Logical Fallacies 1 (Photo credit: Mark Klotz)
Logical fallacies — a list for your consideration.
My Favorite Animal
“Our teacher asked what my favorite animal was, and I said, “Fried chicken.” She said I wasn’t funny, but she couldn’t have been right, because everyone else laughed.
My parents told me to always tell the truth. I did. Fried chicken is my favorite animal.
I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher was probably a member of PETA.
Funny stuff - really.
METAL MAN WALKING now available
I’m so excited. I’ve finally finished proofing my novel METAL MAN WALKING for the umpteenth time — and I’m rather happy with the results. I approved the final proof this morning and just like that, my novel is published.
You may purchase a copy at:
I’d so very much appreciate some readers! Of course!
Jesus with the Wonky Eye ( by Carley Evans )
A 6th century icon of Jesus at St. Katherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai. The image depicts Jesus Christ with two different looks on His face: One is of a loving man, and the other is a fearful judge. From http://www.pitt.edu/AFShome/s/o/sorc/public/html/ocfellow/icons.html Category:Artistic portrayals of Jesus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
At Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, South Carolina this weekend, I notice — as I always do when I am there in the guest dining room — the iconic painting of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ eyes are not symmetrical — His right eye looks more and less at you while His left eye looks off into a distance you can’t imagine. A single tear appears to be falling from this eye onto His cheek.
A young man across from me mentions Jesus’ “wonky eye” and speaks briefly of how strange it looks. He’s right. Jesus’ left eye can most definitely be described as “wonky.” I laugh, but later as I stare at Jesus’ face, I think: “How odd. Jesus looks at me with His right eye which appears accepting of me while He looks away from me with His left eye as if He can not look at me. He’s calm and accepting on one side; He’s crying and rejecting on the other side.”
Looking very closely, I notice the pupil of Jesus’ right eye is at the top of His iris — giving an impression of Jesus looking upward, perhaps toward heaven. The left eye’s pupil is dead center, but the focus of the eye is definitely not the viewer of the painting. Jesus looks off to His left into distance.
Whether true or not, my impression is that Jesus — in this painting — is both accepting and rejecting me simultaneously. He is offering me heaven and warning me of hell in the same moment.
Jonah’s Great Fish ( by Carley Evans )
Prophet Jonah, Russian Orthodox icon from first quarter of 18-th cen. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ever wonder what Jonah thought about right before the great fish — the whale — swallowed him whole? Maybe: “How dare my shipmates throw me overboard!” or “Where is God now?” or “I’m going to drown!” or “This creature’s going to eat me!” Do you suppose he was fine with his situation? I doubt it.
I imagine Jonah was filled with fear even though he was resigned to his fate — after all, he knew it was his fault that his shipmates were in danger. His running away from God’s will, from God’s expectations caused the storm that threatened the ship. He’d even told his shipmates to throw him into the sea. Nevertheless, he may have been surprised as he was tossed overboard and as he struck the waters below.
I can’t imagine that he was not afraid as the great fish swam towards him, opening its maul to swallow him. Once inside, Jonah was stuck there for three days and three nights. He was distressed! He was probably depressed, lonely, defeated. After all, he was “banished from [God's] sight.” (Jonah 2:4, NIV)
Yet, Jonah finds his faith even while inside a fish in the darkness. He prays, “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple.” (Jonah 2:7)
And God “brings [Jonah's] life up from the pit.” (Jonah 2:6) The great fish vomits Jonah onto dry land at God’s command.
Help us, Lord to face our fears, to believe in Your goodness and to hold fast to our faith even in dire circumstances. Help us to obey You in all things at all times. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Downtown Memphis (by Carley Evans)
Beale St. Memphis, TN (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fear is one of those — what? — emotions? that confounds life. Before I arrived, several people warned me that downtown Memphis “has some really bad areas” and to “be careful.” I was told that “it’s not safe to walk around Beale Street” or along the “Trolley Line.” So, I rented a car, figuring I’d drive everywhere. Now that I am here, I haven’t used the rental car except to get to the hotel. And, tomorrow I’ll use it to get to the airport.
Yesterday, walking along the Trolley line, I happened on a street festival with live music and balloons. A little further on, I passed “Occupy Memphis” with tents and persons who appeared homeless. Today I witnessed one man ask a couple for money so he might eat a meal. Otherwise, I felt completely safe.
Like I said, fear is one of those — what? — emotions? that confounds life.
Jesus Says of Himself
Jesus says of Himself:
” I am the Good Shepherd.” I am He, I am one, all are one in unity with Me. He that feeds the sheep apart from Me, feeds them in opposition to Me.
– Augustine of Hippo
Leave Your Self and Run to That ( by Carley Evans )
Avalanche On Ozone (Photo credit: DCZwick)
On NPR this morning, I heard a Pakistani official give instructions to soldiers defending a glacier. The instructions were how to avoid being killed in an avalanche. The man, in what we often describe as ‘broken’ English, said: “Leave your self and run to that.”
I laughed, thinking: “what a perfect description of salvation!” When we are saved, we are literally leaving our selves and running to Jesus, to be hidden under His wings.
Six Days ( by Carley Evans )
Just a note to any Whos out in Whoville that my approximately six day break from ‘obsecrations’ and even ‘Grace Partakers’ has been for the purpose of polishing to shiny my novel METAL MAN WALKING in preparation for publishing with CreateSpace for selling on Amazon.com and other venues in cyberspace.
Don’t you love the run-on sentence?
Loss ( by Carley Evans )
I was reminded this evening of the sudden loss of my dog, Hanna on February 13, 2011. The reminder came in the form of an online petition from a young woman who lost her dog recently. Her dog and my dog died. She knows her dog was essentially poisoned by a treat manufactured in China for Nestle Purina. I have always suspected my Hanna died of some form of poisoning. I suspected a Nestle Purina product, but testing did not reveal any toxin in the sample.
The petition calls for Nestle Purina to stop the distribution of this particular treat which has been implicated in the deaths of many dogs, I gather.
I haven’t felt the loss of my dog in a while. But tonight, the shocking details of Hanna’s last 24 hours rushed back into my mind’s eye. My little white Bichon Frise suddenly started shaking, her tail between her legs, unable to eat and drink without foaming at the mouth and vomiting. She had constant diarrhea and was barely able to walk. She began to show these signs late Friday night and died sometime late Saturday night or in the early hours of Sunday. The shock was overwhelming.
The memory now is a reflection of the pain of those who are losing dogs to this treat. Consider signing this petition.
