My new favorite food is a toasted slice of Dakota bread from Great Harvest, spread with low fat cream cheese, topped with a thick, juicy slice of a sandwich-sized tomato from Farmer's Market. It's at least one of the mini-meals I eat 5 times a day. Net weight loss for June was 3.5 lbs. If I could do that every month, I would exceed the 15# goal Dr. Lagarde set for me for Dec. 1. The walking has helped, no doubt, even though with the dogs it's not the power walk advocated by some fitness enthusiasts. We have plenty of stops along the way. But it's more than I was getting, so that's good.

Our subject for special prayer yesterday was The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) The Most Revd Peter Jasper Akinola Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja. Today it is The Rt Revd Elisha Kyamugambi of Uganda. They have been in our church news a good bit lately, especially ++Akinola. I think they're both terribly misguided and confused. They have provoked a lot of the controversy currently raging among the American dioceses and worldwide Anglican provinces. I'll borrow this prayer from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel: Lord Jesus Christ, who alone has power over life and death, over health and sickness, give power, wisdom and gentleness to all your ministering servants. May they always bear your presence with them that they may not only heal but bless, and shine as lamps of hope in the darkest hours of distress and fear. Amen

Regarding today's prayer request, one blogger commented,"I'm reminded of the Rebbe in Fiddler on the Roof, when asked for an appropriate prayer for the Tsar: "God bless and keep the Tsar . . . far away from us!" That's much more in line with the way I feel.