Morning Thanks--a zeedonk.

I'd just finished reading a review of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's new book, Nomad, on Christianity Today's website, a polite, sweet review whose tiptoed footprint seemed thoughtfully designed to keep good Christians from using Ms. Ali's new memoir from hating muslims any more than they do already. The review was fair, but its notable fear of the right's fear of Islam was sad, I thought.

Then I reread a viral e-mail note I got unsolicited from some guy named Frosty Wooldridge, who writes for David Duke. We're becoming Detroit, the note blasted--the entire U.S. is becoming Detroit! "I PRAY EVERYONE THAT READS THIS REALIZES THAT IF WE DONT STAND UP, AND SCREAM AT WASHINGTON , AND OUR STATE, CITY , AND LOCAL LEADERS THIS IS WHAT AWAITS THE REST OF AMERICA . IF YOU FOLLOW THE NEWS AT ALL YOU KNOW THIS HAS HAPPENED IN ENGLAND, AND FRANCE AND SPAIN. IF YOU THINK THIS IS JUST A BUNCH OF HOOEY AND YOU FEEL NO DUTY TO FIGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY, THEN I'M SORRY, I DONT KNOW WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR YOU TO WAKE UP, STAND UP, AND FIGHT."

You know.

And then I happened in on a conversation between Tim LaHaye and Mike Huckabee in which LaHaye lambasted the present adminstration for bringing us closer to the end of the world: "It's going to work against our country and bringing us closer to the apocalypse," he told Huckabee.

For an old-time end-timer like LaHaye, I thought that might be a good thing. Shouldn't he be cheering for Obama to bring on the Second Coming? Isn't he anxious? After all, he and his wife have to be guaranteed a seat or two on the rapture bus after all those book sales.

So this is just what I needed. Isn't this kid beautiful? He's what is called a "zedonk," half zebra and half donkey, which happens, obviously enough, when a zebra and a donkey decide to break out of their respective envelopes or comfort zones or what have you and trip the light fantastic.

It's gorgeous, isn't it? Love those fashionable leggings.

What I'm wondering is where on earth we would be without an occasional zedonk?-- They're a gift, honestly, a special gift. At least this one was to me, this morning, lost in a circle of hate and end time scenarios.

This morning's thanks is for this little guy, who's already made my day.

Is it a guy?--I don't even know. It's just cute. Thank goodness.