Defrocked lesbian minister wins appeal

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – A lesbian Methodist minister defrocked last year after admitting to living with a woman won her appeal against the church’s decision because it had not defined “practicing homosexual,” the United Methodist Church said on Friday.

It’s Saturday!

And I can actually have it all to myself and not sleep it away since I didn’t work last night. Actually, I went to the movies last night with a fellow choir member from church. We went and saw The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. For such a short movie, it was really cute. Kinda funny to. I recommend it. And remember: don’t panic or forget your towel!

I even cheated on the vocabulary part

Your English Skills:

Grammar: 100%

Punctuation: 80%

Spelling: 80%

Vocabulary: 60%

Does Your English Cut the Mustard?

Citizens araeyst! Citizens araeyst!

I felt like crying that out today just like Gomer did to arrest Barney.

I was driving down the road to Adrienne’s [she wasn't there ] and there was an old man (probably in his 70s at least) standing on the corner of Tanglewood and N. Chautauqua (pronounced cha-tahk-wha; who knew it had so many “au”s?). Side note: when you turn onto Tanglewood, you’re in one of Ruston’s ritzy neighborhoods. But I digress. He was waving a white hanky. I thought there might be trouble or help needed, so I slowed down to ask him if he needed any help. He informed me quite seriously that I needed to slow down (yeah yeah yeah I was speeding a little, but who doesn’t through there?) and that he was deputized that “we’re going to start arresting people for speeding through here. It’s a 20 mile an hour zone through here (he lied…it’s 25) Do you live in these new little houses over here (pointing towards a new subdivision on W. Kentucky).” I was quick to tell him that I didn’t live there. “Well I’ve been deputized, and this is a 20 mile an hour zone through here. Slow down.”

I drove away thinking of Gomer and Barney. Crazy ol’ coot.

A true GRITS

Your Linguistic Profile:

40% General American English

35% Dixie

15% Yankee

5% Midwestern

5% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Pity party kind of day

Ever been in a room full of people and feel like you’ve never been so alone? Um, yeah.

Hear my prayer, O LORD,
And let my cry come to You.
Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
For my days are consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my skin.
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.
But You, O LORD, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations
Ps. 102:1-12

Easter 5

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
And Mary bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk:
Refrain
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly.
Holly, holly,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly.

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross:
Refrain

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died for us all:
Refrain

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood is it red,
Then trust we our Saviour, who rose from the dead:
Refrain

Sleep, where is thy rest? Where is thy comfort?

In the next thirty minutes I will have been up for 24 hours straight. Usually I’m half dead to the world right now and probably am. I did get like a 15 minute nap on the “Valium Couch” at my folks before my load loud aunts came over. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to make it.

On the bright side of life…

I’ve had several people tell me that I look like I’ve lost weight. Guess this Atkins thing is working (even though I’ve cheated 3 out of the last 9 days) YAY!

The North Central Louisiana Masterworks Choir and Louisiana Tech Chamber Singers are performing Mozart’s Requiem this next Thursday in Ruston. I had heard about it but thought it was going to be in Shreveport or at least Monroe, but with it in Ruston, I can go. I’m soooo excited. Anybody wanna go, 7:30pm @ Trinity UMC.

40 or 48?

Or maybe I should think of it in terms of money, which I won’t show here. I’m talking about the number of hours I would work next week. We had one clerk out last weekend and the other will be gone this weekend and I want to go next weekend. I wouldn’t have to use a vacation day, I don’t think. Oh, but the extra money is nice, especially since I have my mom’s 50th birthday and Kaleb’s 3rd birthday next week and Mother’s Day right around the corner. (ok this keyboard is getting on my nerves. I type like three sentences before anything will show up on the screen.)

Extra Nice Teacher?

I had never been to an ENT before, and the doc that Ashley recommended was great.
After talking to me about my symptoms and taking a look at my ears, nose and throat, he said that it looked like I was still a little infected but that he thinks I have a little bit of allergy too, which is new to me. I’ve never had any allergy problems in the spring. There’s a first time for everything. He gave me a script for a different antibiotic than I’ve been taking and another for a allergy/decongestant (along with some samples of that). Then after all that is said and done, he wants me to start on Clarinex, which I assume is the prescription form of Claritin. If I’m not better in 2 weeks, he said to come back. Lord willing, I will be.

Let’s blog before I read everybody elses.

After only a day and a half of deliberation, we have a new pope! I was actually surprised when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected. Not because of his views or whatever but becuase of reports that stated he didn’t want to become pope. Let’s all pray for Pope Benedict XVI in this time.
The Sunday after Pope John Paul II had passed away, I was watching CNN while getting ready for church. Then, they were already talking about the conclave and what all happens and everything. They talked about how the new pope goes into a different room to vest in his new all white robe that he will essential wear for the rest of his life. And then walk across the Room of Tears. It has that name for a reason. I can’t imagine the amount of weight that comes down him when the realization sets while crossing that room.

Now for the local news. I have an appointment with a ENT doctor tomorrow afternoon. This one to be exact. I’ve had this sinus stuff going on for a while now (a little more than a month) and I’m tired of being sick. I started coughing this last weekend and now my throat feels raw. I’m so nervous. Growing up we only went to the doctor when we were on-our-death-bed sick. I’m not sure what he’s going to say, and it kinda scares me.
Looks like we’ll be working 6 days a week for a while. A House of Raeford plant in Arcadia was shut down by USDA several weeks ago and we’re having to kill their birds on Saturday (as we did last Saturday) and probably for the next couple of Saturdays. Lovely. On top of that, they got the 2nd IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) spiral working last week, so even after HoR gets back up and running, will probably be working weekends for that.

That’s all time we have for the news for now. We’ll see you back here tomorrow and 6, 12, 5 and 10. Have a good night.

Violet Parr writes about history

Sarah Vowell (voice of Violet on The Incredibles) has written books on history.

..Fact is, I think about the civil war all the time everyday. I can’t use a cotton ball to remove my eye makeup without spacing out about slavery’s favorite cash crop and that line from Lincoln’s second inagural address that it may seem strange that any man should dare to ask a just God’s assitantce in bringing their bread from the sweat of other mens’ faces. Well, that and why does black eyeliner smudge way more than brown.

Listen to a NPR interview with her here.

Easter 4

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death
His presence is my stay;
One word of His supporting grace
Drives all my fears away.
His hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
His oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.

Stories from the radio

Mom Traded One Daughter For Car, Prostituted Other One

Man Living in Closet Charged with Murder