Did you survive last night's Amateur Night errr I mean St. Patrick's Day celebrations?

1. Feel free to opine and/or bloviate away in this open thread.
   
2. Be nice to one another.
   
3. Remember the ER doc takes delight in seeing you over the weekend.
   
4. Have a good weekend. Or not. That's up to you.

Caffeine may reduce body fat and risk of type 2 diabetes, study suggests

Findings could lead to use of calorie-free caffeinated drinks to cut obesity and type 2 diabetes – but more research needed

Some mornings I want a cup of coffee that tastes like blueberries and a hint of caramel, and some mornings I’m looking for a combination of tropical fruits and honey. And because I’m that guy, I buy the beans for my morning pour-over or cold-brew exclusively from third-wave coffee roasters, as freshly roasted as possible.

So imagine my disappointment the last time I spent the night at a new beau’s place and woke up to a mug of well-meaning, but off-tasting coffee. Think notes of frozen lasagna and freezer-burned dumplings. A sneaky peek into his freezer confirmed my suspicions—he kept his coffee beans in there, stored in their loosely crumpled, basically-unsealed original bag. I sipped and silently judged him for being guilty of poor coffee storage practices.

Blueberry and caramel? What a douchebag.

Let us bow our heads in prayer:

Please submit any prayer requests to me, “Annie’s Stew” at apaslo atsign hotmail dot com. Prayer
requests are generally removed after four weeks unless we receive an update.

Prayer Requests:
2/14 – Kam Fong as Chin Ho asked for prayers for his co-worker and wife, as their 15-year-old son was
killed in an accidental shooting.
2/18 – Jewells45 gave an update on her cancer. The CT scan showed no new growth, so that was
fantastic news. There are ups and downs, be she is feeling better.
2/18 – Intruderdriver asked for prayers for Steve, a retired Marine aviator and airline pilot, who was
hospitalized with a cancer that had metastasized into his bones, brain, and lungs.
2/20 – Iron Mike Golf asked for prayers as he underwent a shoulder replacement.
2/21 – Palerider at AoS requested prayers for her co-worker, William. He has battled brain cancer
before. It came back this fall, and he did a round of intense treatment at Mayo. He is now having vision
issues making it difficult for him to do his work on the computer. She requests prayers that the vision
issues resolve quickly and his cancer is put back into remission.
2/21 P has for prayers, as his family has been having an interesting time lately. His dear wife was in the
hospital over Christmas and New Year’s. She has lost her hearing and may need implants. She can walk
now with a walker, which is a huge improvement over the last month. Additionally, their youngest son
had ACL surgery in late Dec.
2/24 – Legally Sufficient asked for the Horde’s prayers as she undergoes total knee replacement surgery
on 2/27. She asks for strength and continued faith. She also asked for prayers for her husband, and asks
that God would provide him with strength and patience as he helps nurse her through this.
3/16 Update Surgery went very well and there is very good progress in healing and movement. She
sends her heartfelt thanks to the Horde for their prayers on their behalf. She and her husband felt lifted
in prayer during those moments when they needed support the most. Her husband was an excellent
partner in healing, who now looks forward to spring fishing (when and if spring ever comes)!
2/25 – J asked for prayers for a new trap-shooting club that is starting. He asks that it is successful for all
the adults and children involved and doesn’t get attention outside of their pro-hunting community (if
you know what I mean).
2/25 – Dr_No sends an update and thanks for the prayers for healing for his daughter Megan. We had
prayed for her when she was going through chemotherapy for colon cancer 2 years ago. She just tested
again, and is still cancer-free! He prays for blessings and healing for those still dealing with illness and
loss.

2/25 – Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd sends prayers of thanks for his daughter’s turnaround. She had
become alienated from her parents and from God, and now has come back more toward faith and is
more kind and concerned toward them. This has also helped his wife’s faith, too, which has been
struggling due to these troubles with their daughter.
3/1 – Inogame asked for prayers. He had come to the Horde after his wife miscarried 2 years ago, and
appreciated our prayers and kindness. They were blessed with a little girl later that year. Now they are
in the same situation. They have lost another baby and need prayers against the sorrow and depression.
3/7 - Pookysgirl sends a prayer of thanks that Pooky has been approved for SSDI benefits, and
designated as 100% disabled by the VA, which doubles his monthly benefits. This means they are not in
such a desperate financial situation, and it marks the end of a two+ year battle with bureaucracy.
3/11 – Jasonj asked for prayers for Barbara, his wife, to be added to the list. She had back surgery
recently, and is healing well, but has a long road ahead. Also please add Alex, his son, who is a
quadriplegic with a serious addiction to pain meds.
3/11 – Free Tibet asked for prayers for his friend JR, who is undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer
(neuroendocrine version). Thanks to the Horde for everything.
3/15 – Fenelon Spoke asks for prayers for the church she servers – that if it’s God’s will that their
financial problems might be resolved through one of several options, so they can continue to be open to
the Glory of God, the lifting up of Jesus Christ, and the support of the church community, some of whom
have attended there for decades. She thanks the people who have prayed. She also asks for prayers for
FenSon, who is having interviews for a college summer internship on 3/21. Prayers that he does his best
and that someone would be open to his skills and interests. And prayers are still appreciated for Jessie,
their dear church organist, for complete healing.
3/15 – NJ asked for prayers for his wife Christina. She had surgery in December which resulted in CRPS
(Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in her right foot. The pain is interfering with her daily activities and
preventing her from sleeping properly.
3/15 – Half Dozen asked for prayers from the Horde. One of her adult sons was diagnosed with a brain
tumor. They are still evaluating him to decide next steps. It will probably involve brain surgery.
3/15 – Ten in AK, Hail to the Thief asked for prayers for DH, who goes under the knife on Friday to
remove an old stim from his spinal column. This will allow him to have an MRI, to figure out what to do
about his 3 collapsed disks. Prayers, but optimistic prayers at this point.

For submission guidelines and other relevant info, please contact Annie's Stew, who is managing the
prayer list. You can contact her at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. If you see a prayer request posted in
a thread comment, feel free to copy and paste it and e-mail it to Annie's Stew. She tries to keep up with

the requests in the threads, but she's not here all of the time, so she may not see it unless you e-mail it
to her. Please note: Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks or so unless we receive an
update.

 Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but
the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows
the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.