cairns

Stop our dependence on foreign oil, walk.

(That will be the eventual outcome regardless.  Oil is a non-replenishing resource.)

Global warming is not our fault, die guiltless.

(How comforting, not!)

Limit abortions, celebrate gay lifestyles.

(Very offensive to my conservative friends I know, but it is logical!)

Stop illegal immigration, welcome the world’s huddled masses.

(or tear down the statue!)

Stop government tyranny, impeach the Supreme Court.

(all of the most volatile changes to our beliefs and constitution originate and end here, not Congress or the White House!)

God so loved the world that He commissioned us to bomb them.

(Don’t we act like it?)

Love those in need, send your money there instead of the church building fund.

(Tents or seat cushions and chandeliers?)

Or any that proclaim this ancient advice:

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. ^[c] Do not think you are superior.

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” ^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” ^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

peace

Comments Off

Whatever happened to courtesy and manners?  Whatever happened to giving high school students who have earned top grades and been given the privilege of speaking at graduation the respect to sit quietly and listen?  Whatever happened to the respect for those who lead schools shown by honoring their request to hold applause (plus screaming, air horns, and cow bells) until all graduates are announced so that each family can hear their child’s name?  Whatever happened to honoring the request to stay seated so that the last grad to leave the floor gets the same attention as the first?

For that matter whatever happened to taking your hat off when inside a building?  Allowing a merging car into traffic?  Letting a speaker finish their sentence before you interrupt to give your response to what you think they were going to say?  Whatever happened to sitting quietly during sermons at church?  Or arriving for church, school, or any other activity on time?  Whatever happened to “Please”,” Thank you”, or “You are welcome?”

It seems none of these things are now taught at home, at school, or at church.   Everyone just does what ever they please, no matter what the setting.  It appears our only criteria is, “What do I feel like doing.”  We do not seem to consider the feelings, effort, or worth of the other person at all.

I thought the quote of Jesus was, “Love your enemy as yourself,” implying of course that people already cared about their friends.  Now it seems like we have reached a point of, “Love yourself,” or “Please yourself.”

I have outlived my world.  I miss the times when class and culture meant class and culture, not any ridiculous thing I feel like doing claiming it is kid, ethnic, biker, red-neck, or some other culture.  I fear we have no class or culture left.

I watched a number of people at the 500 trying to show class and respect by standing with caps off and hands over hearts for America the Beautiful, God Bless America, and The Star Spangled Banner because they had no idea when it was time to do what!  At least they tried.  Of course the words were changed to “God shed His grace on ME!” And the ceremonies were followed by one fellow in front of us giving the finger to a driver he didn’t like every single  lap of the race and constant public conversations using the F-bomb as if it belongs at every comma.  Even the street preacher outside was demeaning everyone in sight, especially a brave young man standing with a sign that said “Not my Jesus.”  I listened as he told the kid, “You are the kind of person Jesus came to eliminate, you effeminate little freak!”  If I was God, lightening would have struck, and not the kid — but then God shows more patience and love than I do.

ASCD is pushing for a return to “whole child” education.  I think our society is in grave danger if we do not reinstate some effort to raise the next generation with some understanding of proper public behavior, obedience to  those in authority, respect for achievement, and simple politeness — even to one’s “enemies!”

However if you disagree, I suppose the current standards of our real world allow you to cuss me out, and I am suppose to flip you off as we both go on our way proud in our isolating self-hood and no wiser than when the day began.

peace

Comments Off

People who stay in people jobs long after they have given up on people, especially ones who work with children –

Conservatives criticizing government for siding with big business after chanting my whole life that what is good for big business is good for America–

Republicans after the Bush/Cheney years claiming the Democrats are too friendly with big oil –

Democrats who are still running away from the label of liberal and trying instead to present themselves as a “reasonable” version of the Republican platform –

How we keep believing that electing people who say they hate the system, but spend a fortune to get into it, will change our lives –

People who trust any talking head of any ilk to speak the Truth when their obvious agenda is building their listener base and advertising take –

People who believe that government, the church, a protest movement, education, or any other organization of man can solve the world’s problems, or even tries to do more than protect and promote itself –

People who believe that multinational corporations are more interested in their well being than their own elected government–

People who still believe there is AN answer to be found that will work for everyone in politics, education, religion, or any other life category–

People who believe school accountability programs which are based on the premise that everyone can be in the top half of any type of category (and after passing fourth grade math class!) –

People who believe that education is the problem with business while all of the jobs are being outsourced to uneducated sectors of the world willing to work as slaves–

Well, most of today’s realities :-/

Things I do understand:

Children love to learn, learn to love by being treated with loving respect, and grow up to be our future.

People deserve the right to be who they really are; their narratives are unique, life giving, and deserve to be honored.

God loves them both, and we have no right to do less.

peace

Comments Off

For my recent life journey and for remembering the loss of faith 40 years ago in a government that cared about all its children, both the uniformed and the angry ones.  A song for the people who live in countries with no pretense of benevolent government at home or abroad (this version is from Haitian relief, if you like it you can still contribute and the need is dire and ongoing).  A song for mankind’s lonely moments looking into the vastness of the universe and for a Savior crying out in the moment of greatest unity between God and man.

06 Motherless Child

Comments Off