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Hungry Squirrels for Peace

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I don’t know why this feels like a big deal, but yesterday I looked at this pic and thought, why is it that we’ll feed all manner of animals, but will spend hours defeating squirrels.

It began to feel like a metaphor. Who is all right to feed? Are there only some who are acceptable? What about refugees? Are there only some who are welcome? What about…

It’s not hard to see where this is headed.

Again we find ourselves balancing on the knife edge of judgment and judgmentalism. Judgmentalism is so damned easy. Oh, and wrong, it’s wrong.

I don’t know, I have no land and no bird feeders ergo no squirrel feeders. But we where do we draw lines about Peace in all this?

Don’t Rush Reflective Peace

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Winter, as a season, has many purposes, but rest and reflection are among them.

I’m never done with sleeping in, but it seems that we can all do with as much reflection as we can cram in. Lots of breathing in and out. There’s so much we need to calm down about … and there’s gong to be so much more.

Why calm down? Because it’s a long journey. and we have to act with purpose and not in reaction.

So I’m staying with Winter, and carefully considering what seeds I can plant and actually nurture in the time ahead. I can’t do everything, neither can you. Let’s focus on doing what we can and sowing the seeds of Peace we can nurture.

Staying with Winter, giving Peace a chance.

Ah! Winter Peace

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Phil saw his shadow. They’re saying four MORE weeks of winter, but really we’ve not had many.

But as tired as I am this morning, going back to bed for six weeks sounds just delightful.

But for me, this is a day to get up for. This is the day I was installed as a religious leader. This is the day I returned home to Pennsylvania and began the journey to my calling. This is the day I married my sweetie.

All lovely things for the season of the blessings of light. More about that another day!

And of course, it’s Phil’s day. May he, and a whole lot of us, go back to bed!

Peace of the good long snooze to you all! But that new vista is pretty tempting… Dream of Spring!

Graduating to Peacemaker

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Learning to be a Peacemaker is not easy. There are so many moving parts.

The work we are all to engage in is finding which part is ours to do. And then slowly, slowly, slowly, to get better at it. Along the way you’ll find other things you’re good at and you’ll add those. Along the way you’ll find things you’re really exquisitely awful at and you’ll put them aside forever. If they’re necessary to your part of the journey, you’ll find the one who does them well and joyously.

This is important. It’s going to be a long and difficult journey. We are not in a place of Peace. We must be the oases along the way. We must be Peace. We must Peace. We must be Peacemakers.

Graduation means childhood is gone. The stark reality and it’s unbelievable beauty is right in front of us.

Peace and blessings on our way.

Dance! Dance! Dance! Giving and Making Peace.

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Letting go into Dance… not just the art of Dance but the thrill of it, is good for us.

It’s aerobic, certainly. But to lose ourselves in the music is good for our souls… To do that in the company of others is excellent.

And just like singing together brings our hearts into once place, so does dancing together!

But have a caution about the music you choose. Choose music with not only melody but also lyrics that set your heart to dancing as well as your feet.

We need to dance! We need to Peace! Together. As so many songs say: Just Keep Dancin’!

Let Music Transport Us to Peace

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Here’s what we need: We need to listen to live music. We need to dance to live music. We need to make live music. And damn it we need to sing.

Music takes us places we can’t imagine. And sometimes that’s as mundane as your living room with a guitar.

Let’s let music move us. What is that that EG Kight sings? “Let the blues move you to a better attitude.” And not just the blues. Bach. Beat. Beatles. Whatevah!

“All we are singing, is give Peace a chance.” We always think we sing that to someone else. We need to sing it to ourselves. Peace.

Walk Away for Peace

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Technology has changed our lives for the better. I love my devices, ‘deed I do.

I love the connection they permit; it’s extraordinary.

I love the processing they do; our lives are opened beyond our understanding by their power to crunch and sort and deliver.

And yet, they are time sucks. I control my phone, ipad, and kindle a bit because I ruthlessly prevent them from anything but certain tasks. But I work most frequently on the laptop… and it’s got rabbit holes galore. They’re gloriously exciting, but rabbit holes lead to warrens from which I emerge only hours later.

It’s so easy to be there and not here, now.

It’s hard to balance. It’s where I do my best work. It’s where I get my best information. It’s also where I am the most easily distracted.

I learn so much there. And yet. And yet. And yet, it is face to face that I get the most accomplished. Unless, of course, it’s not! Ah, it’s the dance on the edge of the sword, isn’t it?

How and where do I give Peace a chance — Peace which is, after all, made between People. Let’s keep dancing. Let’s keep dancing for Peace.

 

Commonality for Fun and Peace

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Now when there are things dividing us, let us also look for what unites us.

We need to explore our common humanity a bit, even as we work toward a better world.

The journey we’re on is a long one. Let’s find a way to have fun with each other as we move haltingly forward.

Slurping spaghetti is one way… find more. Peace depends on such ridiculousness.