Christmas silliness annual rant. . .

I just heard that some public building in some state (great info, huh?!) put out a Nativity scene, so atheists got together and put out something about "There are no gods, angels, blah blah, something about religion is myth and imprisons your brain....blah blah." I forget what it said, but it was presented as a statement of fact, and I don't know if they "signed" their creation or not.

I have a solution to all of this. Stop Christmas. Yeah, that's what I said. Stop it. It's too commercial, anyway. Stop the weeks off from school; stop the days off from work. Our holy day isn't getting any respect. SO, only Christians get Christmas Eve and Christmas day off. No atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pokemon, or anyone but Christians. Period. OOh, ooh, and Good Friday, too.

How's that?

No class

Since Obama's victory, we have all been lectured about "getting along" and not being divisive, etc. This stupid woman had an extraordinary chance to do an ornament for the White House Christmas tree and chose to turn it into a political statement. She doesn't even like Christmas. She should have declined.

I hate to give her press here, but as I said, we're all supposed to join hands and sing Kumbayah now...yet people continue to bash GW. It's over, okay?

If I were chosen to do an ornament for the Obama White House tree, you can bet I'd strive to make it the best one there...with no political agenda.

Another one bites the dust. . .

Just lamenting tonight because, once again, a friend has been harmed by a church. Because she is a woman, she was told that she could not be a candidate for a (volunteer) pastoral care position.
Unbelievable. Then these church "leaders" wonder why their churches are not growing.

Didn't God use Deborah and many other women for His work?

Didn't women walk with Jesus?

Didn't Paul say each person brings gifts to the Church?

Didn't Paul work alongside Phoebe, Priscilla, Chloe, Nympha, Junia?
Doesn't it say that "sons AND daughters" will prophesy?
If God has no problem using women, why should anyone else?

Rough days. . .

Warning: Whining alert! ;-)

The last couple of weeks have been rough. I came down with some kind of virus a week ago Sunday. Chills, fever, extensive muscle pain. I wasn't sure if it was some horrid lupus flare or what. Went to the doctor Tuesday after and got a script for antibiotic "just in case" and ended up taking it. It helped. . . now on probiotics to fix the after effects of antibiotic.

The Wednesday morning after election night we get a call around 2:30 am ---those calls that just about stop your heart. . .it was a life alert company for my brother. He had fallen when going to the bathroom, somehow hit his head against a dining room chair and cut it so severely that he couldn't stop the bleeding. He and I have gone back and forth about him wearing his life alert necklace to bed. He was afraid he'd set it off in his sleep (not gonna happen) so he wasn't wearing it. (What does some stupid sister know?) Therefore, as he was bleeding nearly to death, he had to crawl over to the button station in his living room and hit it to alert the company.

Had he lost consciousness (and given the amount of blood he lost, it's a miracle he didn't) he would have bled to death. I would estimate, from the 'crime' scene, he lost at least 2 pints of blood. . .rapidly. He severed a vein and they had a dickens of a time stopping it in the hospital. We spent a very long 5 hours in ER; me running a fever and looking like hell, and my brother sleeping peacefully as fluids were being pumped into him. So, I finally started to comfortably doze off in his little room as we waited for CT results, my head in my hand, and he yells, "WHAT'S THE MATTER?!?"

So, once again, we battled him to get a script for home health care, and to pay for a private pay "sitter" to stay with him for the time he needed to be watched. They wanted someone with him for 24 hours, expecting me to do so (He was to be awakened every 2 hours all day and night). Hubby nixed that, and the wrestle began. He didn't want to pay someone to stay with him overnight...but I drew a boundary line and he relented. Some of my family think I'm pretty selfish for having boundaries, I think.

I worked at home for the next few days trying to play catch-up and managed to snag a cool mural job. That didn't take very long, and was fun....I was given carte-blanche to "just do it." I loved that.

I subbed today at the school where the student who is emotionally disturbed goes. I had emailed his teacher a few times last week to see if I could come and visit with him at lunch. No responses. Apparently, he was doing okay after a week at a psychiatric hospital after medication adjustments. I showed up for work today expecting to be able to give him a big birthday hug--but he was taken back to the hospital and no one told me. The prognosis isn't good for long term and he may end up in a state hospital indefinitely. He's becoming violent to himself and others.
This hit me hard. The last time he ended up in the hospital was on a day that I had been gone for a week because they had a potential hire for the job I kept subbing for. I showed up that day to fill in and he was...not him....if you know what I mean. Different.
It breaks my heart. I came home and just cried. He hasn't had a chance. His parents are horrible. His only chance has been his grandmother. . .and she has given up.
Would you pray for him? I can't say his name, but God will know who you're praying for. Thanks.

(Yes....it's funny and ironic that I can have such compassion for a near stranger, yet set boundaries and get frustrated with my brother. Jesus said there'd be days like that. . . .)

Damp parades and all that. . .

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama. Your people ran a significant and successful campaign. I will be praying for your safety and wisdom, and your lovely family, every single day. There are calls all over blogdom for prayer and support for our new president. Calls to refrain from speaking ill of him; to believe the best of him. I think that's great.
Did we do the same for President Bush? No. We didn't. Period. Well, except for the crazy, right-winged, religious nut-cases, that is.
The media has changed drastically in the last few decades. I don't know where I'd be had I continued in journalism. There is no objectivity in reporting. Chris Matthews actually came out and said his job was to make Obama a success in the next 4 years. Is that whether O merits that success? Or will we be fed only the successes? Will the Fairness Doctrine, if put through, apply to mainstream media also? At least conservative talk radio is readily identifiable. Mainstream media is adept at its deception.
Back to my prior point: I am ashamed of our country. We present a very poor image to the rest of the world. We blame President Bush for this image, but that's a big fat lie. When a leader disappoints us we start in on him or her and it never stops. The people we elect are bashed and battered and left in the gutter. Heck, if we don't want them elected we're allowed to make continual SNL parodies till some of us want to vomit. I noticed the self-righteous Obama camp never asked SNL to stop mocking Sarah Palin. And, where was the ACLU when Joe Wurzelbacher's privacy rights were being illegally and immorally violated? I know we're all supposed to be in a state of euphoria over the changing of the guard, but, frankly, I'm very worried.
The majority of us have no idea of how our government works, nor do we take part in any kind of service to our country. It's absolutely shameful.
I wrote President Bush a thank you note...a few times. I heard a woman from Canada ask Mike Huckabee why Americans are so cruel to George Bush. She said Canadians love him. Israel loves him. Why don't we? "He's kept you safe," she said. She's right. We've been safe for the last 7 years. All of my soldiers who come back tell me that they are proud of their work in Iraq. It wasn't just George Bush who took us into Iraq.
This article says what I feel: Treatment of President Bush.When Barack Obama makes his mistakes (and he will, just like Bush and the others, and with the help of other leaders) how will he be treated? Well, probably a little better, thanks to Chris Matthews.
Before we try to bless the new administration, I believe we need to repent over the treatment of the last. What are we teaching our next generations?

MY turn

I commented on another blog that I had REALLY McVoted and that I wasn't choosing the lesser of two evils....that I just didn't pick the evil.
Oh, my....
The fact is, that I can have an opinion. I speak only for myself, yet, I've seen many on blogs speak for everyone. And I have not made personal jabs at anyone for their opinions...even though I've taken them.
Or, maybe we're not going to have free speech anymore.
The other morning a news story broke that the Obama camp has frozen out a news station for asking tough questions--she based them on Biden's OWN comments. Biden didn't like her questions and belittled her. How is the most likely coming Obama Administration going to handle tough grilling? Apparently, by attacking and freezing out those who might ask tough questions. Joe the Plumber has been attacked every which way because he had the audacity to ask a question.
Sarah Palin has basically taken all the heat. An effigy of Obama was met with outrage and censorship at a university...one of Palin hanging by the neck was allowed to hang in the interest of free speech. And, the outrage about her clothing. Campaigns can spend their money any way they want. Whether it's on a jet for Obama, or clothing for Palin that she donates. Personally, I find her clothing less of an issue than the company Barack Obama has kept for 2 or more decades. The argument that Jesus hung around with questionable characters falls flat. I don't think there were unrepentant criminals in his posse.
I've taken note that Biden has refrained from speaking much, but when he does, he puts his foot in his mouth...and still nothing happens. I watched Charlie Gibson a couple of times and the sneering in his face and voice when he said, "McCain" was disgusting. As a former journalism major, these guys fall flat on the core of reporting: objectivity.
I've seen McCain accused of fear mongering and anger, with the same behavior by the accusers. I've seen an incredibly condescending Ron Howard video. Must be nice to be a gazillionaire director who can "teach" the ignorant masses to not be afraid of "change." I've seen comments about how stupid people are because they don't agree with the commenter. And this is from people who claim that one man is going to change everything. Human nature will not change. Hate and anger are in abundance in both parties.
I've kept the Madonna "I'm gonna kick Palin's ass" concert video off of here. And Sandra Bernhard's anti-Palin foul-mouthed diatribe off. And the "Sarah Palin is a C...T" t-shirt pictures off.
I do see a dark side to Obama. I hear a lot of "He has inspired ME." or "He has given ME hope." Me, me, me.
And, I can say so. A lot of bloggers don't agree with me. Will we still be friends when this is all over? I can love you and completely disagree with you. The most vocal of you are Obama followers. The least vocal are McCain's.
The trick to keeping an open mind is to make sure it's not so open that the brains fall out.
I can't wait for Wednesday morning.

Who is buying the White House?

Disturbing. Where are those funds from Obama coming from? McCain has full disclosure of his funding. Looks like Hillary may have been the best pick for Democrats.

Here is a little something someone sent to me about McCain's possible character:
McCain's gambling

See why I'm nuts this election season??

I promised myself no YouTube stuff...

Are they saying "Alpha Omega"?!
"Because of Obama" they will succeed?
That is sad, indeed.
(For the record, I don't think this video has been sanctioned by O.)

Sunday morning. . .

I'm back at it and I'm mad. . .as hell

How about when yer face is just being smacked?

I've had to put the last post to the test in the last week.

I emailed a concern to my kid's scout troop, after receiving the last committee meeting minutes with a list of all the boys who could be close to Eagle rank in a "Target Eagle" report. It contained their personal info, rank and badge needs, and time til they turn 18. I responded via email that I had a concern that our troop was treating the Eagle rank as the goal of scouting. The committee chairman emailed back thanking me for reminding us of the aims and methods of scouting and listed those out. Great response, really. I thanked him very much in a final email. I got a couple of emails from parents thanking me for my "appropriate comments" and that this had been a concern of theirs as well.

You wouldn't believe what has ensued. The scoutmaster cornered my husband at the last meeting and confronted him on the email and why his wife was "blasting" the troop. Hubby told him to contact me.

The rank advancement person emailed me, firing questions at me, and telling me he and I disagreed. I responded that it was just a concern, not a personal indictment against anyone--an observation. We've had a couple kids quit scouts because they knew they wouldn't make Eagle, so they quit. I told him that the email that had answered me was great.

Thought that was it. Got an email from the scoutmaster asking why I hadn't contacted him about my "complaint" and "conflict" and the "changes" that I wanted to make. A meeting was required before anything could be settled. He sent a two page letter to the head guy...and in it he stated that he had polled troop members and their parents about the email and their thoughts. He states that no one agrees with me. (I never heard from them) So, basically, he has been hard at work behind my back. I told him I wasn't going to contact him because a meeting wasn't necessary. It was over.

Now, I've gone from being bewildered to absolutely livid about this whole thing. My public email wasn't odd, there have been many emails about concerns....and some have even been kind of ugly and chastising toward one person or another. Believe me folks....there are old scouters on that list and if they had thought I was out of line, I would have been set straight. None of them responded. My hubby stated that when a public email goes out, anyone has the right to publicly respond--as long as it's polite, of course. I've run my email past people I consider as accountability people and to a former director of operations person to see if it was confrontational in nature. Nada. I thought that it was over...and over in a very Scoutly manner when the Committee Chair sent the very nice email back.

So. . .I've been trying very hard not to be angry. It's hard. I'm also discouraged that no one has stood up with me, or even for me. I spoke an opinion...and said it was my 2 cents worth, and I thought it was all handled very nicely in the beginning. My final email to the scoutmaster was one of disbelief that this had been given so much time and energy. I said that I believed that it was taken care of at the very beginning--and that any conflicts that have ensued have been because of what has transpired since then. But because I felt the troop spirit could be hurt, I offered to send a public apology for sending the email.

What else could I do?

When a hand of the Body is smackin' yer face. . .

I was talking with a friend and, earlier this week, with another woman who was hurt by her church. I've walked that walk myself. We all have walked it out with the attitude of forgiveness--understanding that all people are flawed and human and we all seem content at times to stay quiet in that loving place.

However, Jesus got a tad bit riled up a time or two himself, and he had no qualms about speaking the Truth to people who have erred.

Somehow, we always seem to be presented with the same situations over and over again. Why? What are we supposed to do when we hit that brick wall again and again?

What's the definition of insanity? ;-D

I think that it's good to forgive. I think it's good to have patience. I think it's very nice to sacrifice our own feelings if our family, husband, wife, or friends, etc., are all enjoying the experience--in fact, GROWING in the very same church experience that might be hurting us and others.

I don't think it's okay to keep hurting.

I think that we have to walk in the Truth and stop being doormats for the Body. God loves us to serve, like Jesus served, and to be loving and loved, but surely He doesn't want us to be hurt repeatedly.

Therein lies the thing: if we keep walkin' it over and over, what does that mean?

It can mean one of two things:

Maybe WE need to change our actions. Perhaps it is OUR behavior that is causing us to be hurt in the church situation. Is it pride? Is it selfishness or ego? We have to consider this. Then, we have to get right with ourselves and tell it like it is--change our way--being kind to ourselves in the process.

or

If we truly know that it is the church's wrong way of treating folks that is the problem, maybe it means we're supposed to be loving reminders and perhaps, if need be, correctors. There is nothing wrong with stepping up and naming the elephant in the middle of the room. Tell it--kindly and firmly--but tell it if it needs to be told.

Doing so may take more love, wisdom, and guts than sitting back and trying to bite our tongues.
Afraid of being labeled a troublemaker? Hm. Get over it. What crucified fellow was also labeled as such? Speak the Truth, walk the Truth, humbly, kindly, honestly, firmly.

I think we have a responsibility to do so.

Jesus, for all His humility and lovingness, certainly wasn't a pushover. We don't have to be, either.