3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday.....the Zombie Edition.

After not participating at all this month, I've returned to LarryD's 3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday group. I'm calling this one the Zombie Edition because, not only haven't I done a 3 1/2 T.O.T. since May 29, but I haven't posted anything for nearly two weeks; it's like returning from the dead.

1)
I don't really have any excuse for my having been such a slacker. It's not like I haven't been on the Internet. And it isn't like I haven't had anything I wanted to write about.

Last week I came across a copy of the Dalton Daily Citizen newspaper. The story that caught my attention was about a young couple from Dalton who now find themselves stranded in Mexico.
The young woman, 24 year old Gicela Angelica Carranza had originally entered the United States illegally at age 5 - brought here by her parents. To make a long story short, Carranza has lived in this country nearly all her life; after graduating High School, she earned an associate degree in accounting at the local technical college and eventually married a U.S. citizen, Ramon Gonzalez.

Fearing deportation, the couple went to Mexico at the end of April, hoping to get a visa for Carranza as the spouse of an American citizen. They've been stranded ever since.

The day after I read this article, El Presidente Obama announced that illegals who entered with their parents (prior to age 16) will be permitted to remain in this country, under certain conditions. Had the couple remained in the U.S. everything might have been OK with them, but now that they're in Mexico, I'm not sure how easy it will be for them to return.

I wish them the best - they are in my prayers.

2)
Last December, I read, for the first time, Uncle Tom's Cabin on my Kindle and was highly impressed. After reading the novel, I read a bit about Harriet Beecher Stowe and learned that the publication of her book brought out quite a few literary responses from the pro-slavery folks.

One of the more successful of these books was Aunt Phillis's Cabin; or, Southern Life As It Is by Mary Henderson Eastman. I had downloaded a copy of the book from Project Gutenberg and recently read it.

I knew I was about to read one tremendous load of horse manure (propaganda) but I was surprised at the twisted lengths Eastman went to in order to convince that Christianity did not prohibit the owning of slaves.

Eastman, of course, makes mention of a curse being placed on Noah's son Ham, whereby all his descendants would forever be held in bondage. Eastman goes on to claim that neither Jesus nor his Apostles condemned slavery.

In modern times, the character of Beecher's Uncle Tom, has been looked upon by some as being far too obsequious but, one doesn't truly know the meaning of the word until you see how Eastman portrays slaves in her work.

I don't see how Eastman could actually consider herself a good Christian.

3)
A few days, I came across a recording of Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons singing Boudleaux Bryant's Love Hurts.
I had to listen to several versions of the song, from, of course, the rock band Nazareth, to the Everly Brothers to Roy Orbison....even a version from Rod Stewert and another by Cher.
I haven't been able to get the song out of my head for days.

1/2)
After Simcha Fischer mentioned Kristin Lavransdatter in one of her posts, I purchased the trilogy from Amazon.com. I've only just started reading the first volume.