Whose children are killed in battle?

"Iraq: 250 insurgents killed in battle" The title of this article got me thinking: Do the insurgents wear a uniform that says 'insurgent?' If not, how do the other guys know that they are insurgents? [Considering all the people mistakenly killed in battle, this question could be both literal and ironic.] Does the autopsy, if there would even be one, determine which side a dead person belonged to?

Ok, yes, sick thinking, or maybe, sick-of-war thinking.

My first thoughts when I hear of these deaths, whether of our guys or the other guys, is that these are somebody's children.

When this war started, the Pres. had me convinced that there was a good reason for the war. But I prayed that God would give extra wisdom to all the leaders who were on both sides so that war could be averted.

My prayer is still that God would grant wisdom to all the leaders so that there could be an end to the bloodshed. I pray that all the leaders would have the welfare of all the people for the long run in mind as they ponder and deliberate and consult and plan for their next move. I pray that the leaders would be humble and be servants of their people.

I don't presume to have the wisdom to know the answer to "What now in Iraq?" I am amazed at the number of people who are thinking about running for US president, given the complexity of the situation. I hope some really good people rise to the top of the group.

Communion with other Christians

I'd like to point you to two well written articles about sharing Communion with people of other traditons, written by Dr. Pursiful, an adjunct professor of New Testament. Here and here. He promises more to come.

Evangelical pastor, Lutheran bishop to debate baptism on radio

A good one minute synopsis of baptism here .

Ministers launch petition to stop Bush library

Link
No comment. None implied.

Wine

Jesus turned water into wine, as we learned in the Gospel lesson for today.

Then we sang the Hymn of the Month: "Fill My Cup, Lord."

Search engine for baby boomers.

"Cranky is a specialty search engine designed to please aging baby boomers by processing every request from the perspective of someone who is at least 50 years old." Article here.

I'm trying to decide whether to be glad or insulted.

My biggest problem with web searches is that the links come up without regard to how old the info is. I'm always wondering what will happen in two years or ten? Instead of 100,000 hits, will I get 1,000,000 hits?

The actual searching doesn't bother me....I had to do so, so many research papers in high school, that I got used to the old fashioned search process. I think I did more researching in high school than most college kids do these days. They just need to sit in their dorm room, TV on in the background, and use their computer. ..... And while I'm complaining and comparing, just think how much easier it is to do a paper when you have a computer and word processor. Who remembers the old days of manual typewriters and ten page term papers? And yes, I walked to school a mile, up hill both directions. Actually, the road was flat, but it was a mile.

No Smoking

The new Speaker of the House announced that there will be no more smoking in the Speaker's Lobby off the House floor.

Hooray for HER. I guess it takes a woman to make this sensible change. And I've never understood the mentality of those who think that they can do whatever they want to, ie smoke indoors, in somebody else's air space.

Things I’ve Learned in the past year, part one.

The empty nest is wonderful. Both sleep and conversation are interrupted less often. I still worry about my kids, but whatever I don’t know about, I can’t worry about.
It is easier to let go when there is distance.

When the offspring come back to the nest, it is still too easy for them to become children and for me to become “parent” again. Need to pray on this one.

It is a shock to have to check the age range on forms that officially says that I am a senior citizen. Suddenly senior citizen doesn’t seem all that old and retirement doesn’t seem all that far away. Besides, I’m already tired; what could “re-tired” mean?

Arthritis doesn’t necessarily get worse with age, but sitting at the computer guarantees I’ll be stiffer than I am when I’m active.

Blogging is more personal than I thought it would be.
I’ve come to care about the writers of some of the blogs I read regularly, especially because they’ve shared their family situations and struggles. I have prayed for LP, LZ, LC, SO, and the other PS, for example, and some bloggers have told me that they prayed for me. Thank you.

There is a “small world” aspect to blogging. The other PS, EL and I are familiar with the same locations. LZ knows one branch of my family. I may yet get to meet SO, as she lives near several of my relatives.

Blogging about faith issues is more political than I thought it would be. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, since Jesus said many things that, if followed, could upset the worldly culture (his day and ours.) I’m just surprised at how “ungraceful” some of the conservative Christian bloggers are.

Does Christ’s Church need to be defended with such meanness? Are the people who proclaim Christ as Lord, but who worship in a “new” style, really dangerous? Would it be Satan or God who defends the meanness?