Obama "rules"

I found this online and got a kick out of it...

Obama Rules
It is forbidden to distract people with the following Obama facts:
-His connection to Rev. Jeremiah Wright
-His connection to Tony Rezko
-His connection to William Ayers
-His connection to Rashid Khalidi
-His connection to Hatem El-Hady
-Hamas' endorsement of his candidacy
-His appeasement policy towards America's enemies
-His father's Communist ideology
-His childhood Muslim ideology
-His liberal ideology
-His Chicago background
-Bitter-gate
-His "sweetie" gaffe
-His "57 states" gaffe
-His middle name
-Anything his wife has said in a press conference
-Anything his wife has said at an Obama rally
-Anything he has said at a press conference
-Anything he has said at an Obama rally

S.O.S.

We're starting to drown out here in the Midwest.

Steamboat Days in Burlington ended Thursday night as floodwaters began seeping into the parking lot at Memorial Auditorium, and when I went home last night, Front Street was underwater and water was creeping up Main Street. Fort Madison is a mess, too, and the Keokuk-Hamilton bridge is closed.

It's predicted that river stages will surpass the records set in the flood of '93, and in some places it already has. Levees are breaking. Communities can hardly sandbag fast enough to keep up with the rising water.

Drivers are gawking at the damage, being careless on the roads, or they are getting out of their cars and standing in the way of emergency crews. Yesterday in the newsroom I heard a request for crowd control at the Burlington riverfront on the police scanner. In a town of 27,000, that isn't usually a problem. And as always you have people using flood water for swimming and boating, exposing themselves to dangerous debris and chemicals.

Homes and businesses are disappearing underwater; even many buildings at the University of Iowa in Iowa City are flooding. People are being forced to evacuate in parts of northeast Missouri and in several towns throughout The Hawk Eye's coverage area. Not everyone is leaving their homes so willingly, especially the elderly. Law enforcement have had to threaten to arrest some who don't want to leave.

I guarantee you that all of us are being affected in some way, shape or form, even if the flood waters don't reach our homes. Roads are closing, people are without running water and/or electricity, the postal service is at a loss, and I'm sure that's not all. I also heard yesterday that flooding here in the Midwest will jack up food prices. So even if you don't live anywhere near a flooded area, this can affect you too in a small way.

I want to ask everyone reading this to please pray and consider donating to the Red Cross or another relief organization, if you aren't doing so already. I can't believe this is the second major flood I've seen in my lifetime...and they (whoever "they" are) call this a "500-year flood." Ridiculous.

"How could it be any better than this?"

It was three months ago yesterday that Rachel D. and Gloria were called heavenward. I used to think about it with every breath, every gust of wind that hit my face, every morning that I woke up and realized all over again that the room next door was empty. Now when I remember, I remember in bits and pieces. In the strange and not-so-strange details of everyday life. Everytime I'm exhausted at the end of a day and my knees feel like Jell-O, I remember that moment of revelation when I fell into Rachel McG's arms and my legs nearly gave way. When I hear someone at church speak with passion about what God has done for them, I remember Rachel D's unswaying faith.


Rachel D. and I, August 2007

Last night as I was driving home I had my iPod on shuffle as usual. I can never decide what music I'm in the mood for so I let my iPod decide. As I wound my way through Fort Madison, I heard the low, familiar strains of a string section and Jason Wade's husky voice pleading: "Find me here, and speak to me. I want to feel you, I need to hear you. You are the light that's leading me to the place where I find peace again."

Gloria's roommate put together a slideshow of photos for a candlelight memorial held in the Prayer Garden, and the song she used was "Everything" by Lifehouse. I've always loved "Everything" but it took on a whole new meaning after losing the girls. The lyrics totally reflect how Gloria and Rachel D. lived their lives, and anyone who's ever heard the song knows it has a stirring quality...

find me here
and speak to me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you
you are the light
that's leading me
to the place
where I find peace again

you are the strength
that keeps me walking
you are the hope
that keeps me trusting
you are the life
to my soul
you are my purpose
you're everything

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this yeah

you calm the storms
and you give me rest
you hold me in your hands
you won't let me fall
you still my heart
and you take my breath away
would you take me in
take me deeper now

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

cause you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

When I join Rachel D., Gloria and all those who have passed into eternity, perhaps I will find myself wondering, "And how can I stand here with you, and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"

Just another manic Monday

This was one of those days that gives Mondays a bad rap.

As usual, I have little time to blog so I will make this quick. In a nutshell, my dad woke up this morning showing symptoms of what could be Lyme disease. I wrote my first city council meeting story (even though Mondays are one of my days off, it couldn't be helped). I got an assignment for tomorrow that took about an hour for me to prepare for (it helps if you know where you're supposed to be going to actually COVER the story). I went to the vet and browsed through a catalog of pet urns, trying to pick one out for P.J.'s ashes. (Another sure sign that I'm on my way to becoming a cat lady.)

I guess this day hasn't been as stressful as it has been just downright weird.