tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522912982861288302024-03-05T19:17:00.798-06:00Detours Ahead on i47One boomers exploration of the detours on the highway of my life as I find my previous views about life, theology, faith and more are evolving.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-37424218191841407562012-05-28T17:45:00.001-05:002013-02-11T15:02:33.371-06:00Deer in the WoodsI've been trying to keep up my long walks and have been successful
for the past three days. Today we saw a doe with her fawn standing still
like statues on the path about 20 yards in front of us. My dogs were
alert but not barking. The fawn was about twenty feet closer to us than
her mother. We kept inching up hoping that they would take off. The fawn
continued to munch on leaves while the mother struggled with bolting vs
staying to protect her child. Finally the fawn turned away and they
both galloped off. The picture is a little blurry because I took it
with my iPhone and then enlarged it we can see the pair.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzuqIuzNcD5vcZRJxzqG_n44P5lUcfe3SoG2eJlFEc5rbds28nXpuhYzPlrVpRmXPJxxxtvwYzFF9qAgOuH-6AMpQTM-4DojPaxHF8LYnZrHF0hbSllcTULHcuDg2m9OA00D9RWbfhLQH/s1600/Doe+and+Fawn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzuqIuzNcD5vcZRJxzqG_n44P5lUcfe3SoG2eJlFEc5rbds28nXpuhYzPlrVpRmXPJxxxtvwYzFF9qAgOuH-6AMpQTM-4DojPaxHF8LYnZrHF0hbSllcTULHcuDg2m9OA00D9RWbfhLQH/s640/Doe+and+Fawn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My
enervated dogs immediately began barking and pulling. Since the pair
stayed on the path (we could see their footprints in the mulch) all the
way until we got off (about 10 minutes of hiking) my dogs refused to
calm down. Getting home I checked everywhere for deer ticks on me... the
dogs have been Frontlined for protection :)<br />
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Both dogs are now exhausted and hot. It's 80º and humid outside. A hot May day in Door County.<br />
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My knees don't feel too bad! Yeah.<br />
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KKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-44164484111027430662012-05-25T13:49:00.002-05:002013-02-11T15:03:16.994-06:00A "Long" Walk in the WoodsToday I walked for half an hour in the woods. Now for most of you, a
half hour walk is nothing, but two months ago I couldn’t walk for even
five minutes so this represents great progress! Recently I’ve been walking for 15 minutes every day (plus exercising in water for an hour). This coupled with my 19 pound weight loss has helped my
walking enormously. Today I decided to try for a longer hike. My knees were pretty painful by the end, but I made it!!<br />
<br />
My condo association is composed of
single family homes mixed with duplexes (like mine) and four-plexes. We
have an indoor pool, outdoor pool, weight room and lots of walking
paths through the woods and past the part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Escarpment" target="_blank">Niagara Escarpment</a> that runs through our community. So today I took the dogs for a 30 minute walk in the woods. Woo
Hoo!!<br />
<br />
Unfortunately it's poison ivy season and so I
spent a good portion of my energy trying to keep the dogs from wandering
off the mulched paths into the much more attractive natural habitat
populated by the enticing poison ivy plants.<br />
<br />
Here’s some pictures I took on the way.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RgYSplfRXhTxHrwWfPTXenjTJ9WBoQeNAqL3Io4SWOGsQFX2HvGHf59IT8j1VNbqrNsh960tbTCgo-r1kqZ3TAeh0Hdasy-7WrU6XPMg0gQsYo-QGHLodDAfm_BjDgBXOYAtBEuaYPv5/s1600/IMG_1001a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RgYSplfRXhTxHrwWfPTXenjTJ9WBoQeNAqL3Io4SWOGsQFX2HvGHf59IT8j1VNbqrNsh960tbTCgo-r1kqZ3TAeh0Hdasy-7WrU6XPMg0gQsYo-QGHLodDAfm_BjDgBXOYAtBEuaYPv5/s640/IMG_1001a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Footpath Bridge to the beach</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlgwCfwhXBqd81bCu2fVxjeAdiNAdufxQ3w68IIh50NgZStOH5kQIVrP8VB15hYv_BbU33faWcIn2le1eNLz1tJAAGjW8JK6Loc768jASOAGc8jJ7uWHXEYTvEDZSM9eAyxnYxRQbZez1/s1600/IMG_1004a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlgwCfwhXBqd81bCu2fVxjeAdiNAdufxQ3w68IIh50NgZStOH5kQIVrP8VB15hYv_BbU33faWcIn2le1eNLz1tJAAGjW8JK6Loc768jASOAGc8jJ7uWHXEYTvEDZSM9eAyxnYxRQbZez1/s640/IMG_1004a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild lilac in the woods</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi328VV8hzLVULiX6G4nhDXnA78eJamJAytAp-cp3SAyfpXZD1GmfEF-zBPavjEUCjzJ52dRZLdS6U3QuXFDLLDWzV1Z1r4khvXj0wyfUvzjBAskzsbgif3BFiXmQfoHvD-phWq57jn3nrq/s1600/IMG_1011a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi328VV8hzLVULiX6G4nhDXnA78eJamJAytAp-cp3SAyfpXZD1GmfEF-zBPavjEUCjzJ52dRZLdS6U3QuXFDLLDWzV1Z1r4khvXj0wyfUvzjBAskzsbgif3BFiXmQfoHvD-phWq57jn3nrq/s640/IMG_1011a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lichen covered wood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPzmW7ynmDscnKeuVdt8MDxIrLtaARMg-nEkw7u3uvvrcpxiFoGk23SckSyriuHpSSRWgJdi5hEkamC_WEdpNJ0XCjm9htrE_z4WVEqLfSoJt8LWbDnQdIehkE5Dqcvzoiz6kBVhkhCnp/s1600/IMG_1008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPzmW7ynmDscnKeuVdt8MDxIrLtaARMg-nEkw7u3uvvrcpxiFoGk23SckSyriuHpSSRWgJdi5hEkamC_WEdpNJ0XCjm9htrE_z4WVEqLfSoJt8LWbDnQdIehkE5Dqcvzoiz6kBVhkhCnp/s640/IMG_1008.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby fir tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Bss-M3xlnM49SvmPbVmyiJchXnWtMQntTd501wDc4W-sT4NjpG0_O_hYWVS7WTmgwjhnsc0IZ90RcbrXFxTTsj04qLGwTiHS0vUIXhP0G6mpSJ-clmHLS9BgFHuiGtHPFB5SZ2dv6YeU/s1600/IMG_1015a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Bss-M3xlnM49SvmPbVmyiJchXnWtMQntTd501wDc4W-sT4NjpG0_O_hYWVS7WTmgwjhnsc0IZ90RcbrXFxTTsj04qLGwTiHS0vUIXhP0G6mpSJ-clmHLS9BgFHuiGtHPFB5SZ2dv6YeU/s640/IMG_1015a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wriggley and Daisy my faithful and eager companions</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMILlGS6xQZLQksig96Zge2TSF4lr-9f9GTcB0rKGevtYXP7a89yyjDl6jhIjkZhTcsOHyMSnoaSrorCDGV49l6Q4L2QoLSmVDc6nFWrwGFIVXbQiFluOtMyxrjFygBtrkHoPOc-pS0uDn/s1600/IMG_1019a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMILlGS6xQZLQksig96Zge2TSF4lr-9f9GTcB0rKGevtYXP7a89yyjDl6jhIjkZhTcsOHyMSnoaSrorCDGV49l6Q4L2QoLSmVDc6nFWrwGFIVXbQiFluOtMyxrjFygBtrkHoPOc-pS0uDn/s640/IMG_1019a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilacs in my yard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtjB8mWGzCYfyoRCcEboIJrWffgrDO6C-Dk0IqIZzEkN0jTHKRgh1jHM0Wts64fBlHGb2I2rrkc6Pq40FulU5zb4Ql4H9D0FA_KWTwIxBVKYGfpL6nYg_to8Y9co3CAeyOLXjZ2fWdHQV/s1600/IMG_1020a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtjB8mWGzCYfyoRCcEboIJrWffgrDO6C-Dk0IqIZzEkN0jTHKRgh1jHM0Wts64fBlHGb2I2rrkc6Pq40FulU5zb4Ql4H9D0FA_KWTwIxBVKYGfpL6nYg_to8Y9co3CAeyOLXjZ2fWdHQV/s640/IMG_1020a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers outside my front door.</td></tr>
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Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-67312514461859101752012-05-09T19:38:00.000-05:002013-02-11T14:50:00.081-06:00Three DetoursWell... today I have a few detours for you.<br />
<b><br />1st Detour: I’m disappointed but not surprised at the results in North Carolina. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQe_YdYxEJFYVAPWqXXxVyWrOBv1aRdTsS-espjDMDCnj_NU3J6Kw4qK-yAR_HG4gLfv0PDSXi-NWlYjYoyOsgTY3qEcX4xEnM6VjS-jbVl_P7BEojMqvQ_V6CsR39s86mTegTV4lmuTU/s1600/Vote-NO-Amendment-One.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQe_YdYxEJFYVAPWqXXxVyWrOBv1aRdTsS-espjDMDCnj_NU3J6Kw4qK-yAR_HG4gLfv0PDSXi-NWlYjYoyOsgTY3qEcX4xEnM6VjS-jbVl_P7BEojMqvQ_V6CsR39s86mTegTV4lmuTU/s400/Vote-NO-Amendment-One.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
A year ago I might have voted for the amendment. This year, no way. I have totally changed my position on gay marriage. I’ve done a lot of research and I now support gay marriage. It’s a matter of equal rights. I agree with Justin over at <a href="http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/post/22710725963/a-challenge-to-both-sides-of-the-amendment-one-debate#disqus_thread%20" target="_blank">Crumbs from the Communion Table</a> who lives in North Carolina when he said: <br />
<br />
<i>“Is there a lot of prejudice in North Carolina against LGBT people? Absolutely there is. But it’s not, as some have imagined, just a matter of “bigoted homophobes.” By and large, the prejudice that exists is a matter of a lack of understanding. Many of the folks I’ve talked to honestly believe that people choose to be gay and could choose not to be. They think that giving legal recognition to same-sex partnerships would increase the number of people choosing to be gay, and would therefore encourage more people to turn away from God’s plan for their lives. When they talk about homosexuality as a “perversion,” they’re not trying to be bigoted or mean; they’re being quite literal about it.”</i><br />
<br />
I know that it is pervasive belief within the Christian community that homosexuality is a choice and that it is possible, using ministries like Exodus to “change back to heterosexuality”. But how do we go about helping people understand that homosexuality is not a choice? After reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Orientation-Elevating-Conversation-Community/dp/0830836268/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336597408&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Love is an Orientation</a> I became convinced that I needed to examine my long held beliefs about homosexuality. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOFVHHFvriWQfJrG117Z4SnT9UdYzXilCIBF96h884QOs2df8yD7HM976sQVD9QX2HMU8Mij-oLd2Ywij2CGsxaM9pdy4itWv4Dk-FNGj5DLL1MEfMAbF_xXpENmBRgKwUzuK-GN2BrY/s1600/523781_358023884247575_239318682784763_945665_376006190_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOFVHHFvriWQfJrG117Z4SnT9UdYzXilCIBF96h884QOs2df8yD7HM976sQVD9QX2HMU8Mij-oLd2Ywij2CGsxaM9pdy4itWv4Dk-FNGj5DLL1MEfMAbF_xXpENmBRgKwUzuK-GN2BrY/s640/523781_358023884247575_239318682784763_945665_376006190_n.jpg" width="622" /></a></div>
<br />
Also, Rachel Held Evans makes a good point in her post <a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/win-culture-war-lose-generation-amendment-one-north-carolina#disqus_thread.%20" target="_blank">“How to win a culture war and lose a generation.”</a> She says: <br />
<br />
<i>“But every single student I have spoken with believes that the Church has mishandled its response to homosexuality. Most have close gay and lesbian friends.Most feel that the Church’s response to homosexuality is partly responsible for high rates of depression and suicide among their gay and lesbian friends, particularly those who are gay and Christian.Most are highly suspicious of “ex-gay” ministries that encourage men and women with same-sex attractions to marry members of the opposite sex in spite of their feelings.Most feel that the church is complicit, at least at some level, in anti-gay bullying. </i><br />
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<i>So my question for those evangelicals leading the charge in the culture wars is this: Is it worth it? Is a political “victory” really worth losing millions more young people to cynicism regarding the Church? Is a political “victory” worth further alienating people who identify as LGBT? Is a political “victory” worth perpetuating the idea that evangelical Christians are at war with gays and lesbians? And is a political “victory” worth drowning out that quiet but persistent internal voice that asks—what if we get this wrong? Too many Christian leaders seem to think the answer to that question is “yes,” and it's costing them. Because young Christians are ready for peace. We are ready to lay down our arms. We are ready to start washing feet instead of waging war. And if we cannot find that sort of peace within the Church, I fear we will look for it elsewhere."</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fjJYbJGbV2G_hrC6TI8nmoW73KKrb7oMuXaPEqf8yYKTIMPfUKR338jzseRrYs2sYebS1i7GAfkyHHjH3yuKIEYib7PpqOnmU551Q73EhasNu7HbaJ3Uv4hVo1G9ZjaqhQDp4t_jnTk/s1600/Jesus-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fjJYbJGbV2G_hrC6TI8nmoW73KKrb7oMuXaPEqf8yYKTIMPfUKR338jzseRrYs2sYebS1i7GAfkyHHjH3yuKIEYib7PpqOnmU551Q73EhasNu7HbaJ3Uv4hVo1G9ZjaqhQDp4t_jnTk/s640/Jesus-.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wish we Christians would spend more time demonstrating the love and acceptance of Christ and less time trying to prove how righteous we are and how unrighteous everyone else is. Right now what I see within evangelical and fundamental Christianity are wars to exclude. Wars to exclude women (see John Piper, Mark Driscoll, SBC et al, as detailed at <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/" target="_blank">The Wartburg Watch</a>), and of course wars to exclude gays and make sure the LGBT community has no rights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhrXJ2yAddccW0_L5ois7Rg0a33tWJIbObvzJdEMMrbCnmX6BYPcpta922Wq5f34rS5i97dY4NBwN23RsIK7Ah2g821iSryzE5nQ0Ylz3ffmRgh3Pr3f-YT6ylEeNEMJeSGTM8nxqz18/s1600/Marriage+Equality+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhrXJ2yAddccW0_L5ois7Rg0a33tWJIbObvzJdEMMrbCnmX6BYPcpta922Wq5f34rS5i97dY4NBwN23RsIK7Ah2g821iSryzE5nQ0Ylz3ffmRgh3Pr3f-YT6ylEeNEMJeSGTM8nxqz18/s640/Marriage+Equality+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is not a pretty picture nor does it demonstrate the attitude that I see demonstrated by Jesus in the New Testament. The people that angered Jesus while he was on earth weren’t the women who were failing to submit to their husbands, weren’t the homosexuals, weren’t the outcasts of society. The people that angered Jesus were the judgmental / hypocritical religious leaders. Maybe when my generation and my parent’s generation is gone a kindler, gentler, more loving Christianity can emerge. Unfortunately, people seem to love bullying other people. This amendment is just another example of bullying on a large scale. <br />
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Sorry folks, but that’s how I see it.<br />
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<b>2nd Detour: Tackling the Weight Update</b><br />
<br />
On a happier note, I’ve lost 16.8 pounds in the past six weeks. YEAH!! I’ve been sticking faithfully to my food diary. I’ve been using My Fitness Pal on my iPad and iPhone to help me keep track of my eating. I’ve found that it is quite flexible (as in I can enter 1/2 a serving of something, I can scan the label of a food to get the nutritional information, I can calculate the calories in something I cook by entering all the ingredients in the recipe builder, I can combine frequent meals into one meal so I don’t have to enter everything every time.) Previously I used Weight Watcher to lose weight, but I HATE having to go to meetings and I HATE the weekly expense. My Fitness Pal has seemed to work as an easy to use food diary. <br />
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Plus I’ve been working out regularly. I got a three month membership at a Recreation Facility near my home in Illinois and I have a pool and work-out room accessible at my condo in Door County. Right now, with my knees, I have found water exercises combined with limited walking to be effective. I've been doing 45 minutes to an hour 5 times a week at the pool plus 15-30 minutes of walking.<br />
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So anyway... whatever I’m doing is working. I’ve lost 16.8 pounds!! Yeah!!!<br />
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<b>3rd Detour: My Grandson’s Coming!!</b><br />
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My grandson, Isaiah, is coming for the summer!!! I just made the plane reservations and he's coming June 20th. I'm so excited. I love having him here with me plus he’ll be here with me for six weeks. For the past two weeks I’ve been cooking up a storm. I like to cook ahead so that I don’t have to spend so much time cooking while he’s here. My two nephews join him up here with me in Door County for three weeks in July and it is very exhausting. So I’ve cooked and frozen: chili, taco meat, taco soup, BBQ, meatloaf, burgers etc. I have a menu prepared for all three weeks with items needed for one meal per day. They other meals are catch as catch can. At least this year they are old enough that I can leave Jake in charge and go shopping without taking all three with me.<br />
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Keeping three boys occupied (without allowing them constant access to electronics) is challenging. We play board games (they love <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MayFair-Games-MFG3061-Settlers-Catan/dp/B000W7JWUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336605782&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Settlers of Catan</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Flight-Games-CI01-Civilization/dp/1589949358/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1336605849&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Civilization: The Board Game</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1336605816&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Dominion</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Days-of-Wonder-DOW-7201/dp/0975277324/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1336605887&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Ticket to Ride</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MayFair-Games-MFG4500-Empire-Builder/dp/B001PB0V66/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1336605925&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Empire Builder</a> to name a few) and they are really good about playing together. Last summer they played secret agent and mob on their bikes every day for at least a week. Plus I have tons of Legos up here and an extensive kid’s library. This year I’m hoping they’ll make a movie together. That should be interesting.<br />
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Of course I have loads of electronics: Wii, Nintendo DS, two computers, my iPad and iPhone, and new this year an XBox. Still, I try to limit the game time to 2 hours per day.<br />
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We're only a block from the beach and we have two swimming pools at the condo and there are tons of trails nearby (if only I can walk).<br />
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Ah well. Other than that, I’ve been enjoying our protracted spring in Door County.<br />
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Thanks for reading. KateKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-78716727786395255462012-04-14T18:38:00.000-05:002012-04-14T18:38:23.338-05:00My Brain on FictionMy entire life (well as long as I have been able to read) I have loved reading fiction. When I was a child I would bicycle the mile to our library, take out the allowed four books, trek back home and read. Four days later, I’d ride back to the library for four more books. I was always frustrated that they would only let me take four books out at a time. <br /><br />With three younger siblings, it was difficult to read without being interrupted. Eventually I nailed boards into the side of a tree that was right next to our garage and would climb up the tree to sit on the roof of the garage under the canopy of the tree and read in peace. I could even pretend that I didn’t hear my mother calling me in :). <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMr7MfIvh1ko235lBEfrc9JuXkJGys-wOMAfcvNiE2_P4XHd9oAJyEwwFVp_3ECwKrVrLqbGCRBtHoufhJn8TYRoJotMblo9gP-ySVWcT3-ZsEr5YnokLbxCGftx4HHe0WnTZnPWJ6RX0/s1600/tree+canopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMr7MfIvh1ko235lBEfrc9JuXkJGys-wOMAfcvNiE2_P4XHd9oAJyEwwFVp_3ECwKrVrLqbGCRBtHoufhJn8TYRoJotMblo9gP-ySVWcT3-ZsEr5YnokLbxCGftx4HHe0WnTZnPWJ6RX0/s640/tree+canopy.jpg" width="640" /></a> During my grade school years, I would read about a book a day. During my later elementary years, my favorite books were the Trixie Belden mysteries. I actually saved my money to purchase these books for myself... the beginnings of my extensive fiction library. I only really read the first six books in the series, written by Julie Campbell. I never really liked the books by the next author. I also enjoyed the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries but my favorite character by far for several years was Trixie Belden. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPxBGPTPnJX0WNpn7rJiplVEJnLFSY0Iuvft04dYnj5ZSAHYyn51WVhnOTAspfksQObSFe5kniQIkNF-qUGohWczhvX4oc6vRpmC4s0q3C2qnHhRp39zeMnGINIywGFcpD5jWWl08Zn8/s1600/beldens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPxBGPTPnJX0WNpn7rJiplVEJnLFSY0Iuvft04dYnj5ZSAHYyn51WVhnOTAspfksQObSFe5kniQIkNF-qUGohWczhvX4oc6vRpmC4s0q3C2qnHhRp39zeMnGINIywGFcpD5jWWl08Zn8/s640/beldens.jpg" width="640" /></a>As an adult I have enjoyed science fiction, mysteries and mostly romance. There is enough stress in real life and I prefer that my reading be removed from real life... thus I prefer happy endings with minimum of stress. My favorite mysteries are the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries by Dorothy Sayers. My favorite science fiction series is the Dragonriders of Pern by Anne Mccaffrey. I have a complete collection of D.E. Stevenson books in hardback... some
first editions... which I have collected over many years through
Alibris.com. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDgOkwfYVdbBBccChtIdOcKCKXwa7TopViGXhKBWb13e_AQMn-c5Fs-aUPMVRhVBB5AitTwSL8OEDAsfU7Eb9vw5w_SZsGIxUn_vmKMFVg6Ov6sI6BClR77S-lNTExlGNinHDSxvAImE/s1600/Favorites2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDgOkwfYVdbBBccChtIdOcKCKXwa7TopViGXhKBWb13e_AQMn-c5Fs-aUPMVRhVBB5AitTwSL8OEDAsfU7Eb9vw5w_SZsGIxUn_vmKMFVg6Ov6sI6BClR77S-lNTExlGNinHDSxvAImE/s640/Favorites2.jpg" width="640" /></a>I have several favorite romance writers: Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Julia Quinn, Trisha Ashley, Katie Fforde and Georgette Heyer . My favorite classic books are those written by Jane Austen. I read others, of course, but those are the favorites that I return to time and again.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1Tp-cJnhO56BfL2-PZU0Z-hLhEAqlisOLthoQwvG5diuDNBMUuK4pzg6Dh2Wok9M7xBwGCnfwk_Xy2LAPaNj8sUYoY3YNcH7b06Pr1esm2G20s6ktIPNsE291BJYgBgdW4IfFnQzw_o/s1600/Favorites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1Tp-cJnhO56BfL2-PZU0Z-hLhEAqlisOLthoQwvG5diuDNBMUuK4pzg6Dh2Wok9M7xBwGCnfwk_Xy2LAPaNj8sUYoY3YNcH7b06Pr1esm2G20s6ktIPNsE291BJYgBgdW4IfFnQzw_o/s640/Favorites.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />I was extremely interested to recently read an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-neuroscience-of-your-brain-on-fiction.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all" target="_blank">article</a> in the New York Times about how our brains respond to fiction. I have always enjoyed immersing myself in the world of the fiction book. Reacting to the characters and feeling about the characters as if they were real people. I’ve already talked about how I am an introvert and really don’t have any close friends at this point. What I do have, is friends in books and on blogs.<br /><br />My reading has always provided me with a rich heritage of good friends. Now, I know that these good friends, particularly those in books, can’t listen to me ... but frankly, most of the friends I do have spend all their time with me talking to me. There’s very little listening (their listening) going on. <br /><br />Anyway, I find the following quote very interesting:<br /><br /><i>The brain, it seems, does not make much of a distinction between reading about an experience and encountering it in real life; in each case, the same neurological regions are stimulated. Keith Oatley, an emeritus professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto (and a published novelist), has proposed that reading produces a vivid simulation of reality, one that “runs on minds of readers just as computer simulations run on computers.” Fiction — with its redolent details, imaginative metaphors and attentive descriptions of people and their actions — offers an especially rich replica. Indeed, in one respect novels go beyond simulating reality to give readers an experience unavailable off the page: the opportunity to enter fully into other people’s thoughts and feelings.<br />The novel, of course, is an unequaled medium for the exploration of human social and emotional life. And there is evidence that just as the brain responds to depictions of smells and textures and movements as if they were the real thing, so it treats the interactions among fictional characters as something like real-life social encounters.<br /> </i><br />
<i>This kind of confirms my life experience. Fictional situations, worlds and words are a simulation of reality. Now I don’t have to feel so bad about my obsession with fiction worlds. I can just sit back and enjoy my interactions with the characters and situations that others have created. </i><br /><br />Thanks authors for populating my imagination with vivid characters.<br /><br />Kate<br /><br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-25448906844478302352012-04-11T18:01:00.000-05:002013-02-11T14:50:14.662-06:00Taking Care of (Old) Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I’ve been busy taking care of old business. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiMqN13UNUQEXku1Dr0PrmOkbVpgElNmnXct4ATPsMgzga5P5snO35wWmGZy6pDFm-Z-YXEEGwvme6092hhXlxI6QV33FpGRYqM95D2lPX_8EDMOVeFmBsWPhxEXGMA_ycJnxXGz3_Qk/s1600/divorce+decree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiMqN13UNUQEXku1Dr0PrmOkbVpgElNmnXct4ATPsMgzga5P5snO35wWmGZy6pDFm-Z-YXEEGwvme6092hhXlxI6QV33FpGRYqM95D2lPX_8EDMOVeFmBsWPhxEXGMA_ycJnxXGz3_Qk/s640/divorce+decree.jpg" width="640" /></a>In 1974 when I divorced my husband, I asked to have my maiden name restored to me as my legal name. I changed my name everywhere: driver’s license, work, post office, passport. But I postponed changing my name with the Social Security Administration. At the time I was working in our family business and as I continued to work there until I retired in 2007, I didn’t need a accurate Social Security card.<br />
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With 65 coming up quickly, I decided that I’d better get around to changing my name. I don’t think Medicare will work with the wrong name on my card. I glibly flew into the Social Security office with driver’s license, tax forms, W-2s, passport. These were not good enough for Social Security. It seems I needed my divorce decree. Now some people are great with paper. Me not so much. In the intervening 38 years since my divorce I’ve moved six times and managed to lose those precious papers.<br />
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So I called the county offices in California where I was divorced and found out what I needed to do. Sent the blank check (open ended for fees) and a letter asking for a certified copy of my divorce. This came promptly, thank you very much.<br />
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Unfortunately, this was just one page saying the the interlocutory judgment given six months earlier was now in effect. There was nothing on the official divorce decree about my name change. So I sent off another letter and another blank check asking for a certified copy of the the interlocutory judgment. This came yesterday.<br />
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So I trudged off today to the Social Security office, patiently waited my turn, (amazingly I had less than a five minute wait) and finally, 38 years later, I have an accurate Social Security card.<br />
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Next stop... Medicare. KateKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-9827641655634855752012-04-02T13:52:00.001-05:002013-02-11T15:15:23.462-06:00Matthew VinesI ran across a video from Matthew Vines on several different sites last week and I listened to the full 1.07 hour video. If you are a Christian and you care about what the Bible has to say about homosexuality, I encourage you to take the time to view the entire video... which I have posted below. (I haven't figured out how to embed it into this post).<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-vines/bible-homosexuality_b_1378368.html?ref=gay-voices" target="_blank">Matthew’s column</a> in the Huffington Post is also worth a read. He says, in part:<br />
<i><br />"I love God. I also happen to be gay. In a better world, this would be no more interesting or noteworthy to people than loving God and happening to love, say, cheesecake. But of course, we all know that that isn't the world we live in. And for some reason, a lot of people have a big problem with anyone who believes in God and is gay. As someone who grew up in a conservative Christian church in Kansas, I am all too aware of the problem of religious homophobia.<br />So when reality won out during my sophomore year of college and I finally had to admit to myself that I was gay, I was both relieved and crushed -- relieved because everything that hadn't made sense about my life finally did, and because love no longer seemed like an impossibility for me, but crushed because of the likelihood that I would be rejected and lose the community I had always called home."</i><br />
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Matthew’s comments are really thoughtful and sincere. I’m not sure I yet agree with him on his Romans 1:26-27 interpretation, but basically his views and interpretations are really well thought out and articulated with gentleness and respect. The video is an ideal link to share with parents and friends of LGBTQ Christians who are dealing with the intersection of the Christian faith and the LGBTQ community... or with people who are willing to explore what the Bible actually says about homosexuality.<br />
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Further background can be found on <a href="http://canyonwalkerconnections.com/the-bible-and-homosexuality-biblical-presentation-with-matthew-vines/" target="_blank">Kathy Baldock’s Canyonwalker Connections</a> website. In her post she said, <br />
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<i>“You cannot help but hear the scholarship with which he addresses the subject. Matthew not only educates the listener, he does so in a humble tone that will subtly cross even the most firmly constructed boundaries. His presentation is an excellent tool for the millions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians that have left the faith or are hiding out. To many, the task of “proving” God loves them seems so daunting.”</i><br />
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Please, if you care at all about the intersection of Christian faith and loving the LGBTQ community, spend the time to watch this video. It will be time well spent. <br />
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Blessings, Kate.<br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-72741790818296660512012-04-02T13:52:00.000-05:002012-04-02T13:52:02.660-05:00The Gay Debate: The Bible and Homosexuality<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ezQjNJUSraY?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-72191975024214726592012-03-26T14:50:00.000-05:002013-02-11T15:14:42.997-06:00Tackling the Weight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I’ve finally decided to tackle my weight issue. (URGH!!) I’ve had ongoing knee problems for five years so this is nothing new. But the day of my parent’s birthday party last month I basically spent 6+ hours on my feet which is an extreme amount for me to be on my feet. Since then my left knee has been especially PAINFUL!!! The right knee recovered in two weeks, but it's six weeks later and the left one still hurts whenever I walk or stand on it. I need to lose weight!!!<br />
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I’ve managed a successful diet twice in my life and both times I used Weight Watchers coupled with an exercise that I can enjoy. The first time (when I was 40) my friend and I spent our lunch hour doing a step class together five days a week in conjunction with Weight Watchers. That time I lost my 70 smoking cessation pounds and kept them off for over a year, but as soon as the exercise stopped, the weight came back on. Then 10 years later I discovered Curves and used that successfully with Weight Watchers to lose 50 pounds. However, before I reached my weight goal, my son died and I lost focus. So here I am ten years later with those fifty pounds back on and then some. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken today in Door County... Forsythia blooming (and it's 30 degrees!)</td></tr>
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Since I’m up in Door County right now, I’ve got the condo pool handy, so last week I started going to the pool and doing water aerobics and water walking. So far I've managed two days with at least 30 minutes and then a day off and then two days more. Yes! The walking and stretching and aerobics in the water has already started to help with my knee pain.<br />
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But I know that I need to cut back on the food as well. So I weighed in (ouch!) and started a food diary. I hate the whole process, but I really need to lose some weight (big sigh).<br />
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OK... so I also decided to try to increase the dietary fiber portion of my diet. I did a web search for lentil recipes and found this one at the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/lentil-recipes_n_1070678.html#s448510&title=Lentils_With_Red" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a>, but I didn’t have all the ingredients so I kind of took this as a starting point and used what I had on hand. I really enjoyed it... never really thought about sautéing lentils before. I’ve always used them in soups and stews. <br />
<i style="color: #38761d;"><b><br />Lentil Onion Mushroom Spinach Carrot Sauté with Beer</b></i><br />
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First I cooked one pound of lentils in 2 cups low sodium chicken stock and four cups water with garlic, dried onion, a bay leaf, some Old Bay Seasoning, and a tiny pinch of salt.<br />
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While the lentils cooked, I chopped the vegetables:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqis71F9cysjcWHvc454O6xD5zhMffuyAjZrozPO5kjmzQerIp1vtgRYY0evBi6bMO_2xNcT2UiPFWhbDvPscg3hAEY8h8Fb2cHOu9sTnW2LJDTJ_akU3T2DR6c5TiByABThtMlOWcnPM/s1600/IMG_0973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqis71F9cysjcWHvc454O6xD5zhMffuyAjZrozPO5kjmzQerIp1vtgRYY0evBi6bMO_2xNcT2UiPFWhbDvPscg3hAEY8h8Fb2cHOu9sTnW2LJDTJ_akU3T2DR6c5TiByABThtMlOWcnPM/s640/IMG_0973.jpg" width="640" /></a>Then I sauteed them in a 12" skillet with the following:<br />
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1 tbs olive oli<br />
1/2 of a large red onion chopped<br />
2 cups chopped mushrooms <br />
2 cloves garlic minced<br />
1/4 cup shredded carrots<br />
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I cooked the above for about six to seven minutes until the onions and mushrooms were brown and the carrots were soft. Then I added: <br />
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2 cups cooked lentils<br />
dash tumeric<br />
1/4 tsp oregano<br />
1/4 tsp marjoram<br />
1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning<br />
tiny dash of salt<br />
1/2 tsp ground black pepper<br />
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling spices<br />
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth<br />
1/4 cup beer<br />
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Of course all these measurements are approximate. I really just shook a bit of each of the spices in. I cooked this mixture for a few minutes and then added:<br />
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2 large handfuls of salad greens (I used Organic Girl Super Greens) and cooked until the greens wilted. I ate it with a piece of whole grain toast. Yumm. First time I’ve ever really enjoyed lentils as a main entree. Plus is it also good cold.<br />
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I hope you try this. It's actually quite yummy (this from a carnivore). KKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-79819256197386779942012-03-22T18:27:00.000-05:002012-03-25T09:33:59.005-05:00Threatening the Family? Really?Previously I have felt that although my church was not LGBT affirming, it was at least making some small steps towards building a few bridges of sensitivity to the LGBT community. <br />
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For example, a few months ago we had <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Far-Country-Journey-Mothers/dp/0307729354/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332458355&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Christopher Yuan</a> preach. Christopher is a Christian gay male who, for himself, has embraced holy sexuality (in practice for him I believe this means celibacy). In his message Christopher pointed out how to better speak/relate to LGBT people without causing offense. However, several weeks ago my pastor included the following illustration in his sermon:<br />
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<i>"The family which has always been the basic structure and strength of any nation, since the beginning of time, is being threatened by same sex marriages. Two weeks ago, the new mayor of Chicago put his own stamp of approval for the legalization of same sex marriage in the state of Illinois. It is coming.</i>"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7Ta8Ga0BTVJ61G5cpLNt8CoOLpdMG-AlOu241KaHxwCgL5DZQvvD6hAZo8s-A4i2p5v2XLm8ltFNo7DGoSuElCKr3vAi2250BxFqUkxtsLnYAnZ2E0gHwtkFtg4db0LPlg6sLApGYFo/s1600/Rings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7Ta8Ga0BTVJ61G5cpLNt8CoOLpdMG-AlOu241KaHxwCgL5DZQvvD6hAZo8s-A4i2p5v2XLm8ltFNo7DGoSuElCKr3vAi2250BxFqUkxtsLnYAnZ2E0gHwtkFtg4db0LPlg6sLApGYFo/s400/Rings.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, if I had been a visiting LGBT person that day, I would have taken offense. How can we successfully touch the LGBT people in our community with the message of Jesus’s love when we preach insensitivity from the pulpit? Since my paster made those remarks in his sermon, I’ve been trying to formulate a response. l’m not very good at confrontation but I feel that his remarks in that context were not appropriate and I want to gently challenge him. These are my notes for that conversation.<br />
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I believe that it is perfectly acceptable within Christianity to hold a position that LGBT Christians must remain celibate. Within the Christian LGBT community, such a position is held by some. But I question whether or not it is appropriate for the church to argue against same-sex marriage as a legal contract approved of by the government for society as a whole.<br />
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Besides, inquiring minds, like mine, want to know just how the family is being threatened by same sex marriages? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKJ62wnZmJUWEYv_EH6NAOI2yLGewMelh-NcWgf9izLbXeg6BzfxWonZFUnm5GWREzxCTjkksKHB-7_X9TD_HC0JNbi3NshL13mCQD1dIUE32IQQ2ABEBSD1TtK4O4MIhOhld35qAH6c/s1600/Couple+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKJ62wnZmJUWEYv_EH6NAOI2yLGewMelh-NcWgf9izLbXeg6BzfxWonZFUnm5GWREzxCTjkksKHB-7_X9TD_HC0JNbi3NshL13mCQD1dIUE32IQQ2ABEBSD1TtK4O4MIhOhld35qAH6c/s400/Couple+10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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➤ Which is worse for the family: same sex marriage or divorce between heterosexual parents?<br />
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The same Sunday that he preached this sermon, the worship leader was a woman who several years ago had an affair with a married man also on the worship team. The marriage broke up over the affair and the couple left the church. The worship leader participated in a restoration program with a female staff member at out church and was back participating on the worship team six months after the affair ended. Meanwhile, the wife and their two children were irreparably damaged.<br />
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(Note: I also don’t intend to negate the power of repentance and restoration. Of course God forgives our sins, but the point is that the consequences of this sin live on in the life of the spouse and child who were damaged by the sin and have contributed. What threatens marriage? Divorce / Same-sex Marriage?)<br />
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I want to know... who has threatened marriage more... a gay couple (married in Iowa) who have been together for twenty years and are raising their two adopted special needs children or the two people on the worship team who’s affair destroyed a marriage or the Christian man who has been divorced twice, leaving children with two different wives and is now married to a third woman? <br />
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Just how does LGBT marriage threaten the family? Specifically. I want to know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzt55MTJHT84D8NhM0EbDWMAbpUY4KsotYPyt6h8nEkxeJlT-FL_2DtlcSAe7ze6BB55VMPmIu-fHTEyO9Q2ygZSKr5fp9AlKR9vo-9d03yksEIG-Ai5l3FdrQsw_5U2lNG9yO8gOR14/s1600/Couple+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzt55MTJHT84D8NhM0EbDWMAbpUY4KsotYPyt6h8nEkxeJlT-FL_2DtlcSAe7ze6BB55VMPmIu-fHTEyO9Q2ygZSKr5fp9AlKR9vo-9d03yksEIG-Ai5l3FdrQsw_5U2lNG9yO8gOR14/s400/Couple+5.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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➤ Doesn’t encouraging stability in any relationship strengthen society as a whole? Isn’t it better for society as a whole for LGBT people to be in stable, committed relationships rather than be cast adrift as a single purson pursuing multiple partners? <br />
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The following quote was taken from a Huffington Post <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marten-weber/gay-marriage-is-not-about-love_b_1129323.html?ref=gay-voices" target="_blank">column</a> written by Marten Weber.<br />
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<i>"Marriage is about creating a state of government-sanctioned, stable cohabitation that, among other things, allows people to feel safe, settled, and complete. Having a mate makes us better people. It teaches us responsibility and the art of compromise, such as sharing the last of the ice cream in the fridge, taking out the trash, and upholding proper hygiene. It is a cultural tool that, ideally, makes men and women less volatile and more productive, one that makes us more civilized."</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OgXmCn3I8vRa6yDYziaSq2k0NinnUC4OokeGfcsXD-WXDHOuE1yYTvV_tVp-FCDwSSpqiqQNG5hWZJXEg18mlkhUUE0HLJ0H5TjnhIjOxrmDNh2EnOtt5RkExAwMNRSNFsOHaRRvtC4/s1600/Couple+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OgXmCn3I8vRa6yDYziaSq2k0NinnUC4OokeGfcsXD-WXDHOuE1yYTvV_tVp-FCDwSSpqiqQNG5hWZJXEg18mlkhUUE0HLJ0H5TjnhIjOxrmDNh2EnOtt5RkExAwMNRSNFsOHaRRvtC4/s400/Couple+8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>How does letting LGBT people experience this stable cohabitation destroy the family? I want to know?<br />
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➤ Legal Rights Conferred on Married Couple<br />
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I think that when Christians discuss marriage equality, it is important to remember that marriage in our society is more than a covenantal relationship between God and man. In our country, marriage is a legal arrangement sanctioned and overseen by the state that grants over a thousand rights to the individuals within a marriage. If I as a heterosexual have access to those rights, why should those same rights be denied to LGBT individuals? If they are citizens of our country why don’t they have the same rights and privileges as the rest of us?<br />
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Here are just a few of the 1000+ rights granted to married couples that aren’t given to un-married (whether gay or straight) couples:<br />
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The following quote from <a href="http://www.whymarriagematters.org/pages/protections-and-responsibilities-of-marriage" target="_blank">whymarriagematters.org</a><br />
<i><br />"There are over 1,100 protections and responsibilities conferred on married couples by the federal government including access to health care, parenting and immigration rights, social security, veterans and survivor benefits, and transfer of property—and that doesn't include several hundred state and local laws, protections conferred by employers, or the intangible security, dignity, respect, and meaning that comes with marriage. Excluding committed same-sex couples from marriage means shutting out families from the safety and security created by these protections and responsibilities.<br /><br />Taken as a whole, marriage law reveals a social consensus about how to treat two people who voluntarily pledge to care for each other and their children. Marriage laws enable (or require) couples to fulfill the most common wedding vows:<br /><br />In sickness and in health: Marriage automatically enables spouses to visit each other in the hospital; to make each others' emergency medical decisions; to share a family health plan; and to take medical leave to care for a sick spouse or child.<br /><br />For richer and for poorer: Marriage means that governments, banks, credit card companies, and other financial institutions will consider both spouse's incomes, assets, or debts in such matters as taxes, credit, loans, inheritance, divorce settlements, and eligibility for public housing, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits.<br /><br />When a child joins the family: Marriage automatically enables the spouses to be joint parents, covering such situations as making school or medical decisions, applying for passports, passing on inheritances, or being eligible for visitation rights and child support obligations if the parents separate.<br /><br />When death parts the pair: Marriage law enables a survivor to continue to care for (or be cared for by) the dead partner in such situations as making funeral arrangements, inscribing an epitaph, inheriting a lease, filing wrongful death claims, taking bereavement leave, and passing on property."</i><br />
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All of the above, if granted to same-sex couples, would seem to strengthen society, the family and not destroy it. In our country, marriage is not just a religious institution. It is a legal contract entered into with the permission of the government and dissolved with the permission of the government. <br />
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As Christians, whether or not we are gay affirming, it seems to me that we can still support same sex marriage because the issue is a matter of civic respect and fairness within a democratic society. A simple act of being a good neighbor.... treating others we would wish to be treated... loving our neighbors as ourselves. <br />
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And even if same-sex marriage is legal, churches can still decided on a church by church basis whether or not they want to perform a marriage between a couple (straight or gay) in their individual church. Church communities cannot be forced by the government to bless or perform any marriage. <br />
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➤ Can Homosexuals Change Their Orientation?<br />
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The evidence is growing that change in orientation is almost impossible. As reported on <a href="http://canyonwalkerconnections.com/2012/01/alan-chambers-and-the-message-of-exodus-at-the-gay-christian-network-conference/" target="_blank">Canyon Walker connections</a>, after 20+ years of trying to bring change and promising Christian LGBT people that change is possible, this past January Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, at a GCN conference, admitted publicly, in front of a packed audience of over 400 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians, their friends, families and allies, that change in orientation is NOT possible. He said:<br />
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<i>"The majority of people that I have met, and I would say the majority meaning 99.9% of them have not experienced a change in their orientation or have gotten to a place where they could say that they could never be tempted or are not tempted in some way or experience some level of same-sex attraction. I think there is a gender issue there, there are some women who have challenged me and said that my orientation or my attractions have changed completely. Those have been few and far between. The vast majority of people that I know will experience some level of same-sex attraction.</i>"<br />
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Other leaders of other LGBT change organizations have also left their organizations and in one instance, John Smit formerly with Live in Action, offered a complex <a href="http://www.gracerivers.com/i-acknowledge/" target="_blank">apology</a> for the damaged LGBT lives he contributed to through his years with Love in Action. <br />
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The rest of society has held this position for years, but the Christian community is finally recognizing that change in orientation is not probable and infact the organizations that promote change have harmed many of the people who they were supposed to help.<br />
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Back to same-sex marriage. If change is not possible, isn’t it cruel to deny the people who are not able to change their orientations the protections and legal rights of a marriage? Leaving the debate within the church aside, most LGBT people live a life outside the church (since we don’t welcome them in). Wouldn’t our society and their lives be better and more stable if marriage were available for them and their families? It certainly would be better if we would welcome LGBT people into our church communities.<br />
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It seems to me that is hard to demonstrate that allowing same-sex couples to marry threatens the family and destroys marriage. The arguments seem to be more fear based and comes from that place of protecting that which is comfortable and familiar. Instead of trying to walk in the shoes of LGBT people and see the world from their perspective, instead of trying to build bridges with people from the LGBT community, we Christians stridently scream about biblical definitions of marriage. However, we live in a country that, since it's inception, has promoted equality for all. Denying LGBT people the right to marry seems to fly in the face of that equality.<br />
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It seems to me that allowing people with same-sex orientation to marry strengthens our communities by providing stability to those that currently lack that stability. Since marriage is a secular/legal/societal contract authorized by the state, I believe that we should provide the LGBT community with the same protections and covenants available to everyone else.<br />
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Same-sex marriage is not a religious issue. It is not a ‘fear’ issue. It is a matter of treating all citizens in our country the same with the same rights and privileges. I believe that we can support same sex marriage because the
issue is a matter of civic respect and fairness within a democratic
society. A simple act of being a good neighbor.... treating others we
would wish to be treated... loving our neighbors as ourselves. At least that’s how I see it.<br />
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I’m still researching my Christian theological view on same-sex relations. I can’t say for certain if the sexual behaviors of LGBT people are or are not sin. People who believe that God's Word is inerrant can and have come to different positions on this. What I do know is that God loves every LGBT person he has ever created and I do know that Jesus said that it is not my responsibility to point out the spec in anyone else’s eye. Jesus told me to work on the logs in my eye and let other believers worry about their sawdust. I know that holds true in this discourse.<br />
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I don't really expect my church or my pastor to come out in support of marriage equality. That is a place too far, but I do hope that he will be more cautious in his public words. I've been thinking about giving him a copy of <a href="http://www.loveisanorientation.com/" target="_blank">Andrew Marin's</a> book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Orientation-Elevating-Conversation-Community/dp/0830836268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332514092&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Love is an Orientation</a> to help him learn about building bridges with the LGBT community.<br />
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Anyone have anything else I can include? K<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYTn0XZnYLRrd__ekVCjtXEuEmBgqHZXr7wKflYaJJ-NEu7nmf7H7fvvIBv-bthYt5FiUM6uzI2s7jqFXpVVUnP9ngf4gT4_ptVp1iU6xcpOQQ0Z4UDoLAnIv-_pwhlsPBxTl9xubUwY/s1600/couple+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYTn0XZnYLRrd__ekVCjtXEuEmBgqHZXr7wKflYaJJ-NEu7nmf7H7fvvIBv-bthYt5FiUM6uzI2s7jqFXpVVUnP9ngf4gT4_ptVp1iU6xcpOQQ0Z4UDoLAnIv-_pwhlsPBxTl9xubUwY/s400/couple+11.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-31635087715565433292012-03-20T12:55:00.000-05:002013-02-11T15:10:46.671-06:00Remembering OscarRecently I had to say goodbye to my oldest dog, Oscar. He was my valentine's baby, born February 14, 2000, so we had just celebrated his 12th birthday. He had been in great health... although he was starting to get a little deaf and his vision wasn’t as good as it had been. But he didn’t seem to have any aches and pains and was his usual affectionate and loving self.<br />
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When I went to bed that night, he was restless... couldn’t seem to settle. That had been happening to him more and more anyway, so it didn’t seem unusual. Something awakened me about 12:30. He was still restless and so I opened the door from the bedroom to the rest of house hoping he’d get comfortable on the couch... his favorite perch. <br />
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Just after I opened the door, he started to act like he needed to vomit... except nothing came up. Suddenly I was on full alert. BLOAT! I felt his stomach and it was tight like a drum. I lost another Standard Poodle, Clifford, about seven years ago to bloat, so I was familiar with the symptoms. But I was in my condo in Door County ... miles from the closest vet and particularly in the winter, no one would be open at night. I called all the vets in the yellow pages and finally found one that gave me a number for an emergency vet in Green Bay, eighty miles to the south.<br />
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I called them, described his symptoms and got directions to their storefront Emergency Vet Clinic about 90 minutes away. Fortunately I had a fairly full tank of gas for my 160 mile round trip because I saw absolutely no open gas stations. I have now learned that I must always keep half a tank of gas in my car in case of emergencies.<br />
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(This was the second time I’d had to drive a dog to an emergency vet... although the previous time it was an emergency hospital because Winston, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, had consumed an entire package of Trident gum which is toxic to dogs. I had to drive to Appleton, which was a two+ hour drive and leave him for 24 hours for observations. Fortunately he seemed to have no ill effects.)<br />
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With Oscar, the vet confirmed my diagnosis and after a consultation, I elected to have him put to sleep. They had a nice area where I could be with him while he died.<br />
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He was such a great dog. Very even tempered and affectionate and we are all missing him. I remember driving to Pennsylvania with my Dad in his RV to pick up Oscar. I'd had my previous puppy flown out from Arizona and the dog had been traumatized by the flight, so I felt it was worth while to make the trip to pick this puppy up. He was always a sweet and kind dog and the trip with my Dad is a special memory.<br />
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Now it's just two dogs no cat. <br />
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With a sad heart, goodbye, Oscar. I loved you, K<br />
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-55488219958737465872012-03-10T15:31:00.001-06:002012-03-24T12:26:27.462-05:00Best Friends or notOne of the things missing in my life is a BFF. This is not unusual for me. Looking back over my life, it has been an elusive goal to have a best friend. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPnA6n11LkVHKijpN1aMkeNLClzwaT_j-_zi4bc9TO8Esj90Dh24uWoFvcAb2tr07AI5yQZSGSi8X-aCPc03qjtzUhHfAAU4bcFqCVHdEt6OM4y0K_BtJQbwRxz8ZxvtcTYdAMM9aWEM/s1600/1951+May+Kay+Double.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPnA6n11LkVHKijpN1aMkeNLClzwaT_j-_zi4bc9TO8Esj90Dh24uWoFvcAb2tr07AI5yQZSGSi8X-aCPc03qjtzUhHfAAU4bcFqCVHdEt6OM4y0K_BtJQbwRxz8ZxvtcTYdAMM9aWEM/s640/1951+May+Kay+Double.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See... here is my best friend!!</td></tr>
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In elementary school, I never clicked with the other girls... being smart and athletic wasn’t fully appreciated by children in the fifties. I did find one girl that I clicked with one summer. Her newly married older sister was renting an apartment in a garage across the alley from our house. Lorraine and I really got along. But she was only around for one month and by the next summer her sister has married. Still, it was an important event for me... I don’t remember much of my childhood, but I remember that summer friendship. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgkFchCOgj8UpzrMEDUMPU0lsiDbFsAM-HA5uFtUN5rWu6VmWdgASXJn4n3UPge2pLpkXT7maHHCSVYwBElwRwY5-yPfxtcvQWJ7Ak0zOcPuLwvJFwBnd7RAZ5rS_4HTUtbF7Nj-lFpI/s1600/1951+Kay+and+Pam+S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgkFchCOgj8UpzrMEDUMPU0lsiDbFsAM-HA5uFtUN5rWu6VmWdgASXJn4n3UPge2pLpkXT7maHHCSVYwBElwRwY5-yPfxtcvQWJ7Ak0zOcPuLwvJFwBnd7RAZ5rS_4HTUtbF7Nj-lFpI/s640/1951+Kay+and+Pam+S.jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a neighborhood friend, Pam who was a couple of years older than I. Our friendship never went beyond the neighborhood to school.</td></tr>
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In Junior High I had a best friend for one year. We loved Mad Comics, which was the new thing, and tried to create our own version, Cracked. It was my one year of rebellion and Susie was my partner in crime. That friendship lasted only a year.<br />
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Growing up, two of my best friends were male identical twins. Their mother was good friends with my mother and we had been together on many family occasions plus we went to the same school from Kindergarten through High School and had lots of shared experiences. I remember that in fourth or fifth grade when the split the boys and girls into separate groups for 'the video' we shared our separate experiences on the walk home from school. They lived half a mile closer to school than I and by the time I got home, their mother had shared with my mother the extent of our conversation. Both moms were furious!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzNpy3XWWSkYw73o07KT5TLKYPRS6B7RCpw12MydECFLHmB6BFxesfAeDa3uZX25DS6NCu_XhFCHr9tROdDqdqo6AkJszQ3WOxGM0iiyDCCo4o8MnHscVYoihyphenhyphenjuZi97VhPM8X6g4p0Q/s1600/1962+DC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzNpy3XWWSkYw73o07KT5TLKYPRS6B7RCpw12MydECFLHmB6BFxesfAeDa3uZX25DS6NCu_XhFCHr9tROdDqdqo6AkJszQ3WOxGM0iiyDCCo4o8MnHscVYoihyphenhyphenjuZi97VhPM8X6g4p0Q/s640/1962+DC.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The twins with their family and mine up in Door County in 1962.</td></tr>
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In High School the pattern continues and I never really connected
with any girls (or guys for that matter. I didn't date in High School). I was third (or fourth) wheel friends with a trio that had
been together since Kindergarten, but wasn’t exceptionally close to any
of them. <br />
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In college it was much the same story. I was the third/fourth wheel friend of other groups of girls. None of them were really best friends.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQo3QynQ0IEtt4zSQn_R2oMIMjB6PCxzDZAi683i1DfP7svLp4SVxH3oqxUahkIh0HTtTb2dE9-6nOpO3WGbFT5IWV_z2wk5JquMegvRWC4obNdIeqe4jZlXYTyySa-mwZSdYFoMqA4o/s1600/Kay+Smitch+Julie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQo3QynQ0IEtt4zSQn_R2oMIMjB6PCxzDZAi683i1DfP7svLp4SVxH3oqxUahkIh0HTtTb2dE9-6nOpO3WGbFT5IWV_z2wk5JquMegvRWC4obNdIeqe4jZlXYTyySa-mwZSdYFoMqA4o/s640/Kay+Smitch+Julie.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are Smitch and Julie at my wedding (my homemade by me 'monk's wedding dress). Smitch and Julie were two of my roommates and best friends through the last two years of college... although they were closer to each other than to me. </td></tr>
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As a young married adult, I did have a best friend for a while. My friendship with Kathy lasted for the three years I was in California and for a decade after I moved back to the midwest, despite the fact that she had an affair with my husband while we were still married. Of course, I didn’t learn about the affair until several years after my divorce so the impact was a little muted and didn’t destroy the friendship.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt18pg3utwZG40NrkLtyGYBEm-CUik6iQZanNc9dkoidLG8CKCAkMzTdd0SP4IpWZc5QwYBjjdJVeYjfzxToNZbpLvpJaRlxs0I6Q0Xh5y4yqm8hKlu6bu7V5Isl_bIa7RH1jhecPhco/s1600/1985+Kay+Kathy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt18pg3utwZG40NrkLtyGYBEm-CUik6iQZanNc9dkoidLG8CKCAkMzTdd0SP4IpWZc5QwYBjjdJVeYjfzxToNZbpLvpJaRlxs0I6Q0Xh5y4yqm8hKlu6bu7V5Isl_bIa7RH1jhecPhco/s640/1985+Kay+Kathy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Kathy on the left in about 1990 almost 20 years into our friendship.</td></tr>
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However, our friendship didn’t survive my becoming a Christian. After I became a Christian we sort of drifted apart. We both had grown up in very religious Christian families and one of our bonds was that we had both rejected the faith of our youth. When I went back to the faith of our youth... well the friendship, which by that time was only an occasional phone call or letter drifted apart. Still we had maintained contact for over 30+ years. The last time I saw her was in 1997.<br />
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Another adult friend I had I met through a business organization. We were both daughters in family businesses started by our fathers and we were both divorced. We traveled together to conventions for about five years. But we both passed through the Young Executive barrier to Senior Executive and stopped attending the conventions and then we lost touch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikY4yLznSZNZbLPjjDImQgrrRTY3ZkTeHouLOTrviU2kIBIuyRJXYWwPtVmkju4mgYK_lRiQIQ7l4o1lXCeT6rwXC6qQKkwEYDSY-UWjBPBhUmaOLvYf4cceEQH6638C5b9G3I5PkmPlg/s1600/1987+Kay+Toni+Q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikY4yLznSZNZbLPjjDImQgrrRTY3ZkTeHouLOTrviU2kIBIuyRJXYWwPtVmkju4mgYK_lRiQIQ7l4o1lXCeT6rwXC6qQKkwEYDSY-UWjBPBhUmaOLvYf4cceEQH6638C5b9G3I5PkmPlg/s640/1987+Kay+Toni+Q.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toni with her children and Kay at our family farm in about 1987.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I was friends with a couple that I met at my church for several years although we gradually drifted apart even before they moved to New Orleans. <br />
<br />
Since then... I haven’t had any remotely close friendships with women. I have a young women who ‘rents’ a room in my home (well young to me, she’s in her mid forties), and we are fairly close but by no definition of the term would I call her a best friend. I am more of a parent figure to her. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrHxmg0Qt8Usb38osETRVlcENi8C85cQAFWA-1WqaVwGyMVkPHIpCKhnAjBNuBe7KoyamcsLNMINh3_QS685e3vgKqapWxJAHFpwjCP7LvqfSaXPXBWe8pLv0-7tuqrc3_84K8wfC_y0/s1600/2011+Kay+Lisa+Mom+Dad+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrHxmg0Qt8Usb38osETRVlcENi8C85cQAFWA-1WqaVwGyMVkPHIpCKhnAjBNuBe7KoyamcsLNMINh3_QS685e3vgKqapWxJAHFpwjCP7LvqfSaXPXBWe8pLv0-7tuqrc3_84K8wfC_y0/s640/2011+Kay+Lisa+Mom+Dad+Christmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2011 Christmas with my Mom and Dad and Marie and I.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I’m just starting to figure out that I have become too isolated. Five years ago I retired and that left me without the day to day contact with people in the office. At about the same time I left the small church that I had attended for twenty years. I had some friends (no best friends but people that I was connected to through years of small group and service together) and most of us left the church at the same time although we have all ended up a different churches... and in my new church I haven’t really connected with anyone or any group in the same way. <br />
<br />
I just spent two weeks in my cottage in Door County and the only live interaction with people was with the cashiers in the grocery store. I had a few phone calls with family, and one long phone call from Marie, my housemate, (but that’s almost her talking the whole time... I’m just a handy listener). <br />
<br />
So I’m wondering about what it is about me that precludes a best friend? What is missing in me that doesn’t enable me to have close confidant? I was watching Oprah’s next chapter when she visited Paula Deane and took her BFF Gayle King with her. Even a big star like Oprah has a BFF... why oh why don’t I. <br />
<br />
I’ve never felt really comfortable around other women. When I was a teen I just didn’t understand the whole girly thing. I’m not into make-up and dresses and high heels. I don’t really connect to jewelry and accessories. I’ve always been a pants and shirt kind of girl. Growing up in the fifties was torment because we HAD to wear a dress or skirt to school. Even the college I attended required that women wear a dress to class and to the dining hall. In college I was once stopped by the dorm mother because at 7 at night I was leaving the dorm dressed in pants. I explained that I was on the drama set construction crew and we were going to be hammering, sawing and painting and a dress just didn’t work for this kind of activity. She wouldn’t let me leave in my pants. That’s the way it was back then...<br />
<br />
Anyway, when I’m in a group, like my small group from church, seven times out of ten I prefer to discuss things with the men in the group... (except I’m not into sports so much). Still, I don’t really fit in with the men either. Most of the people with whom I have managed to form a best friend type relationship have been thinking women who are extroverts. It’s too stressful for me to try and be a best friend with another introvert.<br />
<br />
But the problem I have with extroverts is that while most of the time I’m happy to let them rattle on about whatever it is that they rattle on about... it’s hard to get an extrovert to stop and really listen to me... when I need that ear.<br />
<br />
I think that is why I have decided to write a blog.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I just need to talk.<br />
<br />
Anyway... who’s your BFF and can you relate? K<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-23131167248048237542012-01-16T12:04:00.000-06:002012-03-24T12:26:48.192-05:00Stop the Deportations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3AoAoUQ6wTRK094oBJDnEy8WvbfOqhzWdBnIIFsdrK4pTGw7uFgaCUpoZQvxoZrjMWc2WGuj3BIaDO0YmR1s2V6Zw2tyuMYSQYu7CAKpAUMgU23ypHrqkqM14qcCGzMpe2dDIvHFkKk/s1600/gay+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3AoAoUQ6wTRK094oBJDnEy8WvbfOqhzWdBnIIFsdrK4pTGw7uFgaCUpoZQvxoZrjMWc2WGuj3BIaDO0YmR1s2V6Zw2tyuMYSQYu7CAKpAUMgU23ypHrqkqM14qcCGzMpe2dDIvHFkKk/s400/gay+family.jpg" width="395" /></a></div>
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Recently I discovered a Blog titled: <a href="http://www.oursimplelives.com/" target="_blank">Our Simple Lives</a>. In it blogger Mark writes about and details in wonderful photographs his life as half of a gay married couple with four adopted children. I’ve read through all the back entries and have really come to care about this couple and their four children. They met in 1990 and they have been together ever since. Two of their children were adopted at birth, and they recently adopted six year old twins through social services. Mark and his spouse, Fred, were married in California in 2008.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately for this couple, Fred is from France and is facing deportation. His last visa expired in September. This means that either this family is separated or the five American citizens in the family have to relocate to another county. Here are Mark’s words as reported on in an article on his blog: <br />
<br />
“However, we quickly learned, that despite some advances in French law over the years, we were trapped. We could not stay in the United States (my country) and we could not move to France (Fred’s country). We are unwanted by both. Although we are both the legal parents of four American children, and both the state and federal government recognizes our status as parents, it will not recognize our marriage because of the Defense of Marriage Act. According to the U.S. government, I am the father of our four children, and Fred is the father of the same four children, but we are legal strangers to each other. Our marriage, our nearly 22 years together, all of that amounts to nothing. Fred has no right to stay in the United States beyond the expiration date of his visa. And that day was rapidly approaching. At the same time, while France would recognize our relationship under its less-than-optimal Civil Solidarity Pact (“PACS”), and it may even permit me to reside in France legally as an immigrant on the basis of our relationship (but not our marriage), the French government refuses to recognize the adoption of our children, because under French law same-sex couples are prohibited from adopting children. We are trapped by U.S. law that refuses to see our marriage, and French law that refuses to see our children. We cannot continue to live this way, and we cannot be torn apart. .. so we decided to fight back.”<br />
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Although married heterosexuals in the USA have the right to sponsor their spouse for a green card, because of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) signed by Bill Clinton in 1996 they have no rights as a married couple. (DETOUR: What gets me is... I thought democrats supported GLBT rights... what was Bill Clinton doing signing this?? And it was passed by both houses of Congress... what was that all about?)<br />
<br />
I have to say that for years I bought the social Christian conservative party line about homosexuality. I detailed my journey of understanding <a href="http://detoursaheadoni47.blogspot.com/2011/12/im-sorry-my-str8tapology.html" target="_blank">here</a> and unfortunately I have said (or thought) ‘why should gays have special rights’ on many occasions. Now I understand that there are more than 1,138 federal rights that accompany civil marriage, and some additional 300-600 per individual state. That means your run-of-the-mill-marriage-license-carrying heterosexual couple gets access to over 1,400 rights, benefits, and protections. These are special rights that heterosexual couples gain... including the right to petition immigration for their spouse to stay in this country with their family. (And not coincidentally visit their spouse in the hospital as family). <br />
<br />
If marriage were just a religious covenant, I could understand that individual churches that read the Bible as prohibiting marriage between same sex partners would be on moral high ground by refusing to perform such marriages. After all, in this country we do have the freedom to practice our religious faith and the <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/dr-richard-land-supreme-court-unanimously-affirms-the-unique-constitutional-protection-of-people-of-faith-67137/" target="_blank">Supreme Court recently ruled</a> to give religious institutions the right to hire as they deem fit. Even today ministers have the right to refuse to marry people even if they do have a marriage license. That would not change if same sex couples were given the legal right to marry. It does not compromise anything in the Bible particular because in our country, marriage is a state institution/legal agreement. Marriages must be recognized by the state. Marriage officiants, including ministers, must be recognized and registered with the state and can only perform marriages when the state has issued a marriage license.<br />
<br />
Why then are a minority of people, who are in a relationship with one another and even legally recognized by some states, denied basic civil liberties accorded to the majority heterosexual population? Where does the state get the definition of a legal marriage as existing only between one man and one woman? Why should other partnerships be denied the legal rights? <br />
<br />
It isn’t fair. It isn’t equal. It isn’t right. <br />
<br />
Not only are GLBT people not asking for ‘special rights’, they are just asking for rights that belong to all American citizens.<br />
<br />
As a heterosexual evangelical Christian with no family members or even friends who are same sex oriented, I have no personal reason to champion marriage for same sex relationships. I just believe that we as a country need to give the same rights to our LGBTQ friends, neighbors, citizens that we have ourselves. Come-on guys. Let’s start exercising some grace and mercy and love.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUT6t6d4pkwWO_QHjLRMQztOiNwp5om4_75epLwCnq_N-ZZqoN0wWKB-87tDR38qkuGNQfyfRB_4o4W_tAD_iIXYymlAndUBIYNzjYK3dw_Ei8Uud-K0FhxL2z6colzYv8owY5i9a6QY/s1600/Daddy+daddy+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUT6t6d4pkwWO_QHjLRMQztOiNwp5om4_75epLwCnq_N-ZZqoN0wWKB-87tDR38qkuGNQfyfRB_4o4W_tAD_iIXYymlAndUBIYNzjYK3dw_Ei8Uud-K0FhxL2z6colzYv8owY5i9a6QY/s640/Daddy+daddy+me.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
WWJD? I think he would love same sex oriented people just as he loves everyone else.<br />
<br />
At least our government should not be responsible for tearing families apart. How can a government that lets two men adopt the same children then insist that one of the parents be denied the right to be with those children. Sometimes I just don't understand the logic. This is one of those times.<br />
<br />
Here are a few other sites to visit about this family’s situation:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/11/us/philadelphia-gay-couple-deportation/index.html?iref=allsearch" target="_blank">CNN</a><br />
<a href="http://articles.philly.com/2012-01-13/news/30624217_1_doma-legal-strangers-couples" target="_blank">PHILLY.COM </a><br />
<a href="http://stopthedeportations.com/">STOPTHEDEPORTATIONS.COM</a><span id="goog_1906063091"></span><span id="goog_1906063092"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<br />
With Frustration! KKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-47450419346971904942011-12-24T17:55:00.000-06:002011-12-24T17:55:29.616-06:00Merry Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0jtPRVgwHUxcvPVg48CAY3Ur6S0_aKmzrSjeEp2V08gz-ULWxtlCProy2deVZInJUS2O5pyq6xdo4kXI57m3CvRzh2x9pRn55QiUEVOFra2c_Ff9wuBjmlNfUQKN_lEX7Ao3Wkrd4jA/s1600/Christmas+Quote2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0jtPRVgwHUxcvPVg48CAY3Ur6S0_aKmzrSjeEp2V08gz-ULWxtlCProy2deVZInJUS2O5pyq6xdo4kXI57m3CvRzh2x9pRn55QiUEVOFra2c_Ff9wuBjmlNfUQKN_lEX7Ao3Wkrd4jA/s640/Christmas+Quote2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-25426531354045219322011-12-13T18:13:00.001-06:002012-03-24T12:27:49.995-05:00You Know It's Cold When...<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7evYo-DHN0jHjClVccTcb5g9HlB39HY9XFpK1WSrkaJZv_UfMA-XZFZ0Yp6YIvWrmZiGbkbGzQwDrhVsbm92Y0b6v8zS1QH4bbMvFk4bCmQ22SMAetkY4OtUbA3Xh63dTHGBv-en6mA/s1600/it+cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7evYo-DHN0jHjClVccTcb5g9HlB39HY9XFpK1WSrkaJZv_UfMA-XZFZ0Yp6YIvWrmZiGbkbGzQwDrhVsbm92Y0b6v8zS1QH4bbMvFk4bCmQ22SMAetkY4OtUbA3Xh63dTHGBv-en6mA/s640/it+cold.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
You know that you are keeping your
house too cold when you're in a hat, mittens and winter jacket indoors
and you're still not warm!</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I
love the tall ceilings in my northern Illinois home, but I need to keep
the temperature set to 62 during the day and 55 at night to keep my
heating bills within reason. (In the summer I keep it set to 88 day and
night... but that's still WAY too warm). The thermometer reads 60 in the room I'm in. Brrrr. So, here I sit fully covered in
multiple layers and I'm still cold!!! It's actually not even that cold outside... considering what it could be, and NO we don't have snow yet. Sigh!<br />
<br />
Maybe I need to consider Florida
or Arizona in the winter? Any suggestions?</div>
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Hope you are nice and warm. K</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-51567579430298940362011-12-09T09:30:00.000-06:002012-03-24T12:28:16.592-05:00I'm Sorry. My Str8apology.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6gB7SyW7VfI1iQksH8es37uz1AZKOYcy17UTIvTG9MMYO5bS2u-ajZYF6MXbblanpfFJJH7eNyznYGLeTV4lE6HY4pkrD4uM7BBQ9a_WkaqEFNx2TY81iq23K9U1ba_tRVQOqdrcElk/s1600/Cross+and+Rainbow+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6gB7SyW7VfI1iQksH8es37uz1AZKOYcy17UTIvTG9MMYO5bS2u-ajZYF6MXbblanpfFJJH7eNyznYGLeTV4lE6HY4pkrD4uM7BBQ9a_WkaqEFNx2TY81iq23K9U1ba_tRVQOqdrcElk/s640/Cross+and+Rainbow+sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
As a straight Christian I want to issue a public apology to the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered) community. First let me say that I’m sorry for my thoughts, my spoken words, and any silent complicities that have contributed to the wounding, damaging and marginalizing of the GLBT people loved by God. Every GLBT person is loved by God, unfortunately they are not loved in the way that honors Jesus by the Christian community and for that I say, “Shame on us.” I am ashamed of myself. I am ashamed of my community. I have sinned against people that Jesus loves. We have sinned and are sinning daily against people that Jesus loves. Our actions and our words convey on a daily basis that they are not worthy of God’s love.<br />
<br />
I have failed to act in a manner that demonstrates Jesus statement ‘This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:38-39.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I’m sorry.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglC0m4-5G_uvobtV_fq1BeeXr2NEHFlBj_4pAuULm1jM1ADyHYYQbovYpJFNM0OreXht9qLBtjCs9x5_9qe7bEC78pDn1vMqianZrZGVm52BKbc5Djw8gz55ZfsFb4yImOQB_v1jUyQbk/s1600/I+am+sorry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglC0m4-5G_uvobtV_fq1BeeXr2NEHFlBj_4pAuULm1jM1ADyHYYQbovYpJFNM0OreXht9qLBtjCs9x5_9qe7bEC78pDn1vMqianZrZGVm52BKbc5Djw8gz55ZfsFb4yImOQB_v1jUyQbk/s640/I+am+sorry.jpg" width="640" /></a>For years I have held the ‘traditional’ Christian view of the GLBT community, and I’ve believed and verbalized that ‘God hates the sin not the sinner.’ I have, however, always objected to the ‘God hates gays’ campaigns and the whole ranting about the ‘gay agenda’ by religious and conservative leaders and medias (despite being a conservative myself). But objecting to something and saying that I object to it are two different things. I personally hate conflict and prefer to hold my opinions to myself when I know others will disagree with me.<br />
<br />
My views/opinions began to change a few years ago when I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Gate-Gay-Christian-America/dp/0452273811/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323400543&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i>Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America</i></a> by Mel White. While I struggled with some of the interpretations of scripture that were presented, the points that he made started the progression of change in my own personal opinion about the GLBT community. <br />
<br />
This past summer I read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Orientation-Elevating-Conversation-Community/dp/0830836268/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323400463&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community </a></i>by Andrew Marin which further stretched my thinking on the issue. I highly recommend the book <i>Love is an Orientation</i> for a thoughtful presentation to Christians that doesn’t push one way or another... just encourages Christians to learn how to build bridges and demonstrate God’s love to GLBT community. Every Christian should read this book.<br />
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<br />
Recently I read <span style="font-size: large;"><i><span id="btAsinTitle"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Bible-Homosexuality-Revised-Expanded/dp/066423397X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323442768&sr=8-1">Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality, Revised and Expanded Edition: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church</a> </span></i><span id="btAsinTitle">by Jack Rogers. This book, is written from a Presbyterian perspective. He reviewed the history of the church as it viewed slavery, african americans, divorce, and women's roles over the past 200 years and in the process really helped me to have a better understanding of what a Christian view of the Bible could be. More about this in another post.</span></span><br />
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I know that God loves us - each and every one of us - and His love is wide enough to include the GLBT community. While there is not yet any definitive evidence for a ‘gay gene’ there is clear evidence that for most of the GLBT community the orientation and attraction to people of the same sex has been part and parcel of them for their entire lives (or as long as they can remember or at least since the first stirrings of adolescence). They did not choose this orientation anymore than I chose my straight orientation. <br />
<br />
People who are GLBT are humans created in God’s image and there is no controversy about the passages encouraging us to love others including GLBT people, as ourselves. Regardless of our interpretation of the Bible, it is clear to me that we as Christians, are to demonstrate God’s love to all people. Jesus spent his time reaching out to the poor, oppressed, outcasts, those people that the religious leaders spurned. He told us to do the same.<br />
<br />
It is time that we start paying attention to the gigantic log in our own eyes and quit worrying about the speck of dust in the eyes of GLBT people. Let's build bridges with people who matter to God. <br />
<br />
I’m sorry.<br />
<br />
Kate<br />
<br />
If you are interested in further explorations, discussions consider visiting these websites:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.loveisanorientation.com/">Love is an Orientation </a><br />
<a href="http://canyonwalkerconnections.com/">Canyonwalker Connections</a><br />
<a href="http://www.btgproject.blogspot.com/">Bridging the Gap</a><br />
<a href="http://www.gracerivers.com/about/vision-mission/">Grace Rivers</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-1410010195070549972011-12-08T12:43:00.003-06:002013-02-11T15:08:59.114-06:00Three Dogs No Cat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's true. Sadly I don’t have a cat, not because I don’t like them, but because several family members are allergic to cats. My last cat died in 1986 at the ripe old age of 17 and I’ve never gotten another.<br />
<br />
I do, however, have three dogs<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">O<span style="font-size: large;">scar</span></span></span></b><br />
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The oldest is Oscar, a red/apricot Standard Poodle who will soon be 12. He is very laid back and is quite happy to let the other two bully him. He does however, love to be petted and can be quite a pest to get said petting. Unfortunately Oscar has a wiry texture to his fur/hair and petting him feels like petting a hairbrush. Not so enjoyable.</div>
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He used to love to chase frisbees and would jump high in the air to grab them and then return them to my feet. Well.. he still loves doing it but now he injures his shoulders and his hips so the poor boy has been grounded. No more high flying frisbees for him.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dorcas</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_86S1ORYqyRtkfFz-9tTdaEhG9Jvim9ieYNhZuOEu3NbzAO1nQJlIPpPo-u6KETRQdmsguFOabM0dAD4Kdv0Nky_TzCkxynTLTHo6LmG4Mho_XmZxG7YXazUiusN4866hEyxTovdIQ3M/s1600/Daisy+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_86S1ORYqyRtkfFz-9tTdaEhG9Jvim9ieYNhZuOEu3NbzAO1nQJlIPpPo-u6KETRQdmsguFOabM0dAD4Kdv0Nky_TzCkxynTLTHo6LmG4Mho_XmZxG7YXazUiusN4866hEyxTovdIQ3M/s640/Daisy+closeup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dorcas is my 6 year old ‘alpha female’ bully of a Boston Terrier (or as I say, Boston Terror). She is the ultimate definition of hyper... particularly when someone comes into the house, or into my bedroom, or into our space. Unfortunately I am not consistent enough to have trained this behavior out of her. In addition she is VERY aggressive to other dogs. Taking her for a walk where she might meet other dogs is a challenge and I can NEVER take her to a dog park or to doggie day care. <br />
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Dorcas also loves chasing windshield wipers. I can no longer take her in the car with me unless she is in a crate because she will spend the entire trip running from the front to the back of the car in the hopes that she will ‘catch’ that nasty wiper. She yells and screams and cries and digs at the windshield. I have attached a video below of Dorcas chasing the wipers. The first few times it was hilarous. Now, not so much. (Sorry about the video quality. I'll try to do better next time!)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1U0mqLjlFrQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Dorcas will sit on my lap for hours but she is always tense. It’s like she’s this giant spring waiting to be released. So while she is a lap dog, she is not a calm companion.<br />
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Dorcas is also a champion tugger. She loves to play tug with her favorite cat toy and would play frisbee forever. She isn’t so great at dropping said frisbee when she returns it so I keep a second in reserve, throw it out and she drops the first.<br />
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She bullies my other dogs and will snip at them when she loses her temper. Mellow Oscar stays out of her way and lets her win any confrontation, but my third dog, Mr. Winston (having taking lessons from Dorcas on how to be top dog) will challenge her when she snips at him and all of sudden we have a full blown dogfight in progress. <br />
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I can’t play frisbee or throw balls for those two at the same time and if I’m outside playing with one, the other is screaming in the house.<br />
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<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Winston</span></b><br />
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Winston is the final member of our trio. He is a three year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who is extremely cute and is loved by everyone. Children love him. Adults love him. People who don’t like dogs like him (they don’t love him... like is as far as they can go). He is my calm companion and chief cuddler. Winston loves to chase tennis balls. At the dog park he can outrun almost every breed no matter the size to catch his ball. Everyone is amazed as they watch him go. He’s not a very big dog, but he is fast. Superfast. Lightening fast (well maybe that’s an exaggeration.)<br />
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Also, Winston's other mission in life is to keep my deck and yard free from squirrels and chipmunks. This task isn’t so important in Illinois because I don’t feed the birds there. But in Door County, I feed the birds and we have lots of trees and lots of critters (squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and skunks). Both Dorcas and Winston do not like these creatures at all and as soon as we walk in the door of our cottage in Door County they are on FULL ALERT.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Below, Winston barking at the squirrels. </i></span><br />
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Then, when I open the door to the deck and the forest outside both Dorcas and Winston burst out like they are shot from the gun. Oscar stays back until the mission of clearing the yard and feeders is accomplished and then he leisurely heads outside. It is dangerous around Dorcas when she is on a mission.<br />
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As someone with no life partner at my side who is also extremely introverted, my dogs provide me endless hours of entertainment and companionship... plus very welcome unconditional love and affection and lots of warm laps with a few barks thrown in for good measure. <br />
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Cheers! KKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852291298286128830.post-36950899066554149682011-12-07T11:57:00.001-06:002012-03-24T12:31:01.578-05:00The Backstory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whenever I my interest is captured by a new blog, after reading the most recent post, I jump to the oldest post out there in the hopes of finding out the starting point. Why did this person start to blog? What is their history? How did they get to this point? Inquiring minds, mine, want to know. Sometimes it is there, and then again, sometimes not. Usually though as I read through all the back entries the stories emerge gradually, like peeling the layers off an onion. I love learning about the lives and legacies of the bloggers. So, for my blog, I’m trying to provide that starting point. It is, of course, harder than I expected.<br />
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As an extreme introvert, it is hard for me, in the day to day reality, to connect with people. Reading blogs is one of my connections with the outside world. Thus far I have chosen to remain silent. I have not commented on others blog preferring to lurk in the background. But now that I have decided to try a (semi) disciplined approach to blogging, maybe I’ll break out of my shell and comment.<br />
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Oh well, now for some history.<br />
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I’m a 64 year old leading edge baby boomer, a retired business woman, who struggles with my weight, a Christian, ex-hippy, foster parent/grandparent. I am single - (divorced really but the marriage lasted five years and the single part has lasted 40+ years so I think of myself as single). No kids from my body but several from my heart. And.. I haven’t been on a date since 1981. Yup. That’s a long time. I had pelvic inflammatory disease in my mid-twenties brought on by a Dalcon Shield IUD. Google it, Wikipedia has all the boring details. Anyway, when I was 28 I lost my uterus and both ovaries. The lack of hormones for the past 30+ years has contributed to my celibacy... that and my Christian faith.<br />
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Lacking the ability to have any children of my own, I’ve had fun spending lots of time and energy on my 12 nieces and nephews plus I’ve had several children live with me over the years: a couple of ‘foster’ kids were with me for ten years, a widow with two young girls lived with me for four years, a single mom with an infant daughter and a single mom with three daughters both lived with me for less than a year. And most recently, my foster grandson and his mother lived with me for a couple of years after his father, my foster son died. It was so much fun to have a young one (2 years old - four years old) living with me. I’ve missed them so much since they moved back to Portland.<br />
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Right now I have a woman with grown children living with me. (Her children don’t live with me.) She is the age of my original foster kids and has two children and five grandchildren. Marie was homeless... well sleeping on her daughter’s couch when a friend made her plight known to me. Although employed at large retail store as a first tier manager her medical expenses have made it difficult to afford both a car and an apartment. She has epilepsy and emphysema and her medical expenses, even with insurance, are astronomical. She has the whole second story of my house these days as my knees make navigating the stairs challenging.<br />
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I’m also technology geek and love to have all the newest pieces of hardware... and software. Most particularly, I’m currently an Apple aficionado having a MacBook Pro, iMac, iPhone, and iPad plus several Kindles of all generations. I bought my first computer in the late 70s and have never looked back.<br />
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Here I am now: retired, two homes, one for sale, both parents still alive, two grandsons. Why do I want to write a blog now? Well why not? I’ve been reviewing some beliefs that I’ve held for years... revisiting, and realigning. So I thought, why not record the process, plus review the past- hence the detours.<br />
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Isn’t a blog just an online journal? When reading blogs, I prefer those that update everyday or have a unique slant; however, I’ll never manage to post everyday and I don’t have a unique slant, challenge or task that I’m recording. Still, I wanted to try to record this part of my life's journey and reflect on my past journey on a blog. Just know that I’m not following a single path but will probably take many detours. I hope you enjoy the journey with me.<br />
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So here we go! KKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09199695227770833984noreply@blogger.com0