GOOD NEWS ABOUT KATZIE

From Mark at Enough About Me:

VERY GOOD NEWS
Katzie is home.

It was a very bad bladder infection, but the vet was really worried, and she went above and beyond in providing care. They gave and intravenous antibiotic, flushed his bladder with antibiotic, and sent him home with an orally-administered antibiotic - which, apparently, tastes horrible.

He's acting like his old self much more - though the long periods away from home mean that Miutu is having difficulty adjusting.

Katzie got home yesterday in time to take care of me, as a steady diet of fear, sleeplessness, and changing temperatures has led to a crushing sinus infection. Yesterday afternoon, I was too weak to turn from my back onto my side without considerable effort.

Our prayers and our donations helped save Katzie's life. Thank you all who contributed in any way. Please continue to pray for Katzie to be restored to full health.

Now Mark needs our prayers, too.

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant Mark the help of your power, that his sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mark, when you feel better, don't forget your promise of a picture of Katzie.

"A DISHONEST COVENANT"

Paul Bagshaw's was an early voice from across the pond to speak against the Anglican Covenant. Paul blogs at Not the Same Stream.

The initial judgement was that a Covenant would be a hard sell. Therefore the decision was taken to avoid as much public debate as possible but to contain debate within the smallest possible inner circles of each Province. The rest has followed: public debate has deliberately been muted and it's hard to see how much, if any, difference it made to the shaping of the Covenant.
....

The only thing that made any difference was private opposition from Primates and their representatives. And then only in relation to the terms of the Covenant. Public and official statements that stated opposition to the Covenant were apparently ignored.

Paul's voice, along with the voices of a few others such as MadPriest, was one of only a few to be heard in England against the Covenant, and that's how it will come to pass that the Covenant will likely make easy passage through General Synod of the Church of England next month.

Although many of us in the US spoke against the Covenant early and often, perhaps we could and should have called more attention to those voices in other provinces, especially in the Church of England, who were doubtful that the Covenant was good or even simply benign. If the Covenant was rejected by the Church of England, it would be dead.

Please read Paul's entire post from which I copied my title, "A Dishonest Covanant".

Paul's article from 2007 may be found in Modern Church.

H/T to MadPriest at OCICBW for the link to Paul's post.

CUTE KITTEH!!!

Thanks to Cathy.

A NEW SOCIETY TO FORM IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND?

Anglo-Catholics in the Church of England, who are opposed to women bishops, but who do not plan to join the Roman Catholic ordinariates, formed The Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda.

Now Thinking Anglicans reports:

Reform members have voted to back the creation of a religious society within the Church of England for conservative evangelicals who want to promote the church’s mission but are opposed to the consecration of women as bishops.

Speaking at the network’s annual conference yesterday, attended by over 170 members, Revd Rod Thomas, the Reform chairman, said: “This is a very positive move not just for us, but for the wider church. The creation of a society can both provide a model of how the church can change to become more focused on mission, not maintenance, and a way forward through the dilemma it faces over women bishops.

“Reform members are involved in innovative ways of reaching into local communities with the good news of Jesus Christ. Many are in churches with a good number of younger men and women being trained for future gospel work. We have a mission-focus which brings health and life that is good for the wider church, and a religious society would enable us to continue that focus.

Further, the Revd Rod Thomas, the Reform chairman, now says that the combined votes of the Anglo-Catholics and Reform members of General Synod, who are opposed to women bishops, may now be sufficient to block the draft legislation, as it is now written, when the body takes up the current legislation, since a two-thirds majority is needed for passage.

"VOTE YOUR HEART OUT"

Mark Harris at Preludium has a splendid post about politics and voting. Christine O'Donnell is a candidate for the US Senate in Mark's state.

Almost no one seems to get it: We need elected officials who are willing to do the mind numbing job of reading sewer reports and statistical tables, economic reports and proposals for new technologies and then vote with some wisdom. If they can't read or don't have time that they hire good people who do and will instruct them.

And we ought to expect from our elected leaders that they help this country break its war habit, a habit that poisons our economy, community life and takes lives endlessly.

I hear very little mention of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by the candidates, more's the pity. Mark posts charts which illustrate the human and monetary costs of our wars.

Along with his wise words about the coming elections, Mark posted the video below, which made me smile and which I've lifted. In these times, a smile is most welcome.

NOT LATE THIS TIME!

Yesterday, I went to New Orleans to an appointment for a routine check with the ophthalmologist following my cataract surgery nearly one year ago. Since I don't like driving the Interstate highway system through cities, I planned to drive through the streets of Jefferson Parish, with the rest of the traffic and the stop lights, but as I watched the time, I saw that I would not be on time for my appointment, if I did.

After a quick prayer for nerves of steel and for my sharpest driving skills to kick in, I headed for Interstate-10, which is also congested at times, with traffic moving slowly or not at all, and hoped for the best. The journey was a breeze, and I arrived at the doctor's office with seven minutes......and a whole day to spare.

Yes, when I walked into the office, the receptionist was at her desk, but the rest of the offices were dark. Obviously, THE DOCTOR WAS NOT IN. My appointment was for today. Ah well, nothing to be done, except drive home and drive back in tomorrow (today). As I turned and started to walk out, I thought, "There are other doctors in the group practice, who work from another office. Perhaps one of them would see me." I turned back to ask the receptionist, and she said it was quite possible. With a quick phone call, she arranged for me to see a different doctor at their other office, which was only a short distance away.

Every morning, I pray in "Morning Prayer" not to be overcome by adversity. The thought of returning to New Orleans the next day did not thrill me, and, in fact, seemed to me like a small adversity. I'm not one to give up easily, and the thought which came to mind helped me to overcome. Thank God for "Morning Prayer"...and for planting ideas in listening minds?

All is well with my eyes, except that in a few months, scar tissue which formed in both eyes will have to be zapped, a rather common procedure after cataract surgery, which is done right in the office.

Since I did not have time to eat lunch before I left for my 2:00 PM appointment, I planned to eat an old-fashioned hamburger and fries at Dot's Diner, pictured below. In fact, after I saw the doctor, I could hardly wait, because the time was around 3:30 PM. My mouth watered as I approached the diner.



When I arrived at Dot's, a sign was posted on the door saying that the diner would be closed tomorrow (today) because Disney would be filming there. The cook at Dot's will play the cook in the film. She could not remember the name of the movie, but I found the title, "From the Rough", at the website of New Orleans Office of Film & Video.

Anyway, about the hamburger and fries, "Mmm mmm good!"

Oh, and, "All's well that ends well."

Off topic: Did you know that the phrase above was a proverb before Shakespeare used the words in his play?

"John Heywood included it in A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546:

Lovers live by love, ye as larkes live by leekes
Saied this Ales, muche more then halfe in mockage.
Tushe (quoth mine aunte) these lovers in dotage
Thinke the ground beare them not, but wed of corage
They must in all haste, though a leafe of borage
Might by all the substance that they can fell.
Well aunt (quoth Ales) all is well that endes well."

CRISIS AT THE PALACE!

From the The Telegraph:

Malvern Water has been the choice of the Royal Family for more than 400 years after Queen Elizabeth I first drank it in the 16th century.

Queen Victoria refused to travel without the spring water and the current Queen orders gallons of it whenever she travels abroad.

But Coca-Cola, which produces the drink, are halting production at the end of next month after being squeezed out of the market by cheaper rivals.

They also claim the size of the factory in Malvern, Worcs., is too small to compete with larger brands such as Evian and Highland Spring.

Coca-Cola have now decided to sell off the site as luxury housing and make the 17 workers who produce the water redundant.

The decision has shocked residents living near the Colwall plant in the town where the water has been drank since 1558.

Paul Tuthill, a district councillor and chairman of Malvern Town Council, said: "This is a great shock.

"What is the Queen going to do about her water because she always drank Malvern Water?

"I think Coca-Cola ought to offer it for sale to local entrepreneurs to take it over rather than just sell the site for high value housing."

I expect the Queen will manage, but I'm sorry for the workers who will lose their jobs. And why not offer to sell the plant to local business people who might keep Malvern water flowing? I can guess. Coca-Cola will make a lot more money by selling off the property to developers of luxury housing.

Since the days of Elizabeth I, the water is reported to have curative qualities. Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin agreed and claimed to have been cured by drinking the water.

Thanks to Lapin for the link and the title of the post.

A LITTLE ECUMENICAL HUMOR...

A pastor's wife was expecting a baby, so he stood before the congregation and asked for a raise. After much discussion, they passed a rule that whenever the preacher's family expanded, so would his paycheck.

After 6 children, this started to get expensive and the congregation decided to hold another meeting to discuss the preacher's expanding salary.. A great deal of yelling and inner bickering ensued, as to how much the clergyman's additional children were costing the church, and how much more it could potentially cost.

After listening to them for about an hour, the pastor rose from his chair and spoke, 'Children are a gift from God, and we will take as many gifts as He gives us. Silence fell on the congregation.

In the back pew, a little old lady struggled to stand, and finally said in her frail voice, 'Rain is also a gift from God, but when we get too much of it, we wear rubbers.'

The entire congregation said, 'Amen.'

Don't blame me. Blame Paul the BB's friend, Kathy. No, not that Cathy...Kathy with a "K". Paul is naughty, and, of course, his friends are naughty, and see what they make me do? I couldn't help myself. It was two against one.

OCT. 20: WEAR PURPLE FOR THOSE LOST

On October 20th, 2010, we will wear purple in honor of the 6 gay boys who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse in their homes and at their schools. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality. Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and schools. RIP Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Seth Walsh, Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase and Billy Lucas. You are loved.

Posted by IT at The Friends of Jake.

GOOD-BYE TO BECKY

Tomorrow afternoon, Roger (Lapinbizarre) and Becky will say good-bye to each other.

From Roger:

Just off the phone with the vet's office. Have bitten the bullet and am taking Becky in at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. She hasn't eaten for two days and has only eaten spasmodically for the past week. Far thinner now, with bones protruding all over the place. I know more about the articulation of the collar bones and hips of a moving quadruped than I ever wanted to learn under these conditions. She drinks still and still does her walks, looking for kitties in all the usual places, but slower every day, so there's life in the old girl yet (Archie!). I don't believe that I'm doing her any great favours keeping her alive, but between guilt at killing something that depends on me this deeply; love of her, and the formed by her still-continuing deep affection for me, I'm quite unhappy about it.

In May 2008, I posted the story of how Becky came to live with Roger, followed by the sad news a short time later that Becky had lung cancer. The good news is that, although at the time of diagnosis Becky was given only a few months to live, she and Roger had far more time together than anyone expected - two and a half years.

Pilgrim God
who journeys with us
through the joys and shadows
of this world

be with us
in our sorrow
and feel our pain;

help us to accept
the mystery of death
without bitterness
but with hope.

Among the shadows
of this world,
amid the turmoil of life
and the fear of death

you stand alongside us,
always blessing, always giving
arms always outstretched.

For this we know:
every living thing is yours
and returns to you.

As we ponder this mystery
we give you thanks
for the life of Becky
and we now commit her
into your loving hands.

Gentle God:
fragile is your world,
delicate are your creatures,
and costly is your love
which bears and redeems us all.
Amen.

Andrew Linzey, Animal Rites: Liturgies of Animal Care.

Pray for Becky and Roger.

UPDATE: Do you believe in the power of prayer? Here's the latest update on Becky from Roger:

Maybe your powerful prayer is working. She was wretched and panting all night, but this morning she perked up when I dressed and was ready, tail wagging, to walk. I decided to take her, gently, to the dog park for one last time. Out there she showed a fair amount of her old spirit and activity, and when she tired she sat by me, gazing up. A couple of old dog hands out there - one a professional breeder for 30 years - said "That dog's not ready to go yet". Brought her home, weary, and she headed for that back gate, wanting another walk. Upstairs, she turned up her nose at liver, yet again, but, to my surprise, scarfed down a couple of sausages (Italian; mild; onion), followed by a pound of raw ground beef. So I called the vet's office, who also said "she's not ready yet, we'll cancel".

So there we are. She's pulled another, albeit short-term, of her Lazarus jobs.

Lying peacefully, apparently contentedly, at my feet, as I write.

I don't know what to say, except that Becky is God's miracle dog.