Promise of Blue Horses – a poem

Promise of Blue Horses

A blue horse turns into a streak of lightning,
then the sun —
relating the difference between sadness
and the need to praise
that which makes us joyful, I can’t calculate
how the earth tips hungrily
toward the sun – then soaks up rain — or the density
of this unbearable need
to be next to you. It’s a palpable thing — this earth
philosophy
and familiar in the dark
like your skin under my hand. We are a small earth. It’s no
simple thing. Eventually
we will be dust together; can be used to make a house, to stop
a flood or grow food
for those who will never remember who we were, or know
that we loved fiercely.
Laughter and sadness eventually become the same song turning us
toward the nearest star —
a star constructed of eternity and elements of dust barely visible
in the twilight as you travel
east. I run with the blue horses of electricity who surround
the heart
and imagine a promise made when no promise was possible.

~ Joy Harjo ~

(How We Become Human)

Disclaimer: Pursuant to the UCC (Uniform Comedy Code), all depictions of events and persons on this site are more real than reality itself, and therefore any resemblance to reality is not really real.

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“I trace the rainbow through the rain and see the promise is not in vain.”</i

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Challenge, Controversy and Change – a Stikkspeakng Devotional

Challenge, Controversy and Change – Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Acts 21:17-26
When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us warmly. The next day Paul went with us to visit James; and all the elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law. They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. Join these men, go through the rite of purification with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself observe and guard the law. But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.” Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.

Reflection by Ron Buford

Among religious people, breaking the 10th commandment is a great stumbling block: “Thou shalt not covet.” Here are two Christian sects: one Jewish; the other Gentile. The Jewish sect has good reason to ask, “Why keep Moses’ law when newcomers don’t have to keep it?”

The church today stumbles similarly. Why do we accept unmarried couples living together? We had to get married. Why do we let gay people get married? They used to have enough shame to keep their behavior a secret. Why do we accept people who are divorced? We stayed married and hated each other. Bottom line: We suffered, you suffer too; God requires it.

Correction: No, not God but our imperfect understanding of God required these things for a while. The love of God, changing our understanding, and our own repentance compel us to risk making change, no matter how much it costs us, no matter how many jobs, members, churches, or friends we lose. God’s ever-expanding inclusion and grace is the greater good—even greater than everyone getting along.

In the book of Acts, Paul connives (yes, connives), strategically dividing his enemies based on their theological differences, opportunistically seizing upon his Roman citizenship to bring about change. He escapes Jerusalem’s perception of control over God’s plan, moving it to the Roman Empire–whose control will also eventually fade . . . just as we and so much of what we believe and do eventually fade into the arc of God’s future.

Prayer
Gracious God, we believe in You, and to Your deeds we testify. Let the stillspeaking God be true, and every human trapped in time and space be a liar. As we receive new light from You, grant us courage in the struggle for justice and peace, Your Presence in trial and rejoicing. Amen.

  Join us on i.ucc.org for prayer and conversation.

My YouTube Channel
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God is still speaking
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John Mark Ministries
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/

We women….

\

We women were with Jesus when he died. The men had run away – except
John, who was with Jesus’ mother. We women served him for three years
while he went around teaching and preaching to anyone who wanted to
listen. And to some who didn’t like what they heard. We served him and
helped him with our money.

The end was terrible. I hated the dirt. His pain. The noise of that
screaming mob. We women saw it. His mother Mary, Mary Magdalene,
Salome, and other women. We stayed with him till it was over, and we
prepared his body for the tomb.

I said I followed him, but it was my sons I followed – James and
Joses. They left good jobs – put their tools on the ground when he
called them. They said there was nothing else to do. I was angry. They
could have married, raised families. Children. My grandchildren.

When they began to travel with their teacher, I went along too. Can
you blame me? I’m a widow. A woman with no family can’t survive. My
sons were supposed to take care of me, and now I was taking care of
their teacher.

He called himself the light of the world. He was always talking about
love. Love your neighbor as you do yourselves. Love God with your
whole heart and your whole soul and your whole mind and your whole
strength. Love your enemy. Do good to those who hate you. Love
yourself because God loves you. Always love. I began to like being
with him.

It was almost Passover. We were in Bethany one evening at Simon’s
house – he had been a leper but Jesus had cured him, made him whole
again. A woman I’d never seen before entered carrying an alabaster
jar. In the jar was expensive perfume. The woman poured the perfume on
Jesus’ head. The smell was intoxicating. I thought I could live the
rest of my life in that wonderful smell. Some of the men were furious:
“Why are you wasting this perfume?” they said. “We could have sold it
for over three hundred silver pieces and given the money to the poor.”

But Jesus scolded them: “Let her alone,” he said. “Why judge her? The
poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.
She is preparing me for my burial. Wherever the good news is
proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be told to
remember her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, stood up quickly. He seemed
angry. My son James asked what was the matter. But Judas didn’t
answer. He just left Simon’s house without looking back.

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, we celebrated the Passover
supper in a large upstairs room in Jerusalem. At the table, Jesus
talked about dying. He said that he was going home to his Father. He
said, “I give you my word, one of you is about to betray me, yes, one
who is eating with me.”

The men all said to him, “Surely not I!” We women – what could we say?
– we had served him and learned to love him and didn’t care about
power and being on his right hand and being the greatest and judging
the tribes of Israel, we women didn’t say anything.

Then he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to all of us.
“Take this,” he said, “this is my body.” He took a cup, gave thanks to
his Father, and gave it to us, and we all drank from it. He said to
us: “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, to be poured out on
behalf of many. I solemnly assure you, I will not again drink of the
fruit of the vine until the day I drink it in the reign of God.” Then
he said, “Do this to remember me.”

We didn’t understand what he was saying, but we ALL– the women and
the men – we all ate and drank.

Videio: Interveiw with God

Video

I first saw first saw this 2007…I an not sure I accept the message totatly, but I think it is cool.

Interview with God

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Every 3.6 seconds a real person dies from hunger somewhere in the world!!!
Feed a hungry person today:
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A tale for Christmas Eve

I decided I would repost this..it is one of my favorite Christmas stories.

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?
– 1 John 3:16-17

The Geese And The Snowstorm

There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ or the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances.

“It’s all nonsense — why would God lower himself and become a human like us?

It’s such a ridiculous story,” he said.

One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed home. After they had departed, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.

Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window… And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese. They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm.

The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles. He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them. He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear.

He went into the house and came back with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on. Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, “Why don’t they follow me?

Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?” He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human. He said to himself, “How can I possibly save them?

The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety.” At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them. Then, at last, he understood God’s heart towards mankind…and he fell on his knees in the snow.

Author Unknown

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

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Faith and Doubt, Hope and Fear, Joy and Sorrow – and Dreams

I know that many people who attend Church, however irregularly will be attending services this month the hopes of seeing a Christmas pageant and singing all the old familar Christmas carols.

I am pretty sure that in “my church” this will happen, but knowing my Pastors, I am pretty sure we are going to be challenged to recognize that Good News is far more than “warm fuzzies”.

Isaiah 7:10-16
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-25

Faith and Doubt, Hope and Fear, Joy and Sorrow – and Dreams

Joseph was in a very difficult position. How could this have happened, that his betrothed should become pregnant before their marriage had properly taken place? What would people think? In those times, the stakes involved considerably more than some social embarrassment and loss of face. By the law codes of that time and place (Deuteronomy 22:20, 21), it was very possible that Mary could have been condemned as an adulteress, taken out to a public place, stripped, and stoned to death by the mob.

In fact, Joseph may well have been under some pressure, as a responsible adult male, to uphold the laws and traditions, to make an example of Mary, so that other young girls would think twice before showing up pregnant.

This was largely up to Joseph and what he decided to do about this unexpected pregnancy. Back then, that was the way things were. Clearly, Joseph cared about this particular, vulnerable young girl enough that he couldn’t bear to see her life end in such an “example” to others.
But, what would people think? If he ignored this shame on his own honor, how could he hold his head up in town? He had another option: he could “dismiss her quietly” (Matthew 1:19, NRSV). While this was not a death sentence, realistically, it was a sentence to a life of wandering and destitution for Mary. No one would want to marry her, with a child born out of wedlock. She would be “damaged goods” in a society where there was no safety net for such women. She would be – terrifyingly – on her own. The best she could hope for would be a life of servitude in someone else’s home.

“What would people think?” – In Buddhist tradition, one of the three temptations the Buddha resisted was social obligation, and what we would now call “public opinion.” When we resist the calling of the Holy Spirit in our lives because we think people will be outraged or scandalized by our behavior, we are succumbing to this temptation.

In Eastern Orthodox icons of the Nativity, there is often a small scene depicted in the lower left corner: Joseph, sitting and glumly listening to a man talking to him. Sometimes, the iconographer depicts this man with some sinister-looking attributes, and sometimes just with the kind of expression one might see on one of the town’s gossips. Other times, the artist portrays this character as an imp, or a small devil. He represents this temptation, of social obligation and public opinion, that Joseph was feeling pressured by: “What will people think?”

This Joseph would have known the words of Psalm 80, with its sadness: “You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves” (verse 6) and its calling upon God: “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved” (verse 3). This Psalm mentions an earlier Joseph, who also had dreams sent by God, and who also was merciful, as God had shown him how to be merciful – mercy far beyond what we think we may hope for, as that ancient Joseph’s brothers thought and feared (see Genesis 37, 39-50).

The doubts and anxieties of social obligation were behind the ethnic and religious divisions between Jews and Gentiles – the “circumcised and uncircumcised” in Rome – that Paul was addressing in the text of Romans. He urges them to remember the abundance and inclusive generosity of God’s love, through Jesus. In the Revised English Bible, the text emphasizes how the power of the Holy Spirit transcends all human and national boundaries and rules: “On the human level he was a descendant of David, but on the level of the spirit – the Holy Spirit – he was proclaimed Son of God by an act of power that raised him from the dead: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord” (1:3, 4).

This is the Good News – “it is about Jesus Christ our Lord.” In Jesus, we share in the surprising, generous mercy of God – far beyond what we think we may hope for – in the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit. This is the source of our Advent hope, and our Christmas joy – “It is about Jesus Christ our Lord.”

– – – – –
Reflection was prepared by Lisa Bellan-Boyer, Professor of Religious Studies at Hudson County Community College, Jersey City, NJ; and an accredited docent at the Tribute Center, a visitor’s center and exhibit gallery operated by the 9/11 Families Association, at the World Trade Center site in New York City.
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Every 3.6 seconds a real person dies from hunger somewhere in the world!!!
Feed a hungry person today:
http://www.hungersite.com

My YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/Ninure

God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com

John Mark Ministries
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/

The Tao of the Trial

>
From the trial transcript:
Miss Crandall’s Boarding School
for Young Ladies of Color
 
Canterbury, CT, 1833-34
 
The Tao of the Trial
 
Miss Crandall, you stand accused of knowingly teaching colored persons not resident of the state, without prior consent.  What is your plea?
 
The Teacher does not instruct.  The Teacher waits.
 
Girl, has anyone been teaching anything to you and your friends?
 
Who taught you how to plead the Fifth Amendment?
 
Your honor, I submit as evidence of the alleged teachings of alleged students
this colored girl here, who openly reads books and gazes skyward, who has been overheard conversing animatedly in polysyllabic words and referring off-handedly to the Ancient Greeks.
 
The Teacher teaches, without words and without action, simplicity, patience, and compassion.
 
~ Marilyn Nelson ~
 
 
(Poetry, September 2005)

Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.
— William E. Gladston

The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls. –— Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

You may have noticed the increased amount of notices for you to notice. Some of our notices have not been noticed. This is very noticeable. It has been noticed that the responses to the notices have been noticeably unnoticed. This notice is to remind you to notice the notices and respond to the notices, because we do not want the notices to go unnoticed.

Every 3.6 seconds a real person dies from hunger somewhere in the world!!!
Feed a hungry person today:
http://www.hungersite.com

My YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/Ninure

God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com

John Mark Ministries
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/

Prayer for the Day

Prayer of the Day

Giving to Those in Need
May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
– Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

Buddhist, appropriate for many faiths

On the Other side

I often joke with people that I am not afraid of death, I’m just afraid of dying.

It’s a joke because I don’t want to die in a lot of pain, or tied up to machines. But I am actually looking foward to death.

If my faith is “wrong” and a “crutch, as so many people like to tell me, well I’ll never know.

But if my faith in Jesus is NOT “in vain”, oh boy……. – Ninure da Hippie.

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing…I know my Master is there and that is enough.”

People often say with pride, “I’m not interested in politics.” They might as well say, “I’m not interested in my standard of living, my health, my job, my rights, my freedoms, my future, or any future.”
    — Martha Gellhorn, writer/journalist   (1908-1998)

Live simply. Love generously.
Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.

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“I trace the rainbow through the rain and see the promise is not in vain.”

Every 3.6 seconds a real person dies from hunger somewhere in the world!!!
Feed a hungry person today:
http://www.hungersite.com

My YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/Ninure

God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com

John Mark Ministries
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/

The Cracked Pot – a Thought for today

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’

The old woman smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?’

‘That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.’

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.’

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Disclaimer: Pursuant to the UCC (Uniform Comedy Code), all depictions of events and persons on this site are more real than reality itself, and therefore any resemblance to reality is not really real.

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
– Romans 13:9</i>

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary — the evil it does is permanent.
– Mahatma Gandhi

In many parts of the world the people are searching for a solution which would link the two basic values: peace and justice. The two are like bread and salt for mankind.
– Lech Walesa
from his Nobel Lecture

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FAIR USE NOTICE:

This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc.

This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

This material is distributed without profit

IMPORTANT NOTICE

You may have noticed the increased amount of notices for you to notice. Some of our notices have not been noticed. This is very noticeable. It has been noticed that the responses to the notices have been noticeably unnoticed. This notice is to remind you to notice the notices and respond to the notices, because we do not want the notices to go unnoticed.

“I trace the rainbow through the rain and see the promise is not in vain.”

Books on Relgion and Spirituality

Every 3.6 seconds a real person dies from hunger somewhere in the world!!!
Feed a hungry person today:
http://www.hungersite.com

My YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/Ninure

God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com

John Mark Ministries
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/