Wasn't there an MC Hammer song about the importance of prayer?

A friend of mine posted this article on her LJ and I was flabbergasted. Of all the things to complain about in this world, I can come up with a few more before I would complain about this.

DEARBORN, Mich. — Elias Al-Karim says he’s always gotten along well with his neighbors, who are evangelical Christians. But he was angered recently to learn that they had added his name, and the names of his wife and children, to Community Faith Center’s corporate prayer list. Elias called the church to complain.
"We do not want prayer from Christians, and we did not ask for it," he told a reporter. "It’s a violation to pray for someone without their knowledge or consent."
To ease tensions, the church did what many churches and ministries are increasingly doing: started a "do not pray" list. The list grew rapidly after Al-Karim alerted the local newspaper about his experience. Hundreds of Muslims, atheists, Mormons and even pagans called to have their names added to the list. Now when prayer requests come in to the church, names are checked against the list before they receive prayer.
"We have to respect people’s wishes," says the pastor. "If they really don’t want prayer, we honor that."
But many church members disagree.
"I can pray for whoever I want," says one member of the church who has started an underground prayer list and circulates it by email. "The reason they don’t want prayer is their minds are blinded. And that’s what I’m praying against."
Sharon Grumman, a self-described "blue-state liberal freakazoid" says she was furious to learn that a co-worker had put her name on Peace Lutheran’s prayer list in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"Who gave them permission to practice their religious voodoo on me and my children?" says the single mother. "I consider it spiritual harassment, even if I do think prayer is bogus."
Others feel the same way. A devout Hindu shoe store owner in Cincinnati believes the prayers of a local church have hindered him from gathering great wealth.
"If I’m praying to my gods and the Christians are praying to theirs, the prayers cancel out," he says with evident frustration. He believes the church should reimburse him for lost revenue and has added his name to every do-not-pray list in the country. He believes a group of "zealous Baptist peoples" put his name on the lists in hopes of converting his family.
"I heard they were also praying for the country of India," he says. "My relatives live there, so I’m asking that they stop that as well."
Intercessors at churches with do-not-call lists say the policy impedes the spontaneity and flow of normal prayer.
"Instead of lifting people up to God, you have to do this bureaucratic thing right in the middle and search for their name on the list," says one prayer ministry leader. "It takes the oomph out of it."
Some angry people are calling for a national 1-800-NO-PRAYER line, akin to the "Do not call" line, to create a master list of people who want to be shielded from Christian prayer. But for now all efforts are local.
"It gives me great satisfaction to know that we are no longer being targeted," says Elias. •



Okay-
1- Whose prayers have been canceling mine out?
2- A do not pray for me list? Really?
3- Targeting? What prayer is now terrorism?

Hate to tell you all I am going to keep you all in my prayers. It is only to show that I love you and that I care for you and want what is best for you. Sorry, knowing me puts you right on a prayer list.

Hey everyone.

Over the next 20 weeks you are going to hear more about my 3 Day 60 mile adventure. I am well into training, have developed my first blister, and am playing cheerleader to our little FBG team. It has already been an amazing experience so far and I am learning so much about myself and about a disease that impacts so many families across the world.

So far I have raised $1,347.90 of the $2,200 that I need to have raised by the first walk date. In order to help earn the last $852.10 that I need for the 3 Day cancer walk I am going to be doing a raffle/bake sale/fund raiser and I am hoping you all can help.

During the next few months I am putting my talents to good use as I make the made dash for the fund raising finish line and I need your help!

I am going to be selling pink ribbon sugar cookies for $10.00 a dozen
and
2 knitted dish rags 2 for $15.00- these little babies are great for cleaning dishes or counters. They are strong and hold up brilliantly. If you let me know what colors you use in the kitchen, I will even match those.

In addition I am going to raffle off a baby sweater and a queen size quilt.

Numbers for the baby sweater can be purchased for $5.00 each or 3 numbers for $10.00.
With the baby sweater the winner will be able to choose what color they would like.

Numbers for the queen size quilt can be purchased for $10.00 or 3 numbers for $25.00.


Also, with every $5.00 donation I am offering to carry a 'walk with me ribbon.' This ribbon is a pink ribbon that you can write a name or a message on. I will be carrying these ribbons with me to Atlanta and they will walk every step of my 60 mile journey with me.


To participate in the raffle or fund raiser go and make your donation at my Komen site.

Then leave a comment here, letting me know which item your purchased or bought a number for. If you bought a number I will reply with the number in a return post.

The raffle ends on August 15th and the raffle items will either be delivered or shipped by September 30th.

Cookies and dish rags will be shipped every two weeks.


Please pass this message on to anyone you think might be able to help. To coworkers, family, or friends who might have known someone who has fought this disease. I am leaving this entry public so it will be easy to find. Every dollar raised is going to the Komen Cancer foundation who is making great strides in research and education on breast cancer.

Please know I don't ask this lightly. I don't wish to offend anyone but I have strong feelings about this disease. It has always been part of my life and I want to do my part to see that no other child has to worry about their mom, grandma, aunt, or sister suffering this disease. I know that with your help, and working together we can create miracles- so please help me create this miracle.

Living up to my nick name

So my oldest youngest brother Adam has called me Hermione for several years now. I am an insufferable know it all, I will throw the rules out for a good reason, and I do read more than is healthy. Well today I am living up to my nickname-

I just finished my thesis, 26 days before it was due and 5 days before my own personal deadline.

I can't believe. The paper that has given me headaches, panic attacks, and heart burn for weeks and months now is done. There will be a few changes and nips and tucks that will need to be done over the next three weeks, but it is smooth sailing.

Ack I finished my thesis!!!!

*runs off to celebrate*

*anyone want to join*

Because I knew you

E, you were right it was all Angela’s fault she told me to friend you and I did. One of the best things I ever did in my life.

Then there was a call for a beta, you said you would but warned me you were tough and you hoped you wouldn’t offend. I still have those emails though. It meant so much to me that you would take your time to not only beta for me but teach me about grammar. You’ve never stopped those lessons and though I am still not the best I’m much better- oh, and I’ve stopped using adverbs!

Over the next few months our friendship built, there was NaNoWriMo and countless online hours spent developing TBN. There were interviews with Trish Morningside, squeeing on the phone, the cliché love affair of Kathleen and Mitch, plots to take over the world, and secret meetings in Wyoming, Idaho, and Arizona. Each step of the way you proved to be as big of a nerd, geek, wacko, that I was.

Then came the first trip. Where you drove all the way to North Carolina to meet me. I was so nervous that night, what would happen if a woman who was slowly becoming one of my best friends hated me. I shouldn’t have been worried. You knew me so well by then you gave me a time turner, which I still wished worked and which is displayed in my bedroom to remind me that there are those out there who support me.

North Carolina wouldn’t prove to be the longest distance you would travel to see me. There was Florida, where we only had a few short hours together and where the California trip idea was formed, then there was New England and that magical day and a half with Patty exploring, not to mention our first picture together (which is displayed on my desk). Then it was my turn to come out and visit you. I loved that you offered your home, life and family to me at a time I needed it most. That vacation saved me on so many levels, I don’t think you will ever know.

E there are so many things now that remind me of you. I love that we can skip through subjects like wildfire only to return to them an hour later like no time has passed. I love that each conversation is started out with a tackle/hug/tacklehug, I love 6 AM squeeing phone calls, I love that we have the same twisted sense of humor, I love that you let me be me and that you accept me for my Hufflepuff self. We do prove that a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin can be friends and have a beautiful friendship at that.

So my friend, happy birthday! Here is to more adventures, more looking for bridges, more hours of Torchwood, more chasing your dogs, more spontaneous trips, more plotting to control the world, more tacklehugs, more Thelmas, more random bursts of laughter, more permagrins, and more us.

Its Lutiful!

Just some Lu cuteness!





and because the kid had to go for round two

Adventures in Student Teaching Week 15

Well my lovely 15 week student teaching adventure ended today. I have mixed emotions about this. I am so excited that it is over, ecstatic in fact that I can have something resembling a real life starting tomorrow. I am sad to see this end too, yeah the kids would be done with school in two weeks, but knowing that my class is going on without me is just hard to think of.

It has been an amazing experience, an absolutely amazing experience. I learned so much about myself and how far I still need to go. I learned that when it comes down to it I am a good teacher. That the kids will learn. That I wont screw anyone up. I learned that if I could live through the last 15 weeks I could live through anything. I learned that if I’m not happy (or pretending to be) that class will suck. I learned that no matter what book you are reading the kids will complain, but they will learn something. I learned that even the kids who everyone else has given up on can improve. I learned that it is so easy to make a mom’s day by telling her how great her son is.

Most of all I learned about me. This was the right time for me to start teaching. 5 years ago I didn’t have the patience or the experience I needed, I have it now. That doesn’t mean I am perfect, I have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I know there are going to be days that I want to throw everyone out the window, but the thing is, over all, I am going to make it.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal I'll find a way

Here it is, the moment you have all been waiting for (well, the moment two of you have been waiting for) my thoughts on Doctor Who Season 4.

I actually have no idea how to start this. When I would get all fangirly about West Wing I would blog after each episode, this time though there have already been 8 episodes (counting the Christmas Special) and though in the future I will probably talk about each episode at a time, I think for this one I am going to give an over all feeling or impressions.

Now, if you actually watch this show (and I believe that everyone should watch this show, just call me Martha Jones spreading the message of the Doctor- one person at a time) and have not yet seen season 4 know that there are going to be spoilers. I’d hate to ruin this for anyone.

I have loved this season so far, it is rivaling season 2 for me and depending on the outcome might have to be tied for a firm second with season 1. There are so many things that I am loving about this season, so I present them below in no particular order:

1- Donna Noble. Okay, I have to say it and admit that I was wrong. I love Donna. I was worried when they announced she was going to be the new companion. After her stint in ‘Runaway Bride’ I never wanted to see her again. She was annoying, and loud, and annoying, and did I mention annoying. Imagine my surprise when I found myself actually liking her. She has replaced Martha on my list (though she will never replace Rose). The relationship she has established with the Doctor is so great. I love how she makes him talk about things, like Rose or how he can’t be god with his decisions. She treats him like a sibling, a friend. And I just adore her. Of course because I have subtitled this season, “No Happy Endings” I am worried that she is going to die or something is going to happen to her. Which sucks.

2- The stories. I have enjoyed every episode. Not in a ‘okay, that was good’ way like I did the first half of season 3, more of- ‘oh my gosh these are brilliant, can we have more please.’

3- The references to past seasons. This has been so much fun and something they could finally do in with season 4. They have built an audience now who has been faithfully watching for 4 years, so they can make reference back to something in Season 1 or 2 and people will get it. I admit I had to pause the recording and laugh hysterically when the Doctor said, “Are you my mummy?” The other shoutouts have been just as memorable and fun.

4- Rose. I flailed when she was in episode one. Freaked out, couldn’t talk, gesticulated with my hands trying to express my excitement. The other moments that she has appeared in or been referenced have been equally exciting. I am holding my breath for the June night when she will return for the final three episodes, but my heart is a little worried too- remember this is the season of “no happy endings,” and I don’t know if I can make it through another ‘Doomsday.’

5- Watching them with the fam. We are all hooked now. It is what we do on Sunday nights, and watching them together then trying to figure out what will happen has been one of the highlights of the season.

6- David Tennant. Okay, yes I know I am head over heels infatuated with this man (he is the only man I know that looks good in a velvet suit) but he is an incredible actor. I am blown away every time, he just keeps getting better and better.

I would post all my emails to Heather about each episode here, but that would probably be over kill. As the season winds down though, and as my favorite writer is taking center stage for two week, oh and let’s not forget the return of Rose, Jack, Mickey, and Jackie expect more squeeing, sobbing, and gabbing about my favorite TV show.