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
just another way for grandma to show off the kids and the cabin, admire the wonder of life in this, God's creation and think aloud about how fortunate we are to have an abundance to share and how easy it is to make a difference in another person's life.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Fire & Grace December 22, 2011
Fire &
Grace Contemplative Prayer Service
Living Spirit United Church – December 22, 2011 - 9:30am
Welcome
Opening Reading (spoken together)
In the
beginning was the Word,
and
the Word was with God,
and the Word
was God.
He was with God
in the beginning.
(John
1:1-2)
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)
Readings…
(Isaiah
7:14) "Therefore the Lord Himself
will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and
shall call His name Immanuel.
-------------
(Isaiah
9:6) For to us a child is born, to us a
son 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) It
will be said on that day, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he
might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and
rejoice in his salvation.'
-------------
Chant:
Bind my
head and my heart in You,
Holy One, O Holy One. (repeat)
Silent Meditation (20
minutes 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 the
angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of
love all over the world. Let kindness
come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ
brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be
thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful
thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen (Robert Louis
Stevenson)
Chant:
And Love says, I will, I will take care of you…
And Love says, I will, I will take care of you…
(repeat)
Closing: (spoken together)
Through
him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In
him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in
the 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
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tareto Maa
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
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
Saturday, December 10, 2011
"Heart of the Beast"
Dec 9, 2011.… presented to the people of Calgary as a lasting monument to the suffering of all humankind and to our unceasing desire to overcome.
“Heart of
the Beast” by
artist D.H.
If you think
this beautiful and heartfelt gift from Occupy Calgary to the people of Calgary
should be allowed to stay put, please sign this petition.
Later man, jan (hugs)
Sunday, December 04, 2011
City of Calgary Restatement of Offer to Occupy Calgary
My email has gone to Bill Bruce as my personal response to this...
Dear Mr Bruce.
I am not an Occupier, however
I am a member of the Occupy Movement here in Calgary.
I was in attendance at the
Occupy Calgary General Assembly held on November 19th. (I actually had my photo in the Calgary
Herald, sad and old as I looked that day).
I heard the reading of the offer and I heard one person state this paper
should be burned. I heard another
opinion voicing the proposal to form a working group to respond to this offer. To my knowledge this working group was operating
in good faith that the city offer was still on the table when by-laws came
around removing tents on November 21. I
think that move on the City’s part destroyed much of the faith Occupy Calgary
supporters have tried to retain when thinking of the City of Calgary as a
partner 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 met
many of the Occupiers and actually had them help us hold our banners. The people camped at Olympic Plaza have many
times stated their willingness to work with other people using the park and I
have seen many friendly interactions happening.
I think it is unreasonable to expect this willingness to continue if it
means to actually move the tents which are insulated for the winter conditions.
I think the tents are situated in a good
location to allow all citizens to use the park effectively.
I think it would be wonderful
to have Occupy Calgary and the City of Calgary representatives sit down to
negotiate this issue sensibly and without waving papers and overreactions of
by-law officers and City Police Services.
I think it would be wonderful if the City assisted the Occupiers to find
a reasonable way to continue to keep their message in front and center of the
public eye. Until this happens I support
the camp as it exists.
Sincerely,
Jan Bacon
Resident in the riding of Calgary
Centre
Friday, December 02, 2011
Hugs for Occupy's (not a real) Lawyer ...
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
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!!!"
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Fire & Grace Contemplative Service November 24th
(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
Opening
Reading (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 139
trans Nan C. Merrill)
Chant:
Spirit of Truth, enter my mind,
Soul of Wisdom, enter my heart.
(repeat)
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?
“As our idea of God expands, there is no word, no
way, no gesture that can articulate it anymore.
Hence, we fall into silence, the place we should have been in the first
place…
Through contemplative prayer, we are moving into a
realm of reality that influences the past and the future perhaps more than
anything 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 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)
“I
have a capacity in my soul for taking in God entirely. I am as sure as I live that nothing is so
near to me as God. God is nearer to me
than I am to myself; my existence depends on the nearness and the presence of
God.” (Meister Eckhart)
Namaste.
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