Meet Desmond

...the newest member of the Magee family. We have sort of taken in a stray cat that we found attacking this little baby bird last Friday evening. I could not bear it, so our friend John rescued this little guy. He is now living in Paco's traveling cage until we decide what to do with him. He is really cute but he makes a terrible mess and I kind of feel bad for keeping him caged since he was never meant to be caged. Brian wants to release him at Big City Bread so that he can join the little flock of fellow finches there and live off of the bread crumbs. I just want to make sure he's completely well before we send him off. If you have any suggestions or if you want a cute little house finch, let us know. Until then, I guess our zoo will continue to grow!

The Cold, Hard Truth

The National Geographic for this month is all about Africa. I have been completely distracted all day by it, looking at the pictures and reading the stories again and again. Did you know that 6500 people die EVERY DAY in Sub-Saharan Africa from AIDS? What is more, 8500 people in Sub-Saharan Africa contract HIV/AIDS every day. There are 40 million people living with HIV worldwide, 26 million of whom are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Fifteen million children were orphaned by AIDS as of 2003, 12.3 million of who live in, you guessed it, Sub-Saharan Africa. The list goes on and on. People, this is the same world that we live in! If you have any money left over after giving to the victims of Katrina, there are so many wonderful organizations out there that are trying to make a difference in Africa. World Vision, Blood Water Mission, Compassion to name a few. Please pray for Africa, then give if you can, but at the very least be informed about what's going on. And thanks, all 2 of you that might read this, for listening. Maybe now I can do actual, constructive things that I have been supposed to be doing all day.

"Look at all those fancy clothes, But these could keep us warm just like those. And what about your soul, is it cold? Is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold? Cars and phones and diamond rings, bling-bling, those are only removable things. What about your mind, does it shine? Are there things that concern you more than your time?"
-Jack Johnson

Escape

In the silence of this shadowed room, when the walls are pulled toward the center,
I'm afraid to be alone with you 'cause I'm dying full of splinters.
Why do you still want to hold me after a day like this?
All you can do is sing over me as if all has been dismissed...

You escape my words
You escape my words
I cannot consume what you offer, but in spite of myself,
I am yours

No, I cannot speak this language. You have quenched the thirst of these demands.
I can be no more than faithless, but this breath is from your hand.
You've released me from condition, someone's already been down this road before.
He has taken the scorn that I deserve, but my hands still move the sword...

My words cannot contain you. They cannot hold you down, close you in fill you up.

** I can take no credit for these words. This is a song by Sandra McCracken.

Hope for the future

"For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened-not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." -2Corin. 5:1-4

"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
-Romans 8:22-25

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, but wine and milk without money and without price." -Isaiah 55:1