Mission:1)Advance the principle that Pacifism, Liberalism, Environmentalism, + membership in the Democratic Party are not sins nor of which one need be ashamed. 2)Move us in the direction of a political culture which would enable public persons to proudly proclaim their leftist tendencies, just as those on the right may do at present.
ADDENDUM: TO VIEW ARTICLES JUST SCROLL DOWN. DON'T FEAR SCROLLING; NO INJURIES HAVE RESULTED, JUST ENLIGHTENMENT. ;o) PEACE PLEASE.... STEVE
Brian, Carl Wilson and the rest of the Beach Boys lighten the mood for the speaker.
The original party-pooper John Boehner has a plan to outlaw 2012
at the very last minute!
Hold on there Mr. Speaker!
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker, John “Tanman” Boehner, has announced that he is still in Washington along with a quorum of Congress, and that they will pull a surprise parliamentary maneuver in order to defeat his own minority Tea Baggers in the House. This “Speaker” has stymied legislation, agreed to with his own Senate partners of the same party and with members of his own caucus because of his inability to count votes and to ‘lead’ in any sense.
Rather than proceed with a vote on a new budget extension in two months, Boehner has been sopping up beverages within the beltway while the press hasn’t been paying attention this holiday weekend, and will call the House into surprise session before midnight tonight, and will attempt to pass a measure through the House eliminating 2012 altogether! His argument is that if 2012 does not happen, then any need for negotiations on the budget would be circumvented, and his party (the Republithief party) wouldn’t have to suffer embarrassment at the polls in November of 2012.
If the House approves any anti 2012 measure, then the Senate would have to approve an exact same bill with exactly the same language, and then the President would have to sign the bill. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, when asked to comment, said “What are you bothering me for? Want a drink?”
When reached on the beach at Waikiki in Hawaii, President Obama appeared very relaxed, and commented: “Ohmmmmmmm. Somebody get that guy a tanning bed and a Bud please!”
One of the Doggies I had to leave behind at The Dog Pound!
OMG!
The most famous doggie of all is a mixed-breed, a beagle mix named
SNOOPY!
One hit-wonders The Royal Guardsman were able to milk
a second hit outa this one thanks to Snoopy!
My Dog Pound Story
Hi everbody! It’s me again! Lisa! Yippee! This is a real speshal story about a new member of my awesome family.I’ll give you a clue: His name is Fred! Teehehehe.
Over the summer Mommy, Daddy and I moved from our tiny little apartment to a big house with a big yard. I’m going to a new school (it’s going good, thanks for asking--lol—just kidding) and both Mommy and Daddy have pretty good jobs that they like a lot! Perty good, huh?
So anyway, I’m sitting there; reading a book, mindin’ my own business when from out of the blue both Mommy and Daddy came up to me and said they wanted to talk. “Uh oh” I thought—I ran over a list of things I did that they could’ve caught me at and wouldn’t like, but couldn’t think of one!
They sat down on each side of me and Daddy said to me: I remember awhile back you said you wanted us to get a dog. Do you remember honey?
I said to Daddy: Yup, I sure do!
Daddy said: I told you then that it wasn’t exactly the right time, but that I would let you know when was the right time. You remember that too?
Now I was beginning to get giggly inside and excited and said: Yes Daddy!
Now Mommy looked at me with all kinds of love and she said to me: It’s the right time to get a doggie, Lisa!
WOWWIE! I jumped, and hollered and hooted for joy, because I’ve always wanted a doggie, one to be a friend to my two kitties! OMG! I hugged both Mommy and Daddy like nobody’s business.
Daddy said: We were waiting to make sure that if we get a dog, we will be able to take care of him his whole life, and that he’ll have a good place to live and be happy in his new family. When you asked, all of that wasn’t true and now it is!
The Royal Guardsman Tribute To Snoopy!
I said: Yippee!
Mommy asked me: What kind of dog do you want to get?
I said: I want a corgi! I luv corgis! A puppy!
Mommy said: Good choice, I luv Corgi puppies too! But there’s something else to think about. A lot of dogs are in animal shelters, dog pounds, and have been left behind by owners who couldn’t or wouldn’t take good care of them. They mostly aren’t puppies, they’re fully grown. And you usually don’t get a full bred dog like a Corgi, you get a mixed breed. But these dogs need to be rescued because their lives in the shelters are unhappy and sad, and because so many of them die through no fault of their own. I would miss having a puppy too; it’s so much fun playing with a puppy.
Daddy said: It’s your choice, honey. You make the dog decisions from here on out. Just let us know and we’ll go get us a new family member!
I said: DEAL!
So the rest of that weekend I thought about puppies and playing with them, and Corgis and then about sad dogs in cages who have NO families. I tossed and turned a lot that weekend.
Then Sunday night I went to Mommy and Daddy and said:
I wanna talk about our new dog.
Daddy said: Ok sweety, talk away.
I said: I want to adopt and rescue a senior citizen dog from the dog pound! I could kinda tell that’s what you guys would want too, and that’s what I want too AND I sure KNOW that’s what our new Senior pup will want TOO!
Tears of joy streamed down my face and I think I saw some (I'm not sure, but I think there was some pride in Daddy's tears, too) on Daddy’s too, when we hugged, and hugged, and hugged that Sunday night.
So just a coupla weeks ago Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Unabashed and I all got into the car and drove to the dog pound after school! I was sooooo excited! Whewwwwie! Wow! Mommy and Daddy both said it was my decision which dog we picked, and I asked them if Uncle UL could come too because I luv Uncle UL and I respect his opinions on a lot of things!
When we got there, there were a couple of officers in uniform working there, and I heard lots of dogs barking. It was sad. Knowing all these dogs didn’t have homes to go to! OMG! Uncle UL reminded me that I was being a hero and making the choice to rescue one of these precious animals! Thank you Uncle UL, I AM a hero for doing that! Yeppersr! I sure enuff am!
So these nice officers took us from cage to cage and showed us middle aged dogs available for adoption, some in their own cages others with other dogs in a tiny space. OMG. They were nice enough to let some of the dogs out and introduce them to me. I met a few really nice doggies, and they all just loved getting attention outside their cages from Mommy, Daddy, Uncle UL and me! Then out came Fred. I got on my knees to pet him. I asked the officer his name and she said “Fred.”
FRED!
<3
I was askin’ her a bunch of other questions--yah, go figger, me askin’ questions—lol—when I noticed that Fred had nudged my arm over his shoulder and was gettin’ free {{{{{{{HUGZ}}}}}}}}}. I turned and before I could say to Fred, “FRED!!!” he just gave me the biggest kiss right on the nose from any doggie I had ever gotten before.I looked up and could see Daddy, Mommy, and Uncle UL beaming with joy! Then Fred got spunky and started to play with me, just like a puppy. We all just laughed, and laughed and laughed!
I looked up at Mommy and Daddy and said “This is him, huh?”
Daddy said, “It’s up to you Lisa.”
I said: This IS him! Yippee, Fred’s the one!
<3 <3 <3
And we all cried and laughed and hugged like nobody’s business. And Fred’s tail was waggin’ and he was happy. The other dogs were barking even louder now, but I think they were happy for Fred that he found a new family at long last and that their pal was gonna be more than ok! Uncle UL said that he believes that we all have the same souls. He said that he believes that people like us are spiritual beings having a temporary human experience. He also said that he believes that doggies and kitties are the same spiritual beings, just having temporary canine and feline spiritual experiences instead. So treat your dog and your cat, or any animal at least as well as you would a kid is the moral of that story! And don’t try to take care of them if you can’t be responsible enough to do it, wait until you can and you will be blessed. With Fred, or somebody like him.
Last week Fred came home for good, and is getting acquainted with his feline sisters, who are all getting along well. They’re funny together. BREAKING NEWS: CATS AND DOGS DO GET ALONG. NOW LET’’S WORK ON THE PEOPLE!
And Mommy, and Daddy, and Uncle UL, and Fred, and my Kitties and me
we hugged, and hugged and hugged.
A big group hug!
The end, again.
But just for now
(I'm gonna come back yaknow!)
I suggest you donate today to the best Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the nation, the Louisiana SPCA, by going to their link:
AND HERE WE ARE SPORTS FANS, THE 54TH QUADRENNIAL RUN FOR THE ROSE GARDEN! We begin this year’s quest for the magic 270 Electoral College grand prize earlier than ever, in January in a place called Iowa. Iowa has a grand total of 7 Electoral votes to deliver in November and an equivalent number of delegates to offer to the Party Conventions, is irrelevant but relevant because the mainstream media makes it so.
All the Republithief candidates carry extra baggage which could hurt them
in a general election. Poor horseys.
:'(
The mainstream media has even taken to calling this year’s Republican phenomenon a primary (singular) rather than primaries (plural)! The notion that some states and voters should have more clout than others, simply by having early primaries is an example of the absurdity that is the American Presidential election system now! So after Iowa we have teensy, tiny New Hampshire being a kingmaker!
Bought and Sold!
The current U.S. Supreme Court!
And this year we have the very first Presidential election under the new Robert’s Rules of Order; in the Citizen’s United case the Roberts’ US Supreme Court granted carte blanche to corporations to advertise and pump the candidacies of Republithief Prez contenders (the primary beneficiaries of corporate donations)! Oh boy. NEW RULES! HOW EXCITING.
The theft of the 2000 election gave us Dubya, Cheney,
Iraq, Afghanistan, 9/11, the Great Recession, the mortgage meltdown
and more!
And let’s not forget that it was only two Presidential elections ago when Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2000 Prez ‘contest’, but George Dubya Bush’s brother’s state of Florida (Jeb Bush was Guv of that state at the time) that the Presidency was given to the losing candidate through NEPOTISM! That election was actually stolen by the thinnest possible margin: one vote; a party-line 5 to 4 vote on the US Supreme Court gave us Dubya, Cheney, Iraq, 9/11, Afghanistan, the Great Recession and more!
The 2012 Republithief/Tea Party "Field" of
"Presidential Candidates."
Really?
AND…. THEY’RE OFF! [WAY OFF!].On the inside rail you have Willard Romney, aka “Mitt” coming up steady at 20%, no charisma, no style and no speed. Coming up the middle you have Ron Paul [an ideologue who doesn’t comprehend the definition of ideology]. And crowded way over on the right is Newt Gingrich [thrice divorced and bounced by his own party as speaker]; Michelle Bachman [the twisted pretzel candidate who hasn’t left the gate yet]; Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman [Rick and Jon who???]! As they leave the gate they are stumbling over each other, they are jockeying for position! They’re in it for ego not principle! As they round the first curve it’s…..
Doesn’t matter, because we have an awesome incumbent named Barack Obama who will lead us despite the attempts of the Tea Party, the Republithief one percenters, the Roberts’ Supreme Court, the BP’s, Exxon’s, Citicorps and JP Morgans; YES WE CAN AND YES WE WILL RE-ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BARACK OBAMA!
For all these reasons and more we continue to unreservedly endorse the re-election of our awesome incumbent President Barack Obama. The hit parade of Obama accomplishments in just 33 months in office:
1-A)[Sorry the top ten list of accomplishments keeps getting bigger and bigger] Ending the reign of terror that was Muammar Qadaffi without the loss of a single U.S. troop.
1) Ending the reign of terror that was Osama Bin Laden.
2) Ending Don't Ask Don't Tell- The official Defense Department policy of legal discrimination against gay and lesbian heroes.
3) Negotiating and passing through the U.S. Senate the START treaty with Russia.
4) Passage of the highly successful $700 billion TARP bill.
5) Passage of the first-step Health Care Reform Act of 2010.
6) Removing 100,000 of our bravest and best from harm's way in Iraq and an end to the Cheney Administration-sponsored US aggression by December of this year.
7) Getting a $20 billion down payment from BP before the spill was even over.
8) Intimidating Tony "Wayward" Hayward into resigning as the immoral head of BP, taking a demotion and hiding out in Putin's Russia to avert prosecution by Attorney General Eric Holder.
9) Naming 2 women in a row to the U.S. Supreme court with brains.
10) Having a brain himself as President, post-George Dubya Bush.
11) Getting a debt ceiling bill passed despite the efforts of the reactionary ‘worst-ever’ U.S. Congress and the most incompetent U.S. House Speaker Tanman Boehner to stymie his every effort.
AND THE WINNING LINK TO DEFEAT THE LIKES OF PRETZEL CANDIDATE BACHMANN, WHICH-WAY-DO-I-TURN CANDIDATE ROMNEY, YET-ANOTHER-STUPID-TEXAS-GOVERNOR LIKE DUBYA BUSH EXCEPT PRO-SECESSION AND RENEWED CIVIL WAR ADVOCATE RICK PERRY OR BILLIONAIRE BILLIARD BALL PSEUDO-CANDIDATE HERMAN CAIN; AND TO RE-ELECT A GREAT GUY WITH REAL FAMILY VALUES IS: barackobama.com
Willy and I talked about my favorite line from Arlo Guthrie's song
"Last Train To Glory"
It is:
"Maybe your ticket on the last train to glory is the stranger whose sleeping on your floor."
Unabashed Report: Back From St. Vincent’s Hospital & Spinal Fusion Surgery
I returned home tonight at about 6pm, having had fusion surgery performed on my lumbar 4th and 5th vertebrae yesterday at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. The headline is that Dr. Lantner was very delighted with the way the surgery went, and when he came today he was sporting casual attire, a high quality wool sweater, no tie and was capable of laughter. ;o) He had viewed the X-rays following his work, which involved removing a bone spur, removing the soft tissue between the two joints, and implanting a concoction which included a list of ingredients including human bone and stem cell matter, among other delightful stuff. I suppose I’ll just leave that concoction in the category of Italian sausage and hot dogs, I probably really DON’T wanna know how it’s made nor see the video.
Because of my long term medical matters, the doc opted to admit me last evening, although he frequently discharges patients the same day who undergo similar surgery. Good thing! A complication arose overnight (for the squeamish I recommend turning away because it’s gonna get a bit graphic for a while here) not directly pertaining to the success or lack therein of the surgery itself. I couldn’t pee. That’s right. You read right. Your intrepid Unabashed correspondent could not urinate. OMG! And during the three and a half hour operation they were apparently loading me up with fluids via a plastic baggie connected with a hose to a needle in my arm.
drip. drip. drip. drip.
The pain was bad when I came out of surgery, but once they began a morphine drip, it was somewhat reduced. I didn’t think sleep was likely, but I did so yearn for it, and was Unabashedly hopeful that this would happen, since a sleeping lefty feels no pain. But as I lay trying to sleep, my bladder filled. And filled. And filled. It filled so much that it became painful. Now I had excruciating back pain, coupled with excruciating pain from a distended bladder. OMG. An unhappy unabashed lefty at St. Francis was the result. Particularly since the meager selection of TV channels included only one newschannel, CNN. OMG. That was beyond excruciating. CNN threepeats the Friday before Christmas and Anderson Cooper everywhere I turned. I buzzed Nick the nurse. Nick the nurse explained that often the nerves leading from lumbar vertebrae to the bladder following spinal surgery such as my unabashed affair often causes a temporary inability to squeeze that bladder empty. In layman’s terms, I couldn’t pee.
Nick the nurse had to do an ultrasound to verify that my bladder contained vast quantities of urine. It was confirmed. 1000 milliliters in fact, or one liter if you wish to keep score. I’ve never had the privilege of undergoing a catheterization, and Nick the nurse at midnight performed what he called a ‘direct line catheterization.” OMG! In the middle of this festivity all I could think of was my strong desire for a bullet to bite on and I AM a pacifist. After emptying my bladder and removing the offending tube from parts that have never had foreign objects inserted before, Nick the nurse departed. In pain still from the surgery, and my mind shifting to prospects such as a slipping scalpel whilst I was unconscious and a possibly cut nerve and catheters for life, Christmases past, present and future, will I be home anytime this life and what-not, I got no sleep, and reverted once again to CNN. Dr. Sanjay Gupta was filling in for AC on the AC 360 Circus in the threepeat of the hour. Sanjay is also a neurosurgeon, like Dr. Lantner, btw. Sanjay cannot and more importantly never SHOULD do a hard news show, or try to analyze politics on camera. He sux at it. Not as bad as AC, but he looks like he’s really uncomfortable and doesn’t want to be doing it, he looks guilty even trying. That’s good; at least he’s humble about it. AC? Humility? We all know all about that!
....to the size of a basketball...
a very LARGE basketball....
And my bladder grew once again. Incessantly. Groggy, tired and under the influence of a synthetic opiate, I don’t recall the name of the 3am nurse, she was kinda cute though. Ok, now we did what was becoming routine already, an ultrasound of my lower abdomen confirming that I had to pee (it measured 750ml this time so grab your scorecards). This was followed by catheterization number 2! I had the bullet thing down to a science now, since they didn’t have bullets to bite on at the nursing station I opted to squeeze the rails of the bed as tight as I could as a substitute, it placated me somewhat the first time. Catheter nurse #2 was one of your all-business types and hadn’t responded to my unabashed attempts at humor all shift. Catheterization, for those not in the know, is most painful upon the insertion and de-sertion process when the caregiver inserts and de-serts tubing all the way into and out of the urethra into the bladder so as to void said bladder. Once nurse #2 succeeded in de-serting my tube and my grimace of pain was still on my face and my legs still spread sort of eagle, I asked Nurse #2 “Is it a boy or a girl?” Nurse #2 lost it, she found this hysterical, and I found her reaction hysterical. I forgot my pain. 5 seconds later it returned.
In Desperation I Briefly Became Self-Abusive And Actually
Watched The AC 360 Circus On CNN!
Once again I shut off CNN (all I can say about CNN is yuckipoo), turned off the lights and lay back to ‘sleep.’ Right. Morphine dripped. Roommate snored. Code blues and what-not were called over an intercom sound system that sounded horrible. And my bladder grew. And grew. And grew. Once again. 7am and Nurse Judy is now on the job. Nurse Judy says that ‘protocol’ says that upon a third catheterization they’d just leave the sucker in me for the duration. Ultrasound. 800mls of urine in my distended bladder. Pain. Oodles of pain. Judy did the ultrasound, but a guest nurse (kinda like Sanjay filled in for Cooper on the AC 360 Circus on CNN earlier) did the catheterization honors this time. This time was different. It took F O R E V E R and force to get the tube in this time. OMG! I unabashedly teared up in the process and made caveman style sounds I do believe. When she was through I saw the reason. The semi-permanent catheter tube had a diameter 5 times that of the in-and-out job. OMG! Judy hadn’t forewarned your unabashed patient patient. So now gravity is doing the job and I’m honestly worried sick that I’ll be cruising through life so cathetered for life. OMG. No sleep at all last night.
But, as I said earlier the headline is that the surgery went well and I’m home and in a few days or weeks I will know if my chronic and sometimes acute pain is alleviated or gone. Another headline is that the staff at St. Francis’ was uniformly nice and had great motives, laughed at my unabashed jokes and some even promised to read this wonderful journal of mine. Don’t forget, btw, for all your military affairs and comedy needs its unabashedleft.blogspot.com! Another big headline is that my roommate was an awesome guy named Willy who was there since Wednesday due to spinal injuries caused by a truck accident (not his fault) when his 3 and 4 year old grandsons were in the truck with him (thank God they were not injured). Willy and I hit it off great, and his wife, Janet happens to be a Christian Chaplain who graduated earlier this year from the Chaplaincy program at Hartford Seminary, where I now work and attend graduate school! Willy and I traded numbers and talked a lot and have much I common, and I now have my first friend in Hartford who is not tied in to the state capitol or the Seminary. His whole family came for a visit, including the 3 year old grandson (the 4 year old didn’t come) and what a delight they were. I was able to win over the 3 year old from my hospital bed, despite looking scary given my plight, and when he left he waved bye- bye and smiled a smile to melt my heart big-time. This afternoon, Willy’s Pentecostal Pastor came by with his whole family, including his wife and three kids (a 2 year old, and a 13 year old daughter and an 11 year old son). I don’t get much chance these days to be around kids, and these teens were a delight. Both are in a school for scholastically accomplished kids, and while Willy and the Pastor were engaged in conversation I got to chat with the teens who are just good kids. The daughter was full of praise for the Lord, and bright and outgoing and her brother came out of a shell within a minute. She wants to pursue a career in psychology and he has interests in sports and teaching. :) The Pastor and his wife prayed with and for Willy and then did so for me as well. Their services are all in Spanish, but I had already told Willy I was interested in attending one of their Sunday morning services sometime in the near future (which delighted him). When I told this to the pastor, he was not only delighted but told me that if and when I come he would be certain to arrange for an English translator for that service. WOW! Nice. I was also blessed, as was Willy, by a visit from a Catholic Chaplain affiliated with the hospital who prayed with us and did a bit of counseling with Willy.
Arlo tells it in Amazing Grace:
"How Precious Did That Grace Appear The Hour I First Believed!"
Once it was late enough, rather than subject myself to further CNN abuse, I opted to call some friends on Christmas Eve. The first person I phoned was a dear friend who was also to have spinal surgery this month, but which has been cancelled in lieu of alternative treatment, and she was so delighted to hear of the success of my surgery and so empathetic that she wanted to be my ride home tonight from the opposite end of the state. I agreed to that eagerly, but had to keep in mind that she can’t drive past dark at this point for medical reasons. I phoned and spoke with 3 siblings and a bunch of friends, and having learned of my discharge today, and having succeeded in minimal peeing (wow does it hurt) I was in an Unabashedly Christmas spirit, and Willy also learned that he would be discharged today and was also delighted! But as it became evident that my friend Maurene would not arrive back at her home before dark if she attempted doing my transport, I told her that I would rather she not risk the venture, but that she was now committed to a visit WITH FOOD during my recuperation, so we can catch up and visit. :) I phoned my friend Vicky who lives near to Hartford, who was more than willing to adjust her Christmas Eve schedule and she and boyfriend Ken came in to Hartford, we stopped off at the pharmacy to pick up my scripts, and I arrived home to an eager greeting committee of Angel Orange and Bluebelle the Wondercat at around 6pm. My neighbor Kim had left two messages detailing her whereabouts in case I should need anything this Christmas Eve, and deserves praise indeed for being there for me as do Vicky, Maurene and the staff at St. Vincent’s, including the casually dressed Dr. Lantner who will also be in attendance at St.Fs tomorrow, Christmas Day, as well. That speaks highly of him, even if getting him to laugh at Unabashedly Uproarious humor is well-nigh impossible when he has a tie wrapped around his neck. ;o)
It is 10:20pm now. I took a nap upon returning home and will shortly retire for the evening; hopefully sleep is in the offing. Earlier this week (last Monday) I had my 55th birthday, and hundreds if not more than a thousand Facebook friends and “fans” offered greetings, and I was unbelievably touched by this outpouring of love. I have not been able to respond to all these folks, but in the days to come I’ll catch up with you. <3 But I had to give this report to my readers and especially to you non-virtual friends on Facebook, who have helped to make me the happy and joyous guy I am tonight and at this stage in my life. I respect, admire and love all faith traditions including those who chose non-faith, atheists and agnostics. I am, however, a Christian and have been from day 1. It IS a choice and the right one for me. I can disagree with our awesome incumbent president, whom I support fully for re-election. Many have killed in the name of religion, dogma, nationalism, and even atheist dogmas as well. But my reading of the Bible, especially of the New Testament which I love so much, causes me to ask WWJD. What would Jesus do? I’ve been critical of the decision to bomb Libya, for example, as a way of eliminating Qadaffi. I AM a pacifist and my understanding of God, of Jesus and the Holy Spirit with which I have been blessed is one of Unconditional Love and of Pacifism. When He was being arrested by armed Roman thugs at the time of His betrayal, Christ insisted that His friends lay down their arms and not take up violence to prevent His arrest, full well knowing the outcome would be His mockery, torture and the horrendous inhumane death that is crucifixion. He even offered healing to one of the armed Romans who was injured by the sword of one of His own friends. He uttered the memorable words in rebuking His supporters “He who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword,” thus charging true Christians, in my opinion, to the challenge of navigating life via pacifism and resistance when appropriate, yes. But as by His own awesome example, NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE.
2000 or so years ago Mary and Joseph had to register with the government for census/tax purposes and had hit the road to comply with the law, the Jewish people enslaved in the day by their Roman masters. When Mary, due with a baby at 9 months pregnant any second, and Joseph went to a hotel operator in that day, they were denied a room because of their ethnicity and poverty. Christ was born in a stall for animals. This was His humble beginning, and What Jesus WOULD Do is choose such a humble beginning, as a lesson for the ages. You put up a pregnant woman. You help the poor. If you have resources you share. We are one family. This month we surpassed the 7 billion mark of incarnate humans. We are one family. I’m here tonight to say that what’s mine is yours. Jesus taught me this. By His word and by His example. WWJD? Love. Unconditionally. Just as Maurene did today. And Vicky. And Kim. And my sister and brothers Sallie, Alf and Gary. And the sister I haven’t reached yet, Janis.And Willy. And Willy’s pastor and his family. As the nurses who work odd hours and live difficult lifestyles for not so much pay out of love. Dr. Lantner for showing up on a Christmas Eve Saturday in a stylin’ brown sweater. Nick the Nurse and Nurses #2 and #3 who perform unsavory tasks so people can live and have relief from pain and sickness. The founders and operators of an institution like St Francis Hospital.
I’ve had major medical scares recently but those are over. This is minor by comparison. I’ll be fine, and I know you’ll be happy to hear that. That makes me happy. One value, regardless of one’s theism or choice not to engage in theism, that is the measure by which, if all human behavior were judged by that criterion before being acted upon, that would create a utopian world, is this one: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. And my Jesus, the one born to Mary in a manger all those years ago (but still only 100 generations ago) IS Unconditional Love. And WWJD was based upon that one principle and is my mission today. It’s a nice one to strive for, and I’m blessed with being surrounded by loving others. Including my Facebook pals.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS INDEED.
I can think of nothing better to close this one out with than my favorite formal prayer in all of
Christianity, penned by the namesake of the Hospital which treated me so well and provided
Such miraculous possibilities for healing,
The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Beautiful Liberal Activist and Humanitarian Extraordinaire
1976-2011
Lisa DeArmon and Melissa Hayes-- I Have a Question For You.
"Did I Ever Tell You That You're My Hero?"
Lisa DeArmon and Melissa in 1999 :)
Melissa Hayes, only 31 years old was known as Ginger Snaps to about 8,200 friends on Facebook, but known to thousands more for her perceptive political commentary and posts, and her 37 year old cousin Robbie DeArmon died in an SUV crash early on Wednesday, October 5th of 2011 in La Vista, Nebraska. Melissa had just moved back to Nebraska to be closer to her cousins and other family members, from her Las Vegas home, and Robbie’s twin brother, Bobbie had died just a couple of years back, leaving the only surviving adult family member Lisa DeArmon. Lisa is a single Mom of two, and Robbie was helping put Lisa’s two children through post-secondary education and was a partner with Lisa in their painting business.
Lisa's own kids, top is
Bianca DeArmon
and below is
Eric DeArmon.
Lisa faced the sudden need to finance the funerals of two loved ones, and despite some help from others she’s still had to borrow nearly $10,000 to finance Ginger and Robbie’s funerals, and now at Christmastime she is uncertain where the money will come from for a holiday meal and presents for the seven kids she now has at home, between her own and those of her two deceased brothers! What a woman Lisa truly is. I spoke with her again today, she is obviously sad, but doing whatever she can to ensure a Merry Season for her family of 8.
Robbie DeArmon with his precious kids, Alexandra and Lil' Robbie
before his tragic death in a car crash earlier this year
which took his own life and that of Ginger Snaps.
Lisa DeArmon, hero single Mom,
has stepped up and is caring for Robbie's kids
BUT NEEDS YOUR HELP TODAY!
In a day and an age when people turn their back on their own responsibilities for their own kids (Melissa would have probably pointed out that Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, for example, when he was cheating on his second wife and divorcing her, went to court in order to secure no child support obligations for his minor child at that time), LISA DEARMON, JUST LIKE MELISSA HAYES/GINGER SNAPS, AND ROBBIE DEARMON IS AN INSPIRATION AND A GENUINE ROLE MODEL FOR OUR NATION AND FOR ALL PEOPLE. Do you hear me Lisa? I hope so! The Nobel Prize For Love should go to LISA DEARMON and her kids. We set up the logistics today so that all you have to do is click on the link here; https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8MW6D6G2H7JNG and below this article and you can ensure some financial support for the family, a nice hot meal, a Christmas tree and gifts for the kids this coming Sunday. PLEASE GIVE AND GIVE GENEROUSLY, GET YOUR CREDIT/DEBIT CARD OUT NOW, NOT LATER PLEASE!!!
Lisa DeArmon with beloved brother Bobbie before his untimely death
a couple of years back, and Lisa is already caring for
Bobbie's kids.
You ARE a hero, Ms. Lisa DeArmon!
Wow!
Melissa was an atheist, and I love me some atheists, and she and I were successful at establishing a love and admiration for each other’s’ differences. I will never be able to repay Melissa for the things she gave me while she roamed this earth, such as embracing a person with differences, and encouraging me to write, and advocating for things of which I am a beneficiary today and on, and on, and on. I am a Christian Seminarian myself and a member of the United Church of Christ (the Congregational church), and Lisa and most of the kids in her care consider themselves to be such too, and all look forward to celebrating the holiday in Lisa’s awesome household. Ginger Snaps helped thousands and IT IS PAYBACK TIME. If you are a liberal, if you consider yourself a humanitarian, if you knew Ginger at all, or not, THIS IS MY CAUSE OF THE SEASON BAR NONE. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE SOMETHING THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE DONATE HERE AND NOW TO THE DEARMON FAMILY/GINGER SNAPS FUND please!
Ginger
I still love you Ginger, I miss you and I still disagree, and I know that you are smiling at me, Lisa and all those precious kids, as are Robbie and Bobbie today. <3
You have the power.
To make a family's holiday!
DONATE PLEASE, PLEEZE, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE!
Lord, Please grant Lisa all that she needs in the days to come; especially in this the advent week of your coming; spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially, and in all forms of sustenance that she will need to provide for the family that she has so heroically assumed responsibility for, dear God. The reason for the season is the kids we often say, Lord, and Lisa’s reason and purpose in life is dedicated to these seven precious gifts, now her children, Lord. Despite all the adversity she faces, Lord, Lisa inspired me Lord and honored you by saying that she “is honored to be able to have” your children in her household, Lord. I ask for generosity on behalf of all who read my words, and that Lisa and family may find peace and joy this December 25th, I rest assured that they will have love, because I ‘ve been honored by talking with and getting to know Lisa and I knowthat you’ve steeped her with an abundance of unconditional love. May all these things be Your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
