I was so pleased to see families on Thanksgiving coming to the shelter for homeless men to serve Thanksgiving dinner. One family was hard at it all day in the various phases of food preparation, service, and clean up.
I was there briefly at the Simpson Shelter in Minneapolis just to serve and to do some clean up. The men who came to feast seemed so glad of the food. I poured milk and replenished water glasses and everyone seemed gracious. I encouraged folks to pass condiments and butter around to others.
I believe that the blessings and thanks of these men made the evening a two way street. Kindness and goodness are each their own reward and we need look no further for reward. I know my own fears of economic hardship seemed so much lighter after this particular meal.
I am especially thankful for time with my children and grandchild at the home of my former wife who put on a marvelous dinner yesterday afternoon.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Poem of Gratitude for my Readers
Prairie rose volunteers
Be glad of your wants, each of you.
Do not be anxious for your life.
If you can, you shall not want.
Be still, be comforted, feel blessed.
When we did without all those years
And sacrificed for naught, then
I say we have known want:
Spiritual or material want or both!
The psalmist trusts, “I shall not want,”
But we struggle to get it right.
Unless we stand with who dare say:
“God loves me as you can see by my plenty.”
We can keep a prairie rose volunteer
In a clay or silver cup;
We can complete each sunrise or sunset
With a celebration in song of yet another day.
Somehow it’s the half empty cup
That’s filled with what is unseen:
The sense of contentment and acceptance
Of the unfinished business of life.
Be glad of your wants, each of you.
Do not be anxious for your life.
If you can, you shall not want.
Be still, be comforted, feel blessed.
When we did without all those years
And sacrificed for naught, then
I say we have known want:
Spiritual or material want or both!
The psalmist trusts, “I shall not want,”
But we struggle to get it right.
Unless we stand with who dare say:
“God loves me as you can see by my plenty.”
We can keep a prairie rose volunteer
In a clay or silver cup;
We can complete each sunrise or sunset
With a celebration in song of yet another day.
Somehow it’s the half empty cup
That’s filled with what is unseen:
The sense of contentment and acceptance
Of the unfinished business of life.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Peace Now Grows Ever Remoter a Possibility
My sympathies are with the victims and their families of victims of the shootings yesterday, Monday, November 5, 2009, at Fort Leonard Wood, Texas. President Obama has declared a national mourning period from today forward thru Veterans Day.
The Muslim world is living and dying each day in a world dominated by the United States and its allies. Many in the Muslim world believe that their world is under attack by and is victimized by Western values and Western powers. The proponents of terrorism and suicide bombings in wrecking Muslim vengeance on the Western world and their own Muslim populations are into a victim mentality and justify the evil they do as necessary for the ultimate triumph of the Muslim world over the Western world.
The American people are led to believe that they are safe in their beds because of wars, occupations of foreign lands, and drone attacks. As a United States citizen, I do not believe I am made safer by the killing done in my behalf. On the other hand, I can not wash my hands of what my country is doing because I live in a republic of laws and elected representatives. The blood of innocents is on my hands.
I do not see my government's current efforts as helpful nor ultimately productive. Drones with pin point accuracy launched by the United States are fired at targets in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The target selection is often done in haste with personnel of the enemy often in transit and using the screen of villagers for protection. Innocent men, women, and children are killed in these attacks which presumably have a degree of success in killing actual terrorists who are at war with the United States and its allies. Technology permits my government and enemies of my government to kill indiscriminately. I know technology is not the enemy, but the servant of those who would do war on one another.
When civilians died on September 11, 2001, in the World Trade Center attacks,it confirmed that we are all combatants and are asked to take sides. Where is the end of war to be found in a world gone mad?
I find myself asking for spiritual leaders for the Muslim world who could help Muslims embrace peace instead of revenge. I find myself asking for spiritual leaders for the Western world who could help non-Muslims embrace peace instead of revenge.
I advocate for restorative justice in how the Muslim and Western worlds interact. We need to step back from the ledge of pursuing solutions to relationship ills between people by resort to violence.
The Muslim world is living and dying each day in a world dominated by the United States and its allies. Many in the Muslim world believe that their world is under attack by and is victimized by Western values and Western powers. The proponents of terrorism and suicide bombings in wrecking Muslim vengeance on the Western world and their own Muslim populations are into a victim mentality and justify the evil they do as necessary for the ultimate triumph of the Muslim world over the Western world.
The American people are led to believe that they are safe in their beds because of wars, occupations of foreign lands, and drone attacks. As a United States citizen, I do not believe I am made safer by the killing done in my behalf. On the other hand, I can not wash my hands of what my country is doing because I live in a republic of laws and elected representatives. The blood of innocents is on my hands.
I do not see my government's current efforts as helpful nor ultimately productive. Drones with pin point accuracy launched by the United States are fired at targets in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The target selection is often done in haste with personnel of the enemy often in transit and using the screen of villagers for protection. Innocent men, women, and children are killed in these attacks which presumably have a degree of success in killing actual terrorists who are at war with the United States and its allies. Technology permits my government and enemies of my government to kill indiscriminately. I know technology is not the enemy, but the servant of those who would do war on one another.
When civilians died on September 11, 2001, in the World Trade Center attacks,it confirmed that we are all combatants and are asked to take sides. Where is the end of war to be found in a world gone mad?
I find myself asking for spiritual leaders for the Muslim world who could help Muslims embrace peace instead of revenge. I find myself asking for spiritual leaders for the Western world who could help non-Muslims embrace peace instead of revenge.
I advocate for restorative justice in how the Muslim and Western worlds interact. We need to step back from the ledge of pursuing solutions to relationship ills between people by resort to violence.
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