Monthly Archives: December 2002
Newdow needs a life
Paging Dr. Michael Newdow…
GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You complain about the presence of Congressional chaplains because they “are an endorsement of religion by the government”. Did you ever stop to think that banning them is basically a banning of religion by the government??? Our Congresspeople have the right to seek spiritual guidance and I haven’t heard of any of them objecting to having morning prayer said when Congress is in session.
You complain about the government endorsing religion, which tramples your civil rights. Under your line of reasoning, the government would have to ban religion, which tramples MY civil rights. The phrase is freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.
Sheesh!
Psalm139
Posting inspired by Leenie…
O LORD , you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD .
You hem me in-behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD ,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
–Psalm 139 (NIV)
Thank you, Almighty God, that you know me so intricately and care about my needs and fears. As we celebrate this season of Advent, be with us and show us your presence in the darkness. For, this was the time You chose to send your Son to us. Give us light in the midst of the darkness that surrounds our lives and help us to see Your work, even in the darkest areas of our souls. Help us in times of pain to feel Your comforting hand. Lead us through this time of preparation and dusk to the light of your Son’s birth. We pray in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Friend Test Results
Here are the answers (and explanations) to my Friend Test:
1.) My birthday is May 19th. People either got it straight on or guessed St. Patrick’s Day which is two months too early (and worth no points). I’m still amazed that I didn’t get any people guessing May 18th or May 1st.
2.) I was born in Los Gatos, California. Nobody got this one, though the people who said San Jose got 9 points out of 10 because Los Gatos is a San Jose suburb. Those who said California got 2 points for getting the state right. I’m still amazed at those who answered “Dublin, Ireland” because though I’ve been there (Spring Break 1998), I’ve lived in the U.S. all my life.
3.) My cats’ names are Finian and Cullen. Most people got this. “Cuichlain and Fintain” is close because those are the names that they originated from (which fit the kitties to a T). “Ewok and Pufferpie” are left over from their younger kittenhood, as are “Cat Cat and Puff Puff”.
4.) I am 5’1 normally though I manage to tip the charts at 5’1″ 1/2 on a good day. If you guessed either one, you got all the points. If you added the 1/2 inch to my height, you are automatically endeared to me. Guessing that I was 5’5″ got you 5 points because it’s taller than I am and 4’11” got you 2 points.
5.) My favorite saint is Pelagia the Harlot. Jon and Ellen both got this one (though I’m wondering when I mentioned it). St. Brigid got you 7.5 points because she’s Irish and female. St. Patrick got you 5 points because he’s Irish and Teresa of Avila got you 5 points because she wrote some interesting things. Nobody guessed Padre Pio, which is good because he creeps me out.
6.) My favorite author hands down is Jan Karon. C.S Lewis is a really close second and you got 9.5 points if you guessed him. Phillip Yancey and Lillian Jackson Braun would have netted you 7.5 and 5 points respectively. Nobody guessed Schliermacher which is good. (Bonus points for those who can tell me who he is and why I despise him.)
7.) Everybody got my two favorite colors: forest green and navy blue.
8.) My favorite seasons are Advent, Lent, and Spring. I originally had Advent and Spring down with Lent docking you 2.5 points and then I realized that Lent is on par with Advent. So… Jon and Leenie get 2.5 added back on their score.
9.) My heroes are my mom and my grandfather. Everybody got these two. If I’d had my druthers, Britney Spears would have been worth -100 points, but unfortunately, the lowest point value has to be 0.
10.) “Matrushka Jen” means that I am a pastor’s wife or (in some churches) a vicar’s wife too. I *WISH* it meant that I had some standing in the church but it doesn’t.
The highest score of a person not married to me was Krissy with 96. (Jon or “foxboy” got 99 with the Lent points added back on.) If you got above 50, you know me sort of well. Above 80, you know me pretty well. Above 90, you’re either married to me or you’re someone I’m relatively close to.
OK… now Jen go seep!
The Pics I promised
These are the pics I promised on Wednesday:
The Before Picture
The After Picture
Cullen objecting to being in the after picture
Cullen glaring at me
Finian being a handsome and affectionate beast
It is *NOT* Christmas yet
Last night, Bonnie asked me if I was looking forward to singing Christmas carols at church today. My response: Advent starts tomorrow, not Christmas, so we’ll be singing Advent hymns. It also brought up a very sore subject with a lot of clergy which is… [drumroll] the fact that our society starts Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Hate to break it to y’all but… Christmas doesn’t start until December 25th (or if you do Christmas Eve worship, December 24th). We are now in the season of Advent, which is the liturgical time of preparation before Christmas. Therefore, we do NOT start singing Christmas music until the festival of Christmas starts. This festival, by the way, lasts 12 days until January 6th. This means that there are 12 days of celebrations in the church, not just one. Twelve days when it is liturgically appropriate to sing Christmas music. These 12 days do not start until December 24/25, so please do not ask me how the Christmas music at church is. I will likely end up with steam coming out of my ears. 🙂 Getting me started on the pseudo-Christmas music that is piped into most retail establishments will also not serve to endear you to me.
Dave Barry has some words on Christmas music as well. WARNING: You will laugh.