Larry Peterson's Blog, page 33

Review from Sweeping Me

The book was really good. I found myself with so many emotions about these kids and all they had to endure. What a delightful surprise to feel so many tugs at my heart. I loved each of the kids and felt like I could relate to all of them.



http://sweepingme.com/2012/01/blog-tour-priest-and-the-peaches-by-larry-peterson-review/

"Little Sisters Threatened by Big Brother"

The Little Sisters of the Poor is a catholic, religious organization founded in France in the first half of the 19th century. A woman by the name of Jeanne Jugan (now Saint Jeanne Jugan) felt the need to help care for the many poverty stricken elderly who seemingly were everywhere in France. She began her ministry by inviting an elderly woman into her home to care for her. One woman caring  for another and so began the Little Sisters of the Poor.



Let us fast forward about 160 years or so. The Little Sisters of the Poor serve people in 31 countries. They have grown from one woman helping one woman to one of the most successful religious organizations in the world. One country they serve is the good old U.S of A. They have about 30 homes here and care for 2500 elderly in the U.S. Enter Obamacare and the HHS Mandate.



There are certain penalties that accompany the Mandate. For example, if an organization were to stop offering health insurance rather than comply with the Mandate that organization, ie: The Little Sisters of the Poor, would be forced to pay a $2000.00 penalty per employee. If they chose to offer insurance without contraception, aborta-facient drugs or sterilization availability, they would be penalized $100.00 per day per employee. If there were 50 employees that would come to about $2,000,000.00 a year.



The Little Sisters of the Poor do one thing. They care for the elderly. They offer them homes where they are welcomed and lovingly cared for. These folks are treated with respect, dignity and love. The good Sisters do not want money. They do not need a fancy car or a big house to live in. They do not need  a flat-screen TV or contemporary clothing. All they want to do is serve other people. Half of all operating costs come from donations, the other half from Medicaid. The penalties for non-compliance with the Mandate would virtually wipe out their ability to continue this work.



The Department of Health and Human Services exemption criteria is so narrowly defined that hardly anyone will qualify. A religious employer will only be exempted if they hire & serve only people of their own faith. Catholic Charities and  Catholic hospitals serve all folks. So do other religious organizations. The penalties will force them to go out of business.  This is so crazy and I would ask, what do the elderly need birth control for anyway?

Review from Adventures of Frugal Mom

Here is an alert to this book. Make sure you have a box of tissue ready. You will either laugh until you cry and you will cry at the sad moments. This book is that good.



http://adventuresfrugalmom.com/2012/03/the-priest-and-the-peaches-book-tour.html/

Review from Sara's Organized Chaos

The Peach children immediately feel like real characters and within the first ten pages you are rooting for them and want them to do well.



http://strandupdate.blogspot.com/2012/03/priest-and-peaches.html

Review from The Paperback Pursuer

I think young adults will really enjoy Larry Peterson's writing style and humor in this short and uplifting/optimistic read.



http://thepaperbackpursuer.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-123-priest-and-peaches-by-larry.html

Review from Musings of a Bookworm

I liked this more then I thought I would. This is definitely an author to look out for!!



http://www.musings-of-a-bookworm.org/2012/03/this-is-the-priest-and-peaches-by-larry.html

The "Nones" are here--are you One?"

Things have changed and things are-a-changing still. I have stepped into the world of senior citizen which is a high-up perch where one can pause, look down and see with clarity what was and what is. When I look back about 20 or so years ago there is a small group of people occupying a small corner of the landscape. For some  reason their numbers have exploded and now they occupy almost 20% of the American population. These people are called the "Nones". Maybe you are one of them.



The "Nones" are those folks who have no religion affiliation. Except for the atheist and agnostics the rest do not consider themselves Godless. They just do not think that they need a religion to guide them. (this leads to another thought--if God and religion are two different things why all the hysteria about using the name of God in the public square? That can be discussed another time). As you can see, for a guy like me, a Catholic blue-collar, flag waving type of person, this "None" thing is a bit perplexing.  I want to yell and scream and say----"OH MY GOD!! What's the matter with you people?" But--I and many of my generation are part of why this "None" phenomena has grown and taken hold. We have not passed  down our faith and traditions. We have, as Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington has said, "catechized without content".



Protestantism was the majority religion for decades, maybe longer. Now it is under 50%. There are supposedly about 58 million Catholics in the country yet, maybe 16 million practice their faith. That's about 28%. What happened to change the religious landscape? We old fools happened, that's what happened. We let down our guard with our kids and started worrying too much about traumatizing their delicate psyches. We did not want to say "no" to poor little Johnny and Joanie. That was the beginning.



And so the world changes and evolves. I am a cradle catholic. I am even among the dwindling population of  catholics that attends not only Sunday mass but daily Mass. Yet I am responsible as are many of my generation. From the religious hierarchy downward and into the home itself and right to the empty supper tables choosing TV instead. We did not  transfer the baton. We dropped the baton. Not saying "no" morphed into "Nones".

Review from My Two Blessings

The story is well written with 3 dimensional characters and the Peach kids will steal your heart as you experience all the ups and downs with them. Highly recommend it.



http://www.mytwoblessings.com/2012/03/priest-and-peaches-by-larry-peterson.html

Review from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Many kids would have folded under the pressure and simply threw their hands in the air in surrender, but not these two.



http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/2012/03/blog-tour-priest-and-peaches.html

Review from Jersey Girl Book Reviews

A heartwarming inspirational book that will pull at your heartstrings.



http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/priest-and-peaches-by-larry-peterson.html