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

Daily gratitude and an answered prayer

My funk lifted, and the world is a better place.
It started to lift after that big prayer on Saturday, which I mentioned in the last post.

The prayer starts with adoration. Next comes contrition, then (my favorite part)thanksgiving. Last comes supplication. All I asked for Saturday was to lift me out of my blues.

Now I'm wondering if God answered my prayer, or if the things I did last weekend lifted me.

On Facebook,I have posted daily something I'm grateful for. I got this idea from a Quaker friend who is on FB a lot. Others picked up the idea too, and it creates a lovely sense of gratitude and abundance.

There is so much to be grateful for.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Do no harm

I have been depressed. It sucks. I have not posted lately, or done much of anything. I am taking my antidepressant, getting sleep, using light therapy. Still the funk continues. Today I engaged in protracted prayer, and I feel a lot better. I am also much more constructive around the house.

First things first. Peacemaking must start right here in my own murky psyche. Till the funk lifts, I will go by the motto of 'do no harm.'

Peace y'all

Molly

Riding in the palm of God's hand

The sense of grace and gratitude remains. I have more to do and miles to go...Today I learned how easy it is to get info and support through my city's web site. I can do some good this way.

I have been keeping my promise, my gift to our country on its birthday on July 4. I pledged to use my First Amendment rights.

Am I flexing my First Amendment right to freedom of the press when I write this blog entry?

I petitioned government today via email. I prayed and spoke my mind, and will assemble with coworkers in a few. So, today I'm 5 for 5!

But it is not enough. Miles to go before I rest

Here is a gem I try to recite each a.m. to great the new day. It is a gift from e.e. cummings.

i thank you God for most this amazing day;for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and of love and
wings;and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifed from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened.)

Lacking much inspiration of my own today, I cheerfully share mr. cummings'

I am having a marvelous little day. I took some great pictures of my cats, had a lovely walk and breakfast with my daughter, and we did a little purging today. So her shelves are emptier of stuff and fuller of potential.

Through the lens of peace, I suppose I'm reaping the dividends today. And feeling suitably appreciative.

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

Pray for each other and for the world

Today I prayed very intensely. I used ACTS, adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, supplication. I am praying for peace, for the leaders of democracies around the world to defend their citizens and the rights of their citizens. I am praying that we all realize each other's humanity and human rights, that we can all work to make things better around the world. Please join me in these prayers

Molly

Doing small things in a great way

Yesterday I really tried to do small things in a great way. I didn't do anything worth reporting--just usual chore stuff-- but did it with great focus. I saw faces. I asked for folks' names. I tried to learn a little Vietnamese. I breathed deeply, prayed in odd places (the mall, eg) and worked hard. I used the bus to grocery shop. I even tried to still my internal chatter! And, 16164 steps on my pedometer, which might be a record.

I am pleased to report I wrote to Utne to express my disappointment the latest issue didn't back up its claim to show how to fix our schools, stop genocide, and conquer fear. I also emailed the president to share with him the wishes for his first term from the folks who attended our inauguration eve party on 1/21.

These were some of the ideas that came to me at the Quaker silent weekend.

My weight is down a teensy bit, too

Peace, y'all

Molly

More dividends from the silent weekend

Daily life has resumed but the weekend's ideas are still in me. I carried out one of them yesterday (a simple one), and have begun a few others (gently nudging my husband toward one green action and another that supports a nonprofit and issue we care about, talking to conservatives, practicing good listening skills). Also I am working on reducing my personal chatter.

I had some stuff to feel contrite about--I was immersed in a Tom Clancy novel, and shirked my tasks and stayed up too late. Finished the book today and plan to sleep well tonight!

And the spirit brought me more gifts! My coworker Ginger met a man who attended Westtown and identifies as a Quaker. Another Quaker in my town!! This is exciting.

Ginger is brimming with ideas and I am going to help her.

How is this for a cool idea. Does your city have a sister city? If so, why not set up a student exchange with that city and have the students learn about the green and sustainable practices the host city is doing!? And participate in a community forum to share the status of carbon reduction, alternate energies, local food, whatever, from their home country! Then when the students return home, they hold another forum to share what they have learned. And somehow (haven't figured this all out yet) find ways to implement what the student ambassador learned from sister city.

How else can we build peace with sister cities? I am glad my city has a sister city and I hope we can use that mechanism to increase the level of harmony in the universe.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Comment j'ai passe mon weekend

How I Spent My Weekend (in 10th grade French, it was the assignment every week to write an essay entitled "Comment j'ai passe mon weekend." It really stuck with me)

I attended the silent weekend for the Pacific NW Qtr of North Pacific Yearly Meeting. It was wonderful. No speech for 40 hours. We worshipped in meetings for worship and in mindful activities. It was rich, fun, and filled with grace.

I had hoped the weekend would recharge me spiritually and help me find ways to help Obama form a more perfect union.

It did, and I did.

Je me suis tres bien amusee (I had a very good time).

I lavished attention (really wallowing!) in the prayer structure I learned in the very amusing book The Year of Living Biblically, which I recommend cheerfully. The structure is ACTS. Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication. The spirit really opened up and the Thanksgiving and supplication sections were huge, and wonderful. Then ideas poured forth, just as I'd hoped.

And that was only the first worship session, just after we clammed up our yappers!

More tomorrow

Peace, y'all

Molly

peacemaking

It is going well at work, and I am so glad!

At home I will work a little harder. With a teenager and an elderly husband, there is some clashing. I hope to mitigate it.

All is well.

Today I prayed. ACTS--Adoration Contrition. Thanksgiving, and Supplication. By the time I got to supplication, my soup was cooling and my coworkers chatting, but a few supplications arose through all that--Please, God, strength, wisdom, and grace. If I had more of those I would have less to be contrite about!!

Prayed and afraid rhyme. Oh dear.

I know a guy who is dedicated to peace. He has a peaceful demeanor. He is devoutly and faithfully religious. His old car has a peace bumpersticker, and he wears a black armband. He writes letters to the editor now and again and leads modest demonstrations now and then. Those are just the peacemaking behaviors I witness. What else does he do when I don't see? I admire this man.

These challenging times make call for different kinds of prayers. Besides prayers of gratitude, which I believe in offering several times a day, now also we pray in supplication, seeking comfort, guidance, and wisdom in facing the difficulties of the day. In this prayerful mind set I have been browsing in Quaker stuff and found this worth sharing.

http://www.create.ucsb.edu/~stp/Messages.html#Christians

This is a collection of contributions from a Friend named Steven Travis Pope. They are short essays from a Christian Quaker, and they speak to this non-Christ-centered Quaker as well.

http://quakerquaker.org/ is a collection of Q-related blogs and news. I invite you to have a look.