Posts
This was pretty funny, but if you aren't sure just what's going on in the Anglican Communion, this is a pretty decent explication of it.
You can find Colbert's Report here.
Enjoy!
Kat
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Isn't This Child Abuse?
Apparently a judge thinks so. The parents of a little girl in New Zealand legally changed her name to Talula Does the Hula. You can read about it here.
Now my question today is, as is it at least once a day for various reasons, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH PEOPLE??? WHY would you do this to a 9-year-old girl? Is life not hard enough for kids? Do they not worry enough about fitting in? Is it not hard enough for a child to navigate the mazes of social acceptance--which for kids is often like playing a game that nobody's explained but they get penalized for breaking the rules--without doing this to her on top of that?
Apparently this poor girl is being used by her parents as a pawn in some divorce/custody battle, and this name change was the latest volley in that battle. Because that's the way to show the world that you're the better parent...
If you ask me, any parent who shows so little regard for her/his child's feelings and healthy social development isn't worth the title. Apparently the judge thinks the same thing, because he removed this poor kid from her parent's custody, made her a ward of the state, and gave her a normal name. I wasn't sure from the article if he resored her old name or let her pick a new one or what. Either way, good for him.
It's good to see some common sense coming down from the bench. Good call, Judge Murfitt.
Kat
Now my question today is, as is it at least once a day for various reasons, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH PEOPLE??? WHY would you do this to a 9-year-old girl? Is life not hard enough for kids? Do they not worry enough about fitting in? Is it not hard enough for a child to navigate the mazes of social acceptance--which for kids is often like playing a game that nobody's explained but they get penalized for breaking the rules--without doing this to her on top of that?
Apparently this poor girl is being used by her parents as a pawn in some divorce/custody battle, and this name change was the latest volley in that battle. Because that's the way to show the world that you're the better parent...
If you ask me, any parent who shows so little regard for her/his child's feelings and healthy social development isn't worth the title. Apparently the judge thinks the same thing, because he removed this poor kid from her parent's custody, made her a ward of the state, and gave her a normal name. I wasn't sure from the article if he resored her old name or let her pick a new one or what. Either way, good for him.
It's good to see some common sense coming down from the bench. Good call, Judge Murfitt.
Kat
Adventures in Potty Training
I bet those of you who know that my youngest child is about to start kindergarten were suprised to read that!
So...the potty training going on is of 5 puppies. I have housebroken puppies before, but never 5 at one time! We are crate training, which works pretty well, and everybody's home for the most part, so I have help keeping an eye on them, looking for when they start sniffing the floor or squatting down. Problem is, they're already so close to the floor, it's hard to tell sometimes!
They are the sweetest little things you can imagine. One of our boys has gone to live on a farm (a real farm, not just the farm parents tell their kids the dog went to when they want to get rid of the dog...), but the other 5 are still at home. They're almost 6 weeks old, so something's going to have to happen, but we do love them. I wish we could keep them all, but we just can't.
But in the meantime, they have GOT to be potty trained! So, we're back on a schedule we haven't had to keep in 5 years...I take the midnight and 3 a.m. backyard runs, and Matt takes the 6 a.m. Did you know the moon is fully risen and very bright at 3 a.m.? I had no idea; it sort of makes the whole experience kind of pleasant. I mean, who gets to be out in their back yard at 3 a.m.?
Anyway, if you know anyone who wants a puppy (good homes only, though), let them know about us. The puppies are almost 6 weeks, half cocker spaniel, and we have 4 boys and 1 girl. They've had their first shots, and we're willing to drive to bring them to the right people.
Off to put puppies in the crate,
Kat
So...the potty training going on is of 5 puppies. I have housebroken puppies before, but never 5 at one time! We are crate training, which works pretty well, and everybody's home for the most part, so I have help keeping an eye on them, looking for when they start sniffing the floor or squatting down. Problem is, they're already so close to the floor, it's hard to tell sometimes!
They are the sweetest little things you can imagine. One of our boys has gone to live on a farm (a real farm, not just the farm parents tell their kids the dog went to when they want to get rid of the dog...), but the other 5 are still at home. They're almost 6 weeks old, so something's going to have to happen, but we do love them. I wish we could keep them all, but we just can't.
But in the meantime, they have GOT to be potty trained! So, we're back on a schedule we haven't had to keep in 5 years...I take the midnight and 3 a.m. backyard runs, and Matt takes the 6 a.m. Did you know the moon is fully risen and very bright at 3 a.m.? I had no idea; it sort of makes the whole experience kind of pleasant. I mean, who gets to be out in their back yard at 3 a.m.?
Anyway, if you know anyone who wants a puppy (good homes only, though), let them know about us. The puppies are almost 6 weeks, half cocker spaniel, and we have 4 boys and 1 girl. They've had their first shots, and we're willing to drive to bring them to the right people.
Off to put puppies in the crate,
Kat
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A Tragic Piece of History
I learned about this event, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911, from a book Mom sent me. This was the largest workplace tragedy in the history of New York before 9/11. 146 people, most of them teenaged immigrant girls, died--over 50 from jumping out of windows to get away from the fire...gruesome shades of 9/11.
I consider myself to be pretty well-informed about history, especially since I have relatives coming through Ellis Island right at this time, but I had never heard of this. It was only after this event that laws were passed mandating basic safety requirements--things the unions had been pressing for for years. To our shame, it seems to take a tragedy of terrible proportions to get us to do more than we absolutely have to.
Here's a very short (2 min) documentary on it. If that doesn't work, you can cut and paste this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf9GVbzf7Q4
I consider myself to be pretty well-informed about history, especially since I have relatives coming through Ellis Island right at this time, but I had never heard of this. It was only after this event that laws were passed mandating basic safety requirements--things the unions had been pressing for for years. To our shame, it seems to take a tragedy of terrible proportions to get us to do more than we absolutely have to.
Here's a very short (2 min) documentary on it. If that doesn't work, you can cut and paste this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf9GVbzf7Q4
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Pray for China
Speaking of religious persecution, the world's host for the Summer 2008 Olympic Games is high on the list of persecutors. Christians and others are imprisoned regularly, but for some reason the IOC thought this would be a good place to go.
You can read more about China and the Olympics here.
Up until the Olympics have concluded, I am going to be wearing a bracelet that says simply, "Pray for China." You can see a picture of it, as well as a brief description of the deperate need for prayer for China, here. Also on that page, you can order a free one for yourself from Voice of the Martyrs.
I am ordering extra, too, so if you want, you can order a free one from me!
Please keep praying for China. The West doesn't dare alientate them because they represent such a huge market as well as a source for cheap labor and cheap merchandise. That gives the Chinese government a veneer of respectability they haven't earned--not while they are acting as violent tyrants over their own people. If you are a Christian, some of those people are our people--our brothers and sisters.
Kathy
You can read more about China and the Olympics here.
Up until the Olympics have concluded, I am going to be wearing a bracelet that says simply, "Pray for China." You can see a picture of it, as well as a brief description of the deperate need for prayer for China, here. Also on that page, you can order a free one for yourself from Voice of the Martyrs.
I am ordering extra, too, so if you want, you can order a free one from me!
Please keep praying for China. The West doesn't dare alientate them because they represent such a huge market as well as a source for cheap labor and cheap merchandise. That gives the Chinese government a veneer of respectability they haven't earned--not while they are acting as violent tyrants over their own people. If you are a Christian, some of those people are our people--our brothers and sisters.
Kathy
My 4th of July Entry
Yes, I know it's the 8th of July. Your point is...?
Anyway, the 4th of July is sort of a big deal in our family. On my husband's side we always have a big family get-together (thanks, Mom and Dad!), one of the two or three times a year we can count on seeing uncles, cousins, etc. Then we go out and park in the Shooters parking lot and watch the fireworks. (Does anyone remember a few years ago when someone messed up and all the fireworks exploded on the ground at once about 30 seconds into the display? Good times...) This was an especially meaningful Independence Day at the Teels', because it was my sister-in-law Gaby's first July 4th as an American citizen. That's just so fantastic, congratulations and welcome to the greatest country on earth, Gaby!
Then of course, on my side, there's the parade, where the VFWs always have floats and color guards. This year our VFW got 1st place for the color guard and 2nd place for the float! Yay! Way to go Dad, Dana, and the whole VFW crew!
With all that going on for the holiday, in the back of my mind was a desire to write something here about our country, about Independence Day, patriotism, duty, honor, sacrifice, service, work...all those ideas that come up when we talk about the uniqueness and greatness of this nation.
Problem is, every time I asked myself, "What is America to me?" I started singing this Frank Sintra song and couldn't get it out of my head, so thinking was out of the question. You can find the words to the song here. It's a great song, and says a lot about this country.
But there are a few things I do want to say. I am a pastor, I have advanced degrees in religion, I teach philosophy, various Bible courses, and World Religions. The practice of religion--especially Christianity--is being curtailed and threatened every single place in the world. I'm not going to go into those details right now, but every Sunday I am very aware as I step into my pulpit that in the USA I can say what I am called to say and I will not be arrested.
Do you know how amazing that is? Do you know that our closest neighbors, Mexico and Canada, do not have those same freedoms? Nor do Britain, France, any other country in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, or Australia. They can say some things, but their governments are very closely involved in what can and can't happen in churches, and the government decides what religious people are and are not allowed to say. And Christians are jailed daily just for believing.
But not here. Not yet. There have been a few infringements, and we should be paying sharp attention--we have to be vigilant if we want to be free--but so far we are not putting Christians in jail simply for practicing their faith.
That alone would be enough to make this the greatest country on earth.
But there are a lot of other great things about this country. I don't care what other nations say about our high-handedness or arrogance or hawkishness--they know full well they'd be in a lot of trouble without us. When they complain about us like that, it makes me want to say, "Fine, we'll just take our billions of dollars in aid and go home." This country has always known it is blessed and prosperous, and we have always done far more than our fair share to help others. I am so proud to be a citizen of this great nation.
So remember--freedom isn't free. Some people will pay for it up front, with one big check written in their own blood, with life-long payments of their own peace spent to purchase ours. The rest of us have to pay for it day by day--being good citizens, living in our towns and cities with pride and compassion, taking our place through letters, phone calls, emails and votes in government of the people, by the people and for the people. And don't just criticize our leaders; pray for them, too.
It's so easy to let our freedom slip away law by law, program by program, tax by tax. Don't let it happen.
God bless the USA!
Kathy
Anyway, the 4th of July is sort of a big deal in our family. On my husband's side we always have a big family get-together (thanks, Mom and Dad!), one of the two or three times a year we can count on seeing uncles, cousins, etc. Then we go out and park in the Shooters parking lot and watch the fireworks. (Does anyone remember a few years ago when someone messed up and all the fireworks exploded on the ground at once about 30 seconds into the display? Good times...) This was an especially meaningful Independence Day at the Teels', because it was my sister-in-law Gaby's first July 4th as an American citizen. That's just so fantastic, congratulations and welcome to the greatest country on earth, Gaby!
Then of course, on my side, there's the parade, where the VFWs always have floats and color guards. This year our VFW got 1st place for the color guard and 2nd place for the float! Yay! Way to go Dad, Dana, and the whole VFW crew!
With all that going on for the holiday, in the back of my mind was a desire to write something here about our country, about Independence Day, patriotism, duty, honor, sacrifice, service, work...all those ideas that come up when we talk about the uniqueness and greatness of this nation.
Problem is, every time I asked myself, "What is America to me?" I started singing this Frank Sintra song and couldn't get it out of my head, so thinking was out of the question. You can find the words to the song here. It's a great song, and says a lot about this country.
But there are a few things I do want to say. I am a pastor, I have advanced degrees in religion, I teach philosophy, various Bible courses, and World Religions. The practice of religion--especially Christianity--is being curtailed and threatened every single place in the world. I'm not going to go into those details right now, but every Sunday I am very aware as I step into my pulpit that in the USA I can say what I am called to say and I will not be arrested.
Do you know how amazing that is? Do you know that our closest neighbors, Mexico and Canada, do not have those same freedoms? Nor do Britain, France, any other country in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, or Australia. They can say some things, but their governments are very closely involved in what can and can't happen in churches, and the government decides what religious people are and are not allowed to say. And Christians are jailed daily just for believing.
But not here. Not yet. There have been a few infringements, and we should be paying sharp attention--we have to be vigilant if we want to be free--but so far we are not putting Christians in jail simply for practicing their faith.
That alone would be enough to make this the greatest country on earth.
But there are a lot of other great things about this country. I don't care what other nations say about our high-handedness or arrogance or hawkishness--they know full well they'd be in a lot of trouble without us. When they complain about us like that, it makes me want to say, "Fine, we'll just take our billions of dollars in aid and go home." This country has always known it is blessed and prosperous, and we have always done far more than our fair share to help others. I am so proud to be a citizen of this great nation.
So remember--freedom isn't free. Some people will pay for it up front, with one big check written in their own blood, with life-long payments of their own peace spent to purchase ours. The rest of us have to pay for it day by day--being good citizens, living in our towns and cities with pride and compassion, taking our place through letters, phone calls, emails and votes in government of the people, by the people and for the people. And don't just criticize our leaders; pray for them, too.
It's so easy to let our freedom slip away law by law, program by program, tax by tax. Don't let it happen.
God bless the USA!
Kathy
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