There’s been a lot of fuss over the Inaugural prayers and who is being asked to lead them. Obama has asked an openly homosexual bishop to offer a prayer at an inauguration event next week. My mother always told me that “you can’t please everybody” but Obama sure is trying. Asking the Bishop V. Gene Robinson to pray was to satisfy those opposed to the invitation he extended to Pastor Rick Warren. Oh brother!
Anyway, Robinson said that he will not use the Bible and "will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer."
So my question is this – when you are being careful to not be “especially Christian”, to whom are you praying? Is that kind of prayer just kind of thrown out there in hopes of being answered by any old god who happens to be available and listening? He can leave me off his prayer list. . .
- Kee
- Welcome --
I hope you find my thoughts and opinions regarding politics, Christianity, family and just everyday "stuff" interesting.
Please read and be sure to visit again.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Christmas -- After the fact. . .
My children and I had a quiet Christmas at home. Instead of the traditional turkey dinner, I did the Black Southern thing and cooked gumbo. We ate until we hurt ourselves. That was one of our Christmas highlights.
My 17 year old daughter is not usually an emotional girl but after she opened her gifts on Christmas morning she sat on the floor looking as if she would cry at any moment. Sure enough, as soon as I asked her what was wrong – she burst into tears. My initial thought was that she was disappointed that she didn’t receive a gift she wanted. But she immediately corrected me and said that she was sad that this would likely be her last Christmas living at home because she’s off to college this fall. So, she and I sat and cried together for a few minutes. My how the time just whizzed by. I know it sounds cliché but it does seem that just yesterday she was a little bitty girl who always wanted to sit on my lap.
It’s funny because even though she’s now a 17-year old young woman, she still seems to want to jump right inside my skin. I’m always kidding her about invading my personal space but I will definitely miss her being “in my box” after she leaves. She’s not only been my “road dog” all these years, she’s been my best friend. She’s an incredibly mature young woman and I do wonder what it will be like when she leaves. Oh well, we shall soon find out.
My 22 year old son had some sadness on Christmas also. He was sad because his 3 ½ month old daughter spent Christmas in California with her mom. He sure hated missing her first Christmas.
This young man is one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever known. His compassion is truly one of his most admirable qualities. Yesterday we had a long conversation about various topics. And repeatedly during our conversation he would say things like, “if I had the money, I’d just give it to him” or “how can we help this person?” This child of mine has always been like the person who attracts stray dogs. Not to say that any of his friends are stray dogs but since junior high school he seemed to develop deep friendships with the neediest kids. And he would bring them home assuming that we would be able to do something to help. As a result, he had different friends practically living with us throughout all of his high school years.
Christmas highlighted his compassion all the more. A friend of his came to live with us for what I thought would be a couple weeks in September. Well, a few weeks turned into 3 months. I was so outdone by the extended stay and the extra mouth to feed that I was just flat out annoyed at the sight of his friend. My son did everything in his power to calm me during the 3 months because this friend had already had such a tough life financially that he just wanted him to experience a few months of peace.
I am so incredibly proud of both of my children. As I was sitting crying with my daughter on Christmas, I shed several tears about my son as well. This will also probably be his last Christmas at home. He’s a little slower moving than his sister in terms of being independent but I sense that he will soon be gone.
I do welcome this impending new chapter in my life, but I’m also a little sad that these kiddies of mine grew up so darn fast. I have been completely consumed with raising children for the past 22 years. What will I do with myself now?
My 17 year old daughter is not usually an emotional girl but after she opened her gifts on Christmas morning she sat on the floor looking as if she would cry at any moment. Sure enough, as soon as I asked her what was wrong – she burst into tears. My initial thought was that she was disappointed that she didn’t receive a gift she wanted. But she immediately corrected me and said that she was sad that this would likely be her last Christmas living at home because she’s off to college this fall. So, she and I sat and cried together for a few minutes. My how the time just whizzed by. I know it sounds cliché but it does seem that just yesterday she was a little bitty girl who always wanted to sit on my lap.
It’s funny because even though she’s now a 17-year old young woman, she still seems to want to jump right inside my skin. I’m always kidding her about invading my personal space but I will definitely miss her being “in my box” after she leaves. She’s not only been my “road dog” all these years, she’s been my best friend. She’s an incredibly mature young woman and I do wonder what it will be like when she leaves. Oh well, we shall soon find out.
My 22 year old son had some sadness on Christmas also. He was sad because his 3 ½ month old daughter spent Christmas in California with her mom. He sure hated missing her first Christmas.
This young man is one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever known. His compassion is truly one of his most admirable qualities. Yesterday we had a long conversation about various topics. And repeatedly during our conversation he would say things like, “if I had the money, I’d just give it to him” or “how can we help this person?” This child of mine has always been like the person who attracts stray dogs. Not to say that any of his friends are stray dogs but since junior high school he seemed to develop deep friendships with the neediest kids. And he would bring them home assuming that we would be able to do something to help. As a result, he had different friends practically living with us throughout all of his high school years.
Christmas highlighted his compassion all the more. A friend of his came to live with us for what I thought would be a couple weeks in September. Well, a few weeks turned into 3 months. I was so outdone by the extended stay and the extra mouth to feed that I was just flat out annoyed at the sight of his friend. My son did everything in his power to calm me during the 3 months because this friend had already had such a tough life financially that he just wanted him to experience a few months of peace.
I am so incredibly proud of both of my children. As I was sitting crying with my daughter on Christmas, I shed several tears about my son as well. This will also probably be his last Christmas at home. He’s a little slower moving than his sister in terms of being independent but I sense that he will soon be gone.
I do welcome this impending new chapter in my life, but I’m also a little sad that these kiddies of mine grew up so darn fast. I have been completely consumed with raising children for the past 22 years. What will I do with myself now?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Someday At Christmas
I downloaded Christmas songs onto my iPod his weekend. Driving into the office this morning I turned to Stevie Wonder’s Christmas song, “Someday at Christmas” and I soon found myself completely choked up and crying. Of course I’m a big crybaby anyway and will drop a few tears over the smallest events but I was really touched listening to the song.
Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
All men are equal and no men have fears
One shining moment my heart ran away
From our world today
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
The part about all men being equal made me think of a time not so long ago when my grandmother would tell us about how segregated and racist Los Angeles used to be. (Yes, liberal, anything goes Los Angeles.) She would tell us of her days working as a maid for rich white folks in West Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. She certainly didn’t feel equal back then.
These words especially resonated with me because of the election of Barack Obama as president. While he was not my candidate, I continue to celebrate the historic significance of his impending presidency. I honestly did not think that I would live to see the day so the words “maybe not in time for you and me” made me realize that our country achieved what most of us thought was impossible.
Just look at where we are as a nation today. Sure racism and inequality still exist but look at how far we’ve come. . .
Amazing!
I’ve copied the lyrics to the entire song below. It’s one of my favorites.
Someday at Christmas
Someday at Christmas men won't be boys
Playing with bombs like kids play with toys
One warm December our hearts will see
A world where men are free
Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars
When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life's really worth
There'll be peace on earth
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmas we'll see a Man
No hungry children, no empty hand
One happy morning people will share
Our world where people care
Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
All men are equal and no men have fears
One shinning moment my heart ran away
From our world today
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmas man will not fail
Take hope because your love will prevail
Someday a new world that we can start
With hope in every heart
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
All men are equal and no men have fears
One shining moment my heart ran away
From our world today
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
The part about all men being equal made me think of a time not so long ago when my grandmother would tell us about how segregated and racist Los Angeles used to be. (Yes, liberal, anything goes Los Angeles.) She would tell us of her days working as a maid for rich white folks in West Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. She certainly didn’t feel equal back then.
These words especially resonated with me because of the election of Barack Obama as president. While he was not my candidate, I continue to celebrate the historic significance of his impending presidency. I honestly did not think that I would live to see the day so the words “maybe not in time for you and me” made me realize that our country achieved what most of us thought was impossible.
Just look at where we are as a nation today. Sure racism and inequality still exist but look at how far we’ve come. . .
Amazing!
I’ve copied the lyrics to the entire song below. It’s one of my favorites.
Someday at Christmas
Someday at Christmas men won't be boys
Playing with bombs like kids play with toys
One warm December our hearts will see
A world where men are free
Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars
When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life's really worth
There'll be peace on earth
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmas we'll see a Man
No hungry children, no empty hand
One happy morning people will share
Our world where people care
Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
All men are equal and no men have fears
One shinning moment my heart ran away
From our world today
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmas man will not fail
Take hope because your love will prevail
Someday a new world that we can start
With hope in every heart
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmastime
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Representin’ for the Tall Women
The average American woman is approximately 5 feet 4 inches. I am 5 feet 8 inches and have always hated my height. Growing up, it was bad enough that I was taller than most of the other girls in school but being taller than many of the boys too made me feel as if all eyes were upon me. I’ve always been introverted, shy and “background prone” so towering over other folks made it difficult for me to do my invisible act.
My second husband was only 5’ 10” (at the most) and looking at him I would have told anyone he was about 5’7”. (Men tend to lie about their height by a minimum of 2 inches.) I invited him over to my house to watch movies as our first date and met him at the door in my socks so I wouldn’t feel taller than him. Even when we went to church together the first few times, I wore the flattest flat shoes I could find. The heels on my wedding shoes were an inch and a half at most. I laugh now at just how self-conscience I was about my height.
I’ve grown (ever so slightly) since then. Now I don’t care as much. I was invited to a Frankie Beverly concert about a year ago with a man who really was about 5’6”. I went and wore 4 inch heels. Yes, I dwarfed him but we had fun and I truly didn’t care about the height difference. I did wonder if he cared though.
I’ve come to realize that I have to either wear heels (real heels) or flats (true flats). Trying to do the in-between thing is conspicuous. When you are tall and wear dress shoes with an inch heel you appear to be saying either “I hate being tall” or “I’m out with a midget today and don’t want it to look like it.”
Today I read that Michelle Obama is 5’11”. That’s exciting to me. Other than models and a couple celebrities you don’t really see tall people in the spotlight. Now we have our future First Lady (tall as can be) on magazine covers, all over the news and the TV.
Although I've seen Michelle Obama do the "in-between heel height" thing more than few times (ugh!), her heels seem to be getting higher. If Justin Timberlake brought sexy back, it looks like Michelle Obama is bringing tall back. She is representin’ for us tall women!!
My second husband was only 5’ 10” (at the most) and looking at him I would have told anyone he was about 5’7”. (Men tend to lie about their height by a minimum of 2 inches.) I invited him over to my house to watch movies as our first date and met him at the door in my socks so I wouldn’t feel taller than him. Even when we went to church together the first few times, I wore the flattest flat shoes I could find. The heels on my wedding shoes were an inch and a half at most. I laugh now at just how self-conscience I was about my height.
I’ve grown (ever so slightly) since then. Now I don’t care as much. I was invited to a Frankie Beverly concert about a year ago with a man who really was about 5’6”. I went and wore 4 inch heels. Yes, I dwarfed him but we had fun and I truly didn’t care about the height difference. I did wonder if he cared though.
I’ve come to realize that I have to either wear heels (real heels) or flats (true flats). Trying to do the in-between thing is conspicuous. When you are tall and wear dress shoes with an inch heel you appear to be saying either “I hate being tall” or “I’m out with a midget today and don’t want it to look like it.”
Today I read that Michelle Obama is 5’11”. That’s exciting to me. Other than models and a couple celebrities you don’t really see tall people in the spotlight. Now we have our future First Lady (tall as can be) on magazine covers, all over the news and the TV.
Although I've seen Michelle Obama do the "in-between heel height" thing more than few times (ugh!), her heels seem to be getting higher. If Justin Timberlake brought sexy back, it looks like Michelle Obama is bringing tall back. She is representin’ for us tall women!!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Obama Trivia
A friend sent an e-mail today reporting the following bits of trivia about Barack Obama:
• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics
• He was known as "O'Bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball
• His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili
• His favorite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini
• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father
• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed
• He has read every Harry Potter book
• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali
• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream
• His favorite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars
• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia
• He can speak Spanish
• While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had sports channels on instead
• His favorite drink is black forest berry iced tea
• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn't
• He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia
• He can bench press an impressive 200lbs
• He was known as Barry until university when he asked to be addressed by his full name
• His favorite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
• He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister's fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived
• His desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy
• He and Michelle made $4.2 million (£2.7 million) last year, with much coming from sales of his books
• His favorite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
0A
• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck
• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee.
• His favorite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees
• He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing on their first date
• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker
• He doesn't drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol
• He would have liked to have been an architect20if he were not a politician
• As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and cocaine
• His daughters' ambitions are to go to Yale before becoming an actress (Malia, 10) and to sing and dance (Sasha, 7)
• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside
• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal
• His house in Chicago has four fire places
• Daughter Malia's godmother is Jesse Jackson's daughter Santita
• He says his worst habit is con stantly checking his Blackberry
• He uses an Apple Mac laptop
• He drives a Ford Escape Hybrid, having ditched his gas-guzzling Chrysler 300
• He wears $1,500 (£952) Hart Schaffner Marx suits
• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes
• He has his hair cut once a week by his Chicago barber, Zariff, who charges $21
• His favorite fictional television programs are Mash and The Wire
• He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service handlers
• He was nicknamed "Bear" by his late grandmother
• He plans to install a basketball court in the White House grounds
• His favorite artist is Pablo Picasso
• His speciality as a cook is chilli
• He has said many of his friends in Indonesia were "street urchins"
• He keeps on his desk a carving of a wooden hand holding an egg, a Kenyan symbol of the fragility of life
• His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan government
Interesting but I wish there was a tidbit referencing his relationship with Christ.
• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics
• He was known as "O'Bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball
• His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili
• His favorite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini
• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father
• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed
• He has read every Harry Potter book
• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali
• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream
• His favorite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars
• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia
• He can speak Spanish
• While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had sports channels on instead
• His favorite drink is black forest berry iced tea
• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn't
• He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia
• He can bench press an impressive 200lbs
• He was known as Barry until university when he asked to be addressed by his full name
• His favorite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
• He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister's fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived
• His desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy
• He and Michelle made $4.2 million (£2.7 million) last year, with much coming from sales of his books
• His favorite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
0A
• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck
• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee.
• His favorite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees
• He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing on their first date
• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker
• He doesn't drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol
• He would have liked to have been an architect20if he were not a politician
• As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and cocaine
• His daughters' ambitions are to go to Yale before becoming an actress (Malia, 10) and to sing and dance (Sasha, 7)
• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside
• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal
• His house in Chicago has four fire places
• Daughter Malia's godmother is Jesse Jackson's daughter Santita
• He says his worst habit is con stantly checking his Blackberry
• He uses an Apple Mac laptop
• He drives a Ford Escape Hybrid, having ditched his gas-guzzling Chrysler 300
• He wears $1,500 (£952) Hart Schaffner Marx suits
• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes
• He has his hair cut once a week by his Chicago barber, Zariff, who charges $21
• His favorite fictional television programs are Mash and The Wire
• He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service handlers
• He was nicknamed "Bear" by his late grandmother
• He plans to install a basketball court in the White House grounds
• His favorite artist is Pablo Picasso
• His speciality as a cook is chilli
• He has said many of his friends in Indonesia were "street urchins"
• He keeps on his desk a carving of a wooden hand holding an egg, a Kenyan symbol of the fragility of life
• His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan government
Interesting but I wish there was a tidbit referencing his relationship with Christ.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Christmas at the White House
HGTV is one of my favorite cable television stations – especially at Christmas time. The past few years they have had a show featuring First Lady Laura Bush at the White House. Mrs. Bush provides a tour of the White House and describes the Christmas decorations, the themes of the various Christmas Trees, the gingerbread house, etc. She also shares the year’s Christmas card, who was commissioned to illustrate it and the story behind it. Being an artsy-craftsy, do-it-yourself kind of girl, I just find the entire tour and all the little back-stories fascinating.
The White House is always so beautifully decorated and Laura Bush always presents herself in such a refined, dignified, “First Lady-ish” manner that the show inspires me. Today I realized that this year will be the last one featuring Laura Bush. Christmas 2009 will feature Michelle Obama.
What will a Michelle Obama Christmas show look like? Michelle Obama strikes me as a woman who will make a graceful, traditional First Lady. I look forward to peeking into the White House for Christmas 2009. I’m sure Michelle Obama will do a grand job. Do you think during the Bush and Obama meeting yesterday, Laura and Michelle discussed Christmas?
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