peace place

Save a Life Every 30 seconds

2011-05-18T21:52:00.000-05:00

You Can Make A Difference

CHOOSE to Make A Difference Today!

He is Risen!

2011-04-25T09:59:00.000-05:00

Christ is Risen Indeed! ALLELUIA!!!

Do you remember Hungary in 1956? The war for independence from Communism was on. To see this now is a breathtaking message for Peace and Freedom.

Valentines Day Weekend is Here

2011-02-11T20:18:00.000-06:00

People have many different approaches to how they celebrate St. Valentine's Day.

In fact, some people see it as such a commercialized holiday they do not even celebrate it. Some Single Individuals see it as a kind of insult to their right to remain single and un-coupled. Some people debate the origins of Valentine's Day.

Is it Pagan? Is it Christian? Perhaps it can be both.

Many Christian traditions have Pagan histories.

A friend sent me this Valentine and I want to share it with you since it has a uniquely Christian perspective on this Cupid filled holiday.

If you are still seeking a Valentine's Day Gift, I know a couple of Places you can visit to find some terrific selections.

The Basket Spot - has a beautiful selection of gift baskets and gifts
Refreshing GIFTS- has a great collection of affiliate gift offerings
Right Here == I have posted banners from some cool and unusual Valentine Gifts.

Whatever your choice is for Valentines Day, however you choose to celebrate this romantic event, is up to you. My advice to you is to Make Love - Not War. And share hearts and flowers and chocolates with your loved ones. Have a great weekend. And remember the message in the video in the previous post about "V" UP.

Teen Pregnancy = Poverty = No Justice = No Peace

2011-02-04T11:33:00.001-06:00

Did you see that article about the high school in Memphis that had 90 pregnant girls in the same school? Hey! Where's the brains in THAT?

Here is what some friends of mine have to say about a solution for that kind of SOCIAL problem. Virginity is NOT a dirty word!

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Thinking About What We Assume IsTrue

2011-01-31T21:34:00.000-06:00

Whenever I find myself thinking about what we are assuming it truth, I need to step back and ask some questions. Who is the authority? What is the source? What is the meaning or intent?

I welcome most of those opportunities to search my mind and others to learn and grow and expand my perceptions of reality.

So when I saw this sign it caught my attention.

Sort of took me by surprise. I imagine it took other readers by surprise too. If it really happened this way, it is a lesson for others to know the language their protest signs are written in!

Persecuting Christians Is Not A Peaceful Path

2011-01-20T20:17:00.000-06:00

Persecution of Christians continues today

in more than 50 countries.

Your prayers are welcome and helpful.

Tell the world.

Even Jesus was not appreciated in his hometown of Nazareth.

Choose Peace and Justice instead of Violence and Hatred.

Peace on Earth and Good Will To ALL

2010-12-21T14:22:00.000-06:00

The ultimate reason for the season is the birth of a baby boy in Bethlehem about 2000 years ago.

He came to change the world as God's own son in human form.

Let us Rejoice and be Thankful for this

ultimate gift of love and peace.

May You Have a Joyful Christmas with your friends and family. Embrace the spirit of love and peace amidst a world

filled with selfish strife and personal distresses.

Oil Action Videos

2010-06-05T23:21:00.000-05:00

I live in Alabama. The white sandy beaches are being ASSAULTED.

So are the wetlands and all of the wildlife. BUT it is the PEOPLE whose lives are hurt by this oil spill disaster that is eclipsing our lives and our ability to think and see clearly. Sharing 2 videos today.

One we know BP does not want you to see.
The second is reflections from Robert Redford with clear insights about where to go now. Take a look and tell your friends and family. We gotta get unstuck from this dreadful cycle of catastrophes.

1.

2.

Memorialdayweekend2010

2010-05-30T20:12:00.005-05:00

We are a nation at war in many places, yes, even where we are striving to keep the peace.

Tonight I watch the Memorial Day Concert in Washington DC with heavy heart and free flowing tears for the people who have paid for my freedoms.

I am caught up with the music from Brad Paisley "Welcome to the Future" as I sense my own life on a precipice this weekend, looking over the edge and across the seas to a new and different future.

I will put the music here if I can figure out how, because I want to remember this chapter। This paragraph। This page in my life and theirs.

A touch of History - Video

2010-01-10T22:34:00.003-06:00

Ed Sullivan Show in the 60s
Erie Benedictines performed. - a gem today -

singing for peace and working for justice for a long time, folks.

Live the Question

2009-08-07T01:20:00.006-05:00

When the question is not possible to answer at this time,
Live the question until the answer appears.
Rainier Maria Rilke, German Poet.

When we think Peace. We need to Be Justice.

We need to Live with Compassion and
Be Alert for new opportunities to express this concern.

I am asking our local daily newspaper to carry more stories like this instead of
the disastrous drivel about beatings and killings all the time.

We reap what we sow. Sow Justice. Reap Peace.

A 5 year old can make a difference in OUR world.

What holds YOU back?

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

2009-08-01T15:24:00.002-05:00

Never forget the PAIN of the PAST

or we shall relearn through PAIN again.

Even when we think the ends justify the means, that hardly ever tells the whole story.

This week carries painful history for all of us.

Enola Gay and Parsons and Little Boy are names etched in the hearts of all who recall these days.

Praying that we never experience this again. ANYWHERE.

Contagious Love from Iraq Veteran

2009-07-25T23:51:00.003-05:00

Josh Steiber went to Iraq in the US Army and returned as a conscientious objector.
This is the story of his new mission in life.
To spread Love instead of waging war.
See the YouTube video and spread the word.
It will help all of us build a more peaceful planet.

Whites Only Pool in PA - NO WAY

2009-07-10T23:05:00.006-05:00

I just received this message from a friend. You MUST pay attention to this. (Emphasis is mine)

Two weeks ago outside Philadelphia, sixty-five children from a summer camp tried to go swimming at a club their camp had a contract to use. Evidently, the club didn't know the kids were largely Black.

Kids booted from pool for being black

When the campers entered the pool, White parents took their kids out of the water, and the swimming club's staff asked the campers to leave. The next day, the club told the summer camp that their membership would be canceled and that they would refund their money. When asked why, the club's leader said the "kids would change the complexion ... and the atmosphere of the club."1

A "Whites only" pool in 2009 should not be tolerated. The club's actions appear to be a violation of section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act.2 Whether or not any laws were violated, a "Whites only" pool should be something every American condemns.

We're working with our friends at ColorofChange.org3 to do exactly that-condemn the club's discrimination. Your signature will also be used to call on the Department of Justice to evaluate suing the facility under federal law. It takes just a moment:

http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/pawhitesonly

After you've taken this simple step, please email your friends and family and invite them to do the same.

Obama is President but that doesn't mean that suddenly all is fine when it comes to race in America. This is a vivid reminder of what we know still lies beneath the surface.

We all know stories like this one -- similar incidents play out quietly every day in different communities across the country. The difference in this case is that folks got caught and there was a contract in place that makes for a potentially illegal act.

Standing up now isn't just about making things right for these kids in Philadelphia or bringing consequences to this swim club (called the Valley Swim Club). It's about creating a climate of accountability everywhere. If we can publicly shame the Valley Swim Club and hold them accountable for this incident, it will make others think twice before engaging in this kind of discrimination.

Please join us in condemning the Valley Swim Club's blatant discrimination and calling on the Justice Department to investigate whether they violated civil rights laws. And please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/pawhitesonly

In Solidarity,
The Keystone Progress Team
www.keystoneprogress.org

References:

1. "'Pool Boots Kids Who Might "Change the Complexion,'" NBC Philadelphia, 07-08-09
http://bit.ly/90Zyr
2. "Section 1981 Summary," Employment Law Information Network
http://www.elinfonet.com/1981sum.php
3. http://www.colorofchange.org

More Resources:

"60 Black Kids Booted from Philly Pool For Being Black -- Speak Out," Jill Tubman at Jack and Jill Politics, 07-08-09 http://bit.ly/GkJTs
VIDEO: "Please Don't Change the Complexion of our Pool," This Week in Blackness, 07-08-09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saTCMJVYljU
"Swim Club Accused of Discrimination," FOX 29 Philadelphia, 07-08-09
http://bit.ly/7EKGy
"Valley Swim Club: Day Two," Adam B at Daily Kos, 07-08-09 http://bit.ly/qbpSA

================================================================================

WHOA. This is 2009 right?

Did we not fix this race problem already? Duh?
________________________________________________________________________________

As much as this news irritates, aggravates, saddens and appalls me, I could almost believe it happening in Alabama -- Where I see racism in action everyday.

But PENNSYLVANIA? Come On!

I learned at Gettysburg College in 1970 that

"if you are not part of the solution ... you are part of the problem."

I spent a month in public schools in Wilmington Delaware learning HOW to be part of the SOLUTION because by my very skin color I am expected to be a part of the PROBLEM.... the privileged white skin. NO I am not the victim here.
These children are.
AND the children of all races all across the United States. (true worldwide too)

Spread the word. Do something positive to IMPROVE race relations in YOUR Neighborhood
Support rights of these campers to have their contract honored. Let the children at this camp go swimming in the "whites only" swimming pool.

World March For Peace

2009-06-07T00:17:00.007-05:00

Never Doubt That a Small Group of People Can Change the World. It is the Only Thing That Ever Has. Margaret Mead

With that thought in mind, I learned about the World March for Peace from a friend of mine who is also a member of the Erie Benedictines for Peace.

The World March starts in New Zealand on October 2, 2009, the anniversary of Gandhi’s birth, declared the “International Day of Nonviolence” by the United Nations.

I would like to take this march. I shall surely do so in spirit and online. I began training this week.

It will conclude in the Andes Mountains (Punta de Vacas, Aconcagua, Argentina) on January 2, 2010. The March will last 90 days, after three long months of travel. It will pass through all climates and seasons, from the hot summer of the tropics and the deserts, to the winter of Siberia. The American and Asian stages will be the longest, both almost a month.

Because a “world without wars” is an image that opens the future and seeks to become reality in every corner of the planet, as violence gives way to dialogue.

The moment has come for the voiceless to be heard! Out of agonizing and urgent need, millions of human beings are crying out for an end to wars and violence.

YES We Can Make Peace Happen

2009-04-30T00:09:00.001-05:00

Click here to get more mini-SharkBreak widgets - www.SharkBreak.com

Mother's Day is for Peace

2009-04-25T00:26:00.003-05:00

Mother's Day is for Peace. It started in America as a protest against sending their sons to war. Julia Ward Howe had some poetry within her proclamation documents:

"We, the women of one country,

Will be too tender of those of another country

To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

--Julia Ward Howe, 1870 Mother's Peace Day Proclamation

Though it took until 1914 for the US to legislate Mother's Day it was indeed intended to be in memory of the sons lost in war by these Mothers.

Mother’s Day is:

A time for the women and children

to come together

to speak for those things

that make for peace.

--Julia Ward Howe

Honor your mother with the gift of peace. And give her your love. And maybe flowers and chocolates.

And I give special appreciation for my own Mother who is the matriarch of 5 generations and well loved and appreciated by us all.

I pray for the Mothers in the White House, too.

Humans Could Learn From This

2009-02-13T03:45:00.001-06:00

I love it.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

2009-02-12T22:47:00.000-06:00

Speaks Peace to me. . .

Birds and Fish teach us perspective

2009-02-12T01:35:00.001-06:00

AH Birds and Fish see the world differently.

This was supposed to be a java script with illustrations.

The message is:>p>

The bird thinks it is doing the fish a magnificent favor by giving it a lift up.
Tagore

How do you feel about that?

Hatred Lingers in the South

2009-01-24T22:02:00.005-06:00

Posted Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009

Rebel flag at black church

By Deangelo McDaniel Staff Writer Decatur Daily

HARTSELLE — Less than 24 hours after Mount Pleasant CME Church celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, church members said they were reminded that the fight against racism is not over.

This is the city in which I live. It proudly proclaims itself as the city of southern hospitality.

But in light of recent events and especially the inauguration of Barack Obama, I can hardly believe the placement of this objectionable flag at this small black church in the midst of a black section of town is anything less than ominous and deplorable.

Bill Hybel suggests we each identify our "holy discontent" and act upon it. This is my last straw. I cannot be silent in this city any longer. Tomorrow I will attend their worship service and express my personal unity with them. God takes it from there. God bless us all.

Inauguration of Barack Obama

2009-01-20T11:59:00.002-06:00

A young President. A young family. Intense yet subdued in delivery we hear the words we need and want to hear. Words of hope not fear, Words of strength with compassion, Words of liberty and equality.
And more.
And I sing. Alleluia.
And I pray. Bless them all. Guide us all.
And I pray. Thank God for this precious time together, may we use it well in your service.

I felt this way with John F. Kennedy, with Martin Luther King, Jr., with Jesse Jackson, with Jimmy Carter.

May we all recall theses precious times and cherish them.
And put them to good work together.
And may we all sing . . .Alleluia today.

ONE-One Nation Empowered

2009-01-17T21:06:00.004-06:00

Have you heard Suzette Caldwell--Preaching? I just did on the Hour of Power.

Wow. Power and presence and humor and sensitivity all wrapped in a creative prayerful woman. She led a prayer for our nation as we approach the Inauguration with a Yes You Can attitude. You are delivered- not doomed. You are righteous-not ruined.. . .and so forth, all with appropriate and inspiring scripture references.

I invite you to join us all with this prayer for the USA and the new administration.
And refer you to her website where you can learn more and be inspired.
I will do a book review at my other website on a recent publication of hers.

This prayer is quoted from her site:

A Prayer for O.N.E.
(One Nation Empowered)
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Psalm 33:12

Almighty Father, God, You merely spoke and the heavens were created. You breathed the Word, and all the stars were born. You assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. We praise Your name forever and ever, for You possess all wisdom and power. Father, thank You for blessing the United States of America with abundance and prosperity. Thank You for surrounding our nation with Your favor, grace, and mercy. Jesus, thank You for shedding Your blood for our redemption. Holy Spirit, thank You for Your guidance and power. You are an awesome God!

Heavenly Father, let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in our nation. Your Word states that we are to pray for kings and all people who are in authority, so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives that are marked by godliness and dignity. We know that this is good and acceptable in Your sight. Today, we pray for our new President, Barack Obama, and his presidential administration. We declare that as they prepare to lead our nation, they will trust in You with all of their hearts. They will not depend on their own understanding, but they will seek Your will in all they do and we expect that You, Lord, will show them which path to take when making decisions for the American people.

We decree that our local, state, and national leaders will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful; but their delight will be in the law of the Lord and in His law they will meditate day and night. They will be like trees planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf will not wither and whatever they do will prosper. Gracious Father, some nations boast of their chariots and horses; but we boast in the Name of the Lord, our God.

We submit to Your care, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Timothy Geithner, Robert Gates, Eric Holder, Ken Salazar, Thomas Vilsack, Hilda Solis, Tom Daschle, Shaun Donovan, Ray LaHood, Steven Chu, Arne Duncan, Eric Shinseki, Janet Napolitano, Leon Panetta, Dennis Blair, Lisa Jackson, Robert Mueller, Lawrence Summers, James Jones, Susan Rice, Peter Orszag, Ron Kirk, Robert Gibbs, Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. Congress and all governmental officials.

Holy Spirit, unite this new administration and remind all of our leaders that they are working for the good of the nation and not for the advancement of self. Please help our leaders to put aside “politics” and operate in the best interest of the American people. Heal the wounds that negative politics, fear and ignorance have created within our nation. Empower us, the Body of Christ, to lead the effort in the healing process. Eternal God, Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we ask You to bless and protect our leaders’ families. Please continue to protect our troops and our borders. Increase the courage and strength of our servicemen and women as they fight courageously for our country.

Merciful Father, we repent on behalf of our nation for our many sins. We acknowledge that our actions have created problems that only You can solve. Forgive us for all sin, including greed, arrogance, selfish ambition, disobedience, rebellion, hypocrisy, injustice, jealousy, hatred, violence, ageism, sexism, racism, and dissension. Father, forgive us for shedding innocent blood and denying Your power. We confess that we have not loved the world as You love the world. We ask You to heal our land and make us one, even as You and Jesus are One. Please have mercy upon all of us and help us! As a nation, show us those we need to forgive and help us to forgive.

Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one.

Now, unto You, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture References for the Written Text: Psalm 33:6-7, Daniel 2:20, Matthew 6:10, I Timothy 2:1-3, Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 4:6, Proverbs 22:4, Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV), Psalm 20:7, Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:13, I Timothy 1:17
==========================================

I have a dream . . .

2009-01-16T00:00:00.002-06:00

Approaching the Inauguration ... New Beginnings. . . Keep things in perspective. . .

Remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was born on January 15th.

Remember his voice for peace.

And as you pray for our new president, think about what the previous ones are known for and watch this short presentation of all 44 presidents.

A New Year- A NEW SITE

2009-01-10T19:47:00.004-06:00

Have you seen the new website for Benedictines for Peace?

I love it.

I give thanks daily for the Benedictine Sisters of Erie PA.

I also enjoy the reflections at their blog.

As an oblate with this community, I read and share with them at the oblates' blog.

I invite you to make this part of the difference you choose for this year. Make it a more peaceful year, a more just year, a more prayerful and considerate year.

And YET remember that Helen Keller said:

Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing.

Jewish Girl gives birth in barn

2008-12-24T21:58:00.003-06:00

Think about it. COURAGE and FAITH.

A teenager in a Hebrew culture was ostracized for being pregnant. 2000 years ago

Yet she carried on and gave birth to a baby in Bethlehem. That baby Jesus changed the world.

Remember them today and tomorrow and think about what that courage means.

Young Mary surely was an ordinary person doing extraordinary things in her own time.

In what way are you performing extraordinary tasks everyday?

God Bless your Christmas celebration.

The Christmas Story Luke 2:1-15
It’s a BOY!
Name: JESUS
Born in Bethlehem
Announced by Angels
Adored by Shepherds

He Came in Love to Be Love for all who believe. He came to serve and live among the ordinary people and teach them extraordinary ways of being and living. As he loved us he invites us to love him and live as he did with simplicity and humility.

sponsored message

Peace - the Prince of Peace

2008-12-22T23:05:00.004-06:00

Let us remember this little bit of truth when we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.

Let us remember to not discriminate other people because they are different from us.

Let us remember peace and live with justice in our hearts amid a chaotic and violent world.

We NEED Non-violence to be a priority

2008-11-29T08:13:00.006-06:00

If we are to have peace in this world of ours, we EACH must do our part.

Non-violence is a learned skill and a lifelong commitment.

YOU can support peace by purchasing WHAT IS PEACE? shown in the video.

Become involved with someone else who is practicing non-violence.

Members of Benedictines for Peace make the following commitment:

I commit myself to take up a nonviolent way of living in a violent world as an expression of my monastic calling.
I commit myself to keep one day each week as a day of fast and prayer for peace.
I commit myself to learn more about the spirituality and practice of nonviolence.

You are invited to take the above pledge, too, and join us in spirit, prayer, and action as you are able.

God of Creation,

"Help us to achieve peace in our hearts, in our homes,

in our neighborhoods, and in our troubled world.

Let peace fill our lives

so that we may live in God's grace and love.

Amen. "

Inauguration Countdown

2008-11-18T22:50:00.002-06:00

Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the USA in this much time...

Obama Countdown
created by James Miller

Add this link to your site by clicking on the Obama Countdown link above.

YES We Did

2008-11-07T00:18:00.002-06:00

With a lot of help from people who never voted before and a lot of people who got them registered, and a lot of other helpers... and with the Grace of God... We have much to be thankful about and much work to do.

YES WE DID have a VICTORY over past ways of doing and being.

It is now our challenge to keep up the momentum and BE the Change we need to be.

Name one thing YOU will do differently to promote justice and be peace in your community.

Election Day in America

2008-11-04T14:17:00.001-06:00

It is Election Day in America!
Did you Vote YET?
If not.

GO STAND In LINE (WE HAVE LONG LINES HERE)
for what you believe.

VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.
Thank you for voting in such HUGE numbers across the country

Nonviolence Is The Right Choice—It Works

2008-11-01T20:45:00.005-06:00

Thanks for this article from another site...

Nonviolence Is The Right Choice—It Works

by Amitabh Pal

Nonviolent resistance is not only the morally superior choice. It is also twice as effective as the violent variety.

That's the startling and reassuring discovery by Maria Stephan and Erica Chenoweth, who analyzed an astonishing 323 resistance campaigns from 1900 to 2006.

"Our findings show that major nonviolent campaigns have achieved success 53 percent of the time, compared with 26 percent for violent resistance campaigns," the authors note in the journal International Security. (The study is available as a PDF file at http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/)

The result is not that surprising, once you listen to the researchers' reasoning.

"First, a campaign's commitment to nonviolent methods enhances its domestic and international legitimacy and encourages more broad-based participation in the resistance, which translates into increased pressure being brought to bear on the target," they state. "Second, whereas governments easily justify violent counterattacks against armed insurgents, regime violence against nonviolent movements is more likely to backfire against the regime."

In an interesting aside that has relevance for our times, the authors also write that, "Our study does not explicitly compare terrorism to nonviolent resistance, but our argument sheds light on why terrorism has been so unsuccessful."

To their credit, the authors don't gloss over nonviolent campaigns that haven't been successes. They give a clear-eyed assessment of the failure so far of the nonviolent movement in Burma, one of the three detailed case studies in the piece, along with East Timor and the Philippines.

In some sense, the authors have subjected to statistical analysis the notions of Gene Sharp, an influential Boston-based proponent of nonviolent change, someone they cite frequently in the footnotes. In his work, Sharp stresses the practical utility of nonviolence, de-emphasizing the moral aspects of it. He even asserts that for Gandhi, nonviolence was more of a pragmatic tool than a matter of principle, painting a picture that's at variance with much of Gandhian scholarship. In an interview with me in 2006, Sharp declared that he derives his precepts from Gandhi himself.

Gandhi's use of nonviolence "was pure pragmatism," Sharp told me. "At the end of his life, he defends himself. He was accused of holding on to nonviolent means because of his religious belief. He says no. He says, I presented this as a political means of action, and that's what I'm saying today. And it's a misrepresentation to say that I presented this as a purely religious approach. He was very upset about that."

One of the authors of the study, Maria Stephan, is at the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. The group's founders wrote a related book a few years ago, "A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict." Erica Chenoweth is at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

This study is manna for those of us who believe in nonviolent resistance as a method of social change. We don't have to justify it on moral grounds any more. The reason is even simpler now: Nonviolence is much more successful.

Get a Grip on Global Climate Change

2008-10-21T21:29:00.005-05:00

If you don't believe in global climate change, you MUST watch this short animated video which explains several natural feedback loops which add to our growing dilemma.

Yet. It is not too late, entirely. Watch it and see what you learn.

Wake Up, Freak Out - then Get a Grip from Leo Murray on Vimeo

It IS a matter of peace or war.

Peace is What?

2008-09-30T19:19:00.006-05:00

So what is Peace anyhow?

How will we know we have achieved it?

How can we know if it will last?

Consider the words of UN founder Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche:

Peace, to have meaning for many who have known only suffering in both peace and war, must be translated into bread, rice, shelter, health and education as well as freedom and human dignity.

Are you prepared for that level of peace in your heart?

What will it take to bring that kind of peace to our world?

Which of the presidential candidates in the USA will be most likely to build leadership towards this kind of peace?

9-11-2001- Remembered and Felt

2008-09-11T01:23:00.006-05:00

9/11 Terrorist Attacks (2001)

It was a sunny day in Alabama on September 11, 2001.

No one wanted to be indoors watching the news.

But we were glued to the screens of computers and televisions and cell phones.

The Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger airplanes.

They crashed two planes into the Twin Towers in NYC.
We saw that happen over and over and over again on the news that day and for weeks afterwards.

A third plane flew into the Pentagon building in Virginia.

The fourth flight crashed in western Pennsylvania in spite of the efforts of passengers to regain control of the plane.

This was horror on a grande scale on American soil.

It ripped the soul of the nation.

It tore at hearts all around the world.

9/11 will always be remembered by those who lived it in 2001.

We will know where we were and what we did perhaps forever.

Remembering those who have fallen in this horrid terrorist attack and those who have suffered in the times since then as the stories snowballed across the land.

Praying today for all who suffer and who serve to prevent suffering.

There is no peace in the hearts of terrorists. For that I am filled with sorrow.

It disturbs my peace and fuels the fires of hatred among so many others with distraught hearts.

I pray for peace today in honor of all the caregivers who helped and who continue to help the victims and the rescuers. . . yes, and the rescuers who became victims.

Voices of Martyrs

2008-07-17T23:44:00.005-05:00

Do you think about what it means to be a martyr?

EVER? Well it is time to. No matter what your religious beliefs are.

You have a history of martyrs, I imagine. Buddhist martyrs are in Myanmar these days in the news.

These martyrs are in China. They are Christian.

"The eyes of the world will soon be on the
Olympics. But the eyes of God remain on His children and especially those who
suffer for their faith. Despite what you may hear in the news, Chinese
Christians who refuse to register with the government controlled church are
being persecuted. Many have undergone horrific suffering. "

This information was updated from the site managed by The Voice of the Martyrs.

You can show your concern and/or support with prayer action and FREE prayer bands as the world prepares for the 2008 Olympics in China. I know I will not be present in China for the Olympics but I have been paying more attention to what is happening on that side of our planet in recent months.

I see cosmetic changes in preparation for the Olympics. I see what looks like "urban renewal" types of gloss over the undesirable elements of society and present what the world wants to see kinds of activity like the fancy topiary gardens, nice. I wonder how many homeless people were displaced for that land.

Were they Christian? Were they peaceful people? Will we learn from our mistakes? How will further protests be managed by the Chinese government? By the people? Time will tell.

KNOW Your Food Source

2008-07-09T23:00:00.003-05:00

Now More Than Ever, we need to know the face on the farmer.
Where did our food come from?
Do we trust this farmer?
Has the produce been handled properly?

Living Simply does contribute to peace full living.

I can think of few better reasons to BUY LOCAL and GO ORGANIC.
Go to your Local Farmer's Market this week and check it out.

FOURTH of JULY

2008-07-04T00:36:00.004-05:00

Happy Fourth of July!

SING Out for LIBERTY

Independence is more than just doing what we want.

Independence is more than just quitting the day job.

Building a Nation and Building a Business

are both a lot of work.

They both take TIME.

They both require INTERDEPENDENCE.

May your Celebration be Joyful and Filled with Peace and Safety and Gratitude.

Remember the Founders of the

United States of America and the brave

commitments they made to build a nation...

We Hold These Truths to Be Self Evident. . .

NOTES: Thanks for being a part of my team. Have a great weekend.

WILD NEWS:

Grass Strangles Baby Penguins see video... nice scenery in Australia

My New Squidoo Lens on Bird-Watching

Summer Solstice 2008

2008-06-21T11:37:00.005-05:00

The Summer Solstice is the time when the sun is in its glory in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. The summer solstice falls on June 21st or 22nd every year. In terms of the position of the sun relative to Earth, the summer solstice in eastern US is at 7:59 p.m. Historically, the summer solstice was called Midsummer because it occurs about halfway through the European growing season.

Midsummer Night had a focus for lovers and nature, the forest and the perception of magic in the shortest night of the year. It was a time for a maiden to discover her future husband’s identity. It was a time of bonfires and celebration. Maidens decorated their hair with flowers and young men jumped through the flames. It was a joyous time with firelight on all the hills and peaks of England. Dancing and music and gaiety were the order of the day and night.

Linking people to the land and the stars, solstice celebrations are often considered to be pagan. Certainly they have pagan roots, as we all do. It is a grand time to celebrate the season of summer and reflect on growth within ourselves and growth around us.

Christians celebrate the solstice too, particularly in agrarian societies. We plant seeds in soil and nurture them to provide us with food and sustenance. You do not have to be pagan to celebrate the solstice. God made Earth and sun and set our planet into orbit. The solstice is a day of special notice in the annual cycle of planetary movement.

Listen to the gifts of Creation all around you. Give thanks with a grateful heart that you are able to celebrate and appreciate God’s bounty. Be mindful of the slight changes in the wind and temperature. Notice life in abundance. Take time and pay special attention to how the day feels and notice the night as it comes around you. Cherish the moment and be thankful.

The Summer Solstice is an excellent time to pay attention to harmony and healing in your life. It is a time to nurture the seeds we have planted in our souls. What seeds in your spirit are coming to full season now? Are you mindful of the abundance of energy around you?

A Summer Solstice Prayer
God of Creation, let the light of
this Summer Solstice glow in our
hearts and homes.
Bless our hearts and
minds with creativity and fire our
imaginations.
We give thanks for gardens that nourish
us.
We pray the fires of compassion and
creation will eliminate hunger and
poverty, war and hatred.
Let the light of the Solstice stir us to
enthusiastic and healing responses to all
around us.
Grant comfort where it is needed.
Grant peace to all of creation.
May we embrace the fire of God’s passion and allow the light
around us to become the light within us
As we share the love of God with all the people of creation.
The Christ of the Cosmos shines throughout all the
universe and we give thanks.
AMEN June, 2008, bydpb

Remembering Tim Russert

2008-06-17T16:51:00.003-05:00

This is a year to really THINK. And to have REAL conversations.
How often we rally 'round the latest gossip of the day instead of
allowing ourselved to fully participate in the discussion or the thought
process.

Too often do we see reporters and journalists presenting "sound bytes" or
tiny clips of trivia linked to celebrities instead of doing real
reporting or journalism. Instead of engaging disenfranchised guests and
LISTENING to them through the interview process.

Yes, the world will feel the loss of Tim Russert, even if they live
in a far away place that has never heard of him. I link this blog
title to Joan Chittister's post at NCR because she says more about him
and covers the issue really well, as always. Thanks, Joan for your insights
again. and again. and again.

Thanks Tim. Forever. Condolences to all of the family and all who mourn his death.

When one suffers, we all do

2008-06-16T02:34:00.005-05:00

Rain and floods, crop destruction, life disruption all are part of the midwest.

Open your hearts to the people who live there and their families who wait to hear from them.

Open your hearts to the rescuers who work long hours and days to relieve their suffering.

And then remember there are floods and earthquakes all across the world. Who thinks of China or Iceland in the course of everyday life? The people who live there. And we do even for a moment when a natural disaster happens.

Send them prayers of peace in their hearts as they struggle with rebuilding their lives.

Ears at Peace

2008-06-12T07:34:00.005-05:00

Just a few posts ago, I mentioned tinnitus, or ringing in your ears. As a preface to peace on the inside leading to peaceful actions on the outside.

Today just a short note.

Details are found at On and Off the Wall if you want to follow along.

Suffice it to say. My ears are much better than I ever imagined since the treatment at the Shea Clinic in Memphis. My hearing has more clarity and even tests out better on the audiology report. I acknowledge this is a PROCESS, not a one time fix-it.

But I also celebrate progress and the ability to think clearly for longer periods of time. I give thanks for this growing internal peace all day everyday.

When this began, there were no treatments available to remedy tinnitus. The prevailing thought was "Too bad, you'll just have to learn to live with it." And Live With It I did for a long time. Now the prevailing thought regarding treatment is to teach people HOW to live with it. And research is focussed on finding causes and cures.

Meanwhile, in Memphis, there stands a surgeon who seeks remedial action for patients now, not twenty years from now. And he has been treating people with success with these techniques for more than 15 years.

I am grateful. People ask me if I am resentful because all of this time I did not know about this procedure. No. I may wish it were different but I am not resentful. My life has been blessed in many ways despite the challenges of severe tinnitus. And perhaps the need to listen "through" the sound has helped me become who I am today with the courage to stand up and express what is important. Be Peace and Do Justice. Live Simply.

I thank God for the guidance and support I had to get me to and through the operations. Both ears are much improved. I need ask for nothing more.

You see, some of that peace has already been growing in a climate of noise and now it has the opportunity to blossom. I can only be thankful.

You might appreciate my newsletter on being thankful. Think Thanks.
An attitude of gratitude supports success.

Practically at Home: Grocery Bag Bonus

2008-05-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

Practically at Home: Grocery Bag Bonus

I have noticed that Walmart and Krogers and some other stores are now providing cloth reusable bags that are made of recycled plastic bottles. It take four PETE clear plastic bottles, like soda pop or water bottles to make the plastic fiber for one bag that is as durable as you can imagine... just don't pour a plastic solvent into it.

A friend of mine has a room with a plastic carpet made from recycled plastic bottles also.

The number 1 inside the triangle that shows it can be recycled is what tells you it is the kind that they can use for making fiber.

The number 2 kind of plastic recycles well into things like plastic lumber or decks or docks.

The other numbers are not as easily handled at this time.

Remember the basic principles of science still work here. . . and entropy sets in the further away from the source we go.

Matter is always becoming something else. But it cannot go backwards and become more complex than it was before once it has been melted down, so a drink bottle cannot become another drink bottle. It has to become something else.

Now GLASS is yet another story. But people talk less about it.

Some Green to Celebrate

2008-04-28T07:48:00.003-05:00

Remarkable. Here we are watching and being absorbed by the political protests surrounding the 2010 Olympics in China.

And the Russians give us a GREEN alert to capture our attention.
The planned site for the 2014 Olympics at Sochi is located very near sensitive ecosystems.

The locals are surprised at how quickly development is happening to "prepare" and/or beautify the area in time for the Olympics.

They are even more concerned that the extensive development will produce irreversible environmental damage in their sensitive locale.

Now THAT is worth celebrating. NOT that damage will occur. But that SOMEONE noticed and has begun to DO something to prevent it THIS FAR in ADVANCE!

It is April. So We are seeing more green news everywhere.
What I like about that is that it is a refreshing change from mayhem in the world around us.

It is a reminder that with each season we have a new call to notice new growth and assess how we impact the world around us.

The shortest path into the Universe is through a deep forest. ~John Muir~

My Ears Continued

2008-04-25T07:58:00.002-05:00

Healing continues with my ears.

God is so gracious. I am so grateful.

How can I be anything but peace in this world?

This clip is from last summer. But the story still "rings" true for the people of this world with ringing ears.

Is there Peace in Your Head?

2008-04-11T00:27:00.002-05:00

Exploring the world of non-silence that is my reality really does fit into this peace themed blog.
Fifty million Americans experience tinnitus... ringing in their ears. And the military has begun to notice more and more cases in soldiers returning from Iraq. It is one more toll the road bombs take and leave them with forever.

Put perhaps it is not forever. Researchers are actively creating new approaches to mitigate tinnitus and its sometimes debilitating effects on one's life.

I share a personal journey with tinnitus at a different blog Feel free to check it out and share it someone you know.

Here I want to share an occasional article on some of the factors involved with this very real and invisible condition which somtimes becomes a disability.

Did you remember?

2008-04-06T23:04:00.000-05:00

Did you remember?

And Spring Comes Earlier

2008-03-30T22:00:00.001-06:00

Holy Week Reflections

2008-03-19T21:58:00.003-06:00

Entering into what may be the most sacred of Christian times, we begin the Tridium tomorrow. Holy Week.

Holy Thursday.

Good Friday.

Holy Saturday and then

Easter Sunday.

Each day has its own special emphasis in the historical journey of Jesus into Jerusalem on the days before he was crucified.

Each day calls us to reflect on what it means today to commune with each other, to share our hearts and minds, our souls and meals with each other. To serve and be served.

To face contempt with dignity and persecution with compassion.

To face crucifixion with forgiveness.

To grieve the absence and loss of your sacred loved one.

To be shocked with the stunning news of resurrection on Easter morning.

He is Risen.

He is Risen Indeed. Alleluia.

Lent and forgiveness

2008-03-08T21:49:00.004-06:00

Lenten forgiveness or was it Lent and forgiveness?
Is it one and the same?

Reflecting on the ills of our day. Of our souls. Of our bodies. Of our world.

Each and every facet requires healing.

For healing to happen. Reconciliation must happen. For that to happen.
We must first recognize the darkness within each and feel the awareness of how it touches our lives every day.

To allow reconciliation, we must first seek forgiveness.

Sometimes we feel it is too much for one person to bear... a life in this world.

The ailments of this world.

Then comes the recognition we are not alone.
Everyone of us is comprised of atoms and molecules.
Dirt and dust and spirit . . . cosmic dust.
Like animated stardust we come seeking the light of Easter Sunday
Awaiting the resurrected hope even before we have taken the steps to
forgive ourselves. . .

But if we feel unworthy of forgiveness, we need only recall that we are already forgiven.
Yes. Before we ever knew it.
Just accept the gift.
And the light follows.

We can move to a greener world. A safer place to live. A more peaceful way to live.

Lend your spirit to this season of Lent and find forgiveness here too.

"Rats and roaches live by competition under the law of supply and demand; it is
the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy."
- Wendell Berry

Women in Civil Rights

2008-02-24T22:45:00.003-06:00

Johnnie Carr was a personal friend of Rosa Parks. How many of you recognize her name?

Sometimes it is the quiet friends who keep us moving towards our goals, day in and day out. And they become their own voices, as did Johnnie Carr.

She died on Friday and it is a loss to be noted as much as Rosa Parks, and as much as Martin Luther King, Jr.

She remained active in Montgomery for many years promoting improvements in race relations and transportation and school conditions.

There is more to the AP press story and you can be sure there is MORE to Johnnie Carr's story.

My spiritual Mentor spoke of her with great reverence. And now I wish I had known her too.

Be your best self today. If you are not a part of the solution then you are surely part of the problem. What are you doing today that can improve race relations?

Are you in the same platitude state of mind that lulled people into inaction back into the fifties? Are you in a radical frame of mind left over from the sixties?

Or have you moved into an active force that is relevant to issues of today?

How many 97 year old Black Women do YOU know who are active in their communities right up until their time of death?

God Bless the family of Johnnie Carr and all who mourn her passing.

Let us not allow her absence to permit her to fade away unknown.

Obama Update

2008-02-10T23:04:00.000-06:00

Keeping pace with politicos these days...
since it is all connected to peace and how we shall continue to live our lives. . .

Lent is so early this year and the campaigns are so intense it is a real challenge to live with a sense of congruence.

Candidate Comments and News

2008-02-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

The last two posts did not make it to the screen due to a computer glitch.
So this time. I will post it before it is finished and then return to edit later.

Super Tuesday Storms in South

2008-02-08T12:31:00.000-06:00

The storms were bad enough that the hyped up candidates even stopped to talk about them!

It was about 3 AM at my house. The cat was driving me crazy. Mom was sleeping soundly.
The weather alert sounded off AGAIN. For about the 4th time that night. Good grief. Didn't it know I had to get up early to go to work in the morning??

This time it was LOCAL. This time it was clear when I popped out of bed and dashed to turn down the volume and tune in the station that we were in trouble.

Lightning like I have never seen before was EVERYWHERE. ALL the Time.
Bright enough that I could even see color!

The raging wind was indeed loud and seemed palpable. We have so many trains coming through our town that I could not tell if it was a train or if it was the wind.

It seemed like I could SEE and taste the wind. And yet, I stayed indoors.

We were fortunate, it did not land in our town. But in outlying areas ... wow.
Total tornado trashout.

A few hours later Mom saw spectacular lightning right at sunrise. It looked "as if" the thunder and lightning and heavy cloud cover smashed the sun back into the ground.

I missed that one. Wow.

What a way to enter into Lent the season of repentance and atonement!
Being reminded of the powers of nature and the fragile nature of our everyday living.
Wow.

Today it is calm and I am resting at a nearby lake area.
Praying for those folks who were not as fortunate as we have been.

Maybe tomorrow I will be rested enough that I can help someone besides myself.

May your Lenten reflections be blessed.

It is clear which candidate I favor.
Between now and November perhaps I can help you understand why I do.

VOTE on TUESDAY USA

2008-02-02T23:02:00.002-06:00

Our Nation needs YOUR VOTE.
Our Nation needs real, progressive and POSITIVE transformation.

I believe Barack Obama is the candidate who gives us the best hope of uniting and inspiring the nation to move in that direction.

I believe he also has the ability to restore America's dignity and standing as a member of the global community.

Millions of people are going to the polls this Tuesday to pick our Democratic nominee.

I hope you'll join me in voting for Obama.

My personal wish is for a power-packed team with Obama as president and Hillary as VP
Now that is not impossible... other presidents have chosen their opponents as VP .

Please don;t give us another 4 years of Republicans or Clintons in the White House. '
Give us a break.
Give us Barack.
I respect your right to hold a different view than mine,
but I do want you to know this is a carefully chosen message that I write tonight.

Carol Bellamy on Leadership and Peace

2008-01-23T10:25:00.000-06:00

Carol Bellamy, former head of UNICEF,

was a graduate of Gettysburg College.

So was I. We just went at different times.

In recent interviews on campus she spoke

on some really big global issues.

Most essential to my comments on

peace-making are

those regarding foreign study.

(A luxury I have never had in person,

but I knew it was important and

went out of my way to learn more a

bout many cultures with an open mind.)

A few of her remarks are shared here for your peace journey.

"...the globalized world we live in demands new competencies and techonology..."

Celebrity status sends stardom to developing countries.

Yet, Carol Bellamy adds,

"...people who carry both a first name and a last name can make a difference.

It's about choices,not celebrity DNA"

I like that.

I believe each one of us makes a difference everyday.

The choice is ours whether it is a good difference or not.

Carol continues:

..."people need to learn to listen, to learn to care,

to be tolerant of human views and to be intolerant of human suffering."

"Everybody has to make whatever their contribution is,

but I think we have to continue to try

to create an environment in which more attention

is paid to the quality of leadership --

government leadership, private-sector leadership, civil society leadership."

Carol reminds us that going global does not mean ignoring your immediate neighborhood.

"In the US, 1 of 4 kids is born below the poverty line."

She speaks of environmental issues with a different focus. And calls us to recognize that :

"Environmental issues are not just the prerogative of environmental agencies."

When natural disasters occur, the environmental degradation

is greater in countries with fewer protections.

The poorest people of our world live in some of the most fragile areas.

The fact that children of this world continue to die

from diseases or conditions that are preventable is deplorable.

~~~~

And so in the shadow of Martin Luther King Day, I beseech you

PAY ATTENTION.

Pay Attention to what your leaders are doing at all levels of government and society.

Pay Attention to more than celebrities and their pets or babies' names.

Pay Attention to what the presidential candidates have
done that MERITS more leadership responsibilities.

Pay Attention to what these candidates say they ARE doing
and WILL do to promote world peace and sustainability.

Pay Attention to their plans for reducing Global Climate Change.
If they have not told you yet, ASK.

In those everyday ways we can act for justice and make a difference.

A difference that will last beyond our lives.

A Great Man of Peace and Justice - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

2008-01-15T20:33:00.000-06:00

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today

"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major.

Say that I was a drum major for justice.

Say that I was a drum major for peace.

Say that I was a drum major for righteousness.

And all of the other shallow things will not matter.

I won't have any money to leave behind.

I won't have the fine and luxurious things in life to leave behind.

But I just want to leave a committed life behind.

And that's all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,

if I can cheer somebody with a word or song,

if I can show somebody he is traveling wrong,

then my living will not be in vain."

Excerpted from "The Drum Major Instinct", a sermon by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968.

Available on CD and print in

A Knock At Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

Indeed it is our lives and actions today that continue to MAKE a Difference.

===Let Peace Begin On Earth===

===And Let it Begin with Me. ===

I first heard this song in Wilmington Delaware in 1970 at Gray Elementary School

and it touched my heart and changed my life.

It was this experience with inner-city schools and the children who live there

that planted the seeds of non-violence firmly in my heart.

This many years later.

I see some changes. I some improvements. I see some losses.

And yet... the hope for the future has not failed...

it simply requires more people working for peace

by living with hearts of justice and compassion.

One day at a time.

Bottle Houses in Bolivia

2008-01-06T23:21:00.000-06:00

Go ahead and make a house of sand that will work as low income housing and reduce plastic waste disposal problems.

These people did. Peace on earth begins with each person and when one thinks outside the box to solve a problem it helps all of us.

New Year and New thinking

2008-01-03T23:27:00.001-06:00

Michael Dowd's book is an exceptional leap to link science and religion at a time when the world continues to debate the issues of global warming and religious wars.

I agree with him when he says

"A sacred evolutionary worldview offers a way for people to make peace with
themselves, each other, and the planet, and no gift could be greater than that
right now.
If this book doesn't end the science and religion war, it's certainly a MAJOR step in the right direction! "
If you don't read it, at least watch the fantastic video trailer for the book! It is a short story of the universe. A very short story.
One path to peace is recognition of our oneness. This story expresses that well.
So, live well. Take action for peace and justice in your part of the world today.

New Year and New Lives

2007-12-27T00:57:00.000-06:00

YOU are responsible for YOUR life.

Look at it.

Is Your Marriage doing as well as you wish it would?

Is your LIFE on track?

What new resolutions do you plan to make

to improve YOUR life and contribute to a better world?

What ARE YOU DOING to show that you CARE?

Christmas 2007

2007-12-18T22:02:00.000-06:00

Joy to the World

The Christ Child has Come.

What is it to the world today if the Prince of Peace was born 2000 years ago if I cannot bring some of this peace into my life today? My call to live a life dedicated to peace on earth.

Christmas and Jesus and You

2007-12-01T22:57:00.000-06:00

What if the baby Jesus sent you a letter instead of Santa?
What might he say? If anyone asked me, I know what I would say.

For example, I am thinking of a disillusioned young adult or teenager who has misplaced the meaning of Christmas or maybe never found meaning in it.
+ + +
AS IF from JESUS:
I am thinking of you today and figured it would be good if you KNEW it! All the gang is busy with parents and relatives and getting ready for Christmas. Right? Whatever. . . Tune out and plug in earbuds. . .

So Listen up. Today, I decided to tell you a little more about my first night as a baby boy. I mean, there I was all cool and sacred hanging around with my father (GOD) and the prophets (like Moses and Elijah) and angels. And GOD decides it’s THE time to change the world AGAIN!

I mean, like, WHY ME? Why not Michael theArchAngel? Or one of the retired prophets? But before I could ask, there I was in Bethlehem lying flat on my back discovering what a human feels like.

WHOA! I seem to know everything I need to know but here I am inside this baby boy’s body. WOW. I even have to learn HOW to use my eyes- you know – they open and close and move around a lot! And my hand is in my face a lot.

I sure can smell a lot in this stable. Stinky feet. Sweat. Animals. People. Poop. Even ME. It is amazing. We all have our own smells.

Like, here I am looking up at the bright shining light in the night sky while the people around me are sleeping and something nudges my head. Hey, it even licks my head! I look up and see the underside of a furry head that is bigger than my BODY! Holy Whatever!

I don’t remember any prophet telling about this! But it’s a friendly and grateful donkey. The odd thing is, this donkey is sniffing me and I even know how it feels. He is so happy he almost glows in this light. He is the one who carried me and my mother Mary all the way to Bethlehem. He is grateful for a rest. WHOA. What a story he has told me, without any words. I feel loved and safe even with all these other animals looking down at me and sniffing. Of course, I sniffed back.

Mary heard them moving around and looked into my manger bed. Oh My, is she ever glowing and beautiful! She has a radiant smile for me and picks me up. My tiny hands feel the rough cloth she wears and it is a lot different than the soft cloth she wrapped around me.

I am not sure if I smiled, but she did. And we both felt happy and sad. We both felt loved and safe, for now. Somehow, we both new my life as a human would be different and sometimes hard. So we both cherished these moments when I was an infant.
Hey, you know, there is so much more I could tell you. But what I want you to know today in the middle of all the crazy stuff that happens is that I love you today and I always will.

You know, I am one friend who will be there always. My world as a human was a lot different than yours is, but you would be surprised to know how much of what you feel, I have already felt! My life was real. Edit THAT! I AM real.

Be cool and remember that Christmas is my birthday, okay? Even if others forget, or maybe never knew. Sure, you can tell them if you want, how else will they know? Show them where to learn more about me. Show them a Bible or a website if you want, but pay attention, there are a lot of ‘crazies ‘out there, you know the ‘false prophets’. Take a look at the book of Luke in Chapter 2 for the story about my birthday.

Go ahead and trust me. GOD loves you and so do I.
Your loving friend,
Jesus
+ + +
Well, that is how I imagine it would sound today. You can send those friends a card in the real mail if you want to. Just go here and I will give them a real message too.
http://whatifjesus.com

The Mad Run to Christmas

2007-11-27T23:32:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the Mad Christmas run is only topped by the feverish deer hunting season in the mountains.

People seem focussed on ONE thing. There is a glaze in their eyes. Something like the look of deer in headlights...frozen in place. Unless they are running.

It is a paradox for me. I am In it and I am out of it simultaneously.

My income is related to sales at this time of year, so I am very INTO it.

Yet my personal priorities call me to approach this season from a different perspective.

I sell Letters from Santa. . .

I wondered what would happen IF everyone received a Letter from JESUS!

I offer an alternative to the flood of Santa with imaginary Letters from Jesus ...

Ask for a Letter from Jesus
It will be personalized with the information you provide.

Just let me know before the rush.
Orders placed after December 18 may be delayed.
There is an EarlyBird Discount 20%
AND a special promotion for Sister Bloggers. Buy one get one free!

For every card you purchase I will send a card to a random person on my special needs list.

Standard cost for your personalized card is $9.95 including postage.
Payable by Paypal for your convenience. Go to the Order Page Here.

Let us Say Thanks

2007-11-20T22:34:00.000-06:00

First I want to apologize for the numbers in yesterdays article on the Bangladesh cyclone. There are MANY MANY more people who have been displaced, lost, injured or killed than the message indicated.

NOW. I want to share something YOU can DO that will encourage you to express YOUR gratitude. That is what Thanksgiving is about.

Apparently Xerox has a site you can go to, at the title link , where you can choose a postcard to sent to someone in the military to express your thanks for their service.

It does not matter if you agree with the politics or the economics or the war in Iraq. What DOEs matter is that our men and women are putting their lives on the line every hour of every day while they serve in the military.

I believe thanking them for their service is a simple thing to do and this site makes it easier yet.

Choose your child-made postcard and then follow the instructions to send your card by real mail.
You can choose your message or write one of your own. You will not know who receives the mail so in a way it is like a random act of kindness.

http://www.letssaythanks.com/

And that simple act of thanksgiving is in itself an act of peace.

LETS get REAL with PEACE

2007-11-03T00:02:00.000-06:00

As November rolls by, I begin to separate. . . like one part of me is in touch with what is happening around me... and the other part is what I wish I could see happening around me.

One side sees the commercial version and the other side sees the valuable version as I see it.

Besides, I still have the calendar on October in my room and I just noticed it today. duh.

The anguish of the unfinished tasks of this year lies heavy upon me though no one can ascribe guilt to me for any of it. . .except maybe for not changing my calendar. :-)

Distressing News and yet another crisis from Nature calls upon us to be generous again and again with our hearts and minds and if possible our bodies and wallets.

See the devastation in Bangladesh from the Cyclone. Notice the situation in Myanmar has not been resolved and yet even more children are killed by suicide bombers in Iraq.

Let us each give thanks for the tiny bit of peace in our hearts and lives, whenever we can find it.

And then let us each DO something tangible to BE PEACE and promote peace in our lives, our homes, our towns, villages, nations and our world. It will take people to change themselves.
We can influence and encourage, but no one can actually change another person.

Perhaps that is a part of the Gospel message. Rather than preaching the LAW at people, we need to get better at living the Gospel with forgiveness.

October is here

2007-10-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

The world rushes by and suddenly September is history.

Now it is mid-October and I almost wonder what happened.

Well, I KNOW what happened. There was a family illness and that
knocked us all out of normal everyday awareness.

But the differences in our locations became very dramatic when
I got a letter saying. . . Fall is Over. And here, I am in
ALabama saying . . . Fall is just starting.

How simple it is when we keep in touch with the earth around us.

How complicated we make our lives when we do not give attention
to the simple things around us.

The crisis in Myanmar continues and has its waves of forward AND
backward movement.

Now we have a Nobel Prize winner who has championed the cause of the planet!

Kudos to Al Gore for sticking with it. Kudos to The Nobel Prize Committee for
being attuned to this significant world wide event.

I am reading about An earlier Nobel Prize winner... John Nash. THe math guy.
It has taught me more about systems and policies and the influence of mathematics on my life than I ever thought I would know or need to know. You know the book?
A Beautiful Mind. You may know it as the movie. It is worth reading. And perhaps seeing.

As many songs go... so do the seasons come and go.

If we give attention to each passing moment while it is here, even if time flies fast, we shall not have missed it. We may not NOTICE it, but we will have experienced it as fully as we could.

I think if we spend more time in THIS moment and less time arguing about the
NEXT moment all of us would have more peaceful and less stressful lives.

Myanmar Update

2007-09-30T21:42:00.000-05:00

Sunday Update

-------------------------------------------------------
Actions speak louder than words. BE Peace today.
And how we treat our children speaks loudly and clearly about our values and our future.
-----------------------------------------------------

Burma boils -Myanmar protests

2007-09-29T17:28:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS THIS PLACE? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
WHERE ARE THEY?

Do You Care? When DO human rights affect YOU?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------

------------------------------------
Pray for our brothers and sisters all around the world.

Responding to protests with violence only feeds more violence and fuels the fires of discontent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Following Sunday

2007-09-26T11:29:00.000-05:00

Well. The following Sunday, I was not feeling well, so I did not go to church or Sunday School.

The teen who normally teaches that class had returned. All was well.

I was surprised when she told me how much they

enjoyed the class
learned in the class
wanted to know when I would be back.

She may have just been polite, but she seemed to think they really learned something that will stick. Interesting. One never knows.

Soon tutoring will begin and for sure, one never knows about that either.

Sometimes the best I can do is try to keep the PEACE.

I taught Sunday School

2007-09-14T23:40:00.001-05:00

The teen who was leading this age group - grades 2-4- was going to be away that weekend.

I said OK. Then I thought- right - what to teach- what has she been doing?

Well, I know the children from our Vacation Bible School program this summer, so there are
no real surprises there.

So, since they talked about Jonah and the Whale the week before, I decided to do the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.

I had fun preparing all the possible variations on the themes. Be sure to have a "coloring" activity. This group is mostly girls(it turned out to be mostly 4th graders too). Good grief!

I DO REMEMBER 4th grade! AND 3rd grade!

I had about 3 days worth of activities planned for this hour!( but I knew it). I just wanted to be ready to "go with the flow" since I had not worked in the Sunday School venue for years.

So there we go, I have made paper cut-outs for pencil puppets. (ask me what that means)
I have multi-colored terry cloth squares to "possibly" make a large coat of many colors.
I have a bright yellow t-shirt as a base. And I have read every imaginable variation of the story.
AND selected which one to use for a reading from the Bible.

I think "this is good for me- I am really studying this story and how it connects with everything... in history... in scripture... in this time... and with these children and with me". cool.

I wonder how they will respond. YES. I remember MY 4th grade class.

I asked them "What did you learn last week?' to a collection of blank stares.

I adapted: "What story did miss r. teach you last sunday?"

OH. Now comes some recognition. It was something about the dude with the whale.
Yeah, the guy the whale ate but didn't eat. What was his name? Oh yeah, Jonah. Jonah and the whale.

I think. Great. The best retention we MIGHT see from this lesson will be 'the dude with the coat that had lots of colors'.

And I had such great hopes. Not realistic, mind you, but great, nonetheless.

We got as far as coloring the picture, telling the story with the paper puppets and reading the memory verse once. Long before we got THAT far, the third grade girl was restless and on her trip to the bathroom she discovered that the other classes were done, so we should be too.

Ah. Sunday morning is a LOT different than summer VBS.
The only 2nd grader was a boy, who told his mother, the girls were rude, and he already knew the story. The restless third grader told her grandmother... (in response to: what did you learn today?)don't dump your brother in a pit or he will be sold to slaves.
Grandma adapted... What story was that? child replied... the dude with the coat of many colors.

And I went home with my multi-colored cloths and t-shirt and unfinished fun activities wondering which would have been better for them.

Maybe I did not really remember REAL 4th grade. I only remembered MY 4th grade.

Lesson learned. I hope miss r. does not go away again for a while.

Oh, I almost forgot. The lesson was all about brothers and only one of them had any brothers, so at first they did not see how it fit them.

Oh Yes. Two girls were swapping shoes but only one was doing it by consent. hm?
So we had a talk about personal property, sitting in one's own space and being jealous of someone else's shoes... how close is that to being jealous of your brother's coat? Would you sell each other into slavery because they had nicer shoes than you?

How we make our decisions everyday... this really can make a difference in our world.
Think peace.
Be peace.

Life Without Limbs?

2007-08-05T22:24:00.000-05:00

Wow. I shared Hour of Power with my Mother last night.

Now that is not very unusual. What IS out of the ordinary was the guest speaker. A young man from Australia with boundless energy and spirit, Nick Vujicic, kept us on the edge of our seats.

This is a message about hope, about inner peace, about joy from the inside out, about life without limits.

This young fellow has a fantastic sense of humor, is well read, articulate and is currently touring the US. If you have the chance to see and hear him, it is well worth your effort.
Ma and I have not stopped referring to him or his message since we saw it last night.( of course, we took time out for sleeping and other things too!)

Nick puts a totally fresh perspective on the concept of DISABILITY in some ways like my friend
Mary Louise St. John, OSB, who used to refer to the concept of disability as inaccurate.
It is more accurate to refer to people as "temporarily able" because at any moment any one of us may find ourselves in different circumstances with diminished capacity of some kind.
I agreed with her, particularly as we all began to age.

Yet, when a person is BORN with a particular condition or illness, as she was(muscular dystrophy) and Nick was(no arms or legs), their perception of what is possible often exceeds what the average person imagines. To learn to live WITH something from the start requires a powerful commitment and deep faith to carry-on with everyday living. To experience diminishing capacity as a consequence of aging or accident really IS different and requires a different kind of response to continue. The faith and commitment are both needed, yet, they may not be readily available to the recently disabled.

I think of our returning vets, in particular. Their limb loss is often linked to violence and wartime atrocities. It gives them yet another hurdle to jump to reach the kind of limitless life that Nick demonstrates as he preaches. The coping , pain and attitude adjustments are not to be belittled in either case. Simply different approaches.

My Mother kept referring back to what it must have been like for Nick's MOTHER when she gave birth to a boy with no arms and no legs. Yet, after the initial shock, they did not give up.

I invite you to visit Nick's site and see what I am talking about. It may do YOU a world of good too.
Spread the word. God has a purpose for you too. Let it be filled with peace and real joy.

Yes, even as we hold the families of the Minneapolis Bridge collapse victims in our hearts and minds, let us embrace the bigger picture of peace beyond comprehension.
As my friend seeks peace tonight without HER best friend beside her, too.
As we face another HOT and rain-free week in the deep south, let us be mindful of the gifts we have been given and strive to use them well.

Life Without Limbs :: From life without limbs, to life without limits - Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker and has a non-profit organization that is spreading the message of hope around the world.

What do you say when a friend dies?

2007-08-04T11:50:00.000-05:00

Now I cannot answer that for you. I can only sometimes answer that for me.

In this case, our friend Jim was suffering and it can only be considered a blessing for him to be granted relief from that.

We still feel his absence and the loss. It was rather swift. We only heard about his raging illness a few months ago.

It brings up a world of sadness in me to go through this with his wife.

You see the cancer that stole him from us is the kind of cancer that is very hard to detect. It is the kind that my own father had and by the time we discovered it, it was quite advanced. The same is true for young Jim.

I was fortunate. The cancer that stole part of me was fast and detected early.
We were able to get rid of it quickly and yet, the struggle and recovery were not to be diminished in importance.

CANCER Steals from us. Cancer Kills.
It appears to be peaceful but that is deceptive. It may be silent at first, but this silence is not peace. It is a harbinger of death and disease.

Be aware. Be alert.

Take good care of yourself. You only have one life to live as I know it. You only have one body(exceptions are possible for various parts).

Notice the difference between the silence of Peace and the silence of death.

Do your part to live a life of Peace.

Protest in Senate about Hindu Prayer

2007-07-13T01:04:00.000-05:00

Is this what being Christian is about?

I hope NOT.

I Think NOT.

I believe NOT.

While the intentions of these protesters may be to defend a perceived abuse of the First Commandment et. al. . . . Their choice to protest another believer's act of prayer or worship IS an infringement of THEIR right to freedom of religion in the very country they are being so concerned about.

There are about 2 million Indian Americans in the US many are Hindus. Many are NOT.

Whatever happened to "your huddled masses yearning to be free"?

7.7. 07

2007-07-07T22:34:00.000-05:00

777

Global Warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation into the future. Global Warming

I prefer the phrase Global Climate Change.

Your political preferences are of little consequence unless you remember that the "personal is political" and the "political is personal".

July 7 2007 may be remembered in Las Vegas for its lucky numbers the 777 jackpot.

Yet on a broader scale, it may be noted as the day LIVE EARTH( http://www.liveearth.org/ ) took Global Warming to a new level of global awareness to billions of people. I hope so.

I want to share a video with you. I hope it takes here ok.

Independence Day

2007-07-06T01:52:00.000-05:00

In America we celebrate the 4th of July as Independence Day.

Flags, Patriotic music, Parades, Fireworks and summer festivals highlight the day.

As I watched the fireworks on my street, I heard the echoes of the National Anthem in my mind. .

."o'er the ramparts we watched ...and the rockets
... the bombs bursting .... gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there..."

The galaxy has our best fireworks

and I wept for our military still at work in faraway places doing exactly that

while we applauded colorful displays at home.

Later I watched parts of two programs on television which gave renewed perspective on our nation's Independence: The Howards of Virginia and 1776.

The freedom which our founders sought was not achieved by peaceful means.

The grandiose promises and dreams expressed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia certainly gave us some lofty goals and eloquent aspirations.

Yet, a close look at the history of that time reveals much struggle. Even among the most peaceful people. (I am thinking of John and Abigail Adams)

Peace is not easy. It is rarely demonstrated in the everyday world.

Peacemakers are called to remember the reasons for peace,

the alternatives for peace. And the consequences of continued strife.

Perhaps in 200 years plus, Americans can

become more peaceful people if we work on it.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God"

Matthew 5: 9

Who Thinks Peace?

2007-06-02T15:08:00.000-05:00

Vacation Bible School.

Hmph.

Why do my friends think I am a martyr for teaching VBS?

Maybe because you could not pay them to do it. But that is not their gift and I know it. Mine is sharing what I love with people who I love. Where is the martyr in that?

Perhaps because in some parts of the world Christians are persecuted it seems risky to teach such controversial topics as Love, Mercy, Truth, Peace or Compassion.

I suppose even more subversive is to teach the process of making peace. That is also much harder to do. Perhaps the best we can do is to create climates where people learn to prefer peaceful solutions. And then we can begin to lead them toward creating peaceful alternatives.

One step at a time. But some of us have to take more steps to keep up.

Teaching children about Bible stories and history and geography surely gave a fresh perspective on situations in the Middle East.

Did Jesus get blisters on his feet from walking all over the Holy Land? Hm.

It also reminded me of the LAST time I taught VBS.

I was 15 years old and things were very different then. We did not use hi tech videos or DVDs to launch each day. I wonder if we anticipate short attention spans by building programs that only allow for twenty minutes together for each activity. I know it would seem Luddite to use a chalkboard and construction paper on a corkboard for the lesson, but I found myself wondering how much of the drama was really needed for a personal interaction with the children about faith.

Given a few extra minutes and a little less technology perhaps we could have a smaller footprint on our planet and a greater impact on our hearts and minds.

Why? Because we worked harder for it. Now there is a model for simplicity in a VBS setting. THAT seems like an oxymoron in this world of competitive marketing for our children's time. But maybe that is what we need to do more often.

Earthling Alert- Global Climate Change Action

2007-04-13T01:22:00.000-05:00

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE is an environmental issue AND a Social Justice issue.

It is a more appropriate phrase to describe what happens when the temperature of the planet rises. We tend to think in terms of global warming and that does not convey the breadth of the problem. It is a LOT more like weather disruption or climatic chaos.

Find out more and Step it up with Global Action on a local level.
The message is Step it up Congress. Make 2007 a significant time of proactive and preventive changes for the people and all life on planet Earth.

The event is nationwide on April 14. Saturday.
Find one near you. Go and Support it. Tell your friends. And any other Earthlings you know.

Now its about Pancakes

2007-03-03T09:40:00.000-06:00

Maple syrup, Maple sugar, maple creme. All the tasty delights of March recalled. Just drip a little syrup on some fresh white snow and it is better than ice cream.

But Wait. This is the wrong century. That snow might have air pollutants in it. And that snow might not even be there in March when the Maple trees should be finishing up their sap runs!

For centuries people have tapped into the sweet sugar maple trees, particularly in New England where crisp clear winters have been so common for so long. Since the early 1970's winter temperatures in the NorthEast have gone up about 2 degrees overall. This can hurt the maple syrup business. Good golly it can hurt the MAPLE TREES themselves!

As the climate changes, trees may no longer be able to live in these regions. Some scientists predict the weather in New England is likely to be more like Virginia in the not too distant future. We will have to get our maple syrup from CANADA if we still can. We get a lot of it from there now.

“You might be tempted to say, well that’s a bunch of baloney — global warming,” said Mr. Morse, drilling his first tap holes this season in mid-February, as snow hugged the maples and Vermont braced for a record snowfall. “But the way I feel, we get too much warm. How many winters are we going to go with Decembers turning into short-sleeve weather, before the maple trees say, ‘I don’t like it here any more?’ ”

With climate change affecting tree species like this, I wonder what kind of trees will live in VIrginia or Alabama. Maybe I will choose to retire somewhere else, if I still have a choice by then.

What does this have to do with P E A C E ? Well, among other things, climate change that influences habitats for plants and animals will also be affecting crops and people. The interest and need to migrate to cooler locations is likely to become another border issue. The Air around our planet has no civic boundaries. Likewise, the temperature is no respector of political interests. In our recent past, when humans and nature have clashed it has been human nature to conquer nature, to control the problems, exterminate the pests, and so on.

I wonder when we shall learn that living WITH nature is healthier for all of us. . . plants... animals... and even humans! Particularly humans who stive to live in harmony with each other.

Peace be with you dear friends in this season of Lent. There is a pancake supper somewhere today. Enjoy one if you can.

Help Stop Global Climate Change

2007-02-26T23:08:00.000-06:00

You CAN Make A Difference.

I quote an email I received today.

" The Boxer-Sanders Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 80% by the year 2050. Tell your senators to support it.

Last night's victory for An Inconvenient Truth at the Academy Awards is bringing new attention to the urgent problem of global climate change. It follows closely the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which predicts a very dangerous warming of several degrees Fahrenheit in coming decades if we do not change our present course.

Renewed attention to this issue couldn't come at a better time, as the new Congress in Washington -- after years of inaction -- now seems ready to address the problem. Senators Boxer (D-CA) and Sanders (I-VT) have just introduced the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007, which will achieve 80 percent emission reductions (from 1990 levels) by 2050, and provide strong incentives for renewable energy development.

Tell your senators: support the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007!

Climate change caused by global warming does not mean that all areas of the earth will get a little warmer. Instead, the consequences can best be thought of as "climate destabilization" -- stronger storms, longer droughts, deeper freezes, and more extreme heat waves -- with catastrophic results for human life all over the planet.

The United States, which is responsible for approximately 25% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, bears a special responsibility to start addressing this issue as soon as possible. It's long past time for Congress to take action.

Click here to tell your senators: support the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act.

Please share this message with everyone you know

who is concerned about the future of our planet.
Thank you for working to build a better world.

Will EastonManager, ActForChange.com Working Assets "

Alabama Springtime

2007-02-25T16:23:00.000-06:00

It is springtime in Alabama. One of the best times of year here.
Daffodils and crocuses are blooming. Folks are planting or tilling or spreading manure on the fields.

A time to green up the place and get ready to roll into the busy growing season.
That is, if you are a farmer.

But is it not also true that springtime is a good time for each of us to refresh and renew our goals and commitments? I think so.

Especially in these times of chaos and wars around the world.

Time again to affirm there IS hope and peace and new growth in this world of ours.

Soon it will be the season of MUD and we may not feel quite as joyful. So celebrate the sun today and accept the gifts from the universe and look for your fresh spring greens. Enjoy.

One Degree is what it is about

2007-01-30T15:49:00.000-06:00

About Action. One Degree is what it takes.

So you already KNOW about Global Warming. And you THINK you know everything you need to know.

I accept that.
But sometimes what we THINK we know is not always enough. Do your believe your sources?

Did you learn enough "science" in school(or after) to understand the multitude of issues and possible effects on our home planet? Maybe.

What does it have to do with PEACE? Think a little.
I shall return to that question on another day.

Meanwhile do think about what YOU can do to reduce global warming today.
The fellow who wrote the article about 1 degree has some good ideas that go well beyond wearing buttons or t-shirts to proclaim your dedication or conviction.

Sure, he has his site to promote too, but beneath that lies some clever ideas worth taking the time to consider.

You might even decide to take some action and THAT would be a good thing for all peace-makers to do!

Tell your friends and colleagues too.
Send them a postcard from you.
Ask me how.

Soaring Eagles

2007-01-26T21:20:00.000-06:00

Benjamin Franklin may have had something good going on when he recommended the wild turkey as our American symbol instead of the eagle. Certainly sightings of turkeys in the eastern woodland are more common than sightings of eagles.

But seeing an adult eagle soar overhead and then "crashdive" to the surface of a lake to catch a fish with its feet. . . now that is inspiration. I say "crashdive" because that is somewhat descriptive, it is neither but both.

This is the season for wintering eagles in northern Alabama. I observed this meal in process at Lake Guntersville State Park.
Today. Nice.

There is an easy trail that also offers good eagle viewing possibilities- Cutchen Mine Trail. It is mostly level with orange blazes. Winter is the best time to hike here. With the leaves down the views of the lake(and birds) are really fine.
Summertime is too hot and humid for me to enjoy hiking in this part of the country.

That is nice, but why tell you here at a PEACE PLACE?
Well, I felt peaceful and serene in that place and the eagles were such symbols of freedom that I just connected them together. Peace. Freedom. Soaring. Eagles.

Yes, even Eagles eat. Watching the capture of its meal was more than enough to delight this observer. I was grateful it flew into the marshy grass area to eat it out of sight.

Give Peace

2007-01-19T14:29:00.000-06:00

It is nearly Saturday again.

Where does the week go?

Today I simply want to share another Peace site with you.

I was searching for something to celebrate a friend's birthday.

And ran across the codepink4peace site.

A good visit. Perhaps you will like it too.

A Great Man of Peace and Justice - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

2007-01-15T12:16:00.000-06:00

Today take some time to Remember and Honor

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major.
Say that I was a drum major for justice.
Say that I was a drum major for peace.
Say that I was a drum major for righteousness.
And all of the other shallow things will not matter.
I won't have any money to leave behind.
I won't have the fine and luxurious things in life to leave behind.
But I just want to leave a committed life behind.
And that's all I want to say.
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
if I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
if I can show somebody he is traveling wrong,
then my living will not be in vain."

Excerpted from "The Drum Major Instinct", a sermon by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968. Available on CD and print in A Knock At Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

Indeed it is our lives and actions today that continue to MAKE a Difference.

Let Peace Begin On Earth
And Let it Begin with Me.
I first heard this song in Wilmington Delaware in 1970 at Gray Elementary School and it touched my heart and changed my life.
It was this experience with inner-city schools that planted the seeds of non-violence firmly in my heart.

NO More Troops Rally

2007-01-12T01:00:00.000-06:00

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, NOW CONGRESS MUST ACT.

United for Peace and Justice has produced bold, attention-getting stickers that highlight the Bush Administration's lies about Iraq and the vast toll those lies have taken in human lives.

With more than 6000 civilians and over 240 U.S. soldiers killed in this illegal and unjustified war, it's time to raise the volume of protest.

They are making these eye-catching stickers available at cost: $25 per 500 (the minimum order) plus $5 for shipping and handling. At this price, you can spread the message far and wide.

To order, send a check made payable to "United for Peace and Justice" at: United for Peace and Justice P.O. Box 607 Times Square Station New York, NY 10108 Be sure to include your shipping address and the number of stickers you're ordering.

* ** * * * ** * * * * * * *

What's Bush's "new course" in Iraq?

Thousands more troops, billions more dollars -- a massive increase in the waste of lives and money in a war that can't be won and never should have happened.

It is past time to say NO.

The overwhelming majority of people in this country want this war to end now.

It is time to bring the troops -- all the troops -- home.

This Saturday, all across the country, people will voice their outrage at Bush's plans to escalate the war.

The Next Step - Saturday, January 27th More than ever, we need Congress to follow the will of the voters, take bold action, and cut off the funds for this war! We urgently need your help in spreading the word about the massive, politically crucial peace march in Washington, D.C., being planned for Saturday, January 27.

Go through your email address book today and forward this message to everyone you know who might possibly come to Washington on January 27 .

Post information about the January 27 mobilization on every email list, website, and blog.
Write a letter to your local newspaper about the protest.
Call a local radio program.
Spread the word today about January 27 and help
Create a peace march so massive and so powerful that it cannot be ignored.

Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/ for up-to-the-minute details on the January 27 antiwar march and January 29 Grassroots Lobby Day.
************************************************************

Huntsville, Alabama

Weekly Peace Rally 11:00 AM Each Saturday

North Alabama Peace Network (NAPN) holds a Peace Rally every Saturday at 11AM, at the intersection of Airport Road and Whitesburg Drive in Huntsville. We start gathering at 10:45AM, and usually meet for lunch afterwards. Bring a sign, a friend and a peaceful spirit. For more information, contact the NAPN coordinators: NAPN@knology.net.

Mobile, Alabama

Out of Iraq! Saturday, January 27th 2007 Noon

We will line the streets with signs to protest the Iraq War.

************************************************************

peace place

2007-01-08T14:31:00.000-06:00

peace place

hello friends. it is a chilly but beautiful day in North Alabama.

for a few brief moments on the hillside overlooking the farm,
it feels like peace is possible.

life is rich with surprises and some are more joyful than others.

perspective is so essential.

look at the headlines
Saddam. Sudan. Saban.
And they all seem to have equal importance.

Although it appears that Saban is most important right now.

perspective.

I saw the movie pursuit of happyness yesterday.

Well done Will Smith.
Well done to the people whose lives were integral to the story.
Thanks for sharing a powerful yet pain filled true story.

peace, perhaps it is pursued just as happyness is.

Happy New Year

2006-12-31T22:52:00.000-06:00

Okay Happy New Year

Hope it is a healthy, prosperous and peaceful one for you and yours.

2006 in Review

2006-12-30T23:18:00.000-06:00

Good grief.

Who knows what to say today?

Why do we keep killing people to teach them not to kill people?

Does the violence never end?

In our words, our works, and our choices every day
we do violence to ourselves and to others.

In one spot on our planet today they hung a despot - Saddam.
Soldiers and civilians died on the streets in the same country.

On the other side of the world, a nation mourns a past president - Gerald Ford.
Yet, some ask why lower the flag for a guy who was president so long ago?
Why not lower it every day that a US soldier or civilian is killed by violent action?
Hm. Would it ever fly high?

In another place an elderly woman folds laundry to get things in order
for the coming year. All clean and fresh.

Somewhere else a teenager contemplates suicide. Another gets drunk.
Another gets high. Yet another gets pregnant.

A child is abused, a wife is beaten. A store is robbed.
A grandmother weeps over her ailing grandchild.
And the news goes on and on.

A black preacher enlivens a group of white teenagers in a rural southern town. And a dozen or more young people step forward for prayer or conversion. And the band plays on.

WAIT. This is different. A welcome change in the midst of all the bad news.
An act of peace. An act of worship. An act of praise.
A protest against violence against each other and ourselves.
A call to be the best we have been called to be.
Thank you Brandon and Marcie for sharing God's gifts with us tonight.

Perhaps in some way this is a balance in our universe.
One by one barriers are broken.
This probably could not have happened 30 years ago in Alabama.
So we are blessed by this little ripple of faith exposed and hearts stretched tonight.

"If today you hear God's voice, harden not your heart."

Make Joyful Noise

2006-12-23T13:08:00.000-06:00

Make a Joyful Noise.

I know the favorite song for Christmas is Silent Night.

But I think the angels were winging and singing loud enough for all to hear.

So. Make a joyful Noise.
Go tell it on the mountain.

Let Peace begin with us- - - each of us- - -

this year

Let Christmas-time be the jumpstart to change our hateful and negative attitudes.

Choose to make a difference for ONE person today.

When you see how good THAT feels, do it again tomorrow for TWO.

What Kids Think

2006-12-22T21:46:00.000-06:00

What kids think

Reading Santa letters is a sobering and humorous adventure.

Sobering because it illustrates the intensity of consumerism at the earliest of ages. The number and complexity of the gift requests is staggering.

Yet, it is amusing to see these charmers telling their tales as they wrestle with belief and disbelief.

One that I treasure today is the question about:

How DOES Santa get all the way around the world in one night to every house?
Well, answers ranged from magic to fast raindear to good weather to Christmas spirit and then there was one that stood out.
A Touch of Science.
The child said.
He doesn't. It is night on our side of the world when it is day on the other side, so he only does half of the world in one night.
Now why didn't I think of that?
Prepare the way for Christmas Day.

Winter Solstice Time

2006-12-20T23:37:00.000-06:00

As we approach the Winter Solstice, we welcome snowy nights and warm fireside chats and hot cocoa.

Understanding Solstice is central to understanding seasons on our planet.

The proximity to Christmas makes it even more interesting.

Essentially the Winter Solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It happens during December 20-21. LIKE now.

I like to light some candles, since I have no fireplace here. And sit quietly in the night, if it is warm enough, I will be outside enjoying the moon and reflecting on people who have been doing this for ages and ages.

Sometimes, when the weather is nice, I will sing or dance in the yard as a celebration of the winter season.

For me, this is a ritual that feels more important than the calendar New Year. Why? Because the Solstice is directly connected to our planet's relationship to others in the galaxy and the New Year is simply a calendar issue.

For more information about what a Solstice is, use the title to link to another site packed with good information.

Who Started Christmas?

2006-12-16T15:04:00.000-06:00

Who Started Christmas?

(if you do not know the story, click on the title and read it.)

A woman was Christmas shopping with her two children.

After many hours of walking down row after row of toys
and after hours of hearing both her children asking for
everything they saw on those many shelves,
she finally made it to the store elevator

with her two children in hand.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season:

getting that perfect gift for every single person,
overwhelming pressure to go to every party,
every housewarming,
taste all the holiday food and treats,
making sure we don't forget anyone.

Finally the elevator doors opened revealing a crowd in the car.

She pushed her way in and dragged her two kids
and all her bags of stuff in with her .

As the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and blurted out,
"Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up, and shot."
From the back of the car, a quiet calm voice responded,

"Don't worry, we've already crucified Him."

The rest of the trip down was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Remember to keep Christmas in perspective.

Keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every

thought, deed, purchase, and word.

If we all would, just think how much better this world would be.

Jesus is the HEART of the season.

Wise men still seek Him.

Wise women do too.

Peace on Earth and Good Will to All People.

On Time

2006-12-14T22:27:00.000-06:00

The Christmas Crunch
On time.
On time.
In a hurry.
No patience.
Long lines.
Buy Buy Buy and then go to a party and then back to buy some more.
That sure seems to be what Christmas has become for so many people.

Do we even remember to take time for the joys of the season?

Why not toss a pebble into the seasonal sea and create an alternative
peace-filled ripple?

I observed some of that ripple effect yesterday at Wally...

Everyone was restless ... so was I.. the lines were moving slow.

So, to calm myself I thought.

"I knew there would be lines.
I KNEW there would be lines.
Lines mean wait.
So Wait.
No one else needs to be on time except Santa and the Train Engineer."

Except, I said the last line outloud.

Wow.

For three lines around it seemed like TIME stopped and everyone was looking at me
with either bemused or amused or annoyed fexpressions.

The lady in front of me said: Now There's and Attitude for ya!

Remarkable.

I smiled with some surprise that I said it out loud and repeated it.

You know it really is true:

No one else REALLY needs to be on time except Santa and the Train Engineer,You
know the engineer on the Polar Express-- The one whose watch says ON Time/ Late/ Almost or Early.
She smiled. Yes, I saw that movie. No I did not remember the watch. Cute.

But by then the atmosphere had changed, the energy was no longer gloomy and impatient.
It was almost as if folks shifted focus and were trying to think of something else besides the lines... Maybe they were thinking of my absurd statement.

Maybe not. I will not ever know. But it certainly had a transforming effect.

I felt a lot more relaxed and calm for the duration of my wait.
Almost buoyant.

Try doing something like that this week.
Disrupt the CRUNCH of the commercial corners in our lives.

Spread some peace and good will.
Yes.
Even good humor

The By-products (BUY) of Christmas

2006-12-10T00:47:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Dr. Robert Schuller at the Hour of Power tonight,

I am inspired to shift my focus and share my recent reflections.

Enough of the prelude.

Santa Claus Is a BY- Product of Christmas and

has in recent years become a BUY Product of the Holiday Season.

Sometimes this transformation has been at the expense of

the REAL reason we celebrate Christmas.

Is it easier to believe in Santa than it is to believe in God? Maybe.

Is it easier to BE Santa than to BE God? Sure it is.

Santa is only responsible for your " happiness" for one night or day every year.

HE can prepare for it for another 364 days before he gets another chance to "get it right".

God, on the other hand, is responsible for EVERYTHING.

So weather and health and all the other gifts of our lives

every day of our lives are NOT from Santa? Right.

God has more to do than Santa and all of his elves.

That is such a cool perspective.

How amazing it is that we are even able to put

them in the same sentence without censure.

So, the story of the trees and evergreens

and Advent candles and Rudolph all get jumbled together

in a commercial morass which is often deplorable and sometimes worse.

If we are true to the genuine Christmas,

we can shine light even into these crowded days

and bring a measure of peace into our corner of the world.

There is nothing WRONG with Santa.

We simply need to remember it is NOT Santa we worship.

And if we have THAT wrong, it is time to re-group.

The way I look at it,

we are blessed with an ever-present and all-knowing

God of Eternal Mystery, Creator of All.

THAT is worth worship and service.

Santa who has these mysterious "knows if you are bad or good" qualities

is a part of our world of PLAY.

And yes, God is there in the PLAY whether we realize it or not.

So... I play with Santa.... but do not worship him.

I save that kind of oblation for our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier.

Do I believe in God? Yes.

Do I believe in Santa Claus? Yes.

Are they equal ? Not at all.

Perhaps

God may smile when we play with Santa

and keep the real meaning of Christmas in our hearts and lives.

At a cosmic level the ripples of goodwill rise to the surface from the secular celebration.

Who said?... All things in moderation....

Go ahead and buy a letter from Santa and have some fun.

Just remember what Advent is really about beneath the commercial collage.

Peaceful Living

2006-12-05T21:01:00.000-06:00

Peace is a way of living.

We cannot Buy peace. We cannot sell peace.

We can choose peace or live in peace.

But we often wrestle with the how to do it part in our every day lives.

We need to find creative ways to share peaceful alternatives with more people.

Like the twin brothers fighting in the classroom, beating each other up over some dumb thing.

Yet, they were so violent they hurt each other. What did they do at home?
What Will they do later? How do they learn to choose another alternative?
Who will show them? What did you do when you saw it happen?
How did I respond?

I recall saying something like. . . good grief. . . if you two boys cannot learn to get along what hope is there for peace in this world?

As I pulled them apart that day I thought, even the preventive measures had to be hands on and physical.

Did they stop fighting? Yes, that day. Yes, in my presence.

But it remains hard to tell if they learned anything really about HOW not to fight with each other.

Their personal wounds ran deep.

I disregarded them as I focused on maintaining peace in THAT room at THAT time.

I was really young then.

How might I handle it today? I really am not sure. I think my initial response would be physical intervention again. And anger that boys are still fighting for no reason at all. (in my mind.)

I hope I have learned more about making peace by now and could be more effective.

Wars are simply boys fighting boys on a bigger scale.

Yes, even with women in the military and in combat, that image is strong.

So, let us work together to prevent more wars.

To live with a sense of justice and value the lives around us.

Peace is a choice. And we need to work on it. It "ain't" easy.

It takes persistence and commitment over the long haul.

I think that is a part of what Advent is about.

Waiting and listening and learning as we await the arrival of the

"Prince of Peace'.

peace and global warming

2006-12-01T20:57:00.000-06:00

Peace and Global Warming seem so far apart in the mind s of most people.

However.

Unless we Live Peaceably we cannot claim to be at Peace.

Unless we curtail Global Warming we cannot expect a world without conflict over environmental resources.

Make the connection.

Live with justice.

Live sustainably.

Share Peace.

GIVE THANKS

2006-11-23T08:35:00.000-06:00

Yes. GIVE THANKS with a Grateful Heart.

"If the only prayer you ever say is THANK YOU, it will suffice."
Meister Eckhart

Thank you for reading and sharing by email.

Thank you all for being part of my life.

Thank you to the God of all creation who makes this life possible. And gives us peace.

Peace within must precede peace without.

WARNER ROCK

2006-11-20T21:36:00.000-06:00

WHERE on Earth is WARNER ROCK?

I am pretty good with geography so when they started talking about this on the radio today I began to wonder.

I have been to Plymouth Rock, Seneca Rocks, Red Rock, Slippery Rock and others but have no recall of ever having visited this Warner Rock.

So I turned up the volume and listened closely.

Oh NO.

They are now talking about Iowa. Is that the rock with all the flags painted on it? Is the artist named Warner?

NOT.

They are talking about a TIMETABLE for the WARNER ROCK.

What?

Yes. The war in Iraq.

Warnerock.

God Bless all the Warnerock victims.

Let us have NO MORE WARnerock.
Please.

It really is what I thought they said!

People make Peace

2006-11-19T17:28:00.000-06:00

People make Peace.

People make War.

This bronze sculpture was made by an Iraqi artist who melted down some of his earlier works to make this memorial to those soldiers lost in the war.

A child expresses comfort to the mourning soldier.

We all make choices every day.

Thank You Karat for making this choice to honor those who changed the regime of Saddam. And thank you Bill for sending the story and image to me.

You did not need those bronze heads of his anyhow. We can all learn from this.

Let us choose a path of peace .

Surprise Hawk

2006-11-09T22:39:00.000-06:00

Marsh Hawk at Hunt

How does it feel to be the prey?

I nearly felt it today.

Seated in my car at the farm in the shade on a sunny afternoon.

I just arrived and had not even turned off the car so I am sure I witnessed something that was underway before I even stopped. Cool.

Swooping towards the windshield at high speed was a hunting hawk!

She flew less than arm's length from my open window.
I felt the air movement when I pointed to her.

I watched the follow-through in my side view mirror.
The target was a black and white cat hunkered down at the edge of the driveway.

I guess I was enough of a surprise to jolt the hunter a bit because she stopped diving and with just a flick of her feathers was gliding upwards and away.

The poor silly city cat was still hunkered down with flattened ears. It looked like it was stunned. The other farm cats scattered into the brush, no dummies.

But I cherish the moment. Another reminder of my totem creature at a critical time in my life.

I recall tonight how I earned my nickname "hawkwoman" and feel very connected with my mentors and Earth and indigenous peoples. More than I can capture in a few words right now. But I had to tell you.

If you do not recognize the name Marsh Hawk, it is an older name which has been changed to Harrier. (Circus cyaneus) Falconiformes.

Look here for a little of its natural history. Yes, I saw it close and in real living color and could tell you it was a female. There are color differences. http://www.1000birds.com/latest20050219NHA.htm

What a gift to see her. Thank you.