tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220047512024-03-08T05:32:54.074-06:00Proclaiming Softly...at the Door of the Church.
The Unfinished Church...A Place to discuss Faith, Religion, and denomination.
God gave us minds: Let's use them!LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08083454353846306345noreply@blogger.comBlogger581125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-58333338147110592612011-04-26T15:02:00.001-05:002011-04-26T15:05:49.586-05:00Back on Line<div style="Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;font-family:";"><span style="font-size:small;">I'm back on line and on the computer. Actually, I was on line when the computer was away to the shop by going on other computers elsewhere. Or on my phone. I was charged for 4 hours of work, but the fix took them, they said, over 40 hours. No wonder they aren't making a good living at this work! After I got the computer back, I still had to go in and get lots of the data and files from my portable hard drive, and copy them back to the clean hard drive in the computer. I also had to make sure all the old emails and contact lists were reinstalled, as well as some programs that I use. Very time consuming. </span></div><div face=""" style="Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzl9ZF-_3WV0SMGg3Jl2TRmDQABZqAGc-8_WPBh2ThMedyJ8QuZrNoCgQA6SNcvswX6yXFwaJQZq_2pNFrD847eu9PA2ZtkR54K7APHpID8TgDflB-lJF_NvcLlB-lNKItvjpLA/s1600/sick_computer_2.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 152px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzl9ZF-_3WV0SMGg3Jl2TRmDQABZqAGc-8_WPBh2ThMedyJ8QuZrNoCgQA6SNcvswX6yXFwaJQZq_2pNFrD847eu9PA2ZtkR54K7APHpID8TgDflB-lJF_NvcLlB-lNKItvjpLA/s200/sick_computer_2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599985904163342098" border="0" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">What I learned: If you get a pop-up that might look like it is from Microsoft or some other supposedly trusted site, that doesn't mean that it is legitimate. I knew right away that what I had was a fake. The mistake I made was trying to click the X to get rid of it. DON'T DO THAT. Just shut down the computer in the normal way, immediately. The computer tech told me he had the same pop-up the day before I picked up the computer. It infected the hard drive as well as my external back up drive. What a mess.</span></div>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-59351289358848653902011-04-14T11:45:00.001-05:002011-04-14T11:45:49.423-05:00Dealing with addiction withdrawlMy computer is in the shop due to a virus . Actually it seems to have several hundred viruses. I was told that the technician thought it was fixed a couple of times but then when he rebooted the machine, the viruses were back, and he can't pinpoint the actual bad file. <br />
<br />
So, I AM reading blogs I like through another computer , using a feed reader, but posting any comments is difficult and takes too many slow steps. <br />
<br />
Whenever I get my computer back, I'll either be happily weaned off of my blog and commentary addiction or I'll be even hungrier to get back on the web for real time reading.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-57156883525592606972011-03-01T00:26:00.001-06:002011-03-01T00:29:31.499-06:00A former Rep governor discusses the situation in WisconsinWords from a true, well respected, statesman.<br />A thoughtful discussion <a href="http://govarnecarlson.blogspot.com/2011/02/red-flags-are-waving.html?spref=fb"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff6600;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff6600;">. </span>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-50160498971253733792011-02-23T23:57:00.000-06:002011-02-23T23:57:04.079-06:00Busy daysI am firmly in the sandwich generation. Mom turned 93 yesterday. And on Monday, my youngest gave birth to a baby girl, my first granddaughter. I've been blessed with two grandboys before. Well, I've been with my daughter in another state for a couple of weeks, helping her out. We thought that most of it would be before the birth, but they are still in the hospital. So so far, I can't say I've been all that busy, but just supportive. I did get to see my granddaughter being born! <br />
<br />
Another highlight of this trip is that I see mountains, mountains and more mountains every day.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-58933626745076480902011-02-07T13:04:00.001-06:002011-02-07T13:04:44.898-06:00Salt, are we?<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);font-size:180%;" ><a href="http://singerman-frank.blogspot.com/2011/02/salt-matthew-513.html#comment-form">Salt</a></span> by Frank A VollmerLoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-41268285060858869752010-12-27T11:17:00.002-06:002010-12-27T11:17:36.652-06:00Subject: Seniors' Texting Codes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">ATD: At The Doctor's </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">BTW: Bring The Wheelchair </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">CBM: Covered By Medicare</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">DWI: Driving While Incontinent</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">FWB: Friend With Beta Blockers</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">FWIW: Forgot Where I Was</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">FYI: Found Your Insulin</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">GHA: Got Heartburn Again</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">LOL: Living On Lipitor</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">LWO: Lawrence Welk's On</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">OMMR: On My Massage Recliner </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">ROFL... CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing... And Can't Get Up </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">TTYL: Talk To You Louder</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">WTP: Where's The Prunes?</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.75pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-88599254557396851032010-12-27T09:58:00.003-06:002010-12-27T10:03:43.834-06:00The Power of Twenty Dollar(s)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3kvDYeEI15P04NxVIS375oW5kA7gGv9UIDeytlx2O685Zx9_z0a0KggklJYtNE2fyK9OA7_3DrYoo05nii7h9y7Mylwt62z7vrbICrguLpiIVD82eheR3gmpLhzx6qhJEFfZtg/s1600/20-dollar-bill-new-front-back.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3kvDYeEI15P04NxVIS375oW5kA7gGv9UIDeytlx2O685Zx9_z0a0KggklJYtNE2fyK9OA7_3DrYoo05nii7h9y7Mylwt62z7vrbICrguLpiIVD82eheR3gmpLhzx6qhJEFfZtg/s320/20-dollar-bill-new-front-back.jpeg" border="0" height="279" width="320" /></a></div>How far will the <a href="http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/dec/12/the-power-of-20/">money</a> go? A church follows the scriptural lesson.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-52817394237005636472010-12-19T13:16:00.001-06:002010-12-19T13:21:34.442-06:00Getting ready for Christmas? Advent gives us a liturgical way to look at the season.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTwqIsgjAHwpTx1UVhnibippSyl7Ow6g_0ibo4pQyP6WiWhriy"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 307px;" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTwqIsgjAHwpTx1UVhnibippSyl7Ow6g_0ibo4pQyP6WiWhriy" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/civil-religion/general/2010/11/advent-a-season-of-intentional-waiting-and-expectation/">A liturgical way to look at the busy season of pre-Christmas</a><br /><br />This article has a kinder, gentler way of looking at the pre Christmas business and our choices.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-84349031829624184932010-12-03T09:43:00.001-06:002010-12-03T09:46:04.618-06:00Keeping Christ in Christmas (???)<span data-jsid="text"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4cf90cb0ce70b1f31683363">I got a note on FB urging me to "Like" a website that wants us to keep Christ in Christmas. That website is selling stuff to Christians about this topic, urging them to "want" some merchandise shown there. Here is my response, sent to their "contact us" link: </div><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4cf90cb0ce70b1f31683363"></div><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4cf90cb0ce70b1f31683363">Regarding keeping Christ in Christmas: Isn't it about time for Christians to acknowledge that the secular parts of Christmas, i.e., the shopping, partying, scramble to spend money, "wanting" certain gifts, baking, decorating, etc. don't ha<span class="text_exposed_show">ve anything to do with the Christ in Christmas? Christmas is about Jesus' birthday, about worshiping the Christ, the son of God, who brought salvation to us, undeserved. Do we decorate and party for a month before anybody else's birthday? Do we spend money on gifts for other people for any body else's birthday? Do we use anybody else's birthday as an excuse to go over the top to sell stuff, your website included? <br />
<br />
Lets acknowledge that most of what we call Christmas or Holiday or whatever, has nothing to do with the Christ who is in the real Christmas. Maybe we should call the church services, the pageant at church, and the intimate family gatherings CHRISTMAS. We can call the rest of the season, the fun stuff and the stressful get-the-gifts stuff, the Winter Holiday Season. Nothing wrong with having fun, but lets not blame Christ for wanting to party.</span></div></span>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-27697250240138484802010-11-26T15:58:00.003-06:002010-11-26T15:58:44.639-06:00test postHow does this show up?LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-58411845686226416982010-11-23T09:14:00.000-06:002010-11-23T09:14:05.917-06:00Dangers of flying.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt;">Why haven't there been more warnings about all the radiation one is exposed to when flying high in the sky?<span> </span>Or when mountain climbing?<span> </span>Or when sun bathing?<span> </span>I'd better just stay in my basement....Oh yeah, I forgot, my basement tested high for radon gas. (Truly.)<span> </span>Might as well die and go to heaven.<span> </span>Oh yeah, that is Up There where there is more radiation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-1883823457378605092010-10-24T21:14:00.000-05:002010-10-24T21:14:59.378-05:00Stole for Ordinary Time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr30pO5tn2LXk0BhyQLcDDcCq-nawWIVAEfqcqPhylsqWnChi4JKDYSOTbjImz-_Y0fz9SvgmpfnXMmgdDaGbPcsW1htwDlkMABuitTFeMCQTXAucvYG-0PbmO2KqV_PbVhUCvw/s1600/IMG_1033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr30pO5tn2LXk0BhyQLcDDcCq-nawWIVAEfqcqPhylsqWnChi4JKDYSOTbjImz-_Y0fz9SvgmpfnXMmgdDaGbPcsW1htwDlkMABuitTFeMCQTXAucvYG-0PbmO2KqV_PbVhUCvw/s320/IMG_1033.JPG" width="320" /></a>We've been fortunate to have been on three trips lately, including two trips involving visiting family in other states. I'm finally getting back to some blogging, and I'm doing this instead of watching the Vikings/Packer game. Here is a stole I finished in July for our pastor's 5th anniversary of being at our church. More pictures of this stole and others are posted <a href="http://sewladysew.blogspot.com/search/label/Liturgical%20art%20">HERE.</a> I'm trying to get Blogger to cooperate and post the full length picture, but so far that isn't working.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-7598371065485333822010-10-22T09:54:00.039-05:002010-10-22T11:16:39.056-05:00Why attend a "WORSHIP" service<div><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;color:navy;" > </span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;color:navy;" ><span style=";font-family:'Comic Sans MS';font-size:12pt;color:navy;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:x-small;"><span style="color:black;"><span style=";font-family:inherit;font-size:large;" >There has been a good discussion about Lutheran Evangelism and the distinctiveness (or not) of Lutheran worship services over at </span></span></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:'Comic Sans MS';font-size:12pt;color:navy;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:x-small;"><span style="color:black;"><span style=";font-family:inherit;font-size:large;" ><a href="http://lutherpunk.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/why-we-suck-at-evangelism-5-theses-for-consideration/">Idle Ramblings</a>. <span style="font-size:small;"> I posted this comment which I'm reposting here. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br />PS says: <span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;color:navy;" ><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=22004751&postID=759837106548533382" name="_MailAutoSig"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Just re-edited to fix a few phrases that were left out. I had major problems with editing this post this morning and I didn't find the problems until it came through in my email. </span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:small;color:navy;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;"> Perhaps we need to directly address the concept of WORSHIP with other people in the pews: Tell them directly what Sunday Morning is all about. We are there to worship, not to be entertained. "Special Music" should be chosen with that in mind, for example. We can worship with our heads even though our hearts are not in it. Worship takes some discipline. It doesn't need to be dreary, but it might take some work, especially on those Sundays when we feel our lives crashing down around us. We can be to taught that an emotional reaction can be worshipful in the proper context and mood, but that key changes to heighten the emotions of the crowd are not necessarily true worship (as I read about somewhere recently.) We can be teaching that attending worship each week is a discipline that is worthy of following, as compared to deciding each Sunday morning "just how we feel" about attending. I learned way back in 1972 about making the commitment to attend worship each week, rather than deciding each Sunday morning if I "feel" like attending. I<span class="296284914-22102010">'ve also learned that on those occasions when I don't "feel" like attending but I make myself go to church, I usually find something in the service that speaks to me directly. </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:small;color:navy;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="296284914-22102010"> </span></span></span><br /><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:small;color:navy;" ><span class="984342714-22102010"> <div><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-family:Arial;">All that said, it still IS great to also be FED on a Sunday morning during the worship service. I am fed by the scripture readings, the sermon, and the communion elements. The hymns can help me express my gratitude to God while they teach me about God's greatness and grace. Lutheran worship is participatory worship, which we don't get if we are just watching a TV service or attending an entertainment type worship. </span></span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We live in a time when people assume that they have to "feel good" all the time or what they are doing isn't worth their time and money. Jesus' message wasn't all about feeling good; some of what He preached could make us feel bad if we follow it completely. But He also brought a message of hope and salvation that will carry us through the long haul and THAT is why we worship on Sunday morning. </span></span></div></span></span></div>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-75340977852029918702010-10-02T14:22:00.001-05:002010-10-02T14:26:43.204-05:00How do candidates deal with being caught telling something that might be a lie?Good essay <a href="http://www.minnpost.com/ericblack/2010/09/30/21917/why_dont_politicians_apologize_when_caught_telling_a_whopper"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span>.</a> I can't help but wonder how truth telling and apology are handled when the politician is a Christian vs when he/she isn't a Christian.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-18922012996572208542010-08-14T21:35:00.002-05:002010-08-14T21:35:52.692-05:00Iftar meal at the While House<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CLois%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoPlainText"> There have been some "waves" made by some policital talking heads about the iftar meal just held at the White House, as though this were some new event, just started by the current occupant. A very quick web search turned up some interesting information on the history of this meal in our national public life.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar">copied from this entry: </a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">Iftar meals are often held at mosques, and Islamic communities, to which Muslim families are invited. Iftars are also commonly held at Muslim households as well. The United States Department of State holds an annual iftar dinner for community leaders from US society and faith groups as well as foreign policy officials.[1] The first President to attend an iftar was Thomas Jefferson.[2]</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><o:p></o:p> <br />
<div class="MsoPlainText"><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/%20%20%20http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/08/obama_at_iftar_dinner_celebrat.html">Also: </a> POTUS also talked about the history of Iftar in America, he said that the first iftar was held 200 years ago during the time of president Jefferson to the first muslim ambassador,a Tunisian ,he also talked about the oldest mosques built in seder rapid, Iowa. Pooler noticed few guests impressed with the info and heard one said, " oh,I didn't know that" .....<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText">This is the second event that POTUS holds to celebrate with Muslims. Its a tradition started during the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Clinton</st1:place></st1:city> years and was followed during the Bush administration . President Bush hosted 8 iftars for each year he was in office.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><a href="http://www.muslimmilitarymembers.org/article.php?story=20061109075739459"> This one going back 4 years to a Republican President: </a></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText">White House Iftar<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">Tuesday, October 17 2006 @ 07:00 AM EDT<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">Contributed by: Muslim Military Members Webmaster<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText">General NewsMembers of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Washington</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">DC</st1:state></st1:place>'s diplomatic community joined with American citizens and military personnel to pray together prior to the White House Iftaar dinner 16 October 2006.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoPlainText">The event, hosted by President George W. Bush, was but one of many such dinners that brought together friends from around the world for an evening of fellowship during the Holy Month of Ramadan. More than 4,000 men and women who wear the cloth of our Nation and proudly defend Freedom are Muslim.<o:p></o:p></div>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-8282646965677662372010-08-13T09:53:00.000-05:002010-08-13T09:53:53.707-05:00How should politics be handled in the church?<h1><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/%20%20%20http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/us/30pastor.html"></a></h1> This is an <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/%20%20%20http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/us/30pastor.html">old article</a> that talks about the role of a preacher/church in preaching about political issues and social issues, and various ways that churches might be involved in promoting causes. <br />
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What issues do you think are appropriately talked about from the pulpit? And what issues should a congregation promote and work for?LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-1732767572968356102010-07-13T19:12:00.004-05:002010-07-13T19:16:24.302-05:00"Christian Politicians" Can you tell what their religion is by how they act and speak?<a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/12/my-take-christian-politicians-should-start-acting-christian/?hpt=Sbin">Good Question! </a>(Click on Question.)<br /><div class="cnnBlogContentTitle"><a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/12/my-take-christian-politicians-should-start-acting-christian/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: My Take: Christian politicians should start acting Christian">My Take: Christian politicians should start acting Christian</a></div> <p><img class="alignright" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/09/tzleft.richard.hughes.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="122" /><em><strong>Editor's Note</strong>: Richard T. Hughes is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Messiah College and author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christian-America-Kingdom-Richard-Hughes/dp/0252032853" target="_blank">Christian America and the Kingdom of God</a>.</em></p> By <strong>Richard T. Hughes</strong>,LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-77106406240881917742010-06-29T15:05:00.005-05:002010-06-29T15:28:38.750-05:00Guest or Host...Which is more Difficult?At Bible Study today, we read and discussed Luke 10: 1 - 20, the Gospel lesson for July 4. Our discussion was wide ranging, but always having a thread of attachment to the core of the lesson: How do we go out? What do we show others when we go out? What are we encumbered by? How are we received?<br /><br />How do we receive others? How do we treat those who are different? Are we afraid of strangers? How do we treat <span style="font-style: italic;">those people </span>who show up at our door to preach to us? How do we know when we are in a situation where we can interact and help strangers and when should we be rightly afraid? When do we need to set boundaries? How do we show hospitality?<br /><br />When we love others as ourselves, we need to make sure we <span style="font-weight: bold;">are</span> loving ourselves.<br /><br />We discussed many instances where we or others we knew had to go into situations that were new or challenging. We discussed helping people who might be "strangers" or outsiders. We discussed changes in society and how these affect our willingness to help others or to minister to others.<br /><br />Our pastor posed an interesting question: Which is more challenging or difficult for each of us: Showing hospitality to a stranger or going out into a new place, needing to rely on others?LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-74051317191327290612010-06-26T17:58:00.002-05:002010-06-26T18:02:47.922-05:00The Well from Hell... And What They're Not Saying<a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/what-bp-isnt-saying/1185">The Well from Hell</a><br /><br />And what if this scenario is true? Will this be the end of civilization in the Gulf of Mexico as we know it?LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-52678308947848384922010-06-25T11:13:00.005-05:002010-06-25T11:19:34.010-05:00Summer Pictures<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our little river and bleeding hearts.</span></span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguaw80omujekXnVEpef3emNCtqmDscDglMrPGRacLL9qPWPpRExOfopvRRdE6zcCvOv6lLf5AxfXlK2LcHhR1MQLmOlFz1x6ioCwzf9DoJbTGYTBroRiG3zjgVo60Y6sR3_9k31w/s1600/IMG_0771.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguaw80omujekXnVEpef3emNCtqmDscDglMrPGRacLL9qPWPpRExOfopvRRdE6zcCvOv6lLf5AxfXlK2LcHhR1MQLmOlFz1x6ioCwzf9DoJbTGYTBroRiG3zjgVo60Y6sR3_9k31w/s400/IMG_0771.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486746161069054898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMrtVU9m_wKIYtYOPwg6gqkfxPytuM_2z_vjfIBunqRjMptQvbzHwW0oOG8bkR594uW83XFWjWGYdDHWqMMYS3prgZjC2E1lIGaPdWbWQnDuCt1mS-iENfP0yaXcCNELq-CzCbg/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMrtVU9m_wKIYtYOPwg6gqkfxPytuM_2z_vjfIBunqRjMptQvbzHwW0oOG8bkR594uW83XFWjWGYdDHWqMMYS3prgZjC2E1lIGaPdWbWQnDuCt1mS-iENfP0yaXcCNELq-CzCbg/s400/IMG_0759.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486746151537138450" border="0" /></a>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-16340786002749700702010-06-17T10:00:00.001-05:002010-06-17T10:00:00.595-05:00Looking into the sin mirrorHate the sin, but love the sinner? We know just what THIS usually refers to, but what about all those other commandments and teachings of the Bible and Jesus? Good discussion <a href="http://beffy1167.blogspot.com/2010/06/pastors-ponderings-hate-and-love.html">here</a> by a pastor who just returned from the local assembly.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-49873700522630170762010-04-13T12:00:00.006-05:002010-04-15T09:05:02.808-05:0015 Mind-Blowing Facts About Wealth And Inequality In America<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/15-charts-about-wealth-and-inequality-in-america-2010-4">Amazing charts</a> tell the story. This link appears to be working only some times.LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-38215188492520323772010-03-30T08:31:00.001-05:002010-03-30T08:32:50.115-05:00Poignant Poetry for Holy Week<a href="http://singerman-frank.blogspot.com/">Carolina Singerman</a>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-21535956648353182252010-03-25T16:09:00.001-05:002010-03-25T16:10:26.543-05:00First Payroll Tax and First Health Care Bill<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#800080 face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In July, 1798, Congress passed, and President John Adams signed into law "An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen," authorizing the creation of a marine hospital service, and mandating privately employed sailors to purchase healthcare insurance.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This legislation also created <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s first payroll tax, as a ship's owner was required to deduct 20 cents from each sailor's monthly pay and forward those receipts to the service, which in turn provided injured sailors hospital care. Failure to pay or account properly was discouraged by requiring a law violating owner or ship's captain to pay a 100 dollar fine.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=navy size=3 face="Comic Sans MS"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22004751.post-13717341361129294592010-03-23T15:31:00.002-05:002010-03-23T15:33:59.132-05:00Who speaks for "the people."Which group of legislators speak for "the people?" Not "some of the people" but "the people." <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/frightening-gop-behavior_b_508969.html">Worth reading and thinking about.</a>LoieJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com0