Mad Cows or Mad People?

There’s a lot of talk about the mega meat recall of beef—perhaps the greatest in America’s history—from the Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. here in California. The scoop is that many slaughtered cows (which are therefore now in products or already eaten) were invalids and could possibly have Mad Cow disease—risky for humans. Apparently, the plant produces about a fifth of all the meat in the federal school lunch programs. Scary stuff.

If you haven’t followed this news item, look up details online. It’s a hot topic. But hotter still is my anger. It’s burning. Oh, not because of the meat—although that’s also burning. Literally. They’re incinerating tons of “at risk” meat. But still my point isn’t there. My own madness lies with the fact that this issue was discovered because those cows were being tortured.

An undercover video showed workers poking the poor debilitated creatures with electric prods. They also pushed, kicked and shoved sick and crippled cows, forcing them to stand, torturing them with electric prods, forklifts and water hoses. Such cruelty suggests that the greatest disease lies with man, not beast. Perhaps—and only perhaps—the cows are victims of Mad Cow Disease. But clearly the men are riddled with Mad Man Disease. It’s sickening.

There’s much too much cruelty in this world. Still, this news item brings much attention to the concern that we humans may get diseases from the “Perhaps” (capital P) contaminated meat. Very little attention is given to the fact that some people think that as long as no-one’s looking, they can bully and torture innocent creatures. Now I’m the one who’s MAD.

You see, what concerns me more than “Perhaps-contaminated-meat”—and I’m not minimizing how terrible it would be if the meat really is contaminated and actually made humans sick, which thankfully it hasn’t yet—is a greater sickness. Cruelty. Cruelty, in my opinion, should be highly penalized.

Let me restate something I’ve brought out in earlier posts. While cruelty to animals is abomination, it’s also statistically proven that people who hurt animals are likely to also hurt children. If we don’t make an issue with this, then what will happen to our children?

Think about it. Pray about it. Speak up about it.

Copyright©February 2008

Broadcast in 2 segments – en français

There’s something very special about moms of preschoolers – and even more so when they’re military wives. Today I had the privilege of speaking for some of them. What joy stirred in my heart to see these young moms eager to be the very best they can be. These are the kind of lives that inspire me to keep on doing what I do. As best I can.

One are where I’m doing as best I can – and not without challenges – is my new French televised radio broadcast, REVEIL Funny eh? Some people would find it challenging to give a Bible study in French. But not me. That comes naturally after 22 years in France, and 30 years studying the Bible. No, my big problem is something quite different. This non-geek has been challenged technologically.

Just as I master the software so I’m actually broadcasting, and adjust my screen so I’m looking at my virtual audience while I speak; poof! I touch something on my laptop and shut my own broadcast off. So then I call my technician, Joey, who walks me thru the details of how to restart my broadcast. That’s why this week’s study on Proverbs 14:1 is cut into 2 segments; Oh well…It’s better than not recording at all. Right?????!!!???

See ya on RestoreTV.com next Wednesday at 10am PT if you want to hear the study live (7pm in France), 1pm EST.

The Shadow & Night

The Shadow & Night is a futuristic space-world fantasy which begins in the year 13851—an era resembling a sort of peace reign when sin is curiously almost non-existent. That is, until something evil yet nebulous, creeps in and puts the dampers on the whole planet (or Made World) called Farholme.

Farholme is home to Merral, our key character who finds himself caught up in a great drama—trying to discover what this evil presence is that causes people to do such terrible things such as lying. (As I mentioned before, we find ourselves in an almost sinless world where Christ’s Spirit rules and people willingly yield to Him in worshipful surrender.)

The book projects us into the future with a curious perfume of the past—of old noble times when friendship courting replaced dating. For example, courting takes place in a controlled framework. Merral is “courting” Isabel, but needs his parents’ permission to commit to her. Meanwhile, their relationship is more like a close brother and sister (something which I personally advocate in preference to today’s relationship madness, but that’s another story). I’m tempted to divulge what happens with this pair, and where it leads but I don’t want to spoil your fun. Suffice it to say that the romantic element is pleasantly suspenseful.

The characters are colorfully portrayed, although their minimal struggle with sin renders them a tad bland at times. Still we recognize stereotype penchants which bring the personalities alive. Anya, for example, bubbles with life, wit and intelligence. Vero—whose name I find curious since Vero means “truth” in Italian—is a sentinel from Old Earth and seems to reflect that genteel, noble-type of temperament, which is not what I’d expect for someone whose job a sort of spy to find out what’s going wrong on Farholme.

The backdrop for the story is a universe of many Made Worlds formed by seeding ships and terraforming with Space Gates separating them from other planets, and all connected by the Assembly of Worlds, an organization which has ruled the galaxy in perfect peace since the early 22nd Century.

This book is the first in the trilogy The Lamb Among The Stars series. (Curiously this first book of some 600 pages is actually two books combined. Still there are two more volumes that follow this.)

Get your copy of The Shadow and Night here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414313276 .
Or, check out the author’s site here: http://www.chriswalley.net/

Check out some of my fellow bloggers to read their review of this book:
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Jackie Castle
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Marcus Goodyear
Rebecca Grabill
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Heather R. Hunt
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Pamela Morrisson
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Steve Rice
Ashley Rutherford
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Rachelle Sperling
Donna Swanson
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Would I recommend The Shadow & Night? Certainly, to all who enjoy fantasy and space worlds with defined characters. Criticism? Well, although I’m not a plot-oriented reader and enjoy description, I found the overall momentum of the book a little slow. But perhaps you won’t. Other than that, I had a grammatical peeve. I kept coming across the word “round” in places where I think it should be “around”. But again, perhaps that’s me, the Brit in me!

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright©February 2008

Yesterday's French REVEIL radio broadcast

Yesterday, I wept when speaking on radio. I received a couple of calls from friends in France hungry to hear the show. (The broadcast is in French.) Memories of eternal weight. Sweet memories of pouring out to precious people in a dark land.

The broadcast was based on an exciting Bible study, but I won't divulge the content because--guess what--it didn't record for the archives. For some unknown reason, the video didn't kick in and you can't find the teaching out there. So, unless you heard it live at exactly 10am So Cal time (or 7pm in France),you'll have to wait until next eek when I'll redo the same teaching. Same time, same channel, on RestoreTV.com.

More news. Orphans First moves forward with its new office in Florida. See www.orphansfirst.com

I have a new article in Youth Walk this month--Bringing Heaven to Haiti. I believe this story could inspire many young people to go and do likewise in following the call of Christ to help the poor children.

Other than that, I want to thank those who voted Huckabee. Let's see what happens...

blessings,
Janey

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright©February 2008