Category Archives: Uncategorized

THANKSGIVING

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I have long decided that the Thanksgiving holiday was based on something very wrong – the taking of land from the native Americans and the subsequent oppression of the people.  I pray that some day we can right those wrongs by treating all people with dignity and making poverty a thing of the past. I celebrate Thanksgiving as a day of thanks to God.  That said,  There are so many things to be grateful for these days.  We tend to focus on the negative but the positives far outweigh the negative most of the time.

I am thankful for my family and how they surround me with love all the time.  This is truly a blessing since I know many who cannot say the same.  I have good friends upon whom I can trust.  I am thankful for basic good health.  I have my issues but overall I can function in this world without too much assistance.  I am grateful for medicine and medical care when the need arises.  I am happy to call America my home. It is not a perfect place but compared to other places in the news these days, it sure is a good place to be.

As I think about all the things I am thankful for, I cannot help but realize that they are too many to list.  I am very glad that I have a functioning mind and that I have a relationship with God.  I don’t believe in God because someone told me to do so.  I believe in God because I have experienced God in my life, profoundly.  I am thankful for Jesus, through who I have learned to know and love God deeply.  Christianity, for me, has been a good path.  There are other paths that would also have worked for me, I think.

I am basically  a happy person. I do have a great deal to be thankful for and I hope that others may share in the bounty of God’s love.  I will try to do everything I can to make the world a better place for everyone.  Huge task but each little kindness, attempt at justice, advocating for another, and act of care is part of the process.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Church is Changing

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We are in the process of rethinking who we are as church in our congregation. The transition period is a little unnerving for a woman who likes structure. I have been praying a lot in these many months. I’m trying to discern where God wants me in this. As is always the case, when I pray there is hope and a sense of well being in me. It is still uncomfortable but I know God is present and active and I trust that I will be called where I will grow.
So, that was not enough, the region has decided to undergo a complete transformation as well. Here is one way I am being called to act. I have taken on some leadership at this level. It is a bit uncertain as well but I am trusting that I was led this direction for a reason.
I just returned from General Assembly and guess what? The entire denomination is beginning a transition. The writing is on the wall and we are at a place where we either change or die. WOW!
In every case the movement is away from a corporate model to a model much more like the beginning of our Christian movement. I mean WAYYY back when people were gathering who still knew the person Jesus or his disciples.
I am all for that kind of thinking. It pains me to see what some people do in the name of Jesus. They act like they have never read the Bible or heard the stories of Jesus’ ministry on earth. The man was passionate about justice, about caring, about equality and about living a life filled with love. If we can get ourselves out of the confines of the church building we might find that living a life that is truly Christ-like is actually easier than we thought. He said love one another. If we take that to heart we can change the world.

Black Lives Matter

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I long for the day when saying All Lives Matter means black lives too. Until then we must chant Black Lives Matter so we can get that into conscious thinking. Yeah all lives matter, but do they? Think about it. Think about it hard. Then tell me why Michael Brown is dead because he was walking in the street and why Dylann Roof is alive after gunning down 9 people.
Life is precious. God gives us life.

FEAR

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How can we get away from all the fear mongering in our media and in our politics? I have just about had it with all the scary headlines designed to get people all riled up. I might even get active in a political party if it weren’t for the crazy notes they send trying to scare me into giving money. The thing that scares me most is that we are allowing this to happen because we think we have no say. We think that only the rich can influence how our government runs. This is not true. If people would take seriously their right to vote, especially those for whom the vote was secured by deep personal sacrifice, we might have a government as it was meant to be – of the people, by the people and for the people. Does anyone have any idea about how to get the populace to understand that they matter? During the presidential campaign in 2008 President Obama told us that one voice could make a difference. Do you think it is possible to shift a majority of those apathetic Americans from disinterest to active participation in the system? We are a country that is defined by its freedom yet only something like 58% of voting age persons voted in 2008, probably less in 2012. It should be nearer to 90% don’t you think? I know it is hard to believe that we have any voice but you don’t if you choose not to vote or tell your representatives what you think. Yes there is great influence by those with lots of money but it can be changed if enough persons joined together to support good legislation.

Long Time No See

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Hello Everyone! It has been a while since I last posted anything. Life sure has been busy. I am so very proud of our daughter who earned her Master of Arts degree in Religion this May. We were all able to go out to California and celebrate with her. Our son is busy working in his chosen field – video. It is nice to watch your children grow into amazing adults. I feel that we were privileged to be their parents. It is such a fantastic gift that God entrusts us with these precious lives. I get all emotional and teary eyed when I have the chance to feel what my mom and dad felt. I understand their joy when we were all together. Hooray for family.

Disturbing story

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I read this article in the Washington Post a day ago and have been very upset about it since. WashingtonPost article  This predatory behavior is so unjust. The gist of the article is that an elderly man with dementia lost his home because he forgot to pay a tax bill of $134. It was all legal but so clearly predatory. I believe that the government is in place for this very purpose – to protect the public, especially those vulnerable persons. The Washington Post investigated this practice. It made me sick. I had trouble sleeping wondering what I could possibly do about it. I think it is important to protect your family by watching out for the elderly when they start to lose memory.
If there are similar laws in your state ask the legislature to be vigilant against this kind of thing.

How is it possible to essentially pay $200,000 for a $134 debt? That is straight out theft. I don’t understand how any judge could allow it. It seems to be criminal. Even if the law allows it, there should be some ethical piece involved. I hope this article helps improve the law and protects the vulnerable. I can only hope that humanity will show more compassion and concern for others. I don’t deny that debts should be paid but not in this way.
Perhaps I will be able to sleep tonight.

And So It Begins

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Welcome to my blog!  I plan to share thoughts on many subjects. Some may seem stream of consciousness but I hope they can help me practice the ministry of Spiritual Direction more fully. It is my belief that God, The Holy, Force of Life interacts with us in all aspects of life.  Our task to become more fully aware, to awaken to the Divine Presence and to open up to it, by paying attention.