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

[radu]

Good night, ms. feather. Sweet dreams.
Thanks for the tunes (listening to Gordon Lightfoot at the moment).

Here's your baby, Cotton Mather. The lunk is doing exactly this right now. LOL! Right behind my chair.

I'd have sent Fred but the fickle guy is cozied up with Cleo.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and sleep well, Tonkin. God bless you good for your service to our country, both then and now in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Canteen. *HUG* Good night kitties.

[radu]

Good night, dear Tonk. Sleep well. May your dreams carry you to lands far, far away.

Thank you for keeping this safe haven open for the troops and family members.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and sleep well, ms feather. God bless you good for all the help you provide in making the Canteen a neat place for our troops, present and past.

[Fawnn]

Dream your good dreams!

God Bless All who enter the Canteen.
May God Welcome our fallen heroes Home and comfort their family and friends.

Amen.

[Kathy in Alaska]

"............who makes "artistic" cakes that sell for $1200 to $25,000 EACH!!! "

You have got to be kidding! The cakes better be huge and feed a whole lot of people for that money!!!

[radu]

Hellooooo John!!

It's great to hear from you and know you're doing well! You and your fellow troops take care and stay safe, ok? *HUGZ*

Thank you for doing your part in OIF!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Fire and ice: Frost clings to the branches of a scorched tree near Jamestown, Colo.

[Fawnn]

The cakes better be huge and feed a whole lot of people for that money!!!

Nope. Cakes were the size of small wedding cakes, but not all that huge.

Now, keep in mind, the cakes are "labor intensive" because some can take her 3 days to complete. (Even after ingredients though, that's not a bad hourly rate, assuming a 3-day one is probably the $25K "model.")

Some cakes are "original designs." She does artwork on them, unusual colors of icing. They showed what looked like a water color painting beside one of the cakes; I didn't hear whether or not the price of the cake includes her sketch of the original design. (Now I'm gonna have to go see if the FoodTV Web site lists a Web site for that place.) ;)

I hadn't dumped the one spam filter since Friday night, so I just trashed 857 spam (grrrrrrrr!) so I'm looking for something to do now anyhow. :)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Do they eventually get eaten? After spending all that money, it must be hard to make the first cut. In 35 minutes, FR is going down. Have you considered taking a long nap? Have you gotten some sleep today? Dare I inquire about writing? LOL! Sunday a day off?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Do they eventually get eaten? After spending all that money, it must be hard to make the first cut. In 35 minutes, FR is going down. Have you considered taking a long nap? Have you gotten some sleep today? Dare I inquire about writing? LOL! Sunday a day off?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Do they eventually get eaten? After spending all that money, it must be hard to make the first cut. In 35 minutes, FR is going down. Have you considered taking a long nap? Have you gotten some sleep today? Dare I inquire about writing? LOL! Sunday a day off?

[radu]

Fire and ice

It's hard to believe such a pretty picture could come out of such devastation. Mother Nature works in mysterious ways, doesn't she?

I hope all's well with your family in CA., that the fires there missed them.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I did NOT hit post 3 times; I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T!! LOL!

He did it!!

[Fawnn]

They eventually get eaten.

Slept a bit longer than usual, so no nap BUT going to bed early ... probably about the time FR goes down. LOL

I haven't found the cakes yet, but I did find some pictures from a edible gold leaf site. You don't have to use the edible kind for this:



These need the edible kind:





Show was Top 5. It's on again my time, so check your listing. I'm pretty sure this is the one that showed the cakes. Hopefully I'll be able to update you before the "down" time. (E-mail your phone number if you're up for a call.)

[radu]

Tonk, I just had to go back through the thread to see how you got started with all the fun with graphics you'd had all day.
Now why doesn't it surprise me that MoJo would come up with such a neat trick?!! LOL!!

I've gotta say it's WAAAAAY COOOOL, MoJo!!!!! I foresee a lot of fun in the future with that lil trick and the troops are gonna get a lot of laughs outta what y'all do to everyone. *giggle*

[Kathy in Alaska]

They are all covered in ash, but the only loss was my niece's in-laws. They lost their 3 car garage and an apartment, just 6' from the house. It has to have taken an herculean effort by the firefighters to save the house with a fully involved structure fire just 6' away. They were able to get there cars out, including a vintage roadster.

[Fawnn]

Still in the mood for a rich dessert?

[Fawnn]

This is the Top 5 "cake show" on Food TV now!!! On in your neck o' the woods in 4 hours?

[radu]

hehehe....I've had that happen before. You have to hit "stop" after several seconds or it'll just keep posting. I've had to do it a couple of times tonight. Hopefully, all the gremlins will get booted outta here once and for all when they shut FR down.