Eye on Faith

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Even doctors don't know this

Hmmm... (Painting by Luke Fildes)

Even doctors don’t know how long you will live. Believe one of their lowball guesses, and you might fall prey to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When a 92-year-old woman was “given” only three more weeks to live, the situation seemed dire. Her kidney function was practically nil, and her oxygen level was real low. Doctors therefore began their usual countdown to death.

Then an extraordinary transformation occurred. When this great-grandmother learned that she was soon to become a great-great-grandmother to a namesake baby girl, she perked right up and “vowed to stay alive” until the birth occurred.

The baby girl was born two months ago, and this great-great-grandmother is still going strong. Not only that, her “health continues to improve.” She no longer needs oxygen, and can walk much better than before.

It just goes to show that doctors don’t know everything. That’s God’s job.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/92-year-old-woman-vows-to-live-long-enough-to-meet-great-great-granddaughter/ar-AAvnD5S?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000

Monday, April 2, 2018

Caffeinated commerce invades Yosemite

(Photo by Brocken Inaglory)

The new and cleverly-concealed Starbucks at Yosemite National Park will certainly appeal to those who like their camping RVs fully loaded.

However, such caffeinated commercialism does not appeal to everyone. A circulating petition, already signed by 25,000, is calling for a boycott of this establishment.

One disgruntled petitioner wrote the following: A Starbucks store filled with single-use plastic is the OPPOSITE of what we need in a pristine national park.

The parent company of Starbucks, however, is filled with self-congratulatory sentiment. Its press release proclaims that Yosemite’s “hidden gem” is neither canyons nor trees, but rather this new “green” store.

And how green is it? SO green that reusable cups cups are only two extra bucks apiece…

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/unhappy-campers-continue-to-protest-yosemite-national-parks-first-starbucks/ar-AAvirja?li=BBnb7Kx&ocid=BHEA000

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Easter: Not just eggs and bunnies

(Photo by Gerbil)

Contrary to public opinion, Christmas is not the key Christian holiday. Easter is.

Just as Christmas for some is a solemn occasion, Easter can be too. Bunnies and eggs are actually fertility symbols of spring. Easter symbols can instead shift far to the other end of life’s

spectrum.

In the Philippines, devotees routinely receive whippings at this time of year. They do this in remembrance of Passion Week. In Manila, a man “portraying Jesus… has been nailed to a cross each year for more than three decades.”

The Washington Post reports that “whipping is central to an annual Easter ritual in El Salvador, as well.” This ritual originated with “the arrival of Spaniards in the 16^th century.”

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/easter-2018-5-ways-the-season-is-being-celebrated-around-the-world/ar-AAviq2O?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000