Povey Prattle

The following **  is from the Good Reads Web page.  Before you scroll down, note that I read the book (on loan from the Sarasota County Library).   It is a remarkable tale of courage, awful suffering, and the loyalty of a dog (Judy) who began her life as a mascot on a British Gunboat on the  Yangtze  River, survived the invasion and destruction of Singapore, trekked with her human pals through the Sumatran Jungle; lived with them in a hellish Japanese Camp, and found a friend in an R.A.F. prisoner - one Frank Williams. The book I borrowed is now back at he Fruitville (Sarasota) Library.  Do read it, either by borrowing it from your local Library, or purchasing it. It will move your heart to tears regarding "man's inhumanity to man". It will love your heart to respect and admiration for Judy, a wise, intelligent, brave and faithful  English Pointer. If you love dogs and hate war this is the book for you. Judy and Frank Willo ** ...

Via the Washington Post. Editor’s note: This letter was  first published  in the Wheaton Record . The Post is republishing the letter with permission from the authors — student leaders at the evangelical college Wheaton College, based in the suburbs of Chicago.  An Open Letter to Leaders in the Evangelical Community, Liberty University’s Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. made public statements on Dec. 4 urging students to protect the campus against possible terrorist threats. In his remarks, he called for students to arm themselves so that they could “end those Muslims before they walked in and killed them,” exhorting the students to “teach them a lesson if they ever show up here.” While these sorts of remarks epitomize the ever-growing fear and hostility directed toward Muslims, we as evangelical Christians hold that Christ calls us not to react with religious oppression or violence — instead, we have the responsibility to live out fearless love in order to pu...

Of course I do not know when I will die. Even though I am in apparent good health it could be next week (I hope not, 'cause I still have a lot of living to live) Or (perish the thought) it could be twenty years hence. I do not worry about dying.  After all, once I have died I will be dead:- "Can't do nothing about that!" But "whenever" it happens please bear this in mind   (if you are still around!) DO NOT  I repeat DO NOT plan some vacuous and sentimental "Celebration of my Life". I am simply not that important.  I am not a celebrity. I have tried to do some good in my life, at this I have often failed. I have sometimes been mean, deceitful, and evil. In the great and vast scheme of things my tenure on this planet has been incredibly insignificant!  But it has been good for me. DO plan a simple prayer service in some sacred place, at which God's mercy and grace will be exalted; and at which my imperfect soul will be commit...

On the anniversary of D-Day in 1994 we, at St. Stephen's Parish in Pittsfield, MA, honoured those who had served in the U.S. Armed Forces in WWII. We spoke well of them at the 10:00 Eucharist, and then had a lunch, hosted by the Youth Group.  We set out tables for four, at which sat two WWII vets with  spouses  and two youth group members. There were maybe eight or ten Veterans of World War II,  at least three of them who were recipients of the Purple Heart. In September 1994 my youngest brother Martyn and I (together with Martyn's wife Wendy and their daughter Laura) took our Mum to Normandy, there to visit the grave of her youngest brother Albert who was killed in that conflict. We stood in silence at Uncle Albert's grave in the Commonwealth Graves Commission Cemetery in Bayeux,  France. Our step-father Len was with us.   We took him to Arrromanches, where as an eighteen year old he had had landed some time after D-Day. On the anniversary o...

(1)  Home made beef and pork meatloaf, made with the usual ingredients (ground meats, eggs, bread crumbs, diced onion, diced green peppers )  and a bit of hot salsa for zest, with a brown sugar and tomato ketchup glaze. (2)   Kim-chi, with a bit of Greek yogurt. (3)   Quinoa: cooked not in water or stock, but in Ginger Carrot Soup. =============================================================== Who wants to marry me?  (!!!)