Free Republic

Asking his congregation to get permanent tattoos as a part of their Lenten observances may be one of the craziest things Ecclesia pastor Chris Seay has done at his artsy, pop-culture-savvy Montrose church. Seay and Ecclesia's artist-in-residence, Scott Erickson, initially hoped to find 10 people to get inked with designs representing the Stations of the Cross, 10 moments that illustrate the story of Jesus' death. The idea wasn't so crazy to the Ecclesia community, because about 50 of them answered Seay's call and have been tattooed with Erickson's custom-designed images of birds, hands, roses, trees and short phrases written in...

A Clear Creek High School coach who was found dead Wednesday had been under investigation for an improper relationship with a student, authorities said. Chad Hunt, 40, was a teacher and coached at the school for five years. He coached track and football. The investigation was prompted by the concerns of a Clear Creek High parent, who told League City Police on Sunday that a daughter might be involved in an inappropriate relationship with an educator, a felony. It is illegal for an educator to have sexual contact or intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a primary or...

A Florida couple has been charged with 47 counts of animal cruelty after authorities seized nearly 700 cats from their Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary in June. The Humane Society called it "the biggest case of cat hoarding," the group had ever seen, according to News4Jax.

SAN FRANCISCO – Days before a college football player was arrested on a US Airways flight at San Francisco airport following a dispute over his saggy pants, the airline allowed another man wearing skimpy women's panties and mid-thigh stockings to fly, according to a passenger and airline spokeswoman.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Skimpily dressed visitors to New York City's main jail complex can only see inmates if they cover up with an oversized, baggy, green T-shirt as part of a new dress code. The new rules at Rikers Island aim to maintain a "family friendly" environment at the jail. The city's Department of Corrections has purchased some 750 T-shirts in an easy-to-track shade of bright green. The shirts, all size XXL, are meant to be shapeless on all but the heaviest frames.

I received this from one of the members of my quiting group about another member of the group. She is a dear, dear Christian lady. Please lift up my friend Margie and her family. Her 14 yr old grandson, Jackson, was hit by a car this afternoon. He is on life support. They will be taking him off life support soon and he will not make it, as his injuries are to severe. He is a member of a youth group and the youth pastor and pastor are with the family now. I would ask for you to please join...

Please pray for baby Cohen and his mother Krystin. He was born 2 1/2 months early via c-section. He weighed in at 2 lbs 10 oz.

Last month I asked that you lift Joseph up in prayer. Tonight I am asking again. Last month his 27 year old nephew passed away, leaving behind three small children. Joseph took this very very hard. Recently he has begun reacquainting himself with some people who were not the best people for him to be around. Actually, his health and appearance as well as his spirit were negatively affected by these interactions. He has come to a point where he must make a choice which could damage other relationships. Please pray that he make the right decision. That Godly men...

I come to you with a prayer request for a disabled Vet named Joseph that I have known for many years. While his disabilites make him unable to hold a job long-term, my request is more for the healing of his spirit than his body. He needs sincere Christian men in his life... he knows the way but is currently straying from it. He has found himself in some scrapes for which he now must pay the piper. I pray that he come out of this with a heart for the Lord and a renewed spirit. Should any addictions be...

Please lift Hope Isabelle, her parents and doctors in prayer. Little Hope was born with hypo plastic left heart syndrome. She has been in ICU since birth, 8 weeks ago. Thank you, Have a Blessed Christmas

I come before you again with a prayer request for Jackie, a 16 year old girl at church who has been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. She is in a great deal of pain as she struggles with this. Please lift her up in your prayers. Also pray for her family, her older sister who is away at college, 8 year old brother who does not understand and her parents. This is a beautiful young lady who was very active in church, school and band. Bless you all. j

For 95-year-old Hazel Severson, the decision was straightforward. The book didn't belong to her, so she needed to return it. "It was the library's book," she said. "I wanted to get it back to them." So what if the book – "Seaplane Solo," Sir Francis Chichester's autobiographical account of his 1930 solo flight across the Tasman Sea – was 74 years overdue from the public library in Amador County? To Severson, returning the book was the right thing to do, period. With the help of her longtime South Land Park neighbors, Jim and Laurie Gibson, she turned the book over...

I have a prayer request for Pat, her husband Greg and their families. Pat has recently been diagnosed with cancer that has spread throughout her body. Her doctors tell her that nothing can be done. Pat has asked for prayers for herself and those who know and love her. May the Lord's peace rest on all of them while Pat gazes toward the finish line. Heb 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the...

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US researchers on Thursday unveiled the secret of how cats lap water or milk with such elegance, a phenomenon that happens so fast it cannot be followed by human eyes. Cats are among the many species that, unlike humans, cannot close their mouths and create suction. With help from from high-speed video taken of a felines lapping liquid, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Princeton University found that household cats and larger felines like tigers balance gravity and inertia as they imbibe liquids. The research will appear in the November 12 issue of the...

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. – Crystal Cathedral, the megachurch birthplace of the televangelist show "Hour of Power," filed for bankruptcy Monday in Southern California after struggling to emerge from debt that exceeds $43 million. In addition to a $36 million mortgage, the Orange County-based church owes $7.5 million to several hundred vendors for services ranging from advertising to the use of live animals in Easter and Christmas services. The church had been negotiating a repayment plan with vendors, but several filed lawsuits seeking quicker payment, which prompted a coalition formed by creditors to fall apart. "Tough times never last, every storm...

Please pray for Jackie (no one on FR)a widow in her 70's. She is currently in the hospital and doctors are unable to determine the source of her illness(es). They don't know if this is in anyway related so her open heart surgery from earlier this year. Pray for her family as well. In addition to Jackie's issues, her daughter in law had a brain tumor removed in the last 6 weeks. Two of her other children do not live near.

Besides crunchy and creamy versions, you can find peanut butters labeled “low-sugar,” “low-sodium,” “no trans fats,” even “made with Valencia peanuts.” Regardless of the touts, most are made the same way: Peanuts are roasted, ground with salt and sugar, then mixed with an added fat component to prevent separation. During testing, we found some spreads so pasty we got an upper-body workout stirring them; other “spreads” ripped bread. A few had the aroma and flavor of just-ground glory―abundantly peanutty and perfect for spooning right out of the container. In the end, several staffers decided to ditch their household brand for...

Craig Grant didn't like cats. But that changed when his son moved out, leaving his cat, Pepper, behind. And just when Craig was getting used to having one cat, he found out Pepper was pregnant. Five kittens later, Craig was ready to adopt them out until his son said they must stay with their mother for 8 weeks. "It wasn't long before the kittens were swinging from my curtains," he notes on his website. The cats started to be a problem for Craig. Not only were neighbors complaining but the cats were being harassed, like being shot with B.B. guns....

RALEIGH, N.C. – A soft-spoken 14-year-old's nose piercing has landed her a suspension from school and forced her into the middle of a fight over her First Amendment right to exercise her religion. Ariana Iacono says she just wants to be a normal teenager at Clayton High School, about 15 miles southeast of Raleigh. She has been suspended since last week because her nose ring violates the Johnston County school system's dress code. "I think it's kind of stupid for them to kick me out of school for a nose piercing," she said. "It's in the First Amendment for me...

Judy D passed away last night. Please keep her husband Hal, their son Scott and the rest of their family in your prayers. Many of their family members do not live near them, please pray for safe travel for all of them. Bless you all.