Saturday, June 13, 2009

What if...

What if people worried more about their own lives and allowed others to do the likewise? What if people stopped being preoccupied by how other people relate to each other in love? What if people stopped being preoccupied by what consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedrooms? What if people were able to walk a mile in someone else’s moccasins? What if people were able to accept a person as they relate to others rather than as they look or talk or believe? What if Christians were willing to do as their Jesus taught - love Godde, love each other, take care of each other and leave judgment to Godde?

In other words, what if those who claim to be “Christians” acted in ways that don't seem to be the opposite of what I believe the Bible says Jesus taught?

What if people ignored difference as long as being different doesn’t hurt someone else. Americans seem terrified of difference. Why? We avoid people who are blind or deaf or missing an arm or are otherwise physically different. We avoid people who don’t dress like we do. We avoid people of a different social class. We avoid people who have a different lifestyle. We avoid people others avoid.

What if people weren’t so quick to judge something or someone different as wrong? We are quick to judge others’ habits as wrong. We are quick to judge others’ beliefs as wrong. We are quick to judge others as wrong simply on appearance.

What if the people arriving for worship toward the end of the eucharist last week were told to not bother? There was no later service. I’m happy to say I didn’t think of them as “wrong” but I did wonder why they bothered. In their culture time seems to be relative. It is not my culture. Should I consider them wrong if they don’t exactly do what we do when we do it?

What if we all admitted we can't know exactly what is “right” in Godde's world anyhow?

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Lost turtle

I almost hit this with the mower. She reminded me of Hildy. She is about the same size.

This is what she had to find her way thru to get to my driveway. As I said, I need help. Anyhow she was about 300 feet from water. I didn't see her leave but she did after I put the mower away. She didn't seem to deposit any eggs as the little hole was empty and dry. The mower and the cats probably traumatized her. Turtles have often laid eggs closer to the water. When I mow that area I should probably walk it first. One year I found dozens of turtlettes scurrying toward the water. The neighbor kids were little at the time and were fascinated. For some reason they didn't try to catch any of them.

Help wanted

Weeding help desperately needed. I thought I had dug up all the Asian lilies and given them to my neighbor. I guess I missed a few.

Prayers for Bonnie and family

Today The Three Legged Stool told us of the passing of Ed Spivey on 22 May 2009. Our hearts and prayers go out to Bonnie and those who share her love for Ed. Prayers also for Wolfie who surely misses him too.

Monday, June 8, 2009

The other hungry one

This one visits every evening and eats whatever the cats leave. S/He is quite bold and comes over to look in the kitchen.

St Barnabas, Monmouth Junction, NJ

The gal I stayed with in New Jersey is the organist at St Barnabas Episcopal Church. When my plans for church fell thru she asked me to sing tenor with her choir.

This was the first of ten young people confirmed during the service.

The parish has many members from Africa and various islands. The women wore beautiful, colorful dresses which I was unable to photograph successfully.
The Right Reverend Sylvestre Romero, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey, celebrated and preached.

LASHIR

Raanan Shefa's choir in Princeton, NJ