a bit of preaching

The AltSimLiv calendar has introductory-type info for the first few days. Today's message resonates with me and perhaps with you, whoever you are.

"Living more simply may mean dealing with our own resentment when others don't "get it." When we are making corrections to lieve more responsibly, and others don't seem to have the slightest inclination to change their wasteful ways, we may feel angry. We can be living testimonials. We are not judgmental but we speak up whenever we have the chance." Alternatives fo Simple Living, 800-821-6153.

I try not to feel angry at others who are behind me on the path to simple and sustainable living. I love the idea of being a living testimonial. At the same time, no sense in hiding our light under a bushel!

So I'll try harder not to judge all the single-occupant cars that pass me when I wait at the bus stop, especially since many times I am one of those drivers!

The other thing that gets to me are engine idlers. In 2008 I stopped using drive-throughs and no longer idle the car except at traffic lights. (and sometimes not then eithe!) How do I be a living testimonial of something I'm NOT doing anymore?

I am led to distribute propaganda supporting the anti-idling message to idlers I encounter. But I fear this is too judgmental, presumptious, arrogant, etc. I'm not ready yet to go forward with this.

The last two sentences of the AltSimLiv message make me think about the sins of pride and the others (lust, sloth, gluttony, greed? I don't recall) Pride is my challenge.

My retail abstinence is going alright. But the month is young.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Peace is non-linear and today it's circular

The path to peace is not linear, and today I'm seeing this quite clearly. My decision to reuse my eternal calendar from the good people at Alternatives for Simple Living (http://www.simpleliving.org/) lead me back to Doris Janzen Longacre's Living more with Less.

Alternatives for Simple Living is a non-profit organization that equips people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and create meaningful celebrations (cut and pasted straight from their web site). It's Christian in a gentle and practical way.

Doris Janzen Longacre was a Mennonite, and this book is part of the Mennonite Central Committee's work to meet human needs world wide. It's nourishing. Like hors d'ourves rather than a 3-course dinner. Her categories are

Do Justice

Learn from the World Community

Nurture People

Cherish the Natural Order

Nonconform freely

Yummy! It comforts me to organize my own activities along these lines. Is my food donation today a "nurture people" and "do justice" ??? Is my party tonight to make it fun to take down the Christmas tree sort of "nonconform freely?" Am I doing a bit to cherish the natural order when I recycle?

As I drink coffee grown and processed by Gustavo in Turriabla Costa Rica I feel pretty good. I honor the memory of Doris Janzen Longacre.

Back to circular. I got this book years and years ago and it has rested quietly on my bookshelf for quite a while. It's practically new to me once more.

I did some work with AltSimLiv years ago too. And I am led there once more. (More on this in Sept or October 2010.)

Peace, y'all

Molly

Retail abstinence

I decided last week to have a moratorium for shopping in January. No retail, besides groceries, medicines, stuff for cats, toothpaste, stuff like that. No restaurants either, unless I'm traveling. The very hardest part of this for me is staying away from Starbucks, Coffee Bean, etc.

I am eager to learn what I will say YES to while saying NO to shopping. I am also eager to compare expenditures in January from those say, last September.

This is like the polar bear dip, I think. January is the longest, darkest, coldest month (beside December, which is full of activity and lights).

This is my way of deepening faith and practice, to have a new approach to daily living. I think when it is over I will have learned to spend less, and more wisely.

Peace, y'all

Molly

New Year's Eve

It's a silly and happy day today, despite the treacherous if lovely weather.

My retail abstinence begins tomorrow. I am eager to learn what I will say YES to while saying NO to retail. And I'm eager to learn if I can really break my habit of patronizing a certain business named Starbucks. I realize my first challenge will be tomorrow morning when my daughter asks about going to the bagel shop.

My weight has never been as high as today (except during pregnancy, of course). Perfect position from which to dedicate myself to healthier living.

My Cat Lovers Agains the Bomb calendar came down today. The cover kitty has a tag with a peace symbol on it. I want a tag like that for my kitties! Oops! Retail!

CLAB told me, before I removed it from the wall, that 10 years ago today, our nation gave ownership of the Panama Canal to the Panamanian government. The world remains on its axis, I see.

Beautiful quotation, a Chinese proverb, graces the December cat of the month (Squiggy, from Omaha NE) page:
If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

Lovely, but I think the third line is a weak link. There IS often light in my soul, beauty in my person, and harmony in my home. But that has yet to lead to order in the nation and peace in the word, I'm sorry to say. But it's a start. Perhaps the first two lines are necessary but not sufficient for the second two lines.

Perhaps I can get some contemplative benefit from combing my cats today.

Happy new year, and

Peace, y'all

Molly

Nebraskans for Peace

Cool website. The Nebraskans for Peace group produce the Cat Lovers Against the Bomb calendar I have loved all through 2009.

I was browsing through lovely calendars at a huge bookstore recently and was distressed to see they were ALL printed in China. Then I checked the back of my wonderful CLAB calendar and saw it was printed in Nebraska. By union workers.

So I've ordered my calendar for 2010. I don't know if it will have different peace-related facts on the pages from those that inspired me in 2009, but it will have different kitties, I'm fairly sure.

Today's tidbits:
The Wounded Knee massacre was this day in 1890. A good reminder that we Americans must resist the sin of pride and work to make all the todays and tomorrows better than our yesterdays.

On this day in 1996, the 36-year-old war in Guatemala ended with the signing of a peace treaty. Guatemalaa continues to pay in painful human terms for that war. I wrote about this last March 11. An excerpt:

Suffrage 18 & universal , except members of Active military, who are confined to barracks
GDP (gross domestic product) $49.73B $
GDP/person $5400
Life expectancy @ birth 69.99
Infant mortality (per 1000 births) 28.79
Literacy 69.1%
%GDP spent on education 2.6

Wow, the military is DISENFRANCHISED! Sad. The infant mortality sucks. Life expectancy is pathetic. Ditto literacy, GDP/person, and percent GDP spent on education.

How much longer will Guatemalans pay the price of that war? Considering that the southern states of the USA still pay for the costs of the Civil War, I fear the price of war will be more painful and more incalculable than ever before in my recognition.

On a more cheerful note, I will appreciate the calendar even more this year. Hope you do too

Peace, y'all

Molly

If peace begins with me, we're in trouble

Peace eludes me. Guess I can chalk it up to holiday stress, or at least hide behind tht very plausible pretext. Oh well, I can do good even if I don't feel good. And pray for better times.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Wow, I just found something I wrote on 12/28/08 and I want to share it.

The earth rotates on its axis,
and also travels around the sun.
Since there is no beginning or end (we pray),
the calendar is quite arbitrary.

Every day, and every moment
Start the future
From this moment on—
live as you want to live.

It isn't very poetic but I like the idea of the continuation of time and the cyclic nature of time, and that every moment is the beginning of the future.

I'm trying to hold off a cold, (or is it just severe allergies?) don't feel bad enough to surrender to the sheets but don't feel well enough to proceed at my usual pace, either. I wish my illness wasn't so ambiguous, but then again I had better be careful what I wish for! In truth I am deeply grateful to God for the health and wealth I enjoy.

Thankfulness is a wonderful state of mind.

Peace, y'all

Molly