The Ninth Day of Ridvan

It is the Ninth Day of Ridvan,
a day for family
and happiness.

I weep
for my Baha'i brothers
and sisters
who are facing execution
because of their acceptance
of Baha'u'llah.

I weep
and I pray
to the All-Glorious Lord
to soften the hearts
of those who hate
other human beings
because they profess a different faith.



I also posted this in the journal, Writing in Snow, under the folder Awardicon Items, in my writing.com portfolio. Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

Virtual Vacation

I'm taking a virtual vacation
across the planet Earth
to see the Baha'i Holy Places and Temples
200 years after The Bab's birth:
My virtual vacation
will begin on March the twenty-first.

I, also, posted this in the journal Writing in Snow, under the folder Awardicon Items, in my writing.com port. Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

Thoughts on the New Year

Seven days until the end of the Gregorian year, 

Eighty-seven days until the end of the Badí or Bahá'í calendar, 

I have a great deal planned for the coming weeks: 

Go away fear! 

I place everything in Baha'u'llah's hands, 

Because alone I cannot accomplish any goals or plans, 

I know that God may have many things in mind, 

Therefore, I place everything in His hands 

And the hands of His Glory. 

Baha'u'llah is the Glory of God, 

The reflection of the Divine Unknowable Essence 

To humanity. 

Living a Baha'i Life

To live a Baha'i life 

One must live one day at a time. 

To live a Baha'i life  

One must strive to live as Baha'u'llah commands. 

To live a Baha'i life  

One must take one step at a time. 

To live a Baha'i life  

One must intone a teaching prayer each day. 

To live a Baha'i life  

One must plant seeds one heart at a time. 

Motivational Monday: Contemplating My Worldview

The instructor teaching the blogging class I took on Saturday, May 13, suggested I ask myself this question: What is my worldview? After thinking about this question, I have come to the conclusion that my worldview has changed over the decades. My beliefs in the early twenty-first century are different then the were in the middle twentieth century. 

Part of this change is due to maturity and part is the results of a change in religion. In the late twentieth century, I declared my belief in Baha'u'llah. As a result I now look at the world differently. I believe in the three onenesses: (1) humanity is a single race, (2) God is an unknowable essence with many names, and (3) religion is one book with many chapters. At regular intervals God sends a prophet or Manifestation (a person who reflect the divine attributes to humanity) to assist the human race in the next stage of its spiritual growth. It is this belief that motivates me to write poetry and prose. 

Sunday Morning Epiphany

Jamál (Beauty), 7 Bahá (Splendour), 174 BE - Sunday, March 26, 2017 CE about 10:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time 

I realized late last night or early this morning, while composing today's entry in my in my writing.com blog, that I have a positive outlook on the future of humanity. After meditating on this for a few minutes, I decided that this outlook comes from being a Baha'I. I look beyond the present situation of the human race to a time when world peace will be establishes. 

I know this positive outlook didn't occur immediately after I declared my belief in Baha'u'llah. It took a while for it to develop. The things that changed my negative attitude to a positive one was reading the scriptures and saying the prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah and the Central Figures of the Baha'I Faith. Studying and meditating on the sacred scriptures changed my view of the future of the human race. 

Memories of my Mother

Jamál (Beauty), 19 ‘Alá’ (Loftiness), 173 BE - Sunday, March 19, 2017 CE about 12:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time 

My mother was born 96 years ago  today on a farm in Oklahoma. Mom grew up in a farming community. She met and married my father sometime during World War II. Dad was stationed at Nellis in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Mom worked at a maid at the county hospital here in Las Vegas. The hospital she worked at is now University Medical Center located on West Charleston Avenue. 

After my parents divorce Mom worked as a waitress at Bob's Grill in Blackwell, Oklahoma. We lived in a house on West College in Blackwell and I attended the grade school just down the street from where we lived. In Blackwell, we attended both the First Southern Baptist Church and the First Southern Baptist mission, which was located in the Smelter Heights. Eventually we moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma, where I graduated from  high school. 

We eventually moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. In Las Vegas, Mom worked at the Showboat Hotel Casino as a waitress in the coffee shop and later in the employees dining room. It was in Las Vegas that Mom and I heard about the Baha'I Faith and declared our belief in Baha'u'llah. Mom ascended into the Abha Kingdom on February 29, 2012. 

At 67 My Birthday Gratitude List

Fiḍál (Grace), 13 Masá’il (Questions), 170 BE - Tuesday, December 24, 2013 about 6:41 am Pacific Standard Time

 Since I am 67 years old today, I decided not to wait until Thursday to post my gratitude list.

Today I am thankful...

1. ...that, several years ago, I accepted the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. My greatest joy each day is intoning the prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah.
2. ...that I have family that is worried about my spiritual, material, and physical welfare.
3. ...that I have an internet connection and provider so that I can access the Baha'i Scriptures online at anytime of the day or night.
4. ...for coffee and the memories of my Grandpa Newland drinking a cup brings to mind.
5. ...for the large can of chilli and beans I received when I picked up my monthly food allotment a couple of weeks ago. I can now have chilli and crackers on Christmas day.
6. ...for the 66 years I was able to have my mother in my life and watch her joy when she read or listened to someone read from the scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah.
7. ...that I have a paid membership to writing.com, with a portfolio to hold my poems and stories.
8. ...that I live in Las Vegas and can go outside to see the snow capped peak of Mount Charleston.
9. ...that I survived 67 years.

I know that I normally have ten things to be thankful for, but I think that nine things on my birthday is a good list.

Thankful Thursday: December 12, 2013

Istijlál (Majesty), 1 Masá’il (Questions), 170 BE - Thursday, December 12, 2013 about 8:43 am Pacific Standard Time

This morning I am grateful...

1.  ...for the Baha'i scriptures and prayers because they give me comfort and help me get through the day.

2.  ...that my car started when I went to back it out of the garage because that means I closed all the doors tightly when I put it in the garage earlier this week.

3.  ...for the chilly, but not too cold temperatures last night, because the heat did not come on all night.

4.  ...that I still have electricity in the house despite the huge electric bill I have to pay by Friday.

5.  ...for an automatic dryer because I can wash clothes and do not have to hang them over furniture to dry.

6.  ...that I received my SNAP card earlier this week because now I can get the makings for real homemade chicken soup instead of opening a can.

7.  ...for the feel of the warm sun on this chilly December morning.

8.  ...that I have enough gas in the car to get me to my doctor's appointment this afternoon and then to the bank to withdraw some money to pay on the electric bill;

9.  ...for hot coffee on a chilly December morning.

10.  ...that I have a cable modem to access the internet.