A Very Small World: SSG Amy S. Krueger in Memorium

Earlier this afternoon I learned that SSG Amy S. Krueger was the great-niece of United Church of Christ pastor, the Rev. John Krueger. I did not personally know Amy, but I did know the Rev. Krueger as a colleague and friend. Amy was one of the thirteen killed at the Fort Hood massacre. I have searched the Internet for a biography of her. This is the best I can find:

Sgt. Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis., joined the Army after the 2001 terrorist attacks and had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden, her mother, Jeri Krueger said.
Sgt. Krueger arrived at Fort Hood on Tuesday and was scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan in December, the mother told the Herald Times Reporter of Manitowoc. Ms. Krueger recalled telling her daughter that she could not take on bin Laden by herself. “Watch me,” her daughter replied.
Kiel High School Principal Dario Talerico said that Sgt. Krueger graduated from the school in 1998 and had spoken at least once to local elementary school students about her career. “I just remember that Amy was a very good kid, who like most kids in a small town are just looking for what their next step in life was going to be and she chose the military,” Talerico said. “Once she got into the military, she really connected with that kind of lifestyle and was really proud to serve her country.”

– Wall Street Journal blogs

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Amy Krueger. Acknowledge, we humbly pray, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, and a daughter of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the company of the saints of light. Amen

~ United Church of Christ Book of Worship © 2005

Serious Musings on a Delightful Day

Breathing

Recently I’ve had problems when I switch form my breathing being assisted by my CPAP and mask to being assisted by my nosehose. It is the same oxygen from my oxygen concentrator coming into me, so I conclude the problem isn’t the source. With the CPAP the oxygen is forced into my nose by pressure; with the nosehose it is the same amount of oxygen but under much less pressure.

 

This doesn’t happen every time I get up from bed and switch, but when it does it seems as if I am being suffocated. This morning I was so traumatized by the experience that I came close to dialing 911.

As I pondered the situation today, I began to wonder if I really know how to breathe! I’ve had breathing problems since I was a small child: I’ve been told that the problems come from allergens in this allergen-filled Ohio River Valley. That may be true, because I had no breathing problems when I visited Texas and Arizona. I have had problems getting my breath when in the mountains of Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado; I’ve ascribed those problems to the altitude.

So I wonder: does anyone else have similar problems? Does anyone know of a profession that teaches people how to breathe? I think that I may need to take a course in breathing!

 

Terrorism

I have previously written several posts about my personal experience with “urban guerrillas”—i.e., terrorists—in West Germany in the early 1970s. The recent terrorist acts in Northern Ireland bring back my own memories and the study I have been doing over the past 38 years of terrorism.

Northern Ireland, the Irish Republican Army, and “the Troubles” played a large part in that study, as did the peace process that (we thought) ended the conflict about twelve years ago.  The horror of those times, as well as the attempts to bring peace, especially by both Protestant and Catholic women, is story that has been too soon forgotten.

In this new round of Northern Ireland terrorism, supposedly orchestrated by the so-called “Real IRA” or perhaps the “Continuity IRA,” three lives have been lost in a few days.

What concerns me the most about all terrorism is:

• Terrorists target innocent victims.
• Terrorists make use to mass killing techniques, such as bombs
• A dedicated terrorist does not need a “cause” to kill; it is the killing that the terrorist enjoys.

So I continue to pray for peace in all those places where terrorists are now active. And, I fear, those places now include almost the entire earth.

Some Things Here, There, and (not quite) Everywhere

Thomas’s Alice

My dear blogging friend, Thomas, at Living Next Door to Alice, has just lost his long-time feline friend, Alice. Alex and I both join Thomas in mourning Alice’s passing to Kitty Heaven. If you have the chance, please drop by his blog and express you condolences

Tiffany

If you’re a long time reader of Nick’s Bytes, I’m sure you’ll remember Tiffany, my long time cyber-buddy and one time housekeeper who I introduced to blogging. She’s recently returned to blogging and has made some major changes in her blog (and her life). For exampled, she has uploaded photos of her new home in Florida. If you have the chance, please drop by her blog and say hello.

Alex

Alex is very teed off at me. Administering his twice-a-day medication is becoming more difficult each day. The furball recognized the medicine bottle and dropper that I have had to force into his clenched jaw twice a day ever since his last visit to the vet. Of course, his weakness is his favorite kitty food; thus far he has ignored the medicine bottle when he sees a packet of food in my hand. Until this morning, I have been able to snatch him up and administer his medicine before giving him his food. Today, however, he dodged me even though I had the food packet in my hand; I had to ambush him to capture and medicate the silly cat.

Awards

Recently Nick’s Bytes has received a new blog award from Daffy for which I offer my thanks:

I realize that I have been sadly negligent in passing blog awards on to others. So… I have the goal of passing a lot of them on in next Sunday’s post!

Muffin Saga

Speaking of plans, I intend to publish the next installment of The Muffin Saga next Saturday.

All Creatures Great and Small

If you were as delighted by the books of James Herriot about the practice of a young veterinarian on the English countryside, I believe you’ll also enjoy the real life adventures of Brooksie, a current day veterinarian practicing in Wellington, New Zealand. His saga about the Case of Maximillian (the cat) is a wonderful read. I strongly urge that you begin reading here, at the beginning of the tale.

Forty Years Ago Today, I Cried

Back in the Collar Again

ANOTHER MARTYR

Benazir Bhutto

21 June 1953 - 27 December 2007

* * *

This evening I am going to put on my clerical collar for the first time in more than a year and officiate a funeral. The deceased is the husband of the daughter of a very dear woman who was president of the first congregation I pastored back in 1987.

With my problems walking and breathing I pray that I have the strength and ability to perform the service. I am dedicating all of today to that end, so this is a very short post. To make up for its briefness, please enjoy the following video.

In Memory of Our Blogger Friend: Carmen San Diego

Mike, Carmen’s husband, has announced that Carmen, whose blog, Good Times and Boxed Whine, brought her friends from around the world, died peacefully at 7:08 in the morning on October 30^th, 2007. She was not in any pain and was asleep with medications. She was 34 years old.

Memorial services will be held for her at the chapel on Naval Submarine Base Point Loma at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 10th, 2007. A reception will be held at the Harbor Inn (also on the submarine base) from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for the family and closest friends of Carmen.

Mike also writes:

Carmen had requested that that in the event of her death, instead of sending flowers to her funeral, that you donate to the Sceroderma Foundation in her name. Website can be found at:

http://www.scleroderma.org/development/donate.shtm

or phone number at 800-722-4673.

She thought that if you donate, and someday they can find a cure, then one day family and friends won't have to endure these hardships like we all did with Carmen. If you knew Carmen then you know this to be true.

A few days after the funeral, Carmen's ashes will be interned at Roscrans National Cemetary high on the hill overlooking the ocean in San Diego.

Thank you for all your support. The love and support you've shown during this difficult time has been amazing. She has touched many lives, and Dominic and I are awed and grateful to all the support given.

My prayer:

Gracious and faithful God, with faith in your great mercy and wisdom, we entrust Carmen to your eternal care.

We thank you for your steadfast love for her and for all that she was to those who loved her.

We thank you that for Carmen all sickness and sorrow are ended, and death itself is past, and that she has entered the home where all of your people gather in peace.

Be with her husband, Mike, and her son, Dominic, and all of her family in this time of sorrow. Amen

The Beast at 3:00 O’clock in the Morning

So, what was an old dude like me, who easily tires and should have been asleep, doing awake and on my front porch on Friday at 3:00 a.m.?

The damned cat—otherwise known as Alex—refused to come into the house:

I must admit that Alex may have the right idea. The heat and pollution are so bad during the day, that it was quite pleasant to be outside at 3:00 a.m.

Addendum

Alex and I mourn the death of Oscar, our feline Blogging buddy.

Puss-in-Boots has informed us that Oscar “was hit by a car and killed instantly on Thursday night/early Friday morning.”

We shall miss Oscar. He was a wonderful companion for Robyn and a remarkable cat.