monique

Saturday's Thoughts

I did a bit of catch-up housework today. I cleaned my desk
and vacuumed the entire house, gave the kitchen and dining
room floor more than the usual sweep and quick mop and
cleaned my sewing room. I did some baking in between-- an
apple pie and a light fruitcake, the first Christmas
fruitcake of the season.

I wanted to do some yard clean-up today and was hoping it
would clear up a bit in the afternoon. It didn't rain but it
was cold. I must have looked, um, interesting, if anyone
caught a glimpse of me. I wore my usual denim jumper and
white t-shirt but I added thick socks and boots, a wool hat
pulled over my head, an old, worn out but still warm
cardigan and cotton gloves.
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Arafat has died, although it isn't clear from what. The
French put up a shrine in front of the hospital where he
died with flowers, candles and photographs. I don't for the
life of me understand the French but then, they think Jerry
Lewis is funny and I don't understand that either. I know
there are many who hope Arafat's death might give us the
chance to have real peace in the Middle East but I have my
doubts. There's a power vacuum now and it's chaos. Arafat
was a terrorist of the worst sort, one who pretended to want
peace when he spoke, but his deeds revealed him for what he
was. There is much blood on his hands. May God have mercy
on his soul.
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There were a half dozen letters about the newspaper
photograph I mentioned a few days ago in yesterday's paper
and another half-dozen this morning.

Some of the more poignant comments:

"The young Marine, bloody and dying, under the faces of the
men trying to care for him, was somebody's son, or brother,
or husband, or father. Another loved one gone. In that
photo the price of war was so real. Soldiers are asked to
do so much and that young man did."

"The dying soldier in this photograph is unrecognizable
except for the color of his skin. [Note: Although I'm
certain that those who loved him recognized him
immediately.] For a war casualty photo, it is devoid of
unnecessary gore or sensationalism. It shows three caring
fellow soldiers doing their best to comfort and assist a
comrade. It was an honest portrayal of the costs of war and
appropriate for the day before Veterans Day--the day that
veterans of all wars are honored."

"The public has been so insulated from the reality of the
events taking place in Iraq. These are real men and women,
husband and wives, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters,
loved ones all, brought home in boxes, to be quietly put in
the ground, for eternity. Our son served in the Marine
Corps in Iraq during the initial invasion. We are very
grateful that he came back unharmed. We know personally
what it is to look out the window each day and go to bed
each night fearing the "knock on the door". This is the
reality that many of our fellow Americans face. However
you feel about the war, don't lose sight that real people
are paying for the war with their blood. Let us not forget
them."

And from Pastor Ruth--

The world is ablaze with color around us. What a show this
Autumn has put on for us! The emerald greens of rain
drenched fields alongside the vivid orange and reds of
falling leaves. But I am too quickly reminded that the
blood of soldiers at war is also vivid red. Let us remember
them and their families this week.
~ From Pastor Ruth's bulletin announcement 11/12/04