wow lines from Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel:

The breath of God will not be bottled and the gallivanting Spirit will not be campused.

In what ways am I content to store the gospel in its tidy place on the library shelf, tucked away in my tote bag, or contain it in the rules of a religion? (Manning actually made campus a verb!)

We forever remember our unfaithfulness as the moment of the triumph of grace and Christ's conquering love.

What shameful moments am I willing to claim as victory?
Does sharing my joy and gratitude have anything to do with revealing the sources of past misery or can I leave the pain behind to travel lightly?

Rice's gender sure to be a problem. R. Brems of Marietta wrote this opinion, published by the AJC on it's Wed (11-17-04) editorial page:

Condoleezza Rice is competent and impressive but should not be secretary of state, simply because she is a woman. Most Asian, Muslim and Hindu cultures have a strong bias against women. While we wish it to be otherwise, it is not; to believe this does not matter is folly.
Today's secretary of state must deal with Iraq, Iran, North Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia --- all countries whose leaders will feel belittled and embarrassed when required to negotiate seriously with a woman on matters of international importance. They may be outwardly polite and attentive, but they will make no meaningful agreement in matters of substance.
The secretary's job is difficult in good times; in bad times, it is next to impossible. To burden it further by gender is a recipe for failure.

Know how sometimes a tiny splinter invades a knuckle and it distracts you to fiddle with it until the discomfort is cured?
Here's my reply (and my finger feels better now):

If opportunity for all people, regardless of race, gender, and religion, alienates America from our European cousins and neighbors and strengthens America's original resolve to be individually responsible, self-sacrificing citizens of a free society and modern economy with a respect for religion as its fundamental element,
then so be it.

General Douglas MacArthur - A Prayer

Youth is not a period of time.
It is a state of mind, a result of the will, a quality of the
imagination, a victory of courage over timidity, of the taste
for adventure over the love of comfort.
A man doesn't grow old because he has lived a certain number of years.
A man grows old when he deserts his ideal.
The years may wrinkle his skin, but deserting his ideal
wrinkles his soul.
Preoccupations, fears, doubts and despair are the enemies
which slowly bow us towards earth and turns us into dust
before death.
You will remain young as long as you are open to what is beautiful, good and great; receptive to the messages of
other men and women, of nature and of God.
If one day you should become bitter, pessimistic, and gnawed by despair,
may God have mercy on your old man's
soul.