Samhain Night

There is a wonderful CD out entitled "Celtic Moods" and is produced by Virgin Records. This is a collection of songs not to be missed.

Track #3 Samain Night by Loreena McKennit is not to be missed!

Although there are many other Celtic CD's this one is my favorite right now. There is nothing better than Celtic music in the fall....

http://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Moods-Carter-Burwell/dp/B000000WF2/sr=8-1/qid=1162293958/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-7158927-2820168?ie=UTF8&s=music

Religious Tolerance

It's earing the end for me in terms of finishing my master's degree, and as such I've been doing quite a bit of writing and research for my portfolio. Yesterday in my ongoing search for information I came across this website~

http://www.religioustolerance.org/nataspir.htm

It feels like home to me when I read some of the essays on this site; I hope and trust that this website will effect you the same way it has effected me. (And for all you grammar people out there I did spell effect the way I intended to!)

Awhile back I wrote about the website Teachingtolerance.org which in turn produces a magazine, one that I've been recieving for years from my parents. (Thank you Mom & Dad)

The website I'm mentioning now http://www.religioustolerance.org/ is a bit along those lines. I trust that you will accept it for what it is and not be quick to judge. Matthew 7:1&2

For more information on the Bible verse mentioned above please see~

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=7&version=31

Have a blessed day!

My Wish~

These lyrics are from a Rascal Flatts song, off of their "Me and My Gang" CD. The lyrics below have been cut and pasted from: http://www.completealbumlyrics.com/lyric/128868/Rascal+Flatts+-+My+Wish.html
today, October 27, 2006 at 6:25 a.m. E.D.T.

Lyrics to Rascal Flatts My WishMy Wish - Rascal Flatts

I hope that days come easy and moments pass slow,
and each road leads you where you want to go,
and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
More then anything, more then anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it,
to your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more then you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
all the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
and you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
and you always give more then you take.
Oh More then anything, Yeah, and more then anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it,
to your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more then you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

More information about the musical artists Rascal Flatts can be found at AOL music online. Downloads, videos and clips of their songs, including "My Wish" can be found here:

http://music.aol.com/artist/rascal-flatts/429157/main

The official Rascal Flatts website can be found at the link below:

http://www.rascalflatts.com/index2.php?

What's your wish?

How Much Do You Read?

How many books do you have in your home?

Does your son or daughter own a library card?

Do you own a library card?

Do you take your child to the library?

Do you read to your child daily?

This is part of an outreach project that I'm working on right now and as you know one question always leads to another. I've hit somewhat of a brick wall right now, it turns out that I can't find what our local library system does offer on it's website. One would think that there would be a page outling, listing perhaps, all the benefits of one possessing a library card. Apparently not.

So if I am a person who has, I don't know, immigrated here from another country, I wouldn't have the first clue as to why I would need- or want a library card if I'd never had one before. Hmmm... something to think about.

Meanwhile I will be at the library today, asking, in person, where the listing of services offered by our local library is. Perhaps there's a hard copy somewhere... or perhaps I'll just write my own version of what our local library has to offer.

After all the pen, or in this case the computer keyboard, is mightier than the sword.


"Beneath the rule of men entirely great, The pen is mightier than the sword." 1
Richelieu. Act ii. Sc. ii.

~Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton. (1803–1873)

http://www.bartleby.com/100/427.html#427.note1

The Turkey Totem

The Native American Indians, among others groups, have something in their culture called totems. Read on, I promise I'll get there...

Yesterday after dropping my children off at school I took the dogs for a drive in the park (it was raining) and as I entered the park I saw a flock of wild turkeys. I know there are flocks of wild turkeys in this area but this was the first time I had ever seen them in the park. One turkey stood out to me especially, she wasn't following the flock (for more on collective nouns in regards to birds please see- http://palomaraudubon.org/collective.html

and we all know the old proverb "Birds of a feather flock together". Well this turkey obviously hadn't heard that saying because she was running all over the place (and yes, I can tell the difference, I'm sure it was a hen). At one point she ran in front of a car that was going much too fast for the posted 15 m.p.h. sign and I was sure there were about to be feathers everywhere. However she didn't get hit, apprently turkeys are smarter than they seem, and I watched her, how could I not? Call it morbid fascination if you want but I was drawn to her, as was my dog who was sure I wasn't letting him out of the car to chase the turkeys as some sort of masochistic dog plan, he really was disgusted when we drove home without a turkey of our own.

But I digress, back to my story, as I watched this renegade turkey- who so obviously stood apart from the rest of the flock, she ran, rose up and flew away. If only we all could follow our own path and not follow the flock, then we to would soar like the wild turkey in the park.

The definition of totem from www.dictionary.com (see actual link below):

Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[toh-tem-ik] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation, adjective to‧tem‧i‧cal‧ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

The image above and much of my totem information come from the webpage listed below. There are many totem sites on line and I strongly urge you to search out your own resources regarding totems of many different kinds.

http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/turkey.htm

Shared Blessings
The Turkey is the symbol of sacrifice. It give life so others may live.
Many saints and mystics have Turkey as a totem. With a Turkey totem, you have transcended self. You act and react on behalf of others. This act is not a sense of moralism or guilt, but a deep knowledge that all life is sacred. What you do for others, you also do for yourself.

To have a Turkey totem is a true gift. Its gift may be spiritual, material or intellectual. Through giving to others will you reach your own goals.
The Turkey is linked to the third eye, the seat of feminine energies within us, and the center for higher vision.
Turkey is also the symbol of the Mother Earth and her abundant harvest. All of Earth's blessings and the ability to use them to their greatest advantageare part of Turkey's teachings.

May you soar like a turkey~

What Does Your World Look Like?

What does your world look like?

Kind of an odd question don't you think? We all live here on planet Earth don't we? But not everyone's world looks the same. Maybe from outer space it does, but from inner space? I guarantee you that from inner space our worlds look amazingly different.

It's been well over a year now since Hurricaine Katrina and yes, rebuilding efforts have begun but I'm sure Louisiana and the other southern states affected do not look the same as they did before the disaster. Lives were lost and live were changed forever, for those who lost someone I am truly sorry, there is no rebuilding of your heart, one must go on to heal the best that one can.

I bring all this up because we here in the Buffalo, New York experienced an extremely early snowstorm and onset of winter, unprecedented in fact, where basically two feet of very wet snow was dumped on our region in a matter of less than twelve hours. Lives were lost, again lives were changed forever. The landscape of our region was rather pruned as many trees came down and even more tree branches bent and broke.

The bible verse in john comes to mind here as well.

"I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

This has been a favorite verse of mine this year, for many reasons but when I see the tree branches stacked everywhere that I go, here in this area, I am again reminded how small and insignificant we as human beings really are at times. In many ways we can make our differences but when the storm comes will we be left standing?

So my question for today is what have you made your world look like? And I don't mean from outer space... what does your inner world look like today?

For more on what the planet Earth looks like from outer space please try the following links:

http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/earth.html

http://earth.google.com/

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

I highly recommend Google Earth, a phenomal way of looking at our planet.

Electric Or No Electric?

Last week as we recovered from the storm many miracles took place, one of which was the restoration of our electric power. Some were more fortunate and never lost power, still others at the time of this writing have none still. We were more fortunate and our electrical service was restored a week ago tonight.

I actually missed my college class for this miracle. I had to be here at my home to help remove parts of the damaged tree in my backyard last Monday at 3 p.m. Class started 45 minutes away- at 4 p.m., and by the time I was ready to go in to Niagara University the Niagara Mohawk crews were on my street and had blocked my car in! Truthfully? I wasn't all that upset about missing class. As some of my friends and neighbors stood around watching the trucks come down the street, and stop, with me I realized there were more important things in life than missing one graduate class. Although a part of me was groaning inwardly I realized that complaining or giving in to my initial reaction of "now what am I going to do?" was not an option.

Just 45 minutes away were my children, safe and secure with my parents who survived the storm in the Miami of the north, Niagara Falls, all power systems a go. And best of all? My Dad was doing our laundry, smile. Not only would I picking up my children that night, I would be returning home to a house- with power, and bringing our clean laundry home with me!

You know some Amish choose not to have electrical power and indeed they have other types of power. I think we all do if we look hard enough but after spending time without electrical power I realize how much I rely on that simple flip of a switch. Oh if life were so easy as to flip a switch and all such powerful miracles would occur!

May the power in your life come on today, whether it be electrical or otherwise!

Come One... Come All...

My children are being baptized this Sunday. At first we weren't sure if this would go off without a hitch seeing as how the storm of the century hit Buffalo and the surrounding areas; Fort Erie in Canada as well.

I like the church that we attend, it's a Lutheran church, one which I would never have chosen on my own had God not intervened. We've been looking for a home church home for quite some time now, it's funny how life works out and all it takes is one word... an invitation...

At our church Pastor speaks about communion and invites everyone who comes to church to partake. He likens his analogy to having a supper at your home and not allowing the children to eat. I think a more poignant analogy, one that would come across more diverse lines, would be in reminiscence of the Jim Crow laws and apartheid in South Africa. When we come to commune in the house of the Lord, whatever house that may be, we should all partake... not just the worthy, the few or the anointed. All.

Wherever you worship may you all enjoy the fruits of the Spirit. I invite you all to celebrate with us this Sunday, whether it be in person or in your prayers. May the peace that passes all understanding also be yours.

The Quiet Storm...

I'm sitting here at Niagara University writing this because at my house we don't have any power, electrical that is. We do have the power of God though, He has been with us through this time in our lives. As many of you may know we had a storm here last week that dumped 22 inches of wet snow on us in only a few hours. We are fine. The house is fine, we have gas and water, we're good. God has our backs.

What we do have however is half of the tree in our backyard and no phone or electric at this time. This whole experience has brought new meaning to the Lord's Prayer~

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

Taken from: http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/oe/pater_noster.html

We've had many miracles this weekend and many things to be thankful for. Among them a heart restored and a love found. Right now we are eternally thankful for friends and family who also have our backs.... and for our daily bread. As we lost power so too did we lose our refrigerator and freezer. God will and does provide.

I don't know when electric and phone will be restored, until then pray for us here in Buffalo and y'all take care! Joy

ASK!

And you shall receive...

For this verse in a large print version of the Bible please go to John 16:24

http://eword.gospelcom.net/large/kjv/B43C016.htm

Matthew 7:7&8

Luke 11:9

I was listening to Nickelback's CD "All the Right Reasons"

http://www.nickelback.com/

and this verse came to mind as I listened to Track 3 ~ Photograph.

I was thinking about the poverty and malfeasance in the world and realized that if we just ask the right person... our needs will be met. Let's think about that for a moment, we can ask the librarian for the book that we want to read. That's asking, and the librarian will find that book for us. We can ask the man at the post office for the stamps that we need. That's asking, and the postal clerk will sell them to us. Sometimes, just sometimes what we want comes with a price... and sometimes it doesn't... Jesus died for our sins so that we didn't have to pay the eternal price. The prices we do have to pay in this world are in order that we might ask and receive our dreams. Pay the price... your dreams are worth it. Do what you love. Every time I ask someone if the job that they do is one that they love they usually answer in the negative. I have paid the price and I do what I love ... the rest will follow... and it has. For some that will be a job, money... what is it for you? Do what you love and I promise... the rest will follow.

Since the first few hits on my Bible verse search of this well known verse produced these results I soon realized that the Bible is instructing us to ask. And we should. We should ask God, in fact Jesus wanted us to or these words wouldn't have been written in the Bible so frequently. Ask and you shall recieve is about as basic a Bible principle as I've found. So please ask, and I promise you with hard work and if you're willing to pay the price for that hard work, you shall receive. Follow your heart and it will take you home.

"Far Away".... I'm coming home....

Faith and Sacrifice

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring[b] will be reckoned."[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. Hebrews 11:17-19

My faith has been tested this week... just as it has been tested in the past and will be tested in the future. How doesn't matter for we live in a world at war... sprirtually, emotionally... physically. May those who are physically combatting evil such as our soldiers, police, fire personnel and Marines follow their hearts and serve justice by doing what is right, never forgetting who they are and whom they serve.

May we all follow our hearts and listen to the Lord.

Of course we have help in our daily battles, whatever they may be. For me it's the choice between two dreams, a lifetime of love and of a dream which came to pass after many years of praying. A choice.. it's always a choice isn't it? For me some things were never a choice, to have my son or not, to stand tall in the face of adversity, to raise my children alone. That's me every time, I accept God's will in my own life, I do not shirk from the responsbilities which God has laid out to me. Free will dictates that I must choose, that I could go one way or the other way but once the door has opened we must go through, whatever the imagined, or real cost may be. "With great privilege comes great responsibility". And sometimes, just sometimes.... with great sacrifice as well.

As Abraham was asked to offer his son Isaac so too are we asked to sacrifice that which is most close to our hearts for God's greater will. I trust and believe so therefore I choose God's will and trust that He will lead me to the peace that passes all understanding. My prayer for you today is that you too find what you are looking for... and receive it...


Quote of the Day for October 11, 2006

"Every instance of heartbreak can teach us powerful lessons about creating the kind of love we really want." – Dr. Martha Beck, Sociologist/Therapist/Best-selling Writer

This quote was e-mailed to me from a free subscription at: www.SelfGrowth.com

And that quote is true, one hundred percent... I chose to do God's will, how about you? But I also wish for the love and happiness that passes all understanding. Free will you know... the choice does not always rest with us, sometimes our fate lies in the hands of others, our happiness too, but then again these are the choices we must make. Just as Abraham offered Isaac so too must we offer our greatest joy, our heart...

The above Bible verses may be found at: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11

May the peace that passes all understanding be yours today... and everyday.

Signs in the Fiery Furnace

I asked God last week for a sign... I knew better but I did it anyways. This after he granted my greatest petition, my most heartfelt prayer request.

It all started out when I couldn't trust and God knew it. The daily word from the Upper Room on Sunday was about the fourth man in the fiery furnace~ see the link below to read the original daily word.

"I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." -Daniel 3:25 (KJV)

I just knew when I read this passage that I too was about to experience my own fiery furnace. I just didn't know how soon. Yesterday. It was yesterday that I experienced my fiery furnace. But you all know what heat does? It shapes the soul... it melts away the excess and produces the gold that lies buried beneath... and within...

And it brings out the best ~and sometimes worst~ in people. I experienced that as well yesterday. I learned that miracles are indeed real, even when you can't touch them. I had asked for a sign and I recieved one, so I suggest you all don't ask for signs and tempt God. Three things that stand out about yesterday immediately come to mind:

1. Everything happens for a reason... sometimes yes, we know why and other times we need to recognize what is going on around us as it's happening.

2. Jesus was indeed with me in my time of fire... my family and I were able to share the word of God like never before and it brought us closer together. All four of us...

3. When God answers a prayer... He answers a prayer... And He makes you whole, removing the scales from your eyes and allowing you to see what He sees. All He asks is that you trust... and believe. I believe. In miracles... and in prayer requests... God really does hear all and know your heart. Trust me... and don't ask for a sign after you've received.

With the peace that passes all understanding~ I leave you peace. Have a good day~

http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/default.asp?start_pos=1&item_id=353004

http://www.upperroom.org/

http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/

Ask. Seek. Knock.

Many of you know that my favorite quote is~

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."

~ Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922)

I've found a companion quote~

From the Bible~ Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek and you will find; Knock, and the door will be opened.

Have a blessed day....

The above image can be found at: http://www.heartlight.org/gallery/117.html

The Power of Meaning....

Words have powerful meanings...

What words once meant they mean no more...

What once was read now has new meaning, read again...

Reading....

"Once illuminated the soul's shadow may perhaps be dark, but the soul itself is dark no more....the shadow... a memory of the soul."

Would this quote have made any impact on you if you couldn't read? Maybe... maybe not. Perhaps if someone read it to you but then you would have their voice inflections in your mind- and not your own original thought. Reading allows you as an individual to think for yourself.

The question at our school today was "Why is reading important?" Perhaps I should have capitalized those words, or maybe written the whole question as a bold statement to emphasize my meaning. If you can understand and follow what I've just written then thank the teacher who taught you how to read. You are able to read the printed or written word and intellectualize your own thoughts. Congratulations. Half the world can't. They must rely on someone else to tell them what to think and in many cases how to feel.

This is the UN's Literary Decade (2003-2012); make it your mission to help someone else learn how to think through reading and writing. If you don't know where to start reading always comes first and then goes hand in hand with writing. Teach or help someone to read...

For more on the UN please see the site below:
http://www.un.org/av/photo/subjects/literacy.htm

Illiteracy

"Illiteracy is a form of poverty." J. Drapo ~ 1 October 2006

There are many forms of poverty however I think literacy ranks high up there among them. After all you hear people at parties and gathering saying things like~ "I never learned how to knit" or~ "I never took up golf". You rarely hear a sucessful person say~ "I never learned how to read, I just didn't have the time."

Being literate is not just for the wealthy and privileged anymore. Public schooling was founded to combat this very issue. Of course we all know there's not equality in education, just look around you, I did...

This past spring I was fortunate enough to take part in an exercise where we the students lined up shoulder to shoulder and then the instructor asked us questions. As we answered her questions we were allowed to take one step forward or two steps back depending on our answers. The questions mostly had to do with ability but then the instructor interjected a few questions about ethnic background and economic ability. I have a dear friend, the best teacher that I've ever had the privilege of meeting, who was so far behind some of us that it wasn't funny. Yet we sit side by side in each and every class but it was clear she'd had more obstacles to overcome than most of the rest of the students in order to some to graduate school.

Literacy begins at home, continues through public or formal education and to be honest by the time most reach high school we've knocked the hunger to learn out of most students. It should not be this way. We need to change the face of education here in America and promote literacy. Illiteracy should not be a form of poverty in the United States- or anywhere in the world.

The UN has designated this the Literary Decade - Education for all, 2003 - 2012. What can you do to combat illiteracy? I leave you to open your mind as to how to change the face of education.

For more on the UN's Literary Decade please click on the following link:

http://www.un.org/av/photo/subjects/literacy.htm