BeatonBlog

Fire & Grace Contemplative Service

2012-01-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

Fire &Grace Contemplative Prayer Service

Living Spirit United Church – January 26th, 2011

Welcome

OpeningReading (spoken together)

Call forth our strength, O Beloved; stand by us

as we break down the fears that bind us.

Because You dwell in our hearts,

we are strong and live withcourage.

We shall walk among the beasts

that dwell among the weeds,

the doubts that weaken and confuse us.

We shall root our fears out of the darkness

with beams of your Love.

Let all within that separate us beware,

as we stretch out our hands to theBeloved.

(fromPsalm 68 trans Nan C. Merrill)

Chant:

Changeless and calm, deep mystery,

Ever more deeply, rooted in me.

(repeat)

Readings…

1^streading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.

2^ndreading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.

3^rdreading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

“Sometimes, there is a stop between thoughts, andfor a moment I sense the space expand beyond all limits. It is only within this space, a vast spacewhich the ordinary “I” can’t reach, that the thinking becomes silent. Then I no longer seek an answer, and ingiving my entire attention, I enter the unknown. I do not seek; I perceive. I do not have to seek the good; the attentionis the only good. This attention is theprocess of meditation” (Jeanne De Salzman, The Reality of Being)

Chant:

Changeless and calm, deep mystery,

Ever more deeply, rooted in me.

(repeat)

Silent Meditation (15-20 minutes endedby a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:

Always and everywhere, All ways and everywhere,

Rejoice, rejoice in theOne who is All.

Always and everywhere, All ways and everywhere,

Rejoice, rejoice in theOne.

(repeat)

Closing: (spoken together)

“Ihave a capacity in my soul for taking in God entirely. I am as sure as I live that nothing is sonear to me as God. God is nearer to methan I am to myself; my existence depends on the nearness and the presence ofGod.” (Meister Eckhart)

Namaste.

Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship

2012-01-11T22:08:00.002-07:00

Fire & Grace

Contemplative Worship

Living Spirit United Church

January 12, 2011

“The tao that can be named isn’t the eternalTao.”

(the opening line of Lao Tzu’s Tao to Ching)

Welcome

OpeningReading (spoken together)

“Godis reality.

Godis all that has happened, is happening, and will ever happen;

and all thatdidn’t, hasn’t and won’t ever happen.

Godis everything and it’s opposite.”

(Rabbi RamiShapiro)

Chant:

Spirit of Truth, enter my mind,

Soul of Wisdom, enter my heart.

(repeat)

Readings…

1^streading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.

2^ndreading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.

3^rdreading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

“We are fashioned in the image and likeness of God the way awave is fashioned in the image and likeness of an ocean.

The more we focus on the wave aspect of ourselves the morewe play God: seeking to control ourlives by controlling the lives of everyone else. The more we play God the less godly we becomeand the more damage we do.

The more we focus on the oceanic aspect of ourselves, themore we are surrendered to God: we stop playing God, and realize that God isplaying us; we discover that we are vehicles for creativity and freedom. “

(Rabbi Rami Shapiro)

Chant:

Spirit of Truth, enter my mind,

Soul of Wisdom, enter my heart.

(repeat)

Silent Meditation (15-20 minutes endedby a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:

Jesus said… What are you looking for?

The kingdom of God is within you and outside of you.

This is my very body, this is my blood.

*I am here, I am with you, I am He…

I am here, I am with you, I am He…

(* repeat to bell thenrepeat entire chant)

ClosingPrayer: (spokentogether)

“MyGod, the soul you place within me is pure.

And because it is pure I am free to live today differently thanyesterday. Because it is free, I am freeto live today without the burden of past habits, past fears, past mistakes, andpast failures.

I am free to look at mypast without repeating it; to examine it for lessons to be learned and amendsto be made; and to draw from it what guidance I can to live todaydifferently.

My God, may I use today’sgift of freedom to further my capacity to serve You by serving Your creationwith justice, compassion and humility.” (Rabbi Rami Shapiro)

Namaste.

Three Little Words... for the poor...

2011-12-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve saw us bustling around preparing dinner for the whole family. As I walked from the kitchen to the dining room, my 8 year old granddaughter came towards me holding her two hands cupped together and reaching toward me... and she said "for the poor".

Looking into her hands I saw a huge pile of loose change. Toonies and loonies, nickels and pennies. I was dumfounded. I looked into my son's eyes and he said "for some reason she thinks you look after poor people and she wants to help".

We sat on the couch to talk. I asked where this money came from... it was her allowance. She didn't need it and wanted me to give it away. Shivers.

When the coins were counted they came to $24 and change. My mind jumped... Almost enough for a Kiva loan. But she's so young. So here was a chance for a lesson on how to help people when you don't have very much yourself.

We used the analogy of a lemonade stand and how you buy the lemonade to make and sell. We bought ingredients for $1 borrowed from mom and then made the lemonade and sold it to end up with $2 in our pocket. We then paid back the $1 we borrowed from mom and we had $1 left for ourself. I then showed her this year's Kiva calendar. All the lovely photos of Francoise and her store in Rwanda and Vicelino and his pigs in Costa Rica. She thought this was a wonderful idea.

More conversation convinced her that she didn't have to give it all away. She decided to keep $10 for herself and give away the rest. Well... I got down my Kiva piggybank and said that I was sure there was enough saved in here to add to her $14 for us to be able to do a $25 loan.

Dad assigned her one of his email addresses and I 'allowed' her to 'give' me the money to send to her new Kiva account. I sent her a gift certificate and then she spent time with Dad on the Kiva.org website choosing who would receive the loan of her money. She chose to help Diana Yadira in Mexico to buy used clothes to sell.

In April, the first repayment email should arrive in Andrea's inbox. I can't wait for the joy of that day.

later man, jan

Fire & Grace December 22, 2011

2011-12-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Fire &Grace Contemplative Prayer Service

Living Spirit United Church – December 22, 2011 - 9:30am

Welcome

Opening Reading (spokentogether)

In thebeginning was the Word,

andthe Word was with God,

and the Wordwas God.

He was with Godin the beginning.

(John1:1-2)

Chant:

O God, we call. O God, we call.

From deep inside we yearn;

From deep inside weyearn

From deep inside weyearn, for You

VU #411(repeat)

Readings…

(Isaiah7:14) "Therefore the Lord Himselfwill give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, andshall call His name Immanuel.

-------------

(Isaiah9:6) For to us a child is born, to us ason is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

-------------

(Isaiah 25: 9) Itwill be said on that day, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that hemight save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad andrejoice in his salvation.'

-------------

Chant:

Bind myhead and my heart in You,

Holy One, O Holy One. (repeat)

Silent Meditation (20minutes ended by a bell)

Prayers of the people

Loving Father.Help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of theangels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door oflove all over the world. Let kindnesscome with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christbrings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to bethy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with gratefulthoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen (Robert LouisStevenson)

Chant:

And Love says, I will, I will take care of you…

(repeat)

Closing: (spoken together)

Throughhim all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Inhim was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines inthe darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:3-5)

Namaste.

* * * * * *

We missed your presence this morning and hope these words will help you as we prepare for the last days of Advent.

(hugs)

later man, jan

A Most Wonderful Christmas Card

2011-12-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Tareto Maa

2011-12-12T18:58:00.001-07:00

Tareto Maa is a grassroots organization that I have admired and supported since they began. Tareto Maa runs a shelter in Kenya for girls at risk of Female Genital Mutilation and early enforced marriage. The progress they have achieved is amazing. However, each year sees more and more girls learning of a safe refuge and so the need grows.

We are currently taking part in a fund raising competition The challenge runs from now until December 31, 2011 (2359 hrs EST).

You can help us win some extra funds for the project by just sharing the project page on facebook by hitting its "share" button on Global Giving (right below "donate" on the right side of the page). The 5 projects who have raised at the end at least $2,000 from at least 25 different people and have shared their project page through this way the most on facebook will win an extra bonus of $300.

In addition, the project with the greatest number of unique donors at the end will be awarded a bonus of $2,000. Currently we are this project, yay... and if we stay like this, that would be just fantastic! Because an extra bonus of $2,000 would mean that we could build another urgently needed dormitory for the girls.

If you feel you could help with even a small donation then the best day would be today, Wed, 14 Dec. This day will be "Bonus Day" on Global Giving. This means that all online, unique donations will be matched at 15% till the total matching grant of $3000 is used up.

The story is btw - of course - also Kiva related as we have a Kiva lending team that supports the project.

later man, jan

"Heart of the Beast"

2011-12-10T08:50:00.001-07:00

Dec9, 2011.…presented to the people of Calgary as a lasting monument tothe suffering ofall humankind andto our unceasing desire toovercome.

“Heart ofthe Beast” byartist D.H.

If you thinkthis beautiful and heartfelt gift from Occupy Calgary to the people of Calgaryshould be allowed to stay put, please sign this petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/heart-of-the-beast/

Later man, jan (hugs)

City of Calgary Restatement of Offer to Occupy Calgary

2011-12-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

My email has gone to Bill Bruce as my personal response to this...

Dear Mr Bruce.

I am not an Occupier, howeverI am a member of the Occupy Movement here in Calgary.

I was in attendance at theOccupy Calgary General Assembly held on November 19^th. (I actually had my photo in the CalgaryHerald, sad and old as I looked that day). I heard the reading of the offer and I heard one person state this papershould be burned. I heard anotheropinion voicing the proposal to form a working group to respond to this offer. To my knowledge this working group was operatingin good faith that the city offer was still on the table when by-laws camearound removing tents on November 21. Ithink that move on the City’s part destroyed much of the faith Occupy Calgarysupporters have tried to retain when thinking of the City of Calgary as apartner in democracy and an advocate of the people.

As a member of Women in Black,who stand vigil for peace twice a month at the Five Famous Statues, we have metmany of the Occupiers and actually had them help us hold our banners. The people camped at Olympic Plaza have manytimes stated their willingness to work with other people using the park and Ihave seen many friendly interactions happening. I think it is unreasonable to expect this willingness to continue if itmeans to actually move the tents which are insulated for the winter conditions. I think the tents are situated in a goodlocation to allow all citizens to use the park effectively.

I think it would be wonderfulto have Occupy Calgary and the City of Calgary representatives sit down tonegotiate this issue sensibly and without waving papers and overreactions ofby-law officers and City Police Services. I think it would be wonderful if the City assisted the Occupiers to finda reasonable way to continue to keep their message in front and center of thepublic eye. Until this happens I supportthe camp as it exists.

Sincerely,

Jan Bacon

Resident in the riding of CalgaryCentre

Hugs for Occupy's (not a real) Lawyer ...

2011-12-02T23:01:00.001-07:00

Ben Christensen you did a wonderful job today... and I'm sharing your statement with all 3 of my followers...

"Today we make history....

We are the people who wish to have a voice, we are not the doctors, the lawyers,the aristocrats, or the ceo's: We are the people who for years have lined the pockets of the people above, the ones who serve them coffee...do their laundry....clean their houses.

We are the silent afraid to speak and the oppressed afraid to stand. We are unnoticed in the presence of the politicians and forced into fear by the ones we trust to protect us and our freedoms!

We come and go day in and day out we punch the clock in the morning and are those who lock up at night while the shopowners at home with their family.

Who are we? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Questions we have been told we should ask ourselves if only to create doubt about our true selves. You can tread on us, kick us while we're down...but remember it is human nature to tolerate only so much before: WE WILL TAKE NO MORE!!!

That time is here, we are tired we don't wish to stand by and allow ourselves any further to be walked on, spit on, or to sit back and kiss the proverbial ass of those who live better than us as they profit from our efforts.

Accountability: WE WANT YOU TO START HAVING SOME!!!

Who are we? We are tired, we are angry, we are ready to take a stand as we reach the breaking point WE ARE OCCUPY AND WE NEVER GIVE UP!!!"

thanks Ben, for not today frighten you...
thanks for wearing burgundy, my favourite colour...
thanks for your time, energy, patience and most of all your confidence...
(hugs) all round with all my family at Occupy Calgary...
later man, jan

Fire & Grace Contemplative Service November 24th

2011-11-26T09:15:00.001-07:00

(I was so busy protesting Stephen Harper's Crime Bill I forgot to post Thursdays service. (hugs)

Fire &Grace Contemplative Prayer Service

Living Spirit United Church – November 24, 2011

Welcome

OpeningReading (spoken together)

O my Beloved, You have searched me

and known me!

You know when I sit down and

when I rise up;

You discern my innermost thoughts.

You find me on the journey and

guide my steps;

You know my strengths and

my weaknesses.

Even before words rise up in prayer,

Lo, You have already heard

my heart call.

You encompass me with love where’er

I go,

And your strength is my shield.

Such sensitivity is too wonderful for me;

It is high; boundless gratitude

is my soul’s response.

(from Psalm 139trans Nan C. Merrill)

Chant:

Spirit of Truth, enter my mind,

Soul of Wisdom, enter my heart.

(repeat)

Readings…

1^streading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.

2^ndreading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.

3^rdreading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

“As our idea of God expands, there is no word, noway, no gesture that can articulate it anymore. Hence, we fall into silence, the place we should have been in the firstplace…

Through contemplative prayer, we are moving into arealm of reality that influences the past and the future perhaps more thananything else we could do.” (Fr Thomas Keating)

Chant:

Spirit of Truth, enter my mind,

Soul of Wisdom, enter my heart.

(repeat)

Silent Meditation (15-20 minutes endedby a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:

If you will, if youwill, if you will, if you will.

You canbecome all flame,

become all flame, become all flame.

You can become allflame… become all flame!

(Darlene Franz, Seattle)

(repeat)

Closing: (spoken together)

Namaste.

Protest the Crime Bill C-10 Now!!!

2011-11-25T07:45:00.001-07:00

If you have still to find out about this ugly bill C-10 (or S-10 in the Senate) that is going to be pushed through with very little public input while you are going about your Christmas shopping... please do some research... for instance...

You probably don't want to read all 152 pages but they are available to the public.

My own United Church has grave concerns regarding the outcome for Canadians if this bill is passed and have issued a press release and sent their letter to Prime Minister Harper.

The Urban Health Initiative in BC is all about treatment and safety and help for people with addictions ... they have been complaining since this letter sent last February.

The Canadian Bar Association has presented a 100-page submission to Parliament, but it has distilled that brief into a list of 10 key criticisms of C-10:

Each one of us, however, can make our voices heard.

A new friend of mine shared with me her letter to Prime Minister Harper.

I am now sharing it with you anonymously because I didn't ask her permission to use her name.

(hugs)

later man, jan

-------

DearMr. Harper,

I havenever been politically active, but this crime bill is so wrong-headed anddestructive that I felt I had to do something.

Toomany people think this is all about murderers and child molesters, but mostpeople who run afoul of the law are ordinary, decent people like you andme. We are all fallible human beings, weall make mistakes, and some of these mistakes get us into trouble with thelaw. This does not make us monsters,beyond redemption. Almost all of usdeserve a second chance, and most of us will go on to lead productive lives asgood citizens. Why take away thatchance? It will cost everyone more inthe long run, and not just financially.

Twopoints I particularly take issue with are mandatory minimum sentences, and theelimination of pardons. Firstly, themandatory minimum sentences have been tried elsewhere and failed. Why expect them to work magic here? There are already too many people in prisonfor the wrong reasons, people who need treatment not punishment. Prison will not make them better citizens,rather the opposite is more likely.

As tothe elimination of pardons, do you have any idea how difficult it is to get ajob with a criminal record? Most peoplewith records are not monsters, and given the chance will become hard-working,productive members of society, even taxpayers! With a record, many will languish and be a drain on the system. The economic cost is huge. People who want to work and are qualifiedshould be encouraged, not shut out. All ofsociety would benefit.

Revengeis not justice, it is simply revenge, and has no place in a modern civilizedsociety.

Respectfullyyours,

(nameremoved as I am posting this without her permission)

Tried to serve a petition to Prime Minister Harper's office today...

2011-11-24T22:12:00.001-07:00

I arrived at 10:50 and was met by a nice young policeman in the blue and white van.

He wanted to know if I was the organizer of this protest. I swallowed and said yes.

(while inside I was thinking, who told him we were coming??? )

I was so glad when the first people began to arrive... Here are my new friends that found the event I posted on Leadnow.ca and I was so very glad to share my clipboards and printed information. The sun came out and we began to enjoy the day.

We had a lovely day with the security guy, Marty. He didn't appear to have ever met Mr Harper and certainly hasn't seen him visit the office in 7 years.

We were joined by more friends from Occupy Calgary and then from the 420 group here in town. Some of my Facebook friends arrived and conversations were animated. Arran, from Occupy Calgary gave a truly awesome credible interview to CTV, did anyone see him on the news? Sorry I didn't get your photo Arran, perhaps Geoff will have one I can edit in here. Anyway, that was all the media who visited but I didn't advertise to the media and we did have the company of 3 police vans and one cruiser car circling the parking lot at one point.

Karen and I went up the elevatorto the office on the second floor. Locked. No answer to the bell. No answer to pounding on the door. I called out that I had a petition to deliver, but no luck. We went back outside and phoned the office only to recieve the answering machine, so I left a message saying what I wanted and for them to please phone me with a convenient time. It was quite obvious that Prime Minister Harper has no intention of opening himself up to the concerns of his constituents.

People came and went and we had between 4 and 6 people at any given time. We had some very good conversations with people passing by and a few confrontations that provided good experience to all of us.

So what were we protesting, you say? Today was the day Prime Minister Harper was to launch his tough-on-crime agenda. I think our criminal justice system is by no means perfec, but this omnibus crime bill will send us back to a 19th century punishment model. The cost will be colossal, and I think that money would be much better used in prevention rather than picking up minor offenders and putting them in prison and throwing away the key.

I was there because my church, the United Church of Canada has strong reservations about Mr Harper's Omnibus Crime Bill C-10. Today, I received this press release announcing the United Church's letter to Prime Minister Harper.

ForImmediateRelease - Thursday, November 24, 2011

United Church UrgesCaution with Regard to Omnibus Crime Bill

Toronto:In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, The United Church of Canada hasurged the government “to reconsider the provisions of Bill C-10 dealing withthe imposition of minimum sentences; and to separate the provisions of theomnibus bill to allow for consideration of the potential impacts of itscomponent parts.”

Thechurch’s letter notes its appreciation for improvements to certain aspects ofthe criminal legislation but also expresses grave concern with some parts ofthe bill—particularly its impact on Canada’s Aboriginal peoples.

“TheGovernment of Canada shares culpability with The United Church of Canada andother historic mission churches for the legacy of residential schools and thelasting effects this legacy continues to have on Canada’s Aboriginal peoples,”writes the church.

Part ofthe lasting and damaging impact of the legacy of Canada’s residential schoolslives on in the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal people in ourcountry’s prisons, explains the church.

Echoingconcerns raised by other organizations about the proposed legislation, theUnited Church’s letter highlights curtailing conditional sentencing andimposing mandatory minimum sentences as two aspects of Bill C-10 that wouldhave a particularly negative impact on Aboriginal offenders.

The churchconcludes its letter by asking the prime minister to “please drop yourarbitrary 100-day deadline to pass this omnibus bill, and agree to break itinto its component parts so that each may be considered on its own merits.”

The full text of The United Church of Canada’s letter to the Prime Minister is posted onthe United Church’s website

tired now, and ready for bed...
later man, jan (hugs)

Gates Yardley is an orator...

2011-11-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

Gates Yardley is an orator... I just shook his hand today :)

I must share all of his words and almost printed this whole thing in bold because he feels so strongly.

I had to get this off my chest: Today it is inescapable that one realize we live in a global environment. Every facet of social consequence operates on a global scale. Global politics, global economics, global trade, global communication, and the list goes on. The happenings of one nation directly link to the happenings of the next and of others around the world. If there is a flood in thailand, countries all over the world find themselves short of hard drives for computers. After the Nuclear crisis in Japan we find ourselves short of other commodities like ipad and car parts. It becomes apparent that finances are globally interlinked when we look at the scale of currency and debt crises across europe and the rest of the world that have followed the american meltdown. On CBC Radio the other day I heard a report about gold mines in South Africa. In parts of South Africa there are very very large gold mines owned by multinational corporations. The South African people work in these mines under terrible conditions, and can barely survive. This is the only option for survival for these people. Those who work in the mines are considered lucky, the rest die in poverty. There are 750,000 cases of tuberculosis reported each year in this region. In South Africa, tuberculosis is a deadly disease. The people contract it from inhaling tiny particles of silicate in the mines, which they are not protected from. Forget HIV/AIDS, forget hunger, forget the other thousand reasons that African People die from by the thousands, millions year after year, decade after decade. This one number alone is staggering. This is all happening at a time when gold is in highest demand, it's selling for more than it ever has before, a time where western currencies are being sold off in return for gold and other real assets. People are buying gold to protect their wealth which is threatened by the currencies of many nations losing value at something more than historical norms. I argue that tremendous wealth of people in the west is directly and inextricably linked to tremendous poverty of people in other places, I contend that expendable wealth invested in gold is directly linked to this giant health and humanitarian crisis in South Africa. Just like our demonstration at Olympic plaza here in Calgary is one of thousands worldwide, this issue is but a a single thread in a complex interlinked, and interdependent tapestry of thousands of humanitarian and environmental issues facing our civilization today. In thousands of cities worldwide demonstrations are being made, civil unrest is growing because people recognize the magnitude of these injustices and inequalities among human beings, among members of our human family. People are recognizing that super wealth and super poverty, like everything else now operate on a global scale, and that these two things are dependent on and perpetuate eachother. Today in the world there are 1 Billion people that don't have enough to eat. And as of 2008 there were 10 Million people classified as US dollar millionaires. Even in the united states, poverty joblessness and homelessness are reaching critical levels. And in a world of finite resources, I argue that it is plainly unjust that some people can have so much while so many others suffer, I personally believe that it's unjust, unfair, and unethical for someone to have any more than he needs while another goes hungry, goes cold, or goes sick. I feel like if I don't work for these people and if I don't buy from these people, I am left without job prospects, I am left without a house, or a car, or gas. I find it cruel that my participation in these injustices is assumed and required so that I can find success in the world today. In thousands of cities worldwide demonstrations are being made, civil unrest is growing because people recognize the magnitude of these injustices and inequalities among human beings, among members of our human family. People are recognizing that super wealth and super poverty, like everything else now operate on a global scale, and that these two things are dependent on and perpetuate eachother.

When I was a kid my mother always told me that I can never blame circumstances for the way I feel, and that I can never be filled with depression or hatred or darkness and say 'the world made me this way.' She taught me to take ownership of my feelings and my life. Well for a long time I have felt a deep, crippling darkness in my heart in recent weeks it has gotten deeper and deeper, I started to feel I was drowning, it kept growing in intensity. And I hung on to my mothers wisdom and I searched, and I grasped for answers within myself, within my life. I was so lost knowing that with my BIG heart, and with my GREAT mind, and with all my wonderful intentions, and all my tireless will to help others, and my efforts to improve the world in what small way I can I was still plagued by this darkness. I realized today that the darkness in my heart is the very darkness of the world, it is the recognition of the suffering of others all over the world, and on a massive scale. With all of our advancements and achievements in knowledge, science, and technology it is uncanny that human beings still suffer the way they do. When I realized this I was in the car, and I wept. I wept for the world, and I wept uncontrollably. I stopped the car and drafted this message for the world. The world did make me feel this way, but my mother was still right, because beyond that, together as a people we created this world, we all participate, and we need to take ownership now. We need to set things right.

I demand immediate, mandatory, global, systematic, redistribution of resources that I KNOW is possible to such a degree that every man, woman, and child, brothers and sisters of mine on this planet are ensured real and enduring access to the BASIC necessities of a good life, PROPER food, PROPER shelter, PROPER health care, PROPER education and PROPER access to culture and fine arts. I may not have camped at Olympic plaza, but I believe in those protesters, and in all the others around the world. I stand up for them, and I stand with them, and I will not be satisfied until these conditions are required by international law, just as they have been required by the universal laws of humanity and ethics and decency for all time. I submit that it is criminal to have more than you need while others suffer for want and lack.

We Support Occupy Calgary, later man, jan

Frustration setting in...

2011-11-18T15:17:00.001-07:00

Why oh why do they talk about tents and the damaging of bits of grass?
I think it's because they all live in fear.
Fear that Occupy the World just might be right!
Fear that they know deep in their hearts that so much is wrong with our society.
Or just plain fear that they have been found out and may have their toys taken away?

Some days I just get frustrated at the mainstream media.
What happened to honest investigative reporting?
What happened to listening to both sides.
I think the CBC has been the fairest however even there I've seen them picking and choosing who and what to show in their news.

so... when I get frustrated...

I have this link on my toolbar...
I click it and just say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Try it, you might like it.
later man, jan

Remembrance Day was busy...

2011-11-12T15:47:00.001-07:00

I met a couple of friends downtown by City Hall and we began the day by checking in and having conversations with the nice folks at Occupy Calgary in Olympic Plaza.We then gathered at 12 noon for our Women in Black vigil that happens every 2nd and 4th Friday of each month by the Statues of the Five Famous Women.

... then a few of us left the vigil circle to join the Occupy Calgary Remembrance Meditation held in the beautiful, but cold Olympic Plaza amphitheatre.

Our final Remembrance service was at the other end of downtown. We took a quick C-Train ride to the Calgary Community Peace Pole for the innovative Remembrance Day sponsored by the Project Ploughshares organization. The highlight of this followed candlelighting, wreath laying and chanting. I am sorry I didn't get a photo of the circle dance formed around the Peace Pole. It was one of the most moving experiences I have had the fortune to be part of.

Founded in 1976, Project Ploughshares is the peace centre of The Canadian Council of Churches, mandated to work with churches, government, and civil society, in Canada and abroad, to advance policies and actions that prevent war and armed violence and build peace. Project Ploughshares carries out its mandate by undertaking resarch, policy development, and public engagement to: -prohibit the use, possession, and manufacture of nuclear weapons; -prevent the weaponization of space; -control the supply and reduce the demand for weapons; -reduce the resort to military force; and -build sustainable peace.

(hugs all round)
later man, jan

Fire & Grace Contemplative Prayer Service

2011-11-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

Fire & Grace Contemplative Prayer Service
Living Spirit United Church – November 10, 2011

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
(from 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon (1869 - 1943)

Welcome
Opening Reading (spoken together)

O Compassionate Teacher,
You are our merciful Counselor;
in the Silence,
You make yourself known
to all who take time to listen.
Would that those in power would heed your Voice:
“How long will you misuse power
that oppresses the poor?
When will you learn that to act justly and with integrity
will bring mutual blessing to all?”
Psalm 82: 1-4 trans. Nan C.Merrill)

Chant:
O God, we call. O God, we call.
From deep inside we yearn;
From deep inside we yearn
From deep inside we yearn, for You
(VU #411) (repeat to bell)

Readings:

1st reading - listen… what word/phrase/image draws you.
2nd reading - listen… how does this image relate to your life.
3rd reading - listen… what might God be calling you to?

Love never disappears for death is a non-event.
I have merely retired to the room next door.
You and I are the same;
what we were for each other, we still are.
Speak to me as you always have,
do not use a different tone, do not be sad.
Continue to laugh at what made us laugh.
Smile and think of me.
Life means what it has always meant.
The link is not severed.
Why should I be out of your soul
if I am out of your sight?
I will wait for you, I am not here,
but just on the other side of this path.
You see, all is well.
--St. Augustine

Contemplative Silence (15-20 minutes ended by a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:
And Love says, I will, I will take care of you…
And Love says, I will, I will take care of you…
(repeat to bell)

Closing: (spoken together)

Arise! Awaken to the new dawn!
Come into the Light; shed darkness like skin on the snake!
For the foundations of the cosmos are shaking with injustice.
I say, “Within you dwells the Beloved, the Breath of your breath.
Open your heart in the Silence and know the One in the many!
Arise! Join in the new creation!
Let harmony reign among all the nations!
(Psalm 82: 5-8 trans. Nan C.Merrill)

Namaste.

Contemplative worship is somewhat different from a traditional church service and includes prayers, chanting, readings, and a 15-20 minute period of silence. We gather together and welcome people from all spiritual paths and will draw from any ecumenical sources to which the Divine leads us. Whether you are new to spiritual journeying or are already well along on your chosen path, you are welcome to join us as we sit as companions and join our hearts with our Source.

“Seek and you will find,..
…knock and the door will be opened” Matthew 7:7
Please Join us for Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship

Wednesdays 6:15pm at either Wild Rose or Hillhurst United.
1st and 3rd Thursdays 9:30am - St Laurence Anglican
2nd and 4th Thursdays 9:30am - Living Spirit United

For more information on detailed dates and times please call Jan Bacon at 403-242-2115 or email baconj@telus.net

later man, jan

Occupy Calgary serves notice that Paul Hughes does not speak for the Occupy Calgary Movement

2011-11-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

Published by Occupy Calgary Facebook Group November 7th, 2011:

Occupy Calgary is sending out this statement to serve notice that Paul Hughes does not speak for the Occupy Calgary movement.

Paul Hughes separated himself from the movement far before this date by his repeated actions, which damaged the unity and effectiveness of Occupy Calgary. From the first organising efforts Paul refused to work collectively and took it upon himself to speak to the Calgary Police regarding setting up camp at St. Partick’s Island. He only brought it up to the General Assembly (GA) after the fact.

Paul refused to accept the General Assembly’s decision to occupy Olympic Plaza. The GA agreed that if he wanted to set up another camp, he had every right to do so, but informed him that he should not presume to speak in the name of the GA of Occupy Calgary, but for himself as a member of the movement. He did not do that and repeatedly presented his camp at St Patrick’s island as THE Occupy Calgary camp.

He ran the St Patrick’s island as a one-man dictatorship, completely contrary to the ideals of the international Occupy movement. For example, recording of their General Assembly was not permitted, preventing any transparency. Also requests for the minutes of that GA have been repeatedly denied.

Contrary to the agreed upon consensus model and adherence to principles of respect for all he has insulted different members of the movement. He has and continues to censor members of the movement who are critical of him. He assaulted a member of the movement and destroyed their cell phone in a fit of anger.

He set up a community page on Facebook , claiming to be THE Occupy Calgary page which it is not, and did the same with the OccupyCalgary Twitter handle. Neither of these represent, nor are related to the Occupy Calgary movement. Paul Hughes represents his interests alone and should not be regarded as a spokesperson for Occupy Calgary.

For more information visit the central Occupy Calgary Facebook page which represents the Occupy Calgary general Assembly

And also our blog occupiedcalgaryfreepress.wordpress.com
------------------------------------------------------

and as for me, I support the Occupiers of Olympic Plaza and the rest of the Occupy Calgary Movement. Keep up the good work guys, you're getting people talking :)

later man, jan

Tomorrow is All Saints Day

2011-10-31T12:10:00.001-06:00

We don't talk much about Saints in my church. All Saints Day isn't a big holiday... in fact we had a Halloween party after church yesterday, the kids dressed up and had a great time. Kids Zone talked to them about whining and giving thanks and used the story of Moses in the desert times. The message spoke to me about taking responsibility. Which is a good nudge for me too :)

I have been doing a bit of thinking... about what the people in my past would wish for me in my life now. Where is my journey leading me?

For tomorrow, I will spend time with this litany...
borrowed (without permission) from Spirituality & Practice, Resources for Spiritual Journeys website.

Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB, is executive director of Alliance of International Monasticism, which links 200 Benedictine and Cistercian communities in the developing world with those in the United States. She is also director of development and communications for the Benedictine sisters of Erie, PA. Her articles on nonviolence and spiritually have appeared in numerous publications.

The following litany, written for the arrival of the new millennium, is especially appropriate for All Saints Day. It beautifully conveys the power and the presence of the saints in our lives.

O Cosmic Christ,
in you
and through you
and for you,
all things were created;
in you
all things hold together
and have their being.

Through Teilhard de Chardin,
scientist of the cosmos,
you imagined a new heaven and a new earth.
Through Teresa of Avila,
charismatic leader,
you inspired a church of courage and wisdom.
Through Mahatma Gandhi,
great soul,
you became nonviolent in the struggle for justice.
Through Catherine of Siena,
fearless visionary,
you forged a new path for women.
Through Meister Eckhart,
creative mystic,
you refused to abandon the inner light.
Through Hildegard of Bingen,
greenness of God,
you poured out juicy, rich grace on all creation.
Through Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
drum major of freedom,
you shattered racial barriers
and freed dreamers to dream.
Through Anne Frank,
writer and witness,
you preserved goodness in the midst of great evil.
Through Cesar Chavez,
noble farmworker,
you transformed the dignity of human labor.
Through Harriet Tubman,
prophet and pilgrim,
you led the captives into freedom.
Through Vincent Van Gogh,
artist of light,
you revealed the sacredness
in sunflowers
and in starry nights.
Through Thea Bowman,
healer songbird,
you danced the African-American culture
into the Church.
Through Pope John XXIII,
window to the world,
you awakened awareness to the signs of the times.
Through Mother Teresa of Calcutta,
guardian of the unwanted,
you enfleshed a reverence for all life.
Through Thomas Merton,
universal monk,
you explored the sanctity of every human search.
Through Mary Magdalene,
apostle to the apostles,
you ordained women to proclaim the good news.
Through Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
musician of Holy Mystery,
you bathed the world in beauty.
Through Julian of Norwich,
anchoress and seer,
you showed the Mother image of God.
Through Dom Bede Griffiths,
marriage of East and West,
you unveiled the divine face
at the heart of the world.
Through Joan of Arc,
defender and protector,
you remained true to personal conscience
over institutional law.
Through Rumi,
poet in ecstasy,
you illuminated friendship as mystical union.
Through Maura Clarke and Companions,
martyrs of El Salvador,
you rise again in the hopes of the dispossessed.
Through Rabbi Abraham Heschel,
Hasidic sage,
you answered our search for meaning
with wonder, pathos for the poor, and Sabbath rest.
Through Dorothy Day,
pillar of the poor,
you recognized holiness as bread for the hungry.

O Cosmic Christ,
in your heart
all history finds meaning and purpose.
In the new millennium,
in the celebration of jubilee
help us find that which we all seek:
a communion of love
with each other
and with you, the Alpha and Omega,
the first and last,
the yesterday, today, and tomorrow,
the beginning without end.
Amen.

I will also give thanks for the people no longer physically in my life. Those who have guided my thinking and still continue beside me on this journey.
later man, jan

Occupy Calgary... and the rest of the world.

2011-10-30T21:18:00.001-06:00

I've been aware of the Occupy Movement but carrying on with life as usual. Now I'm waking up and wondering how else I can help. I know I don't want to add to the problems that will be passed on to my grandchildren. I know I don't want to have to explain why I didn't do anything to make life better for them.

Here's a list given to me by a friend when I asked that question:

Call your alderman, MLA's, the press.
"Research the facts for yourself, rather than listen to the media.
Connect with other press outlets, like FFWD magazine asking the $40,000 question
Pick up a copy of the printed material on-site at Olympic Plaza, or, conversely... I can deliver! (you're still in Glamorgan, right?)
There's a call for donations, both material and monetary. I will dig for how that can be done online.
Start the conversation with your friends, family, coworkers. It's about peaceful discussion and mutual respect.
And of course, spread the blog far and wide. We're doing our best to report on things from a different light.
Also, if you know of anyone who is in decision making positions of internet providers or power companies, or in Council, having a place to be without threat of eviction under bylaws is important. Personally, concerned about the impending winter. We're also seriously looking at an Activist Centre that can both host the movement and provide shelter to those who need it."

I was very moved by 20 minutes of David Suzuki speaking at Occupy Vancouver:

Slavoj Zizek speaking at Occupy Wall Street:

"They tell you we are dreamers; the true dreamers are those who think things can go on indefinitely the way they are. We are not dreamers; we are the awakening from the dream that is turning into a nightmare. We are not destroying anything; we are only witnessing how the system is destroying itself. We all know the classical scene from cartoons. The cat reaches a precipice, but it goes on walking, ignoring the fact that there is nothing beneath its ground. Only when it looks down and notices it he falls down. This is what we are doing here. We are telling the guys there on Wall Street, ‘Hey! Look down!’"

Very entertaining but a little over my head ...
David Harvey explains the financial crisis in an animated fashion in "The Crises of Capitalism".

I don't know what the solution is going to be. But we need to change if only a little at a time. David Suzuki says "Satisfy your needs not your wants." Well, that's a good place to start. However, there are a lot of other Calgarians right now whose needs are far greater than mine. Our Inn From the Cold at our church is seeing women and children again. We thought the new Inn would take care of those we had, but the numbers are growing again. So many people just one paycheck from living on the street makes my heart ache for them.

later man, jan

Summer is in the past... again...

2011-09-26T14:45:00.001-06:00

I truly don't adjust well. Summer seems to be just on it's way... and then, swoosh... it's gone.

The calendar fills up with other committments and I forget to stop - and breathe - and take time to give thanks for what was and what is still to come. Each moment is special no matter the season or the location... and it's the people who share those moments with me that are critical to my well-being.

later man, jan

Reality Check...

2011-07-21T15:18:00.000-06:00

We left the lake for a while because the water is high ...

and came home to the news that people in Africa have no water...

We came home from the lake because the high water makes the bugs bad on the beach...

...and came home to news that Ontario is on fire... evacuations are continuing today, which will bring the total number of evacuees to 2037 to date.

Reality check... we have much for which to give thanks and more people we can try to help and pray for...

later man, jan

The Calgary Zoo is a great place...

2011-06-07T13:05:00.001-06:00

This month is focused on the Gorillas and their habitat... everywhere we went the Gorillas had left interesting comments... such fun :)

and where else can you sit and watch hippos and fish and giraffes and zebras from the same perch on a railing?

Mo was chosen to play the part of "the guy with the hose, who washes his car on the street" in the production of ...... The Bow Below !!!
(a cool way to teach that everything from the storm sewers ends up in the Bow River)

I think Prehistoric Park is the favourite... even tho Pete was bummed that many of the cool climbing places were closed to the public.

But everywhere, finally, the scent of spring in the air brought joy to children, adults and dinosaurs alike :)

later man, jan

Contemplation - inner work for outer change

2011-05-31T13:01:00.001-06:00

I am so excited. My issue of GEEZ magazine (Summer 2011) just arrived in our mailbox and I need to find time to read it. I actually opened to a random page and read right through it standing in the middle of the kitchen floor.

a sample of the headings this issue are...

Forget 'making a difference'
Seven varieties of religious contemplation
Speechless for a week
At least now I know I'm neurotic
Those who sing pray twice
Three stations of the activist sould
a call for monks and activists to unite

and on... but I have to go out now... this will be by my side for every spare moment... to speed read and/or savour at leisure... and possibly both ... it's definitely going to the cabin for the whole summer so you can read it too...

later man, jan

Contemplative Worship May 12 - 9:30am

2011-05-11T17:17:00.000-06:00

Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship Service

Living Spirit United Church – May 12, 2011

Welcome

Please enter quietly

and join with us to hold the silence for all.

“When intellect exhausts itself,
from inky darkness
soul launches into the luminous void;
a moth flutters toward the Midnight Sun.”

(Moth to the Flame – Aaron Stephens)

Opening Reading (spoken together)

“From my first breath I have longed for Him.
This longing has become my life.” (Rumi)

Chant:

O You whose face illumines my dark room,

This moth encircling You, is my heart.

(repeat)

Lectio Divina Readings…

1^st reading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.

2^nd reading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.

3^rd reading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

"Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire."
(Pierre Teilhard de Chardin)

Chant:

If you will, if you will, if you will, if you will.

You can become all flame, become all flame, become all flame.

You can become all flame… become all flame!

(Darlene Franz, Seattle)(repeat)

Silent Meditation (15-20 minutes ended by a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:

If you will, if you will, if you will, if you will.

You can become all flame, become all flame, become all flame.

You can become all flame… become all flame!

(Darlene Franz, Seattle) (repeat)

Closing: (spoken together)

We give thanks to You,

who are the Source of Love;

whose Light shines forth

throughout the universe!

Come, awaken our hearts that

we might do your Work;

For, without You, we can do nothing;

‘tis your Love that loves

through us.

(Psalm 107 trans Nan C. Merrill)

Namaste.

“Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened” Matthew 7:7

Please Join us for Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship

Wednesdays evenings at either Wild Rose or Hillhurst United.

1^st and 3^rd Thursday mornings - St Laurence Anglican

2^nd and 4^th Thursday mornings - Living Spirit United

For more information on detailed dates and times please call Jan Bacon at 403-242-2115 or email baconj@telus.net

Contemplative Worship April 28th 9:30am

2011-04-28T08:11:00.001-06:00

Welcome

Please enter quietly

and join with us to hold this silent space for all.

Jesus answered them, “The hour has come, for the Son of man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12: 23-24 NRSV)

Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship Service

Living Spirit United Church – April 28, 2011

Welcome

Opening Reading (spoken together)

Come and find the quiet centre

In the crowded life we lead,

Find the room for hope to enter,

Find the frame where we are freed:

Clear the chaos and the clutter,

Clear our eyes that we can see

All the things that really matter,

Be at peace, and simply be. (#374 Voices United)

Chant:

Listen, listen, wait in silence listening,

For the One from whom all mercy flows.

(Psalm 130 ) (repeat)

Lectio Divina Readings…

1^st reading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.

2^nd reading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.

3^rd reading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.

(Frederick Buechner)

Silent Meditation (20 minutes ended by a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:

If you will, if you will, if you will, if you will.

You can become all flame,

become all flame, become all flame.

You can become all flame… become all flame!

(Darlene Franz, Seattle) (repeat)

Closing: (spoken together)

Lift up your hearts to the Most High!

Let the earth ring with songs of praise!

Be glad O people of the Light!

Let your life be impregnated by Love’s gifts.

Discover in the Great Silence the mystery

of who you are, and be true to your self.

For wherever you dwell, there is beauty;

Infinite Love is everywhere.

Know that the beauty hidden within your soul,

Is seen by the eyes of your heart.

Let the still small voice of the Beloved

Guide you by day and comfort you at night;

Then will you be blessed and, in turn,

You will be blessing to the world.

(Psalm 129 trans Nan C. Merrill)

Namaste.

Happy Easter

2011-04-22T06:14:00.000-06:00

Happy Easter to all from whatever faith, who reject Hatred and practise LOVE !

"Holy Week is the most sacred & most mystical passage in the Christian year.

It is when we ritually relive and reclaim the very epicentre of Christianity as Jesus

reveals the depths of love, and wages his very life for the reality of the premise he staked

his whole ministry on ... that Love is stronger than death -- the strongest power in the world --

stronger than fear, stronger than hatred, stronger than division, stronger than violence.

"Despite the venerable input of tradition, inclusivistic, judgemental and punitive theologies

are no longer luxuries the world can afford. The epicentre of Christianity is Love, has always been love,

and in Holy Week we enter that Epicentre."

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault, Palm Sunday Sermon, Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver

Listen, if you will, to Rev Cynthia's podcast

later man, jan
www.cathedral.vancouver.bc.ca/2011/04/18/bourgeault-sermon

It's a Small World...

2011-04-20T09:48:00.001-06:00

It's a Small World and with Kiva.org you can be in almost every corner of it!

I sit here at home and reach out into the world. And everywhere, I am among friends. I feel a sense of connection in every direction. My heart feels so large and warm and full of God's energy to share. I have been given so much love and joy and friendship. Please use some of mine. I have extra. And as your life gets better, send it back so I can pass it out again. That's the joy of Kiva. The way to use and re-use small amounts of money to help someone help themself.

When you lend, you know you are truly creating dignity and hope and joy and friendship. You may not get to see it first hand but it's real. Every picture on the Kiva website is someone whose whole life is in the process of getting better. And you -- *you* -- are the person making that more possible every day.

I hope as you read this you feel so much love. There truly is so much out there. If you haven't made your first $25 loan on Kiva, try it today.

later man, jan

Contemplative Worship – April 14, 2011

2011-04-16T15:45:00.004-06:00

Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship Service

Living Spirit United Church – April 14, 2011

“Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.”
(G. K. Chesterton)

Welcome

Opening Reading (spoken together)

Praying in Silence is an act of sacrifice.
We must relinquish for a time our usual powers and sensibilities to undergo a kind of transubstantiation of our being.
We relinquish our usual powers of sensing and knowing and acting.
This element is crucial, for otherwise we are engaging in an act that is essentially self-centered. (Robert Sardello)

Chant:

Listen, listen, wait in silence listening,
For the One from whom all mercy flows.
(Psalm 130 ) (repeat)

Lectio Divina Readings…
1st reading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.
2nd reading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.
3rd reading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

“The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” (Romans 8: 26-27)

Chant:
Bind my head and my heart in You,
Holy One, O Holy One.
(repeat)

Silent Meditation (15-20 minutes ended by a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:
Bind my head and my heart in You,
Holy One, O Holy One.
(repeat)

Closing: (spoken together)

It is written
no eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love Him…
But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

Namaste.

I am so lucky...

2011-03-25T08:57:00.003-06:00

Many days I get out of bed wondering how I could have been so lucky. It could me dealing with an earthquake or a tsunami. It could be me dealing with fear living in a country torn by war. It could be me sorting through the garbage in our back alley searching for enough recyclables to earn a little cash like that fellow I saw yesterday as I was leaving comfortably in my car. Life will be easier for him with the new black bins, he won't have to untie all those bags, sigh. So yes, I feel lucky. I thank my parents for the life they gave me and the country they chose for me.

This all came to mind today while reading a blog I follow that I want to recommend to you. Betty is on a week-long service trip with 10 students from her husband’s college to San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala. Today's blog is called...
I smell like smoke. I feel like worms.

I always enjoy Betty's words. I always benefit in some way from Betty's insight. I hope you will also.

later man, jan

Tomorrow is the 15th... WooHoo !!!

2011-03-14T19:01:00.002-06:00

The 15th !!!
This is the day so many of us wait - not so patiently - for each month.
Kiva borrowers repayments are posted back to our Kiva Credit!!!

I have posted on this blog and and told most of my friends about Kiva.org over and over again...

but today I thought... hmm... perhaps I've missed someone.

This (old) video pretty much tells why I love to lend $25 to women around the world.

later man, jan

(link added because Facebook doesn't play the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMRhbdFMq_I&feature=player_embedded )

sending love and light to Japan and around the world...

2011-03-13T21:00:00.003-06:00

try this distance healing meditation 6 minutes a day...

The main purpose is to fill the dense body with that healing neutral energy. It's not about anything but you. Once you have filled yourself & surrounded yourself with this loving energy, simply stay with it.

Sit down wherever you are; get comfy; and take in a big deep breath & let it out through you nose in a big way. Do this once more. And again.

Now, begin breathing slowly, deeply, in & out.

Going inside, let the breath flow through the body from feet to head; from head to feet & back to heart.

Now, just focus on the heart chakra area; breathe in; breathe out.

As you do this over and over, begin to feel, hear &/or see the heart chakra slowly growing with heat & light, pulsating; expanding.

When it feels right for you, let it expand outside the dense body & allow it to surround yourself. Feel the warmth, the love, the joy.

Breathe in; breathe out. Continue to feel the expansion as the energy of the heart chakra fills the space around you; and then, only if/when it feels right, let it out further into the room & yet beyond, further & further. Set your intention to send this warmth, love and yes, joy to all those hurting today in our world.

All the while, remember to breathe in; breathe out.
Do this for 6 minutes & that’s it. You’re done!

Now, go with joy into the day with your love-filled self! Thank you!

later man, jan

Forever Young. A song for Wootton Bassett

2010-11-09T22:03:00.002-07:00

"This video has been especially commissioned to accompany the song for Wootton Bassett 'Forever Young'as a tribute to the people of Wootton Bassett and the surrounding area for the way they turn out in all weathers at the repatriation of our brave soldiers from Afghanistan.

Written by Alan Pettifer, the song features: Colette Cassin vocals. The City of Bath Junior Bach Choir directed by Adrienne Hale, Mike Stainer keyboards, Alan Pettifer guitar, Peter Lamb Bass and Julian Scott Drums. Matthew Walton from Wootton Bassett Brass and Brunel Brass, playing cornet as he does for some of the repatriations.

To make a difference to the families of the fallen,The 'Forever Young' cd single is available for £2.99 plus postage from: http://www.foreveryoungasongforwootto... http://www.Amazon.co.uk or as a download from: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cassincobjbc

It is a permanent way of remembering these sad times as well as all profits are going to 'Afghan Heroes', a charity set up to provide support for the families of those lost in conflict. This DVD is now available was filmed and produced by Roger Calcut of Wiltshire Media and all the cd artwork produced by Stephen Baron of 'Pope Baron designers'. All artists and contributors to the CD and DVD have given their time for free and we thank them all."

later man, jan

Happy Birthday Kiva

2010-10-16T10:27:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Kiva from Kieran Ball on Vimeo.

later man, jan

Saying Goodbye...

2010-09-12T13:13:00.002-06:00

Janet, my friend... I can't believe you have gone on ahead of me.

You were such a big part of my life. I know the last few months were a dreadful struggle. You held your head high and dealt with each blow as it came. Strong and courageous and determined to do things your way.

I will never, ever get my hair cut without thinking of you. Every senior moment joke that arrives in the email will remind me to send it to you. I'm sorry we couldn't take that last walk together.

Goodbye my friend.

How Was Your Summer ?

2010-08-29T20:54:00.002-06:00

Was your summer full of busyness... or a refuge from our normal crazy lifestyle?

I spent some of my summer wondering why I was unsettled. I looked many places. Conversations with John and other friends. I read some books that had been patiently waiting their turn and I listened to radio or my music. I blamed my Dad for leaving me, and then realized how silly but also how sad that made me. I worried about my (grown-up) kids and wished I was where I could be of help in some way. I spent time in silence. I found as the days moved on that the best times followed the silence. After the silence, the friends and the books and the radio meant so much more. My kids are fine. And I'm not mad at Dad any more.

“When we enter into solitude to be with God alone, we quickly discover how dependent we are. Without the many distractions of our daily lives, we feel anxious and tense. When nobody speaks to us, calls on us, or needs our help, we start feeling like nobodies. Then we begin wondering whether we are useful, valuable, and significant. Our tendency is to leave this fearful solitude quickly and get busy again to reassure ourselves that we are ’somebodies.’ But that is a temptation, because what makes us somebodies is not other people’s responses to us but God’s eternal love for us.” - Henri Nouwen

later man, jan

My Dad... My Church...

2010-08-08T14:48:00.004-06:00

I'm sure I have mentioned our church here - Living Spirit United Church...

Well perhaps not.. it's such an integral part of who I am that I don't really talk about it... unless we know people are looking for a church home, we don't really go out and advertise much. My, our family, since I was 12 years old.

We hired 2 new ministers - both 'girls' from my advanced view point - a year ago...

Life is exciting - fresh - something new everyday in our church family.

Today Traci spoke about living in the NOW. She and Jenn acted out the Mary/Martha story. Showed me in action how to look at my priorities. About setting aside the cares of the past, the worries about tomorrow. Being present in the now, looking for strength from the source that is deep within my soul but usually ignored in my day to day living...

In Dad's life story (which I seem to have been typing for years) he speaks at one point about that four letter word - LIFE - getting in the way of what is most important. He was making reference to relationships. Family and friends and places on his 'to-do' list that he regrets he missed.

I think we all have regrets. I hope we all have time in our life to act on those regrets before time runs out. I've bought the paper, it's time now to print Dad's story, there is no more to add.

Time ran out on Dad, but I truly think he was done with it before it was done with him. He gave what he had to whoever crossed his path, as long as he was still able to say "Hello my love, you're looking good today". I like to think that Mum is putting the sugar in his tea once again and for all eternity. That's what eternal Love is. Being together in some way that is still the deepest mystery to those of us still searching.

I give thanks for my church family. For all those who will be joining to celebrate his life this coming Wednesday. For all those who have had to send regrets. He left his influence behind... his example of how it truly is possible to love every person by finding that spark of the Divine in each one.

Bye my daddy,
Good Night, God Bless

Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job

2010-08-06T11:40:00.000-06:00

I just cranked it up and listened to the whole 48 minutes while shuffling papers here...

... much better than listening to the radio spewing noise...

It was worth every minute and makes me stand taller and just get on with it !!!

later man, jan

Mully Children's Family...

2010-06-14T12:41:00.006-06:00

I can't tell this any better than Evelyn... this is what she announced at church on Sunday...

For the last couple of years, we at Living Spirit United Church have been so busy getting the right ministers in place and getting ourselves on our feet and organized, that we have not had an out-of-the-country Compassionate Ministry fund raiser. I believe we’re on the right path now, ready to move forward, and I think that it’s time to begin making a difference outside our church walls again – this time, by contributing to a children’s charity that is saving literally thousands of children’s lives in Kenya.

This morning, I have 5 minutes to introduce you to the Mully Children’s Family (or MCF), a non-profit Christian organization that rescues children who are orphaned, abandoned, and living on the streets in Kenya. It was founded just over 20 years ago by one man, Charles Mulli and his wife Esther.

Charles Mulli himself woke up one morning at age 6 to discover that he was completely alone – during the night, his family had abandoned him. He survived for the next 6 years by begging. At the age of 12, he found a job that provided what to him was a miracle: food to eat every day, and shelter – but there was no hope for an improved life in the future. After several years, an acquaintance introduced him to a Christian group, and he found such hope for the future from the experience that he too became a Christian, and began what can only be described as a very personal relationship with God. He did well at his job, and was noticed by his employer, who recommended him for another job with more responsibilities. There he met his wife, and again he did well at his job. He decided to start his own business, bought an old Ford Cortina and started a taxi service between two cities in Kenya. His taxi service was reliable, he played inspiring Christian music on the trips, and soon EVERYONE wanted to use his taxi – and his business flourished. After a number of years, he made a fortune, and was living very comfortably with his wife and 6 children.

However, Charles never forgot just how it felt to be an abandoned child, and he was haunted by the knowledge that there were so many thousands of street children surviving in the same terrible circumstances. He felt called – no, that’s too weak a word – he felt COMPELLED by God to do something about it, and was so convinced that it was his mission in life to help these children that he sold EVERYTHING he and his family owned. He went personally out into the streets of the cities, seeking out children, feeding them, inviting them to be adopted, and taking them into his own home when they agreed. You can imagine what chaos it created in the lives of his wife and family when they had children living in their home who had been until that time surviving by any means they could: prostitution, drugs, alcohol abuse, you name it. They somehow survived it all, and the family grew larger and larger.

Charles and Esther Mulli adopted children into their family, fed them, clothed them, housed them, schooled them, gave them spiritual guidance, and trained them for jobs. They built dormitories and schools and hired teachers. They started a farm, irrigated crops with river water and built greenhouses to help supply food for the growing family.

They have had amazing success with their mission.

In the 20 years since the Mully Children’s Family was founded, over 7,000 former street children, drug addicts, and the abandoned have been rehabilitated and have graduated from MCF with high quality skills and education and are well integrated in society.

At the moment, the Mully Children’s Family is caring for 2,013 boys and girls between the ages of 1 week and 24 years.

I am hoping that you can find it in your hearts to support this life-saving organization. I am.

One month from now, in a bicycle relay race, my three team mates and I will be cycling 1,332 kilometres from Calgary to Winnipeg in 4 days to raise funds to cover the costs of food that cannot be grown on the MCF farm. Canadian dollars go a long way in Kenya - $100 will provide all non-farm food needed for one child for a year.

I don’t have time to tell you more right now, so I’m inviting anyone who wants to hear more about the race, my goals for this fundraiser, or the Mully Children’s Family, to please come talk to me at coffee time. Thank you!

-Evelyn Ko

1) Mully Children's Family
The Achievements page and News page (click on buttons at top) are particularly interesting, and there are lots of photos if you click on the "Flickr" button on the bottom right of the page.

2) there's a promotional video of the team Evelyn is riding with posted here ("Gogos" (the team name) is African for "Grandmothers")

3) During the race (July 17-22), you'll be able to track the location of Arvid, the ultra marathon cyclist (and, I think, the location of all the other teams, too) as they are going to track us by GPS, on the HotPursuit2010 website

for more info on how to donate, just contact me...
later man, jan

A Walk To Beautiful

2010-06-11T10:55:00.002-06:00

this video is 52:38 long...
watching it has changed how I feel about my lot in my life...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-fOmovijc&feature=player_embedded

later man, jan

looking for 100 clicks per day...

2010-06-11T10:16:00.002-06:00

Can you please help us?

1 click per person and day (or IP to be more precise) on the link http://tinyurl.com/fight-fistula means 1 additional cent for the Fistula Foundation. The money is donated by companies who have put advertisement banners on the page.

The page is in German. You will know that you have been successful with your click when you read "Super, Du hast etwas Gutes getan!" - "Great, you have done something good!" :)

So far the site gets about 30 clicks per day on average. This is already a very good number and we are really grateful for everyone who clicks. On the other hand this means unfortunately that still 70 cents per day go unused and so I would love if we could enhance this number a bit!

The goal is to raise 400 € during the next 3 months. This is the equivalent in Euros for one complete operation including a dress for the woman and a bus ticket to go home.

My friends Ramona and Charmaine are travelling to Ethiopia in September to be there for the opening of the new hospital.

The Fistula Foundation
What is a fistula?
A fistula is a hole. An obstetric fistula of the kind that occurs in many developing countries is a hole between a woman's birth passage and one or more of her internal organs. This hole develops over many days of obstructed labor, when the pressure of the baby's head against the mother's pelvis cuts off blood supply to delicate tissues in the region. The dead tissue falls away and the woman is left with a hole between her vagina and her bladder (called a vesicovaginal fistula or VVF) and sometimes between her vagina and rectum (rectovaginal fistula, RVF). This hole results in permanent incontinence of urine and/or feces. A majority of women who develop fistulas are abandoned by their husbands and ostracized by their communities because of their inability to have children and their foul smell. Traumatic fistula is the result of sexual violence. The injury can occur through rape or women being butchered from the inside with bayonets, wood or even rifles. The aim is to destroy the women and the community within which the sufferer lives. Once committed the survivor, her husband, children and extended family become traumatized and humiliated.

How many women does this problem affect?
Because fistula affects women in the most remote regions of the world, an accurate count is very hard to achieve. The most common estimate is that 100,000 women worldwide develop fistulas every year, though some estimates put the number closer to 500,000. Because most fistula sufferers are young women—many still in their teens—they are likely to live with their condition for upwards of 25 years. By any estimate, there are at least two million women currently living with fistula throughout the developing world. The world capacity to treat fistula is estimated at 6,500 fistula repair surgeries per year.

Can fistula be "cured"?
Yes. An obstetric fistula can be closed with intravaginal surgery. If her surgery is performed by a skilled surgeon, a fistula patient has a good chance of returning to a normal life with full control of her bodily functions.

Here is a short audio slide show ( 5 min ) that I can't find out how to make active here but it's well worth your time if you have read this far.
http://www.yaninamanolova.com/fistula/index.html

thanks everyone
later man, jan

One person can make a difference...

2010-04-22T16:11:00.001-06:00

Two-thirds of India’s population of a billion people live in the nation’s 600,000 villages. Despite India’s economic growth, the disparities between wealth and poverty are enormous. Many villagers migrate to the cities in search of work and end up begging on the streets. South Indian bank manager J S Parthiban set out to do something to help their economic circumstances. He encouraged beggars to open bank accounts in New Delhi, and pioneered micro-loans to villagers in his home state of Tamil Nadu. This is his story—and theirs.

(tissue box warning around 7 minutes - jan)

Banking On Change (12 min version) from Pilgrim Films on Vimeo.

My Kiva Friend Ramona says "I really wish Kiva would also be able to expand one day into India."

later man, jan

Google bomb request...

2010-04-11T17:17:00.004-06:00

I'm posting this for a friend I follow who calls himself Real Live Preacher.

He has this friend Mike who sold his gas station in 2008 and it appears the whole neighbourhood mourned the loss of such a great mechanic.

He says...

"They say the two things you have to find when you move to a new city are a good doctor and a good mechanic. I’ve had several physicians in the twenty years that I have lived in San Antonio but only one mechanic. His name is Mike."

Well Mike the Mechanic now has his own Kastis Automotive Repair in San Antonio and I understand that if his website is linked to in enough other websites and blogs, then Google will pull him up easier when people search. And if you pop over to his page... check out Mike’s tips for making your car last.

So here's my plug for Mike - who sounds like a great guy - and it's probably a shame he didn't move and open up here in Calgary, where we never seem to know where to turn to for help with our cars.

Best of luck, you go get 'em, Mike :)

later man, jan

Happy? Easter...

2010-04-03T21:19:00.002-06:00

Holy Week for us is also holiday week. I find that my Holy/holiday week is hard work. Holy Week is difficult when you are on vacation and trying to have fun at the same time as you are digging deeper into your faith. My emotions are like a roller coaster ride.

I'm finding it difficult to make time and space to reflect on my chosen readings when my normal schedule has totally changed it's routine. I realize now that even though I *thought* I was too busy at home, I was actually held comfortably captive by a life revolving around John's work hours and pre-school days and visiting dad and volunteer time at the church and volleyball and going to curves and computer time and grocery shopping and dinner out and on and on...

Ever since the kids were small we have driven to the west coast for our annual visit. Easter has always been cut and dried. The Christmas baby grew up, was martyred for his beliefs and rose again 3 days later. John always patiently played Jesus Christ, Superstar for me on the car radio, year after year. Somehow, this year, the words have taken on a life that was never there before. Most especially the words "Heal Yourselves" as Jesus is thought to have said while pushed by the growing crowd of followers wanting another miracle.

There is little privacy while on vacation. I'm not complaining about being loved... but even spending an extra 10 minutes in the bathroom elicits concerns for my health. Sitting quietly alone in a room appears a strange occupation. I actually had someone the other day say "what ya doin? meditating or something?"

Well, yeah.
So I need to explain... but somehow it's too private...
so I'm now doing what??? ... posting it for all to see of course :)

well so, ok
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday
Christ is Risen - again.
This for me is Hope renewed that God's plan, while delayed again and again by our stubborn closed minds, will be realized as each of us, one by one, opens our minds and our hearts and welcomes the breath of the Spirit to flow through and fill us with love and compassion for all. We are all One.

"I am the vine and you are the branches"
"I am in the Father and the Father is in me"
"My Father's house has many rooms"

Whether your mother tongue is Christian or another... use this coming day to acknowledge you have a source outside and inside yourself. Open to it and feel the presence of strength renewed over and over.

later man, jan

ps chocolate is also holy, but don't eat too much ;)

"Smile On"

2010-03-25T20:19:00.001-06:00

I SEE - an introduction to Operation Eyesight

2010-03-24T12:18:00.001-06:00

Operation Eyesight began and still has it's headquarters in Calgary... "Two out of three of the world’s needlessly blind people are women and girls. Women often have less access to eye care, are more susceptible to certain eye diseases and have longer lives to live. But in places where the day-to-day reality of family life is already harsh, blindness – often totally preventable ortreatable – can become the difference between life and death. In the developing world, women truly arethe heart of their families and the backbone of their communities. They care for their husbands, children and parents. Many also eke out a meagre income doing whatever job they find. Women carry a heavy burden – one that can be almost impossible to bear if they or their family members become visually impaired."

later man, jan

Wonderful Kiva Documentary...

2010-03-14T16:53:00.002-06:00

This video was posted on the Kiva Fellows Blog March 11th and truly shows life in Liberia, one of the poorest countries in the world, and the amazing success that can be achieved by individual entrepreneurs and LEAP (the Local Enterprise Assistance Program). You really can make a huge difference in someone's life just by lending them $25.

Kiva Documentary-What Did They Do With My $25 Loan? from Brent E. Huffman on Vimeo.

later man, jan

Calgary KivaTeam

2010-03-14T08:25:00.005-06:00

We had a wonderful get together last night with some of the Calgary Kiva lenders. Thanks Marnie and Cristian for opening your beautiful home to us. And the food... well, I have always been a great fan of potluck meals. Homemade Dominican empenadas? (sp?) Double-Fried Plantains. Moroccan Pilaf! I need to contact Louise to find out what exactly was in those wraps and how long under the broiler?! And Jonathon, your chocolate... sigh. Sorry, the photo is of the table *after* the hoard went through:)

It is amazing to sit and talk with people who come from so many different walks of life but somehow found out another way to make a difference in the world is by lending through Kiva. Wonderful to find we all really hold the same value systems and it's not all about me-me-me or putting number one first. More stories from Laura about her time in Rwanda, I can watch her smile all day :) We missed you Raksha (actually, we were missing the spinach salad, I think you were the only one who actually said what you were bringing :)... do hope you're ok and just forgot or something. For those who didn't come, we're planning a campfire and bbq back yard get together so mark April 24 on your calendar and pray the rain stays away.

later man, jan

Music for Peace...

2010-03-04T09:27:00.001-07:00

The Playing For Change Foundation is building a new music school in the Village of Kirina, Mali. Kirina is a village of musicians, some of whom can trace their musical ancestry back over 75 generations! In this very special episode West African music legend Baaba Maal and friends perform for the village elders in honor of the new "Playing For Life" music school that is just beginning construction.

later man, jan