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Centers of the battle
We know why God loves cities. We also know why God hated Sodom.
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Sunday showdown: Both parties look to sway fence-sitters for this weekend's healthcare vote
Abortion debate: Pro-lifers differ on abortion provisions found in the healthcare bill
Ken Blackwell praises Sen. Tom Coburn's warning to Democrats changing their nay votes on healthcare. 
Happy Memorial Day!
Today’s quote is from an American evangelist:
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.”
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back to top43 Comments to “Whirled Views 5.25”
That sounds like a Billy Graham quotation.
What’s up with the seeming-lovefest that Fox News has with Joel and Victoria Osteen?
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Why guess the quote? There are no prizes anymore.
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Pauline, On Sat’s R & R thread you asked concerning Mark Teain Cave:
Would that be a reasonable day trip from Muscatine, or would we need to plan to stay overnight?
Would the cave be too scary for a 9-year-old who gets nervous easily?
I believe Hannibal is a 2½ to 3 hours drive from Muscatine, so you be the judge of its “day trip” qualifications. As for your nine year old, it may be scary, but most children lose the scared-ness once they get in. It is well lighted throughout, except for the short time we turn all the lights off as part of the Tom and Becky story. Usually it is just long enough to let everyone see how dark it really is. I have had a few children almost crying at the beginning of a tour who did not want to leave the cave by the end of it.
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Another Courage quote:
“Fidelity is simply daring to be true in small things as well as great. Courage is the standing army of the soul which keeps it from conquest, pillage and slavery.” Henry Van Dyke
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Obama says we’re “out of money”.
What was the first clue?
He blames it on the unsolved Social Security/Medicare problem, and is advocating universal health care to solve the problem.
More of the same problem is going to solve it? I’m not sure I follow that logic…..
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I have been turning over the “divorce question” in my mind. I have admitted to all of you that I let 14 years of anger and resentment build up in me. The only time in my marriage I was right about something was when Baby Girl was about 10 or 11 weeks old, it was right before Thanksgiving of 1997. I had gone to pick her up from daycare and Miss Bernice told me she thought “this baby has an ear infection”
I went home, called the pediatrian’s office and made an appointment for later that evening. George came home and we were taking her together. The entire way over he kept telling me what a waste of time it was, almost to the point I told him to turn around and let’s go home. When the doctor looked in her ears he said “good call Mom”. I looked at George and told him to remember the date. It was the first time in 7 years I had been right. I know that this is a stupid example, but imagine several of those types of things going at once over a period of years.
I finally got the “dream” job I had wanted teaching. It was at a small college prep private school. I taught 3,4,and 5th grade math. I got a discount on Baby Girls tuition. She attended kindergarten. We went to school together every day. It was perfect. All the other teachers husbands came to help them get their classroom’s in order. Because I was a new “unit” and was in a portable some shelves were bought for my classroom. I asked him to come down an help put them together, he told me to call my dad and get him to do it. The first week of school they had an ice cream social for everyone to get to know each other, he didn’t attend. Baby Girl went through her entire kindergarten year without her father setting foot on campus. Talent show, Polar Express Breakfast (where her mother read the story to the entire school and all the parents), Mardi Gras Parade,etc until the end of the year. I finally had to tell him that for the end of the year “Pink Party”, it really didn’t matter to her if I were there or not, all that mattered to her was that her daddy be there. I had already moved out of my 3,000 sq ft dream home, that was perfect in every way. There is more but why go into all the gory details.
I had a full head of steam. I was in my 30’s, I had a Master’s Degree, it wasn’t like I was some little bimbo who popped up pregnant and couldn’t take care of myself and my child…Right?
What I accomplished? Well apparently I can’t take care of myself and my child. I almost went bankrupt a year ago. I am struggling every day finacially and emotionally and every other way you can think of.
How has it been used? Well Friend 1 is married to a man who is depressed all the time. As in not getting out of bed and going to work depressed. She is a pharmacist and works 12 hour shifts. I convinced her to stay in the marriage, because at least he is home with the children when they get home from school
Friend 2 Had her first child when she was 43 or 44 (her husband turns 50 this summer) His mother is an alcoholic and uses her money to control those around her. He spent the first 46 years of his life being totally self centered and doing whatever he wanted to do. Work? Fish? Travel? Sure. After the baby was born his drinking escaladed. My friend was miserable. The turning point for her was when I asked her if she really wanted to turn her son over to his father and grandmother every other weekend and her have absolutely no say in the situation or control. They went to marriage councelling and are still together.
Friend 3 eventually did divorce her husband as she could no longer deal with his cheating, but at least she held on until she got her youngest in school.
I have reached my peace with my divorce with God and with George. Since I no longer have my father he is the most dependable man in my life. He is a wonderful father. On the weekends he has our daughter he is completely focused on her. When we were married he couldn’t do anything with her on Saturdays because he played golf every Saturday and the guys counted on him. Without him they didn’t have their fourth. Now he only plays occassionally in a tournament or something. He calls her every night to see what she is doing and how her day was. He is now the worlds best father and only angers me occassionally. Right now I am upset with him over her cell phone bill. Neither of us thought an 11 year old needed a cell phone but caved, the phone is on my bill and came in at $75 this month (downloading ring tones…I was smart enough to pay for unlimited texting) I asked him to help me with it. He said he would but when I asked for the money hemmed and hawed as to how this is a 3 wk pay period for him blah, blah, blah. Unfortunately my personality is such that I won’t ask again. I will just pay for it and remain angry with him until such time as I laugh at him for pulling another George.
Yes it is wrong for me to be divorced and had I been thinking clearly I probably wouldn’t have divorced him and I would be doing whatever I wanted and letting him do whatever he wanted and I would have good credit and not have to worry so much about money but God used my divorce to hold three other marriages together.
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I love this quote:
“We have not journeyed across the centuries, across the oceans, across the mountains, across the prairies, because we are made of sugar candy.” Winston Churchill, Speech made to the Canadian Parliament, December 30, 1941.
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Not to reopen the divorce thread, but Kim’s comment prompts me to say something I was tempted to comment on in that thread, now dead.
Both men and women should be careful during the courting process. If there’s something that irritates you, it will escilate after marriage. If he treats his mother or waitresses badly, he will treat you worse. If she’s lazy and expects others to wait on her. She will expect it from you.
You need to understand as much as possible about the person you plan to live with forever.
The reason I didn’t go into this on the other thread is because I realize that almost everyone here is already committed.
But OpTeen, FuzzyFace and TinkerBell, take note.
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Kim: I am glad you have made your peace with God and with George. In truth, you would have been saved from the divorce from a society who made such a thing very difficult at one time. We, as a society, used to do that in a lot of areas–gambling and pornography for example. OTOH,your husband would have had an easier time and perhaps not changed at all. We are all quite immature early in our marriages, so making divorce difficult forced many to wade through that and onto some maturity.
Divorce was still allowed for the really bad cases. My grandmother divorced her second husband. Her first one had died when she was pregnant with her 13th child. (She went on to have two more.) She claimed her 2nd husband was the devil incarnate all her life and never remarried.
My husband’s mother divorced his father when he was seven, in the early fifties. His atrocities are too much to even go into. It was a blessing for her to get away from him and I’m sure God would have said so.
Truthfully, we are all sinners. Chas had it right yesterday. Today is a new day for all of us. None of us go to heaven on our own righteousness. We wouldn’t have nearly the problems we seem to have with loving and accepting each other if we clearly understood that.
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A stiff spine is never a good thing, folks.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_treatment_for_ankylosing_spondylitis
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Karen O, on the May 23rd Whirled views thread, I think you misunderstood me. You wrote; “I think that Jon Rowe’s comment – ‘It’s just part of being a normal heterosexual in America.’ – was more a comment on much of society’s attitude rather than his own.”
I fully realized that Jon Rowe’s comment referred to society’s attitude and that is what I was disagreeing with. Jon Rowe is wrong to say that in this society, high divorce rates are just part of being a normal heterosexual in America. Normal heterosexuals who are honest and keep their promises do NOT get unjustified divorces.
This issue with divorce pertains more to the rising trend for failing to take our own vows seriously, and it is NOT simply a matter of being a normal heterosexual in America as Jon Rowe incorrectly implied.
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I see on Drudge that North Korea has tested a nuclear bomb.
I see where Iran now has a blue water navy, refuses to talk about their atomic program, and has threatened to block the Straits of Hormuze if we or someone else interferes. Iran also has a 1200 mile missile.
Meanwhile, in the non news category. Colin Powell has disagreed with Chaney and Limbaugh.
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On a previous thread, the egregiously judgmental Jon Rowe presumed to aver that it was safe to presume that John McCain and Ronald Reagan were/are “unrepentent adulterers.”
1. They are quite different cases.
2. My understanding is that Reagan did NOT seek his divorce and was a victim of it. He grieved deeply over the loss that was imposed upon him. Such people (according to my understanding of Jesus’ words Himself) do not commit adultery when they remarry. Jesus made an exception for such genuine victims of divorce.
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#13 Joel Mark,
You are correct. RR didnt initiate or seek a divorce. Jane Wyman’s career was only going forward/upward whereas at that time Ronnie’s acting career was stalling and fading.
McCain initiated the divorce from wife #1. No one denies that. Then later he married the booze distributor heiress.
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I’m now regretting that I volunteered to work today’s holiday shift.
Oh well. I’ll be covering a large Memorial Day program which is always very moving and professionally done (complete with skydivers). This year’s speaker is the secretary of the Air Force. But then I’ll have to check all the cop stations, make sure there’s no major crime or accidents I’ll have to write about.
On the plus side: In 2 weeks, I’ll really, really love and appreciate my paycheck with all that overtime $$ on it.
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He grieved deeply over the loss that was imposed upon him.
Yeah, sort of . . . in a Hollywood hook-up hotel, with all the comforts of God. It wasn’t adultery, perhaps, merely fornifff . . .
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Kim,
Thanks for your honesty, and I’m glad you’ve encouraged others to stay married. I’ve prayed that somehow you and George can get back together. I know a couple that was separated–not divorced–20-some years, and only got back together in old age when he was failing physically and she had Alzehimer’s. I don’t think they got together as husband and wife, but they’d stayed friends and they needed each other. Theirs was a second marriage for both–he’d been divorced; she was widowed. Anyway, all those years apart seemed such a waste when they finally get together for the last two or three years of his life, when he was in a wheelchair and she was forgetting everything and they were just an old couple in assisted living.
Scroop #16, I don’t think your accusations are true or fair. I’ve srudied Reagan extensively and never saw even a hint of such conduct.
Everyone, I’m off in a couple of hours to go visit my brother’s family (sis-in-law with breast cancer). I’d appreciate prayers that I can love them well. I have no idea how long she has, or if this will be my last visit. I wasn’t planning on going overnight, or taking Misten, and they encouraged me to do both. (They both love Misten, but I was concerned she might seem to be in the way now that my sis-in-law is in a wheelchair. But they both said bring her, so I guess she gets to love on them too. My sis-in-law is the one who went with me to choose Misten from her litter–ten puppies, seven females, and I had first choice of the females! Anyway, she and Misten have a bit of a special bond as a result of that visit to meet the six-week-old puppies two weeks before I took Misten home, and my brother loves all dogs.)
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Constructive comment.
Unfortunately, off-topic for this thread.
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KIM,
My heart goes out to you.
We’re amazed many times by how hard life really is. Oh, we’ve always known that it wouldn’t be EASY, but does it have to be so hard?
Thankfully, there is the mercy and faithfulness of God and we are assured that HIS grace is sufficient for us.
KIM, you, your daughter (and George) are in my prayers.
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Cheryl, praying for you. Taking Misten will be good, I think, for all of you.
And Kim, praying for you, too.
Thanking God that in our weakness He is our perfect strength.
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Happypants lives!
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#16, Scroop Moth, you disgust the decent.
Happy Memorial Day to all the decent of all decent parties and persuations. We unite today on our common decency, not on our political ideology or party persuations.
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Cheryl, it goes without saying, leave nothing unsaid, and you probably can’t imagine the comfort that Misten can give her that none of the rest of you can. There is just something in the eyes of a dog that adores you.
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It never ceases to amaze me how people will grant themselves, their family, and their fellow “believers” (narrowly defined, of course) mercy and latitude when it comes to difficult situations. But they haven’t an ounce of it for others.
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Dick Morris and Ellen McGann (his wife) wrote an interesting article about Israel and Iran. I have copied a couple of paragraphs.
Obama’s end-of-the-year deadline for Iranian talks aimed at stopping its progress toward nuclear weapons is just window dressing without the threat of military action. As Metternich wrote “diplomacy without force is like music without instruments.” By warning only of possible strengthening of economic sanctions if the talks do not progress, Obama is making an empty threat. The sanctions will likely have no effect because Russia and China will not let the United Nations act as it must if it is to deter Iranian nuclear weapons.
All this means is that Israel’s life is in danger. If Iran gets the bomb, it will use it to kill six million Jews. No threat of retaliation will make the slightest difference. One cannot deter a suicide bomber with the threat of death. Nor can one deter a theocracy bent on meriting admission to heaven and its virgins by one glorious act of violence. Iran would probably not launch the bomb itself, anyway, but would give it to its puppet terrorists to send to Israel so it could deny responsibility. Obama, bent on appeasement, would likely not retaliate with nuclear weapons. And Israel will be dead and gone.
I see real danger for Israel in this because Iran has repeatedly vowed the death of Israel. However, so far as “Israel will be dead and gone.” I refer you to Zechariah Ch. 12 and Ch 14:1-3.
In Genesis, God made a promise to Abraham. 15:16-18, 17:19, and repeated it to Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 35:12). And the “gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Jewish history indicates that this is true for those people.
Israel is not a Christian nation. Indeed, oppose the work of Christian missionaries. And we can’t anticipate God. Indeed, much evil has been done through history by people trying to help God along.
However, I see a scriptural fulfillment brewing and I don’t want to be on the wrong side.
(The preview truncates at the bottom, and I can’t see all of it.)
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Chas – 25
Below is one of the passages you have cited:
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Yes, I’m glad you mentioned it, Chas. The preview feature hasn’t been working right for me either. It only shows maybe a paragraph, and the rest is truncated.
What’s up with that? Are they trying to discourage long posts?
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I noticed the same thing. Thought it was just my computer!
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It started about a week or so ago.
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Chas is forgetting one very important piece of information: Israel has enough nuclear weapons to vaporize Iran and would use them if they were attacked by a nuclear weapon.
I should also point out that since Israel has nuclear weapons it creates a pre-text for the other nations in the Middle East to acquire them.
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Well, this is an interesting example of group dynamic. We all noticed the problem about a week ago, but we all assumed it was something with our computers or something. So, even though we all wanted it to work right, it took until today for Chas to mention it publicly, and then we all chime in.
Hmmm. I’m sure there’s a psychology or sociology paper in there somewhere.
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TRS – 31
YES there most likely is, but PLEASE, lets not try and figure it out, it’s a holiday –
Hope you’re having a nice day!
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CHERYL D: Scroop #16, I don’t think your accusations are true or fair. I’ve srudied Reagan extensively and never saw even a hint of such conduct.
How do you evaluate Reagan’s residence at the Garden of Allah Hotel while his marriage to Jane Wayman was on the rocks? Or his marriage proposal to Christine Larson after Nancy Davis became pregnant? Why is it necessary to portray Ronald Reagan as jilted and chaste?
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Not only has preview not been working right, the avatars don’t show up half the time….
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Victoria,
Hopefully things will turn around and we’ll go back to having all our benefits.
For you all, it might have been a holiday, but I worked today… The economic downturn has made paid holidays a thing of the past…
ON the bright side, I’m going to Boston tomorrow! I’m gonna get some training in some really cool software. Of course today wasn’t all drudgery… I was working with the really cool software!
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I’m in a better position than MiM, we are still getting overtime pay for working holidays (1 reporter and 1 photographer, usually volunteers). Having to work at regular pay on holidays — with no choice in the matter — is very tough. Makes me feel guilty for whining.
…. Maybe the trip to Boston will help make up for it a little.
The extra money I’ll get from my shift today will be wonderful, but it was a long, long day — covered a 2-hour Memorial Day service attended by 2,000 people (I always wind up with tears in my eyes as I take notes at that event, it’s really very moving). After writing that up, I had to work on a story about a high school football player in our area who was shot and killed late last night. Spent a couple hours trying to find friends, coaches and others who would be willing to talk to us. Thankfully, there was already a pretty thorough wire story that had most of the details in place so we just added to that.
Then all he cop calls to make, resulting in a brief I wrote about a horseback rider and her horse going down in a fall in our local “horsey” neighborhood this afternoon (the rider may have had a broken leg but otherwise no serious injuries — and the horse was fine, according to police). No other major mayhem going on, thankfully.
So I’m finally home, got the dogs fed, and it’s off to the dog park.
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Make it Man – 35
I hope you have a good trip to Boston – How is that new little bundle Bonnie Jean? – she must be a darling.
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I found this to be a bit bizarre;
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoCt3NHGwM8BxD2H1669H3_ty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090305151758AA7dWwd
Teen keeps a library of banned books in her locker and has spurned a upsurge of reading in her school. The real bizarre part is the list of banned books.
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“I hope you have a good trip to Boston”
Thank you. I hope so too.
“How is that new little bundle Bonnie Jean? – she must be a darling.”
Hmmm… You must have me confused with someone else… Peter L? Sawgunner?
My kids are adults now, and neither one has any children of their own…
Sorry.
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Interesting HRWl. I was required to read “Canturbury Tales” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” in high school. I hated “Canturbury Tales” because it was so hard to read.
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38. I wonder how old this kid is. I have read most of the list. Some were assigned in my school. I wouldn’t have a problem with them when my son is old enough. Some are not age appropriate for really young kids.
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#38
Yes, the list of banned books is pretty strange. I doubt it’s typical. One of the comments at that same site was from a girl at another private Catholic school, who said that her school would not ban those books, and another person agreed that there was not a good religious reason to ban them.
I read A Connecticut Yanker in King Arthur’s Court on my own when I was a preteen. I was upset by some of the brutal details, and the Church comes across pretty badly, but then the Church did some pretty bad things back then.
I listened to Animal Farm when I was staying with my grandfather after his cataract surgery (back then it took weeks to recover and he was essentially blind until they took off the bandages, so he got recorded books to pass the time). I found it very upsetting also (I was only in elementary school then), and I didn’t read it on my own until I was much older. But I always understood it to be against Communists, not the Catholic Church. If whoever put together than list sees the book as an indictment of the Catholic Church, maybe it’s an indication that the Church is guilty of similar abuses.
I had to read Candide, Slaughterhouse Five, and Lord of the Flies in high school. I didn’t enjoy reading any of them, but I don’t know why they would be banned. I also had to read part of Canterbury Tales. I was the only person in the class (high school seniors) who didn’t enjoy it. Our teacher told me I was a prude.
I’m not familiar with most of the other books, except His Dark Materials, which I read a few years ago and enjoyed. If they’re like the ones I have read, they are not appropriate for younger children, as KBells points out. Not because they teach bad things, but because they’re pretty upsetting. People do some really nasty things to each other. Younger kids know that – kids can be pretty nasty to other kids. But they don’t need to know the gruesome details of what terrible things people have done and still do to one another.
But as kids are asking to borrow these books from her, I would guess they’re not that young. Those aren’t light reading.
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Pauline, we studied “Lord of the Flies” as part of the curriculum in a business course at Purdue. We had to write a paper on what went wrong, and how it could have been prevented. It was resolved when some responsible adults showed up, as you recall.
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