12/29/2009

Christmas 'Miracle' As Mother, Infant Resuscitated After Showing No Signs Of Life During Labor

DENVER — Mike Hermanstorfer was clutching his pregnant wife's hand when her life slipped away in a Colorado hospital on Christmas Eve, and then he cradled his newborn son's limp body seconds after a medical team delivered the baby by Cesarean section.

Minutes later he saw his son come to life in his arms under the feverish attention of doctors, and soon he learned his wife had inexplicably come back to life.

"My legs went out from underneath me," Hermanstorfer said Tuesday. "I had everything in the world taken from me, and in an hour and a half I had everything given to me."

Click here for the Full Story:

12/28/2009

Another Holy Innocents story - Protesters stopping hanging in Iran on the 22nd

Stunning footage has emerged of protesters in the Iranian city of Sirjan rescuing two men from being hanged by the regime.

The video, uploaded to YouTube on Saturday, shows a brutal clash between Iranian authorities and protesters that was largely overlooked until Gateway Pundit found video footage of it. A Reuters report from last Wednesday stated that security forces "shot dead two gunmen" in the melee that followed the rescue, but, as Jim Hoft points out at Gateway Pundit, "the only ones with guns in the video are the regime thugs."

full article and video:

more The Holy Innocents

As big boys and nations play at war, the children are always the victims

full story:

At least 10 Afghan civilians, mostly school children, have been killed in military operations by international forces in the east of the country, the office of Hamid Karzai, the president, has said.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday in a remote part of Kunar province on the border with Pakistan, the statement added.

"Initial reports indicate that in a series of operations by international forces in Kunar province... 10 civilians, eight of them school students, have been killed," the statement from Karzai's office said on Monday.

"It is a very rugged area, we cannot go there because of the presence of the Taliban," Sayed Fazlullah Wahedi, the Kunar state governor, said.

Karzai's office said that it would hold an investigation into the incident.

Nato-led forces, who are fighting Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in the country, said they would also look into the incident.

International forces have been in Afghanistan since a 2001 invasion by the US to remove the Taliban from power.

The Holy Innocents

This day, the 28th, let us remember all the holy innocents and how with aid of more than $7 million a day, we could stop this if we wished.

full article from Al Jazeera:

Israel housing ministry has approved plans to build almost 700 new apartments in three Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem.

Palestinian officials as well as the United States were quick to condemn Monday's move as incompatible with efforts to restart the stalled peace process.

"The Palestinian Authority strongly condemns the new decision to build in east Jerusalem and wonders whether there is a freeze of settlement activity or an intensification of it," Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said.

"The American administration needs to realise that the policies of the Israeli government embody settlements and not peace and that their choice is settlements and not peace."

The White House called for Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and for Israel to halt the construction of new homes.

"The United States opposes new Israeli construction in East Jerusalem," Robert Gibbs, a White House spokesman, said in a statement.

Israel plans settlement expansion (from Jerusalem Post) full story:

Israel housing ministry has approved plans to build almost 700 new apartments in three Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem.

Palestinian officials as well as the United States were quick to condemn Monday's move as incompatible with efforts to restart the stalled peace process.

"The Palestinian Authority strongly condemns the new decision to build in east Jerusalem and wonders whether there is a freeze of settlement activity or an intensification of it," Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said.

"The American administration needs to realise that the policies of the Israeli government embody settlements and not peace and that their choice is settlements and not peace."

The White House called for Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and for Israel to halt the construction of new homes.

"The United States opposes new Israeli construction in East Jerusalem," Robert Gibbs, a White House spokesman, said in a statement.

"The United States opposes new Israeli construction in east Jerusalem," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement, calling the city a "permanent status issue" to be resolved through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

"Neither party should engage in efforts or take actions that could unilaterally pre-empt, or appear to pre-empt, negotiations," he said. "Rather, both parties should return to negotiations without preconditions as soon as possible."

A State Department official told The Jerusalem Post that Israel had informed the Americans of the move ahead of its announcement, and that Washington had conveyed its displeasure at the decision.

Epiphany


Matthew 2:1-12

For those who know these things
who study the signs
---- that they might know
what is
---- and is to come
Yes
---- even they
---- who could see the handwriting in the stars
Came
---- in search of the one foretold
---- the one who would make
---- all the searching
-------- yearning
------------ seeing
---- complete
The Heavens told them
This was the Messiah
---- the Christ
-------- the Prince of Peace
In a world longing so
------------------ for Peace
This was to be the one
Who would make all the Herods
---- in their quest for
-------- Peace
-------- (Law and Order at any Cost)
-------- and Tranquility
-------- (Change must not come too quickly
--------------------------------------- and upset
-------- the systems that fill my pockets)
lords
---- of only kingdoms
granted them in this world
-------- by the people
------------who wish to have security
------------ made up of the
------------------------------ bits
--------------------------------- and
-------------------------------------- pieces
-------------------------------------------- of
------------------------------------------------- human
------------------- Destruction
Into this came
-------------- and comes
the Kingdom
----- of the one who brings Peace
-------------------------- Shalom
-------------- even to the Herods
This Messiah
----- Born under the star
was here
Breaking into all the might
---------------------------- wisdom
----------------------------------- Power
---------- of this world
--------- with the seemingly helpless
--------------------------------------------- cry
--------------------------------------------------of a baby



the picture is my grandson Brian at birth, he is now a healthy 2 1/2 year old.

2nd Sunday after Christmas


John 1:1-18

before all time and being
before the light and darkness
was the God of creation
---- the Alpha
before all worlds
---- and Omega
once again in the timelessness of god
who for a brief moment
-------- in this place
-------- this time
Lived among us
the Word and the work of God
uniting
again and always
the Creator and the Creation
the Word and the Work
in one
the Christ
Emmanuel

the farm

Sunday, January 3rd, Jeremiah 31: 8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return. 9 They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel's father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son. My father told each of us children that we could have the farm, but only after we went out into the world, got an education and if we decided we wanted the farm, we could have it. What he did not want was for any of us to just fall into farming because that was what we grew up doing. If we didn’t want the farm, we were to move some place interesting so he could come and visit. We all went our separate ways and eventually the farm was sold. My parents visited family in Minneapolis, Maine, Mississippi, Panama, New Hampshire, New York and Alaska before they passed away. The farm was converted back to the Pecatonica wetlands from which it started. Coming home is not always a place, sometimes it is an idea or a lifestyle. Dad was a farmer, but what he loved was travel, meeting new people and philosophy. As he sent us out in freedom and then came to see us, Dad is the one who came home. As God sends us out in freedom and then comes to visit us in our lives, home is found once more.

return

Monday, January 4th, Jeremiah 31: 12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD— the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. 13 Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. When you return home, there is just something about the joy, not always shown, in your heart. We just had our Christmas Eve service, lots of people. The church was filled not so much with new faces as with returning and rarely seen faces. There is something about Christmas that calls one to return to home base. They find comfort, hope, familiarity, and hopefully, some sense of where home is. They don’t always, and sometimes never, return. For some that once a year is all the home they can take, too many issues to deal with. For others what is important is finding an open door and an invitation, to which some day they will respond. Until then, we look forward to the day they will come in the door of our churches dancing and shouting for joy.

home is where the heart is

Tuesday, January 5th, Ephesians 1: 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Home is where the heart is goes the song from Peter, Paul and the late Mary. Our heart was created by and for God. God’s predetermined plan, from before time, is that Christ would come and save the world. Some teach that our sin can stand in the way, and it saddens me to hear that. I believe that God’s love is greater than our sin and in the end, God will win, and therefore so will we. Ours is not to worry about gaining salvation, but rather, how to live as the called and sanctified people of God.

Epiphany

Wednesday, January 6th, Ephesians 1: 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Today is the day of Epiphany, a day to celebrate the revealing of who Jesus is. It is fitting that today’s text talks of our being predestined. It is through Jesus that we are predestined to be the children of God. And there is nothing that can stand between us and the love of God in Christ Jesus, not our sin, not our guilt, not our control issues, no our rejection, not even the worst we can through at God, our apathy. We will be with God, period. As the light returns to the north country, the question is, are you going to walk in the light or stumble in the darkness until that day?

darkness

Thursday, January 7th, John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. In the beginning was God. God loves us, created us, and calls us to live as the children of God. We don’t always get it, we live in the darkness. Sometimes in our lives the light just seems a bit strange, a bit bright, but once our eyes and heart get used to it, the light seems good. All was made through God, and that includes you and I. All is loved by God and that includes you and I. All is saved by God and that includes you and I. So the question is not are you saved, but rather, now that you are saved what are you going to do? My suggestion is to go with the flow and live as a child of God. If you think you know what that means, you still don’t understand.

full of grace and truth

Friday, January 8th, John 1:14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. January 6th is the day of Epiphany, the revealing of who Christ is. Every day is the revealing of who God is. When Jesus is revealed, God is revealed. All we need to know about God is revealed in Jesus. Heal the sick, feed the poor, that what you do onto the least you do onto me, who is my neighbor – the one to whom you act as a neighbor which should include the whole world, love your enemy, forgive and forgive and forgive – all God shining through. Now the ball is in your court, how are you going to live?

roomates

Saturday, January 9th, John 1: 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only who is at the Father's side, has made him known. Even the law was an act of grace, although we do tend to point our fingers at others and try to use it as a club, but it was grace. Hints of how to live as a child of God. Step one however is to recognize that you are a child of God. Until you get that down, you are just playing. When you get Jesus, when you get grace, you get God. All the rule and guilt pushers are simply pimping their own cause, in the end even they are saved although it may take a few millennia to get used to their roommates.

12/24/2009

Bethlehem Christmas Blues


A brief look at Bethlehem this Christmas from Al Jazeera

Bethlehem Christmas Blues


A Christmas article from Jerusalem Post

from Santa to Sanballat


and from the Daily Star

a Lebanese Christmas Carol


Next year, may God's Grace break through the walls, fears and hatred that separate us and truly bring a blessed Christmas to the Middle East.

Merry Christmas to all.

12/23/2009

O Holy Night

For those wondering why "O Holy Night" is not included in Lutheran Hymnals, I received the following answer from Augsburg Fortress Press. Sounds good, but considering some of the hymns that are in Lutheran hymnals, particularly some of the liturgy's, I am not sure I buy it. What are your thoughts?

Thanks for contacting us. The reason O Holy Night is omitted from most denominational hymnals is musical and not theological. The piece has a rather wide melodic range, including the very high and sustained note on “divine” toward the end. Such high sustained singing and wide range make the piece very lovely indeed, but really not very well suited to congregational singing. Most hymns have a range of not much more than an octave and the best hymns also keep rhythms fairly simple as well. This makes learning the hymns easier for the average person in the assembly and means that more people join in the singing of new hymns sooner. In the case of O Holy Night, which is a famous work, familiarity is not really the issue, rather the issue is that the range from highest to lowest note is simply too wide, and the high notes need to be held too long, to lend itself well to comfortable congregational singing.

Thanks again for the email. If you have other questions do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours,

Michael Moore | Customer Care Permissions Administrator

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Youtube Christmas in Bethlehem

12/21/2009

Who are they working for??

Investors are seeing the Senate's version of health care reform as a massive public subsidy for insurance companies -- and as a result, are sending the sector's stock prices shooting up, up, up. Stripped of a government-run insurance plan, the bill would give tens of millions of Americans no option but to start paying hefty premiums to private companies.

The rise in stock prices has been particularly striking in the period since Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said on October 27 that he would filibuster a Senate health care reform bill if it included a public option - a threat that caused Senate leaders to cave without much of a fight.

Here's a quick breakdown of major health insurance company stock performance from Oct. 27 to Friday's market close:

* Coventry Health Care, Inc. is up 31.6 percent;

* CIGNA Corp. is up 29.1 percent;

* Aetna Inc. is up 27.1 percent;

* WellPoint, Inc. is up 26.6 percent;

* UnitedHealth Group Inc. is up 20.5 percent;

* And Humana Inc. is up 13.6 percent.

The Name of Jesus


Luke 2:21

Sally, Joe, Abdul, Rebecca and Juan
all names
all given to the ones new born
on their day
Names
that in time invoke an image
of who they are
and what they have done
in this world
Names
that speak of love
----------------- hate
----------------- worry and fear
Names that speak of a promise spoken
I will be your God
and you will be my people
Names like any other names
yet special
because of who they speak of
before time
one name was given
a name of love
a name of change
a name of hope
and at the sound of this name every knee shall bow
that name
Jesus
like another name
except
it changed who we
and
the Sallys, Joes, Abduls, Rebeccas and Juans
of this world
will forever be,
the children of God

New Years Eve


Matthew 25:31- 46
The Sheep and the Goats

In the silence of the evening
Just before blessed sleep brings peace
The tomorrow plan begins
Mental notes
To do’s and timing
(when)
That fill the day
Bring that outgrown kids clothes to that lady at work
Struggling
Single
Three kids
And a nice card for what’s her names birthday
(did I see you)
Pick up some cans for the food drive
(hungry)
At church
And write the letter to the editor
(in prison)
On eliminating the death penalty
During my lunch
Sarah looked a bit down on Sunday
Tough times going through a divorce
Perhaps we could have her over for dinner
(a stranger)
I’ll give her a call tomorrow

Blessed be the lives too filled with grace
To notice

The Holy Innocents


Matthew 2:13-18

Among the Pure and Innocent Cries
of a Newborn Child
Come the shrill reminders
of a world
---- and systems
far from that touch of life
a child brings
Far from
the trusting eyes
of love
that want only someone to show caring
Far from this
lies
our world
of agendas
and power and money
shock and awe
collateral damage
and the bleeding, smoldering bodies
of someone else’s child
and the nations play the game
of vying for position
to make the world a better place
through the moans of death
and lifeless bodies
that are the victims of
what we claim
is a better world
Hear that cry
so pure and innocent
of a newborn child
and remember
what power and ambition and money
disguised as caring and freedom
can do

St. John, Apostle & Evangelist


John 21:20-25

Come shine
---- like the rays of hope
---- dancing across the dusty floor
Come shine
---- in a world sometimes devoid
---- of the light
---- that brings new life
Come shine
---- into the lives of the many
---- who live their lives
---- waiting for that something more
Come shine
---- and let the world know
---- life is now
--------- life is here
Proclaimed by the one Jesus loved
From before time
Come shine
---- and live into
---- God’s love
for the sake of the world God so loved

The Naked Pastor

The graphics listed below all come from the Naked Pastor. Go to his web site and if you like his stuff, buy him a beer.
http://www.nakedpastor.com/

All of Creation


Sunday December 27th, Psalm 148: Shout praises to the LORD! Shout the LORD's praises in the highest heavens. All of you angels, and all who serve him above, come and offer praise. Sun and moon, and all of you bright stars, come and offer praise. Highest heavens, and the water above the highest heavens, come and offer praise. Let all things praise the name of the LORD, because they were created at his command. All of creation, all of God’s handiwork, all of the quarks and dark matter, your mother and father, your children born and the great great ones you will never see, all this and more (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/17/tour-of-the-known-univers_n_396287.html) is the handiwork of the Lord. Sometimes it is easy to forget that. The human original sin of self-centeredness and wanting to be god with a little “g” always brings us back to ourselves. We are the center of the Lord’s handiwork, we are the center of all people, we are the center of all creation. It feels good for a moment, but it is wrong. The Lord created all creation and said it was good. Our job is to help keep it good.

Copenhagen


Monday December 28th, Psalm 148: The Lord made them to last forever, and nothing can change what he has done. All creatures on earth, you obey his commands, so come praise the LORD! Sea monsters and the deep sea, fire and hail, snow and frost, and every stormy wind, come praise the LORD! All mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, every wild and tame animal, all reptiles and birds, come praise the LORD! Every king and every ruler, all nations on earth, every man and every woman, young people and old, come praise the LORD! All creation, come praise the name of the LORD. When we look at the endangered species list, or the list of the many forms of life that are no longer endangered because they no longer exist, we can only imagine the sadness of the Lord who created them and called them good. I know some are natural changes; life would be a bit difficult with T-Rex running around. But let’s get real, the Dodo bird never hurt anyone. Maybe the compromises in Copenhagen seem like good logical compromises between and our economy and God’s creation, but then again maybe we are just using our economy the same way the people used the golden calf while Moses was up on the mountain, our attempt once again to stick out head in the sand and pretend that Our world as we have created it will be just fine. Perhaps our sin, our idolatry, is thinking that that our economy is more important than some life form we have learned to exploit yet. Perhaps it exists only because God wants it that way, and that should be good enough. The Palins of the world point to the snow in Anchorage as proof that there is no global warming. They point to emails contemplating some trick that will help non-scientists understand the scientific explanations as scientists trying to trick the rest of the world. In the meantime profits and pollution both flow upward and kill the rest of us little by little. God looks at what we have done and does not call it good.

clothe yourselves with compassion


Tuesday December 29th, Colossians 3: 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. As we move into a New Year and a new decade, let us, as the children of God, try to live by this simple phrase. Clothe yourselves with compassion for those in need, kindness to others, humility in how you see yourself and gentleness and patience in your dealing with one another. Be forgiving always as God has forgiven you, for the lack of such virtues is the source of war and killing. Concern yourself less with what the other has done wrong and more with what you can do better and surround everything in life with love.

one body


Wednesday December 30th, Colossians 3: 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Imagine that!!! Since we are members of one body, we are called to live in peace. A building divided cannot stand, a nation divided cannot stand, and a world divided does not do so well either. One of the issues to deal with when one has had a transplant is rejection, if the body rejects the new part, depending on the part, it could lead to death. When the body fights against itself, death is the result. The same is true for the body of Christ, you and I and the people we don’t like in this world. Peace is what we are called to seek as the body of Christ. Often we try to do this by narrowing the definition of what the body of Christ is, our church, our religion, our faith, our neighborhood, city, county, state or nation. Jesus kept pushing the boundaries of the body of Christ outward with stories like the Good Samaritan or the Sheep and Goats, and questions like which one acted like a neighbor thereby putting the ownership of a limited view on us and not “them.” This New Year and decade, let us more toward Peace in the expanded view of Christ, the one that contains no “them.” And remember that every time you draw a line in the sand….. Jesus is on the other side.

custom


Thursday December 31st, Luke 2: 41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. We have just moved through the Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas and tonight, New Years. The days are getting longer and soon we will be moving into the Lent, Spring Break, Holy Week, Easter and then Pentecost. What customs do you or your family have for these seasons? Do they include worship? There are so many I only see at worship on Christmas and Easter, the CEO’s or Christmas and Easter onlys. It would be easy to be critical, and yet there is something there in the back of their minds, something that compels them to at least make the connection on these special occasions. Who knows how God is working in them. Perhaps the reason they don’t come more often is they don’t feel welcome because someone is always saying, I don’t see you very often, instead of simply welcoming them. Who knows when or if their worship life as a family will expand into something more often. But for Jesus and his family, worship was their “custom.” This new year, make it more of your custom also.

Where else would I be


Friday January 1st, Luke 2: 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." Even Mary and Joseph wanted to keep a bit of a lid on Jesus’ spirituality. It is no surprise to me when I find that it is the kids that are the ones that encourage their parents to go to worship more often than it is the parents that encourage the kids to go to worship. In the area of Christian Education it is the kids that set the attendance records. The common custom for many is to drop off the kids and go get a cup of coffee, or some shopping, or some other urgent task. The trouble is that customs are often handed down. The kids are not learning the custom of going to church, they are learning that when they are older they don’t attend Christian Education classes. It turns the whole experience from a “get to” to a “have to” thing. This new year, treat your children to the gift of “get to” rather than the burden of “have to.” Let God work in their hearts, and yours, without the interference.

Don't sleep through life


Saturday January 2nd, Luke 2: 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Moving religion from an external to an internal thing, takes more than just telling your children, it takes showing them. This new year, show them that it is never too late to internalize that gracious gift of God’s grace into your lives. Give yourselves and your children the gift of knowing God’s grace right down in depths of your toes. Why are your searching for me, where else would I be?

St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr


Matthew 23:34-39

Standing among the fear filled stones
flung
in a desperate attempt to silence
the message
------ alive
---------- They (we) Killed Him
Killed him in fear
of what could
---------- (would)
-------------- be
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
killing the prophets all the day
Do you not hear
Do you not see
The battle fought for so long
is over
The fear felt for son long
has no foundation
Hear the story
------ of the Christ
spoken on the lips
of the servants
---- who carry the message
---- Christ is risen
---- fear no more

Christmas Day


John 1:1-14

In the darkness of the eternal night
in an emptiness of void
burst forth the light
upon all that was not
and became life
and all that was
is
and will be
and there was
at this before time and place
Love
created in its own
a universe
born of its word
and living in the light of
this love
exploding onto the nothingness of all
the joy
color
laughter
song
that in the untouched reaches of our memory
still sing
hammered and molded into a world
full of need
and yet longing for that love
kindled in the sweet lullaby
of a mother
in a far off forgotten place
singing
from the untouched reaches of our memory
to the light
created anew
from before all time and place
in the helpless innocence
of this
(Emmanuel)
child

The Nativity of our Lord


Luke 2:1-20

Praise to the Lord on High
who is born
among us
A child helpless and wrapped
in the loving embrace of newness
Glory to God in the Highest
with the Praise going to all the earth
and from all of creation
That we may rejoice
not in greatness
------ far off there
by here
------ among us
The Lord God who created all
come as one for us all
The Birth of the Christ Child has come
The Birth of the Messiah
who will
lead the people
You and I
on to love
------ (Victory over death)
on to life
as the one laying here
so innocent
Feel the shadow of the cross
in the night
The angels know
and sing of this one
so innocent
who will save us all

12/19/2009

Being 'party of no' is a no-win for GOP

From
For reasons that seem less than compelling, national Republicans have zeroed in on opposition to universal health care as the make-or-break issue for the elections of 2010 and as preface to the 2012 effort to make Obama a one-term president. Sen. Murkowski and Congressman Young have both cheerfully lined up "on message," with virtually all Republican incumbents under orchestration by the party Poo Bahs.

The Republican party began to lose its way when, concerned over democratic hegemony in the Johnson years, it started recruiting to its flag a spectrum of the public not normally engaged in politics, those who are "agin the government" on principle. People whose life circumstances have dealt them hardship and bad luck are vulnerable to demagoguery and the politics of hate. This anger has coalesced around the "talk radio" hosts of the Far Right. No Republican dares criticize them. They have a lien, if they have not fully captured the party.

From the perspective of those who hold signs reading "Don't let them take away our freedom," support of a government- sponsored health program is anathema -- as is any federal program. Though only 15 percent to 20 percent of the general public is so minded, within the Republican party that doubles, a force that can bring down any party leader failing to toe the line. Their fervor has shifted uneasy constituencies, normally Republican, like high-tech business and finance, to the Democrats.

Being "the party of no" on health care is ultimately a no-win strategy for Republicans. Let's suppose the "worst-case" scenario for the Democrats. The Republicans are able to hold 41 votes in the Senate and thus kill the health bill. Is that the worst case for the Democrats or the Republicans?

Why is this so? What justification for this passion? Why in Alaska, where most already enjoy the protection of a government managed or guaranteed program?

The rest of the Western world sponsors universal health care as a basic human right. The current effort is no radical departure. It is playing catch-up on a situation of national embarrassment.

There is grumbling about cost, but costs seem unreasonably high largely because we already pay for those without coverage anyway, through the emergency room, and because the industry treats health care as a profitable commodity. You pay for those TV drug ads. The overhead is killing us financially, as lack of care is killing thousands whose only access to health care is the ER.

Republicans are in such a stew because their party is coming apart just as the Democrats revisit this century-old issue whose time has come. Parties collapse rarely, but collapse and creative realignment are not unknown in American history.

Republican officeholders are less concerned about defeat by a Democrat in a general election than they are about the possibility of a primary challenge or that hard-core constituents will stay home, giving the seat to a Democrat.

As a consequence, tens of millions of Americans will still lack fundamental health care, with the numbers growing by hundreds of thousands a month. Congressional Republicans, protest this point as they might, never offered a coherent alternative. The core constituency would have eviscerated anyone who offered an alternative since their basic position is "we don't want the government ('them') involved."

A win for universal health care gives Republicans some breathing room in 2010 because, in such complex legislation, there are always things that need fixing, justifying an "I-told-you-so" attitude. But if you are coming up for election in 2012, you are just one of those who opposed a basic national need, by then fulfilled. How do you wiggle around that?

As the Republican Party is marginalized and regionalized, the Democrats will eventually find their tent too big. Expect a huge struggle as Obama's second term ends and the possibility of a split between left and right emerges.

12/17/2009

O Holy Night, a little hlep please....

The song, "O Holy Night" is not in any Lutheran Hymnals from the US, not in the Australian Lutheran hymnal, or UCC or UMC nor in the Baptists or Episcopal hymnals I checked. Which Christian groups have "O Holy Night" in their hymnals and does anyone know why it is absent from so many others?

12/14/2009

4th Sunday in Advent


Luke 1:39-55

Blessed be Mary the Mother of God

and blessed be the fruit of thy womb

Jesus

God has done great things

and will do great things

for this one

for us

The world will be changed

from what was

to

what will be

And Justice will roll down like an ever flowing stream

in a land parched by divisions

and hatred

us and them

war

My spirit rejoices in my Savior

who has come

that all might live

that I might be changed

from what was to what is

That I might have the strength

to fill the hungry with good things

through the one who is to come

Hail Mary, full of grace

You have brought into the world

the one who will never again

leave it

the way it was

start walking

Sunday December 20th, Micah 5: 3 The LORD will abandon Israel only until this ruler is born, and the rest of his family returns to Israel. 4 Like a shepherd taking care of his sheep, this ruler will lead and care for his people by the power and glorious name of the LORD his God. It’s tough being a loving parent or a caring leader. In doing what is best for your children, you sometimes have to do the unpopular thing. Without it your children never grow up, and even with that tough love, they tend to grow very slowly. As the children of God, we still have a lot of growing to do. When we feel abandoned by God, it is good to know (1.) we are never really abandoned, we have just turned our eyes to all the pretty trinkets and forgot where we were going. (2.) Consider that perhaps we are the ones who have moved, God is still there, God is still with us, God is still calling us, maybe the reason we don’t hear, feel, know God is that we have moved out of range. (3.) Therefore perhaps we are being called to do a bit of growing, to move beyond the gimme childhood and into a what can I do adulthood. (4.) the Lord has promised to lead and care for us. Take heart, O weary one, Immanuel is with us always. The Greek for repentance is to turn ones self around. Turning around helps, actually walking in the right direction helps even more.

Gravity?

Monday December 21st, Luke 1: 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. There are things beyond our understanding. How bumble bees fly, what gravity is, and how the Holy Spirit works. But in the womb, John knew and therefore so did Elizabeth and Mary. The world knew, creation knew, the cosmos knew and in that spirit we have John, before birth, heralding the coming of the Messiah. Science may someday tackle the bumble bees and gravity along with a unified theory, but the Spirit will always out there beyond our reach to totally control or define. The spirit is grace in action beyond our discription. When you sense beauty and love that makes your insides leap with joy, smile and know the spirit is with you. Smile and know the spirit is in the world. Smile and know the blessedness that surrounds you. Smile and pray and pray with that smile because sometimes, more than you think, a smile, at least the ones that come uncontrolled from deep within, is a prayer. So feel God’s presence, and Smile!!!!

leap for joy today

Tuesday December 22nd, Luke 1: 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. It is easy to wonder at the love and blessings of God in our lives. We all tend to wonder "why me?" when things go wrong. But sometimes when things go ever so right, we also wonder "why me?" Elizabeth and Mary were blessed with bringing the news of, and bringing the Messiah into the world. When we sense the wonderful joy of a blessed "why me?" look around to see how you can share that spiritual gift, and with whom, for it is a gift only when shared. Look around for a way to pass it on, for as such blessings are truly blessings in their sharing. When you see the blessing begin to spread, join that ancient tradition of John and leap for joy. If nothing else, your co-workers will be amused. Pray, and then smile and leap for joy today.

not always welcome

Wednesday December 23rd, Luke 1: 46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. In the humility of Mary the manifest glory of God is presented to the world. Not all will consider it good news. The one she will bring into the world shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, the Prince of Peace and will eventually be crucified on a cross for not giving in to the money and power structure of the day. And what will this Wonderful Almighty Prince of Peace do that will so anger people to the point they consider him a threat and want to kill him? According to Mary he will scatter those who are proud in their inmost thoughts in the same manner the proud children of God were scattered at the Tower of Babel. Scattered, not for punishment, not for a display of might, but so they too had a chance to confront the very thing that would keep them from seeing and accepting this Wonderful Almighty Prince of Peace, their pride. When love comes, change happens and change is not always welcome.

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