Sometimes when something is really good you - you need to capture that moment forever

     Some things in life are worth capturing and making a memory. Write it down, take a picture, make a scrapbook page, create a silly song and sing it out loud, make a special food or just slow down and absorb all the goodness around you - just do something special whether it lasts a lifetime or more or just for a few minutes. Take time to ponder the beauty and wonder that is all around us. We live in a world that is so busy and full of noise that seldom we can see the beauty around us.

     This morning I am watching this Wisconsin Public Television show Around the Farm Table. I really enjoy this show as it about a woman who is following her passions and dreams and working very hard to make the dream a reality who at all times is always working and creating community with others. Yesterday, I stopped in at the Gingerbread Jersey Cheese Factory in Augusta, Wisconsin, and their a young wife, mother, farmer and cheese maker was tending the children and the store. This young woman said she was not working hard - she was only being a mother and storekeeper at the same time. I said I would hate to see her working hard. I think I would be exhausted just watching her really work.

    But, what really left an impression on me about these women is that they are in love with their life. In many ways there is nothing fancy or romantic or worldly about what they are doing. They are working hard and doing hard work and all the time really living life fully. What does all this have to do with making memories and capturing things that are really good? Well everything, because it is the in daily living that we are made whole and real. Oh yes, there will big events in our life - but, all the big times is only for a very short while and then daily living sets in. Take time for all the things of daily living and do them as best as you can. I think someone once said to "stop and smell the roses".

Finishing Well|Finishing Strong

     Yesterday, when painting with my sister, I really gave it my all and just kept on working. By the time I got back to my house I was sore, tired and needed a nap. I also am probably suffering from the cold and flu. It felt great to work hard and finish a job and be exhausted. I used to be fairly athletically and physically active and competative and many times it came out in a not so nice way. I still don't have it all figured out - I can really work hard, I like to do well, I feel good when I can look back and see a job well done. I also in the past have quit - I sometimes have a very difficult time figuring everything out. What do I want, truly what do I desire and what is best for me? Can I make good decisions consistently? Can I motivate and coach and counsel and be a true helper and friend? What do I have and what can I be? What do I want? There are always trade-offs - more time or more money, or more money and less time. What satisfies me? What is most important?
     So thinking about myself and my smallness - I googled to see what God says - well actually what Saint Paul wrote and I find an enlightened web page If I Can Run The Race and read what some one else is saying about what the Bible says. Read more at http://www.catholicvu.com/. Kathy Bernard does a very good job with references about running the race for Christ, being prepared, not stopping and finally finishing well.
     Recently I was listening to Relevant Radio and the talk show was about people who seem to throw out God at the end of their lives. What I know and what I observed is if we are faithful, always and everywhere, we will not loose hope and faith in the last years or moments of our life. God promises many things for being faithful - as a child of God I can claim the promises of God and know when it is time to for the great conductor God to ask for my ticket, I will have a good ticket in hand and be ready for the journey.
     Give life your all, make your life count in the way God our Father, Christ our Brother and the Holy Spirit are calling you in all things - great and small. Don't quit when you feel defeated or depressed. Continue on and seek the right paths and we know as Christians the right path is not normally the path the world tells. Along the way please slow down and find joy and happiness - the true joy and happiness that only the love of God gives.

A New Year - A New Chance - World Peace

     God has stated that peace is one of His many gifts to human beings. So why do humans reject this gift? It's simple - there is a caveat to God's peace - it is only given to people of goodwill. Logically, then this is simple - if we want peace we need to become people of goodwill.
     How do we become people of goodwill? We do this by seeking the common good. Yes, there are better things for everyone and better things for the world we live in for all living creatures. However, the leaders of the world currently and have always lived in a manner of largesse, excess and beyond the standard of living of the common people. Let's not look at China, Russia or Saudi Arabia - let's look at our current president and first lady, congress, and the government bureaucrats here in America. We have a president who plays golf and can disrupt a wedding and still be a really swell and nice guy and a press that makes teed off jokes about his behavior. We have officials and workers all over the Department of Veterans Affairs making six-figure salaries and receiving their healthcare elsewhere who can't figure out a how to timely approve veterans requests for help and aid. We have congressmen and congresswomen who don't live in the district they represent and who are flown coast-to-coast in private planes. And then we have real winners like Al Gore with a Nobel Peace Prize for global warming who flies private jets and lives in a mansion. And what about Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and their race baiting that keeps them living in a grand style while exploiting mostly poor and uneducated people? Maybe the Als and Jesses should start a successful grocery store and farm in a poor inter-city neighborhood that is a food desert and then duplicating that success in every food desert in America.
     Peace needs to begin with yourself and economic choices you make. Are you willing to pay more for food that is truly organic, local, sustainably grown and meets fair trade guidelines (I will say fairer trade as a lot of fair trade benefits mostly others than the farmer including lots of third world corrupt politicians)? Do you re-use, re-cycle, re-purpose, up-cycle and don't waste? Do you live beyond your means? Do you check the air in your vehicle tires regularly? Do you turn down the heat at night? Do you look for second hand items? In the adage of an old song - let peace begin with me.
     After scrubbing and cleaning on yourself start on your family. Start by sharing resources and time and talent. Share everything you can share. Share food and tools and clothes and furniture.
     Keep on creating peace in your neighborhood. You can disagree without causing a civil war. At least try to see the other persons point. However, never avoid the truth. There are many points of view - there is only one truth.
    For most of us, we need to stop with family and neighbors and the small community groups we live in. In our BIG government world we are simply unable to impact change at a larger level. In American, WE are the GOVERNMENT and WE have quit doing what we are supposed to do as citizens and as such our GOVERNMENT at most levels has become mostly corrupt and not capable of working for the common good, thus not capable of creating peace. Everyone of us should be appalled and clamoring for change when we see your government wasting tax dollars. This should not be a Democrat or Republican or Liberal or Conservative issue. Government fraud, waste and abuse should tick us all of and motive us to throw the crooks out and find some better men and women to represent us. Make this year a year for you to change. Change what you can and pray for peace because pray changes everything because it changes you.