Hearsay had a colt this morning. Andi went down to check on the horses when we heard a horse banging the wall at 4 am. We thought one of our horses was cast but it was Hearsay trying to give birth next to the wall. She was having a little trouble pushing him out. It was a big foal. Andi pulled gently on the colt's legs to assist. By 8 am the colt had gotten up and had his first milk. Both the mom and colt are doing fine.I took some pictures but they are all dark. I need better light for my camera.
Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.
Natalie Maines, lead singer the Dixie Chicks, delivered these harsh words directed at President Bush in a recent concert in London
A lot has been written about the furor around this comment. I respect her right to express her opinion about the war but I do not agree with her method or her inclusion of the people from Texas into her position. I lived in Texas for eighteen years so I am not surprised with the negative reaction by her fellow Texans. Aggravating European anti-American sentiment and the people of Texas was probably not in her plan when she opened her mouth. She made a mistake and most of us have already gotten over it. I am pretty sure the President has forgiven her. I doubt the good people of Texas will forgive her as quickly.
Peter Arnett made a mistake and was fired. He showed a real lack of judgement when he gave an interview to the Iraqis that could easily be seen as encouraging the Iraqis to fight harder. Some people have claimed his firing amounts to censorship but I view his actions as aiding and abetting the enemy propaganda effort. In hindsight his analysis of the war plan probably caused more Iraqis to die than otherwise. Now that's a tough lump to swallow. In other wars his actions would require a much stiffer penalty. He has recently been hired in England. I wish him good luck, more humility, and better judgement.
Presidential Quote For The Week
We in this country, in this generation, are by destiny rather than choice the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of peace on earth, goodwill toward men.
—John F. Kennedy (from a speech that was never delivered, due to Kennedy's death)
Getting kids to read the Bible
An interesting thing happened on Thursday morning. I had just returned from dropping my son off at the bus. I went into my son's room to turn off his light and found his Bible and a night light on the bed. He had read his Bible! As a Christian father this is pretty exciting stuff. As a naturally curious person I started to wonder at what brought on this interest in the Bible. I quickly recalled a conversation I had with the night before. It was late and I had settled into bed with the 6th book in the “Left Behind” series, Assassins, when he came in. He started to pepper me with questions about what had happened since he had last asked. I stopped reading and brought him up to date on the multitude of plots. I had just reached the part in the book where Leon Fortunato is scheming to assassinate Peter Maximus, the religious head of Enigma Babylon One Faith. I had to explain that in the “Left Behind” story, all the religions of the world have been combined into Enigma Babylon One Faith. Our conversation wandered into a discussion of the shared beliefs of the major religions and he proudly told me that Islam believes in Jesus. He had learned all about religions in school. I said that Islam considers Jesus to be a prophet but not the Son of God. When you look at the life of Jesus you can have only two explanations. Jesus is either a raving lunatic or he is the Son of God. I don't think he knew that. What I am most amazed at is that I didn't see how a good story with a religion theme could encourage him into reading the Bible. Ooops!
Taxcut for Home and Business
I am starting a bit early but I think I have all of the program updates for TaxCut for Business. I use H&R Block's tax programs because I have used them for almost ten years. I like Intuit for personal and business accounting but H&R's programs do the job and I am familiar with them. TaxCut for Home and Business is a much cheaper alternative for people creating simple returns for partnership returns(LLC). After I downloaded the latest forms, I rolled over the previous year's data. The returns look good so after I change a few items I should be done by Friday. Since we are blessed with another beautiful day I will alternate tax work with spreading the composted manure in the fields.
It was a beautiful day today. I should be working on tax returns but it was too nice to spend the whole day indoors. I took some time to go outdoors and spread compost in our pastures.The trees have started to bud and there is a lot of young grass. Everything is turning from brown to green. Spring is here.
Being Humble During a War
The New Yorker. A lesson of humility. An excellent article. Dwight Eisenhower said:
Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives acclaim earned in blood of his followers and sacrifices of his friends.
Conceivably a commander may have been professionally superior. He may have given everything of his heart and mind to meet the spiritual and physical needs of his comrades. He may have written a chapter that will glow forever in the pages of military history. Still, even such a man—if he existed—would sadly face the fact that his honors cannot hide in his memories the crosses marking the resting places of the dead. They cannot soothe the anguish of the widow or the orphan whose husband or father will not return.The only attitude in which a commander may with satisfaction receive the tributes of his friends is in the humble acknowledgment that no matter how unworthy he may be, his position is the symbol of great human forces that have labored arduously and successfully for a righteous cause.
Bush should remember that this is concept he had once espoused. The preening and strutting Bush exiting a helicopter and saluting a Marine is a sight to behold. Another telling blow:
Our most wrenching diplomatic trials lately have been with the French, and yet President Bush has not spoken to President Chirac in the past six weeks.
I have two points to make about this post by John Robb/New Yorker. There is a saying, “You are either part of solution or part of the problem.” I am pretty sure that George W. feels that President Chirac was part of the problem. The US-France relationship can be mended in time but these two leaders need some time apart. This works for George since he is pretty busy right now. It is obvious that the US does not agree with Europe on this issue and several others. This is not news but we tend to forget.
The second point is about the difficultly with expressing humility during a war. The quote by Eisenhower was made after the war. A safe time to be humble. During a war it is very difficult for a leader to express humility in such a way that it does not affect the confidence and morale of the soldiers. If a leader makes a mis-speaks and damages the confidence of the soldiers, men die. I can feel the confusion settle in as the fog of war creeps ashore here. I can only imagine what the commanders are going through. I pray to God to give them strength to deal with the fog of war, the self-confidence to express the humility they must feel, and the wisdom to do to express it in a way they will lift the spirits of their fellow soldiers.
My Birthday is best forgotten
Today is my 49th birthday. I try not to celebrate my birthday but today I decided to bake myself an angel food cake and a loaf of bread. I don't mind helping celebrate other people's birthdays, but this is about as far as I am willing to go with my birthday celebration. I haven't made an angel food cake in a couple of years and it showed. It came out like a brick. To top my birthday off in fine style, my bread didn't rise. I make bread about once a week so I was a little surprised and disappointed. I think I will go back to not celebrating my birthday. Now that I think about it I think I will go to bed before anything else happens.
It's not a job its a joy!
About once a month I help out with a group at our church that helps people get connected with the various activities the church sponsors. I work the Sunday night service because that is where they needed the help. I guess its a hard time to get people scheduled for but it is the time slot I enjoy the most. Sunday night is the smallest service and Connections has probably the lowest traffic. It is both relaxing and fulfilling that I can give as much time as necessary for the people who come in. I guess many people would think I am wierd, but I look forward to serving in Connections. Occasionally I even feel guilty about serving in Connections. Although the people all seem happy with the help I provide, I think I get more out helping them.
Faith and family: sustenance in combat. A foxhole view: the war through soldiers' eyes. [Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories]
A well written article that brings home the reality and fears of war as expressed by the soldiers.