"GOD 'N DOG"

Thanks to Ann for the reminder. I've seen the video elsewhere and thought to post it, but I never got around to it.

SUNDAY FUNNIES

New in Church

After the service a young couple talked to a church member about joining the church. He hadn't met the husband before, and he asked what church he was transferring from.

After a short hesitation, he replied,"I am transferring from the Municipal Golf Course."


The Sermon

A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"


The Boasting Boys

Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50."

The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."

The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon. And it takes eight people to collect all the money!"


Instruction About Church

A Sunday school teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"

Annie replied, "Because people are sleeping."

STORY OF THE DAY - SIGHTSEEING

You're not going to see people like this
again for a long time, he said & I
said I always saw people like this & he looked
at me for a moment & said, You're not
from around here, are you?


From StoryPeople.

IS THE PUBLIC OPTION STILL ALIVE?

Over the past week, senators -- 18 so far -- have been signing on to a letter urging Majority Leader Harry Reid to pass a public option using reconciliation. Today, Reid finally spoke on the matter, releasing a statement through a spokesman.

"If a decision is made to use reconciliation to advance health care, Senator Reid will work with the White House, House and members of his caucus in an effort to craft a public option that can overcome procedural obstacles and secure enough votes," the statement reads.

Democracy for America puts the number at 20 senators. DFA lists the senators who have signed the letter.

I hate to get my hopes up again, because I fear that health care reform including the public option will not be enacted, although polls show that the people overwhelmingly support health care WITH a public option. Apparently, even if the House and the Senate could agree on the form which the health care bill will take, there are procedural hurdles that will need to be crossed that may require 60 votes.

The leaders in the House and Senate could reach a point at which they will have to decide whether to call for a vote knowing that the vote will be close and not knowing the outcome with certainty. Neither the leadership nor the members like uncertainty. The conventional wisdom is that if the Democrats lose the vote, they will suffer a humiliating defeat that will carry them to defeat in the elections later this year.

My thought is if the Democrats do nothing, they will suffer a humiliating defeat at the polls. I'd rather see the Democrats fight for health reform with the public option and lose, rather than do nothing. At least, they will have fought the good fight. Others disagree and believe that a win must be certain before moving to a vote.

What do you think?

From the WashingtonMonthly:

Gallup reported this week on the states with the highest and lowest rates of church attendance. The results fell largely along regional lines: "Mississippians were the most frequent churchgoers in the nation in 2009, as was the case in 2008, with 63% of residents attending weekly or almost every week. Nine of the top 10 states in church attendance are in the South; the only non-Southern state is Utah, with 56% frequent attendance. At the other end of the spectrum, 23% of Vermont residents attend church frequently, putting it at the bottom of the list of churchgoing states. Other states at the bottom of the church attendance list are in either New England or the West."

Check out the charts at the Gallup link.

FEAST OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS - PROPHETIC WITNESS

He was a firm believer in the equality of all people, whether black, female, Native American, or recent immigrant. He was fond of saying, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong."
....

Douglass produced some regular abolitionist newspapers, including The North Star. Its motto was "Right is of no Sex — Truth is of no Color — God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren."

From Satucket.


John 8:30-32

As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’

Readings:

Psalm 85:7-13
Isaiah 32:11-18
Hebrews 2:10-18
John 8:30-32


PRAYER

Almighty God, whose truth makes us free: We bless your Name for the witness of Frederick Douglass, whose impassioned and reasonable speech moved the hearts of a president and a people to a deeper obedience to Christ. Strengthen us also to be outspoken on behalf of those in captivity and tribulation, continuing in the Word of Jesus Christ our Liberator; who with you and the Holy Spirit dwells in glory everlasting. Amen.

Picture from Wiki.

JUST POOR JUDGMENT

From the Kansas City Star:

Two former high-level Bush administration officials who provided legal justification for harsh interrogations of overseas terror suspects are likely to escape any formal punishment now that the Justice Department has concluded they should not be held legally responsible.

In a long-awaited report released early Friday evening, Deputy Associate Attorney General David Margolis said that former department lawyers John Yoo and Jay Bybee should not have their law licenses revoked as a consequence of their legal advice to the Bush administration signing off on the controversial interrogation methods.

In a 69-page legal memo, Margolis concluded "that these memos contained significant flaws. But as all that glitters is not gold, all flaws do not constitute professional misconduct. ... I conclude that Yoo and Bybee exercised poor judgment by overstating the certainty of their conclusions and underexposing countervailing arguments."

So. The Bush administration lawyers who advised that "enhanced interrogation techniques" were allowable will suffer no consequences, not even loss of their licenses.

Obama ordered no more torture, but what kind of precedent is set by the decision to let these men off the hook? What about a future president who decides that torture is permissible?

"YOU SHALL LOVE...."

[Jesus] said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

Matthew 22:37-40

Whoever, then, thinks that he understands the Holy Scriptures, or any part of them, but puts such an interpretation upon them as does not tend to build up the twofold love of God and neighbor, does not yet understand them as he ought. If, on the other hand, a man draws a meaning from them that may be used for the building up of love, even though he does not happen upon the precise meaning which the author whom he reads intended to express in that place, his error is not pernicious, and he is wholly clear from the charge of deception. (St. Augustine - On Christian Doctrine 1.36[40])

Powerful words from St. Augustine concerning Jesus' powerful summary of the law and the prophets.

H/T to Tobias Haller at In a Godward Direction for the quote from Augustine.

See also Paul the BB's post A thought or two.

Does the God in whom you believe love creation, including us?

If the answer to that last question is "No," then your deity is either uninteresting or repugnant.

1 John 4:16

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

Thus far, the only Lenten discipline that I've decided on is to attend Evening Prayer, Lenten meditation, and silent reflection on Thursday evenings at St. John. Time is passing, and that may be my one consistent discipline. If so, if I'm faithful to that one discipline, I will be doing better than I've done in a good many Lents in the past. And perhaps it would be an entirely good thing to spend a bit of time pondering God's love for us and pondering and practicing my love for God and my love for neighbor.

STORY OF THE DAY - LITTLE MAN

I just want a little man of my own, she
said But without all the quirky
personality issues I'm going to
have to train out of him anyway


From StoryPeople.

AROUND THE BLOGS

Read all about Doxy's choice for Lenten discipline at Wormwood's Doxy. In the comments to Doxy's wonderful post, is the best suggestion evah for a Lenten discipline:

PJ DeGenaro said...

This year for Lent I am volunteering to take on everyone's unwanted bad habits. I will eat your Godiva truffles and your red meat, drink your alcohol and coffee and even your Diet Coke. I mean, it's the least I can do, right? So send all your self-indulgences to me, PJ. I'll consume the transfats so you don't have to! And as for that biting thing, Doxy, I'm really looking forward to it.

::wink wink wink etc. ::

Please pray for Margaret and her possible choice of a Lenten (and perhaps even longer!) fast at Leave It Lay Where Jesus Flang It.

And last, but not least, read Elizabeth Kaeton at Telling Secrets on apologia always sideways.