Lotsa Little Bits vol. 22

ITEM:  Since I have a handful of pics with no real theme, I thought I might just scatter them throughout the post.  Enjoy!

ITEM: I want to thank all of those who read Sunday Message #1 yesterday and voiced their concern.  But you know, I was just down and needed a lift.  And then, I got this e-mail from the HR department:  My pay rate had been entered incorrectly, and my next check was going to reflect the correct rate and give me about 2/3s of a weeks worth of back pay!  Tell ME that God doesn't look out for His own.

ITEM: If you look at comments (and I don't require it), You'll see that I forewarded the "Sunday Update" post to the Freedom From Religion Foundation's FB page.  Why do I do such things?  Because of the hope that somewhere in the self-delusion of that group, there might be someone willing to hear enough to give a moment's opening for the Holy Spirit.  Of course, when it comes to replies, you get about 50% those who only want to insult you, 30% who insist that if "you would just keep your god out of the government, everyone would be happy" (Yeah, explain trying to put Chik-Fil-A out of business in that light), and 20% who will try to have a somewhat intelligent conversation, though they can't keep their condescension out of their arguments.  One guy actually posted a thought-out rebuttal on his blog.

But this morning, I got through my head why it is these people will not give you a chance by stepping back and saying, "what if there is a god"... and it is this:  There are those who simply don't believe in God.  These people, if you present the case for God sufficiently, can be reached.  They represent 0% of the people that reply, and probably real close to that percent in such a group.  But others REJECT the concept of God; They simply WILL NOT accept any recognizing of God.  Part of their belief system is to FIGHT the very concept of God.  That is not a belief, that is something that has to be worked at, every day.  And they WILL NOT be reached.

So was it worthwhile?  I don't know.  But God said bread cast upon the water won't return empty.  So I can hope.

Dew on the tall grass.

ITEM: I spent a lot of time ranting last week on the Paula Deen thing, but never did I put it in as true a light as the guys at A Beer For The Shower.  If you want the true light of the story, presented in the most amusing light, check this out!

Scrappy in the doggie park!

ITEM: I found a fascinating link on the news.  The Texas Dpt. of Corrections has a website where you can read the last statements of all the death row inmates executed since 1982.  Flipping through them, the thing that got to me is how many of them, while not denying their own guilt, had the juevos to tell the DOC that executions were evil, and they would have to face judgment for them.  Never mind that each one had been found guilty of a crime far more heinous than an execution, but none of them had apparently perused either Hammarubi's code (you know, the "eye for an eye" stuff), or Romans 13:4:

For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

You want me to do WHAT?

ITEM:  I feel like I should congratulate the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had a walk-off 14-inning win yesterday that got them to the halfway point with 51 wins, the best in baseball.  But given that last year on this date they were 42-35; went on a 21-12 tear that put them at 63-47 by August 8th; and then proceeded to go 16-36 the rest of the way, finishing 4 games under .500.  So maybe I should congratulate them- or maybe I should start a pool to pick the day the inevitable tanking starts.

Okay, I'm up here.  Now what?

ITEM: My prayers are with the 19 firefighters who died trying to save Yarnell, Arizona, from the raging wildfire aggravated by 110 + temperatures.  "We're devastated," (Prescott Fire Chief Dan) Fraijo said late Sunday. "We just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet."

Nope... same stuff on this side...

ITEM: We did get a walk in today... but all we saw was a photo shoot.

A WHAT!?!

Whether it was for a car ad, or setting up a wedding or graduation portrait shoot, I don't know.

The one girl had some signage, but I forgot my glasses this morning.  I couldn't tell if I even had the shot in focus.

ITEM: It's time for what all some few of you have been waiting for- the AIHL update.  Two amazing things happened this weekend.  First, the league got all the box scores up right away!  First time for everything, I guess.  Second, Canberra didn't get whupped this weekend.  Despite getting outshot in the two games a combined 92-49, they only lost the games 3-1 and 3-2- to Perth, who is near as bad as Canberra, but it's still better than the 7-1 average they've had lately.  Ken Rolph had three goals in the 2 games for the Thunder.

Adelaide also lost a pair, but at least they went to OT (which means points in the standings.  Both were to Newcastle:  Saturday  saw Pier-Oliver Cotnoir score twice in regulation and once in the SO to give Newcastle a 3-2 win;  Sunday the North Stars overcame two regulation goals and one in the shootout by the Ads' Wehebe Darge  (on the strength of yet another Cotnoir regulation goal and SO score) to win 5-4.

And the other weekend games were a pair of losses for the Sydney Bears.  The first was a 7-3 loss to the Ice behind a 2-goal, 2-assist performance by John Gordon;  the second saw a 4-goal performance by Pat O'Kane lead the Mustangs to a 6-2 win (thus the Bears are swept by the city of Melbourne.)

Meanwhile, back at the dog park...

The two wins put the North Stars (10-4-2) two points up on the Ice, 34-32.  The idle Sydney Ice Dogs slide to 3rd at 31 points, and Perth (8-6-0), on a five game winning streak after a 3-6 start, pull into 4th, one point ahead of Melbourne's Mustangs and 4 on Adelaide.

Caps?  Yes!  I told you on Sunday Update to check out our latest taste testing!