FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ Don't Blame Changing Times ~ 21 August 2016

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

 

DON'T BLAME CHANGING TIMES

Most of us have learned to cope with, if not exactly embrace, the technological revolution that has completely restructured our world over the past two decades. Words like "Internet", "e-mail" and even "distance learning" may not be in your dictionary yet, but they soon will be. And that dictionary probably won't be paper like the ones most of us learned to use; instead, it will be part of the "spellchecker" on a computer hard drive, or perhaps on a single "CD-ROM" that contains thousands of pages of information.

Despite my RELATIVE comfort with all these newfangled innovations, I have to admit that I was a bit surprised last week by the latest innovation -- "confessional software". Apparently, this package has already made its debut in Poland, and Catholics can now plot graphs of their sins with a new program that helps them confess! The program "poses 104 searching questions to help users track their fight against sin and archive the result". At the end, you can even check a box which says "I sincerely repent".

As Dr. Harold Sala commented last week, however, this software probably won't be wildly popular. And his prediction has nothing to do with the fact that our society is less "religious" today. "The real reason", he says, "is not that we fear someone might bypass the file protection..., but that they might get beneath our exterior and see some of the darkness within". Even that fear is probably not so much motivated by a sense of shame as by a fear of what the revelation might do to our public image.

There are those, of course, who say that times and people are getting worse. That no one cares about character any more, and that our society is no longer even interested in the pursuit of truth. Well, they may be right, and I suspect that each of us has plenty to confess. But that's nothing new. Human nature has always been so. The prophet Jeremiah said centuries ago, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Maybe we're just less willing to exercise the discipline that keeps our worse impulses in check.

Despite what some might think, technology isn't the culprit, just the medium. It offers promise as well as danger. It can make truth more accessible, or our relationships more superficial. The real danger, you see, is that we memorize the story line, but miss the meaning. That we know all about the "what", but never seek to know "why". That we become like the old definition of a cynic -- one who knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing. It's all in the choices we make.

If we're wise, we'll recognize our all too human tendencies...and take steps to deal with them. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling". (I Corinthians 2:3) His wasn't a fear of rejection or of prosecution, but a fear of falling short...of failing those who had counted on him. And THAT kind of fear can be helpful...if it leads us to repentance, discipline, and a closer walk with God. "Thanks be to God", he later proclaimed, "who GIVES me the victory...."

But that victory begins with an honest self-assessment. As the ancient Psalmist discovered, "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. I acknowledged my sin to you... and you forgave the iniquity of my sin". (Psalm 32:3,5) A basic need. An ancient remedy. Even in the "Information Age" some things don't change.

May we each rediscover the "old" truths that lead to meaning and peace.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for our troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
for a safe and peaceful week ahead.

[luvie]

Ray Walker~Master The Tempest Is Raging
Congregational Singing

Cynthia Clawson & Others~Church In The Wildwood

The Trevecca Madragalians~It Is Well With My Soul

Statler Brothers~How Great Thou Art

St. Olaf Choir~When Peace Like A River

Providence~There's A Goldmine In The Sky

Vocal Majority~Deep River

Have a blessed Sunday
God bless our troops!

[SandRat]

Sorry, That image is not of an Eaglr, But of a HAWK.

[left that other site]

Good Evening, Everybody!

Have a Blessed Sunday!

(((HUGS)))

[luvie]

No, it’s a less-than-a-year-old fledgling bald eagle..before they get their white plumage. I know that lady that took the picture, and the bird’s name is E7, from Florida. :) He had just taken off for parts unknown for the first time. I got a screen cap of him circling till he was out of sight. :)

[SandRat]

Oops.

[luvie]

LOL! The youngsters look more like hawks than eagles, except they are huge! :)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

A Blessed Lord’s Day to The Mayor family.

Any dims to annoy today?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...any more rain today?

A Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Did the kitties get to go out today, remember what the outdoors looks like? Do you just open the door and out they run? Walk or run to special places? Do the inside ones try to get out?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Luv, and a Blessedd Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you for the hymns.

[Kathy in Alaska]

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[luvie]

Howdy, radu! Hope you had a good day today! Did ya get more rain?

We didn’t...though there were rain clouds all around us. Grr!

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless our military men and women who have given their all.

Thanks, unique.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[luvie]

...and to you and your mom! You’re very welcome. I love doing things for our troops!

Thank YOU for all you do for them...and for us!

Hope you had a good day today...with no homework!

[Kathy in Alaska]

To our Military -

Thank you for protecting us. Sleep well and safe.
May you be protected. May your families' hearts be at ease.

Thank you to our Allies.

**********************************

To those of our Military and Allies who gave their all,
- May your souls rest in peace. May your families be comforted.
May your/our country always remember.

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

Yes, we got a little rain today but not much. A brief downpour this afternoon and some sprinkles earlier this evening. Just checked and there’s a nice blob on the radar just to our west that might hit us shortly. Might need to head outside to see if there’s a “light show” to admire. LOL!

The kitties did go out this afternoon. It was plenty cool and they were happy to be out. Didn’t wander too far from the back porch and deck though. Guess they could sense the rain in the area.

Those who go out go through the kitchen window. There’s a table underneath it on the back porch with their food dish. The inside cats don’t seem interested in going out for some reason and that’s good. Don’t have to worry about them slipping out.

A cold front comes through tomorrow and that will cool things off nicely through next week, and we’re looking forward to that!

Did your day go well? Sleep without interruptions? Mom behaving?

[radu]

Howdy, LUV!

Bummer y’all didn’t get rain today. We got a little with more apparently heading our way. Hope it doesn’t miss us.

The day was good enough though I kinda messed up. Since the soil’s nice and soggy, I spent some time yanking weeds out of one of the flower beds by the front porch. Easier to get them out by the roots when it’s wet. BUT, I’m hurtin’ like a train wreck tonight. LOL! Not real comfy sitting in the desk chair so I’m not here for long. :-(

Other than not getting rain, did your day go well? You weren’t a grumpypuss at work, were you? :-)

[luvie]

LOL! Nope, I wasn’t a grumpypuss today, even though I was sluggish from lack of sleep during the shift. I was working with some gals that I really like so we had some giggles.

Then I came home and took a nice nap. I’m sensing a pattern here! :)

Glad you got some more rain! A nice cool front sounds so good right now! It IS cooler here, though. Highs in the 80s instead of the 100s. WAY better!

[Kathy in Alaska]

No homework this weekend. Hurrah!!

A few Mom things this evening, and requests for my time tomorrow, but not bad.