Sunday Faith Blog.....a penny story...and Z's penny miracle, too

I got this account Friday in an email (I told you my Sunday Faith blogs always write themselves some time during the week...I NEVER have to look up anything, they just COME) and I wanted to share it with you:
THE PENNY
You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about..
Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the home of her husband's employer.
My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.
The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. Her husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.
As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant one evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband..
He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.
Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him.. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.
He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure.
How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?
Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.
A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it," he said.. "Read what it says."
She read the words, " United States of America ."

"No, not that. Read further."

"One cent?"
"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"
"Yes!"
"And?.. . ."

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin, I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him. Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray. I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"
When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. "Yes, God, I get the message!"
It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient.

Z's story....Shortly after Mr. Z died, I was in church sitting in the wooden pew with a friend to my right. He'd got there earlier and settled in with his church bulletin, keys and Blackberry to his left, between us. The service proceeded...the 2 of us went to the center aisle for communion, then came back....and a few minutes later, he squeezed past me to go help pass the offering trays. At that moment, I looked to my left and was very surprised to see a penny teetering on the edge of the wooden pew. The front of the pew seat is contoured, where we sit being lower and then it rises a bit toward the edge under our knees....I thought how strange it was that a penny was hanging half on and half off when Joe had just passed me and the penny and I'd been fidgeting during the sermon as I'm want to do, and that penny hadn't fallen through any of that! I also wondered how the heck it had got there and how I hadn't noticed it in the first place because I'd had to walk past it to sit down when I first arrived and when Joe and I came back to our seats after communion! It was just too weird to find it there so precariously hanging on the edge... I picked it up....Of course, it had "In God We Trust" on it....but then I thought I should see what year it was....it was the year of Mr. Z's and my wedding. Of all the pennies in existence, only a few weeks after I lost my Mr. Z, a penny finds itself next to me hanging off the edge of a wooden pew....with that year on it, our year. Pennies from Heaven.... It felt sad. But, it also felt very good. In God we DEFINITELY trust.

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17

Keep trusting, keep seeking, and have a WONDERFUL, BLESSED Sunday.........Love, Z
z

If Republicans don't "finally" reform health care like Obama wants, they don't want Americans to have peace of mind??

Do you all get what Obama's doing now? Read THIS! He simply can't ABIDE with the idea that some Americans, many Americans, don't want government-run health care and he resents the hell out of Republicans not going right along with him, so it's important to tell America that our whole legislative procedures are falling apart.....read this:

"What's being tested here is not just our ability to solve this one problem, but our ability to solve any problem," Obama said. (Z: what's he implying here? We need a new form of government?)

Then he says...."Next week is our chance to finally reform our health insurance system so it works for families and small businesses. It's our chance to finally give Americans the peace of mind of knowing that they'll be able to have affordable coverage when they need it most."

See? This is about Republicans just NOT WANTING TO HELP FAMILIES, to take away their 'peace of mind'.......right? (wrong) The Republicans have been clear that they don't want a government take over and I'm wondering why that's so hard for Obama to HEAR that.

One of my more liberal readers, the other day, commented that Republicans HAVE been involved in the health care package's development. Yesterday, I heard a Tennessee Democrat politician (I'm sorry I did not get his name or if he was a Senator or Congressman) tell an interviewer that the Republicans have not had one idea for health care. Which is it? What are people believing out there? Obama obfuscates, too, he doesn't have this many media people on the White House Staff for nothing: Elizabeth Jarvis-Shean, White House Research Director; Daniella Gibbs Leger, Director of Message Events; Macon Phillips, Director of New Media; Christina Reynolds, Director of Media Affairs; Dag Vega, Director of Broadcast Media; Dana E. Singiser, White House Office of Legislative Affairs, Amy Brundage, Regional Communications Director; Cammie Croft, Deputy New Media Director; Jason Djang, Deputy Director for Video; Corey Ealons, Director of African American Media and Coordinator of Special Projects; Shin Inouye, Director of Specialty Media; Jesse Lee, Online Programs Director; Katherine Lyons, Deputy Director of Message Events; Luis Miranda, Director of Hispanic Media; Moira Mack Muntz, Regional Communications Director; Katie Stanton, Director of Citizen Participation; Joelle Terry, Deputy Director of Message Events; Gannet Tseggai, Regional Communications Director; and Samantha Tubman, Assistant Social Secretary) Where else do you think he gets the phrases that are so well aimed at influencing Americans?....He says things so exquisitely, so damningly...so condemningly, and he damns our whole legislative process and mischaracterizes because he's NOT HAPPY PEOPLE AREN'T GOING ALONG WITH HIM.
Instead of really listening, he insinuates Republicans are just angry and mean and not willing to help Americans.............and most Americans hear this and run with it. (except it appears that most Americans don't want government controlled health care either, so, there's some hope).

What a way to start that meeting next week, huh? Oh, and he IS listening to Conservatives.....finally.............get this: Next week's session WILL FINALLY be broadcast on C-SPAN!! Thanks, Mr. President....must be hard to finally live up to your campaign promises. But, really, finally you ARE being 'transparent' to those of us who see through you......you've set up that meeting and the broadcast with the rhetoric I site above that if Republicans don't agree to all you want to do, this broadcast will SHOW how they DON'T CARE! Pretty darned good, Mr. President. I'd say those media-types you have there at the White House are worth their weight in.........our tax dollars. To you.
z

Holy communion on the MOON?

Did you know the first meal eaten on the moon was COMMUNION?

Here's part of the article I linked from the Washington Post, discussed by Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn (draw your own conclusions):
Aldrin's brief and private Christian service (Z: all it was was taking the wafer and the wine, not a 'service') never caused a flap, but it could have. Aldrin has said that he planned to broadcast the service, but NASA at the last minute asked him not to because of concerns about a lawsuit filed (later dismissed) by atheist Madelyn Murray O'Hare after Apollo 8 astronauts read from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas.

Here's more:
I asked Richard Mouw about provisions for self-serve communion. Mouw is president of Fuller Theological Seminary. He also is representing the Presbyterian Church-USA as co-chair of the official Reformed-Catholic Dialogue. Mouw's response: "For our Reformed theology, communion is something that necessarily takes place in a congregational context, with two requirements. It is tied to--accompanied by-- the preaching of the Word and it requires at least one elder assisting the minister. Two exceptions: chaplains in military and other settings are given a blanket approval to conduct a communion rite without an elder. And a minister and elder may bring the elements to a sick or shut-in person--with the understanding that this is an extension of the congregational rite that has recently taken place. There is simply no provision for a solitary self-serving of communion. It is difficult to think of a theological rationale even as an unusual event."

Even landing on THE MOOOOOOON? :-) What do you think?
z

Congratulations, Evan Lysacek.....but, no so fast

WHAT a skate he had! I just LOVE that he beat the Russian.........admit it, didn't you? :-)
America's way up there in Olympic medals this year and it's so great to see the winners carrying the flags and yelling "USA USA!"
I LOVE THAT.
UPDATE: Some are saying he doesn't deserve the medal. Plushenko says "If the Olympic champion doesn't know how to jump a quad, I don't know," Plushenko said. "Now it's not men's figure skating, now it's dancing."
You think he's right?

Does EVERYTHING have to be GREEN!?

GREEN FLOWERS, too?...........here's a story about Olympics flowers. I remember when flowers were red and white and yellow and pink and purple, and.......................leaves were green! Seems like everything is greeeeen today..........!
z

"Republican hypocrisy": I'm seriously curious about something.........

I'm on the fence.........
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama vigorously defended his $787 billion stimulus on Wednesday, insisting it rescued Americans from the worst of the economic calamity and ripping Republican critics who called it a waste.........THIS ARTICLE is the second place I've heard that Obama is calling Republicans hypocrites for the following reason (from the article):

"Obama used a portion of his speech to accuse Republicans of hypocrisy, saying they have enjoyed its benefits even as they criticized the plan."There are those, let's face it, across the aisle who have tried to score political points by attacking what we did, even as many of them show up at ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects in their districts," Obama said.He said he recognized that many Americans are not benefiting from the stimulus."

I have given that some thought and fluctuated on it. If Republicans were against the entire Stimulus Package, should they have not attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects in their districts? Should they stay home from official duties because they didn't approve of the methodology behind the project? Does their appearing show tacit approval of the method of funding for any given project? Does it have to be 'scoring political points' just because you disagree with a bill? (or is this yet another of those things Obama wants heard and digested by Americans who are 'on the fence'?)
What do you think? Help me out here. Thanks.

z

The Olympics.........some interesting points of view

Last year, Mr. Z wrote a good article regarding professional sports, the Olympics, doping, etc. If you want to refresh your memory or check it out for the first time, HERE IT IS.
My friend and commenter, Waylon from Canada, brought THIS excellent (and funny) article to my attention and I wanted to bring it to yours. It seems the leftwing mentality's seeped more into the Olympics than one could have imagined it. Canadians should be ashamed of their athletic prowess?

It's a bit of reading but I think you'll enjoy both pieces.............very sporting of you to try :-)

z

Potato, anyone?

Still waiting for some more good POTATO recipes at Mac 'n GeeeeeZ...see my POST and get over there :-) We've got some GOOD ones in the comments already :-) (Now, please see my post below and tell us who YOU think will be the biggest loser at the White House....oops, let me rephrase that, heh)

The White House may lose some bigwigs....got a preference?

.....there's talk this morning that the White House may be cleaning house among Obama's chief advisors. Some names bandied about are Rahm, Jarrett, Axelrod and Gibbs. Who do you think might go, why, and what excuses do you think will be given in lieu of "he/she screwed up"? I personally hope it's NOT my least favorite White House thug, Gibbs, because he's been the best Press Secretary the Republicans could ever have. And, do you think the dismissals will be announced at midnight Friday or Saturday, as usual?
Obama's returning to "Campaign style discipline"...and Dan Pfeiffer's back, look for some changes.
Maybe some of those teleprompters will be fired?
But, seriously, folks...who do you think might GO?

z

SCOTT BROWN: "Senator: VP comments "insulting"....they sure are

This post is a direct rip-off from POLITICO44, I'll readily admit that! And I thank Pris for having alerted me to it via email.
Joe Biden is telling BROWN that a defendant in a military tribunal gets a lawyer? The same Brown who has 30 years in the National Guard? Brown, the man who's currently the Guard's top defense attorney in New England?
But, this takes me back to my point in my blog about how this administration cares not for the truth....Biden knows that Brown's well aware of the facts, yet, as Brown says now, he 'insulted' him in this way on FACE THE NATION, an msm show, one which Americans from all sides watch. The Left knows Americans hear this, surmise that Brown's a dope for "not knowing this" (why else would the VP say this, after all?, and off they go. (except for Americans who look for the truth and don't form opinions or vote by sound bytes, of course, and I'm starting to think MAYBE there are more of them than we'd previously thought, considering that FOX is getting 60% of its viewers from Independents and Democrats.)
The insults must stop. The misinformation and mischaracterization should stop. But, they don't with this administration. Biden should apologize to Brown for this insult.............but he's too busy at the Olympics.
z (thanks, Politico, and thanks, Pris) Now, please come give us some input on THE POTATO! :-)