Monthly Archives: July 2017

Protecting The Gift God Bestows Upon Us.

24 Monday Jul 2017

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We live in strange times when greed seems to be clouding our judgment and attacking our sense of morality. We forget that we enjoy wonderful gifts from God the moment we open our eyes in the morning and close our eyes at night. All we have to do is look, listen, taste, and feel nature all around us.

Nature teaches us all about God, relationships, and it can teach us a lot about ourselves. Nature is a wonderful teacher if we just take the time to sit in silence and listen to her. We can choose to do so, and when we do, we are not disappointed. The sun rises and sets everyday. The moon rises and goes down. The stars remain constant. They teach us God is constant and faithful.

The seasons in Nature teach us of the cycles of life. There is a seed; a time of growing and developing; a time to mature and do what something was meant to do; a time to grow old and lose parts of itself, a time to die; and a rebirth. We live this cycle as human beings, and so does a tree, a flower, a stream. It is through Nature’s cycles, that we learn we will be reborn after dying. Even after death, life can begin again.

Nature teaches us to listen, to see, to observe. It enables us to see the majesty of God, the wonder of Him. It reflects His power and reveals universal signs of intelligence. Nature soothes and comforts us. We learn from Nature there are good things in life and bad things. They both exist. We see a steam can be gentle and soothing to our senses, but a stream can grow in volume to become a flood that can cause destruction.

We must not destroy the wild places, the great forests and canyons, the clean streams, magnificent mountains, and teeming valleys. They have lessons to teach and we must safe guard these gifts for our children and grandchildren. For Nature teaches us humility, trust, faith, and most of all, hope in the future. God has told us to take care of His creation. It is our task to do so.

Yu/stan/kema

Found on Facebook Timeline 2-8-17. Dorsey Davis, photographer. Gallery 45 Photography, LLC. Country and Farm Photography shared photo.

 

 

 

Learning To Trust Others.

19 Wednesday Jul 2017

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Listen little ones and don’t say a word.                          

Found on 2-11-17 on Pinterest. Vladimir Volegov. Don’t be afraid..volegov.com.

I’m going to feed you like a Mothering bird.

I’ll give you messages I’ve been taught,

Just so you’ll remember, you aren’t forgot.

I know it’s hard when you’re feeling scared.

Don’t fret little ones, we will be prepared.

We will keep you safe and not run away.

We are committed and we will stay.

So, close your eyes and dream of good things.

You’ll be surprised what commitment can bring.

Yu/stan/kema

 

“For she who teaches me.”

Wild Geese Need To Be Free.

17 Monday Jul 2017

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There is nothing on earth like seeing and hearing wild geese fly by. There is something in the way they fly that tugs your heart out of your chest, and leaves you aching to fly with them. I hear them honking from a distance, and I drop everything and run outside with my face turned up to the sky. I wait with a hitch in my throat and a longing I can never get rid of. They come into view with their wings flapping, their long necks outstretched.The honking has a ring of joy and freedom to it. They fly without hesitation, using instinct to guide them home. There has never been a single time when my heart does not tug to follow them. I stand like one carved out of stone, not moving a muscle, even when I can no longer see or hear them. The wonder is so incredible, I stand transfixed for a long time, staring at the horizon.

Yu/stan/kema.

I read the following poem recently about a woman’s experience with the wild geese:

WILD GEESE

I heard the wild geese flying                          

Found on Pinterest on 12-20-16 and facebook.com. Tammikuun Aurinko.

In the dead of the night,        

With beat of wings and crying

I heard the wild geese flying.

And dreams in my heart sighing

Followed their northward flight.

I heard the wild geese flying

In the dead of the night.

ELINOR CHIPP.

The Changes I Now See.

15 Saturday Jul 2017

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When I was young,

I was taught not to lie,                               

Found on Pinterest on 7-8-17. A.D. Williams. HIGHER PERSPECTIVE. Facebook.com.

Not to put self-interest

Before the welfare of 

Others and the USA.

I learned bullying others

Was the act of a coward,

And it was important to

Respect men and women

For their strengths.

I was taught to 

Love my neighbor

Like I loved myself,

And to give back to

Society in a positive way.

I became proud

Of my country,

Proud to help my neighbor,

And proud to be a

Good and decent

Human being.

 

My heart bleeds

For the changes

I now see:

People lie to each other

And deny that

Truth just is.

People do treason

And make up reasons

Why others should 

Excuse them

For breaking laws.

Others walk around

Bullying others

Just because they can.

They make fun of

People who are different, 

And deny them services

And their basic rights.

They have lost sight

Of right and wrong.

 

My heart bleeds for them.

My heart bleeds for us.

Yu/stan/kema

 

 

 

 

Doing The Work Of Jesus.

12 Wednesday Jul 2017

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         DOING THE WORK OF JESUS.

Found on Pinterest on 7-9-17. Written by Henri Nouwen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I had to encapsulate in a small bit of space what our life on earth is all about, the quote above from Henri Nouwen, would do it beautifully for me.

When we are young, our minds are full of things we want  to accomplish. Our energies become directed toward getting  a good job, getting the home we’ve always dreamed of owning,  and finding someone to share our life with. A lot of our precious time is spent texting, on the internet, listening to music, or doing                   what we really enjoy doing. We also spend a great deal of time parenting our children.

When we grow old, we have fewer distractions to occupy our minds.We are given the gift of time. We slow down, find time to smell flowers, watch butterflies, touch trees, and observe more intently the things in our environment. We also spend more time contemplating life, exploring our own inner world, and more time searching and talking to God, or studying religion and philosophy.

We spend time asking ourselves questions and trying to sort out for ourselves what really matters in life, what we can’t do without, and what our purpose is, and have we fulfilled what we were sent to do. We come to the realization that People matter. Reconciling relationships and finding resolution matters. Finding our way back to the God of our childhood so that we can call God Abba, matters.

Life finally lets us know that Love is our purpose on earth. We are here to work for peace, to offer forgiveness to others, as well as ourselves. We are here to care for People without discrimination or judgment. We are here to care for the hungry, the sick, the dying, the poor, the old, the disabled, and always the children. This is what God sent us to do, and we must find the strength and courage to do it, even in difficult times.

Yu/stan/kema

 

 

Love Is Our Task.

10 Monday Jul 2017

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LOVE IS OUR TASK.

It seems the older we get, life becomes less complex and we are able to see the whole of life and not just a tiny segment of life. When we are young, we seem to get hung up on the details and lost with in them. Our energy is what drives us to explore and seek out a myriad of things to try. These things also end up distracting us from our real task on earth.

We obsess about getting a job,  keeping a job, making good money, becoming a success, and trying to balance time at work and time outside of work. We often get caught up in dating, learning how to navigate a relationship, and we work to create intimacy in our lives. We think about marriage, forming a family, and how we will raise children. When the relationship fails, we obsess about divorce and all the challenges that come as a result of ending a relationship.

We further distract ourselves with things we enjoy, people we hang around with, and technology that keeps our minds occupied. We tend to neglect nature, and put on hold getting to know our own mind, heart and soul. We put off our search for God, and becoming intimate with our own inner landscape.

Found on Pinterest on 7-9-17. Thomas Merton quote..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until one day, the long string of losses start accumulating, and our distractions fall by the way side, and we are left vulnerable to the questions that start to haunt us: Who am I? Where is God? Has my life been worth while? Have I fulfilled my purpose? Can I die knowing I’ve resolved any issues that separate me from God? Is there anything I regret not doing?

We find that living life simply has its own rewards. We come to the realization that money, fame, and status are fleeting. We learn that friends die, children grow up and leave us to follow their own dreams. We learn to cherish the people we love, to live in the moment, because tomorrow may never come.

If we seek the wisdom that we all carry inside us, we also come to realize that love is our task and to love well, we must do it without judgement. Our purpose is to love: Friends, strangers, family, Nature, our real selves, and God. We are all parts of the cosmic whole. We are responsible for each other and our greatest happiness lies in making sure each part is valued, respected, and loved for being a necessary part of the whole.

Yu/stan/kema.

 

The Truth About War And Peace.

05 Wednesday Jul 2017

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Throughout history

Wars have been fought.                                    

Found on pinterest on 5-29-16. Memorial Day from Singing Through The Rain.

Young men have died.

Mothers have wept tears,

And strong Fathers have cried.

 

During this year,

Congress has sought

To justify war

In order to try

To even the score.

 

Why don’t we find

An alternative way,

To promote peace

And communicate,

So all wars might cease?

Yu/stan/kema.

The Meaning Of The Fourth Of July Is Found In Memories.

05 Wednesday Jul 2017

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THE FOURTH OF JULY.

It is the sound of laughter

That fills the summer air

As kids go out to shoot                              

Found on Country and Farm Photography on 7-4-17. Taken by Angie Lee Colona. Sadie Mae ready for the 4th of July.

Fire-crackers every where.

 

It is the smell of hot dogs

Sizzling on a charcoal grill,

And lots of American flags 

Draped over the window sills.

 

It is the crack of a bat

After we sing a song

Honoring our Country

And feeling we all belong.

 

It is a piece of watermelon

Being held by a child,

As she spits out the seeds

And shoves them in a pile.

 

It is the pride that we feel

In celebrating America’s birth, 

And the many ways we find

To honor all she’s worth.

Yu/stan/kema.