THE WAR ON TERROR HITS TOO CLOSE TO HOME

Some of my wife's best friends are a group of cloistered Nuns that live not too far away from our home. These are the Passionist Nuns. Although I also count them among my friends, Linny has always had a special bond with them for over a decade. These Sisters have been there for Linny in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. They are a prayer covering for my wife and family. They are also are a prayer covering for the world. The cloisters ministry is to live apart from the world, but pray for the needs of the world.

The Nuns make their living by making Communion bread that they ship all over the world to both Catholic and Protestant churches. The cloister sits off of a major highway in Northern Kentucky in a facility that is close to the Greater Cincinnati Airport. The only time any of the Sisters leave the facility is to go to the doctor.
Part of their rule is to stay within the cloister.

Their cloister is large and open with a big back yard. It is also surrounded by a concrete wall that is about ten feet high.

These ladies never have hurt anyone.

In addition to the cloister there is also a public chapel and a public Mass is held there on Sunday mornings.

Recently this Sunday Mass was disrupted. The Sisters had noticed a man walking around the parking lot during the week. They thought nothing of it. On this Sunday morning same man rushed into the Mass and started screaming and acting crazy. The priest came down to see what the commotion was about and confronted the man. This man was a Moslem and he came to destroy the alter and reek general havoc on the infidel nuns and congregation.

The Sisters stay behind a grated iron gate that separates the public chapel from the Nuns chapel. The priest asked the Sisters to go to their quarters and lock the doors. He also asked the congregation to leave in orderly fashion.

The Moslem man started heading to the alter and the priest held the Moslem fellow back. One of the men in the congregation said, "Father, I'll take care of this SOB. You go call 911."

Within minutes the police arrived and took the Moslem man away. Detectives checked the building and found groves cut into the rear wall where it appeared that the man had attempted to scale the wall.

After this ordeal, the Sisters had to purchase an expensive security system. So now the entire complex is monitored by cameras and all of the doors and windows are hooked up to the alarm. The public chapel that was kept open all the time, is now locked except for Sunday Mass.

You think it couldn't happen here. We live in Kentucky. We have become upset with airport security. We are told that ethnic profiling is unconstitutional. We are also told continually that we can expect to be attacked by terrorists. We believe we are fairly safe. We don't want to appear to be racists. So we don't heed the signals.

This man was taken from the local police into FBI custody.

We must listen to the warnings and heed them.

MAY I WALK IN YOUR WAYS AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN YOUR EYES

One of my favorite books of the Bible is the BOOK OF KINGS. This gives us concrete examples of GOD blessing a nation or cursing a nation based on the direction of it's leadership.

Of all the Kings that GOD considered to be righteous, it was written in the book that "They walked in Your Ways and did what was Right in Your Eyes."

I believe that is what we as Christians and Jews should be striving to do. This is our main goal.

I had applied for a different job at the company where I work. It would have meant a slight pay increase. The managers spoke with me today to let me know that I did not get the job. They seemed amazed that I did not want to sit alone and mope after they gave me this news. I know that GOD is taking care of me and my family. If He did not provide me with this job, then that is HIS Will.

I want to walk in HIS Ways and do what is right in HIS Eyes.

MAGNIFY

Let Thy Praise Be On My Lips,
Forever and Continually.

Let Thy Praise Be On My Lips,
Forever and Continually.

Though The Mountains Be Removed
And the Heavens Roll Away
As A Scroll
That's Cast Aside
Though The Kingdoms of the World
Become As Dust,

Still I Will Magnify
My Savior.

THE NEW KID IN TOWN

Michael Macree aka Mickey 


This is our new little boy. He only weighs about 2 pounds and is very bashful right now.

He will never replace our dear sweet Patty. She was the best Poodle girl ever. However he is much different than she was in many ways.

So far he is a velcro dog. He wants to be held continually. He seems to know his name and he knows what "come" means. He is a great dog. His parents were both champions.

Welcome to the family Mickey.

ER THE REALITY SHOW - based on a true story

The old man enters the ER through the large double glass door. He has just shuffled past two ambulances or ambuli, I'm not sure of the plural. Both meat wagons are spewing out diesel exhaust into the hospital foyer. The crowd in the waiting room is breathing in the noxious fumes. The elderly gent is being drug into the hospital by an old sour faced woman that we assume is his wife. The old guy is clutching his chest and stomach and is obviously in a lot of pain. His wife ignores his pain and walks up to the desk. Since the hospital is cutting back staff, a temporary worker attempts to help the sick and injured register, but this temporary worker is clueless and doesn't know how to enter data on the hospital's computer. The old fellow collapses into an empty wheelchair. His wife is oblivious to his condition. She fumbles through her purse looking for the insurance cards.

The temp registrar is asking the old lady questions to which the old lady responds, "What'ya say honey? You need my car?. What do you need my car for?"

"No ma'am. I need your card. Your INSURANCE card!", is the reply.

The old lady suddenly realizes that her husband is not standing next to her. She screams at the top of her voice, "Randall! Randall Lee! Where did you run off to!" She fails to see that he is seated in a wheelchair behind her and is still clutching his chest and gut, writhing in pain. She mumbles, "Crazy old man."

The old lady is also unaware of all the sick people around her. Most of them cringe when they hear her once again scream, "Randall Lee! Where are you at!?"

The crowd is a mix of sad, tired people. One guy is holding a wad of paper towels to the large gash in his head. He is dressed in flip flops, a dirty white tee shirt and his boxer shorts. There is a couple of big girls with tattoos on their dirty arms and one has a bunch of roses in blue and red ink poised right above her butt. She proudly displays this by wearing shorts that are two sizes too small. An visibly upset elderly lady is there with her middle aged son. The son is writhing back and forth in a wheelchair. He grabs at imaginary objects on the floor and in the air. He is obviously either drunk or high. His mother holds him back as he tries to do a headfirst lunge out of the chair. A young mother holds her croupy child. The feverish baby barks and whimpers. Another young girl wearing her flannel pajamas clutches her belly and looks like she is about to spew her last meal all over her teenage boyfriend who is squatting directly in front of her and giving us all a view of his hairy hinder.

The whole place reeks of sweaty people and frustration. The actual registrar clocks in to begin her shift. It's 11:30 PM and the place is packed and folks are getting angry.

The old guy with the chest and stomach pains closes his eyes and winces. His wife talks to a total stranger and ignores his problems. She doesn’t hear a word her new found friend says, but nods to her in agreement.

11:45 PM and not a doctor or nurse in sight. Welcome to ER the Reality Show.

Heads Up - Another Christian Movie

I just took my daughter and grandkids to see "Because of Winn Dixie" tonight. I recommend this as a great Christian themed movie or video for anyone to see.

It's more than a shaggy dog story. It also negates the usual happy ending that many American films espouse. There was not total resolution at the end. The little girl was reunited with her dog and in her words, "because of Winn Dixie the towns people were reunited with each other." But there were still some unanswered questions, as there are in real life. I liked that about this movie.

Check it out if you have an opportunity.

ACTS 2:38

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

An elderly lady had just attended her 6 PM Sunday evening Bible study. She approached her front door and found it opened. Upon entering her home she was shocked to find a stranger rummaging through her belongings.

As the startled burglar turned around to see her, the lady screamed,"Acts Two Thirty Eight!"

The now frightened burglar turned pale. The lady once again screamed, "Acts Two Thirty Eight!"

To which the burglar froze in his tracks, dropped to the floor and begged, Lady, please just call the cops." So she did.

When the police got there, they questioned the burglar. "What's the matter with you? How did this old lady get the drop on you?

To which the burglar replied, "She kept screaming she had an axe and two 38's!"