Tragedy

Sometimes, when I can't find the words to say about something I seek other's words. I have done that in the wake of the Las Vegas disaster.

I first heard about the tragedy shortly after I woke up yesterday morning. I saw a post from a friend who works at concert venues in Las Vegas saying he was safe. I had to look for why he needed to tell us that.

I really can't find the words for this. I looked for prayers to use in times of tragedy and found this page: Prayers in Times of Tragedy and Disaster.  I think perhaps they couldn't formulate the words either so they went straight to the best source of all, God's word itself. The first prayer is taken straight from Psalm 46:

Prayers in Times of Trouble and Disaster 

God is our refuge
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
(from Psalm 46)

An affirmation that God is with us, holds us keeps us. Not a final answer. There were hundreds not physically safe, thousands traumatized. But God is there and we can run to Him. Like a father, he will open his arms and hold us close.

Another appropriate prayer:

A Prayer in a Time of Distress
Almighty and everlasting God, You are strength to those who suffer and comfort to those who grieve. Let the prayers of your children who are in trouble rise to you.
Hear our prayer.
We claim your promises of wholeness as we pray for those who are ill or are suffering loss and long for your healing touch.
Hear our prayer.
Make the weak strong, the sick healthy, the broken whole, and confirm those who serve them as agents of your love.
Hear our prayer.
To everyone in distress, grant mercy, grant relief, grant refreshment.
Hear our prayer.
As we begin to rebuild, we commend our neighborhoods to your care. Give us strength of purpose and concern for others, that we may create a community where your will may be done.
Hear our prayer.
God of compassion, you watch our ways, and weave out of terrible happenings wonders of goodness and grace.
Hear our prayer.
Surround those who have been shaken by tragedy with a sense of your present love,
and hold them in faith. Though they are lost in grief, may they find you and be comforted;

Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives and rules this world with you. Amen.


I want to do something. I want to stop this from ever happening again. I want to change things. But the solutions won't come over night. So I pray. I hope you will, too.







 I am participating on the October 2017 Ultimate Blog Challenge. A blog post every day in October. #blogboost

Ongoing Hurricane Response

It seems like the hurricanes (and the wildfires) are fading out of the news, but they have disrupted many lives for the long term. It would be easy to decry the response of the occupant of the White House, but let's not go there. I'd rather look at some people who are helping.


My denomination (American Baptists) has always been mission-minded. In fact, it was formed to support missionaries.

The day after Hurricane Maria slammed Puerto Rico, the American Baptist Home Mission Societies launched a long-term initiative to help the people there. Questioned as to why Puerto Rico over other places, they replied:

We certainly hold the other US territories and nations impacted by the numerous natural disasters of the last few weeks in our thoughts and prayers. Next week, ABHMS disaster response director will be going on a needs assessment trip across the Gulf Coast and Florida as well as Puerto Rico. We will be posting regular updates here and on our website at abhms.org. I invite you to follow along. In addition to Puerto Rico, we expect to be coordinating recovery efforts in Florida and Texas, but needs are still being assessed. We expect to have a clearer picture of our response after the needs assessment trip next week. Our pledge to Puerto Rico is a long-term commitment. Puerto Rico is where a large American Baptist infrastructure — including 114 American Baptist churches, an American Baptist seminary and a community center — and a historic partnership allow us to have an immediate and sustainable impact.

"An immediate and sustainable impact." They want to be in this for the long haul. Indeed, I have been following the blog posts of the ABHMS team which is touring Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Puerto Rico -- "6,100 Miles, Seven Days" Here is more on what they are doing:

Rebuild, Restore, Renew Puerto Rico


Our International Ministries people have a presence in Puerto Rico as well. The American Baptist Men have disaster teams in various places. Most of our churches are appealing to their congregants to give to One Great Hour of Sharing, a charity which has already released thousands to hurricane affected areas.

Our denomination is moving, doing what it can where it can, and trusting that God will send others to supply the needs of those we can't reach.  We don't have the resources on our own. But we aren't alone -- others are working to.  We can't do it all. Christians need each other. Humans need each other.

I appeal to you to do what is set before you. Pray. Give. Go. We can all do something.

Have a blessed day.




 I amparticipating on the October 2017 Ultimate Blog Challenge. A blog post every day in October. #blogboost

Nuclear Threat

If we are going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things — praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts — not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They might break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.

                                                         ~C. S. Lewis, On Living in an Atomic Age (1948)

We are hearing a lot about North Korea and possible nuclear strikes. I pray they don't happen. I pray for cooler heads, saner minds, and better people to prevail all around.

But I agree with C.S. Lewis. Let's get on with our lives and not worry. Thankfully, I haven't yet heard of any equivalent to "duck and cover" drills starting up. I expect they'd be pretty useless anyway, I don't live near a targeted area, but I assume nowhere is safe and that, at any rate, a nuclear strike anywhere will have consequences everywhere.


Get outdoors, raise funds for earthquake victims, read the Bible, play a game, help your neighbors, fight forest fires, take a hike, watch a movie, study, work,  feed the hungry. Do what you are called to do today. Worrying doesn't change anything anyway. So, go an live.

Blessings on your day!

The End of the World

So it is supposed to end today. The world, that is. A rather drastic interruption to a month of  blog posts about beginnings.

Or it would be. But really, it's not happening.

Be ready. Always be ready. Because Jesus is coming.

But there is no particular indication that he is coming today. Could be today, could be tomorrow. Could be 40 years. Could be a thousand.

We don't know and Jesus said we wouldn't know. He also said not to be deceived. So I like this meme. Memes used to be for Monday's on this blog and maybe I'll get back to that. But this one is for today. Jesus does have feelings, being real and all. I suppose that false predictions of the end would bother him.

Are you ready for the end of the world? Whenever it might come?

Song for Sunday (A day late): Peace Be Still

Seem to be a lot of storms about lately. Hurricanes, monsoons, forest fires fueled by wind. And on and on.

Also, metaphorical storms involving medical emergencies, family trauma, spiritual crises, and feuds.

So this song for Sunday, based on Mark 4: 35-41, seems apropos. It is my prayer.

Reflections on Natural Disasters (From Afar)

I was about to send off a donation of hair to a charity when I realized that there only office is in West Palm Beach, Florida. Right in the path of Irma.  I put it aside to send after the hurricane, when things are settled. But it makes wonder. How will nonprofits ride out the storm? What will become of their work if their facilities are devastated? How can we help?

A friend commented that she will need a rain plan for her wedding next weekend because that is when the rain from Irma will hit New England. I began to wonder about all the people in Florida and Texas and Mexico and Montana whose weddings and funerals and baptisms had to be postponed because of natural disasters. Or maybe they won't happen because bride or groom perished. How can we help?

I am not in the path of storm or a wildfire. There has been no earthquake or tornado here. From my position of safety, I feel the need to help, but I don't know what to do.

We used this prayer, published by Xavier University, at youth group tonight. Prayer, of course, is real and effective. But part of my prayer is to figure what actions I should take.

Let Our Cries Come Unto You

Most merciful and compassionate God,
Giver of Life and Love,
hear our prayers
and let our cries come unto you.

We weep with your people 
We hear the cries of orphaned children and laments of bereaved parents
We feel the desperation of those searching for loved ones
We behold the silence of vanished villages.

We see the devastation.
We are overwhelmed by the enormity of it all.
Our hearts are hushed, our minds are numb.
Let not our hands be stopped, our voices dumb.

God of the universe,
Open our hearts to feel your compassion
Galvanize in us the act of continued giving
Bond us to our sisters and brothers in need
Comfort and heal the injured, the bereaved, the lost
Strengthen the aid workers and medical personnel
Bolster the resolve of governments and those with power to help
Open through this tragedy pathways to partnerships and peace
In Your Name of mercy and healing and compassion we pray

Brothers and sisters in danger -- let me know how I can help. And God keep you safe!!

Earth Day and Science

Today is Earth Day. 


There is also a march for science happening, as people feel that science is being threatened by the current government. Along with the big march in Washington, there have been marches in cities all over the country. People are pointing out how science as helped us and how badly needed it is. 

One quote going around is: 

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”

                                                                          ~Neil deGrasse Tyson

My personal response to that is this statement, that I posted on Facebook:

Science helps us explore the universe and our own back yards. It gives us a systematic way to observe and test what's around us. Science really isn't true or false, it helps us discover what is true or false about the physical world. It is highly important that we have people well educated in scientific method and aware of what has been learned and discovered in the past. Science and science education need to be supported. 

Science isn't something to be "believed in." It's a process (or a set of processes) which help us to learn many things. It has it's limits. It changes over time.

Put it in the context of Earth Day. Climate change is a big issue. It would be hard to say based on scientific evidence that global warming isn't real. It would also be difficult to argue that it isn't human driven. But scientists don't claim to have found out everything about this phenomenon. They are still studying, seeking causes and remedies, refining theories. Views on the specifics change all the time and vary from scientist to scientist. Also, no scientists studies all aspects of it. Some study the greenhouse effect, others melting glaciers, others the connection to increased severe weather events.

Here's another thing. Science doesn't tell us how to behave. Scientific discoveries can show us what the consequences of certain actions will be, but it doesn't offer moral evaluation. It's not meant to do that.

Science also isn't either good evil. It is how it is used that determines that. Remember scientists  have brought us both the cure for polio and the atomic bomb. Healing and destruction.

Personally, I believe that God gave us the inquiring and curious minds that have lead to the development of science. His Word can also give guidance in how to use it, to build the Kingdom of God rather than tear people down. 

Judeo- Christian culture historically supported science and allowed it to flourish. Check out more on that here: Are Christianity and Science Compatible?  There have been many clashes between science and the church, but really theology and science, if each is rightly understood can be complementary. 

One final response to Mr. Tyson's statement: 

God is real and alive and good, whether you believe in him or not. 

And that doesn't change the fact that science is important.

Meme-ic Monday: Water Protectors and the DAPL.

I came across this meme, which is the wording of two tweets by a Sioux Tribal Leader. 

I am in sympathy with the Sioux and oppose the positioning of the pipeline where it threatens their water supply. My son wants to go the camp and protest with the Water Protectors. 

I rejoice that the latest court ruling halts the pipeline's construction and signals a new level of respect for indigenous communities. 

I also recognize this fight isn't over. New threats may pop up, especially since the DAPL is mostly finished.

However, I also have done some reading. The pipeline was rerouted away from Bismarck because the Army Corps of Engineers for several reasons, one of which was potential danger to Bismark's drinking water before those residents needed to protest -- or even heard about it in most cases. 

So this meme has it's heart in the right place, but is a bit off as to facts. 

Regardless, the camp was made by the government into a more or less militarized zone. Officials acted horribly, spraying water on the protestors, etc.

So hopefully all this will be sorted out, people will keep standing with Standing Rock and a safer way to transport fuel will be found. 

(Belated) Song for Sunday: Sister Suffragettes

I almost forgot to write this blog post and I haven't written in so long I am not sure I have any readers left, but anyway, here goes.


We watched Mary Poppins as a family not too long ago and I was struck by this song. It hopefully sings out:

"Our daughter's daughters will adore us
as they sing in grateful chorus
'Well done, Sister Suffragettes'"

Alas, I think in general it's wrong. Not about women voting, about their granddaughters being thankful...or even remembering.

It's election day here in the US and many women are wearing white as a sign of thankfulness for women's right to vote and run for political office. We have, for the first time, a female candidate from a major political party running for president. (We have actually had women candidates for years and, by the way, this doesn't indicate how I voted. I am not going there here.)  But most of the time I think we forget that gaining the right to vote was the hard won struggle of women who worked for nearly century to gain suffrage. And it hasn't even been a century since they succeeded.

This is a fun song. It's also humorous, contrasting a wife's progressive views with her husband's staunchly traditional ones.

The women's suffrage movement had a bit of a checkered history, making alliances with racists and advocating violent action. I don't condone either of those tactics.

I am, however, grateful to be able to vote...and enjoy Mary Poppins.

Check out this link on the history of the Suffragette Movement in the US.
http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
And in England:
http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/electionsvoting/womenvote/overview/startsuffragette-/



Did you vote?

Song for Sunday: Details in the Fabric (In Memory of Tom Serewicz)

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I heard on the radio the other day that one third of all traffic accidents involve a driver under the influence of alcohol. One third.

And that’s only some of the preventable accidents. Other forms of impaired driving involve distractions like texting, cell phone use or playing games on devices. Inexperienced drivers are also often distracted by other passengers, by the radio, by food or by coffee and other soft drinks. Everyone who drives while impaired or distracted has made a choice to do so. In some cases, others on hand have allowed it.

Friends, our choices matter.

They mattered to Tom Serewicz and his family. Tom was just 24 when he and his best friend were on their way home from a night fishing trip. Their car was struck by the car of a drunk and drugged driver who was going the wrong way on the highway. All three were killed.  It was June 17, 2011.

Tom left behind a wife, two very young sons, a mother and two sisters. Their heartbreak continues five years later and will continue as long as they live. That woman’s choice ended her life, and two other lives, and had a horrible impact on two families.

One of Tom’s sisters is a dancer. She choreographed the song Details in the Fabric by Jason Mraz as a testament to how the family clung to each other after the accident and supported each other in their grief. It is a moving testimony to their love for Tom and each other.

A sample of the lyrics:

Hang on
Help is on the way
And stay strong
I'm doing everything

Details in the Fabric is today’s “Song for Sunday.”  Here’s a link to it.

 Live Kindly, Choose Responsibly

Learn more about Tom and how to end drunk driving here:

Drunk Driving
Ending Drunk Driving
Drunk Driving
Celebrating a Life
Drunk Driving: In Memory of Tom Serewicz

The Thomas J. Serewicz, Sr. Foundation for Kind &Responsible Living remembers Tom’s loving and generous spirit by supporting a variety of charities and hosting an annual memorial picnic, which I attended today.

I met Tom and his wife, Cherise, at the Christian YouthConference at Ocean Park (CYC), when they were teenagers. It was where they met and decided to marry. (I looked after Cherise’s engagement ring once while she was out on a service project doing physical labor.) CYC meets for two weeks every August in Maine and is open to all high schoolers. There are still slots available for the 2016 conference. Check it out!

Song For Sunday: Father's Eyes

I had a hard time with deciding what song to use for today's post.

It's been a week since the horrible attack at Pulse in Orlando and I haven't written a thing about that here. Not that it hasn't been in my prayers and on my mind! It has. It's just... what do you say? There are really are no words that would give comfort. And repeating what's been said after each incident begins to sound hollow.

It's Father's Day. My father has been in Heaven since 1995 and I would like to make a fitting tribute to him. He was a man of compassion who was always willing to lend a hand.  A nod, too, to my husband, who loves our son dearly.

Then a young friend from CYC posted this on Facebook:

Happy Father's Day to the only ONE who will never leave me or forsake me!A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” Psalms 68:5-6  

A reminder that God is Father.

Putting it altogether and mulling it over, I found myself recalling this old song. I first encountered at a high school revue, when a friend sang it.  It was a real favorite, and a prayer of mine, for a few years.


Now, I share it with you. Praying that God will let us "find the good in things, when no good can be found" and will "find the source of help when no help is around." It seems like that good and helo are far away when there is --yet another -- mass shooting.

Also, that I will have my father's eyes. And my Father's eyes. Thankfully, they aren't too much different.

Blessings, friends!

New Words

When you visit a place, you learn new words. It's not really what you expect when you visit a section of your own country, where the speak the same language as you. But it's true none the less.


Here are a few words I have learned, or learned a new meaning for, this week.


hurrication -- evacuating for a hurricane, usually just for a few days. (hurricane + vacation)

neutral grounds -- these are what we call "islands" or "medians" in my area; raised places in the center of a road

krewe -- a group, or more formally a Social Aid and Pleasure Society, which organizes carnival parades and events in New Orleans. Many are also 501(c)(3) organizations that perform charitable acts. One such is taking parades to nursing homes and children's hospitals.

culinary medicine -- a new concept in medicine developed by a professor at Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans who is a medical doctor and chef. The idea is to teach healthy nutrition as preventative medicine. At Tulane, medical students are required to do a rotation on this which includes cooking and hands-on learning in nutrition.  Tulane is packaging this curriculum for other medical schools, who are sometimes sending students there for the course. We learned about "culinary medicine" when we visited Liberty's Kitchen a teaching program for homeless youth which gives them self-esteem, life skills, culinary arts training, jobs in the food industry and opportunities to study for work they want to do.

We are actually learning a lot on this trip -- my husband and son have been gaining tons of construction skills. We've tried new things (like poboys and real jambalaya) and stepped outside our comfort zones. (See my rat story.)


We also feel like we have been productive in a a wide variety of ways. While my men have repaired a house, I've served at a food pantry, done an intake at a transitional housing facility, sorted beads for reuse, and done office work at a school. Nothing large or exciting, but hopefully helpful.


What new stuff have you learned recently? 

Today's Impressions (Our Mission Trip)

It's "Transformation Tuesday" for the website of the youth conference I volunteer for. Thanks to a terrific fellow worker, the new site looks great. Check it out: CYCOP.ORG.

Here in New Orleans, I am seeing signs of a different type of transformation. We toured the Lower Ninth Ward and saw many new homes, including several built by the Make It Right Foundation. They'll float if the waters rise again! Learn more here: http://www.archdaily.com/259629/make-it-right-house-morphosis-architects.

We visited the memorial, right next to the bridge that the residents could have left but were stopped from crossing the bridge. They went home and climbed on their roofs to wait. In the 1, 000 died in the lower ninth ward.


So much is going on here. It's wonderful and yet sad. So much was lost, so many people died.

One place we visited was Burrell's. Mr. Burrell has opened a barbershop and grocery store. He has plans to open a laundromat and an internet cafe. These are the only such services in his neighborhood. He told us that if he is the only one doing it, he'll build up the area on his own. We were overwhelmed by his story,


What examples of transformation have you seen lately?






CYC is an amazing experience of Christian community and discipleship training for high school youth. This year's theme is "Maximum Impact: Life Transformed by Christ." We meet two weeks in August on the southern coast of Maine. If you're 14-18 years old, join us!

Song for Sunday: Blueberry Hill

My family and I are spending a week volunteering in New Orleans, helping to restore the Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina. Yesterday, we traveled here. My husband, an orchestral violinist, noted that our airline layovers read like a checklist of the best symphony orchestras in the country: Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago.

When we stopped at the Cleveland Airport yesterday, we were reminded that the city is where Rock & Roll got started. We even bought cute little guitar pick necklaces to support Cleveland Relay for Life. 

But New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz. 

This spirited music grew out of the black cultures of this city, and is the named after the Creole word for African dance. It combines forms from blues, rock and other types of music. It started in the 1920s and united young people of different races and cultures in an artistic community. 

One of the many musicians to hail from New Orleans is Fats Domino. He stayed home during Hurricane Katrina and lost many possessions. His famous white piano was destroyed and its remains are now displayed in the Louisiana State Museum. 

Here's Mr. Domino singing "Blueberry Hill" by Larry Stock and Al Lewis with music by Vincent Rose. It's today's Song for Sunday.

What songs do you associate with places you've traveled?

Meme-ic Monday: When Syrian Refugees Move In

Refugees are big on the political scene and sometimes it's hard to remember that they are not "statistics" or "issues" but mothers, fathers, grandparents, teenagers, infants... people.

Many countries have blocked Syrian refugees or limited the number that can enter the country. They have done this for a number of reasons, but big among them is safety. There is a fear that DAESH members or other terrorists will slip in among them.



This meme captures attention by responding to people's fear... what should you do if Syrian refugees move into the neighborhood? There are those who would expect there then to be advice on how to protect yourself. But this means goes the other way. It calls us to reach out.

Subtly, with a picture of the Statue of Liberty, it reminds us that America has been a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees, whether they are fleeing hunger or hostile political regimes.

It also references a Biblical Parable: "The Good Samaritan," found in Luke 10. The statement is correct that we have the choice to be like the Samaritan or "some other guy." In Jesus's story, there were two other guys, both Jewish religious leaders, who walked on by. The Samaritan was the hero.

He also was unsure of the outcome when he intervened. The man who had been robbed may have been using the 1st century equivalent of ketchup to fake injuries. He may have harmed the one who tried to help. But the Samaritan helped anyway.



Back to those people who want to shut out refugees as a safety measure: that seems to be backfiring on them. DAESH (ISIS) is now taking advantage of the desperate situation of the tefugees and their sense of helplessness. They are recruiting in the refugee camps, promising great rewards. A man who can't feed is family is vulnerable to such advances. So policies that keep people out are leading to a more unsafe situation.

So let's be "Samaritans." For safety... and because we should.







Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-andreozzi/turning-away-syrian-refugees-is-exactly-what-isis-wants_b_8585084.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/syrian-refugee-backlash-isis-2015-11
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/isis-terrorists-exploiting-migrant-crisis-6694992

Epiphany

O God, Who on this day, through the guidance of a star, didst manifest Thine Only-Begotten Son

 to the Gentiles;mercifully grant that we who know Thee now by faith, may one day be brought

 to the contemplation of the beauty of Thy majesty.Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, marks the visit of the Wise Men to the young child, Jesus, in a house in Bethlehem.  Because they were not Jews, this day also celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles, reminding us that salvation is available to all people. 

The Wise Men didn't just bring gold, incense, and myrrh, though. They also brought news of the child king to King Herod, who was deeply troubled by it. So Epiphany also marks the beginning of Jesus' status as a refugee. The very night of the Wise Men's visit brought a dream to Joseph telling him to take his family to Egypt. They escaped before innocent infant and toddler boys were slaughtered in Bethlehem. 

The Bible doesn't tell us anything about Joseph, Mary and Jesus' stay in Egypt, but they returned safely after a few years, so they must have found enough of a welcome to survive. 

I hope that if Jesus' were a refugee today, He would find a welcome here. 

Come to think of it, whenever we help a neighbor in need, we help Jesus. And our neighborhood is the world. 

Just something to think about. 

Happy Epiphany! Hope you find a coin in your slice of cake!!

Song for Sunday: We Shall Overcome (for Emmanuel AME Church)

There are no words. 

Even if my voice could reach them, there is nothing I could say that would comfort the members of the Emmanual AME Church. Were I there, I could do no more than stand with them as they mourned fathers, mothers, children, pastors and Christian brothers and sisters. Sometmes that's the best thing to do. 

I am amazed at the faith of these people. Even the secular press has noticed how unshakeable it is. These people have forgiven - freely and fully, it seems- a man who, after being welcomed by them,  committed a hate crime against them, who hurled racial invectives as he killed them, who seemed intent on starting a race war between blacks and whites. The congregation of this church will not help him succeed in that last. 

Just as I have no words of comfort, I have no song of comfort to offer. So, for today's Song for Sunday, I turn to a song of hope, the song that rang through the Civil Rights Movement, a song that still speaks of solidarity. Join me in this prayer and sing with me, and those in this link:

 "We shall overcome, 

We shall overcome, 

Deep in my heart, I do believe,

We shall overcome someday."

God grant us peace. 

Death Penalty

"Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends."

                                                                  ~Gandalf the Grey

                                                                in Fellowship of the Ring

                                                                   by J.R.R Tolkein

It's been just over two years since the Boston Marathon was shattered and marred by bombs. Two years since an act of terrorism horrified -- and galvanized -- a city. 

We saw evil that day. We saw good that day.

Two brothers were believed responsible. One died before being brought to trial. The other has been convicted on 30 counts of murder, attempted murder, terrorism.

The jury has decided that he should die, that he deserved the death penalty. Perhaps they are right. 

I do not find this a cause for celebration. That a young man could go so far wrong, is horrifying, saddening. That he be killed for it may be just, but it won't bring back those he killed or restore the legs of those who lost them. It will not erase memories. 

It won't even bring closure. Appeals, potentially years of them, will keep this case alive and before the victims. That it will bring more anguish is why the Richards Family asked that the death penalty be taken off the table.

I do not know what is right, what is best. I favor banning the death penalty, because the justice system isn't perfect and because I am pro-life. In this instance, the facts are clear and guilt has been admitted, albeit with the claim of undue influence from an older brother and the mitigating factor of a dysfunctional family. Still, we are all ultimately responsible for our own actions and choices.

Gandalf is right that even the wise can not see all ends and I am far from wise. I do not know what should happen here. 

Whatever it is, though, I won't be celebrating. I will pray for the soul of this young man. I will pray even harder for the healing of his victims. 

I will pray for us all as we seek peace and a world beyond terrorism.

God bless.

Song for Sunday: One Great Hour to Share

As aftershocks continue to wrack Nepal and over 2200 have died, I post a song about sharing

I heard it yeaterday, at The American Baptiist Churches of Masschusetts' Annual Gathering. We met to worship, to learn, and to honor our retiring executive minister. This song was sung (by the same people who sing it in the video linked below) I confess I was close to tears listening to it.

Part of sharing is sharing the gospel, but practical aid is also critical.
 "Faith without works is dead." ~James 2: 17. This song is a good reminder of that.

Words and Music by Leslie Lee and Steve Gretz 

What song is on your mind today?

This is my 25th post for the April 2015 Ultimate Blog Challenge. 

Eco-Challenge Step 2 Toothpaste

Welcome back to the eco-challenge. If you missed step one, it's here.

What did you realize as you were mindful about using plastic? Our library has started to sell tea as a fundraiser... I love to support that cause and I love a hot cup of tea while reading... but the lids are plastic. Perhaps I'll have to carry a travel mug to refill.


Anyway...


Today's challenge is the first of a few "Go to Zero" challenges that will be scattered through the steps. It's about toothpaste.

Did you know that some toothpastes contain plastic? 

Whether this is safe and healthy for individual toothbrushers is a matter of dispute and worth considering, but not the focus of this blog.

However, the plastic microbeads, often used for color, are making their way into our rivers and oceans. They are eaten by fish and other marine animals. making their way into the food chain and contributing to declining health in ecosystems. So, I don't want to use them.

Fortunately, it's pretty easy to go to zero on this one. Many toothpastes do not contain polyethylene or polypropylene. Organic and natural toothpastes don't of course, but many of the "regular" brands either never had it or have removed it. The message begins to get across I guess. Plus, people worry about health effects. So, just read labels or call the company for a list of inactive ingredients.
 
For more information:

ABC News Denvers report
Crest to Remove Harmful Microbeads from Toothpaste
What's in Toothpaste?
Plastic Beads being removed from toothpaste: What you need to know.



So will you "go to zero" on microbeads in toothpaste? 


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 This is my eighth post for the April 2015 Ultimate Blog Challenge. 

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"We cultivate an active enjoyment and stewardship of God’s creation and a respect for the beauty of God’s world." Please consider this quality discipleship training program and experience of Christan community designed for high school students. August 2-15. 2015 on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. Scholarships available.