http://www.townhall.com/columnists/michaelkelly/mk20030331.shtml

Lt. Col. Peter Bayer: "We are learning what happens when a principled nation goes up against an utterly unprincipled one.''

Four teary friends this morning at our weekly first-day meeting must be a record.

First, Valeria tells me after my message that I must have been inspired; the lesson made her cry. She promised to tell me later why she found my words so fitting. So my curiosity hangs in suspense.

Then her husband Otavio makes a few announcements at the end and, when he mentions that Marcel and Marlucia will be returning to Fortaleza next Sunday, gets choked up. Otavio and Marcel go a long way back.

During the always-animated chat afterwards, Marlucia can't hold it back and weeps as various ones kiss and hug her as they file out.

Tomorrow Robson enters a clinic for two months to help him overcome an addiction problem. His wife Luciana is content to see him finally making the effort. His mother Margarida, on one of her rare visits to our midst, had asked for prayers for her family and sons. As the group encourages them, her face contorts in fear and concern and her eyes, ever searching for comfort, pour out streams of tears.

Intelligent, observant, and inquisitive, four-year-old Rafael isn't crying, though. (When Vicki and I would go to their house, he was always tell on his parents when they had been fighting.) I call him over, sit down to talk man-to-man, and tell him that if he ever needs anything while his dad is away, to call me.

"Here, let me give you my card," I offer, as I zip open my fanny pack.

"Is this your home phone number?" he asks.

"It's got both numbers there," I point out. "If you need me you call, all right?"

"Okay, I will." He hops down and off he goes. He's already missed out on a lot of play with the other kids.

by J. Randal Matheny (c) 2003

Dive deep into the sea of thought,
to find there pearls that can't be bought.

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This nice little quote from Moses Ibn Ezra splashed me with a couplet, "Dive into the sea of thought, and find there pearls beyond price."

I'm reworking some ideas and doing some fall cleaning here inside the Tropic of Capricorn.

by J. Randal Matheny (c) 2003

To see a movie once suffices me;
A book provides me constant company.

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You see, a picture is worthy only a thousand words. A book is worth a million mental pictures.

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by J. Randal Matheny (c) 2003

My God will keep in perfect peace
all those who trust in him,
whose thoughts turn often to the Lord,
the way be bright or dim.

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Except for the last line, today's quatrain comes directly from Isaiah 26:3. I trust we do no violence to the verse with this additional thought.

A cold front from down south blew in yesterday, so we're enjoying a respite of cooler temperatures. Perhaps the arrival of Fall has brought it in to us. And certainly we all are praying for a quick solution to the war, as well as those in the heat of battle and on the sidelines.

Randal