Torture

I read this article today—after watching this video—and the thought struck me that for all our self–flagellation in the US press over the torture that occurred at Abu Ghraib Prison at the hands of US troops, we don't really have any sense of what torture is. There are many places in this world where imprisonment means a life of bitter torture—not just extreme humiliation.

Of course, neither is right. I am not excusing what happened at Abu Ghraib. However, there are people in prison today throughout Near-, Middle- and Far-Eastern lands who are suffering not because they attempted to hurt others, but because they dared to ask questions or to believe that God exists and reigns above all earthly masters.

Michael Medved once wrote that "America is bizarrely blessed." I concur that it has been. However, both the article and video unmask what can happen when a country sheds the conviction of 'old fashioned' ideals—such as a belief in absolute truth, a sense of right and wrong, honesty as a virtue, and acknowledgment of a loving God who sees all, who knows all, and who is over all.

As we cede the compass of our nation over to those who do not agree with the principles upon which it was founded, I think we must make a close inspection of those nations which have attempted to deny God altogether and replace Him with an alternate supreme ruler or political party.

Think it sounds like an unrealistic and remote possibility here in the freest nation on earth?

Don't count on it.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

...at long last!


"Two army officers from the Middle East stood at the altar of a church with their arms raised to heaven. Tears streaming, each began a simple walk with their new friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. The path would lead one to presumed martyrdom, and both to new life.

It happened in San Antonio, Texas...."



Read the whole thing here. I am so relieved it's DONE!

And the Winner is...

...Bug-Eyed Bob.

We also had a lot of votes over at a message board I frequent. My favorite vote was this one:

I feel very badly for half-eaten Harry because he's gotten no votes at all and he is obviously a true victim of someone's lack of pancake control. Since we can't judge a book by its cover, I don't feel that we can judge him by his outward appearance. Furthermore, he must be the tastiest one of all. So Harry, you have my vote!

My second favorite comment was this one:

....my dh [dear husband's] name is Bob, looks just like him.

But the one *I* like best is Curly Chris because he's such a cheerful little person, just like the sweetie who made him.

Thanks for your participation!

A Contest!

To celebrate the fact that I finally finished a project I worked on for two and a half YEARS...
and to celebrate the fact that because I finished that project, my self-imposed blogging exhile is over...
and to celebrate the fact that we endured some incredibly dicey storms and lived to tell about it....
and to celebrate the fact that in the meantime, Lucy had a birthday...
and to fulfill a promise I made to Lucy on said birthday...

I hereby invite you to judge a contest we had in honor of little miss turning a whopping eight years old. We agreed that we'd let you choose the winner of the birthday pancake contest and duly abide by whatever you decide.

Here goes:

Our first entry is Half-Eaten Harry. The creator of Half-Eaten Harry got a little hungry before someone remembered the camera.


Our next entrant is Curly Chris.


And finally, here's Bug-Eyed Bob.


Ready, steady, go!

Do You Want to Be an Ac-TOR?

Well, my kids don't. But they read decently, so they were tapped to be narrators in a play about Esther recently put on at church. You can watch it here, on Rebecca's blog. Her kids had three major parts, and mine did the reading.

Be sure to turn off her music application in the side bar.... Enjoy!

To Be Absent From the Body

Joyce Olivia Young Shelby, March 17, 1947—March 19, 2009

When my son was born, she held him before I did.
My daughter bears her name, J-O-Y.
She loved me through the toughest season of my life.
Without her, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

She was unflinchingly honest,
elaborately generous,
unfailingly gracious.
She kept her word.

She loved with her actions and her prayers.

Her last status update on Facebook read, in part, “ I may be leaving you very soon.”

Too soon.

She was our spiritual mom and godmother, mothering us over the miles and though heartaches.

She ended nearly every conversation by reminding me that Jesus was coming back soon, saying “Tonight would be good.”

She is missed, but not for long.

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

She lived her life “present with the Lord,” and we are better for it.

We interrupt our silence...

Life has been a little hectic lately, what with ice storms, power outages and so forth. I have a back log of things I want to blog about, but all that will wait for another day.

Today, I want to introduce you to the prayer wheel tool I use to keep myself on track during my quiet time. It's very simple, just a reminder of twelve things or ways to pray every day. I don't know who came up with it—my pastor gave it to me and I use it gratefully. I have a notebook handy for what hits me from my reading and prayer. I also tuck in a piece of scrap paper, and if I get knocked off my concentration by things I need to do that day, I just jot them down and move on. I've been practicing this for nearly two months on a more and more regular basis, and I thoroughly enjoy the effect it's had on my life.

As a bonus, you get all the references I looked up and scribbled into my notebook, plus a peek at my high tech methods. *grin* I hope it helps someone!

This was never intended to be a political blog.

However, I have two things to share.

The first is this article by Gerald Warner in the UK Daily Telegraph.

The second, I will blog about later in the week—after I snap a photo of the spectacle.

*sigh*

She Who Would Valiant Be

(A Hymn for Rebecca by John Bunyan, 1684)

He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound—his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.

Note to self.

When performing science experiments, it is important to keep up with them.

...or...

Seeds do not sprout unless they stay moist. For days. On end.

...or...

Dried out paper towels are not conducive to studying much of anything.

An atheist Speaks Truth.

This Times (of London) article is an interesting read about missions work in Africa. I'm posting it here courtesy of Zero Updates, who posted in on FaceBook but not on his blog.