USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Guest Military Chaplain Service and Sunday Liberty ~ November 2 2003

Guest Military Chaplain and FRiends of the Canteen

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Welcome to
The USO Canteen FReeper Style

Today's Spiritual Journey takes us to the

Navy Chaplain Corps

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Click on graphic to link to the original sermon.

 

MAKING ASSUMPTIONS

A story making the rounds this past week told of a policeman who was heading home after a long, hard day on patrol. He had dealt with a whole succession of difficult people, and a mountain of frustrating paperwork. All he wanted at this point was to kick back, unwind, enjoy some peace and quiet, and maybe watch a few innings of baseball on TV. But, as he neared home, he was startled by a vehicle that came careening around a sharp curve and narrowly missed his squad car. As the car passed within a few inches of him, the other driver shouted "Pig!" The police officer was suddenly energized. He slammed on brakes, all set to turn his squad car around and head off in hot pursuit. But as he rounded the curve, ... he ran head-on into a large pig that was standing in the middle of the road!

It's a lesson we learn early in life if we're lucky: DON'T ASSUME! No matter how confident we are in our understanding of the issue. No matter how certain of another's reasoning or motives. No matter how obvious the point may be to US. Effective communication is far more complicated and difficult than we think. With barriers like cultural differences, personal "filters," different definitions, etc., its amazing that any of us EVER understand one another. But these aren't the most difficult obstacles. The biggest reason we aren't able to hear what another is saying to us is simply... "fear!"

Oh, we may camouflage it behind anger, self-importance or any number of other false fronts, but at the root is fear. Fear of being "found out," or of being disappointed, or of not getting what we want. It's a powerful if crippling motivator. And most of us can summon up plenty of reasons why we shouldn't take another at face value. Honest communication requires trust, and taking a risk. And we've been burned too many times. So we settle for safety, make the natural assumption, and run head-on into our own version of that pig as we journey down life's highway!

There is a better way. A way that recognizes our similarities. That sees others as a source of community and healing. That looks past our own frustration and previous disappointments to explore the possibility that even a "stranger" may have something positive to say. The Apostle Paul described it inI Corinthians, chapter 13. It's the "higher way" of love. I almost hesitate touse that term these days because of the way our culture misuses it. But when you read Paul's description, try substituting "maturity." It's a perfect fit. The risks are higher for this way of living, but so are the rewards.

Another (anonymous) writer cautions:

"To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing. They may avoid suffering and sorrow but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live. Chained by their certitudes they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom. Only a person who risks is free."

That doesn't mean we should be naive. It does mean we should be careful what we assume. Check it out. Give others the benefit of the doubt. And if someone shouts something unexpected at us, at least entertain the possibility that perhaps it may be more than a personal insult. Who knows, that approach could change our life.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

[Kathy in Alaska]

1947 Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose" flies for 1st (& last) time

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, TM. Giants won. Hope this is good news. Thanks for the good china.

[Kathy in Alaska]

ms feather, does your smashing new outfit go with your new victorian furniture?

[Radix]

1755 Marie-Antoinette Queen of France, let them eat cake

I'm going to let you get this one Fawnn. You are so good at it.

I'm not quite sure what you meant by "get this one," but thanks for the compliment (and confidence). The only thing I have to offer thus far on this slow-startin' day is this -- modified according to your (unintentional maybe) suggestion:

 

 

[Soaring Feather]

Oh it matchs perfectly! The colors are exactly like those in my new pieces. I have my liitle picture framed and placed on a table near my huge chair. :)

[Aeronaut]

Hi Kathy. All's well here, hope the same is true for you.

[Radix]

Yatch Dude,

Good One.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Soaring Feather]

Good evening Mr. Tonkin!

Oh my, the warm fire is really great this evening. I was thinking about kicking up the furnace to take the chill out of the room.

Thank you Military men and Canteen men.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I will have you know, that without having to call The Kid for help, I have successfully installed Norton Anti-virus, then installed all the service pack thingy critical updates that Windows said I should, and after one hang-up, installed the Windows2000 updates, EXCLUDING Windows Media Player 9. Later this evening I will try to install WMP 7 something or other. So, now the laptop goes back to the tech on Monday to have, I hope, all the data on the little HD transferred to the new HD. Then...onward and upward. LOL! Now I'm getting ready to check out the $1.39 store.

Gonna need a coat as I venture out today. Drizzling all day. I'll be home before 10pm.

[fatima]

Prayer bump.I offered my Mass today for all loved ones in the Canteen and lurkers.Prayers for all.

[Radix]

1917 Balfour Declaration proclaims support for a Jewish state in Palestine

 

 

November 2nd, 1917

Dear Lord Rothschild,

I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur James Balfour

---

Note from Radix;

Troops, Canteeners, Lurkers, and all, this single note, (the Balfour Declaration) changed the World forever. It is about  complex issues, and I have read a lot about them. However, I do consider myself to be a bit too ignorant, and certainly incapable of posting here anything, that could possibly explain it all. 

This single "White Paper" changed everything. We Americans are now engaged in a new War that is,  in part a product of this decision by The King of England to approve this note, way back in 1917! I realize that the Canteen is not for politics, but it is not a bad thing to entertain, make laugh and smile, while simultaneously educating. This is what I try to do here, every day!

By the way, I am a life long supporter of Israel, and I will never deviate from that .

[Fawnn]

I have my liitle picture framed and placed on a table near my huge chair. :)

Neat! Now we need a picture of you beside your picture. ;)

[Soaring Feather]

You need to see a picture of the chair. It's huge. It's taller than me.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good almost evening, Beth. Hope you are having a nice Sunday. 40° F and drizzly all day here. I'm getting ready to make my first foray to the $1.39 store to see if it's the same as the Dollar Store y'all in the lower 48 keep talking about. Looking for Christmas stockings.

Hi Connor!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, fatima. Prayers are sure needed today for all our military men and women, as well as their families and ours. Thank you. And prayers always for Karen as she does her part helping to keep America free and safe. Thank you Karen.

[Radix]

 

Workers clean the spiked dome of Singapore's peculiarly shaped Esplanade Arts Center Thursday, Oct. 30, 2003 in Singapore. Singapore has been pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into becoming a regional center for the arts.

 

The Pineapple Harvest at the big plantation near Area 51 has raised concern by union officials for the need for parachutes for  migrant workers.

 

Does anyone else  remember when illegal aliens were called "migrant workers?"

 

 

Wesley Clark waves to supporters prior to giving a speech to San Francisco Bar Association Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, in San Francisco. Clark, a retired four-star Army general is pursuing the Democratic nomination for president.

 

General Clark raises his hand to announce that he has just won the Bingo for president nomination of the Democrat Party!

 

 

 

U.S. Congressmen, from left to right, Reps. Ed Case, from Hawaii, Todd Akin, from Missouri, Jeb Bradley from New Hamphire, Steve Pearce, from New Mexico, speak to the media while on a visit to the main U.S. Army base in Tikrit, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003. Congressmen visiting American troops in Northern Iraq said they grieve for the soldiers killed in the attack on Chinook helicopter, calling it an 'act of desperation' of the part of the attackers, and expressed resolve by the United States to 'finish the job' of securing Iraq.

 

Meanwhile, back in Massachusetts, Sens. Kerry & Kennedy, contrived a new stratgey of undermining the morale of our Troops by sipping on mint juleps, and continuing to talk out of both sides of their mouths for the infinith time. The Media did not report, because they were there getting typsy as well, and thought that they might appear to  lack "objectivity."

 

 

 

A US soldier searches for explosives under a car during clashes in Baghdad's suburb of Abu Gharib.

 

Just another day at the office for this Troop.

 

 

 

Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul and his Syrian counterpart Farouq al-Shara talk to reporters during a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Iraq's neighboring countries in Damascus, November 2, 2003. Iraq's six neighbors on Sunday condemned terrorist attacks against civilians and said they would secure their borders, amid U.S. charges foreign militants were behind a wave of violence in postwar Iraq.

 

Candidates for the job vacated by the beloved "Baghdad Bob" participate in the New Iraqi TV program "The Stating Game,"  where they must demonstrate that they have the sack to say absolutely anything without flinching, or without showing remorse.

 

Just another day in the war against terrorism.

 

 

[Fawnn]

Is this any better than my earlier attempt? You know, the one where Tonk grabbed the wrong jersey. ;)

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

WOO HOO!
That's it!!!
Thanks!

[Fawnn]

I keep thinking about this....



...and I've reached the conclusion that Marie's fondness for cake must have stemmed from the fact that her dress designer and portrait artist had it in for her. :)