ANNIVERSARY

Realized this evening that as of October 22 it has been three twenty nine years since my great grandfather (seven greats) Robert Heaton, his wife Alice and their family arrived in the colony of Pennsylvania aboard a ship called The Lamb. Over three centuries. Having trouble wrapping my mind around it.

AMBER UPDATE

Amber has discovered the south west corner of the back yard. It's quiet, doesn't see a lot of activity. If there's going to be sunshine, even in winter it's nice back there.


Seems to be a place where she can relax, groom and (I didn't get a shot of that) take a nice relaxed nap.

She's been doing this for a few days, a little more each day, got her attention this morning from the back bedroom window. She looked like she was thinking, hopped down, gave me a very direct look and scuttled around the house. By the time I got to the front she was sitting on the porch by the bowl. So she got a little snack for a reward. She had her snack and popped back to the bench for awhile. Doing everything we can to tie her to the place.

THE LORD'S PRAYER FROM NEW ZEALAND

I was following threads on the net. Looking for sites that might have information on combining Christian and pagan beliefs. Came across this beautiful version of the Lord's Prayer. Leave it to the Kiwis to do such a fantastic job.

The Lord's Prayer
(from the New Zealand Prayer Book
Rev ed.: He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa)

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen

I've barely had a chance to explore the site. Take a look and enjoy yourself. Christo pagan information.

FED UP

Anyone curious about what led me to this let me know. We can talk.

YOU CAN'T KEEP SAYING NO

“Movements which began gloriously and brought liberty and new life have died out as mere obstructions, not because they had outlived their usefulness but because they allowed themselves to drift into mere negation. The thing they stood for was forgotten in the effort to hinder some other movement which was working for the same object in a different way. What the world demands is always the positive thing, however it may be presented, and those who do nothing to advance it are ruthlessly pushed aside.”

Ernest Scott in Varieties of New Testament Religion. What is true in religion is equally true in politics. You can keep saying no for just so long before you start hearing the question “when will you say yes?” If you can’t answer that question don’t be surprised when you’re pushed aside. The Tea Party and the radicals in both parties need to remember this. Their fellow citizens are getting tired of hearing what they can't do. It's time to tell us what we can do.

MOTHER'S OF LIFE

We need the bounty of the world, but outside of a few animals that we've created to be largely dependent on us, the world will got on quite nicely without us. Tom Cowan chose to address some of the spirits at least as mothers, the spirits of creation and nurturing.

Mothers of Life,

You bless the earth that gives us food, shelter, clothing and tools for our work and play, and that provides the many paths that lead us through life.

Forgive.

Mothers of Life,

You bring water from the sky and from deep in the Earth to cleanse and refresh us and keep us moist and living.

Forgive

Mothers of Life,

You give days when the air is crisp and sweet scented, and days when it is heavy with dew and the dampness of decay.

Forgive.

Mothers of Life,

You nurture us in the long bright days of summer and in the rich darkness of night and winter, you teach us the mysteries of the moon and stars.

Forgive.

From Yearning for the Wind by Tom Cowan.

Change forgive to Bless Us , or Thank You and it changes the meaning of the prayer. What is being forgiven? Why are we asking for forgiveness?

Are we asking the Mothers, the goddesses of life and the sovereignty of the land to forgive us for unholy mess we’ve made of the Creator’s gifts to us.

Here it is. For some reason it just did NOT want to be written.

THE KING'S TRUTH

In ancient Ireland the king is the center, the hub of a circle that includes battle, prosperity, music and vision. When the king understands that the truth is the foundation of his position, the realm flourishes. The king’s truth is responsible for the well being of almost every part of Celtic society. And the truth is comes from his union with the divine feminine, the Goddess who lives in the land itself.

Legend has it that a first century high king was instructed by his Druid advisor about the importance of the King’s Truth

By the King’s Truth great clans are ruled,
By the King’s Truth great death is warded off,
By the King’s Truth great battles are driven off into the enemy’s country,
By the King’s Truth great right prevails,
By the King’s Truth every vessel is full,
By the King’s Truth fine weather comes in each fitting season:
Winter fine and frosty,
Spring dry and windy,
Summer warm with showers of rain,
Autumn heavy with dew and fruitful.
By the King’s Truth the land is fruitful and every child is born worthy,
By the King’s Truth there is an abundance of tall grain.

Let him magnify the Truth, it will magnify him,
Let him strengthen Truth, it will strengthen him,
Let him guard the Truth, it will guard him,
Let him exalt the Truth, it will exalt him.

From Yearning for the Wind by Tom Cowan. If I thought it would do any good I would send of copy of this to every Republican candidate running for president. But, it wouldn’t do any good would it?

IT'S OFFICIALLY FALL

Using Lisa's definition, it is officially fall in Springfield. Saw our first junco this afternoon. Along with siskins, house sparrows and two goldfinches.

It's been kind of dry spiritually the last few months. Trees stubbornly remain trees not gateways to the Otherworld.

Oh, and the shot is from the web. I have yet to get a junco in our yard to sit still long enough to get a shot. :-)

IROQUOIS PRAYER

From the Iroquois

Our religion is all about thanking the Creator.
That’s what we do when we pray.
We don’t ask him for things,
We thank Him.
We thank Him for the world and every animal and plant in it.

We thank Him for everything that exists.
We don’t take it for granted that the tree’s just there.
We thank the Creator for that tree.
If we don’t thank Him maybe the Creator will take that tree away.

That’s what the ceremonies are all about; that’s why
They are important, even for the White Man.
We pray for the harmony of the whole world.
The Creator wants to be thanked….

From Meetings with Native American Spiritual Elders By Steve Wall and Jeremy Elder

Read this and then think about all the prayers we've heard overheard over the years. So seldom do you hear a simple thank you for what we've already been given.

LIBERALS CAN PLAY TOO

I know, I know reading anything Glenn Beck comes up with these days usually inspires a feeling of there but for the grace of God. Does make we wonder if he's on the same things Poe was taking when he wrote Telltale Heart and a Cask of Amontillado.

But I did get a kick out of this exchange of comments.

First commenter:

This kind of rhetoric is the same that played out during the run up to the Rwandan genocide. Don't be surprised when the baggers resort to the 2nd when ballot box results prove they are not the majority.

Me:

As a semi liberal, tree hugging, Quaker peacenik I never really thought I'd be saying thank God for the second amendment. It means that the far righties aren't the only onces with the ability to defend themselves¬.

First commenter:

“I was in Phoenix on business a couple of years back and noticed a healthcare reform protest. On one side there were about 40 liberals in favor. On the other about 200 baggers opposed. About a third of the bagger crowd was armed (including assault rifles). No one in the liberal crowd was armed. I couldn't believe what I was seeing in an American street. After 20 minutes, 4 men arrived, also armed. They crossed the street towards the liberals, stood in front of them, turned towards the baggers and unfurled a large sign that read "Liberals own guns too." The bagger crowd acted shocked and indignant but toned down their aggressive behavior. I hope they don't decide to test their misconcept¬ions in the near future because it will be a shocking lesson to say the least.”

Me:

Talk about your bucket of ice water dumped over the head moment. Shocked and indignant. What, you guys thought you were the only ones playing in the sandbox?

I love it. The old we can rant and rave and bring our AK47's to the auditorium where the President of this country is speaking and we're just excercising our constitutional right to carry. Then it's OMG the other side has guns too. Mercy me, whatever shall we do. Laughin in a very rueful sort of way.

IT'S YOUR FAULT IF YOU'RE NOT RICH

The current Republican favorite, Herman Cain, opened his pie hole on the subject of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. Herman Cain on Occupy Wall Street: If you don't have a job and you're not rich it's your fault.

This was one of the comments on the article. Thank you butlercaddie
“Comments like this demonstrat¬e exactly why Herman Cain will not get any of the AfAm vote. They of all people can tell you that working hard under the rich man's rules are nowhere NEAR enough. That unchecked local government, and unregulate¬d business, will guarandamt¬ee that the worker does NOT get rich.

It IS class warfare, and they started it.”

And this was my reply to the first comment with some editing. People were posting so fast that I doubt if anyone ever read it.

It's worse than that. In earlier recessions, even the Republicans and big business accepted that you had to get some people working again so we could buy their stuff. They needed the American middle class.

With the rise of the multinational corporations there are expanding middle classes in other countries, especially in India and China. A whole new market for their stuff. They don't really need their American middle class customers anymore. With the increasing attacks on the safety net you have to start wondering if they've decided they don't need "us" anymore. Careful ladies and gentleman, there is no one more dangerous than enough parents with hungry,sick children. You may just come to regret your support for "second amendment solutions

DISAGREEMENT IS NOT HATE

This letter appeared in the local paper. It was written in response to one of those everybody hates the conservative letters. This writer expressed himself far better than I could.

Dear conservative writers, radio personalities and others: I don’t hate you. In fact, there is little in the world that I hate. I dislike some things. And I like others very much. But hate is a very strong word and I think you are wrong in assigning it to me, my behaviors and my preferences.

I do disagree with you. Sometimes I disagree strongly. Sometimes I disagree vehemently. But I do not hate you. Sometimes you are wrong. When I point out the error of your ways, it is not because I hate you or what you did. I just see things differently.

I am not prepared to grant to you my unconditional support and endorsement. But that doesn’t mean I hate you. I may suggest or even advocate a way to do things that is consistent with my political leanings. That doesn’t mean that I hate you. I may stand up for my or others’ constitutionally guaranteed rights. But that doesn’t mean I hate you.

I may look weird to you. But that doesn’t mean I hate you. I might not love you, but I don’t hate you. I hope I have made myself clear.

Lawrence C. Caird
Springfield