On what goes around...

Last two weeks, I have undertaken a huge and overdue effort, clearing the clutter in my home study. What a process! It's dirty. There's dust and fur (my cats like this room and have contributed to its chaos by knocking things off surfaces). There is evidence of worse cat behavior, too.

Amid the boxes of stuff that is mostly going to be recycled, each day I have found a treasure. Things I have despaired of ever finding, genealogical treasures, various coins, cards and such that are worth real money, photos I had forgotten about.

Also this effort takes me back in time to the year the clutter settled in there.

I have found a leaders guide for Simplicity Circles. Environmental guides. Climate chain info from 18 years ago (alsojournal articles from that era on the need to reform health care in this country).

It helps me realize I've been working on same thing a long time, and that though thevissues persist, they change. So I recycled facts about consumer waste from 1994.

Maybe instead of recycling all this, I'll get it shredded so it can have further use as bedding or cage liners....

The boxes and boxes of STUFF I am ready, even eager to pitch (responsibly). It's daunting, sobering really.

I hope I never again create chaotic clutter like this.

Peace, Y'all

Molly

Thanksgiving blessings

I have so much to be thankful for. Today I tried to count my blessings and gave up after 50 or so. I have a good life, and I'm grateful. In my last big prayer I asked to to an instrument of peace. I work for peace in many ways. I hope to find many more.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Global Warming Cafe was yesterday

10/10/10 was yesterday, and what a day it was. More than 7000 events around the planet, and I did one right here in Richland. With a lot of help from Lora Rathbone and Lyle, Kathy C, Kathy W, and Susie O, we had a room full of people who want to cut their carbon. Many have already cut it a lot.

But I thought I was pretty green, and I have found ways to cut 10500 pounds, which is 12% of our family's total. Last year's anyway. I expect we'll fly a bit less this year, which will make our total lower than the very scarey 79000 pounds we dumped last year.

I'm filled with hope, and gratitude. This looks to be a wonderful fall season.

Peace, y'all

Molly

A moving prayer for peace

This was in my email inbox this a.m. and I am moved to share it. Enjoy. Peace, y'all


MY MESSAGE FOR PEACE AND HARMONY

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

We all need to pray for one another, and to love one another. We should always pray for the safety, peace, love and brotherhood for people all over the world.

Too bad we can't have an independence day for the entire world. A day of freedom from ignorance, hatred, war, illusions, power and control. A day where we can all love each other as human beings and toss away the weapons of war, and cast out our fears and hatreds from our hearts into the graves. We must mourn the graves of the innocents all over the world, and give the children of the world the hope of a peaceful, loving and beautiful world.

A world full of love and without hatred or fear. A world where we can join hands together and accept one another, regardless of our skin color, ethnic divisions, religion or nationality. If we don't unite as a human race, then we have condemned the future generation of children a dark and very grim future.

Think of love, compassion and peace always...


MY PRAYER FOR PEACE AND HARMONY

Merciful God, You made all of the people of the world in Your own image and placed before us the pathway of salvation through different Preachers who claimed to have been Your Saints and Prophets. But, the contradictions (made by us) in the interpretation of Your teachings have resulted in creating divisions, faith based hatreds and bloodshed in the world community. Millions of innocent men, women and children have so far been brutally killed by the militants of several religions who have been committing horrifying crimes against humanity and millions more would not be butchered by them in the future, if You guide and help us find ways to reunite peacefully.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL, look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the controversial teachings of arrogance, divisions and hatreds which have badly infected our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; reunite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish Your purposes on earth; that, in Your good time, all nations and races could jointly serve You in justice, peace and harmony. (Amen)

Regards,
S.A.Rehman
Peace Activist
PAKISTAN

Obama party? Dinner grace

My husband wants to hold an inauguration party. This would be a stretch for me, as my comfort zone is small dinner parties. But the thought is percolating, and ..... why ever not? Why not celebrate democracy, celebrate diversity (what with Martin Luther King Jr day being celebrated the day before the inauguration), celebrate friendship and hope, and fill the house with friends and good food to help us while away the winter months?

Now some grace. Here is a Christian one:

O Lord, we thank Thee for our daily bread. May it strengthen and refresh our bodies! And we pray Thee, nourish our souls with Thy heavenly grace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

And here is another:

May this food restore our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, new thoughts to weary minds. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts. And once refreshed, may we give new pleasure to You, who gives us all.

As a Quaker my grace words are unspoken but one of these days I will make my thoughts visible.

Peace y'all

Molly

Are we rich?

Yesterday I tried to look at my neighborhood through the eyes of someone from a different country. "Are you rich?" the visitor asked me in my mind. Well, so-so. Some folks have trouble making ends meet, either through bad fortune or bad decisions. Others have their needs met and money left over for fun, though they doubtless want more than they have. None would admit to being rich--Is this a uniquely American trait? But really, all the people in my neighborhood are comfortable, have enough to eat, and have a safe and comfortable place to live. And we all live in an area free of violence, lately anyway. So I think we are very rich, though not ostentatiously.

I want to buy something in the $600 range that is completely optional. But my pets have been ill, and my spouse brought home a bill from the dentist in the $750 range. So I will wait to buy the optional service I want. I am not poor. I could find the $$, but I would rather keep the $$ in savings. I am not poor. I am actually quite blessed, be able to choose and to be able to pay the dental bill and the vet bill.