Video Thursday- Forgiveness

9/11 healing: The mothers who found forgiveness, friendship |

 Video on TED.com

"You have to be generous from the heart... from the mind.

You must be tolerant.

You have to fight against violence.

And I hope that someday we will all live together and respect each other."

Bless What Eludes My Grasp

We had a staff retreat today at work. It was a nice time to mosey away from the office with friends and colleagues. I work with some really awesome people.

We laughed. We learned. We spent time in fellowship. We stopped for ice cream on the way home. 

And we prayed. This prayer spoke to me and reminded me what I need to care about.

Bless What Eludes My Grasp Ted Loder, Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle

     
        Lord, so many things skitter through my mind,

        and I give chase to gather them

                       and hold them in a bunch to you,

         but they go this way and that

                        while I go that way and this . . .

         So gather me up instead
         and bless what eludes my grasp but not yours:

                        trees and bees, fireflies and butterflies,

                        roses and barbecues, and people . . . 

          Lord, the people . . . bless the people:

                        birthday people,

                                giving birth people,

                                          being born people;

                        conformed people,

                                 dying people,

                                          dead people;

                        hostaged people,

                                 banged up people,

                                          held down people;

                        leader people,

                                 lonely people,

                                          limping people;

                        hungry people,

                                 surfeited people,

                                          indifferent people;

                        one world people,

                                 second world people,

                                          third world people;

        Bless them, Lord.

        Bless what eludes my grasp but not yours.

Monday Morning Smiles

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. 

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. 

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual,

"Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Independence Day... let freedom ring!

Special Friday Night Report

New York State Senate legalizes gay marriage!

Friday Farewell

Today, the NYS Senate might vote on marriage equality. I pray that tomorrow, all will be free to express their love in such a meaningful way.

Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold. 

~Zelda Fitzgerald

One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter.

~James Earl Jones

Video Thursday

Love the Earth

It Gets Better

Last Thursday night my husband (or chocolate bar, as he is affectionately known to the blogging world) and I were watching Bones, my favorite t.v. show. Someday, I'll tell you why, but today I want to tell you about a commercial that aired during my favorite prime-time hour. Google Chrome has produced a powerful, brave and risky commercial.

This public service announcement commercial brought the struggle that GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi, transsexual) teens go through every day to the forefront of my mind. The weight of their fear and hopelessness should press on all of us. I'm a Christian, I love Christ and therefore, I am called to love others regardless of who they are or what they do. While I do think that people should be able to love anyone they choose, just like I am free to love my husband, I don't want to debate the "right" or "wrong" of sexual orientation.

This project, known as The Trevor Project, brings together people of different race, religion and sexual orientation to bring a message of hope. Individuals are able to upload videos filled with encouragement and empathy. President Obama and his White House staff joined the cause. Pixar employees gave personal testimonies; they showed an outpouring of love to those in need. Television stars from House and Glee are also throwing in support. The list goes on with corporate empires such as Google, Yahoo, Apple, Facebook and Adobe spreading the word of love and destroying the path of hate.

These stories of hope, love, and faith for the future are the stories we should be exposing any oppressed population to. This is not simply a story for those who are GLBT, but for anyone feeling hopeless, unloved or without faith. Allowing this community of people to be abused because we don't like something about them is turning a blind eye to hatred- and allows it to continue to burrow its way into society. This isn't about sexuality- it's about loving people because they are loved and they have purpose in this world. The news is filled each day with stories of anger and hatred; as people of God, or people of a common community of humankind, we should be providing support for those in society who are often disregarded.

Please take the time this week to show someone they are loved despite their circumstances. If it becomes a struggle, as sometimes it is for me, remember that you are loved despite your shortcomings.

Friday Farewell

The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.

Mark Twain

Friday Farewell

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

Paperback Beauty

I'm a lover of simple things. I love the flowers. I love dinner at home. I love lazy Sundays. I love card games. I love my husband (who is not a simple-minded person, but who simplifies my life). Some of my favorite nights with Justin have been those when we watch some t.v., play a hand of Rummy and read before bed. While extravagance can be fun, like our honeymoon to Disney World, I'd rather live the majority of my days in simple bliss.

One of my favorite simple things to do is read. I love to escape into the hilarity, heartbreak, passion, death, life, intrigue or whimsical nature of an alternate reality. A reality where Harry struggles to balance his OWLs as well as defeat Voldermort He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. A reality where Stephanie gets to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger. A reality where vampires exist (and no, it's not Twilight). A reality where God chooses to meet Mack in a cabin.

My least favorite thing about reading is trying to find the next thing to pick up! There are some excellent websites, such as Goodreads that allow you to search books that are similar- by genre, author or title. There are ratings attached to each book, but I have found them to be fickle; I'm unable to tell if a book is actually worth reading. Perusing the library or bookstore causes me to do one thing: judge a book by its cover. There's a reason that you're not supposed to do that. Trust me.

And now, the worst has happened: I've run dry. I've re-read all of my favorites. I've tried new series. I've asked my mom. Please help.

Tell me some of your favorites; they may be next on my reading list.