My ex-boss(am now ungainfully retired) the Mayor just called a friend, she does this when she can't get a hold of me. FIRE on Hwy 282(??) goes from Lead Hill towards Tucker Hollow.
Said they kept the house safe, but still are out there. She asked I ask everyone to pray for our firefighters. They are the neighbors, just ordinary folks. Two are couples, and they are amazing as people.

We've had over two weeks in the triple digits, tinder dry. Even the campgrounds aren't allowing campfires, usually smell them from here. No fireworks either. Our annual public display for the 4th was done with prevention in mind.

The Chief is a single mom, sits in the pew in front of me on Sundays, when her radio goes off she's gone. Yep, it happens.

We're a very small population, 780 here and 300 in Lead Hill, less than that at Tucker Hollow. Heavily wooded, tons of creatures from wild turkeys to deer to possum to bear(we've got two moved in on the hill next to me, one Black and a larger Brown) to a few Road Runners and coyotes and this bobcat that today wasn't in the woods, but somewhere on the road to the cove. Some great stands of cedars, and plenty of oak of course. Again HEAVILY wooded hills.

Before I left City Hall, Emerg. Man. was trying to plan a course of "How To", learned for the first three days/ 72 hours we are on our own.

Our Firecrew have repeatedly been towards Branson helping fight fires. This is the first one HERE of concern.

I know many don't claim to be Christians, but I ask you access whatever Source and pray for the safety of our firecrew.

Thanks.

at the time both nursing school and work kept me overwhelmed. One morning I was zipping upstairs and the love of my life remarked "I know when you get the license you are going to dump me..."
I say to DU what I said to him:
"You ain't that f---ing lucky."

My second thread here at DU was about alienating Lutherans. I'm still a newbie.

Each day I get a little Bible quote in my email, the poetic coincidence of todays:

In 1st Cor. 4: 12-13:
"when reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly."

I KNOW what has carried me, through about everything in the words of "Amazing Grace", there is no way without this Faith- that has finally grown into Trust, I would have endured.
It just is what it is. As silly as it may be, naive??, I take for granted that everyone has those "epiphanies". IF you've never been where there were NO options, no other ways to respond, act or re-act....

For a long time it used to irritate me that while I know I am a Christian, the way I understand and attempt to live is a direct opposite of the Conservative Christian Right, it didn't seem fair that as sure as I am about who and what I believe, its like a whole different religious concept. Coming to DU has done something more powerful, it has shown the impacts of what the CCR has done to the potentials and more important the relevance of Faith.

If someone has a response to their fundie friends who seems to like to punish those who do not accept the vile, the condemnations and the rediculous allegations-please share it.
The best I can do is sit there without rolling my eyes like a teenager's response, and settle on saying: You know we have been warned about false teachers?

Aye, it IS the narrow gate! Dunno if I can actually enter through it, but it won't be for lack of trying eh?

Boy I can't wait for July and August, how about you?

AND: that there is no Honor and Respect in America for Americans, or any one, or anything for that matter. Worse, can't find much to honor or respect.

AND: that Union busting pretty well left the Middle Class DOA.

AND: that Mitters, ah I can't say anything kind, so guess I can't say anything eh?

AND Insurance Companies and Banksters and Super PACS and frakking and the Strait of Hormuz and Iran, Iraq and The Murders by Assad. And the denial of climate change.

I'ld be up another two hours getting it all in writing... And that really p------ me off!

AND the Corps of Engineers!

Okay, I'm pouring a glass of wine...

sing it like you've never sung before...
-bobby darin


You just can't fix stupid, and we've more than needed that will find "logic" to do this. It has just been simmering for too long, its like Athlete's Foot, just won't go away.

Having studied the Book of Revelation with the Jehovah's Witness (yep this Lutheran did that) I am sure my fundie friends see all the names in John of Patmos' works highlighted.

So...

Come and sing a simple song of freedom, sing it like you've never sung before....

Here we've had over a week to swelter, get those heat headaches and nausea-and the garden I carefully water at the sign of wilting leaves...the butternut squash just up and died over night. Just UP and quit.

Here's a lighter side: My first "A" in college was in Astronomy, only took it to learn the constellations. One nice spring time Sunday evening, was sitting out on the deck, and got shaken understates the response. Its always been a source of comfort to see that Big Dipper, good old Ursa Major. But in my six decades had Never seen it upside down, like the dipper was spilling out it contents. Add to that a friend of mine had told me about the "theory" the earth was tilting so many degrees. Stone cold sober, I cried. I spent hours apologizing to the Creator I believe in, and then started on my long list of faults.

Worked at the time in a school cafeteria, so bright and early Monday asked the Science Teacher. He hadn't seen it upside down either. Learned it is a spring and fall event.
Still it changed my perspectives. It will take that for each of us to understand how neglectful we have been and remain disrespectful of the source of Life on this baby blue planet.

You words won't be taken to heart until the famine begins.

Took my nephew, 18 months younger than me, over three decades to beat his demons. Witty, charming, good looking- he threw away more chances than the rest of us even got close to. BUT finally it happened, practice makes perfect, and boy did ALL the family get plenty of practice. None of us truly accepted the choice he made, the one he still claims as "I have a right to do drugs if I want". Still he'll shoot heroin, still he does a little crack, a little crank and a little meth, BUT its temporary, not the constant of the past.

For the family it really is like being chained to a pillar, and having no choice but to watch the person take a dull ax and try to chop of his legs. Helpless fits well.


Most recoveries I've seen happen after a decade of being blinded and lost in the fog of drugs. Rehab is like a revolving door, and thankfully it is just that.

Once remarked to a friend's son who FINALLY altered his lifestyle, this was one of the most creative person I still have ever met. He made a remark that the devil doesn't choose the easiest or the slowest, he chooses those with potential so it can be destroyed.

My liberal Christian prayers go out to you and all who face this horrible reality.

decided to leave his vehicle. Surely I am not the only DUer who has knowledge of citizen patrols/neighborhood watch!

Zimmerman KNEW a squad had been dispatched. "911" told him "We don't need you to do that."

Obviously the first rule is not to "patrol" alone. But the bigger rules are you do not engage nor confront. You observe, you get a description. You stay in your vehicle until a uniformed officer arrives. Zimmerman set the scene for what took place, he made a choice, a decision.
He knew he didn't have a badge nor authority. Everything else that took place was due to a choice to be above the parameters of citizen patrol. He wouldn't have had stitches nor head wound had he behaved as he KNOWS he was supposed to. Looks like he felt he was above the law. And a young man wouldn't be dead!

but with a deep cry of despair and agony. Its when that pain turns into anger, and the anger into cynical humor- seems the humor keeps the strength for endurance.

Its not the herd cows that seek a different pasture. My fear is before the tipping point arrives, it will get much much worse for we, the 99%. The wheat and the chaff will separate, but there needs be Unity. And the political group I love most has this frustrating history of splintering just when it needs to be united the most.

I too love this democratic republic, but its become a Sodom & Gomorrah.

Vonnegut and Orwell nailed this long ago. Darn it.


"Welcome to the Monkey House"!

was used in classes, mine happened to be Astronomy, the professor was working on his degree, gone through a divorce and tended to donate blood a little to often to get by.

For 30 years I used to inject "What global warming?" at odd and unexpected times, usually resulting in a look like of concern for my mental well being. Took a couple of decades before the majority of people had any idea what I was rambling about.

The topic of AIDS, when was it really discussed in the general public? There was no instant awareness from ESP or psychic predictions.

That's what some don't understand, you have to take step one, before you can get to step two.

Something else that seems to have gotten lost is NO ONE sends in a request to be born and have a life, that begins with a look in someone's eyes. Given my dad was 46 when he learned he was about to be a father again, wanna bet he could have found a different kind of joy? Surprise was likely an understated fact. His personal dreams put on hold another 18 years.

Birth control allowed folks to wait, and hopefully be more able to afford to provide a good childhood for their child, and not have a new child every year or so.

As per all the messes, wish more would have been changed. Utopia will always be stuck being a dream over a reality-still wish we could do better.

Until this thread, until reading it as it grew, being childless I stood up to those around me who called this new group the "Instant gratification generation". BUT after seeing the mean heartedness, not so sure I'll jump to defend these folks again. Thought maybe you should know this.

Wish you well, wish you the wherewithal to stand up and find like-minds to work for CONstructive change.

BUT methinks from now on, am stuck saying to parents, "yeah, I saw what you meant, and apologize for speaking as an advocate."