A couple of thoughts ...

A woman’s awra is her full body. 

She must cover her hair, torso, arms, legs and feet. 

The best way of covering everything is to wear a 

jilbaab/abaya and a scarf on the head. - Source

Beauty and culture.

I was at the grocery store last evening, and as I was exiting an aisle, I almost ran into a woman's cart as she came around the corner.  I looked up and was startled to see this gorgeous Muslim woman dressed in rich, dark hijab - her scarf around her head, her face exposed.  I have to tell you I stopped in my tracks.  She reminded me of the former Somali model, Iman Abdulmajid - so tall and beautiful.  The expression on her face seemed to become slightly sad, perhaps a bit irritated - and she quickly moved her cart to get around me with a whispered "excuse me".  I finally moved on to check-out.

Thinking about the experience later, I felt badly because I never said a word, never said excuse me, never adjusted my cart for her to get by.  I doubt that even if I told her I had been stunned by her beauty, that it would have been perceived as a compliment.  Indeed, it is likely she would have been insulted - not to mention very weird - LOL!  Anyway - I felt worse that she most likely interpreted my silent stare and blocking the aisle as prejudice.  That thought didn't occur to me until I left the store.  I wonder how many Muslims in this country feel discriminated against because of ISIS?  I'll be praying for that woman.

Many of the Muslim women I see are incredibly beautiful, and I kind of like how they dress as well.

I wish we were at peace in the world.

Taking advantage of religious people.

There is a story today of a Wisconsin priest who was scammed out of $300,000.00 by a woman who went to him for help.

Eau Claire (WQOW) - An Eau Claire woman has been charged with scamming a well-known priest out of more than $300,000.

Cheri Hofkes-Zerwas is charged with taking the money from father John Schultz, he was the longtime priest at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church in Eau Claire.

According to court documents Hofkes-Zerwas told Father Schultz that she needed the money to keep her electricity from being shut off, she owed money to social security and she was being extorted by a number of people.

Police were tipped off by a branch manager at Associated Bank when Schultz began withdrawing large amounts of money.

Police found that over the course of a year Hofkes-Zerwas was given more $300,000. We spoke with the attorney for the Diocese of La Crosse who is representing Father Schultz.

He told us that Schultz was scammed and that all of the money he gave to Hofkes-Zerwas was his own, none of it belonged to the church.

The criminal complaint says that Father Schultz kept a detailed ledger of all the money he gave her and the reasons why. - More here.

That is sad.  Fr. Schultz acted in good faith - he also used his personal savings.  As the article points out, priests are often called by people asking for money - sometimes legit, other times not.  The woman in this case gambled the money away.  As a kid one of my relatives hit on our parish priest.  He just got out of jail and went to the priest under false pretenses, asking for help to feed his family.  The money was used for booze.

Rectories attract scam artists as well as the poor most in need.  In the last few years, a couple of priests have been killed in robbery attempts.  Charity believes all things, as St. Paul says, but priests must be careful of being scammed or even framed.

Nothing Compares 2U

One of the most beautiful songs ever.  I was watching a local group (The Family) perform on local Public Television, and they performed Nothing Compares 2U, introducing it as a song Prince wrote.

I never knew Prince wrote it - I just knew Sinead O'Connor sang it and assumed she wrote it too.  Now that I know that, I can hear Prince's genius.

Anyway - Sinead did it best.  She was so beautiful in her youth!  Song here.

Nothing compares 2U...