These are people who give religion a bad name.

I'll just post the link to the web page so you can read it for yourself. Short synopsis: some church in North Carolina is planning a "book burning" for what they consider to be "evil or satanic" books and music. Even the Bible itself is being burned, if it's not the "King James Version." Other authors whose "evil" books are being burned are Rick Warren ("The Purpose Driven Life"), Billy Graham, and Mother Teresa.

By no means am I suggesting that organized religion is bad on its face. In fact, I think it's a good thing for most people, and I know more happy people who belong to a religion than I do people who don't belong to a religion. I also think that not respecting others' beliefs (even if you don't agree with them), as well as doing bad things "in the name of God" are directly counter to the message that is inherent in many religions...Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and a host of others. Even though I believe that having a spiritual home is a good thing, one doesn't need to be perfect at their religion, or even profess a religion, in order to be a good person.

Anyway...underneath the video, read the lyrics to a song called "Good Man" by one of my favorite musicians, David Wilcox. He hits it right on the head about the hypocrisy and bad name given to innocent people when terrible acts are done "in the name of God." I'll have more to say about that in another blog post later today or tomorrow, but for now, take a look at this link, read the story, watch the video, and read those lyrics (and if you want to listen to the song, go to David Wilcox's website here and go to song #102...and there are lots of other great songs on there for your listening pleasure that'll cure what ails ya!).

**PS to Maryann: Have you listened to the rest of that David Wilcox CD I gave you? No? Then DO IT! LOL! Listen to track 9 ("To Love") and you'll really get a sense of my feelings on things. I think you will love that song! :)

What a change of perspective great news can bring!

I'm going out on a limb here that people I know won't stumble upon this blog and blurt this out to people whom we may mutually know. If anyone I know does see this, please keep it to yourself for another week or so.

I found out today that I'm going to be an uncle for the first time. Not an "honorary uncle" to my friends' kids (all of whom I love dearly). A real, genuine uncle! Wow! This is something I've wanted for probably at least 8 years! I never told my sister about that wish (until an email that I just sent her), because I thought it wasn't any of my business when she decided to have a kid...and I can't control it, anyway. Still, I've wanted this day to come for a long time, and I know I'd rather be an uncle than a father (at least at this point in my life).

So how do I feel about it? Does "over the moon" sound too strong? It doesn't feel that way for me! In addition to my long-held wish to be an uncle, I know that my sister and brother-in-law, being the wonderful people that they are, will make fantastic parents! Although I wasn't totally sure that my sister really wanted a kid, I definitely know the answer now! I couldn't be happier for her and her husband. I know that their child (don't know the sex yet) will be raised in a home full of love, life, and happiness. There will be discipline, too, when needed. But as a good friend of mine says, "discipline means love." As much as I can get that without being a parent myself, I think I understand that a little better today. I'm sure I'll understand it even better when my sister gives birth. No matter what, though, I know that their child will never want for love or security.

This also gives me hope. For so long it's seemed to me like the good people were always the ones who got screwed (well, maybe not always, but surely more than was necessary). It shows me that maybe God does want good things to happen to good people. Hell, even if God had nothing to do with it, the fact that a great thing has happened to two great people makes me smile and lifts my spirits.

On a selfish note, this is easily the best news I've heard in months! It's been a really crappy few months for me lately, primarily due to medical issues that haven't seemed to let up. My sister's pregnancy changes my perspective on it all, though...big time! Sure, I've gone through hell in some ways, but haven't we all? Even though I've been through a lot, and even though I've felt like quitting a few times, today makes it all worth it. As that old Garth Brooks song goes, "I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance." How true that seems to me now!

Speaking of songs, I know one that I'm definitely playing for my sister and brother-in-law after their child is born. Check out "I Saw God Today" by George Strait. It gets me whenever I hear it, and I think it will be even more meaningful when my new niece or nephew is born.

I was a little miffed at my sister earlier for a comment she made when she and I and my father and his wife had lunch Saturday. I was going to send her an email about it. While I don't like to feel condescended to as her comment made me feel, it doesn't really matter today. As I mentioned earlier, I sent an email to my sister. Nowhere in it was anything about any gripes I have with her. It doesn't matter today. All I know is that my sister is very happy, and for that, so am I.

God, please bless my sister and brother-in-law, and please bless my future niece or nephew. :)