Grateful Sabbath Peace, llvl

It’s early Sunday morning and I’m sitting in the “parlor” of the dorm I lived in my first year in college some 40 years ago.

I’ve just spent the weekend at my college — a small, women’s liberal arts college in south central PA. I loved going there. I might have had a better academic advisor, given that i wound up with a degree in french education, and let’s be clear, I was never going to be a french teacher. But I couldn’t have had a better home for my growing soul.

I graduated in a very small class. Although we may not have all been best of friends while we were here, we knew one another, no escaping that. Through the years, when I’ve been in the right place, I’ve come back to celebrate. In the process, I’ve become better acquainted with everyone’s story. And along the way, we’ve all come to love one another. It’s pretty spectacular, when you think about it.

We’re women who care, about one another, certainly, but also about our lives and about the world. We care a lot about women’s education and are sorrowing that the college seems to have drifted into co-education without a by your leave. In a world where women’s lives are on the line, I believe in the power of women’s education. But that’s probably another day’s musing. Today, I’m under the gun to get home for church and then Bill-Town Blues. What a rich and privileged life I lead.

Love, Peace, and a great slow, summer Sabbath. Sweet music to you, my dears!

Confusion on the Way to Peace, llvl

Not only is the path to Peace incremental it’s prone to fogs of confusion. Actually, I’d say the path to anything that matters is fraught with difficulties.

But confusion’s a particularly annoying one. When I was younger, I would too often plunge forward and then spend precious time recovering from my urgency. And there’s something very seductive about the doing and the crisis management.

But wisdom, or laziness, or the increasing canniness of age has taught me to marshal my forces a bit better. Look, it’s foggy. Think I’ll wait until things have cleared up a bit. Might as well have a cuppa or look, there’s champagne.

And then, while sitting, taking the opportunity to visit a bit, just a bit: How are you? “Lovely baby. Where are you going? Oh, you know my Cousin Harry had exactly the same problem…” Sure, you want to exercise a bit of caution, but most sojourners are fine and happy to reassured of their fellow travelers’ humanity.

Make friends — because really, isn’t that the point? It’s disarming in many ways… figuratively as it relaxes everyone, yourself included and literally, as it’s harder to be combative with the folk with whom you were just being neighborly.

Who knows, the people you’re talking to may even know about the road conditions. After all, it is Peace you’re working toward. You want to wind up friendly at the end of the journey, it’s sort of the point. You’ve got to sit and let things unwind anyway, might as well pass the time. Clarity usually arrives and then it’s time to be off again, but now you’ve created new connections with your fellow travelers. Now you’re a confederate of travelers, a community. Again… the point, right?

But in the meanwhile, make nice and enjoy yourself a bit. Start with the noncomittal and build. You’ve little to lose and perhaps much to gain.

Pleasantries make a mighty good walking stick on the Peace Journey.

Recalculating Peace, llvl

It’s a complicated thing, this Peace thing. And so many places it can derail. So many places it does derail.

So, faithfulness is asked of us. And remembering. Remembering that we live in our own small local life where change is possible. Remembering despite the news of shootings and violence. Remembering despite my rage and sadness at the way we treat one another.

Peace is a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other journey. It’s a journey where you sometimes have to sit down until the fog clears. Sometimes when it finally does, you notice the path is changed.

So you do what the GPS teaches and recalculate the roads we’ll take to get to Peace. We must keep it on our hearts and minds. It’s a challenging enough journey. We must keep the destination clear and the prayer alive. Peace be with you, my friends.

Distraught about Peace, llvl

Sometimes I can stay focused on the Work and the Progress. Peace is an incremental thing. And it’s unfolding is sweet. When you see the ways la vida local changes and softens, and sometimes even larger swathes of life change, you can keep the plate of Hope spinning.

And then there are periods like right now. It seems like there’s so much bad news. Nothing but mayhem, violence, greed and outright stupidity. Makes me feel as if i’m running around smelling the roses growing over the septic tank — that’s covered in quicksand.

What is wrong with us? What’s the hatred about? I have a friend who writes about the rising of the Feminine. I’m not seeing it. It’s a litany of hope i raised for myself 30 years ago… and right now, i’m seeing death and mayhem. I’m confronting rape. Not individual rape, like having to talk a sweet young woman through it last year. No, wholesale, impersonal, widespread violence aimed at eviscerating young women and their hope in the future, in drowning their bright potential in ugly fear.

The rage I feel is enormous. It’s not to say that i don’t continue my work. Yesterday, I sent letters urging folks to write letters to their House Reps and Senators to agitate for PA House and Senate Bill 300, which would end legal discrimination against GLBTQ folk in housing and workplace. Won’t end the hatred, we’ve a long way to go on that, but at least it gives people rights. I spoke to a friend who works in a Representative’s office in Harrisburg. It looks like it should pass. But, you never know. Time to help the elected officials understand it matters to us. As my friend says, “for goodness’ sake, we have an anti-discrimination law in the state government, you’d think we could enshrine this in the law.” You would think.

Sometimes we need to sit with the anguish. We can’t allow ourselves to drown in it, but we should hang out with it. And at the same time, keep making Peace. I leave my head in these contemplations, but turn my heart toward Love. The haters can’t have me.

June Garden Peace, llvl

This year, we’re having the June we remember from our childhoods. Beautiful days, impressive storms and wild riotous gardens. I know, I know, I say this every season, because there’s always something beautiful, but there’s nothing quite like June. It’s awash in Possibility and in Purpose. It’s green, green, green.

I loved the solitary splendor of this iris. Vibrantly purple, less ornate than its cousin the bearded iris, it’s a simple stalk of Beauty. We’re transfixed. But that iris is simply doing it’s job. We see it as singular, but it’s one more beautiful bloom in the garden.

That’s who we’re meant to be, I think: Individuals, Fulfilling our own destiny in an abundant garden. Gorgeous blossoms in a sea of abundance. Bringing Beauty, bringing Peace, is not simply our job. We’re simply there to bring the Peace we can. We need to count on our neighbors to bring the Peace they can. We each have our own work.

In a small village, it’s easier to see both your work and your neighbor’s. We can understand how to help one another grow and flourish. We can see the payoff. But no matter how large or small your village, find a small group and get to work. Then let the movement build.

There are so many reasons the world needs our abilities to bring, Peace to bring Change. Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the weight of things that are wrong in this world. And then, I remember. I live in a village. I live la vida local. I can make a small but important difference. If I do my part and you do yours and we encourage one another, pretty soon change can start… Remember, you’re a beautiful Iris in a sea of Peace. This is your season to shine. Start there.

More June Peace, llvl

The days continue to extend an invitation to come out into the world. It is flat out gorgeous! This pic has kept me enraptured all week. I was so happy to find the rhododendron festooning the forest with colors other than sun-dappled green this weekend.

Today the eagle was on the river shore across from Turrie and my breakfast place. Everybody was plastered to the window, watching. Share a moment like that and our differences melt away. The next time we meet, we’re friendlier, laughing more freely.

Softened edges make differences less obvious. and that’s a good thing.

go on, git out there! Peace.

Sweet June Peace, llvl

It’s hard to understand how lucky those of us who live here are. Yesterday, my half of my community went to the mountains for worship and hiking and playing. An hour from where I live is a state park filled with trails and waterfalls and forests that have rhododendrons just like this one lurking to surprise you with beauty.

Kids played in the (brrrr) lake, bluebirds (bluebirds!) twittered at us from the pavilion rafters, pretty healthy food was served (we are UUs after all).

Driving down off the mountain the vista over the valley was incredible. Everything was green and a surprising amount of land is undeveloped. Certain places along the road there is nothing to look at but canopy and sky.

I live here. I don’t get out often enough. And I certainly don’t get out and sit with my friends to visit, walk along a trail, or hop in a natural body of water anywhere often enough. And Why not? Why not fill up on Peace so that we can spread it. We live in beauty. Let’s get out and enjoy it. June’s perfect weather is fleeting.

June Peace Sabbath, llvl

It doesn’t get more beautiful than June in Central Pennsylvania. The trees are green the rivers are full and the skies are blue, blue, blue. Yes, the pollen’s high, but… it’s gorgeous nonetheless.

And it’s a day of rest and relaxation. Two church services this morning, I’m preaching the home game and Sara’s leading the away one out in the woods at a park filled with waterfalls and a gorgeous lake. Then many of us are rallying for lunch, a swim or a hike or both. (don’t be ridiculous, ann doesn’t hike!)

I hope you have wonderful plans today. And I hope it’s as lovely where you are. We’re having a perfect moment here in the Valley. And I’m going to revel in it.

When we have these perfect days, may we all enjoy — and come Monday, Sabbath over, get back to work protecting this beautiful world.

No meaning, just Joy on this beautiful Sabbath Day. Peace be with you all.

Peace Has No Age Limits, llvl

A group of us gathered at church yesterday to pack toiletry kits for kids. That’s a whole story in and of itself. If you’re looking for places to help change kids’ lives, read this, and find something you want to do. Policy work is important, but the local work makes a difference and really makes community.

But there we were, this small band of volunteers. One woman had worked in a factory, she set up our line. There were 500 bags to be filled. One woman had brought her five year old. Now Cordelia makes me laugh out loud, on almost any occasion. She has enthusiasm.

One of the other other moms, whose daughter was in school, found a job for Cordelia. As we walked by filling our bags, she would hand us a toothbrush. After a while, she realized she was standing by the toothpaste, and she set out boxes of toothpaste, put a brush on the box and handed us both. More work for her, less for us. It was a great solve and it drove home that our kidlets can make a difference if we’ll just give them the option.

It was a delight for the line engineering improvement, a delight to have an empowered five year old and she laughed and giggled and made us all have a good time. She worked for the same 2 hours we all worked. Blessed are the Peacemakers and those who are willing to see the Peacemaking everyone can do.

Sometimes it’s easy to believe that we’re the only ones who can get a job done. uh… right… that’s wrong. So here’s to the 5 year olds and letting them take their place in the work that needs to be done. They might make improvements in the work flow, and they’ll definitely make you giggle. And you might just get a Peacemaker in training. Why not let them step up. Peacemakers who giggle? That’s priceless.

Connected Peace, llvl

When we think about Peace, we think about a global event. But that makes it too hard to approach. Peace, global Peace, is made up of a net work of local Peace. Peace spreads across the world bit by bit. We encourage world Peace by promoting local Peace.

I believe one of the important keys to local Peace is connection. We need to know who’s thinking and working on what issues. We need to be encouraging one another to live into and share our expertise. And then when that expertise is needed we need to step forward with our own or call on the person who knows about that topic… so we’re always using the best of us to move toward the sweetest Possibilities.

Let’s encourage the connections and grow the Peace. Let’s encourage each other. No one’s going to change the world all on her/his own. We need to keep reaching out to each other and moving the conversation forward.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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