankhamen began his American reign last December, the wait to get in to see his treasures averaged five hours. In Chicago, 2,000 lined up opening day to marvel at the glittering objects found in the tomb of the boy pharaoh who lived in the 14th century B.C. (TIME, May 2). Now it is New Orleans' turn, and though the exhibit has effectively been presented, some of that old Mardi Gras madness has rubbed off on the Egyptian god-king.

For starters, Lelong Drive, leading up to the city's Museum of Art, was painted a kind of Nile blue. The Fairmont Hotel opened a tent restaurant outside the museum with such specialties as Sphinxburger, Queen Nefertiti's Salad and Ramses' Gumbo. Bourbon Street Exotic Dancer Chris Owens, in a new Egyptian costume complete with vulture collar and emblems of the god Ra, is gyrating through a routine entitled "Pharaoh's Favorite Toy." The New Leviathan Oriental Fox Trot Orchestra has released an Old King Tut album, and Tut T shirts are also catching on. For those who must wait outside the museum, 16 portable "Tutlets" are at their disposal.

But wait! The "tut-tut" folks in New Orleans thought that the rest of the citizens of the city were having too much fun with the exhibit, perhaps to the point of irreverence. Ah well, too bad for them. The killjoys missed all the fun.

Image from Wiki.

STORY OF THE DAY

I think of it as an opportunity to figure
out how much money means to me, she
said. So far it means a lot more than I
think is probably healthy.


From StoryPeople.

REMEMBER YOU ARE DUST....

 

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

Luke 18:9-14


Photo from Wiki.

WHEN NOT TO HYPHENATE YOUR NAME

Real wedding announcements clipped from newspapers. I didn't have the heart to post the pictures. The couples will be teased quite enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Ann. What can I say? Hardy Harr!

LORNA ASHWORTH'S MOTION ABOUT ACNA

Colin Coward at The Changing Attitude Blog out of England, has an excellent post about the reasserters mistaken conclusions about what really happened with the Ashworth motion, which reads as follows:

That this Synod express the desire that the Church of England be in communion with the Anglican Church in North America.

Colin was at the "fringe meeting organized by Anglican Mainstream" at which representatives of ACNA made their case for passing the Ashworth motion:

I was present at the meeting, illicitly because the Bishop of Winchester who chaired said at the beginning (looking directly at me, I thought), this meeting is open only to members of General Synod, asking anyone else present to leave. I remained in my seat, waiting to be named. I’m sorry, bishop, for having ignored your request.

Colin doesn't sound all that sorry to me, and I'm pleased that he stayed in his chair to give us his report on the meeting.

The four speakers at the meeting representing the Anglican Church in North America were Bishop Donald Harvey, Mrs. Cynthia Brust, Dr. Michael Howell, and the Rev. Dr. Tory Baucum. They were confident and convincing in their presentations and any one not knowing better would have been convinced by what they said. Speakers from The Episcopal Church would have been equally passionate and convincing. That’s what North Americans are like.

Yesterday I met one of the BBC reporters covering Synod. What they said isn’t true, he commented, having visited both TEC and ACNA parishes. ACNA distorts statistics to their advantage and are riven with tensions and disagreements. ACNA is an unstable network. This is very different from the idealised picture presented on Tuesday of a network which is modelling Anglican breadth and inclusiveness with far more success than we in the Church of England have ever been able to achieve.

Amazing! The BBC reporter did his homework in a way that few reporters in the US would trouble themselves to do. Imagine a reporter from the US doing that sort of extensive backgroud work on a story about TEC and ACNA.

Visit Changing Attitude to read the rest of the post, because Colin has much more to say about the mistaken interpretations of the supporters of ACNA.

Colin's final paragraph rings true to me.

It isn’t difficult for Changing Attitude to stand firm with those who want women and gay people fully included in our Communion. It’s much more difficult to work and pray for an outcome in which present divisions are reconciled and all are united in one Communion. It is a dream which we have to try and turn into reality. We must refuse to be corrupted by the distortions of reality which characterise conservative campaign strategy.

Amen.

BISHOP MARK LAWRENCE'S RECENT PASTORAL LETTER

In Bishop Mark Lawrence's recent pastoral letter to the members of the Diocese of South Carolina, the bishop seems distressed by the request for certain documents from the diocese and a number of the churches within the diocese by the office of the Presiding Bishop. I read over the letters of request by the attorney for the PB's office, Thomas Tisdale, to Wade Logan, Chancellor of the diocese, and I see no reason why the diocese objects to supplying the documents. Of course, I have no special knowledge of canon law nor of the law of the land.  The bishop asserts that he is the only bishop with canonical jurisdiction in the diocese, and he, along with his Standing Committee, claim sovereignty for the Diocese of South Carolina. Note that "Episcopal" is missing from the name of the diocese.

My first thoughts upon reading Bishop Mark Lawrence's letter were, "Whining, self-pitying, and sanctimonious!" - which led me to wonder if, in his letter, Bishop Lawrence is setting up his case for a claim of persecution by the office of the Presiding Bishop against him and his doocese.

Bishop Lawrence counsels against a unilateral, precipitous response to the "unjust intrusions", "provocative interference", and "unprecedented incursions" into the affairs of the diocese.

In the service for the Ordination of a Bishop in the Episcopal Church, Mark Lawrence was asked:

Will you guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church?

He answered:

I will, for the love of God.

One presumes that Mark Lawrence affirmed the statement in the knowledge that "the Church" meant the Episcopal Church.

Surely statements such as the one below from his address to the Special Convention of his diocese had nothing to do with the request for documents:

Surely most of you know that I believe the foundations of The Episcopal Church and this Anglican way of being a Christian are being bit by bit destroyed.
....

This false teaching, that I have called the Gospel of Indiscriminate Inclusivity, has challenged the doctrine of the Trinity, the Uniqueness and Universality of Christ, the Authority of Scripture, our understanding of Baptism, and now that last refuge of order, our Constitutions and Canons. (This is the kudzu.)
....

The General Convention has become the problem. It has replace a balanced piety in this Church with the politics of one-dimensional activism.

And his mantra repeated no less than five times:

"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Ps 11:3)

FROM PAUL (A.) - HIS OWN TRUE STORY

I went to the doctor's for my annual physical.

The nurse started with certain basics. "How much do you weigh?", she asked.

"135," I replied.

The nurse put me on the scale. It turns out my weight is 180.

The nurse asked: "Your height?"

"5 feet, 6 inches," I answered.

The nurse checked and saw that I only measure 5 feet, 3 inches.

She then took my blood pressure and told me that it's very high.

"Of course it's high!" I screamed. "When I came in here I was tall and slender! Now I'm short and fat!"

She put me on Prozac.

Look it up, but, as Stephen Colbert says, not in a book.

PARADE DAY

The Krewe of Cleophas parades past our church on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. The congregation and friends and family have a pot-luck lunch and then watch the parade from the church grounds.

 

The children play football before the parade starts. The blond girl will be a quarterback when she grows up. She can throw the ball!

 

Thibodaux High School Band. My three children attended Thibodaux High, and my daughter was in the band. She played the clarinet and the oboe.

Below are a few of the floats from the Krewe of Cleophas parade. The riders design and make the floats themselves. Another name for the krewe is The Poor Man's Parade, so-called because the members of the krewe do not pay to have their floats made.

 

 

 

 

 

My loot. I gave stuffed animals and toys to the kids. One nine year old girl in our congregation held up a sign saying, "Today is my birthday!" hoping that the float riders would throw her beads and especially toys as birthday presents.

PARADE DAY - PART DEUX

 

A dancing marcher

 

Grandpère, No. 2 son, and daughter-in-law

 

See how they love one another.

 

A Catahoula hound parade watcher, all dressed up for Mardi Gras. Some folks call the Catahoula hound the ugliest dog in the world, but I ask you, "Is this an ugly dog?" She has one brown eye and one light blue, almost white, eye.

And we all passed a good time.