Category Archives: relationships

Update on Dad…

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Dad’s health improved this week, that he went off the oxygen feed late on Wednesday (at his request, approved by the nurse on duty), and plans began to be made to transfer him to the Health Center connected to his apartment complex, “Cedarcrest.” On Friday, he was moved and settled in there, and a group of friends gathering with Mom and Dad in his new room (it sounded like a party when I called!). Dad sounded good on the phone.

This past week, in those 12+ hours each day at the hospital, I found some time to talk with my Dad in between nurses and others coming and going. Thursday morning was wonderful in that we have 90 minutes without ANY interruptions. I read scripture, talked and prayed with Dad during those precious moments.

Please continue to pray for his physical and spiritual well-being….

airplane_cartoonI got home from Wisconsin on Thursday night, but almost missed my flight out of Chicago! I had allowed plenty of time to get to O’Hare from southern Wisconsin, but did not plan on Interstate 90 near Elgin, IL, coming to a near halt for 65 minutes! We covered maybe a mile or two in that time. By the time I arrived at the Dollar Rental car site it was less than 90 minutes to take-off! But those folks processed me quickly, and I got my “own” shuttle bus to the airport terminal, then got in line to check my bag — 60 minutes to take-off. The to the infamous O’Hare security lines, which were surprisingly shorter than Albany’s just then. Then a brisk walk/jog to the United concourse (a separate building connected underground). I made it 30 minutes before boarding — and had grabbed a ham sandwich as I walked. Whew.

Let me testify to the Lord’s presence and empowering in my life during this trip. He gathered many to pray for me & Dad, and some to provide special support to Laurel and I — for which we are so thankful. I could see the Lord’s mercies day by day, and was so blessed in my devotions during the trip.

Isn’t it often the case that the Lord’s richest blessings come to us in the midst of our more difficult days?!

God is good.
pdb

Mainstream?

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imgoutputphp1Oxford University Press sends out daily emails with tibits from one of their grammar books, Garner’s Modern American Usage. (Hey, doesn’t everybody want to learn better language skills?) Today’s entry was on the term MAINSTREAM, a pretty common term these days. Here’s some of what they say (image and emphasis added):

mainstream, v.t.

“Mainstream” as a verb is a jargonistic vogue word. It originated in the mid-1970s when Congress mandated that handicapped children be accommodated in regular classrooms. The following use is typical — e.g.: “Adrienne Lissner of St. Louis advocates mainstreaming autistic children in school.” (A possible revision: “Adrienne Lissner of St. Louis advocates putting autistic children into regular classes.” Or: “Adrienne Lissner of St. Louis advocates keeping autistic children in regular schools.”)

In the 1980s the word came to be used more and more to denote the integration of any subculture into the main culture…

I’m wondering: have American Christians become mainstreamed in the culture around us?? I fear they have, to a large extent. I think is does not please our Lord, who calls us to be “in the world, but not of the world.”

pdb