Monday, March 5, 2012

BLOGGING LESS - PRAYER REQUEST


Due to increased family responsibilities, I've been posting much less lately. I ask your continued prayers for my extended family, children and grandchildren, who are in situations where much prayer is needed for strength and courage under difficult circumstances. These are not situations open to drastic change, only to change for the better in relationships within the constraints of present circumstances. I know you understand why I cannot go into detail, nor can I mention names, but God knows the names and the needs, and I trust that God will hear and respond to our prayers.

Also, I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time on maintenance of my old body, with doctor visits, medical tests, upcoming dental appointments, all crowding in on me in a brief period of time, thus leaving me with less free time to spend online.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who sets us in families: We commend to your continual care the homes in which your people dwell. Put far from them, we ask you, every root of bitterness and the pride of life. Fill them with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness. Knit together in constant affection the members of the families. Turn the hearts of the parents to the children, and the hearts of the children to the parents; and so enkindle fervent charity among us all, that we may evermore be kind and loving one to another; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
(The first prayer is a paraphrase from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church, and the second is a direct quote.)

Image 'borrowed' from my dear friend, Paul the BB.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

WAXING GIBBOUS MOON



The picture shows the moon as it looked when I walked tonight.
Waxing gibbous moon
The words themselves a poem
Turning full moon soon
A repost which I use from time to time when the gibbous moon shines in the night sky.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

STEPHEN COLBERT SAYS...


Stephen Colbert
on Facebook.

WHAT!!!


Oops! When I first glanced at the headline, I thought the cardinal was planning a same-sex marriage. Of course not!

The Telegraph reports:
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, says the proposals to allow same-sex unions are “madness” and a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right”.

The cardinal’s intervention, in an article for The Sunday Telegraph, is the strongest criticism yet from any church figure of the plans, which are due to be unveiled this month by Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister.

He accuses ministers of trying to “redefine reality” and change long-standing laws and traditions “at the behest of a small minority of activists”.
The Roman Catholic hierarchy never gives up in its attempts to interfere in the lives, not only of their own flock, but of everyone. I ask you: Where lies the “madness” and a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right” to be left alone to live a peaceable life with the person you choose? A same-sex marriage causes no harm to anyone, except in the fevered imaginations of people who refuse to occupy their minds with serious problems in the world, such as poverty, umemployment, wars, famine, etc., etc., etc.

MORE CHURCH OF ENGLAND DIOCESES VOTE 'NO' TO THE ANGLICAN COVENANT - (ONE DIOCESE VOTES 'YES')


DIOCESE OF CHELMSFORD:

Bishops - 2 For, 1 Against, 1 Abstain

Clergy - 27 For, 29 Against, 7 Abstain

Laity - 31 For, 30 Against, 3 Abstain


DIOCESE OF HEREFORD:

Bishops - 2 For

Clergy - 15 For, 15 Against, 1 Abstain

Laity - 21 For, 23 Against, 1 Abstain


Defeated in both dioceses.

UPDATE: DIOCESE OF BRADFORD

Bishops - 1 For, 0 Against

Clergy - 15 For, 9 Against, 2 Abstain

Laity - 16 For, 15 Against, 3 Abstain


Passed in the diocese.

The total is now 13 dioceses in the Church of England voting against the covenant and 8 in favor.

MORE BIBLICAL FAR SIDE

 

 

 

Thanks to Suzanne.

BLACK COWS

A political scientist, an engineer, and a mathematician are on a train that has recently entered Denmark.

In Denmark, the first field they see has a herd of black cows. The political scientist says, "Look! The cows in Denmark are black."

The engineer chides him. "You're careless. You should say 'The cows in this particular field in Denmark are black'."

Then the mathematician says, "You're both careless. You should say 'The cows in this particular field in Denmark are black on one side'."
Thanks to BooCat's sister-in-law, who is a mathematician.

TWO STORIES OF THE DAY


BEGINNING

he followed the sun & she followed the
stars & in dreams they listened closely
for the beginning of all things, for that
was where they knew they'd find each
other

BEST OF TIMES

I'd like to leave you with something
valuable, she said. You probably already
have, I said, but we take most of our
lives to remember that, even in the best
of times
From StoryPeople here and here.

Friday, March 2, 2012

TO THE PROVINCES OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION:

"Sign on to the Anglican Covenant, and toe the line, or else."

"Where is the line?"

"We can't answer your question. You will know you've crossed the line when you suffer 'relational consequences'."


Cartoon by MadPriest.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

FURTHER ON THE ANGLICAN COVENANT...


...the Church of England Diocese of Sodor & Man voted 'No'.

The count in the Church of England is now 11 dioceses against the Anglican Covenant and 7 in favor of the covenant.

Tobias Haller
says of the articles in favor of the covenant posted on the Fulcrum website:
Meanwhile the folks at Fulcrum continue to produce articles I can only describe as deeply disingenuous. The most recent continues the gob-smackingly wrong analogy with marriage. How many marriage liturgies do you know that contain explicit language on the procedure to dissolve the marriage? (My emphasis)
I'm thinking...