CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

Don Van Vliet

Artist, Blues Singer and Musician

15th. January 1941 to 17th. December 2010

Van Vliet is often referred to as an avant-garde performer. I think this is a wrong and lazy description of the great man. There were times when the Magic Band got a bit silly, especially when they were young men and that was a bit difficult to listen to without feeling embarrassed. But the bedrock of their repertoire was just, basic country blues. If you listen to recordings of pre-blues revival, black performers you will find their stylings just as weird and unconventional as the Captain's musical arrangements. The only reason why he was regarded as "way out" by white kids is because most of them had never listened to rural black blues music and the blues most of them were listening to at the time was the bland, soft rock stylings of Eric Clapton and his contemporaries or the urban rock of performers such as Janis Joplin. Basically, Don Van Vliet proved that white men could sing the blues but only if, like him, they listened to and respected those from whom it came.

The title of this post was going to be a quote from an Elvis Costello song. Unfortunately many of my readers are too pre-programmed to have appreciated it. But, I'm sure some of you out there will get where I'm coming from and shed a tear with me for the way the world has lost all of its passion in the last 30 years.

PRAYER LIST UPDATE

Senate, Voting 63-33, 

Paves Way for Repeal 

of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

THE SOPPY SANTA SELECTION

You know, the world was such an incredibly boring and rather dull place before the invention of the Internet. You had to put up with what THEY wanted you to watch. Now we get to watch exactly what WE want to watch, which is singing animals. HURRAY!!!

THE PRAYER LIST

I do loosely follow a template with our daily prayers. First we pray for the world. Then we pray for ourselves. Finally, if there are any, we offer up our thanksgivings. Other than that there is no other system in place. The prayers are not placed in any hierarchy of importance, they tend to get posted in the order they hit my computer. Therefore, I would ask those who take this feature seriously to always read all the prayer requests as the most important can easily be at the bottom of the list and may just consist of a single, unillustrated, sentence. Thank you.

Posted at PLANETTRANSGENDER:

Earlier this year Millicent Gaika, a 30-year-old South African woman, was tied up, beaten, strangled, tortured and raped for five hours by a man as he screamed that he would “cure” Millicent of her lesbianism.

Ndumie Funda, a local community activist whose lesbian partner was murdered in the course of a similar “corrective rape,” reached out to Millicent through a small local charity she set up to rescue and support survivors of “corrective rape.” But last month they both had to go into hiding after the South African government released the perpetrator they had helped to jail on 60 rand (less than $10) bail.
Ndumie, Millicent and others decided to fight back against the rapists and the lack of accountability for their crimes.

From a Cape Town safehouse for survivors of ‘corrective rape,’ the women created a petition on Change.org targeting South African Justice Minister Jeffrey Radebe.
Please, they wrote, declare 'corrective rape' a hate crime, which would both empower and require South African police to take a harder line on the vicious crime.

Click here to add your name to the petition.

More than 500 “corrective rapes” are reported in South Africa each year, and more than 30 South African lesbians have been murdered because of their sexuality over the past decade. Worse, for every 100 men charged with rape in South Africa, 96 of them walk free.

***

I don't understand the technicalities regarding procedure in the US parliament. But, from reading the GAY MARRIED CALIFORNIAN blog I understand that there is a vote going down today that has something to with the campaign to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rules that currently makes the lives of gay people in the US military incredibly uncomfortable and difficult. Please join me in praying for a speedy rejection of this antiquated, legitimised bigotry in the US military.

***

From THE INFUSION:

Ivory Coast Update:

International pressure is growing on Ivory Coast incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to cede power to opposition leader Alassane Ouattara after last month's disputed presidential election.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says Mr Gbagbo must stand down by "the end of the week" or face EU sanctions. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called for African nations to remove Mr Gbagbo by force if necessary.

Please continue to pray.

From CATHY:

I saw someone's lost pet bird in the local park yesterday as I was running for the Tube. It was a cockatiel (same as my birdies) and I could tell it was lost because it was in a horrible panic and screaming frantically in the hope of getting a response from familiar faces and voices, but it must have flown too far away from its home for anyone to hear. It called desperately for a few seconds then flew off. I couldn't help it because cockatiels are very strong flyers and it was high up in the trees - by the time I had walked to the tree it was in it could already have been a quarter of a mile off. In the meantime this big freeze and heavy snow has come down. I prayed for it whenever I thought of it yesterday and this morning. There is pretty much no chance it will ever be reunited with its owner but there is a very slim chance it will land in someone's backyard so exhausted that they will be able to catch and rescue it. I feel so sorry for it and also for its owner, who, if they loved their bird, must be utterly distraught.

***

Posted by Ormonde at THROUGH THE DUST:

I have been seriously ill the last month and a half, first with gall bladder (resulting in a long stay at Ochsner Hospital and eventually surgery), then with bladder failure. While at Ochsner I had atrial fibrillation and was shocked out of it (none of which I can remember), and now I am catheterizing myself several times a day to empty the bladder. What a mess is old age!

***

Posted by Tim at
FOLLOWING THE VOICE WITHIN:

I would ask for prayers for myself, dealing with a number of personal issues simultaneously (as such things are prone to do), the upshot of which is fighting off the Darkness of depression. I know the Light is there, I just can't see my way out of this box I'm in right now and help would be appreciated.

I may be wrong (I often get mixed up over the identity of my readers) but I think Tim is a fellow traveller on the pot-holed path of only just sanity. If Tim is the person I am thinking of then he is a fighter who has beaten this thing of ours before. Give him some help with some extra-potent prayers, please.

***

Posted by REV SS:

Today the son, husband and father of dear, dear friends chose to end his pain by suicide ... the same day his oldest daughter returns home from college for Christmas break! Please pray for the "C" family. (and for me ... this is the third time I've faced this loss as a friend/pastor ... and I still feel totally overwhelmed)

***

Posted by SCG at WAKE UP AND LIVE:

Some months back, I wrote about the mother of my friend, Dona, who was having some serious health issues and spent several weeks in a rehab hospital. Gloria, the mom, is doing much better. Sadly, Dona's father, Richard, is not. Richard, who is gregarious and a guy who liked to help people, had been having some problems for the past few months. The doctors thought that maybe he'd contracted tuberculosis (he had been visiting with homeless vets at a shelter and had brought them computers to work with, so the theory was he'd been exposed to TB). After antibiotics failed to help, the decision was to operate. They took out part of his right lung, and... after initially saying there was no cancer... discovered that there was cancer. And it has spread.

They're trying to move Richard out of the hospital and into either hospice house or back home with hospice care. The doctors have not given him more than days now to live. He'll begin to sleep more, then drift into that state of being here but not here... and then he'll be gone. Please keep Richard, Glo, Dona and her partner Dana in your prayers.

***

Posted by Chris at BLETHERS:

It's snowing, inconveniently, but I'm not going to mention it again. Instead, I'm going to indulge in a wee paean of praise for the Plastic Surgery department at Glasgow Royal Infirmary - and no, I wasn't having cosmetic surgery. Just in case you ask. It was a very tiny bit of cutting and stitching that was required, though I suppose the resulting biopsy may lead to a further visit.

The great thing is that I'm not anything like as bothered by that thought as I was. The people I met there - especially Jim the nurse - couldn't have been better at mixing professionalism with the appearance of personal interest; the building was newish and therefore cheering; the atmosphere in theatre was calm and unthreatening. My face, having had any vestiges of moisturiser swabbed off it, was swathed in drapes, so I couldn't see anyone, but I was able to listen to the instructions as someone practised tiny stitches on my temple (I never thought of the bit in front of my ear as the temple, but there you are) and join in the discussion about how difficult it was to explain the difference between a granny knot and a reef knot. (To be honest, I think the instructing surgeon was better at surgery than language - it was my idea to call it a granny knot when one stitch had to be removed and redone)

***

From SUSIE SUE:

My son and his fiance are getting married tomorrow (TODAY!). We are very excited at the prospect of having a Daughter-in-law and a Granddaughter, the sweetest 6 year-old in the world!

I found this music on Facebook a couple of days ago and I thought it was so appropriate for the couple. I wanted you to hear it. The singers are the Choir of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
It is a lovely setting of a poem by the mystic poet Rumi.

May these vows and this marriage be blessed.
May it be sweet milk,this marriage, like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade like the date palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter,
your every day a day in paradise.
May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcomes the moon in a clear blue sky.

Eric Whitacre: This Marriage & Lux aurumque by Alamire

I am out of words to describe how spirit mingles in this marriage."

AND I DIDN'T THINK HE CARED

From my ex-bishop:

This is the sort of hypocritical tosh that happens
when you can't be arsed to sort out your own
Christmas cards and leave it all up to your secretary.

OH BUGGER, IT'S CHRISTMAS!18TH. DECEMBER 2010LOUD FRIDAY SPECIAL

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MICHELLE

DON'T BLAME MADPRIEST, BLAME WICKED ELLIE

A travel agent looked up from his desk to see an old lady and an old gentleman peering in the shop window at the posters showing the glamorous destinations around the world.

The agent had had a good week and the dejected couple looking in the window gave him a rare feeling of generosity. He called them into his shop: 'I know that on your pension you could never hope to have a holiday, so I am sending you off to a fabulous resort at my expense, and I won't take no for an answer.'

He took them inside and asked his secretary to write two flight tickets and book a room in a five star hotel. They, as can be expected, gladly accepted, and were off!

About a month later the little old lady came in to his shop. 'And how did you like your holiday?' he asked eagerly.

'The flight was exciting and the room was lovely,' she said. 'I've come to thank you but, one thing puzzled me. Who was that old guy I had to share the room with?'

THE CAPTAIN DIED TODAY

Full post tomorrow.

BISHOP BENNY'S CUNNING PLAN

BISHOP BURNHAM'S TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

OH BUGGER, IT'S CHRISTMAS!17TH. DECEMBER 2010LOUD FRIDAY SPECIAL

Lovers of loud will love this. There's even a dirty, heavy blues number in the middle especially for JCF.

Is It Cold Enough To Snow? - POP ART
Big Fat Santa - THE BIHLMAN BROS.
Christmas Was Better In The 80S - THE FUTUREHEADS

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MRS MP

One Christmas Eve, a frenzied young man ran into a pet shop looking for an unusual Christmas gift for his wife. The shop owner suggested a parrot, named Chet, who could sing famous Christmas carols; this seemed like the perfect gift for his wife.

"How do I get him to sing?" The young man asked, excitedly.

"Simply hold a lighted match directly under his feet." was the shop owner's reply.

The shop owner held a lighted match under the parrot's left foot. Chet began to sing: "Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! ...."

The shop owner then held another match under the parrot's right foot. Then Chet's tune changed, and the air was filled with: " Silent Night, Holy Night..."

The young man was so impressed that he paid the shop-keeper and ran home as quickly as he could with Chet under his arm. When the wife saw her gift she was overwhelmed.

"How beautiful!" She exclaimed, "Can he talk?"

"No", the young man replied, "But he can sing; let me show you."

So the young man lit a match and placed it under Chet's left foot, as the shop-keeper had shown him, and Chet crooned: "Jingle Bells! Jingle bells!..."

The man then placed another lit a match to Chet's right foot, and out came: "Silent Night, Holy night..."

The delighted wife, her face filled with curiosity, then asked, "What if we hold a match between his feet?"

Eager to please his wife he said, "I don't know, but let's try it".

So they held the lighter between Chet's feet. Chet twisted his face, cleared his throat, and the little parrot sang out loudly like it was the performance of his life:

"Chet's nuts roasting on an open fire...."

MADPRIEST'S IS APPEALING

Subscriptions so far = $290 per month
Over a quarter of the way there!

I have added a subscription button. This is for those who wish to donate a fixed amount each month. I have put up a few options but if you wish to donate a different amount to those suggested, please drop me an email stating the figure and I will add your amount to the list of options. At the moment you have to have a PayPal account of your own to use this feature. If you would like to donate through PayPal by debit or credit card, without having to set up a PayPal account, please let me know. If it is worthwhile I will pay the small monthly premium that PayPal charge for this facility.

If the monthly subscriptions ever reached a total of $1000 I would look for a part time, house for duty, parish post (3 days a week) and devote the rest of my time to my blog ministry. I promise I am not stating this to pressurise you into donating (I am happy to go back into full time parish ministry). It's just something that would effect my decision should it happen.

As so many of you had already contributed to the appeal before I put up the subscription facility I expect I won't get an accurate idea of how popular it will be until next month.

You may still, of course, send in your donations as one offs using the Donation button.

Option 1 : £5.00GBP - monthly Option 2 : £10.00GBP - monthly Option 3 : £15.00GBP - monthly Option 4 : £20.00GBP - monthly Option 5 : £25.00GBP - monthly Option 6 : £50.00GBP - monthly

Another way to help me is to buy Amazon products via my Amazon shop. Details of how to do this can be found in the right hand sidebar.

BENNY COPS AN EYEFUL

Here is the full, unexpurgated, homoerotic, eye candy fest that was the subject of Wednesday's CAPTION COMPETITION. Some of you may need to take a cold shower after watching this.

THE PRAYER LIST17TH. DECEMBER 2010

From THE BBC:

Supporters of one of the two rival presidents in Ivory Coast say they intend to take to the streets again, a day after gun battles in the main city of Abidjan left at least 20 dead. On Thursday Alassane Ouattara's backers tried to march on the headquarters of state TV, but clashed with troops loyal to his rival, Laurent Gbagbo. Each man claims to have won last month's presidential election.

The UN Security Council has expressed deep concern over the violence. It warned that all sides would be held accountable under international law for any attacks against civilians, as fears rose the country could slide back towards civil war.

From THE BBC:

Japan has unveiled sweeping changes to its national defence polices, boosting its southern forces in response to neighbouring China's military rise.

Japan, which shares a maritime border with China, said Beijing's military build-up was of global concern.

Japan will also strengthen its missile defences against the threat from a nuclear-armed North Korea.

***

From PAM'S HOUSE BLEND:

Dan Choi, who sacrificed his privacy to take on a high-profile role as one of the public faces of the impact of the discriminatory policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, has been hospitalized and is in the hands of professional mental health practitioners at a Veterans Administration facility. Dan explained in his email:

I did not initially want to publicize this but I now realize it is critical for our community to know several things: veterans gay or straight carry human burdens, Activists share similar burdens, no activist should be portrayed as super human, and the failures of government and national lobbying carry consequences far beyond the careers and reputations of corporate leaders, elected officials, High powered lobbyists, or political elites. They ruin lives. My breakdown was a result of a cumulative array of stressors but there is no doubt that the composite betrayals felt on Thursday, by elected leaders and gay organizations as well as many who have exploited my name for their marketing purposes have added to the result. I am certain my experience is not an isolated incident within the gay veteran community. At the same time, those who have been closest to me know that I truly appreciate their gracious help and mentorship. I am indebted to their hospitality and leadership.

***

DON'T FORGET to pray for Viv of the
ZEN AND THE ART OF TIGHTROPE WALKING
blog who is undergoing surgery today.

***

Posted by Ormonde at THROUGH THE DUST:

The following person was murdered in the metro area this week:

Scott Gault, December 8, 42 years old, stabbed, Orleans Parish

Please pray for the victim, his murderer, and their families.

***

Posted by Paul at BYZIGENOUS BUDDHAPALIAN:

David offers many for us to remember in prayer.

Just a quick note to let you know that dear Rosemary entered eternal life last evening. As tiny as she was physically, dear Rosemary was a giant in her passionate determination to beat her cancer so as to see her two sons make it to adulthood. I ask your prayers for Rosemary's husband David, their two sons, Rosemary's mother, two brothers and her sister. I would also ask your prayers for my baby sister Jenny, who for close to two years was Rosemary's chief ally in keeping things as normal as possible and getting her to treatments and appointments.

Jacques continues to be palliative, though there has been some slight rallying, just in time for my neice Marion and her daughter to make it back from the Gaspe

The latest from our Margaret is that Joel has been allowed home from hospital, though he is having real issues breathing

Dear, dear Paul needs prayers for operable health challenges on two fronts please and I'd ask your prayers this evening for a young girl of only six years old, flown down south after being gravely attacked by four sled dog in her settlement- the dear child is litterally fighting for her life.

I also ask your prayers for my sister, Shirley, who battles infections and celebrates her 79th birthday tomorrow. Also for her husband Jack.

I give thanks that my nephew Jay has managed to get off diabetes meds.

***

From THE CHURCH TIMES:

Alex Stobbs, hopes to defy his doctors to sing for the last time at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, on Christmas Eve. The twenty year old student has cystic fibrosis, and his condition is rapidly worsening. He featured in a Bafta-nominated Channel 4 documentary, A Boy Called Alex, in 2008, which earned him a worldwide following. He originally joined King’s College choir at the age of nine. He returned when he won a place at Cambridge University.

His health has worsened, however, since he rejoined the choir, and his lungs are now operating at 38 per cent of their capacity. To keep going, he has to take 50 pills each day, and have oxygen overnight.
Mr Stobbs has spent the past three weeks in hospital, but he ignored his doctors’ advice last week to take part in the TV recording of Carols from King’s, which will be broadcast on BBC2 on Christmas Eve at 6.45 p.m. He says he also hopes to sing again for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is to be broadcast live at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve on Radio 4 (repeated on Radio 3 on Christmas Day at 2 p.m.).

Mr Stobbs said this week: “My lungs certainly aren’t what they were, and it’s a struggle to sing, but I manage. This will be my last year singing in the choir, and I’ll be very sad to leave, as it’s such a wonderful institution.”

His condition has made him partially deaf, and he also suffers from brittle bones. He hopes to become a conductor when he graduates next year.

MADPRIEST'S MUST-SEE MOVIE - CHRISTMAS 2010

Mrs MP and MadPriest went to see this film last Sunday and we are sure glad that we did. It's a definite contender for cult status. Obviously made on a tight budget it relies on good, old fashioned story telling and a really nasty sense of humour to raise itself above the usual cinematic schmaltz that's put out at this time of year.

Basically, if you prefer to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Bad Santa" rather than "Miracle On 34th. Street" and "It's A Wonderful Life," then get yourself down to your nearest art cinema and catch this film before it disappears into obscurity. I promise that it will get you into the true spirit of Christmas - Bah! Humbug!

Oh, and if you have young children, I strongly suggest that you smuggle them into the cinema (in England it is a 15 cert.) and make them watch it. I doubt that you will get any misbehaviour out of them from then to Christmas Eve, and probably not for the rest of their childhoods.



RARE EXPORTS WEBSITE

OH BUGGER, IT'S CHRISTMAS!16TH. DECEMBER 2010

BRETT'S MYSPACE PAGE

NATALIE'S WEBSITE

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MICHELLE

BABELICIOUS BISHOPS:WE DISCOVER ANOTHER BEAUTY

Since the beginning of the current unpleasantness, OCICBW... has insisted that if the Church of England would promise to only promote pretty women to the episcopacy then all the crusty, old heterosexual males, currently opposed to female bishops, would immediately drop all their theological objections and start turning up at every confirmation service where an episcopal beauty happened to be presiding. With all our gay misogynists determined to jump ship for that bastion of inclusivity, the Italian church, the passage of the measure through general synod should be virtually unopposed.

But candidates for fast-tracking to bishop level have been few and far between and we have had to spread our nets far and wide. We have even had to consider poaching suitable, young ladies from churches less imbued with perfection than our own. This is the case with our candidate today who I came across at the CAN IT HAPPEN HERE? blog.

The Rev. Deborah Lee is a dog-collared member of the United Church of Christ in California. But I think the Church of England should be prepared to overlook that somewhat negative entry on her CV as, not only is she drop dead gorgeous, she is also well feisty. Below is a photo of her at the front of a demonstration in May, 2009, where, along with three other clergy, she was arrested for un-American activities or under some other fascist law. I think you will all agree with me when I say that Deborah is, most definitely, our sort of gal!

NOTE TO COMPLAINERS:
Nobody at OCICBW... is sexist.
We are just extremely shallow.

THE PRAYER LIST16TH. DECEMBER 2010

The tragedy reported below has been picked up by the world media. But is only the tip of the iceberg of suffering endured by the refugees of the world. There is only one way to rid the world of this terrible obscenity and that is to split the world's wealth up evenly between all its inhabitants. This will not happen any day soon and our failure to share that which God has given us will lead to a situation far worse than anything we have encountered so far or can even imagine. And it will not be just the refugees who will bear the brunt of the global unrest that our unjust economics, misuse of resources and global warming are going to cause. It will effect every one of us except, no doubt, the truly guilty.

From THE BBC:

Australia is launching a criminal investigation into the Christmas Island shipwreck that killed at least 28 people, yesterday. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said more bodies may be pulled from the sea after a boat carrying suspected asylum seekers crashed into jagged rocks. She said the boat may have been carrying more than the 70 passengers originally thought. Forty-two people were rescued from the heavy surf after the boat broke apart.

The passengers of the flimsy wooden boat are believed to have been asylum seekers making their way to Australia via Indonesia.

From CHRISTIAN TODAY:

Fears for hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers being held captive in the Sinai Desert have intensified amid reports of the murder of two deacons.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide heard of the killings in a report from Italian human rights group Agenzia Habeshia. The two deacons were among 100 Eritrean refugees separated by their captors from a larger group which also included Sudanese, Somalis and Ethiopians refugees.

Agenzia Habeshia believes the deacons were singled out for punishment and killed on Saturday for alerting human rights groups about the plight of the remaining 250 refugees and asylum seekers, who have been held by the Bedouin traffickers for more than a month in the Sinai Desert.

CSW said conditions for the refugees were “degrading” and that traffickers were demanding up to $8,000 for each hostage’s release. They had already charged each refugee $2,000 for safe passage to Israel. According to Agenzia Habeshia, the refugees have had their religious possessions destroyed and suffered beatings and torture, including electric shocks.

***

Posted at AD DOMINUM:

Father Miroslaw Karczewski, a 45-year-old Conventual Franciscan, was killed Dec. 6 in the rectory of his parish in Santo Domingo de Los Colorados.

The dead priest was found by parishioners after he did not show up for evening Mass at St Anthony of Padua church, Fides reported. His body had wounds on various parts, which suggested that he attempted to struggle for his life, but he was killed by being struck with a large crucifix. The attacker took the mobile phone and computer from the rectory.

Police reported that Father Karczewski had already been assaulted in his home a year ago.

The priest belonged to the province of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Gdansk, Poland, and had been serving in Ecuador since 1995.

Posted at DIOBETH NEWSPIN:

Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families:

Vincent W. Ashlock, 45
James A. Ayube, II, 25
Sean M. Collins, 25
Patrick D. Deans, 22
David D. Finch, 24
Michael E. Geary, 20
Ethan L. Goncalo, 21
Stacy A. Green, 34
Willie A. McLawhorn Jr., 23
Kelly J. Mixon, 23
Kenneth E. Necochea Jr., 21
Jason D. Peto, 31
Derek T. Simonetta, 21
Jorge E. Villacis, 24

Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for an end to this endless war.

***

From JCF:

Please pray also for my friend Cathy, still struggling with lung cancer. I saw her this past Sunday, and while she doesn't look bad, her energy level is way down (and her mental attitude, similarly. She really needs a miracle.

***

From VIV:

Just a quick request Jonathan. I am having some unmentionable sort of surgery on Friday and would appreciate prayers. Thanks.

***

Posted by Jan at A CHURCH FOR STARVING ARTISTS:

While many are still searching for "the perfect gift" whatever that means, HH and I are searching for a new home. I'm searching for a new call. And all of us are searching for meaning in the thick of our family changes.

***

Posted by It's Margaret at
LEAVE IT WHERE JESUS FLANG IT:

Yesterday, talking to a friend who is a doctor, I said Joel and I laughed because I told him if he realized he was gonna die, he better make a run for it --none of this lingering around crap. He gave me precise instructions --that is also his wish... no machines pumping away to keep him alive....

My doctor friend said, well, you know, that is not what is gonna happen with this disease...

Sigh.... I shut my mind off.

But I know I gotta deal with it....

But not today.... I hope. I pray.

Beloved called last night, just as I got in --They were giving him a second IVIG treatment --intravenous gamagobulin... or however you spell that --massive dose that takes hours to drip in... scary stuff.

***

Posted at WOUNDED BIRD (15th. December):

UPDATE ON AIEEN

Yesterday was a great day. Aileen followed the doc with her eyes, blinked on command and moved her right arm up and then back down again upon being asked. Her blood labs looked good, and yesterday's CAT scan came back with good news. The hemorrhage on the left side is beginning to resolve itself and the pressure is going down. However, kidney and liver lab numbers are not so good today and she spiked a temp overnight. Please continue prayers. (Her husband, Mike)

***

Posted by Doug at COUNTERLIGHT'S PECULIARS:

Talked to Ma very very briefly over the phone today. She recognized me and asked how I was. I said, "fine and how are you!" She replied, "feeling strange," and then said something about the nurse coming in and hung up. I talked to my brother who said that now the doctors are not sure she even had a stroke. They now think the dizziness may have been caused by a drop in her blood pressure, which apparently is still low. They think the memory loss and disorientation may be more from the head injury. They don't know if she'll ever completely recover her short term memory and former mental function, but they do expect that she will recover about 90% of it. She is still in the hospital trying to build her strength back up for rehabilitation. Very confusing.

***

Posted by Father Kenny at RECTOR'S RAMBLINGS:

It's a hard time of year for dad. He can't get his head around why his family have "stuck him in a home" and won't have him to stay if we insist that he can't look after himself, which he obviously feels he can do quite perfectly if we'd only left him alone!

The staff at Frank Downie House are just wonderful and spoil him terribly, but visits are often difficult. There are often tears as he tries to struggle with why he's there and what he's "done wrong" to be dumped there.

When I left him on Friday he was far from being in festive mood, and I was dreading tonight's Christmas Party which the RW and I decided to attend.

However, lo and behold, the old boy was done up in his good suit and shirt and tie, and with a plate of food in one hand and a good glass of whisky in the other, he was in good form!

***

Posted by Petty Witter at PEN AND PAPER:

Some of you may be aware that I haven't been too well over the last week or two or three and things came to a head on Friday when I saw our nurse for a routine injection. Not liking the sound of my breathing, she sent me in to see one of our GP's - a lovely German woman who is no-nonsense and very, very thorough. Having listened to my chest and done all my observations, she declared I had a(nother) chest infection and would need another course of steroids (my third) and another (not one) but two lots of antibiotics (my third lot) AND should really be going to hospital ..... and would be admitted if I wasn't able to skip into the surgery come Monday morning (on two crutches? Impossible anyway.) Needless to say, Monday came and I was no better despite trying to convince Husband dearest otherwise. The upshot, after being given a nebuliser (basically inhaled steroids) and oxygen, our GP sent for an ambulance which is where the nightmare began.

I skip forward to arrival in hospital where I was left in a corridor, they called it a waiting room - it wasn't - until I was taken through to triage to have my first examination which included having my blood pressure (BP) taken. Taken back to the corridor waiting room, we were once again left sitting until a nurse (lovely but so rushed off her feet she kept getting my name wrong) came to take some blood (I was lucky, I got taken into an actual real room, others had their blood taken whilst sitting in the corridor) and do a heart trace. More waiting until I get to see this arrogant little doctor who has yet to even fully qualify - he may well introduce himself and shake the hands of both Hd and myself but his tone and condescending look says it all - not another overweight patient.

"Do you work" he demands to know. "No" "Why not?" "Because I have a list of ongoing health problems and no one would employ me with that list no matter what my rights to work as a disabled person." I want to shout but can't because I'm too busy trying to breath and not doing a very good job of it.

"Any swelling of the ankles?" he then asks, grabbing hold of a leg which has obviously seen several surgeries. I scream, suffering from CRPS I cannot stand the slightest touch and his grabbing hold does not help. I feel an apology or, better still, some sign of understanding is warranted, he obviously doesn't.

I did get home that day. Obviously not too sick to be admitted to hospital but too poorly I felt to be left sitting in a corridor for almost five hours. The hospital's diagnosis? A viral infection.

THE GREAT SCOTTISH WATER SHORTAGE 2010

THE MIDNIGHT JUKEBOX

Dub it up, MadPriest stylee!



Dr Who - Smerins Anti-Social Club (above)
I Wish - YT
Dog With A Rope (Dub ) - Flowering Inferno
Nice Time - Los Cafres
Shine His Light - Kenny Knotts
Oh Jah Come Now - Vanya O
Teachings - Vibronics (below)
Some Of The Youth - M.Parvez
Midnight Sun (Prince Fatty Dub ) - Natural Self
To The Fullness - Rob Symeonn
Let's Praise Jah - Tony Roots

I VERY MUCH DOUBT IT

This card came through the letter box today. It's from the church of St. Francis where I was an associate priest until being "made redundant" earlier this year. Somehow, I don't think they really mean it and the last thing in the world they would want is me turning up at one of the Christmas services. Also, the general sentiment of their message is a lie. I am living proof of that.

CAPTION COMPETITION

KIRK ORDERS TRANSVESTITE MINISTER TO UNDRESS

From THE HERALD (Scotland):

A Church of Scotland minister has apologised after dressing up as a nun and posting the picture on his Facebook page. Reverend Gary Caldwell of Flowerhill (oh, how perfect) Church in Airdrie has now removed the pictures of him posing while wearing a habit after a complaint was made to the Presbytery of Hamilton, North Lanarkshire.

The picture was meant to be light-hearted and the minister has now apologised for any offence caused, a spokesman for the Kirk said. He did not realise that anybody would be offended by it.

Parishioners’ online comments about the picture included: “Am laughing and thinking that there must be some nun somewhere with a beard to rival yours!” (ah, yes - the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are mightily hirsute)

Another posted: “Like to see you wear it first Sunday back at Flowerhill!”

But a Catholic who lives in the parish said, “Reverend Caldwell seems to think it amusing to dress up as a Catholic nun and to have this as his main public Facebook picture. I understand the Presbytery intend not to take any action against Reverend Caldwell, which I find astonishing as the picture is offensive to me as a Catholic." (Yes, well, on that basis the pope and his curia should be removed from the planet for offending most of humanity).

BAD NEWS FROM ENGLAND

I have received word that "Our Friend" has now been told, by the authorities responsible for such decisions, that he will not be ordained - ever. This is after many years of hard study, church work and being really messed about by power freaks.

Please pray for him, his family and his local congregation.

May those who have sought to persecute him be brought to shame.

And may his ministry now flourish despite the work of the enemy.

I CAN'T SO YOU MUSTN'T

From YOUR LOCAL GUARDIAN:

Reverend Peter Ratcliff, a minister at St John’s Church of England based in Mill Road, South Wimbledon, says he is concerned about the growing trend in funeral services where families are allowed to read poems and tributes.

He said: “The minister should take the whole service himself without allowing family and friends to present poems and eulogies. It is his job and he should not stand down from his duty or hand it over to those who are not qualified. It is quite inappropriate to produce a Princess Diana-style modern funeral where the minister acts as a master of ceremonies, simply introducing one act after another. Though often not intended, this becomes little better than an entertainment show and an outpouring of emotionalism devoid of biblical truth.”

Tony Walter, professor of death studies at Bath University, said the most popular type of funeral in Britain today was a “pick ’n’ mix” affair in which the service included a combination of secular and religious readings.

“Families are no longer willing to be told what is, and what isn’t, appropriate when remembering a loved one. If and when we plan our own funerals, we want to be remembered as the unique individuals we are, not dispatched by a cut and paste anonymous, dreary ritual that all too often is the outcome of the traditional funeral,” he states on his website.

COMMENT: Oh dear. That a person can be so obsessed with the Bible over so many years and still be completely unaware of what it is actually all about is one of the great mysteries of the Christian religion. If God transforms why does God fail to do so with so many members of the priesthood?

However, my guess as to what is actually going on here is that this Biblically based man of the law is so unimaginative, uncreative and lacking in empathy that he couldn't organise the proverbial in brewery let alone an all-singing, all-dancing, magnificent send-off.

You see, if you are doing the job properly, you don't just let the mourners get on with it. You have to work with those who are going to take part in the service. You have to encourage them to be imaginative, creative and daring. You have to gently advise them of how a "show" works, how you have to bring out the different emotions implicit in each part of the ritual. You have to be fully conversant with what each person is going to contribute so that you can step in straight away if they crumble in the service. It takes a lot more work to do all this than to just get up on the day and say the same old things about "Jesus dying for us" that you said at the last funeral and the funeral before that, and the funeral before that etc. etc.

Furthermore, a priest who allows others to pay the tributes to the deceased at a funeral gives himself the opportunity to use his talky bit in the service to speak about God, in stead of delivering platitudes about some stiff he never met in life.

Of course, perhaps Mr. Ratcliff is just scared stiff of what his family might say about him at his own funeral and is making sure in advance that they don't get the opportunity to say anything.

HEADLINE OF THE DAY AND ONE TO AVOID

From DELMARVA NOW:

The Jerusalem Baptist Church Praise Dancers will do a Liturgical Dance. Six individuals will graduate and receive the Certificate of Christian Leadership. This certification is awarded upon completion of a year-long curriculum consisting of twelve courses in leadership, church history, biblical studies, and homiletics.

I wonder if Baptist liturgical dance involves synchronised swimming.

YE OF LITTLE UNBELIEF

From "Way Beyond Atheism: God Does Not (Not) Exist
(Why Richard Dawkins is a fundamentalist,
and why most atheists reject far too little)"
by Paul Wallace, posted at RELIGION DISPATCHES:

Most atheists reject far too little. They only have to be one kind of atheist: The atheist who stands against some kind of ridiculous super-object in the sky, who stands against a child's theology. Christians, who, like Jews, are commanded to have no gods before God, do not have the luxury of disbelieving in so few things. In Turner's words, "In order to deny every kind of idolatry possible, a Christian must be every kind of atheist possible." We are required to have faith in no thing at all; only then will our faith have any chance of finding its true home in God.

Do go read the rest of this article, which is very interesting and, pretty much, fleshes out my "Thoughts For The Day" about the sure faith of atheists, a level of faith that I am incapable of maintaining.

Thanks to Cathy for sending in the link to this article.

OVER AT ST. LAIKA'S

Today at ST. LAIKA'S I have posted a podcast of a sermon by Fr. Mark Giroux, but read by myself. In the sermon Mark draws on his experience of the love his autistic child to shed new light on Mary's love for her son and for the world - a reflection of God's love for all his children, especially the lowly and oppressed.

OH BUGGER, IT'S CHRISTMAS!15TH. DECEMBER 2010

Oh, yes. Do listen to this.
It's sick and it is right up your alleys.



BAND'S WEBSITE

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MICHELLE

MADPRIEST'S IS APPEALING

Subscriptions so far = $54.85 per month

I have added a subscription button. This is for those who wish to donate a fixed amount each month. I have put up a few options but if you wish to donate a different amount to those suggested, please drop me an email stating the figure and I will add your amount to the list of options. At the moment you have to have a PayPal account of your own to use this feature. If you would like to donate through PayPal by debit or credit card, without having to set up a PayPal account, please let me know. If it is worthwhile I will pay the small monthly premium that PayPal charge for this facility.

If the monthly subscriptions ever reached a total of $1000 I would look for a part time, house for duty, parish post (3 days a week) and devote the rest of my time to my blog ministry. I promise I am not stating this to pressurise you into donating (I am happy to go back into full time parish ministry). It's just something that would effect my decision should it happen.

As so many of you had already contributed to the appeal before I put up the subscription facility I expect I won't get an accurate idea of how popular it will be until next month.

You may still, of course, send in your donations as one offs using the Donation button.

Option 1 : £5.00GBP - monthly Option 2 : £10.00GBP - monthly Option 3 : £15.00GBP - monthly Option 4 : £20.00GBP - monthly Option 5 : £25.00GBP - monthly Option 6 : £50.00GBP - monthly

Another way to help me is to buy Amazon products via my Amazon shop. Details of how to do this can be found in the right hand sidebar.

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THE PRAYER LIST15TH. DECEMBER 2010

From The Rt. Rev. Julio E. Murray, Bishop of Panamá,
posted at PADRE MICKEY'S DANCE PARTY:

As we have seen and heard in the media, the rains have caused crisis situations in various geographic sectors of our nation. Several communities have been identified as being under water and mud and other areas affected in Panamá such as Western Panamá, Central Panamá, Eastern Panamá (Chepo, Bayano and Tortí) and the province of Colón. Some of these communities have been evacuated, with fields of crops at a total loss. This can be described as an emergency situation. We have received information that the indigenous and peasant communities involved in our social programs have been affected and need to resettle and restart their lives once the waters recede.

I ask your prayers and support for our people and the Ministry of the Churches, Educational Institutions, and religious under the responsibility of the various pastors in the affected areas, the congregations, the leadership that walks with them and the hundreds of children, women, youth and men of the villages who are victims of this disaster.

Bishop Julio has asked the congregations of the Panamanian Church to help those effected by this disaster financially (last Sunday's collection plate went towards the relief effort). Padre Mickey will post details of how anybody else can contribute on his blog as soon as he has the details. The flooding has been caused by global warming.

***

Please read THIS POST at our friend, Caminante's blog and then pray for the people of Haiti. Details of how we can help are on the sidebar of her blog.

Posted by Paul at BYZIGENOUS BUDDHAPALIAN:

I ask your prayers for Jake, grandfather of my friends Nick and Alex.

For my friend Ryan's grandfather.

For Aileen and her husband Mike.

For Mark in his long journey of healing.

For the repose of Alice's mother and for Alice who has lost both her parents within a few months.

For David and David, for very different reasons.

For Doug's mother. For Doug and James and all my friends who are under the weather these days.

For myself as I get a CT scan this morning (12th. December) to help diagnose and treat my persistent sinus infection.

***

Posted by Grandmère Mimi at WOUNDED BIRD:

UPDATE ON AILEEN (13th. December)

Brothers and sisters in Christ - First, let me thank you all for sending up prayers for Aileen during this long struggle. She has been up and down over the past several days. She has had continued bleeding in the brain, new bleeds in bowels and stomach. Mike wrote that she "crashed" twice on Saturday, but was brought back to us. A former doctor visited her and made suggestions which were agreed on. This was followed by her temperature going below 100 degrees for the first time since Thanksgiving. Praise God! I do not know yet about extended plans. However, a permanent tracheostomy tube was to be put in place today. Following is the Facebook message from her loving husband, Mike. Please continue to lift this young mother to the Lord for healing. Blessings to you all during this precious season of expectant waiting. - Sally Boyd (Aileen and Mike's priest)

Aileen had an uneventful night last night and her day has been much the same. Her dialysis went well today. Her vitals and blood chemical numbers are pretty stable and show some good progress. Her color is good and she has at times had her eyes open a good bit. Thank God for good days!!! - Mike

***

Posted by Jim at JIM'S THOUGHTS:

Please join my daughter=in-law as she mourns the passing of one of her academic mentors. Pray for the repose of Dr. Michael Morris educator and friend of students. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

***

Posted by Doug at COUNTERLIGHT'S PECULIARS:

Cold Hearted December

It's been a rough month. As always in December, I'm very busy and ill at the same time. This year, I've been going through a royal succession of flu, colds, and respiratory infections that have left me miserable but functional at best, and completely bed-ridden at worst. On top of all that, on Saturday, the boiler in our building blew, and so it's 25F outside and there's no heat. I'm sitting in front of a space heater grading papers during the day, and shivering under blankets on the couch at night so that Michael at least can get some sleep without getting sick. We went through Sunday with no water as the old boiler was torn out.

I made a trip to the emergency room at Beth Israel in Manhattan last night that, fortunately, turned out to be unnecessary. Another respiratory infection that gives me a nasty rasping choking cough replaced my flu, and it was starting to set my asthma off, so Michael took me to the hospital. Michael and I have been in plenty of emergency rooms in our day, but this was probably the worst we've seen in terms of crowding and disorder, and this was Monday night, not Saturday night.

***

Posted by Brian R at NOBLE WOLF:

My sister is to undergo Arthroscopic Knee Surgery tomorrow (Thursday) for a torn cartilege. While it is not serious surgery, I am worried about any general anaesthetic for a person in her mid 70's. She has been in a lot of pain over the last month so hopefully all will be well by Christmas.