Berceuse

Im off for a little quiet time in the ashes. Just 3 weeks into Lent - it's not too late.

Merci and Danke to my friends
Peace
Keren

Be Love Circles

I received this message from a MySpace friend, and am putting it out here for input from you all. Trish needs to bring ideas to class on Tuesday, so we must muse quickly! :)

Hi Anne!How are you? I have been thinking more about TLIO again and was hoping to sort of start a dialogue with you about it. I am curious if there were ever any Be love groups that were started? I am kind of interested in starting one.In one of my Psychology classes, we were given a kind of funny assignment. The prof came in and wanted to talk about the NIU shootings. She wanted us to discuss why we thought incidents of violence like this happen at such a greater frequency in the U.S. and how we could change things. She didn't really let us discuss that much. lol! She basically came out and said her belief is that it is because Americans are selfish and lazy.

She went on to say that she felt love is the anwer. She believes we need to give others a real reflection of who they are and also to not be so selfish with our time. Our assignment is to come up with how we can be less selfish and lazy and we are to discuss it at the next class.Anyway, as I was thinking about an answer to this, I found myself thinking about the Be love circles again. I kind of agree with some of what my prof had to say. I honestly believe people need other people to reflect divine love, be genuinely present and listen while they are in their company, be available to them in times of need, and love them as they are rather than treaty love as a commodity. I don't think it is just something that people need to recieve though. The act of loving others in this way changes people too. I am technically majoring in both recreation and psychology. I seem to focus on community building in both.

I was thinking that I could suggest this idea of a Be love circle when I present my "how to be less selfish and lazy" assignment. I don't know if anyone else in the class would be interested, but this might be a good time to suggest it.I love the idea of an inclusive community that commits to loving each other. I am not sure how to start it or if I will even attempt it. Just wanted to chat with you some about it, if you get a moment.

Thanks!Trish

"Some of the worst things in my life never happened"

We cant see the big picture, but we have to consider it. Sometimes it takes a 3rd party, or the ability to see the third side, to help discern a situation. I think it is called the 3rd side of the coin in Talmudic Logic. In any case, I am posting the song below as my way of thanking somebody for opening my eyes to a new direction with regard to transformation / change.

We talk alot about suffering this time of year, and I am not disregarding the importance of any transformational process, but
it seems true change can also happen as easily as just doing something in a different way than you normally do. Little changes can improve health, diet, outlook, get you started on a project you have put off, etc. If you usually walk east, try walking just a few blocks north; if you typically eat with a fork, try chopsticks; spend time with someone you normally wouldnt; seek out new venues for information or entertainment; that sort of thing.

There is always a third side to a situation, something else to consider, we are indeed so connected to each other. It may take a little courage (or grace) to step out into it, but all and all it is a friendly universe (God/Love) waiting to support us.

Peace and Happy Friday



(I love Patsy, but I really just wanted the song "Rose of San Antonio- not the video, but I couldnt figure how to post just music/song).

merci beaucoup mon ami
peace
keren

cuhwidge

If Love is the opposite of Fear….what is Courage the opposite of?


These things also came to mind this morning…

Special Olympic Motto
“Let me win but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Do Good Anyway (attributed to Mother Theresa). I also should add….my big mirror tells me I am guilty of much of the first clause at least if not more, but I also try to “forgive myself anyway…. the ol’ check out the log in your own eye first sort of thing. :o)


People are often unreasonable,
illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be Kind anyway.

If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and
some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis.
it is between you and God;
It is never between you and them anyway.


Have a great day!

Peace (please)
Keren

Love is in the…Water

I’d like to attribute it to approaching Spring, but we have seen this couple in the pool beginning the first week of January. That is Loretta impotently watching them. She says..."The nerve…those bird-things in my view of my big water!" As a totally indoor cat, she says “if only I could get one chance…then she says “I need a nap first tho …where is my blankie?”

We had two sets of duck families last year. At first, we wanted to get rid of them, they made poopies in the pool, etc. We try shooing them, but I suppose Him and I are lame with our “shoo shoo!”, because they just look at us. Actually just walking towards them makes them fly off, but they are smarter than we are, and come back when we are not here, build the nest and then start making us fall in love with them.

Based on past experience, once the nest is made we don’t see the male anymore, and the female is so vigilant, valiant and patient in protecting her nest. About 2 months later, the duckies hatch and are the absolute delight of our life for about 2-3 days then they are gone.

I simply cannot imagine cruelty to anything that is not attacking me or a child or someone defenseless. The cow story on the news greatly upset me this morning. I’ve been asking St Francis how he would handle this sort of thing. The first thing that came to my heart was the cows are like the sparrows too – the little simple creations under God/Love’s infinite and eternal care.. We can’t see the big picture, and we cannot judge people who seem to do cruel things. Ooo it makes me sick and mad though! Albeit impotent. I would like to say “I became a vegetarian today!” and I probably will, my intentions are very strong..but like Loretta, maybe I just need my blankie.

Peace
Keren

Divine Physician

Divine Physician

I’ve been sick. Bronchitis with significant fever. I like the way the Doctor put it. “Significant” fever. I like to use it when I tell people about my illness because it provokes more sympathy. I like lots of sympathy and love when I don’t feel well. I admit it. Love is the greatest healer to be found.

I rarely call the doctor for a cold or whatever, but because my fever was so high I knew something wrong. Him and I have been seeing the same Family Practitioner for the past 10-12 years. We both have a great relationship with him. Dr. J (not his real name) is a wonderful Doctor. He has called us at home on weekends before with results of tests or whatever. Which is rare these days, particularly for us poor folks. So when I started feeling bad I called to see if I could get an appointment with him. Dr J’s appointment book was full and his nurse asked me if I would see his new partner. I said of course.

Now , there are times, when I really would rather see Dr J. instead of his partner. For certain things I only want to see Dr J. He knows me, he knows the details of my medical history. He knows how I respond to his instructions. He knows I don’t like to take pills, I’m not a complainer, etc. etc. So if I ask to be worked in when his book is full, he typically works me in. Based on our relationship over so many years, he trusts that I only ask this when I really need it.

Dr. J will retire in a few years, and move to Costa Rica or somewhere I wont be able to see him. At that point I will see his partner on a regular basis. Not that his partner is not worthy or good, but while Dr. J is still in practice I want to be his patient.

This bronchitis took me by surprise right at the beginning of Lent. Forced me into some Lenten behaviors like fasting (clear liquid diet) and prayers (help me Lord) and almsgiving (giving “alms” in the form of rest to myself so I could be healed).

Life is short. Life throws us curveballs all the time. Why are we hard on each other? Why do we judge people, reject them, talk bad about them to others? We are all so tender.

My Lenten discipline is to do as Erin wrote in her last post, "God as being Love is the filter through which everything I know about God must pass, or it is decidedly not God." Use the filter of Love to hold up to every situation I encounter, to offer Love to everyone even if it can only be expressed in my heart.

Peace
Keren

Is God Love?

Recently, someone challenged my idea that God can truly be reduced down to "God is Love". I was told that while we know God is Love, God is also a multitude of other things: Light, Grace, Peace, Holiness, etc. I stated, more or less, that I needed God to be this simple, because all my years of church doctrine and complicated theology failed to help me comprehend God. If I really were to simplify Him, I could easily say everything about Him is Loving, and therefore have some comprehension of His character. This isn't to say, in my opinion, that knowing God is Love is akin to knowing God in His entirety. I believe we all have a very minimal view of God, no matter how we know Him or view Him, because we are flawed and human. However, this simple understanding of God as being Love is the filter through which everything I know about God must pass, or it is decidedly not God.

Last week I was helping my son with his math; he is working on fractions. We were discussing the concept of the 'lowest common denominator'. That is, reducing or increasing the numerator and denominator of two fractions so the denominators are the same and therefore a math function can be performed.

I got to thinking: in reading the Bible, I have always believed God reduced Himself down to the simplest terms possible so we, in our limited humanity, could comprehend Him; He never expected us to thoroughly understand Him. For instance, He speaks of Himself as Father because this is a relational concept we are familiar with, not because it sums up the whole of how God feels about us.

So I can't help but wonder if God somehow doesn't mind if we reduce Him down to simple concepts to aid in our knowing of Him. Way back in history, God already knew we couldn't truly know Him, so He created images and glimpses of Himself that we could understand. He knows us well enough to know that Love is a great and expansive thing to us humans, even if our understanding of it in relation to God is completely flawed. Why would we think today He would be offended if we simply said "God is Love"?


Image courtesy Cindy Bryan

Happiness isn't good enough for me, I demand euphoria!

(Click on cartoon to view larger version.)
I love Calvin! Him clipped this out of the paper for me years ago. It is one of the things I keep in my Love Book.
Peace
Keren

Words of Love: Value

[Middle English, from Old French from feminine past participle of valoir, to be strong, be worth, from Latin valēre.]

Be Good To Each Other, Be Good to You

This is from the back of a Catholic Magazine titled "Love One Another"

While this is an ecumenical blog, To me, this expresses what Love is all about.

The Crusade for Love

1. Respect everyone – we are all created by the same Creator and Christ resides in everyone. Be sensitive to others – they are your brothers and sisters.

2. Think well of everyone – think ill of no one. Try to find something good even in the worst circumstances.

3. Always speak well of others – do not cast a slur on anyone. Repair any harm resulting from an uttered word. Do not provoke strife between people.

4. Speak to everyone in the language of love. Do not raise your voice. Do not swear. Do not vex others. Do not provoke tears. Reassure others. Show a kind heart.

5. Forgive everyone everything. Do not hold grudges. Always be the first to extend your hand as a sign of reconciliation.

6. Act always to your neighbor’s advantage. Do good things to others, as you would like them done to you. Never give a thought to what others owe you, but to what you owe them.

7. Be actively compassionate in time of suffering. Be quick to offer consolations, counsel, assistance, kindness.

8. Work conscientiously – others benefit from the fruits of your labor, just as you benefit from the labor of others.

9. Be active in your community. Be open to the poor and the sick. Share your goods. Try to see the needs of those around you.

10. Pray for everyone, even your enemies.


Peace
Keren