the Centrist

Dear friends and family;

First and foremost, consider tuning into David’ Blog, Davidbellavia.com. His article “The Preservation of the American Warrior Class” is a tribute to Marilyn’s father, Joseph Brunacini, a decorated World War II veteran. I dare you read it with a dry eye, if you can, check for a pulse.

Never forget this is the most important blog I write… because it is centered on prayer, and prayer is the single most important aspect of faith. But that does not mean you should not enjoy both the Blogger’s Corner and Lighter Side.
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Blogger’s corner
Compare their medical system with ours… Buddy Bud lets us in on some very interesting stats on socialized medicine:

A recent “Investor’s Business Daily” article provided very interesting statistics from a survey by the United Nations International Health Organization.
Percentage of men and women who
survived a cancer five years after diagnosis:
U.S. 65%
England 46%
Canada 42%

Percentage of patients diagnosed with
diabetes who received treatment within six months:
U.S. 93%
England 15%
Canada 43%
Percentage of seniors needing hip
replacement who received it within six months:
U.S. 90%
England 15%
Canada 43%
Percentage referred to a medical
specialist who see one within one month:
U.S. 77%
England 40%
Canada 43%
Number of MRI scanners (a prime
diagnostic tool) per million people:
U.S. 71
England 14
Canada 18
Percentage of seniors (65+), with low
income, who say they are in “excellent health”:
U.S. 12%
England 2%
Canada 6%
I don’t know about you, but I don’t
want “Universal Healthcare” comparable
to England or Canada .
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Davenport Richard sends us this one:
A Pastor with GUTS!

Thought you might enjoy this interesting
prayer given in Kansas at
the opening session of their Senate. It seems
prayer still upsets some
people.. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open
the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask
your forgiveness and to seek your direction and
guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those
who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we
have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed
our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it
the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it
welfare..

We have killed our unborn and called it
choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it
justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our
children and called itbuilding self esteem….

We have abused power and called it
politics.

We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions
and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and
pornography and called itfreedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values
of our forefathers and called itenlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts
today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!

The response was immediate. A number of
legislators walked out during the prayer in
protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian
Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than
5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls
responding negatively. The church is now receiving
international requests for copies of this prayer
from India , Africa and Korea .

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on
his radio program, ‘The Rest of the Story,’and
received a larger response to this program than any
other he has ever aired.
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Lighter Side

Dr Tim

Summary of Life

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats..
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandma’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
3) Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts
4) Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground..
5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional..
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.
4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . . not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is .. . . having friends.
At age 17 success is . . . having a driver’s license.
At age 35 success is .. . .. having money.
At age 50 success is . . ….. having money.
At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is .. . .. having friends.
At age 80 success is . …. . not piddling in your pants.
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Grammy Sammy

BEST POEM IN THE WORLD
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven’s door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp–
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, ‘What’s the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here?
God must’ve made a mistake.

‘And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber – give me a clue.’
‘Hush, child,’ He said, ‘they’re all in shock.
No one thought they’d be seeing you.’
JUDGE NOT!!

Remember…Just going to church doesn’t make you a
Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.
And a church is NOT a museum of saints
but a hospital for sinners
Every saint has a PAST…
Every sinner has a FUTURE!
Now it’s your turn… Share this poem.

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From Davenport Richard… if you don’t think inflation effects us, I can remember almost all of these concerns from my parents:

Comments made in the year 1955!
(That’s only 54 years ago!)

‘I’ll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a week’s groceries for $20.00.

‘Have you seen the new cars coming out next year?
It won’t be long before $2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.

‘If cigarettes keep going up in price,
I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.

‘Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter!.

‘If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store. ‘

‘When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.

‘I’m afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.

‘I read the other day where some scientist thinks it’s possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .

‘Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday they’ll be making more than the President..

‘I never thought I’d see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.

‘It’s too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.

‘It won’t be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.

‘I’m afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.

‘Thank goodness I won’t live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.

‘The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.

‘There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend,
it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.

‘No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35..00 a day in the hospital it’s too rich for my blood.’

‘If they think I’ll pay 50 cents for a haircut, forget it.’

Davenport Richard;

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Prayer
Our troops in Afghanistan as they are in the midst of battle
Donavan and Derrick… father and son both with heart disease
The people of Haiti
Norma’s brother (Notes from Norma Melvin S.) and my Aunt Della (sons Tony and Pastor Sam) both continue to recover from her minor stroke both are now home.
John B (frequent Blogger) hand surgery … scheduled for first week in March… that would be next week…
Scott C was hospitalized with stomach pain… has recovered from infection
Safety for troops and relief workers in Haiti
Safety for grandson Scott in Haiti with Marines
Please continue to pray for the Family of Harold Larkin who recently passed away (especially two of my favorite students, his youngest children: Shaughn and Siobhan)
Answered Prayer: Baby Camdyn continues to recover but please keep her in in prayer for strength. As you know she came through her first surgery with flying colors , thanks in no small part to your prayer! But remember she will need even a more serious surgery in about five months.

Cousin Dick (Jamestown Patti’s brother) cancer of prostate… radiation treatment is underway, while we’re praying include Jamestown Patti she is the main caregiver and both her and Dick are disabled.
Close friend Norma W passed away after long illness… please continue to pray for family and husband Chuck
Brother Vince, heart and circulation issues bypass and stint surgery upcoming
Brother Mike, high blood pressure
Krisher family for loss of son John
DK stress
Sue intestinal disease… she is trying medication rather than this serious surgery… so far she is responding, please keep praying
Please pray for our troops and especially the victims of Islamist Terrorism
Jamestown Patti’s special family Steven’s Johnson Syn. little 7 yr. old girl
DG gainful employment
Blogger Clint having problems with liver toxicity… may need transplant, please pray.
Our nation, our President, our Congress, our courts… to put the people before their ideology

TD for special intention
From JAZ… Sending this message on to you because I know you to be prayer warriors. Kairos Torch for juveniles is very dear to my heart. This is a Christian outreach to troubled youth. Please pray that Kairos Torch will become reality in NY.
Close family friend Brenda… has been diagnosed with MS and has lost her job.
AE for strength to face his dilemma
TD gainful employment
Prayer for David S… wisdom in working with employee and former owner

Bless and pray for our service men and women as they seem to have fewer and fewer options as they deal with a mortal enemy.
wdb prostate problems continue
Continue to pray for missionary Bergman’s as they lost their wife and mother this past year
Maria – diabetes is critical. She had a skin and muscle biopsy and suspect small nerve neuropathy. Please continue to pray no change in her condition.
Clint: to find his son in Viet Nam and have the opportunity to present salvation to him. Clint is in hospital for esophageal bleeding, please keep him in prayer. Has liver toxicity (see above)
Pastor Neil S. (long time close friend and prayer partner) pray for God’s Will in his ministry. A possible opening in a local church or continued success in his present ministries…
Niece Rhonda and strength for her new career and job
Brother Les is about the same, but he continues to have a Godly attitude. Yet the burden continues to be heavy on both he and Valarie. Please keep both Val and Les in prayer… such a faithful couple and a reminder, Camdyn’s grandparents!
Transplants: Good Friend Keith – liver, Brother Pat – liver, Good Friend Jim – kidney … please keep praying for their well being; they all are doing well as of this printing
Sister Jane, Brenda, Cousins Janet, Janet, and Karen for strength… all are suffering from MS.
Unity for our family

Tom H and Marilyn for RSD
Tolerance, Christ’s Love, and Understanding for our families, friends, and enemies
Bonnie Erbie (author accusing Christians of being knuckle draggers), prayer for salvation.
Pray for wisdom and spiritual guidance in rearing children for our family as well as the renewal of the nuclear family; pray that marriage stays as one man, one woman, but rights are extended to same gender unions.
Pray for truth in education… i.e. AIDS, abortion, evolution, American History, and Man Made Global Warming
Pray for our troops each evening at 9:00 pm. every night … pray that America wakes up to evil before it is too late
Pray for Nephews John and Ryan – Navy and grandson Scott a Marine.
Prayer for healthy and safe births: Kassilyn, Meg, and Melissa
Prayer partners John and Ron and family.
Please continue to pray for health issues for five of our nieces and Marilyn.

Pastors: Dan, John, Tom, Lyell, Steve D, Ben, Estes, Gail, Sam, Whittikers, Neil, and Steve T for their ministries, ease of stress, and courage to spread the gospel; wisdom for all leadership at Yates, Greater Toledo 1st Baptist,
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Billy Graham’s Prayer For Our Nation:

‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics.. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!’

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Clermont Sunday School

Prayer Requests:

Paul H’s brother-in-law, Steve Douglas, has lung cancer.

Thom and Twila’s brother and his family in the death of his wife Jennifer.

Dave H’s mother, Amy Hart, 93, is very ill. She is at her home but Hospice is with her.

Herb M will have back surgery on Wednesday.

Chris and Bob S’s neighbor, Bunny, had hip replacement surgery Wednesday.

Charlie Mae’s sister in New York.

David and Sheila D’s house to sell in Maryland.

Travel mercy for Marshall and Melinda L’s son-in-law who is traveling to Las Vegas today and flying back Thursday on business. Also Dr. B’ and Marilyn’s son Rand flying back and forth to Tampa Bay this week and their families at home.

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Yates:

Tom H is recovering nicely after a minor heart keep praying please
Marilyn L had a heart attack … her surgery (bypass and valve) was successful and she is recovering (mother of Karen B)
Jacob (5 year old) has psoriasis, and has improved but still an issue, please continue to pray… he is improving

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing

Dr B