As the world begins Lent

[concerned]

A Lenten Prayer for the 6th Anniversary of the War in Iraq
by Johnny Zokovitch

Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. – Joel 2:12

O God of peace:
Let our nation return to the ways of God,
the ways of justice and mercy,
so absent in the vengeance and greed
which drove the decision to invade and occupy Iraq.
Let us fast and repent of torture, violence, extraordinary rendition,
the employment of mercenary forces like Blackwater,
and let us return to our belief in the rule of law,
the practice of diplomacy,
and the desire for peace.
Let us weep for all those who have suffered on both sides,
all those lives irrevocably broken by the violence of this war.
And let us mourn the dead—
our nearly 5,000 soldiers
and the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis,
mothers and fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives and children.
Let our hearts break and our souls wail for all those who have been lost to us.
And finally, dear God, let our troops return home
and let us return Iraq to its people,
supporting them in rebuilding and reconstructing their devastated nation.
During this season of Lent, this will be our prayer,
supported and deepened by our fasting and action:
No more war in Iraq. No war! Never again! Amen.

“Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war.” – From the website for The White House, www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/iraq/

[Clipper]

It is hard to believe that God would answer a prayer so rife with politics and pointed statements. Prayer should be sincere, short and to the point. That man's prayer sounds like a bitter, anti Bush democrat campaigning for God's vote, not for God's mercy and guidance.

I also pray for an end to war, but I pray for a peaceful liberation and for Iraq to stand up a government that will allow for freedom and peace in years to come.

I pray for our soldiers to return home also, but I have enough pain in my life without praying "for my heart to break and my soul to wail". What the hell is that all about?

When this guy is done praying for all that he lists, he better add a line or two and thank God that with all Bush's faults, GW liberated Iraq and pressed to contain terror on ALL fronts. GW acted on what turns out to be faulted intelligence, but he acted and took down a dictator that had committed religious genocide among the citizens of his own country. It could have been catholics or episcopals that were slaughtered and gassed instead of Kurds. I hope that those that think that weapons of mass destruction didn't exist, don't think that he killed hundreds of thousands with 12 ounce can's of black flag or raid.

While our new administration handles the economy, and has some good ideas, I hope that they don't sit down and make concessions to our enemies while they manage to poison a water supply in middle America or set off a dirty bomb in some major city in the US. Hillary drinking tea with a dictator and giving in to them, is not going to bring world peace. It is going to bring an end to life in the US as we know it. We had better pray that THAT doesn't come to pass.

I pray for God to guide our generals to victory over terror and the ability to put down evil, not to exit Iraq with our tails between our legs.

[bobbbiez]

Clipper, "sincere, short and to the point?" lol!!!!!!!! For some reason I just can't imagine your prayers ever being that. ;D
Just love break em on ya my friend. You always make my day.

Happy Ash Wednesday y'all. Welcome to Lent.

[frankcor]

Ding!

Score one for Bobbbiez

[dgriffin]

Reads like a Democrat's prayer for sure. But don't you know .... now they have a lock on self-righteous.

[Clipper]

The last two lines are MY prayer Bobbbiez.

While we are on the subject of prayer, say one for me. I found out today that I have to have back surgery on the 10th of March. Damn. Kathy and I will be the cripple twins, LOL. I will be having a disc removed and a plate and screws put in place to stabilize the L2/L3.

[bobbbiez]

Oh kiddo, so sorry to hear that.

You know you have our prayers my friend. I'm sure all will be okay. You're a strong old fart and have the fight in ya to conquer just about anything. I have faith in ya but will speak to the Man upstairs to make the road a lot easier for you. We luv ya.


ps: Does that mean I now have to be easy on ya? Well, at least till you fully recover. Boy, that's really going to be a toughie.

[Clipper]

I guess I will be up and walking the same day, and out of the hospital the next day. Only about a 4 inch incision in my back. He says I will be able to drive Kathy to Nashville to her bowling tournament by the end of march. I hope so. She has looked forward to going to that tournament for a long time, and I am just happy that she is able to bowl, even though it causes her some pain. I hope that I will be able to bowl again by next fall when the season starts again. I am through for this year obviously. I can't even frigging walk.

A piece of cartilaginous tissue has broken completely loose from the disc space and is in the spinal canal, impinging on the nerve. The pain is worse than when I broke my back in 96, and it is 24/7. It goes from the middle of my lower back out to my left hip and down the front of my left leg. When I step on my left foot, the pain is wicked.

How is your foot doing? Better I hope. That trip is right around the corner. It would be kinda hard to shake your booty in your bikini if ya are hobbling along with a limp and a bad foot, LOLOL.

Thanks for the prayers kiddo. I can use all the prayers I can get. I am scared shitless after Kathy's unsuccessful surgery. I am too active to be trying to live like she is forced to now days. I would go nuts.

[dgriffin]

Damn, we're all getting decrepit. Clipper, I wish the best for you Kathy and I hope you're back in your best shape soon. Bobbbiez, if that foot isn't getting any better, I hope you're continuing to find better and better doctors!

[concerned]

Hope everyone stays healthy.

[Clipper]

Thanks concerned and Dave. I really am apprehensive, with the whole idea of surgery, after Kathy's less than successful outcome. Oh well, I guess I don't have a lot of choice, when I can hardly walk to the damn bathroom, LOL.

[concerned]

That has to be very depressing. Today my mom was told that nothing more can be done for her in terms of her terrible back. She has been in pain management but with the diabeties it isn't a pleasant experience. Being 87 doesn't help. Her stenosis in the L1 S 1 area is very bad and she told me last week that she is having trouble walking. Surgery is out of the guestion because all back surgeries donot have the desired out come. I am praying( wheter in a long or short form) that something can be done because the pain is terrible and one can only take just so much medicine. Sometimes I pray that God would take away her pain and give it to me. Clipper stay strong and I will be praying and fasting for you especially during this season of lent. If Jesus could endure the pain and suffering that he indured than you can in prayer. I reach out to you in healing, believe me just let me know the day and time of the surgery and I will spend the time in prayer for you. God bless.

[stoney]

Concerned, for what it's worth I liked your prayer.

And Dave, you know I love ya' . But the republicans/conservatives have had a self-proclaimed dominance on righteousness for at least 8 years now.