17 ‘Azamat 164 B.E. – Saturday, June 02, 2007
Modern technology is absolutely wonderful when it works. When it doesn’t work it can be a pain and make normal everyday chores difficult. My garbage disposal isn’t working, since it isn’t working I can use the dishwasher. Well, I can use the dishwasher if I want to bail it out. That’s what I had to do on Monday or maybe it was Tuesday.
On Thursday, the garbage the plumber came to fix the disposal. Put in a new disposal and I still don’t have a working garbage disposal. The problem it turns out is a switch under the sink that automatically turns the disposal on and off. Anyway, until the switch is fixed I can’t use the dishwasher without having to bail it out, which I have no desire to do. I’m back to doing dishes by hand, which wouldn’t be a problem if I had a real dishpan. I don’t have a dishpan, so I’m using an extra-large Tupperware container. It works but it doesn’t fit in the sink. So I have it sitting on the side board and the thingy that I put the dishes in to drain in the sink.
I wrote an article a few days ago about How to be thankful in adversity. This is definitely adversity. Therefore, what am I thankful for? Let me count the things (1) the Tupperware container, and (2) antibacterial dishwashing liquid. OK, so this isn’t what most people would consider adversity. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have considered it that either, but birthdays and time changes many things in our lives and creates new definitions for our tests and difficulties.
I’m not going to complain. Doing dishes by hand can be an interesting change in routine, can make life less boring. All though, I don’t think I’ve ever found life boring. There are small segments that appear boring, but in retrospect, they are just rest pits between the tests, difficulties, and adversities that are normal parts of living. Every individual has different events they consider as tests, difficulties and adversities. It doesn’t do any good to complain about them, it just makes them worse.
I think that’s one reason we’re supposed to be “thankful in adversity”. If we’re thankful, we’re not complaining, not focusing on the problems. If we’re thankful, we’re focusing on the solutions. We can find solutions easier if we give praise and gratitude to God or to one of his Manifestations. Doing dishes by hand gives us a chance to meditate on the scriptures or prayers we know by heart.
I’ll probably have the switch under the sink fixed next week. Then I’ll go back to using the dishwasher. I’ll be more thankful for the dishwasher. Doing dishes by hand also makes you thankful when technological items work properly as well. I haven’t made a gratitude journal entry this week, so I think I’ll a thankful or perhaps a grateful Sunday entry. Come to think of it, I haven’t read my yahoo e-mail in a week or even posted to the two yahoo groups I still belong to, so maybe I’d better check do that as well.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Mom’s Using Her Walker
14 ‘Azamat 164 B.E. – Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Mom’s using her walker to help get her from the bed to the wheel chair and in an optimistic mood most of the time. She has her prayer beads, prayer book and magnifying glass next to the bed, so she can say prayers when she likes.
Yesterday her therapist came and gave her some exercises she can do in the walker. She likes using the walker, although she still needs some help when using it, but that should pass. Mom has three different types of exercises to do. One group of exercises she does in bed, another while sitting in the wheelchair and the last while she uses the walker to stand up.
I still can’t seem to get caught up on the house work, but it is progressing slowly. I’m almost caught up with the laundry, but this I’ve said before and then got behind again. I had an interesting experience Monday. I had to bail out the dishwasher. It usually retains a little bit of water, but Monday it appeared as if it hadn’t drained well. I haven’t used it since, but I’m going to have to use it soon. On Thursday someone is coming in to fix the garbage disposal, it won’t run at all. I finally found the reset button, but that didn’t help so I put in a work order.
The Feast of Nur is Monday, June 4, at 7:30 pm. On the morning of the 4th Mom has a doctor’s appointment at 7:20 am. I know that seems a bit early, but the last time she had an appointment it was at 10:20 am and, because of blood test and X-rays we didn’t get out of the building until 2:00 pm. The Earlier I take her in the better chance I have of getting out of the building before noon.
Friday, June 1, I’m taking her in for a blood test. I can take her in as early as I want though because the Quest Diagnostics on Burnham is open 24/7. The earlier Friday we get in, the earlier we’ll get out. Right now, I’m just putting everything in Baha’u’llah’s hands and getting as much done in a day as I can. The problem is that I can’t seem to get as much done as I want.
Yesterday, May 29, we went out. Mom had to recertify for a senior program and we needed to pick up some meds for the pharmacy. I stopped by the pharmacy first, because it was suppose to open at 8:00 am and we didn’t leave the house until 8:00 am. I got to the pharmacy, about 8:20, and it wasn’t open yet. We went to get Mom recertified and then back to the pharmacy (about 9:00 or 9:20 am)open.yet. We went to get Mom recertified and then back to the pharmacy, but it still wasn'ick up some meds for the pharmacy. I, but it still wasn’t open. So we went to pay the water bill, that done we went back to the pharmacy, it was open this time and we got the meds. It’s been an interesting week so far and it’s only Wednesday.
I will admit that I’m feeling a lot better today than I was Monday or Tuesday, I’m not sure why. It’s not because I’m getting any more rest. Since Mom got home I’ve been sleeping on the loveseat, not conducive to resting the body. Last night I went to “bed” early and instead of sleeping on the loveseat, I slept on the couch. Not a good idea, the loveseat is harder than the couch, so I sleep better on it and my back doesn’t hurt when I get up. Tonight I think I’ll try my own bed and see if I can hear Mom from there. She has a crystal bell that she can ring if she needs me, so I think that sleeping in the bed will work from now on. Oh well, it’s all in Baha’u’llah’s hands. Everything will work out.
Mom’s using her walker to help get her from the bed to the wheel chair and in an optimistic mood most of the time. She has her prayer beads, prayer book and magnifying glass next to the bed, so she can say prayers when she likes.
Yesterday her therapist came and gave her some exercises she can do in the walker. She likes using the walker, although she still needs some help when using it, but that should pass. Mom has three different types of exercises to do. One group of exercises she does in bed, another while sitting in the wheelchair and the last while she uses the walker to stand up.
I still can’t seem to get caught up on the house work, but it is progressing slowly. I’m almost caught up with the laundry, but this I’ve said before and then got behind again. I had an interesting experience Monday. I had to bail out the dishwasher. It usually retains a little bit of water, but Monday it appeared as if it hadn’t drained well. I haven’t used it since, but I’m going to have to use it soon. On Thursday someone is coming in to fix the garbage disposal, it won’t run at all. I finally found the reset button, but that didn’t help so I put in a work order.
The Feast of Nur is Monday, June 4, at 7:30 pm. On the morning of the 4th Mom has a doctor’s appointment at 7:20 am. I know that seems a bit early, but the last time she had an appointment it was at 10:20 am and, because of blood test and X-rays we didn’t get out of the building until 2:00 pm. The Earlier I take her in the better chance I have of getting out of the building before noon.
Friday, June 1, I’m taking her in for a blood test. I can take her in as early as I want though because the Quest Diagnostics on Burnham is open 24/7. The earlier Friday we get in, the earlier we’ll get out. Right now, I’m just putting everything in Baha’u’llah’s hands and getting as much done in a day as I can. The problem is that I can’t seem to get as much done as I want.
Yesterday, May 29, we went out. Mom had to recertify for a senior program and we needed to pick up some meds for the pharmacy. I stopped by the pharmacy first, because it was suppose to open at 8:00 am and we didn’t leave the house until 8:00 am. I got to the pharmacy, about 8:20, and it wasn’t open yet. We went to get Mom recertified and then back to the pharmacy (about 9:00 or 9:20 am)open.yet. We went to get Mom recertified and then back to the pharmacy, but it still wasn'ick up some meds for the pharmacy. I, but it still wasn’t open. So we went to pay the water bill, that done we went back to the pharmacy, it was open this time and we got the meds. It’s been an interesting week so far and it’s only Wednesday.
I will admit that I’m feeling a lot better today than I was Monday or Tuesday, I’m not sure why. It’s not because I’m getting any more rest. Since Mom got home I’ve been sleeping on the loveseat, not conducive to resting the body. Last night I went to “bed” early and instead of sleeping on the loveseat, I slept on the couch. Not a good idea, the loveseat is harder than the couch, so I sleep better on it and my back doesn’t hurt when I get up. Tonight I think I’ll try my own bed and see if I can hear Mom from there. She has a crystal bell that she can ring if she needs me, so I think that sleeping in the bed will work from now on. Oh well, it’s all in Baha’u’llah’s hands. Everything will work out.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Memorial Day 2007
12 ‘Azamat 164 B.E. - Monday, May 28, 2007
I haven’t turned on the T.V. all morning, so I don’t know what type of Memorial Day ceremonies or specials are on. Since we haven’t taken the R.J. for several months, I don’t have a T.V. schedule in the house. I have memories of Memorial Day commemorations from previous years and from my childhood.
Memorial Day was one of the nonreligious holidays that my Grandparents always commemorated. My Grandpa never fought in a war, he was too young during World War I and too old during World War II. His brother, Uncle Roy, was in the First World War. My father, while he never went over seas, was in the Army Air Core during the Second World War. Dad was stated in Las Vegas at Nellis Air Force Base (don’t know what it was called then). I didn’t have any male relatives or know anyone who fought in the Korean Conflict. I do know several Vietnam Vets. One of my brothers was on an Air Craft Carrier during one of the Gulf Wars. That’s about the extent of my experience with Veterans.
Growing up, Memorial Day was one of those holidays that meant a Road Trip every year. However, the Road Trip consisted in visiting the graves of family and veterans in different towns in Oklahoma and Kansas. At the beginning of May, my Grandmother began preparing for the journey. She made crape paper flowers to put on the graves. When we visited some of the cemeteries, there were military ceremonies, which included the playing of taps and the firing of guns. At others, we put the crape paper flowers on the graves and then went to the next cemetery. My Grandmother always put the homemade flowers on all the relatives’ graves, not just the veterans in the family.
I remember we could always tell the graves of veterans from those of nonveterans, because little American flags were always stuck in the ground behind the headstone or sitting on the headstone itself. Some of the commentaries we visited didn’t appear to be close to a town of any size. They were just fenced graveyards in an Oklahoma or Kansas prairie, while others were just outside of small towns that had a filling station (gas station), grocery store, bank, courthouse and jail.
During those Memorial Day Road Trips, we would stop somewhere, usually outside a small cemetery and eat lunch. My Grandma Newland always packed Southern Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, soda and desert. We never worried about the Potato Salad going bad because she packed it in ice in a portable ice chest. Come to think about it, I don’t think we worried about anything on those Road Trips. We drove from commentary to commentary putting the crape paper flowers on the grave. Grandpa Newland could always tell us which relatives were World War I or World War II veterans. I don’t remember us saying prayers at the gravesites, although the preceding or following Sunday services were dedicated to Memorial Day and remembering the departed soldiers and veterans.
Today my Memorial Day commemoration will consist of a prayer for the departed. I doubt that I even turn the T.V. on before 3:00 pm. I’ll look at the 4:00 news of course, but that’s about it. I won’t go to a Memorial Day Parade, if there is one any where near by. I won’t visit one of the cemeteries here in Vegas. I haven’t decided which prayer I’ll say yet, there are several wonderful prayers for the departed in the Baha’i prayer book.
I haven’t turned on the T.V. all morning, so I don’t know what type of Memorial Day ceremonies or specials are on. Since we haven’t taken the R.J. for several months, I don’t have a T.V. schedule in the house. I have memories of Memorial Day commemorations from previous years and from my childhood.
Memorial Day was one of the nonreligious holidays that my Grandparents always commemorated. My Grandpa never fought in a war, he was too young during World War I and too old during World War II. His brother, Uncle Roy, was in the First World War. My father, while he never went over seas, was in the Army Air Core during the Second World War. Dad was stated in Las Vegas at Nellis Air Force Base (don’t know what it was called then). I didn’t have any male relatives or know anyone who fought in the Korean Conflict. I do know several Vietnam Vets. One of my brothers was on an Air Craft Carrier during one of the Gulf Wars. That’s about the extent of my experience with Veterans.
Growing up, Memorial Day was one of those holidays that meant a Road Trip every year. However, the Road Trip consisted in visiting the graves of family and veterans in different towns in Oklahoma and Kansas. At the beginning of May, my Grandmother began preparing for the journey. She made crape paper flowers to put on the graves. When we visited some of the cemeteries, there were military ceremonies, which included the playing of taps and the firing of guns. At others, we put the crape paper flowers on the graves and then went to the next cemetery. My Grandmother always put the homemade flowers on all the relatives’ graves, not just the veterans in the family.
I remember we could always tell the graves of veterans from those of nonveterans, because little American flags were always stuck in the ground behind the headstone or sitting on the headstone itself. Some of the commentaries we visited didn’t appear to be close to a town of any size. They were just fenced graveyards in an Oklahoma or Kansas prairie, while others were just outside of small towns that had a filling station (gas station), grocery store, bank, courthouse and jail.
During those Memorial Day Road Trips, we would stop somewhere, usually outside a small cemetery and eat lunch. My Grandma Newland always packed Southern Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, soda and desert. We never worried about the Potato Salad going bad because she packed it in ice in a portable ice chest. Come to think about it, I don’t think we worried about anything on those Road Trips. We drove from commentary to commentary putting the crape paper flowers on the grave. Grandpa Newland could always tell us which relatives were World War I or World War II veterans. I don’t remember us saying prayers at the gravesites, although the preceding or following Sunday services were dedicated to Memorial Day and remembering the departed soldiers and veterans.
Today my Memorial Day commemoration will consist of a prayer for the departed. I doubt that I even turn the T.V. on before 3:00 pm. I’ll look at the 4:00 news of course, but that’s about it. I won’t go to a Memorial Day Parade, if there is one any where near by. I won’t visit one of the cemeteries here in Vegas. I haven’t decided which prayer I’ll say yet, there are several wonderful prayers for the departed in the Baha’i prayer book.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
500 Entries
11 ‘Azamat 164 B.E. - Sunday, May 27, 2007
I finally did it, I completed 500 entries in The Snowflake Chronicles, my writing.com blog. This means that I get to start a new blog on that site. The name of the new blog is Snow Melt. I’m beginning that blog on Memorial Day (Monday, May 28, 2007). I decided to make the first 26 entries alphabetical entries, which will take me through Nur.
I’m going experiment with the entries in Snow Melt, expand my writing. I’ve created the blog, but haven’t put the first entry in yet. I’ll do that after midnight writing.com time (Eastern Daylight Time), which isn’t too long from now. I feel like celebrating, but I’m not sure how to celebrate the completion of The Snowflake Chronicles.
Since I’ve completed The Snowflake Chronicles, my next project will be to delete some old entries from this blog. I think I’ll delete everything up until the beginning of 2007. When I delete entries, I make sure I save them to a manuscript and burned it on a CD, this way I can always go back, read them and find writing ideas.
I finally did it, I completed 500 entries in The Snowflake Chronicles, my writing.com blog. This means that I get to start a new blog on that site. The name of the new blog is Snow Melt. I’m beginning that blog on Memorial Day (Monday, May 28, 2007). I decided to make the first 26 entries alphabetical entries, which will take me through Nur.
I’m going experiment with the entries in Snow Melt, expand my writing. I’ve created the blog, but haven’t put the first entry in yet. I’ll do that after midnight writing.com time (Eastern Daylight Time), which isn’t too long from now. I feel like celebrating, but I’m not sure how to celebrate the completion of The Snowflake Chronicles.
Since I’ve completed The Snowflake Chronicles, my next project will be to delete some old entries from this blog. I think I’ll delete everything up until the beginning of 2007. When I delete entries, I make sure I save them to a manuscript and burned it on a CD, this way I can always go back, read them and find writing ideas.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
How Can a Person be Thankful in Adversity?
10 ‘Azamat 164 B.E. – Saturday, May 26, 2007
The question arises – “How can we be thankful in adversity?” I’ve found that a gratitude journal helps. I started a gratitude journal last year because of a weekly prompt in one of my yahoo groups. Every Thursday is Thankful Thursday. Each week a person list 10 things her or she is thankful for.
I gave my gratitude journal the name of Glory because I began in the month of Jalal, which means Glory. When I make my weekly entry I address the journal directly as “Dear Glory”. I put the date of the entry above the salutation and when I’ve completed the grateful list I end the entry with either “Thankfully Yours” or “Gratefully Yours” and sign my name.
The great thing about a Gratitude Journal is that you can make monthly, weekly, or daily entries. The entries don’t have to be in letter form. I can make a gratitude entry in any form from proses sentences to poems. Sometimes I list the reason I’m grateful and sometimes I just list an item without saying why I’m grateful for it. All though, in times of adversity and troubles it’s nice to know the reason I’m grateful for something.
If I make more than one weekly entry, then I always make sure that the Thursday entry is 10 items. There are times when it is difficult to find 10 things to be thankful for, but I’ve found that persistence and prayer helps. Entries other than Thursday are, at least, three. The problem with making the entry smaller than 10 is that it doesn’t stretch my gratitude muscle. Ten items exercise that spiritual muscle more then items.
Another way to be thankful in adversity is prayer. If I have problems finding things to be thankful for, then I choose a prayer for “Praise and Gratitude” from the Baha’I Prayer Book. After I say one of the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah, the Bab or written by ‘Abdu’l-Baha then I can find several things to be thankful for.
A Gratitude Journal is a wonderful thing to have; I can look back at the past entries for a pattern or ideas for poems, stories, articles, or blog entries. Of course, I don’t have to share my thankful list with anyone at all, I can keep it private if I want, but I usually share the Thursday entry at the very least. I know that I like to see what other people are grateful for, because often I find things that I have in my own life I forgot to list.
I suggest everyone make a gratitude journal. It doesn’t have to be a formal journal. It can be a loose-leaf notebook or a blog entry. The advantage to having a formal gratitude journal is that I can look back over the past entries in times of difficulties or when I’m not going through difficulties and see how Baha’u’llah has blessed my life.
“Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. …”
Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 284
The question arises – “How can we be thankful in adversity?” I’ve found that a gratitude journal helps. I started a gratitude journal last year because of a weekly prompt in one of my yahoo groups. Every Thursday is Thankful Thursday. Each week a person list 10 things her or she is thankful for.
I gave my gratitude journal the name of Glory because I began in the month of Jalal, which means Glory. When I make my weekly entry I address the journal directly as “Dear Glory”. I put the date of the entry above the salutation and when I’ve completed the grateful list I end the entry with either “Thankfully Yours” or “Gratefully Yours” and sign my name.
The great thing about a Gratitude Journal is that you can make monthly, weekly, or daily entries. The entries don’t have to be in letter form. I can make a gratitude entry in any form from proses sentences to poems. Sometimes I list the reason I’m grateful and sometimes I just list an item without saying why I’m grateful for it. All though, in times of adversity and troubles it’s nice to know the reason I’m grateful for something.
If I make more than one weekly entry, then I always make sure that the Thursday entry is 10 items. There are times when it is difficult to find 10 things to be thankful for, but I’ve found that persistence and prayer helps. Entries other than Thursday are, at least, three. The problem with making the entry smaller than 10 is that it doesn’t stretch my gratitude muscle. Ten items exercise that spiritual muscle more then items.
Another way to be thankful in adversity is prayer. If I have problems finding things to be thankful for, then I choose a prayer for “Praise and Gratitude” from the Baha’I Prayer Book. After I say one of the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah, the Bab or written by ‘Abdu’l-Baha then I can find several things to be thankful for.
A Gratitude Journal is a wonderful thing to have; I can look back at the past entries for a pattern or ideas for poems, stories, articles, or blog entries. Of course, I don’t have to share my thankful list with anyone at all, I can keep it private if I want, but I usually share the Thursday entry at the very least. I know that I like to see what other people are grateful for, because often I find things that I have in my own life I forgot to list.
I suggest everyone make a gratitude journal. It doesn’t have to be a formal journal. It can be a loose-leaf notebook or a blog entry. The advantage to having a formal gratitude journal is that I can look back over the past entries in times of difficulties or when I’m not going through difficulties and see how Baha’u’llah has blessed my life.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Mass Deletes
3 ‘Azamat 164 B.E. – May 19, 2007
We didn’t attend the Feast of ‘Azamat on the evening of May 16. Mom and I were sitting in Valley ER, or rather, I was sitting and she was lying in a bed. I think I mentioned the reason in the last post. The last few days were interesting (?) – all right, maybe not the best word for our adventures. Actually tiring is a better word. On Monday, I need to take Mom in for a blood test. I’m not sure what that’s going to show. Right now, I’m doing laundry. I’d say I have only one more load of sheets after this, but that may be an under estimate. The only laundry I’ve did for the past week is sheets. I didn’t know we had so many sheets.
I just heard the washing machine go off, so I’ll go put those in the dryer and see what else there is to do before putting another load of sheets in. I retrieved all my e-mail last Sunday and then had to wait until Thursday to retrieve it again. As a result, my boxes are full. I think the best thing to do now is just mass delete everything and start over. I probably won’t delete everything, but I will delete most of it; if I miss something important the “tough cookies”.
It’s amazing how freeing it is just to check every e-mail in a box or folder and then press the delete key. It’s also a bit upsetting. I mean if I should delete something important, then what? I’m not going to worry about it now though. I’m just too overwhelmed to worry about what’s in my e-mail boxes and what I’m deleting. I am starting with a folder rather than the main e-mail box. I started out by checking everything and then unchecking what I thought I wanted. Then I decided to check everything a look at the subject lines. Now I’m just checking everything and then clicking the delete icon. I’ll move from the folders to the main mail box later. I sort my e-mail into folder, so that the main box isn’t too full (most of the time).
It’s amazing how relieved I feel now that I’ve decided to simply mass delete everything without looking at the subject line. The folder I’m working with is one that I normally don’t do this type of mass delete in. However, doing anything else right now doesn’t seem the right thing. I have unread messages in that folder going back to March of this year. I have other folders that hold read message from 2006, 2005, etc. I think I’ll mass delete those as well and just clean out the entire box. That way I’ll start fresh and maybe be able to respond in a timely manner. There is always hope.
Even deleting the way I’m doing it takes time. Time I could use in some other way, but if I don’t do this now … the job will be bigger tomorrow or next week. Putting thing off just doesn’t help; it only makes matters worse. I’ll mass delete and then post to the group that the folder was set up for. I may get only the one folder cleaned out today, but if I work a little bit each day on this then eventually, I’ll have a … OK, my train of though just derailed. It’s been a stressful week and I’m tired, weary and for some reason not at all worried about anything.
We didn’t attend the Feast of ‘Azamat on the evening of May 16. Mom and I were sitting in Valley ER, or rather, I was sitting and she was lying in a bed. I think I mentioned the reason in the last post. The last few days were interesting (?) – all right, maybe not the best word for our adventures. Actually tiring is a better word. On Monday, I need to take Mom in for a blood test. I’m not sure what that’s going to show. Right now, I’m doing laundry. I’d say I have only one more load of sheets after this, but that may be an under estimate. The only laundry I’ve did for the past week is sheets. I didn’t know we had so many sheets.
I just heard the washing machine go off, so I’ll go put those in the dryer and see what else there is to do before putting another load of sheets in. I retrieved all my e-mail last Sunday and then had to wait until Thursday to retrieve it again. As a result, my boxes are full. I think the best thing to do now is just mass delete everything and start over. I probably won’t delete everything, but I will delete most of it; if I miss something important the “tough cookies”.
It’s amazing how freeing it is just to check every e-mail in a box or folder and then press the delete key. It’s also a bit upsetting. I mean if I should delete something important, then what? I’m not going to worry about it now though. I’m just too overwhelmed to worry about what’s in my e-mail boxes and what I’m deleting. I am starting with a folder rather than the main e-mail box. I started out by checking everything and then unchecking what I thought I wanted. Then I decided to check everything a look at the subject lines. Now I’m just checking everything and then clicking the delete icon. I’ll move from the folders to the main mail box later. I sort my e-mail into folder, so that the main box isn’t too full (most of the time).
It’s amazing how relieved I feel now that I’ve decided to simply mass delete everything without looking at the subject line. The folder I’m working with is one that I normally don’t do this type of mass delete in. However, doing anything else right now doesn’t seem the right thing. I have unread messages in that folder going back to March of this year. I have other folders that hold read message from 2006, 2005, etc. I think I’ll mass delete those as well and just clean out the entire box. That way I’ll start fresh and maybe be able to respond in a timely manner. There is always hope.
Even deleting the way I’m doing it takes time. Time I could use in some other way, but if I don’t do this now … the job will be bigger tomorrow or next week. Putting thing off just doesn’t help; it only makes matters worse. I’ll mass delete and then post to the group that the folder was set up for. I may get only the one folder cleaned out today, but if I work a little bit each day on this then eventually, I’ll have a … OK, my train of though just derailed. It’s been a stressful week and I’m tired, weary and for some reason not at all worried about anything.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Facets of Faith
2 Azamat 164 B.E. – May 18, 2007
I came up with this idea yesterday. I’m not sure where it is going right now. I do know lately I’ve had trouble writing entries for this blog. I haven’t made a n entry for several days. What does that have to do with faith? An interesting question, almost as interesting as my life the past few days; since Monday it’s been one long adventure (that’s as good a word as any) right after another.
Monday I took my mother to the doctor. Her appointment was at 10:20 AM. Now getting Mom into and out of the car is a project. She hasn’t been home from the Rehab Hospital very long (maybe a week) so when I take her anyplace, I have to take her wheel chair. I load Mom into the front seat (this gets easier with practice), after which I remove the leg rest from the wheel chair and put them in the back seat, and then I fold the wheel chair up and load it in the trunk. I tried putting the chair in the backseat, but it’s easier getting it in the trunk. It’s a bit more difficult getting it out of the trunk, but that’s because of the cover to the spare tire. After the doctor’s visit, she went for x-rays and a blood test, didn’t get home until around 2 PM.
Tuesday morning sometime between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM, got a phone call that Mom’s potassium and magnesium were low and that I should get her to either an Urgent Care or ER. I took her to the Urgent Care on West Charleston and Rancho. She was there until sometime between 3:00 Am and 5:00 AM Wednesday morning.
Wednesday somewhere around 11:00 AM, got a call from her doctor to take her to Valley ER because the x-ray showed a problem with her lungs, we stayed until about 8:00 PM. The x-rays were clear so the doctors sent her home. Then Thursday morning a different type of emergency took us out of the house, I didn’t have anyone to leave Mom with so she went. Anyway, because of all this, I didn’t get on line for about three and a half days.
So what does all this have to do with the facets of faith? During all this chaos the one thing that helped me through was a prayer revealed by the Bab, The Remover of Difficulties, and one revealed by Baha’u’llah, The Tablet of Ahmad. Without these two prayers, I don’t think I could have gotten though. Both prayers I memorized a long time ago. Both focus my attention on positive thoughts rather than on the negative.
Faith is like a diamond. It’s true beauty doesn’t come out until it is shaped by the diamond cutter. Tests and difficulties help shape a person’s faith and polish it’s facets so they can sparkle. The last few days have certainly polished my diamond.
I still have a lot to do, but I’ll get it done. In the mean time … what? I lost my train of thought. Oh, well I guess that’s what I get for multitasking. I’m trying to wash a load of sheets and type this at the same time. I have washed so many sheet the past few or maybe it’s been two weeks. My sense of time it not what it used to be. I know what day it is and year, but past events seem like distant memories – stress or just plain weariness. Interesting, it’s been eight days since my last post, doesn’t seem like that long.
I came up with this idea yesterday. I’m not sure where it is going right now. I do know lately I’ve had trouble writing entries for this blog. I haven’t made a n entry for several days. What does that have to do with faith? An interesting question, almost as interesting as my life the past few days; since Monday it’s been one long adventure (that’s as good a word as any) right after another.
Monday I took my mother to the doctor. Her appointment was at 10:20 AM. Now getting Mom into and out of the car is a project. She hasn’t been home from the Rehab Hospital very long (maybe a week) so when I take her anyplace, I have to take her wheel chair. I load Mom into the front seat (this gets easier with practice), after which I remove the leg rest from the wheel chair and put them in the back seat, and then I fold the wheel chair up and load it in the trunk. I tried putting the chair in the backseat, but it’s easier getting it in the trunk. It’s a bit more difficult getting it out of the trunk, but that’s because of the cover to the spare tire. After the doctor’s visit, she went for x-rays and a blood test, didn’t get home until around 2 PM.
Tuesday morning sometime between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM, got a phone call that Mom’s potassium and magnesium were low and that I should get her to either an Urgent Care or ER. I took her to the Urgent Care on West Charleston and Rancho. She was there until sometime between 3:00 Am and 5:00 AM Wednesday morning.
Wednesday somewhere around 11:00 AM, got a call from her doctor to take her to Valley ER because the x-ray showed a problem with her lungs, we stayed until about 8:00 PM. The x-rays were clear so the doctors sent her home. Then Thursday morning a different type of emergency took us out of the house, I didn’t have anyone to leave Mom with so she went. Anyway, because of all this, I didn’t get on line for about three and a half days.
So what does all this have to do with the facets of faith? During all this chaos the one thing that helped me through was a prayer revealed by the Bab, The Remover of Difficulties, and one revealed by Baha’u’llah, The Tablet of Ahmad. Without these two prayers, I don’t think I could have gotten though. Both prayers I memorized a long time ago. Both focus my attention on positive thoughts rather than on the negative.
Faith is like a diamond. It’s true beauty doesn’t come out until it is shaped by the diamond cutter. Tests and difficulties help shape a person’s faith and polish it’s facets so they can sparkle. The last few days have certainly polished my diamond.
I still have a lot to do, but I’ll get it done. In the mean time … what? I lost my train of thought. Oh, well I guess that’s what I get for multitasking. I’m trying to wash a load of sheets and type this at the same time. I have washed so many sheet the past few or maybe it’s been two weeks. My sense of time it not what it used to be. I know what day it is and year, but past events seem like distant memories – stress or just plain weariness. Interesting, it’s been eight days since my last post, doesn’t seem like that long.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Two short, but bittersweet posts
14 Jamal 164 B.E. – Friday, May 11, 2007
I like bagpipe music. The call of the pipes speaks directly to my soul. I realize that not everyone likes to hear the pipes nor do they understand the emotional quality of the music. I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m Scotch-Irish that I’m so attracted to bagpipes or some other reason. I especially like to hear spiritual and religious songs played on the pipes.
13 Jamal 164 B.E. – Thursday, May 10, 2007
Mother’s day approaches on Sunday, May 13. Mom is home and progressing slowly, but progressing nonetheless.
Bagpipes
I like bagpipe music. The call of the pipes speaks directly to my soul. I realize that not everyone likes to hear the pipes nor do they understand the emotional quality of the music. I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m Scotch-Irish that I’m so attracted to bagpipes or some other reason. I especially like to hear spiritual and religious songs played on the pipes.
13 Jamal 164 B.E. – Thursday, May 10, 2007
Mother’s Day Approaches
Mother’s day approaches on Sunday, May 13. Mom is home and progressing slowly, but progressing nonetheless.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Blessing of Baha’u’llah
12 Jamal 164 B.E. – Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Sometimes we go through life not counting our blessing or being thankful. Therefore, today I think I’ll recount some of the blessing Baha’u’llah has showered on me. I’m not sure how many I’ll have listed at the end of this post, but I do know that how-ever many it is, it won’t be complete. It won’t be complete because the blessings showered upon me by Baha’u’llah are unending.
In one of the revealed prayers Baha’u’llah refers to tests as “a healing medicine”. Life is full of tests and difficulties; they come to us in various ways and at different times. An event that may be mundane to one individual could be a test for another. The intention of tests and difficulties is to strengthen faith and polish the soul’s mirror. That’s why tests and difficulties are blessings because without them the soul wouldn’t develop wings of ascent to fly in the next world.
The prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah are blessings. Unlike the prayers that an individual says, writes, or composes spontaneously. The prayers Baha’u’llah revealed help the individual focus on achieving the reason the soul was created and the Divine Essence. We can’t know God directly, but the purpose of the individual is to know and love God. The only way a human being can know God is through the Mirror of the Divine Essence. Baha’u’llah is the Mirror of God for this age. Therefore, when we read or recite a prayer revealed by Baha’u’llah, we are reading and reciting a prayer revealed by the Divine Essence through Baha’u’llah.
Another blessing of the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah is that they ignite the individual’s soul. They bring joy and happiness. They awaken a person to the reality of the Divine Essence. They inspire and cause the individual to look toward God rather than self. I know when I read or recite one of the prayers my entire attitude changes. My day is brightened and I’m encouraged to achieve the goals I set for myself.
When I go to set goals I don’t set them without saying, at least, one prayer. Prayer focuses the soul and mind on the attributes of God. Prayer helps me to concentrate on what I’m doing rather than worrying about what’s not done or what I may not get done. This is another of the blessing of Baha’u’llah.
Baha’u’llah has given so many blessings that it is difficult to list them all. Indeed, I don’t think I could list all the blessing here because I keep discovering new blessings everyday. One of the blessing, for me, is the ability to compose poems and stories. Creativity is a blessing; it helps me to discover new things about myself and about the world around me. Without it my life would be boring. Without Baha’u’llah I would never have discovered the three onenesses and the unity of the human race.
However, the greatest blessing is my life is the knowledge of Baha’u’llah. Just knowing that God has sent another messenger, mirror, prophet and manifestation gives me the courage to go on each day, place my problems in the hands of Baha’u’llah (which is like placing my problems in God’s hands) and go on without worry.
One of my favorite prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah is the Long Healing Prayer.
Sometimes we go through life not counting our blessing or being thankful. Therefore, today I think I’ll recount some of the blessing Baha’u’llah has showered on me. I’m not sure how many I’ll have listed at the end of this post, but I do know that how-ever many it is, it won’t be complete. It won’t be complete because the blessings showered upon me by Baha’u’llah are unending.
In one of the revealed prayers Baha’u’llah refers to tests as “a healing medicine”. Life is full of tests and difficulties; they come to us in various ways and at different times. An event that may be mundane to one individual could be a test for another. The intention of tests and difficulties is to strengthen faith and polish the soul’s mirror. That’s why tests and difficulties are blessings because without them the soul wouldn’t develop wings of ascent to fly in the next world.
The prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah are blessings. Unlike the prayers that an individual says, writes, or composes spontaneously. The prayers Baha’u’llah revealed help the individual focus on achieving the reason the soul was created and the Divine Essence. We can’t know God directly, but the purpose of the individual is to know and love God. The only way a human being can know God is through the Mirror of the Divine Essence. Baha’u’llah is the Mirror of God for this age. Therefore, when we read or recite a prayer revealed by Baha’u’llah, we are reading and reciting a prayer revealed by the Divine Essence through Baha’u’llah.
Another blessing of the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah is that they ignite the individual’s soul. They bring joy and happiness. They awaken a person to the reality of the Divine Essence. They inspire and cause the individual to look toward God rather than self. I know when I read or recite one of the prayers my entire attitude changes. My day is brightened and I’m encouraged to achieve the goals I set for myself.
When I go to set goals I don’t set them without saying, at least, one prayer. Prayer focuses the soul and mind on the attributes of God. Prayer helps me to concentrate on what I’m doing rather than worrying about what’s not done or what I may not get done. This is another of the blessing of Baha’u’llah.
Baha’u’llah has given so many blessings that it is difficult to list them all. Indeed, I don’t think I could list all the blessing here because I keep discovering new blessings everyday. One of the blessing, for me, is the ability to compose poems and stories. Creativity is a blessing; it helps me to discover new things about myself and about the world around me. Without it my life would be boring. Without Baha’u’llah I would never have discovered the three onenesses and the unity of the human race.
However, the greatest blessing is my life is the knowledge of Baha’u’llah. Just knowing that God has sent another messenger, mirror, prophet and manifestation gives me the courage to go on each day, place my problems in the hands of Baha’u’llah (which is like placing my problems in God’s hands) and go on without worry.
One of my favorite prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah is the Long Healing Prayer.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Doing Laundry
11 Jamal 164 B.E. – Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Someone came to fix the dryer yesterday. The technician put in new rollers inside under the tub of the dryer. The dryer doesn’t squeak any more. The dryer runs without making any disturbing noises. I can now do laundry without hanging it out on the line, there are exception but those are small and not things like sheets and towels. I still have to completely catch up on the laundry and remake my bed, but I’m getting there and should have the laundry caught up today sometime. It’s nice to have both a washer and a dryer that works.
Anyway, I spent most of the day finishing the laundry and drying cloths. I don’t know how my Grandmother survived without an automatic washer for so long. It’s amazing what kinds of technology we can and can’t do without. It was difficult for me to wash cloths and hang them on the line or the patio. However, for years before the advent of wringer washing machines, my Grandmother wash her cloths on a scrub board (I think that’s what it was called), wrung them out and hung them on the line. When the wringer washer came along, my Grandfather got her one. I can remember her using it. For years, she would put the cloths in the washer, wash them and put them through the wringer. then she would put the cloths into wash tubs and rinse them. I used to watch Grandma do this, I used to help her. She always warned us to be careful not to get our hands caught in the wringer. After the last rinse (Grandma always rinsed her cloths twice) she hung them on the line to dry.
Today we take automatic washers and dryers for granted until they need maintenance and we can’t use them for a while. Only when deprived of modern conveniences do we appreciate them. OK, there has to be a story plot here and a lesson as well.
Someone came to fix the dryer yesterday. The technician put in new rollers inside under the tub of the dryer. The dryer doesn’t squeak any more. The dryer runs without making any disturbing noises. I can now do laundry without hanging it out on the line, there are exception but those are small and not things like sheets and towels. I still have to completely catch up on the laundry and remake my bed, but I’m getting there and should have the laundry caught up today sometime. It’s nice to have both a washer and a dryer that works.
Anyway, I spent most of the day finishing the laundry and drying cloths. I don’t know how my Grandmother survived without an automatic washer for so long. It’s amazing what kinds of technology we can and can’t do without. It was difficult for me to wash cloths and hang them on the line or the patio. However, for years before the advent of wringer washing machines, my Grandmother wash her cloths on a scrub board (I think that’s what it was called), wrung them out and hung them on the line. When the wringer washer came along, my Grandfather got her one. I can remember her using it. For years, she would put the cloths in the washer, wash them and put them through the wringer. then she would put the cloths into wash tubs and rinse them. I used to watch Grandma do this, I used to help her. She always warned us to be careful not to get our hands caught in the wringer. After the last rinse (Grandma always rinsed her cloths twice) she hung them on the line to dry.
Today we take automatic washers and dryers for granted until they need maintenance and we can’t use them for a while. Only when deprived of modern conveniences do we appreciate them. OK, there has to be a story plot here and a lesson as well.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Invaders in my back yard
10 Jamal 164 B.E. – Monday, May 7, 2007
Well they’re back, I saw the kids retrieving toys again tonight. It was during the news, when Mom and I were eating supper. I’m going to have to keep an eye out tomorrow and see where they are entering the backyard. I may have to go out and see if I can do something about the loose board myself. I think this is a recent issue. I’m still not all that worried about it. I suspect the kids parents don’t know they’re entering this yard through a loose board. I don’t think the kids realize we see them.
Invaders in my backyard sounds like a good title for a story. I’ll have to keep that in mind. However, if the kids are going to make coming into my yard a daily habit, I’m going to have to figure out a way to put a stop to it. Yesterday I asked what ‘Abdu’l-Baha would do in this situation. I don’t think he would let it go on, but I do think he would use a wise approach. I’m not sure what the wise approach is at this time. I think they are coming into the yard from the house directly across the fence. I’ve looked in that backyard and from the play equipment, there appears to be children living there; although there are probably children living in all the houses on Sweeny, which is the name of the next street in that direction.
Well they’re back, I saw the kids retrieving toys again tonight. It was during the news, when Mom and I were eating supper. I’m going to have to keep an eye out tomorrow and see where they are entering the backyard. I may have to go out and see if I can do something about the loose board myself. I think this is a recent issue. I’m still not all that worried about it. I suspect the kids parents don’t know they’re entering this yard through a loose board. I don’t think the kids realize we see them.
Invaders in my backyard sounds like a good title for a story. I’ll have to keep that in mind. However, if the kids are going to make coming into my yard a daily habit, I’m going to have to figure out a way to put a stop to it. Yesterday I asked what ‘Abdu’l-Baha would do in this situation. I don’t think he would let it go on, but I do think he would use a wise approach. I’m not sure what the wise approach is at this time. I think they are coming into the yard from the house directly across the fence. I’ve looked in that backyard and from the play equipment, there appears to be children living there; although there are probably children living in all the houses on Sweeny, which is the name of the next street in that direction.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
An Interesting Situation
9 Jamal 164 B.E. – Sunday, May 6, 2007
Today I realized an interesting situation that occurs periodically in my back yard. The neighbor’s kids somehow get into the yard to retrieved balls and other toys they accidentally throw over the fence. Mom and I were sitting in the dining room watching a Fred Asteria (I hope that’s how you spell the name) movie on Channel 10. I glanced out the patio door and there walking across my backyard was a boy about 10 years old or younger. He retrieved a ball, tossed it into the back fence neighbor’s yard, and then disappeared out of sight. About five or ten minutes later he was back with a younger brother. The retrieved to toys, finally got them into their yard and then left my yard. I know they got into my yard through a loose board in the fence, but I don’t know which board is loose.
I’m going to have to do something about it, I don’t mind the neighbors kids retrieving their toys that land inadvertently in my yard, but I’d at least like them to be polite enough to knock on my door and ask. I’m going to have someone clean the back yard the first Saturday in June, so when Larry come I’ll have him check the fence boards and see if there is a way to secure any that are loose. In the mean time, I’m just going to have to keep an eye out to see how often these kids get into the yard. I don’t know how long they’ve been doing this, from the way they acted it’s a common occurrence.
I wouldn’t have know there was a problem if Mom hadn’t got out of the hospital recently. She needs a hospital bed right now, so I had them put the bed in the dining room rather than in her regular bedroom. I moved the TV into the dinning room, so she could have some entertainment.
I wonder how ‘Abdu’l-Baha would handle this situation? I’ll have to meditate on that and see what I come up with. I don’t want to come off as a witch spelled with a b in this, I just want the kids to ask permission before coming into my yard. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, it only shows respect for your neighbors. I suppose this could be a good opportunity to meet the back fence neighbors, I’ll have to determine when their home and what house they live in and maybe go see them. When I can get away; right now Mom can’t be left alone, so I’m sort of stuck in the house if I can’t find someone to sit with her.
I’ll keep an eye on the situation. Until school lets out for the summer (or does the grade school in this neighborhood year round) it’s not going to be a big problem except maybe on Saturday or Sunday. I know there must be an opportunity of some type here. Maybe to tell those neighbors about Baha’u’llah, this is a good way to get to meet them. With kids of that age, it’s best to approach the parents with any problems and concerns. As soon as possible, I’ll have to get to the next street and figure out which house it is and meet the parents.
Today I realized an interesting situation that occurs periodically in my back yard. The neighbor’s kids somehow get into the yard to retrieved balls and other toys they accidentally throw over the fence. Mom and I were sitting in the dining room watching a Fred Asteria (I hope that’s how you spell the name) movie on Channel 10. I glanced out the patio door and there walking across my backyard was a boy about 10 years old or younger. He retrieved a ball, tossed it into the back fence neighbor’s yard, and then disappeared out of sight. About five or ten minutes later he was back with a younger brother. The retrieved to toys, finally got them into their yard and then left my yard. I know they got into my yard through a loose board in the fence, but I don’t know which board is loose.
I’m going to have to do something about it, I don’t mind the neighbors kids retrieving their toys that land inadvertently in my yard, but I’d at least like them to be polite enough to knock on my door and ask. I’m going to have someone clean the back yard the first Saturday in June, so when Larry come I’ll have him check the fence boards and see if there is a way to secure any that are loose. In the mean time, I’m just going to have to keep an eye out to see how often these kids get into the yard. I don’t know how long they’ve been doing this, from the way they acted it’s a common occurrence.
I wouldn’t have know there was a problem if Mom hadn’t got out of the hospital recently. She needs a hospital bed right now, so I had them put the bed in the dining room rather than in her regular bedroom. I moved the TV into the dinning room, so she could have some entertainment.
I wonder how ‘Abdu’l-Baha would handle this situation? I’ll have to meditate on that and see what I come up with. I don’t want to come off as a witch spelled with a b in this, I just want the kids to ask permission before coming into my yard. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, it only shows respect for your neighbors. I suppose this could be a good opportunity to meet the back fence neighbors, I’ll have to determine when their home and what house they live in and maybe go see them. When I can get away; right now Mom can’t be left alone, so I’m sort of stuck in the house if I can’t find someone to sit with her.
I’ll keep an eye on the situation. Until school lets out for the summer (or does the grade school in this neighborhood year round) it’s not going to be a big problem except maybe on Saturday or Sunday. I know there must be an opportunity of some type here. Maybe to tell those neighbors about Baha’u’llah, this is a good way to get to meet them. With kids of that age, it’s best to approach the parents with any problems and concerns. As soon as possible, I’ll have to get to the next street and figure out which house it is and meet the parents.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Again a Two-Day Entry
8 Jamal 164 B.E. – Saturday, May 5, 2007
This is getting a little bit redundant. This is the second two-day entry in a row and I have no excuse. I’m not even sure why I didn’t post an entry yesterday. Not like I’m going anywhere unless I find someone to set with Mom while I’m gone. I did get her meds yesterday, but I got the neighbors to keep an eye on her while I was gone. Getting the meds didn’t take that long, I did have to go to the bank to get money, but that wasn’t long either. Anyway, I got Mom’s meds and I’m going to have to go give her the evening pill in a few moments. She’s getting easier to get in and out of her wheel chair. She seems to be about to use her legs a little bit more than she could when she got home a few days ago.
Right now she’s sitting in the wheel chair watching a cooking show on channel 10. I’m going to go fix a hamburger for supper, but I don’t think we’ll have supper until closer to 6:00 PM. Mom enjoys the Britcoms and Lawrence Whelk. Lawrence Whelk comes on at 6:00 and the Britcoms at 8:00. I think between the two, I’ll read the Long Healing Prayer revealed by Baha’u’llah, so Mom can hear, Mom enjoys listening to this prayer.
7 Jamal 164 B.E. – Friday, May 4, 2007
The dryer squeaks and isn’t working properly. So I’m stuck with washing the cloths and then drying them either on one cloths line or on the patio. I’m using both. It isn’t easy, especially since we’re using a lot of sheet lately and they need to be washed and dried everyday. I can’t go the launder mat. Mom just got home from the rehab hospital a few days ago and can’t be left alone. She is in a hospital bed and has exercises to do besides other things that need done for her. I put in a work order on the website and someone got back to me about the dryer, but they won’t be out until Monday. So I’ll just have to work with the situation.
I don’t really like to take we cloths to the launder mat anyway. You get them there and dried, then come home and a couple of days later you go out to your car and find that a wet washrag or other small wet item fell out of a basket and onto the floor (they never fall out in the trunk) of the backseat. It leaves an interesting (I think that’s a good word for it) odor in the car.
I don’t like interesting odors in my car, because they stick around for days, weeks and months. You can’t get them out easily and covering them up doesn’t always work or even help. The only way to get an interesting (?) odor out of you car, is to use four forty-five air conditioning. You roll down all four windows and drive forty-five miles an hour preferably on a highway or street where that is the speed limit.
Oh well, this too shall pass. It’s only a test and life is full of test, difficulties and adversity. Baha’u’llah says to be thankful in adversity.
This is getting a little bit redundant. This is the second two-day entry in a row and I have no excuse. I’m not even sure why I didn’t post an entry yesterday. Not like I’m going anywhere unless I find someone to set with Mom while I’m gone. I did get her meds yesterday, but I got the neighbors to keep an eye on her while I was gone. Getting the meds didn’t take that long, I did have to go to the bank to get money, but that wasn’t long either. Anyway, I got Mom’s meds and I’m going to have to go give her the evening pill in a few moments. She’s getting easier to get in and out of her wheel chair. She seems to be about to use her legs a little bit more than she could when she got home a few days ago.
Right now she’s sitting in the wheel chair watching a cooking show on channel 10. I’m going to go fix a hamburger for supper, but I don’t think we’ll have supper until closer to 6:00 PM. Mom enjoys the Britcoms and Lawrence Whelk. Lawrence Whelk comes on at 6:00 and the Britcoms at 8:00. I think between the two, I’ll read the Long Healing Prayer revealed by Baha’u’llah, so Mom can hear, Mom enjoys listening to this prayer.
7 Jamal 164 B.E. – Friday, May 4, 2007
Drying Cloths without a Dryer
The dryer squeaks and isn’t working properly. So I’m stuck with washing the cloths and then drying them either on one cloths line or on the patio. I’m using both. It isn’t easy, especially since we’re using a lot of sheet lately and they need to be washed and dried everyday. I can’t go the launder mat. Mom just got home from the rehab hospital a few days ago and can’t be left alone. She is in a hospital bed and has exercises to do besides other things that need done for her. I put in a work order on the website and someone got back to me about the dryer, but they won’t be out until Monday. So I’ll just have to work with the situation.
I don’t really like to take we cloths to the launder mat anyway. You get them there and dried, then come home and a couple of days later you go out to your car and find that a wet washrag or other small wet item fell out of a basket and onto the floor (they never fall out in the trunk) of the backseat. It leaves an interesting (I think that’s a good word for it) odor in the car.
I don’t like interesting odors in my car, because they stick around for days, weeks and months. You can’t get them out easily and covering them up doesn’t always work or even help. The only way to get an interesting (?) odor out of you car, is to use four forty-five air conditioning. You roll down all four windows and drive forty-five miles an hour preferably on a highway or street where that is the speed limit.
Oh well, this too shall pass. It’s only a test and life is full of test, difficulties and adversity. Baha’u’llah says to be thankful in adversity.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Another two-day entry
6 Jamal 164 B.E. – Thursday, May 3, 2007
I said I was going to attempt to do an entry everyday and if I couldn’t do that then I’d make two or more entries in one day. This is another two-day entry. Yesterday I was ill, vomited etc. I had to go see my mother’s therapist at 9:00 AM PDT. I have no idea what time I got back to the house. I lay down on the couch or was it the love seat. I slept and woke up at 3:00 PM, went back to pick up some stuff from my mother, after stopping at the drug store for some vitamin water (I hadn’t eaten anything, so I thought I need something extra in the water) and a couple of other items. Went to see my mother, took the stuff she wanted me to bring home. Came home and went to sleep again (have no idea what time I got home), woke up at 11:00 PM went to get gas and a couple of stores, only the necessary items; come home and went to sleep (on the love seat). Woke up at 4:00 Am or there about this morning. Still not feeling good, but moved the TV into the dining room and the dining room set into the living room. Swept and mopped the dining room and entrance hall (not to my satisfaction because I failed to get a new sponge for the mop). Now I have to finish the living room and kitchen. I’m feeling better now, I’ll do one or the other next. However, my mother is home so I’ll take care of her and contact someone to come and fix the dryer (I can do this online later tonight). In the mean time, I’m going to go take care of mom and say some prayers. Probably the Tablet of Ahmad revealed by Baha’u’llah.
5 Jamal 164 B.E. – Wednesday, May 2, 2007
I don’t care what anyone says to the contrary, Misery doesn’t love company and doesn’t want company. Misery wants to be left alone to be miserable. So why is it when I’m sick I can’t be left alone to be miserable? I suppose it’s just as well. If I was left alone to be miserable and cranky I’d wallow in my own unhappiness and misery. Therefore, I need to follow Baha’u’llah’s advice and “be thankful in adversity” or in this case misery. What brought this on? I woke up at 12:00 midnight vomiting and with … OK, you can probably guess what else I woke up doing. Anyway, I couldn’t stay home; I had things to do, so I go out and did them. Between doing what I had to do, I slept. I slept not in my bed, because I just couldn’t make myself get off the couch. I eventually got everything done, not to my total satisfaction, but I got it done anyway.
I said I was going to attempt to do an entry everyday and if I couldn’t do that then I’d make two or more entries in one day. This is another two-day entry. Yesterday I was ill, vomited etc. I had to go see my mother’s therapist at 9:00 AM PDT. I have no idea what time I got back to the house. I lay down on the couch or was it the love seat. I slept and woke up at 3:00 PM, went back to pick up some stuff from my mother, after stopping at the drug store for some vitamin water (I hadn’t eaten anything, so I thought I need something extra in the water) and a couple of other items. Went to see my mother, took the stuff she wanted me to bring home. Came home and went to sleep again (have no idea what time I got home), woke up at 11:00 PM went to get gas and a couple of stores, only the necessary items; come home and went to sleep (on the love seat). Woke up at 4:00 Am or there about this morning. Still not feeling good, but moved the TV into the dining room and the dining room set into the living room. Swept and mopped the dining room and entrance hall (not to my satisfaction because I failed to get a new sponge for the mop). Now I have to finish the living room and kitchen. I’m feeling better now, I’ll do one or the other next. However, my mother is home so I’ll take care of her and contact someone to come and fix the dryer (I can do this online later tonight). In the mean time, I’m going to go take care of mom and say some prayers. Probably the Tablet of Ahmad revealed by Baha’u’llah.
5 Jamal 164 B.E. – Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Misery Does Not Love Company
I don’t care what anyone says to the contrary, Misery doesn’t love company and doesn’t want company. Misery wants to be left alone to be miserable. So why is it when I’m sick I can’t be left alone to be miserable? I suppose it’s just as well. If I was left alone to be miserable and cranky I’d wallow in my own unhappiness and misery. Therefore, I need to follow Baha’u’llah’s advice and “be thankful in adversity” or in this case misery. What brought this on? I woke up at 12:00 midnight vomiting and with … OK, you can probably guess what else I woke up doing. Anyway, I couldn’t stay home; I had things to do, so I go out and did them. Between doing what I had to do, I slept. I slept not in my bed, because I just couldn’t make myself get off the couch. I eventually got everything done, not to my total satisfaction, but I got it done anyway.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
May Day Thoughts
4 Jamal 164 B.E. – Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Today is May 1, May Day. From my childhood, I remember specific events about this day. Dancing around a May Pole, I don’t remember how many kids were doing it. What I do remember is a pole, with colored streamer or long sections of some type of paper or cloth hanging from the pole. Then a group of girls and boys, wearing spring cloths, would wind around the pole and braid the streamers around it. The individual would weave in and out. That’s about all I remember about May Day.
Today is May 1, the 11th Day of Ridvan, which is a more important Holiday to me than May Day. Ridvan is when Baha’u’llah declared his mission to his followers. The momentous event occurred in Bagdad in 1863. Celebrating Baha’u’llah’s Declaration is important to me today.
It’s interesting how a person’s thought and concepts change as they mature. When I was a child the May Day events were important, I guess because it was a break in the routine and dancing around the May Pole was fun for a child. However, while I might watch children dance around a May Pole, I wouldn’t find any other reason to enjoy the activity. However, if I’m given a choice between a May Day event and celebrating Ridvan, I’ll celebrate Ridvan without hesitation.
I’m going to have to do a little research on May Day and the May Pole. Even though, as a child, I participated in these events, I don’t know the history of the day or the activities surrounding the celebration. Growing up no one instructed on its history. I’m not even sure now whether the May Pole Dance was a school event or a church event. It could have been either or both depending on what day May Day occurred and if school was in session. Something you remember completely and other things are random snap shots in a photo album memories. This is one of those random memories. Random snap shots in a photo album sounds like a good title for a poem.
Today is May 1, May Day. From my childhood, I remember specific events about this day. Dancing around a May Pole, I don’t remember how many kids were doing it. What I do remember is a pole, with colored streamer or long sections of some type of paper or cloth hanging from the pole. Then a group of girls and boys, wearing spring cloths, would wind around the pole and braid the streamers around it. The individual would weave in and out. That’s about all I remember about May Day.
Today is May 1, the 11th Day of Ridvan, which is a more important Holiday to me than May Day. Ridvan is when Baha’u’llah declared his mission to his followers. The momentous event occurred in Bagdad in 1863. Celebrating Baha’u’llah’s Declaration is important to me today.
It’s interesting how a person’s thought and concepts change as they mature. When I was a child the May Day events were important, I guess because it was a break in the routine and dancing around the May Pole was fun for a child. However, while I might watch children dance around a May Pole, I wouldn’t find any other reason to enjoy the activity. However, if I’m given a choice between a May Day event and celebrating Ridvan, I’ll celebrate Ridvan without hesitation.
I’m going to have to do a little research on May Day and the May Pole. Even though, as a child, I participated in these events, I don’t know the history of the day or the activities surrounding the celebration. Growing up no one instructed on its history. I’m not even sure now whether the May Pole Dance was a school event or a church event. It could have been either or both depending on what day May Day occurred and if school was in session. Something you remember completely and other things are random snap shots in a photo album memories. This is one of those random memories. Random snap shots in a photo album sounds like a good title for a poem.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Warmed Over Coffee and Intriguing Question
3 Jamal 164 B.E. – Monday, April 30, 2007
I ran out of filters for the drip coffee make, which doesn’t mean I can’t make coffee. I have the old fashion percolator as well. It’s just that I have coffee in the refrigerator already made, left over from the last week. You’d think that I wouldn’t have coffee left over, but there is a good reason for this. I’ve been using the drip maker and it turns itself off if I don’t pour coffee from it regularly. I forget how long I can let the coffee pot set on, before it turns itself off.
“Are the realities of the mind and spirit products of our brain?" Is a poll question on writing.com. I have to do research on this question before I can answer it full. It’s one of those questions that requires a person to investigate truth for themselves. Independent investigation of truth is necessary if the soul is to progress. A person can’t just take someone else’s word for something, rather a person investigates the scriptures and other sources and comes to his or her own conclusions.
I think ‘Abdu’l-Baha answers this question or a similar question. I’ll have to look and see. The book I’ll go to is Some Answered Question and then check Paris Talks. I’ll also check the writings of Baha’u’llah. I have a program on my computer that I put the topic in and it comes up with scripture references containing the words. After I find the references than I read them and meditate on them. Any question I have, I can go to the Writings of Baha’u’llah, the Bab or ‘Abdu’l-Baha and find the answer. I’ll put the references to this question in another post, so that anyone wanting to read them can find them for themselves.
I’ll post the answers close to the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Right now I’m trying not to use the computer too much during the day, the air conditioner doesn’t seem to be working at present and it’s getting hot in Vegas. The air conditioning guy comes tomorrow or Wednesday, so I’m getting on only early of a morning or late of an evening.
I ran out of filters for the drip coffee make, which doesn’t mean I can’t make coffee. I have the old fashion percolator as well. It’s just that I have coffee in the refrigerator already made, left over from the last week. You’d think that I wouldn’t have coffee left over, but there is a good reason for this. I’ve been using the drip maker and it turns itself off if I don’t pour coffee from it regularly. I forget how long I can let the coffee pot set on, before it turns itself off.
“Are the realities of the mind and spirit products of our brain?" Is a poll question on writing.com. I have to do research on this question before I can answer it full. It’s one of those questions that requires a person to investigate truth for themselves. Independent investigation of truth is necessary if the soul is to progress. A person can’t just take someone else’s word for something, rather a person investigates the scriptures and other sources and comes to his or her own conclusions.
I think ‘Abdu’l-Baha answers this question or a similar question. I’ll have to look and see. The book I’ll go to is Some Answered Question and then check Paris Talks. I’ll also check the writings of Baha’u’llah. I have a program on my computer that I put the topic in and it comes up with scripture references containing the words. After I find the references than I read them and meditate on them. Any question I have, I can go to the Writings of Baha’u’llah, the Bab or ‘Abdu’l-Baha and find the answer. I’ll put the references to this question in another post, so that anyone wanting to read them can find them for themselves.
I’ll post the answers close to the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Right now I’m trying not to use the computer too much during the day, the air conditioner doesn’t seem to be working at present and it’s getting hot in Vegas. The air conditioning guy comes tomorrow or Wednesday, so I’m getting on only early of a morning or late of an evening.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Joyous Ridvan on 9th Day of Ridvan
2 Jamal 164 B.E. – Sunday, April 29, 2007
Here are two Ridvan Poems written on two different days. Ridvan means paradise. Please click on the above title to be taken to a related website.
Petal by petal
paradise unfolds before my eyes
in the garden where the Tree of Life
now blooms.
Roses and nightingales proclaim
God’s promise fulfilled
in the appearance of His Glory;
word by word
I intone the tablet announcing
a new age for humanity.
The scent of roses
and the nightingales song
reverberate through the garden.
Sleepless
because of the proximity of the Beloved
the poet-seeker watches
as the Pen of God’s glory walks
the paths of paradise.
Sleepless
because of the proximity of the roses
the nightingales intone their love.
Here are two Ridvan Poems written on two different days. Ridvan means paradise. Please click on the above title to be taken to a related website.
Joyous Ridvan
Petal by petal
paradise unfolds before my eyes
in the garden where the Tree of Life
now blooms.
Roses and nightingales proclaim
God’s promise fulfilled
in the appearance of His Glory;
word by word
I intone the tablet announcing
a new age for humanity.
Joy
The scent of roses
and the nightingales song
reverberate through the garden.
Sleepless
because of the proximity of the Beloved
the poet-seeker watches
as the Pen of God’s glory walks
the paths of paradise.
Sleepless
because of the proximity of the roses
the nightingales intone their love.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Feast of Beauty
1 Jamal 164 B.E. – Saturday, April 28, 2007
Today is the first of Jamal, the month of Beauty. I attended the Feast of Beauty at the Baha’i Center on West Oakey. I arrived at the center a bit early. The Feast was scheduled to begin at 7:30, according to the clock in my car, I arrived at 7:08. I’m not sure how long I waited for someone to come and open the door. When I got into the center and checked the clock in the kitchen, it read 7:05 (I think the clock in my car is more than a bit fast).
The spiritual portion was exquisite. The readings were from the writings of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha. I read the Teaching Prayer for the Western States. You know the lessons we learn in life are interesting. I left my reading glasses at home lying by the computer. Normally if I’m asked to read and don’t have my reading glasses with me, I decline. However, this time I said yes. I said yes without thinking about my reading glasses, whether I had them or, for that matter, anything else. It was only after I accepting the book containing the prayer, that I remembered I didn’t have my reading glasses with me.
I asked Baha’u’llah’s assistance. Then when my turn to read came, I got up, went to the front of the sanctuary, and read the prayer. Everything went well. I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what I don’t have, when I ask Baha’u’llah’s assistance the situation turns out alright.
The following lines came to me while I was listening to the children say prayers.
The table spread
with fruits from the Tree of Life
I’m not sure where this poem is going. The only thing I am sure of is the title. I’m going to call it Feast of Beauty. I want to include a couple of phrases I want to include in this poem; those are “sweet savors” and “pressed from the grapes of love”.
It’s amazing what I good night’s sleep will do. I wrote the preceding after I got home from Feast last night. I wasn’t tired when I got home, but got tire after I begin composing this entry. So I decided to go to bed and wait until morning to post it. When I woke up, the lines below came to me. Now all I have to do is add punctuation, decide if the poem is finished or not, and determine the layout of the poem on the page. I don’t think I’m going to center or right justify this particular poem. I’m not going to divide it into stanzas either.
the sweet savors of harmony
call humanity
to the banquet of the Lord
to sip the elixir of unity
that is pressed from the grapes of divine love
This isn’t the first time I’ve written a poem about Feast. I’ve written several poems at it. In fact, I think I have another poem called the Feast of Beauty, which need rewritten. My skills as a poet have improved in the past few years. So some of the earlier poems I wrote need a bit of tweaking.
Today is the first of Jamal, the month of Beauty. I attended the Feast of Beauty at the Baha’i Center on West Oakey. I arrived at the center a bit early. The Feast was scheduled to begin at 7:30, according to the clock in my car, I arrived at 7:08. I’m not sure how long I waited for someone to come and open the door. When I got into the center and checked the clock in the kitchen, it read 7:05 (I think the clock in my car is more than a bit fast).
The spiritual portion was exquisite. The readings were from the writings of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha. I read the Teaching Prayer for the Western States. You know the lessons we learn in life are interesting. I left my reading glasses at home lying by the computer. Normally if I’m asked to read and don’t have my reading glasses with me, I decline. However, this time I said yes. I said yes without thinking about my reading glasses, whether I had them or, for that matter, anything else. It was only after I accepting the book containing the prayer, that I remembered I didn’t have my reading glasses with me.
I asked Baha’u’llah’s assistance. Then when my turn to read came, I got up, went to the front of the sanctuary, and read the prayer. Everything went well. I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what I don’t have, when I ask Baha’u’llah’s assistance the situation turns out alright.
The following lines came to me while I was listening to the children say prayers.
The table spread
with fruits from the Tree of Life
I’m not sure where this poem is going. The only thing I am sure of is the title. I’m going to call it Feast of Beauty. I want to include a couple of phrases I want to include in this poem; those are “sweet savors” and “pressed from the grapes of love”.
It’s amazing what I good night’s sleep will do. I wrote the preceding after I got home from Feast last night. I wasn’t tired when I got home, but got tire after I begin composing this entry. So I decided to go to bed and wait until morning to post it. When I woke up, the lines below came to me. Now all I have to do is add punctuation, decide if the poem is finished or not, and determine the layout of the poem on the page. I don’t think I’m going to center or right justify this particular poem. I’m not going to divide it into stanzas either.
the sweet savors of harmony
call humanity
to the banquet of the Lord
to sip the elixir of unity
that is pressed from the grapes of divine love
This isn’t the first time I’ve written a poem about Feast. I’ve written several poems at it. In fact, I think I have another poem called the Feast of Beauty, which need rewritten. My skills as a poet have improved in the past few years. So some of the earlier poems I wrote need a bit of tweaking.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Reflections on Jalal
19 Jalal 164 B.E. – Friday, April 27, 2007
Jalal ends, Jamal begins. It’s been an interesting month. My mother is and has been in the Vegas Valley Rehabilitation Hospital recovering from a bawl resection. The April 21, was the First Day of Ridvan, April 22, was a Reflections Meeting, and this evening, April 27, the Feast of Jamal is at 7:30.
I’m still processing these occurrences of Jalal and Baha. I keep an off line journal called Writing My Spiritual Journey; I’m going to review the Baha and Jalal entries within the next week, after I began a new section for Jamal. In my offline journal I write a letter to Baha’u’llah and I write my thoughts on a scripture verse (usually one) each day. The offline journal is to bring myself to account, hence the letter to Baha’u’llah, and to assist in meditation. I seem better able to focus my thoughts if I write them down.
I’ve already began the Jamal section of Writing My Spiritual Journey by picking out the scripture verses to meditate on and write my thoughts about. In Jamal all the verses are from the writings of Baha’u’llah. In Jalal I didn’t pick out the verse before the month began, I picked them out each day and I picked various verses from different Baha’i sources not just scripture verses. However, I have decided that in my meditation I need to focus exclusively on the scriptures.
The idea is to read the scriptures morning and evening, but one is not supposed to just read one is supposed to comprehend what one is reading. Inscribing my thoughts on a scripture verse in a journal is one way to do this. Another way is to read the verse and then sit a while and contemplate the verse. I’ve got a copy of The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah in my purse. I’ll transfer that to my bedside, read a verse from it, and write any thoughts in a pen and paper journal I keep by my bed. The pen and paper journal is to record any dreams or thoughts I have in the middle of the night. Sometimes I have dreams that I remember on awaking and sometimes I don’t. The pen and paper journal is, also, filled with “thought notes” and poem ideas; I carry it with me when I leave the house.
To get back to Reflections on Jalal; I had a thought at the Reflections Meeting on April 22, that bringing myself to account is a personal Reflections meeting between Baha’u’llah and me. The biggest things that happened in Jalal were the Reflections meeting, my Mother going to the Vegas Valley Rehab Hospital, and receiving information on choosing the date for my pilgrimage. I had to put off my pilgrimage this year, but I’m going to go next year. Going on pilgrimage is one of the things I want to do in my 6th decade. I have a list of 60 things I want to do before turning 70.
Jalal ends, Jamal begins. It’s been an interesting month. My mother is and has been in the Vegas Valley Rehabilitation Hospital recovering from a bawl resection. The April 21, was the First Day of Ridvan, April 22, was a Reflections Meeting, and this evening, April 27, the Feast of Jamal is at 7:30.
I’m still processing these occurrences of Jalal and Baha. I keep an off line journal called Writing My Spiritual Journey; I’m going to review the Baha and Jalal entries within the next week, after I began a new section for Jamal. In my offline journal I write a letter to Baha’u’llah and I write my thoughts on a scripture verse (usually one) each day. The offline journal is to bring myself to account, hence the letter to Baha’u’llah, and to assist in meditation. I seem better able to focus my thoughts if I write them down.
I’ve already began the Jamal section of Writing My Spiritual Journey by picking out the scripture verses to meditate on and write my thoughts about. In Jamal all the verses are from the writings of Baha’u’llah. In Jalal I didn’t pick out the verse before the month began, I picked them out each day and I picked various verses from different Baha’i sources not just scripture verses. However, I have decided that in my meditation I need to focus exclusively on the scriptures.
The idea is to read the scriptures morning and evening, but one is not supposed to just read one is supposed to comprehend what one is reading. Inscribing my thoughts on a scripture verse in a journal is one way to do this. Another way is to read the verse and then sit a while and contemplate the verse. I’ve got a copy of The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah in my purse. I’ll transfer that to my bedside, read a verse from it, and write any thoughts in a pen and paper journal I keep by my bed. The pen and paper journal is to record any dreams or thoughts I have in the middle of the night. Sometimes I have dreams that I remember on awaking and sometimes I don’t. The pen and paper journal is, also, filled with “thought notes” and poem ideas; I carry it with me when I leave the house.
To get back to Reflections on Jalal; I had a thought at the Reflections Meeting on April 22, that bringing myself to account is a personal Reflections meeting between Baha’u’llah and me. The biggest things that happened in Jalal were the Reflections meeting, my Mother going to the Vegas Valley Rehab Hospital, and receiving information on choosing the date for my pilgrimage. I had to put off my pilgrimage this year, but I’m going to go next year. Going on pilgrimage is one of the things I want to do in my 6th decade. I have a list of 60 things I want to do before turning 70.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Herb Tea and Memories of my Grandparents
18 Jalal 164 B.E. – Thursday, April 26, 2007
Today I picked up a sack full of herb teas from another freecycler. This is great because we didn’t have any in the house. We ran out of it a couple or three months ago and I just didn’t get any more. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I couldn’t make up my mind on what kind to get. The tea I sack of teas I picked up today had a large variety of teas and some gourmet hot chocolate.
Mom and I don’t go overboard when it comes to drinking this type of tea or for that matter any tea, we’re coffee drinkers. However, it’s nice to have a selection of teas in the house. This way we can have a cup of hot tea on Saturday night when we watch the Laurence Whelk (I think that’s how you spell his name) Show or the Britcoms on channel 10. It’s also nice to have something besides coffee to offer guest when they come.
In fact, I have a Coffee and Tea Service in the china closet. I don’t think we’ve used it more than a couple of times, if that, since we got it. The idea of buying the set to begin with was so that we’d have something to serve guest coffee or tea when they come to the house. When you have people, even family, over for dinner it’s nice to have something a bit decorative to serve them with. Of course, I could be a bit out of date in my thinking on this subject.
I can’t remember if my Grandmother had a Coffee and Tea Service or not. If she did, she didn’t use it very often. I know that she used her fancy dinning service every Sunday, whether she had guest or it was just the family. I learned to drink Herb Tea from my Grandmother and I learned to drink Coffee from my Grandfather. Grandma usually drank ordinary black tea either hot or cold, but there were specific times when she drank Herb Tea. It was something she drank of an evening to relax before going to bed or when she was feeling under the weather. It wasn’t something to drank on a continues basis day in and day out.
My Grandmother was a woman who believed in moderation. When we were with Grandma and Grandpa, we could have almost anything we wanted, as long as it was in moderation. Another thing I remember about my grandparents is that they always said prayers before meals. When we gathered around the dinning table, Grandpa always said grace. The prayers Grandpa said before meals were always short and to the point, it didn’t matter if it were an ordinary daily meal, a Sunday meal, or a Thanksgiving/Christmas meal, he always said short prayers.
Several of the prayers reveal by Baha’u’llah mention spiritual food, therefore any of them would be appropriate to say before a meal. Abdu’l-Baha wrote a prayer for to the nineteen-day feast, so it would probably be appropriate to say before a meal. Any prayer by the Bab, Baha’u’llah or Abdu’l-Baha that mentioned food of any kind could be said before eating.
Today I picked up a sack full of herb teas from another freecycler. This is great because we didn’t have any in the house. We ran out of it a couple or three months ago and I just didn’t get any more. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I couldn’t make up my mind on what kind to get. The tea I sack of teas I picked up today had a large variety of teas and some gourmet hot chocolate.
Mom and I don’t go overboard when it comes to drinking this type of tea or for that matter any tea, we’re coffee drinkers. However, it’s nice to have a selection of teas in the house. This way we can have a cup of hot tea on Saturday night when we watch the Laurence Whelk (I think that’s how you spell his name) Show or the Britcoms on channel 10. It’s also nice to have something besides coffee to offer guest when they come.
In fact, I have a Coffee and Tea Service in the china closet. I don’t think we’ve used it more than a couple of times, if that, since we got it. The idea of buying the set to begin with was so that we’d have something to serve guest coffee or tea when they come to the house. When you have people, even family, over for dinner it’s nice to have something a bit decorative to serve them with. Of course, I could be a bit out of date in my thinking on this subject.
I can’t remember if my Grandmother had a Coffee and Tea Service or not. If she did, she didn’t use it very often. I know that she used her fancy dinning service every Sunday, whether she had guest or it was just the family. I learned to drink Herb Tea from my Grandmother and I learned to drink Coffee from my Grandfather. Grandma usually drank ordinary black tea either hot or cold, but there were specific times when she drank Herb Tea. It was something she drank of an evening to relax before going to bed or when she was feeling under the weather. It wasn’t something to drank on a continues basis day in and day out.
My Grandmother was a woman who believed in moderation. When we were with Grandma and Grandpa, we could have almost anything we wanted, as long as it was in moderation. Another thing I remember about my grandparents is that they always said prayers before meals. When we gathered around the dinning table, Grandpa always said grace. The prayers Grandpa said before meals were always short and to the point, it didn’t matter if it were an ordinary daily meal, a Sunday meal, or a Thanksgiving/Christmas meal, he always said short prayers.
Several of the prayers reveal by Baha’u’llah mention spiritual food, therefore any of them would be appropriate to say before a meal. Abdu’l-Baha wrote a prayer for to the nineteen-day feast, so it would probably be appropriate to say before a meal. Any prayer by the Bab, Baha’u’llah or Abdu’l-Baha that mentioned food of any kind could be said before eating.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
I’m Tired
17 Jalal 164 B.E. – Wednesday, April 25, 2007
I’m tired, but I’m not sleepy. Today I decided to post a list of 19 times to give away on Freecycle. These are things that have set around the house for a while that we no longer use. They’re still good, but we just don’t use them. There is no sense in keeping them when somebody else can get some good out of them. One of the things I put on the list was a book about walking in faith, not sure what the name of it is now (I’d have to go out to the garage and find out). I sent for it because the title intrigued me (and now I can’t remember the name of the title); it was a free book.
Anyway after I received it, I realized that everything about walking in faith I can find in the writings of Baha’u’llah, the Bab, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha. The book did have some poems in it, but they didn’t seem to interest me either. I’m not sure why the poems didn’t interest me, they were good poems, they talked about faith, but they didn’t seem to have any relevance to my life. This usually doesn’t bother me when I read poems, normally I just enjoy the poem without worrying about whether it has any relevance in my life or not.
Anyway, back to the reason I’m tired but not sleepy. I also put a laser printer on the list that’s been sitting by the fireplace for a while. I was going to connect it to my mother’s computer, but the printer was black and white. In addition, every time I want to get a print cartridge for it, I have to run all over Vegas. It’s not that I mind driving across town looking for something, I’ll drive anywhere to pick up something off freecycle. I drive from the east side of town to the west side to attend Feast and other functions at the Baha’i Center. I think it was just the idea of driving all over the city to get a cartridge for a printer that we might use once a month if that. Besides, I’m not at all sure that printer was compatible with my mother’s machine.
The printer was heavier than I remember it being. It could be I carried it farther this time. I wanted to get all that stuff out to the garage so it wouldn’t be difficult to find when someone comes after it and I didn’t want it setting in the entrance hall, if I left it there it would just be in the way every time I went in and out of the house. I still have more items to post on freecycle, but I think I’ll wait until I have at least 18 items on the list.
I’m tired, but I’m not sleepy. Today I decided to post a list of 19 times to give away on Freecycle. These are things that have set around the house for a while that we no longer use. They’re still good, but we just don’t use them. There is no sense in keeping them when somebody else can get some good out of them. One of the things I put on the list was a book about walking in faith, not sure what the name of it is now (I’d have to go out to the garage and find out). I sent for it because the title intrigued me (and now I can’t remember the name of the title); it was a free book.
Anyway after I received it, I realized that everything about walking in faith I can find in the writings of Baha’u’llah, the Bab, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha. The book did have some poems in it, but they didn’t seem to interest me either. I’m not sure why the poems didn’t interest me, they were good poems, they talked about faith, but they didn’t seem to have any relevance to my life. This usually doesn’t bother me when I read poems, normally I just enjoy the poem without worrying about whether it has any relevance in my life or not.
Anyway, back to the reason I’m tired but not sleepy. I also put a laser printer on the list that’s been sitting by the fireplace for a while. I was going to connect it to my mother’s computer, but the printer was black and white. In addition, every time I want to get a print cartridge for it, I have to run all over Vegas. It’s not that I mind driving across town looking for something, I’ll drive anywhere to pick up something off freecycle. I drive from the east side of town to the west side to attend Feast and other functions at the Baha’i Center. I think it was just the idea of driving all over the city to get a cartridge for a printer that we might use once a month if that. Besides, I’m not at all sure that printer was compatible with my mother’s machine.
The printer was heavier than I remember it being. It could be I carried it farther this time. I wanted to get all that stuff out to the garage so it wouldn’t be difficult to find when someone comes after it and I didn’t want it setting in the entrance hall, if I left it there it would just be in the way every time I went in and out of the house. I still have more items to post on freecycle, but I think I’ll wait until I have at least 18 items on the list.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Blog House Keeping and Winter Topics
16 Jalal 164 B.E. - Tuesday, April 24, 2007
It’s been a while since I did any house keeping in this blog. I’ll delete all the 2005 entries. When I delete the entries from the blog I’ll save them to a CD. After saving the original’s I’ll rewrite the items that I think have potentional.
In my writing.com blog, I’ve almost reach 500 entries, which is the limit for that blog. I’m going to be starting a new blog there sometime in May. In addition, I’m going to theme my writing.com port. My handle on writing.com is Prosperous Snow, which is also the pen name I’ve started to use in the Las Vegas Poetry scene. Prosperous Snow is the meaning of my middle and first name. My first name means Snow and my middle name means Prosperous.
I’m going to close this entry by including a quote from ‘Abdu’l-Baha on winter and snow.
“Unless the season of winter appear, thunder roll, lightning flash, snow and rain fall, hail and frost descend and the intensity of cold execute its command, the season of the soul-refreshing spring would not come, the fragrant breeze would not waft, the moderation of temperature would not be realized, the roses and hyacinths would not grow, the surface of the earth would not become a delectable paradise, the trees would not bloom, neither would they bring forth fruits and leaves. That fierce inclemency of cold, snow, frost and tempest was the beginning of the manifestation of these roses, hyacinths, buds, blossoms and fruits.”
It’s been a while since I did any house keeping in this blog. I’ll delete all the 2005 entries. When I delete the entries from the blog I’ll save them to a CD. After saving the original’s I’ll rewrite the items that I think have potentional.
In my writing.com blog, I’ve almost reach 500 entries, which is the limit for that blog. I’m going to be starting a new blog there sometime in May. In addition, I’m going to theme my writing.com port. My handle on writing.com is Prosperous Snow, which is also the pen name I’ve started to use in the Las Vegas Poetry scene. Prosperous Snow is the meaning of my middle and first name. My first name means Snow and my middle name means Prosperous.
I’m going to close this entry by including a quote from ‘Abdu’l-Baha on winter and snow.
“Unless the season of winter appear, thunder roll, lightning flash, snow and rain fall, hail and frost descend and the intensity of cold execute its command, the season of the soul-refreshing spring would not come, the fragrant breeze would not waft, the moderation of temperature would not be realized, the roses and hyacinths would not grow, the surface of the earth would not become a delectable paradise, the trees would not bloom, neither would they bring forth fruits and leaves. That fierce inclemency of cold, snow, frost and tempest was the beginning of the manifestation of these roses, hyacinths, buds, blossoms and fruits.”
Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 655
Monday, April 23, 2007
Walking by Faith
15 Jalal 164 B.E. – Monday, April 23, 2007
We all walk an invisible road,
A road that takes us at an ever-increasing speed into the future,
Long vistas of plush grasslands or dry gray deserts spread on either side,
Knowing what surrounds us doesn’t help because fog, mountains or forest
Intervene between the future and us; we can only see clearly the past,
Now and then we come to a cross road or fork and must choose a direction,
Going either right, left or forward as the case may be.
Baha’u’llah gives us guidance on choosing the right path or keeping on the road
Yet leaves the choice itself up to the individual.
Faith is an invisible and narrow road,
Above bogs and shifting sands,
If we move too far to the right or the left and leave the road
Then we fall into the pit of self and ego:
How can we remain of faith road without guidance?
We all walk an invisible road,
A road that takes us at an ever-increasing speed into the future,
Long vistas of plush grasslands or dry gray deserts spread on either side,
Knowing what surrounds us doesn’t help because fog, mountains or forest
Intervene between the future and us; we can only see clearly the past,
Now and then we come to a cross road or fork and must choose a direction,
Going either right, left or forward as the case may be.
Baha’u’llah gives us guidance on choosing the right path or keeping on the road
Yet leaves the choice itself up to the individual.
Faith is an invisible and narrow road,
Above bogs and shifting sands,
If we move too far to the right or the left and leave the road
Then we fall into the pit of self and ego:
How can we remain of faith road without guidance?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Warming Coffee Over in the Microwave
14 Jalal 164 B.E. – Sunday, April 22, 2007
I’m warming coffee over in the microwave. I took my mother to the emergency room on the evening of March 12, 2007 at 7:30 PM. They admitted her at 4:30 AM on March 13. For the following few days I made not coffee at home and went to see her twice a day. I finally started making coffee at home, but there was still leftover coffee in the fridge. I made enough coffee for two people to drink for about a month. Sometimes I drink it all and sometimes I didn’t Anyway I acquired more leftover coffee for little over a month. Last Friday, I decided that there was no use making any more coffee until I’d drink what was in the fridge. I now have the leftover coffee cut down and can start making fresh coffee again Tuesday or Wednesday.
I won’t drink any coffee in the morning, because I have an appointment with Blood Services (to give blood) in the morning at 9:00 am. I don’t drink coffee before those appoints. After I finish my next cup this morning, I don’t think I’m going to have any more coffee today. I try to limit my coffee to mornings and early afternoons. This has nothing to do with sleeping because coffee doesn’t affect my sleeping at night. I don’t drink coffee before those appointments because caffeine seems to raise my heart rate or at least the caffeine in soda does.
Anyway I’m attempting to drink all the leftover coffee before making a fresh pot. I have two coffee makers. One is the modern drip type and the other is the old fashion perc version. Lately, I’ve been making coffee in the drip coffee maker, but I think when I go back to making coffee again next week I’ll using the percolator. I like the coffee that both of them make, but one makes more coffee than the other does. In addition, one (the percolator) has fond memories for me.
I learned to drink coffee from my Grandpa Newland, who made coffee in a percolator. He would make his coffee of a morning and then leave what he didn’t drink in the pot warming and getting stronger as the hours passed. Whenever he poured coffee in his cup, there were always grounds in the bottom of the cup. The first cup of coffee I ever consumed came from my Grandfather’s coffeemaker. It had grounds in the bottom of the cup. It also had a lot of cream and sugar, which I no longer put in my coffee.
I have a Reflections meeting at the Baha’i center this afternoon. I’ll take a bottle of water with me to drink. If juice or tea is served there, then I’ll drink that. I don’t think I’ll have any soda. I have soda here, at home, which needs putting in the fridge. I also have juice, both orange and apple juice to drink, but I’ll probably stick with water away from home.
I’m warming coffee over in the microwave. I took my mother to the emergency room on the evening of March 12, 2007 at 7:30 PM. They admitted her at 4:30 AM on March 13. For the following few days I made not coffee at home and went to see her twice a day. I finally started making coffee at home, but there was still leftover coffee in the fridge. I made enough coffee for two people to drink for about a month. Sometimes I drink it all and sometimes I didn’t Anyway I acquired more leftover coffee for little over a month. Last Friday, I decided that there was no use making any more coffee until I’d drink what was in the fridge. I now have the leftover coffee cut down and can start making fresh coffee again Tuesday or Wednesday.
I won’t drink any coffee in the morning, because I have an appointment with Blood Services (to give blood) in the morning at 9:00 am. I don’t drink coffee before those appoints. After I finish my next cup this morning, I don’t think I’m going to have any more coffee today. I try to limit my coffee to mornings and early afternoons. This has nothing to do with sleeping because coffee doesn’t affect my sleeping at night. I don’t drink coffee before those appointments because caffeine seems to raise my heart rate or at least the caffeine in soda does.
Anyway I’m attempting to drink all the leftover coffee before making a fresh pot. I have two coffee makers. One is the modern drip type and the other is the old fashion perc version. Lately, I’ve been making coffee in the drip coffee maker, but I think when I go back to making coffee again next week I’ll using the percolator. I like the coffee that both of them make, but one makes more coffee than the other does. In addition, one (the percolator) has fond memories for me.
I learned to drink coffee from my Grandpa Newland, who made coffee in a percolator. He would make his coffee of a morning and then leave what he didn’t drink in the pot warming and getting stronger as the hours passed. Whenever he poured coffee in his cup, there were always grounds in the bottom of the cup. The first cup of coffee I ever consumed came from my Grandfather’s coffeemaker. It had grounds in the bottom of the cup. It also had a lot of cream and sugar, which I no longer put in my coffee.
I have a Reflections meeting at the Baha’i center this afternoon. I’ll take a bottle of water with me to drink. If juice or tea is served there, then I’ll drink that. I don’t think I’ll have any soda. I have soda here, at home, which needs putting in the fridge. I also have juice, both orange and apple juice to drink, but I’ll probably stick with water away from home.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Some Background on Ridvan
13 Jalal 164 B.E. - Saturday, April 21, 2007
This is the First Day of Ridvan. The celebration last twelve days and the First, Ninth, and Twelfth days are holy days. This is the time when Baha’is celebrate the Declaration of Baha’u’llah, this declaration occurred in Bagdad in 1863. At the time of the Declaration Baha’u’llah was living in a garden. He had moved to the garden after receiving news he was going to be exiled again.
Since the First Day of Ridvan, last from sunset on April 20 to sunset on April 21; this is a solar day and the celebration can be held either on the evening of the 20th or on the day of the 21st before sunset. The first day commemorates Baha’u’llah entering the garden.
This is the First Day of Ridvan. The celebration last twelve days and the First, Ninth, and Twelfth days are holy days. This is the time when Baha’is celebrate the Declaration of Baha’u’llah, this declaration occurred in Bagdad in 1863. At the time of the Declaration Baha’u’llah was living in a garden. He had moved to the garden after receiving news he was going to be exiled again.
Since the First Day of Ridvan, last from sunset on April 20 to sunset on April 21; this is a solar day and the celebration can be held either on the evening of the 20th or on the day of the 21st before sunset. The first day commemorates Baha’u’llah entering the garden.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Blog Block
12 Jalal 164 B.E. - Friday, April 20, 2007
I’m having a case of blog block. Translation I have no idea what I’m going to write about and post. Therefore, I’m going to do a rambling entry. The reason for this is that I’ve decided that I need to post every day to this blog. The only exceptions of course are acts of nature and other events beyond my control that prevent me from going online. In those cases, I’ll post two or more entries in one post (OK that sentence sounds a little odd, but I’m going to let it stand as is, because I’m not sure how to write it any other way now).
I’m a bit tired and I still want to go see my mother again today. I’m going to close this entry out by including a quote by ‘Abdu’l-Baha on Knowledge, Volition, and Action. I put this quote in my Writing My Spiritual Journey Journal today.
“The attainment of any object is conditioned upon
Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution or accomplishment. In the erection of a house it is first necessary to know the ground and design the house suitable for it; second, to obtain the means or funds necessary for the construction; third, to actually build it.”
I’m having a case of blog block. Translation I have no idea what I’m going to write about and post. Therefore, I’m going to do a rambling entry. The reason for this is that I’ve decided that I need to post every day to this blog. The only exceptions of course are acts of nature and other events beyond my control that prevent me from going online. In those cases, I’ll post two or more entries in one post (OK that sentence sounds a little odd, but I’m going to let it stand as is, because I’m not sure how to write it any other way now).
I’m a bit tired and I still want to go see my mother again today. I’m going to close this entry out by including a quote by ‘Abdu’l-Baha on Knowledge, Volition, and Action. I put this quote in my Writing My Spiritual Journey Journal today.
“The attainment of any object is conditioned upon
knowledge, volition and action.
Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution or accomplishment. In the erection of a house it is first necessary to know the ground and design the house suitable for it; second, to obtain the means or funds necessary for the construction; third, to actually build it.”
Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 100
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thankful Thursday
11 Jalal 164 B.E. – Thursday, April 19, 2007
Today I am thankful for the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah and the Bab.
Today I am grateful for the prayers written by ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
Today I am thankful for tests and difficulties that push me beyond my self-imposed limits.
Today I am thankful for the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah and the Bab.
Today I am grateful for the prayers written by ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
Today I am thankful for tests and difficulties that push me beyond my self-imposed limits.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The sound of Wind
10 Jalal 164 B.E. – Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The sound of the wind echoes through the house. I have the patio door open so the cats can go out and sit there if they want. The wind, blowing the oleanders against the screen enclosing the patio, sounds like an animal scratching. When I first heard it I thought that maybe one of the neighbor’s cats was wanting to get on to the patio and play with my cats. The sound sort of scared me because I didn’t know what was making it.
That’s the way the unknown is, it’s frightening until we make it known. When the mystery is solved and the unknown made know, it becomes awe-inspiring. That’s the way it is with God. God is an unknowable essence. We can’t know God directly, but we can become acquainted with God through His Manifestations, His Prophets, His Mirrors. Once we learn about one of His Reflections then God becomes awe-inspiring. The more one learns about the invisible Creator the more awe invoking God becomes.
Each of God’s Prophets, Mirror, Manifestations, or Messengers appeared when humanity was in the most need of a message from God. Each revealed a religion, each revealed a sacred book, and each inspired the followers of the Latest Manifestation to strive to know and love God and assist in carrying on an ever-advancing civilization. Baha’u’llah is the Mirror of God for today.
The sound of the wind echoes through the house. I have the patio door open so the cats can go out and sit there if they want. The wind, blowing the oleanders against the screen enclosing the patio, sounds like an animal scratching. When I first heard it I thought that maybe one of the neighbor’s cats was wanting to get on to the patio and play with my cats. The sound sort of scared me because I didn’t know what was making it.
That’s the way the unknown is, it’s frightening until we make it known. When the mystery is solved and the unknown made know, it becomes awe-inspiring. That’s the way it is with God. God is an unknowable essence. We can’t know God directly, but we can become acquainted with God through His Manifestations, His Prophets, His Mirrors. Once we learn about one of His Reflections then God becomes awe-inspiring. The more one learns about the invisible Creator the more awe invoking God becomes.
Each of God’s Prophets, Mirror, Manifestations, or Messengers appeared when humanity was in the most need of a message from God. Each revealed a religion, each revealed a sacred book, and each inspired the followers of the Latest Manifestation to strive to know and love God and assist in carrying on an ever-advancing civilization. Baha’u’llah is the Mirror of God for today.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Spiritual Services
9 Jalal 164 B.E. - Tuesday, April 17, 2007
I’m in the process of planning a spiritual service in my home. It’s going to start in May and occur every nineteen days. I thought about having it every week, but right now that’s not a good idea. Maybe later on this year or next I can raise it to every week. The steps to planning a service like this are easy enough.
First, is to decide on when and what time. I’m leaning toward either a Monday or a Wednesday right now, although I could have it on Tuesday, Saturday, or Sunday. However, with everything going on in my life, I think Monday or Wednesday would be best.
Second, decide on the themes. I’m going to have a different theme or subject for each service. Think the best was to start would be just prayers for a while. Have a prayer from the different faith traditions ready for people to read, if they didn’t already have a favorite or one to say.
Some of the themes I’m planning on are (1) healing, (2) prayers for America, (3) prayers for the world, and (4) prayers for the departed. I’m not sure in what order I’ll have them yet. There are several beautiful prayer from the Baha’i scriptures to open the services. Baha’u’llah revealed prayers for every contingency, so one the subject and theme is decided on then finding the prayers isn’t difficult. In addition I have a copy of OCEEAN on my computer. So finding an appropriate prayer in any faith tradition is should be simple enough. I think that’s all for now, I’ll post more on this when I’ve decided on the specific day.
I’m in the process of planning a spiritual service in my home. It’s going to start in May and occur every nineteen days. I thought about having it every week, but right now that’s not a good idea. Maybe later on this year or next I can raise it to every week. The steps to planning a service like this are easy enough.
First, is to decide on when and what time. I’m leaning toward either a Monday or a Wednesday right now, although I could have it on Tuesday, Saturday, or Sunday. However, with everything going on in my life, I think Monday or Wednesday would be best.
Second, decide on the themes. I’m going to have a different theme or subject for each service. Think the best was to start would be just prayers for a while. Have a prayer from the different faith traditions ready for people to read, if they didn’t already have a favorite or one to say.
Some of the themes I’m planning on are (1) healing, (2) prayers for America, (3) prayers for the world, and (4) prayers for the departed. I’m not sure in what order I’ll have them yet. There are several beautiful prayer from the Baha’i scriptures to open the services. Baha’u’llah revealed prayers for every contingency, so one the subject and theme is decided on then finding the prayers isn’t difficult. In addition I have a copy of OCEEAN on my computer. So finding an appropriate prayer in any faith tradition is should be simple enough. I think that’s all for now, I’ll post more on this when I’ve decided on the specific day.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Early Rain and Contemplating Ridvan
8 Jalal 164 B.E. - Monday, April 16, 2007
It rained today. When I got up this morning, it was raining; a wonderful blessing. It’s been a while since I woke up to rain. Because the rain was so gentle I didn’t hear it until I opened the patio door and then I heard the pitter patter of raindrops falling. The cats heard it and felt the damp air so they didn’t want to go out on the patio. It’s not that the patio gets wet, the only time that happens is when it rains hard and the wind blows, still they felt the damp air and wouldn’t go onto the patio. The weather is clearing now, there are stray thunderstorms predicted for this afternoon.
Ridvan begins on 21 April; this year I want to take a different approach to the Ridvan poems I write for this celebration. In 1863 Baha’u’llah entered a garden in Bagdad, there he declared his mission to his followers that accompanied him. This celebration lasts twelve days from April 21 to May 2. There are three holy days (days on which work should be suspended), the First, Ninth and Twelfth day. I think I’ll do a bit more research and put something about the events that occurred during the time. Usually I write something about the celebration or the way I feel about those days, but this year I want to expand my poems on the subject.
It rained today. When I got up this morning, it was raining; a wonderful blessing. It’s been a while since I woke up to rain. Because the rain was so gentle I didn’t hear it until I opened the patio door and then I heard the pitter patter of raindrops falling. The cats heard it and felt the damp air so they didn’t want to go out on the patio. It’s not that the patio gets wet, the only time that happens is when it rains hard and the wind blows, still they felt the damp air and wouldn’t go onto the patio. The weather is clearing now, there are stray thunderstorms predicted for this afternoon.
Ridvan begins on 21 April; this year I want to take a different approach to the Ridvan poems I write for this celebration. In 1863 Baha’u’llah entered a garden in Bagdad, there he declared his mission to his followers that accompanied him. This celebration lasts twelve days from April 21 to May 2. There are three holy days (days on which work should be suspended), the First, Ninth and Twelfth day. I think I’ll do a bit more research and put something about the events that occurred during the time. Usually I write something about the celebration or the way I feel about those days, but this year I want to expand my poems on the subject.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Two Entries Posted on the Same Day Again
7 Jalal 164 B.E. - Sunday, April 15, 2007
I went to bed with the chickens last night, figuratively anyway. That’s how my Grandma Newland referred to going to bed early. I went to bed earlier than usual and didn’t get the entry I wrote yesterday posted. I have the goal to post to this blog every day, I’m going to have to start doing it of a morning instead of waiting until the afternoon. I wrote the entry earlier, but decided to wait until after I got back from visiting my mother at the Rehab hospital. When I did get home, I fixed myself something to eat and watched a couple of programs on Channel 10 (the local PBS station) then went to bed, fully intending to get up in an hour or so after I’d rested a bit. What happen? I went to sleep and didn’t get up until 1:00 AM. As a results I didn’t get the entry posted to this blog or anything else done I’d planned.
6 Jalal 164 B.E. – Saturday, April 14, 2007
The forecast is for gusty winds today, with the chance of rain and thunderstorms for tomorrow. I’ve got a busy day planned for tomorrow. In the morning I’m going to see Mom at the Rehab center, in the afternoon I have a Ruhi Tutor meeting at the Baha’i center, and in the evening I’m assisting in tutoring Ruhi Book 1. Therefore, I guess I’ll leave my winter coat in the car, the wind-chill factors been really bad here lately or maybe I just notice it more. Anyway, I’m not going to get caught away from home without the coat, at least until I’m sure the weather is really going to get warm.
There are certain things I always make sure I have before I leave the house. I always carry a Baha’i prayer book with me. In fact, I say a prayer of protection before I leave my garage of a morning or afternoon or evening depending on when and if I take the car out. I also have my pen and paper journal with me, this way if I have any ideas for writing or blog entries when I’m out I can write them down.
I went to bed with the chickens last night, figuratively anyway. That’s how my Grandma Newland referred to going to bed early. I went to bed earlier than usual and didn’t get the entry I wrote yesterday posted. I have the goal to post to this blog every day, I’m going to have to start doing it of a morning instead of waiting until the afternoon. I wrote the entry earlier, but decided to wait until after I got back from visiting my mother at the Rehab hospital. When I did get home, I fixed myself something to eat and watched a couple of programs on Channel 10 (the local PBS station) then went to bed, fully intending to get up in an hour or so after I’d rested a bit. What happen? I went to sleep and didn’t get up until 1:00 AM. As a results I didn’t get the entry posted to this blog or anything else done I’d planned.
6 Jalal 164 B.E. – Saturday, April 14, 2007
Gusty Winds
The forecast is for gusty winds today, with the chance of rain and thunderstorms for tomorrow. I’ve got a busy day planned for tomorrow. In the morning I’m going to see Mom at the Rehab center, in the afternoon I have a Ruhi Tutor meeting at the Baha’i center, and in the evening I’m assisting in tutoring Ruhi Book 1. Therefore, I guess I’ll leave my winter coat in the car, the wind-chill factors been really bad here lately or maybe I just notice it more. Anyway, I’m not going to get caught away from home without the coat, at least until I’m sure the weather is really going to get warm.
There are certain things I always make sure I have before I leave the house. I always carry a Baha’i prayer book with me. In fact, I say a prayer of protection before I leave my garage of a morning or afternoon or evening depending on when and if I take the car out. I also have my pen and paper journal with me, this way if I have any ideas for writing or blog entries when I’m out I can write them down.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Chocolate Cake, Microwaved Coffee and my Gratitude Journal
5 Jalal 164 B.E. – Friday, April 13, 2007
When I picked up food today, I received a chocolate cake. I had some coffee left over from this morning. Instead of dumping the coffee down the drain or putting it in the refrigerator with the other left over coffee, I heated it up in the microwave. Then I cut a piece of the chocolate bunt cake and eat it while I drink the coffee.
The interesting thing about heating coffee up in the microwave is that it gets so hot. I like hot coffee, but with a microwave you have to be careful, you don’t burn your tongue when you take the first sip of the coffee. I let the coffee cool a little while I ate a couple of bites of the cake. Well I have one thing for today’s entry in my gratitude journal.
I started a Gratitude Journal in 2006 in the month of Jalal. My gratitude journal is one year old. I’m celebrating its birthday by making an entry every day in Jalal. I’ve even given this journal a name, when I put something in the journal I address it as Dear Glory. Normally I make an entry into the journal once a week, on Thankful Thursday when I list ten things I’m thankful for during the week. I still make that entry, now I’m making daily entries as well. I don’t know if I’m going to keep the daily entries up when Jalal ends, I’ll have to consider the prose and cons. The non-thankful Thursday entries can be a minimum of three things I’m grateful for.
After the salutation in the journal I complete one of the following sentences.
Today I am thankful for …
Today I am grateful for …
When I picked up food today, I received a chocolate cake. I had some coffee left over from this morning. Instead of dumping the coffee down the drain or putting it in the refrigerator with the other left over coffee, I heated it up in the microwave. Then I cut a piece of the chocolate bunt cake and eat it while I drink the coffee.
The interesting thing about heating coffee up in the microwave is that it gets so hot. I like hot coffee, but with a microwave you have to be careful, you don’t burn your tongue when you take the first sip of the coffee. I let the coffee cool a little while I ate a couple of bites of the cake. Well I have one thing for today’s entry in my gratitude journal.
I started a Gratitude Journal in 2006 in the month of Jalal. My gratitude journal is one year old. I’m celebrating its birthday by making an entry every day in Jalal. I’ve even given this journal a name, when I put something in the journal I address it as Dear Glory. Normally I make an entry into the journal once a week, on Thankful Thursday when I list ten things I’m thankful for during the week. I still make that entry, now I’m making daily entries as well. I don’t know if I’m going to keep the daily entries up when Jalal ends, I’ll have to consider the prose and cons. The non-thankful Thursday entries can be a minimum of three things I’m grateful for.
After the salutation in the journal I complete one of the following sentences.
Today I am thankful for …
Today I am grateful for …
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Windy Thursday
4 Jalal 164 B.E. – Thursday, April 12, 2007
I went to see Mom this morning. When I went into the Rehabilitation Hospital she is at the wind was slight and the wind chill factor unnoticeable. When I left the wind had picked up to constant and heavy, the wind chill factor was cold bordering on icy. The wind blew all day, the stone pine limbs and the olive boughs were moving all day. In my backyard, the oleanders are in bloom. When I looked out my back windows the limbs of the oleanders appeared to be dancing.
I am allergic to both olive trees and oleanders. So naturally, my sinuses are acting up. A little more than acting up, they are stuff and it is difficult to breathe. In addition, to the wind it rained a bit. It rained just enough to get my car windows spotty. Despite all this, it is nice to have the wind blowing, to see the limbs of the trees moving at a constant rate and to have a little rain. A little more rain would be nice, so that we could have some of those May flowers that the poem talks about.
March winds
bring April showers
that bring May flowers.
O Lord,
thank you for the wind and the clouds
that cools the desert and brings April showers.
I went to see Mom this morning. When I went into the Rehabilitation Hospital she is at the wind was slight and the wind chill factor unnoticeable. When I left the wind had picked up to constant and heavy, the wind chill factor was cold bordering on icy. The wind blew all day, the stone pine limbs and the olive boughs were moving all day. In my backyard, the oleanders are in bloom. When I looked out my back windows the limbs of the oleanders appeared to be dancing.
I am allergic to both olive trees and oleanders. So naturally, my sinuses are acting up. A little more than acting up, they are stuff and it is difficult to breathe. In addition, to the wind it rained a bit. It rained just enough to get my car windows spotty. Despite all this, it is nice to have the wind blowing, to see the limbs of the trees moving at a constant rate and to have a little rain. A little more rain would be nice, so that we could have some of those May flowers that the poem talks about.
March winds
bring April showers
that bring May flowers.
O Lord,
thank you for the wind and the clouds
that cools the desert and brings April showers.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Today’s Weather Forecast and an Update on my Mother
3 Jalal 164 B.E. - Wednesday, April 11, 2007
I just received the weather forecast for today. I’m subscribed to Channel 3’s weather and crime information news. The weather news gives me the weather forecast for the day, so I don’t have to watch the morning news. The crime news bulletin tells me about any crime going down in my neighborhood and the surrounding area. Today’s forecast calls for wind gust up to 40 mph. Those are strong winds. We’ve had a lot of wind lately. I’m thinking a lot more than in March (which is supposed to be the windy month). There hasn’t been a lot of rain though.
The temperatures here haven’t gotten into the triple digits yet, which is good. The longer temperature stays down the longer the air won’t come on. I turned the central air on either Sunday or Monday, but it hasn’t came on yet. The air conditioning company won’t be here until May 1 to do one of the yearly checks to see that air conditioning is working properly.
They moved my mother from the hospital yesterday to a Rehab center. She hasn’t been out of bed, for more than a thirty minutes or so, since her operation on March 19. They will get her back on her feet and walking before sending her home. She wants to come home right now, but she needs to wait a while. I don’t know how long she is going to be in the Rehab center, I probably won’t know until the end of this week.
The first day of Ridvan is Saturday, April 21. I’m planning to write a poem, about Baha’u’llah’s Declaration. I haven’t decided the approach I’m going to take yet. I written several poems about it, some have taken the whole twelve days to write, because I wrote a section each day. However, this year I don’t think I’m going to take that approach. In fact, I think I’ll take an entirely different approach this year. In past year’s I’ve written about the subject from a personal point of view, but this year I’m going to do more Research and use a different voice in the poem than in past years.
I just received the weather forecast for today. I’m subscribed to Channel 3’s weather and crime information news. The weather news gives me the weather forecast for the day, so I don’t have to watch the morning news. The crime news bulletin tells me about any crime going down in my neighborhood and the surrounding area. Today’s forecast calls for wind gust up to 40 mph. Those are strong winds. We’ve had a lot of wind lately. I’m thinking a lot more than in March (which is supposed to be the windy month). There hasn’t been a lot of rain though.
The temperatures here haven’t gotten into the triple digits yet, which is good. The longer temperature stays down the longer the air won’t come on. I turned the central air on either Sunday or Monday, but it hasn’t came on yet. The air conditioning company won’t be here until May 1 to do one of the yearly checks to see that air conditioning is working properly.
They moved my mother from the hospital yesterday to a Rehab center. She hasn’t been out of bed, for more than a thirty minutes or so, since her operation on March 19. They will get her back on her feet and walking before sending her home. She wants to come home right now, but she needs to wait a while. I don’t know how long she is going to be in the Rehab center, I probably won’t know until the end of this week.
The first day of Ridvan is Saturday, April 21. I’m planning to write a poem, about Baha’u’llah’s Declaration. I haven’t decided the approach I’m going to take yet. I written several poems about it, some have taken the whole twelve days to write, because I wrote a section each day. However, this year I don’t think I’m going to take that approach. In fact, I think I’ll take an entirely different approach this year. In past year’s I’ve written about the subject from a personal point of view, but this year I’m going to do more Research and use a different voice in the poem than in past years.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Writing My Spiritual Journey
2 Jalal 164 B.E. – Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Writing my spiritual journal is my off line journal. I created this journal originally to bring myself to account. Baha’u’llah tells us to bring ourselves to account each day. I thought that if I wrote it down it would help me change, I’m still thinking about that and determining if it is true. The off line journal has evolved since I began is a year or so ago. Now I am using it as a meditation journal in addition to bring myself to account. Beginning yesterday, I put a scripture verse from one of the Baha’I scriptures in the journal and write about my thoughts on the quote or the quote’s theme. In addition, I address a letter in it to Baha’u’llah.
Sometimes the letter has to do with what I did or didn’t do. Sometimes I just write about the events of the day. In today’s entry I gave thanks to Baha’u’llah for all the blessing showered upon my family. The only thing I know the day before making an entry in Writing my Spiritual Journey is the quote I’m going to write about. Anything else is chosen on the day I am supposed to write about it, so it really depends on when I write it what I write about.
I think I’ll close this entry now. I am hungry and don’t want to go see mom without eating something. The hospital is supposed to move her out of the Surgical ICU when a bed is available on another floor. So perhaps she will be moved by the time I get there.
Writing my spiritual journal is my off line journal. I created this journal originally to bring myself to account. Baha’u’llah tells us to bring ourselves to account each day. I thought that if I wrote it down it would help me change, I’m still thinking about that and determining if it is true. The off line journal has evolved since I began is a year or so ago. Now I am using it as a meditation journal in addition to bring myself to account. Beginning yesterday, I put a scripture verse from one of the Baha’I scriptures in the journal and write about my thoughts on the quote or the quote’s theme. In addition, I address a letter in it to Baha’u’llah.
Sometimes the letter has to do with what I did or didn’t do. Sometimes I just write about the events of the day. In today’s entry I gave thanks to Baha’u’llah for all the blessing showered upon my family. The only thing I know the day before making an entry in Writing my Spiritual Journey is the quote I’m going to write about. Anything else is chosen on the day I am supposed to write about it, so it really depends on when I write it what I write about.
I think I’ll close this entry now. I am hungry and don’t want to go see mom without eating something. The hospital is supposed to move her out of the Surgical ICU when a bed is available on another floor. So perhaps she will be moved by the time I get there.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Spring 2007
1 Jalal 164 B.E. – Monday, April 09, 2007
Spring is here and the birds are singing. There are many birds outside our house. Some nest in the stone pine tree and some are from the neighbors’ yards and trees. We even have a few pigeons flying in from somewhere. The peg ions come to eat the olives off the ground. I don’t have the olive tree sprayed any more, so it produces olives every year and they fall to the ground. All winter we’ve had birds eating olives. Not that I mind, the cats and I enjoy watching the birds pick the olives up off the ground.
We have mourning doves and sparrows nesting in the stone pine tree and the elm tree. There are other birds as well. It doesn’t get so cold in Las Vegas that the birds leave for the winter. I don’t think mourning doves migrate anyway. Early every morning and evening there is a mourning dove calling, it is the most haunting sound I’ve ever heard. It is beautiful, one of the most hauntingly beautiful sounds.
Now that spring is here, I like to go on the back patio and say morning prayers. The sound of a mourning dove calling as I say my prayers adds something to my mourning meditation. For some reason, mourning doves have always had spiritual connotations. Maybe it’s the fact that they sound like they are weeping for the departed, but they always seem to make mourning prayers and meditation a bit special.
It’s in spring that I notice the birds more than any other time of the year. That could be because they are building nest, laying eggs and getting ready to raise a family. It’s in spring that I notice the call of the mourning dove more than any other time of the year. It’s in spring that I enjoy most setting on the patio with my prayer book reading the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah. There is something special about spring, there is something spiritual about spring.
Naw-Ruz is past and Ridvan will begin next week, these are the spring Holy Days I celebrate. Ridvan begins on April 21 and last twelve days. The first, ninth and twelfth day are Holy Days. Ridvan is the Declaration of Baha’u’llah. I’m looking forward to the celebration and seeing what poems I write about the event.
Spring is here and the birds are singing. There are many birds outside our house. Some nest in the stone pine tree and some are from the neighbors’ yards and trees. We even have a few pigeons flying in from somewhere. The peg ions come to eat the olives off the ground. I don’t have the olive tree sprayed any more, so it produces olives every year and they fall to the ground. All winter we’ve had birds eating olives. Not that I mind, the cats and I enjoy watching the birds pick the olives up off the ground.
We have mourning doves and sparrows nesting in the stone pine tree and the elm tree. There are other birds as well. It doesn’t get so cold in Las Vegas that the birds leave for the winter. I don’t think mourning doves migrate anyway. Early every morning and evening there is a mourning dove calling, it is the most haunting sound I’ve ever heard. It is beautiful, one of the most hauntingly beautiful sounds.
Now that spring is here, I like to go on the back patio and say morning prayers. The sound of a mourning dove calling as I say my prayers adds something to my mourning meditation. For some reason, mourning doves have always had spiritual connotations. Maybe it’s the fact that they sound like they are weeping for the departed, but they always seem to make mourning prayers and meditation a bit special.
It’s in spring that I notice the birds more than any other time of the year. That could be because they are building nest, laying eggs and getting ready to raise a family. It’s in spring that I notice the call of the mourning dove more than any other time of the year. It’s in spring that I enjoy most setting on the patio with my prayer book reading the prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah. There is something special about spring, there is something spiritual about spring.
Naw-Ruz is past and Ridvan will begin next week, these are the spring Holy Days I celebrate. Ridvan begins on April 21 and last twelve days. The first, ninth and twelfth day are Holy Days. Ridvan is the Declaration of Baha’u’llah. I’m looking forward to the celebration and seeing what poems I write about the event.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Contemplating Good Friday Memories
17 Baha 164 B.E. – Friday, April 06, 2007
I have scattered memories of Good Friday, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday scattered through my mind. I can remember specific events about the days, but which days and where did the event occur. It’s not that my memory is going, it’s just that those events occurred a long time ago and they appear like photos in my memory.
I remember Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services crowded into pews of two different Southern Baptist Churches in Blackwell, Oklahoma; sometimes we went to the First Southern Baptist Church in Blackwell, the church my parents attended. Sometimes we attend services at the Southern Baptist Mission in the Smelter Heights; my grandparents went to this church.
I remember communion services, holding someone’s hand while we stood singing hymns, and palm leaves shaped into a cross. When these memories occurred, I’m not sure. I was quite small. I remember my father carrying me into a church. I remember going to church with my grandparents on specific days.
What else do I remember? Childhood memories are interesting. We remember, but we don’t remember everything. We remember snap shots of the events. The snap shots I remember are unlike the photos of those times I have in albums. The memories are in color, while some of the photos in the albums are black and white.
I remember my Grandpa; he always went to church on Easter Sunday and Christmas. He always took us to church (the Mission) when we stayed at my grandparent’s house over night. I also remember going to the church up town (the First Southern Baptist Church). I remember my father going to church on some of those Sundays, when he didn’t have to work. I remember my mother going to church with us.
I’m sixty years old. I searched and found the Baha’i Faith. I am in the process of writing the memories from my childhood, of putting them into poems and short personal essays. I am in the process of preserving the past. I am looking forward to the future, but preserving the past. I am writing my spiritual journey. The memories of my childhood have a great deal to do with my spiritual journey. It’s interesting how a person changes many things in their lives as they mature.
I found that the Baha’i Faith answered many of the questions I’ve had since childhood. I search the writing of The Bab, Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha for the answers to my questions. The answers are there, I just have to find them. If a person doesn’t give up and looks, then they find the answers to their most important questions. The most important questions in my life are spiritual questions. I suspect it’s been that way since childhood. I think I’ll end this entry now.
My mother is still in the hospital and I’m going up to see her after while. Right now I need to see about laundry and fixing me something to eat. I think I’ll have chicken salad. I’ve got chicken, lettuce and blue cheese dressing. I think some either some apple juice or grape juice to drink. No coffee, not that I don’t drink it; just that I’ve finished all I made this morning and am not going to make any more.
I have scattered memories of Good Friday, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday scattered through my mind. I can remember specific events about the days, but which days and where did the event occur. It’s not that my memory is going, it’s just that those events occurred a long time ago and they appear like photos in my memory.
I remember Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services crowded into pews of two different Southern Baptist Churches in Blackwell, Oklahoma; sometimes we went to the First Southern Baptist Church in Blackwell, the church my parents attended. Sometimes we attend services at the Southern Baptist Mission in the Smelter Heights; my grandparents went to this church.
I remember communion services, holding someone’s hand while we stood singing hymns, and palm leaves shaped into a cross. When these memories occurred, I’m not sure. I was quite small. I remember my father carrying me into a church. I remember going to church with my grandparents on specific days.
What else do I remember? Childhood memories are interesting. We remember, but we don’t remember everything. We remember snap shots of the events. The snap shots I remember are unlike the photos of those times I have in albums. The memories are in color, while some of the photos in the albums are black and white.
I remember my Grandpa; he always went to church on Easter Sunday and Christmas. He always took us to church (the Mission) when we stayed at my grandparent’s house over night. I also remember going to the church up town (the First Southern Baptist Church). I remember my father going to church on some of those Sundays, when he didn’t have to work. I remember my mother going to church with us.
I’m sixty years old. I searched and found the Baha’i Faith. I am in the process of writing the memories from my childhood, of putting them into poems and short personal essays. I am in the process of preserving the past. I am looking forward to the future, but preserving the past. I am writing my spiritual journey. The memories of my childhood have a great deal to do with my spiritual journey. It’s interesting how a person changes many things in their lives as they mature.
I found that the Baha’i Faith answered many of the questions I’ve had since childhood. I search the writing of The Bab, Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha for the answers to my questions. The answers are there, I just have to find them. If a person doesn’t give up and looks, then they find the answers to their most important questions. The most important questions in my life are spiritual questions. I suspect it’s been that way since childhood. I think I’ll end this entry now.
My mother is still in the hospital and I’m going up to see her after while. Right now I need to see about laundry and fixing me something to eat. I think I’ll have chicken salad. I’ve got chicken, lettuce and blue cheese dressing. I think some either some apple juice or grape juice to drink. No coffee, not that I don’t drink it; just that I’ve finished all I made this morning and am not going to make any more.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The Sound Track of My Life
16 Baha 164 B.E. - Thursday, April 05, 2007
If I were putting together a sound track of my life there are nineteen songs that inspire and excite me. These songs come from several different sources, but they each compel me to write. These songs, in no particular order are
01. The Battle Hymn of the Republic
02. Amazing Grace
03. Rocky Mountain High
04. Me and Bobbie McGee
05. Calypso
06. The West Texas Town of El Paso
07. This Land is Your Land
08. America the Beautiful
09. Danny Boy
10. The Eighteen Twelve Overture
11. We Three Kings
12. On Top of Old Smokey
13. Any and all of the Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah set to music
14. This Little Light of Mine
15. How Great Thou Art
16. The Long Healing Prayer set to music
17. Dashing through the Snow
18. Winter Wonderland
19. Frosty the Snowman
That is a very diverse and eclectic group of songs. Some of them are from my childhood, some from my teen and adult years. They inspire me and have inspired me from the time I first encountered them. I’m not sure I could pick out which one is my favorite, because at different times they are all my favorites. These are the main songs, there are other songs too numerous to list here.
Music inspires the soul, inspires the writer and poet. Music is a universal language; the one language humanity has in common. We can chant songs, poems and prayers without music or accompanied by music. We can listen to music without the words to the song. However, the music is played and listened to they inspire; they speak to the individual spirit. They encourage, they unite, and they feed the muse. Music and songs can inspire use to go beyond ourselves and help our fellow creatures, they can incite us to march to war or goad us to hate.
The way humanity uses music is up to the individual and those who write the words and chords. So sing along with the music, listen to the beat and the words, then chose your own sound track from the music that inspires you. When I listen to a song, I wonder why it inspires me. I wonder how it inspires others.
If I were putting together a sound track of my life there are nineteen songs that inspire and excite me. These songs come from several different sources, but they each compel me to write. These songs, in no particular order are
01. The Battle Hymn of the Republic
02. Amazing Grace
03. Rocky Mountain High
04. Me and Bobbie McGee
05. Calypso
06. The West Texas Town of El Paso
07. This Land is Your Land
08. America the Beautiful
09. Danny Boy
10. The Eighteen Twelve Overture
11. We Three Kings
12. On Top of Old Smokey
13. Any and all of the Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah set to music
14. This Little Light of Mine
15. How Great Thou Art
16. The Long Healing Prayer set to music
17. Dashing through the Snow
18. Winter Wonderland
19. Frosty the Snowman
That is a very diverse and eclectic group of songs. Some of them are from my childhood, some from my teen and adult years. They inspire me and have inspired me from the time I first encountered them. I’m not sure I could pick out which one is my favorite, because at different times they are all my favorites. These are the main songs, there are other songs too numerous to list here.
Music inspires the soul, inspires the writer and poet. Music is a universal language; the one language humanity has in common. We can chant songs, poems and prayers without music or accompanied by music. We can listen to music without the words to the song. However, the music is played and listened to they inspire; they speak to the individual spirit. They encourage, they unite, and they feed the muse. Music and songs can inspire use to go beyond ourselves and help our fellow creatures, they can incite us to march to war or goad us to hate.
The way humanity uses music is up to the individual and those who write the words and chords. So sing along with the music, listen to the beat and the words, then chose your own sound track from the music that inspires you. When I listen to a song, I wonder why it inspires me. I wonder how it inspires others.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
What Makes Me Happy?
12 Baha 164 B.E. – Sunday, April 1, 2007
Someone asked me this question the other day. At the time my answer was The Tablet of Ahmad, I said I thought that I had almost learned it by heart. Since then I’ve thought about the question and here is my answer.
Several things make me happy. Baha’u’llah makes me happy. Reading the scripture He revealed makes me happy. My mother makes me happy. Listening to her talk makes me happy. Having her around makes me happy. Writing makes me happy. I like writing short stories, poems and essays. Coffee makes me happy. I enjoy drinking good coffee. My mother makes good coffee. I like regular coffee without cream. I also like specialty coffees such as Café Mocha and unusual blends such as Kona Coffee. Going to Feast makes me happy. I enjoy listening to the readings from the Baha’i scriptures and talking to everyone attending. These are only a few of the things that make me happy. Maybe that would be a good theme for a list poem.
My Mom’s been in the hospital for the past three or four weeks. She is still in SICU, she went into that unit after her operation on March 19, which was also her birthday. Sometimes she is doing better and other times she is the same. I miss her, I go to see her twice a day, but I still miss her. I miss her making coffee she makes good coffee. I miss her talking about what poem she is working on and the other things she talks about when she is here.
I’m making my own coffee these mornings. When Mom’s home that is one of the things, she enjoys doing. I am glad to know that I haven’t forgotten how to make good coffee, but maybe that’s one of those activities like riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, you never forget. There isn’t a lot of difference between riding a bike and making coffee. Both of them take balance; it’s just that it’s a different type of balance with each one. In making coffee you have to balance the coffee grounds with the amount of water, while riding a bike is more of physical or bodily balance. Living takes balance; you have to balance the material with the spiritual. Happiness takes balance. Everything we do in life takes balance.
Someone asked me this question the other day. At the time my answer was The Tablet of Ahmad, I said I thought that I had almost learned it by heart. Since then I’ve thought about the question and here is my answer.
Several things make me happy. Baha’u’llah makes me happy. Reading the scripture He revealed makes me happy. My mother makes me happy. Listening to her talk makes me happy. Having her around makes me happy. Writing makes me happy. I like writing short stories, poems and essays. Coffee makes me happy. I enjoy drinking good coffee. My mother makes good coffee. I like regular coffee without cream. I also like specialty coffees such as Café Mocha and unusual blends such as Kona Coffee. Going to Feast makes me happy. I enjoy listening to the readings from the Baha’i scriptures and talking to everyone attending. These are only a few of the things that make me happy. Maybe that would be a good theme for a list poem.
My Mom’s been in the hospital for the past three or four weeks. She is still in SICU, she went into that unit after her operation on March 19, which was also her birthday. Sometimes she is doing better and other times she is the same. I miss her, I go to see her twice a day, but I still miss her. I miss her making coffee she makes good coffee. I miss her talking about what poem she is working on and the other things she talks about when she is here.
I’m making my own coffee these mornings. When Mom’s home that is one of the things, she enjoys doing. I am glad to know that I haven’t forgotten how to make good coffee, but maybe that’s one of those activities like riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, you never forget. There isn’t a lot of difference between riding a bike and making coffee. Both of them take balance; it’s just that it’s a different type of balance with each one. In making coffee you have to balance the coffee grounds with the amount of water, while riding a bike is more of physical or bodily balance. Living takes balance; you have to balance the material with the spiritual. Happiness takes balance. Everything we do in life takes balance.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Up Date Concerning My Mother and Other Stuff
7 Baha 164 B.E. – Tuesday, March 27, 2007
My mother is still in the hospital, over two weeks now. She is getting better, she is now off liquids and onto soft solid foods. This morning she had pudding for breakfast and for lunch sliced turkey or chicken, potatoes and gravy, greens (I think spinach) and applesauce. I’ve been saying the Long Healing Prayer for her at least once a day, usually twice a day. I’m going to the hospital twice a day to see her.
I’m doing the house work a bit or room at a time. My hours online Monday through Friday are before 10:00 am and after 6:00 pm. I think I’m finally getting the hang of scheduling my time. However, I’m not sure about that at the moment. I just finished sweeping off the patio, but I’m going to have to mop it. Since it’s cloudy out, the wind is blowing and it looks like rain I’m not going to mop the patio today. I’ll probably wait for a sunny day. If I mop it today, it won’t get dry quickly and neither I nor the cats like a damp back porch.
When I went to see Mom this morning, she looked good. She wants to come home. Mom isn’t used to laying in bed, she’d rather be up working. I’m not sure when she will be coming home. On March 19, her birthday, the doctors did a bawl resection and she’s been in intensive care ever since. Eventually the hospital will move her to another floor in UMC and when she’s ready to be released then she’ll go to a rehab center. It sounds like a long time, but I’m going to be pushed to get the house fixed up the way it should be before she gets home. I still have spring cleaning stuff to do, I get some done each day, but other things, like dishes and laundry, are repeats. Oh, well it’ll get done I just have to keep working.
This is a test, I’ll be glad when I’ve passed this one so I can get on to the next test. One thing about all that’s happened in the past two or almost three weeks is lack of boredom. It’s anything but boring, even the house work isn’t boring. I’m still writing, in fact I’ve got to finish a poem or find one I’ve written and post it to a contest tonight sometime.
I went to see Mom again today. For supper she had chicken, mixed vegetables (squish and carrots), noodles, pudding with fruit (peaches) and lemon aid. The chicken has gravy on it. Mom is eating pretty well now. Not quite back to the way she used to eat, but she’s getting there.
My mother is still in the hospital, over two weeks now. She is getting better, she is now off liquids and onto soft solid foods. This morning she had pudding for breakfast and for lunch sliced turkey or chicken, potatoes and gravy, greens (I think spinach) and applesauce. I’ve been saying the Long Healing Prayer for her at least once a day, usually twice a day. I’m going to the hospital twice a day to see her.
I’m doing the house work a bit or room at a time. My hours online Monday through Friday are before 10:00 am and after 6:00 pm. I think I’m finally getting the hang of scheduling my time. However, I’m not sure about that at the moment. I just finished sweeping off the patio, but I’m going to have to mop it. Since it’s cloudy out, the wind is blowing and it looks like rain I’m not going to mop the patio today. I’ll probably wait for a sunny day. If I mop it today, it won’t get dry quickly and neither I nor the cats like a damp back porch.
When I went to see Mom this morning, she looked good. She wants to come home. Mom isn’t used to laying in bed, she’d rather be up working. I’m not sure when she will be coming home. On March 19, her birthday, the doctors did a bawl resection and she’s been in intensive care ever since. Eventually the hospital will move her to another floor in UMC and when she’s ready to be released then she’ll go to a rehab center. It sounds like a long time, but I’m going to be pushed to get the house fixed up the way it should be before she gets home. I still have spring cleaning stuff to do, I get some done each day, but other things, like dishes and laundry, are repeats. Oh, well it’ll get done I just have to keep working.
This is a test, I’ll be glad when I’ve passed this one so I can get on to the next test. One thing about all that’s happened in the past two or almost three weeks is lack of boredom. It’s anything but boring, even the house work isn’t boring. I’m still writing, in fact I’ve got to finish a poem or find one I’ve written and post it to a contest tonight sometime.
I went to see Mom again today. For supper she had chicken, mixed vegetables (squish and carrots), noodles, pudding with fruit (peaches) and lemon aid. The chicken has gravy on it. Mom is eating pretty well now. Not quite back to the way she used to eat, but she’s getting there.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Two Days Posts in One
1 Baha 164 B.E. - Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Naw-Ruz Poem
New Day
All humanity gathered into one fold
World peace
Rejoice
Unity’s
Zephyrs blow across the Earth
2 Baha 164 B.E. - Thursday, March 22, 2007
All humanity gathered into one fold
World peace
Rejoice
Unity’s
Zephyrs blow across the Earth
2 Baha 164 B.E. - Thursday, March 22, 2007
Update on My Life
I haven’t posted in sometime. My Mother went into the hospital on Monday, March 12, had a bawl resection on Monday, March 19. The past week or so was hectic. She is in recovery and doing well. I’m in the process of doing laundry and updating my detection programs right now. Laundry is a never-ending job. I went to the hospital this morning; I’ll go again this evening.
My thoughts are scattered and I’m not sure what to write about. I went to the Naw-Ruz celebration on the evening of March 20. Everyone my mother knew signed a Naw-Ruz card for her. I’m just typing this without any idea of the subject. I’m going to do two entries in one today. Tomorrow evening is the Feast of Baha. Mom won’t be able to attend Feast, so I’ll stop by the hospital before I go to Feast.
I still have e-mail to read. I haven’t read too much of the e-mail since I took Mom to the emergency room. I’ll probably be catching up on e-mail for the rest of the week and answering, between everything else. That’s OK though, at least I’m down to only one or two load of laundry a day now. This entry is scattered and not as focused as I’d like, but I’m going to post it anyway. I’ll try the make the following entries a little for focused rather than rambling. I think this is all for today, besides the dry just finished so it’s time to put a load of washing in.
My thoughts are scattered and I’m not sure what to write about. I went to the Naw-Ruz celebration on the evening of March 20. Everyone my mother knew signed a Naw-Ruz card for her. I’m just typing this without any idea of the subject. I’m going to do two entries in one today. Tomorrow evening is the Feast of Baha. Mom won’t be able to attend Feast, so I’ll stop by the hospital before I go to Feast.
I still have e-mail to read. I haven’t read too much of the e-mail since I took Mom to the emergency room. I’ll probably be catching up on e-mail for the rest of the week and answering, between everything else. That’s OK though, at least I’m down to only one or two load of laundry a day now. This entry is scattered and not as focused as I’d like, but I’m going to post it anyway. I’ll try the make the following entries a little for focused rather than rambling. I think this is all for today, besides the dry just finished so it’s time to put a load of washing in.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
sine qua non
9 Ala 163 B.E. - Saturday, March 10, 2007
My e-mail box is full of words. Words in e-mails, words in newsletters, words written in black letters on a white page, words are indispensable to a writer and to humanity itself. Without words humans would have difficulty communicating, even with words we sometimes can’t make our wishes known or understood.
Sometimes the problem has to do with language. Sometimes the problem is the words themselves. Words don’t express or explain entirely our experiences. So that means we have to listen and watch the expression on the faces of those we’re talking with.
My e-mail box is full of words. Words in e-mails, words in newsletters, words written in black letters on a white page, words are indispensable to a writer and to humanity itself. Without words humans would have difficulty communicating, even with words we sometimes can’t make our wishes known or understood.
Sometimes the problem has to do with language. Sometimes the problem is the words themselves. Words don’t express or explain entirely our experiences. So that means we have to listen and watch the expression on the faces of those we’re talking with.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Ayyam-i-Ha
3 Ayyam-i-Ha 163 B.E. - Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Rejoice,
the Lord has come with twenty thousand angels
scattering the forces of darkness
transforming doubt into certainty
hate into love
and death into life,
so raise your voices in praise.
Rejoice,
for these are the days of fulfillment,
the days of thanksgiving and exaltation,
of visiting the downtrodden and the ill,
of proclaiming the Glory of God
and spreading abroad the good news of unity.
Rejoice,
raise your voices,
intone prayers of thanksgiving and praise,
chant the words of God,
shout God’s new name from everyone to hear.
Rejoice,
the Lord has come with twenty thousand angels
scattering the forces of darkness
transforming doubt into certainty
hate into love
and death into life,
so raise your voices in praise.
Rejoice,
for these are the days of fulfillment,
the days of thanksgiving and exaltation,
of visiting the downtrodden and the ill,
of proclaiming the Glory of God
and spreading abroad the good news of unity.
Rejoice,
raise your voices,
intone prayers of thanksgiving and praise,
chant the words of God,
shout God’s new name from everyone to hear.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Learning a Prayer or Scripture Verse by Heart
12 Mulk 163 B.E. - Sunday, February 18, 2007
The phrase “learn it by heart” always fascinated me. Some people use the word memorizes, but when you’re learning a prayer I think “by heart” is more appropriate. I remember when I was a child I memorized two prayers and a scripture verse. One of the prayers was the Lord ’s Prayer from the New Testament and the other was “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”. The Scripture was the 23rd Psalms from the Old Testament.
As I get older learning prayer by heart is a bit more difficult and takes longer, but the reward is the same. When I became a Baha’I I begin using the prayers revealed by the central figures. As a result I’ve learned the prayer I say most often by heart. However, learning a prayer “by heart” is more than just repeating it over and over again. Another aspect of memorizing a prayer is feeling the Holy Spirit when you say the prayer.
I can remember repeating the Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalms as I was growing up. Every time I said either of those verses, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. The same it true when I repeat a prayer of the Bab, Baha’u’llah, or ‘Abdu’l-Baha. The presence of God’s Spirit is especially strong when I recite the Table of Ahmad. No matter what my problem or mood at the time I recite the Table, it changes. If I’m sad or depressed I became happy. If I have a problem than I get the feeling that the problem is solved and all I have to do is open my eyes and see the solution or wait for the solution to present itself.
I’m not sure how long it took me to memorize the Tablet of Ahmad. I just remember waking up one morning and repeat the Tablet all the way through without looking at my prayer book. The interesting thing about memorization is that you have to review what you’ve memorized daily. There was a while, when life was going smoothly that I didn’t say the Table every day. As a result I forgot it. However, when I went to learn the Table again it was easier, so maybe I didn’t completely forget the prayer or maybe memorizing something a second time is just easier than it is the first time, no matter how old you are.
It’s interesting about learning scripture verses. I find it easier to learn them if I repeat the verse several times before I go to sleep. Of course, some verses are easier to learn than others, but no matter how difficult or easy the verse is to learn you have to review them either daily or, at least, every other day. The soul may remember the verse, but the human brain and mind have a tenancy to forget unless one reviews the memorized verses on a regular basis. Although, I have found that verses I thought I’d forgotten come to mind at the times I need them the most.
The phrase “learn it by heart” always fascinated me. Some people use the word memorizes, but when you’re learning a prayer I think “by heart” is more appropriate. I remember when I was a child I memorized two prayers and a scripture verse. One of the prayers was the Lord ’s Prayer from the New Testament and the other was “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”. The Scripture was the 23rd Psalms from the Old Testament.
As I get older learning prayer by heart is a bit more difficult and takes longer, but the reward is the same. When I became a Baha’I I begin using the prayers revealed by the central figures. As a result I’ve learned the prayer I say most often by heart. However, learning a prayer “by heart” is more than just repeating it over and over again. Another aspect of memorizing a prayer is feeling the Holy Spirit when you say the prayer.
I can remember repeating the Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalms as I was growing up. Every time I said either of those verses, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. The same it true when I repeat a prayer of the Bab, Baha’u’llah, or ‘Abdu’l-Baha. The presence of God’s Spirit is especially strong when I recite the Table of Ahmad. No matter what my problem or mood at the time I recite the Table, it changes. If I’m sad or depressed I became happy. If I have a problem than I get the feeling that the problem is solved and all I have to do is open my eyes and see the solution or wait for the solution to present itself.
I’m not sure how long it took me to memorize the Tablet of Ahmad. I just remember waking up one morning and repeat the Tablet all the way through without looking at my prayer book. The interesting thing about memorization is that you have to review what you’ve memorized daily. There was a while, when life was going smoothly that I didn’t say the Table every day. As a result I forgot it. However, when I went to learn the Table again it was easier, so maybe I didn’t completely forget the prayer or maybe memorizing something a second time is just easier than it is the first time, no matter how old you are.
It’s interesting about learning scripture verses. I find it easier to learn them if I repeat the verse several times before I go to sleep. Of course, some verses are easier to learn than others, but no matter how difficult or easy the verse is to learn you have to review them either daily or, at least, every other day. The soul may remember the verse, but the human brain and mind have a tenancy to forget unless one reviews the memorized verses on a regular basis. Although, I have found that verses I thought I’d forgotten come to mind at the times I need them the most.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Brain Storming the Rest of My Life
8 Mulk 163 B.E. - Wednesday, February 14, 2007
I’ve graduated with my master’s in Instructional Technology. The question asked, “What am I going to do with it?”, which is an interesting and appropriate question. The problem is that I can’t seem to think about what I’m going to do now. The obvious answer is use it to get a job. Most of the jobs in Las Vegas, with this type of degree, are teaching jobs. It’s not that I don’t want to teach. I think I’d like to teach in college, but high school I’m not too sure about.
I supposed I could go into business for myself, I’m contemplating this. The question comes to mind, How will this degree help me? I’m also not sure about how to go about starting a business. You know, before getting the degree these things didn’t come up. Actually, as much stress and problems I had during the classes, I could focus only on getting the work done and nothing else. Now I can focus on other things and nothing comes to mind.
Right now, a wall of fog lay between any decision I need to make and myself. The things I can see close to me are all limitations and things I need fixed. I need to see a dentist, I need to pay bills (which having a job would help), but I have such a problem with my teeth. I have several missing and should get false teeth. In addition, … I could put a lot of “in additions” here, but I’m not. I don’t see that complaining or listing the negatives are going to help.
The truth is that focusing on the negatives appears to increase them. I’ve thought about this a lot lately. I haven’t always been this way, normally I’m more positive. Perhaps not “Pollyanna”, but I’ve had a positive outlook. The best thing to do, is just take a deep breath, say some prayers for protection and push into the fog bank.
This degree does give me the ability to create online learning and instructional modules. I had to create one for the class. The module I created is the equivalent of a Master’s Thesis. The instructor gave me some suggestions for improvement and there is a lot I would have like to put in the module, but they weren’t called for and would have taken more time than I had for the class. Therefore, I guess the first thing to do is make the changes the instructor suggestion. The next is to create another module with everything in it I want. I will say that I feel more positive this morning than I have in a long time about getting a job or starting a business.
‘Abdu’l-Baha wrote a prayer about placing everything in God’s hands. I thought I memorized the prayer once, but I’ve found, memorized prayers must be said every day or so to remain in you mind. The positive thing about memorizing a prayer a second time is that it’s easier. I think I’ll review that prayer again and see if I have forgotten it or not. It could be that I haven’t been focusing on the prayer itself when I’ve tried to repeat it from memory.
I’ve graduated with my master’s in Instructional Technology. The question asked, “What am I going to do with it?”, which is an interesting and appropriate question. The problem is that I can’t seem to think about what I’m going to do now. The obvious answer is use it to get a job. Most of the jobs in Las Vegas, with this type of degree, are teaching jobs. It’s not that I don’t want to teach. I think I’d like to teach in college, but high school I’m not too sure about.
I supposed I could go into business for myself, I’m contemplating this. The question comes to mind, How will this degree help me? I’m also not sure about how to go about starting a business. You know, before getting the degree these things didn’t come up. Actually, as much stress and problems I had during the classes, I could focus only on getting the work done and nothing else. Now I can focus on other things and nothing comes to mind.
Right now, a wall of fog lay between any decision I need to make and myself. The things I can see close to me are all limitations and things I need fixed. I need to see a dentist, I need to pay bills (which having a job would help), but I have such a problem with my teeth. I have several missing and should get false teeth. In addition, … I could put a lot of “in additions” here, but I’m not. I don’t see that complaining or listing the negatives are going to help.
The truth is that focusing on the negatives appears to increase them. I’ve thought about this a lot lately. I haven’t always been this way, normally I’m more positive. Perhaps not “Pollyanna”, but I’ve had a positive outlook. The best thing to do, is just take a deep breath, say some prayers for protection and push into the fog bank.
This degree does give me the ability to create online learning and instructional modules. I had to create one for the class. The module I created is the equivalent of a Master’s Thesis. The instructor gave me some suggestions for improvement and there is a lot I would have like to put in the module, but they weren’t called for and would have taken more time than I had for the class. Therefore, I guess the first thing to do is make the changes the instructor suggestion. The next is to create another module with everything in it I want. I will say that I feel more positive this morning than I have in a long time about getting a job or starting a business.
‘Abdu’l-Baha wrote a prayer about placing everything in God’s hands. I thought I memorized the prayer once, but I’ve found, memorized prayers must be said every day or so to remain in you mind. The positive thing about memorizing a prayer a second time is that it’s easier. I think I’ll review that prayer again and see if I have forgotten it or not. It could be that I haven’t been focusing on the prayer itself when I’ve tried to repeat it from memory.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
What am I doing right?
5 Mulk 163 B.E. - Sunday, February 11, 2007
We ask question all the time:
How, who, what, when, where, and why.
Answers come in various form,
Though they are often not what we want.
Are the questions we ask God and ourselves
Meant to elicit the answers we want or the answers we need.
I find myself asking, “What am I doing wrong?”
Doesn’t this suggest that I expect to take an incorrect action?
On the other hand, if I rephrase the question
It becomes “What am I doing right?”
Now I’m preparing my eyes to see reality.
God put within me, within everyone, a spark of divine light.
Rephrasing a question refocuses either on the positive or the negative.
It lets us see both what needs fixing and what is well done.
God loves the individual and humanity,
Has a plan for each person and for civilization in general:
There is always something the individual is doing right.
We ask question all the time:
How, who, what, when, where, and why.
Answers come in various form,
Though they are often not what we want.
Are the questions we ask God and ourselves
Meant to elicit the answers we want or the answers we need.
I find myself asking, “What am I doing wrong?”
Doesn’t this suggest that I expect to take an incorrect action?
On the other hand, if I rephrase the question
It becomes “What am I doing right?”
Now I’m preparing my eyes to see reality.
God put within me, within everyone, a spark of divine light.
Rephrasing a question refocuses either on the positive or the negative.
It lets us see both what needs fixing and what is well done.
God loves the individual and humanity,
Has a plan for each person and for civilization in general:
There is always something the individual is doing right.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Update
18 Sultan 163 B.E. - Monday, February 05, 2007
I’ve finished my masters’ classes in Instructional Technology at AIU. So this week I’m doing a little catching up on stuff I had to put on the back burner while I was working on the course. There were a few things I didn’t put off, one of those was the Ruhi Course. I’ve completed almost all of the books. I will complete Book 4 this coming Saturday. I have to make up some sections of Book 3 and review book 7. I’m assisting tutoring Book 1 on Sunday evening and will be doing that for the next several weeks.
Now I can get back to going to poetry open mics in Las Vegas. Although, I’m not sure at this point if the reason I stopped going to the poetry readings was because of the masters’ classes or lack of gas. Any way, there is an open mic on the third Friday of every month that I’m going to attend. The is also one every Thursday night. I’ll see about going to the Thursday night one, but I’m not sure when right now.
At this moment there are e-mails I need to read and answer. Yesterday (Sunday, February 04) I didn’t get any e-mails read. I went to the Baha’I center and spend the day there at Ruhi classes, we (my mom and I) finished book 6 that day. After we finish that book we stayed at the center until the Book 1 session started. The only thing I completed at home yesterday was updating the spy detection software.
Now that I’ve completed the masters’ program I have a bit more time. What this means is doing some house keeping in my e-mail accounts and blogs. I’m in a fairly good mood today, which usually means I’ll get a lot completed. I have to go out of the house tomorrow and possible this evening or this afternoon. Otherwise, I’ve got some revisions, chapters to complete and submission to send. I know it will take a while to catch up on everything, but if I do a little each day, the important stuff will get done.
I’ve finished my masters’ classes in Instructional Technology at AIU. So this week I’m doing a little catching up on stuff I had to put on the back burner while I was working on the course. There were a few things I didn’t put off, one of those was the Ruhi Course. I’ve completed almost all of the books. I will complete Book 4 this coming Saturday. I have to make up some sections of Book 3 and review book 7. I’m assisting tutoring Book 1 on Sunday evening and will be doing that for the next several weeks.
Now I can get back to going to poetry open mics in Las Vegas. Although, I’m not sure at this point if the reason I stopped going to the poetry readings was because of the masters’ classes or lack of gas. Any way, there is an open mic on the third Friday of every month that I’m going to attend. The is also one every Thursday night. I’ll see about going to the Thursday night one, but I’m not sure when right now.
At this moment there are e-mails I need to read and answer. Yesterday (Sunday, February 04) I didn’t get any e-mails read. I went to the Baha’I center and spend the day there at Ruhi classes, we (my mom and I) finished book 6 that day. After we finish that book we stayed at the center until the Book 1 session started. The only thing I completed at home yesterday was updating the spy detection software.
Now that I’ve completed the masters’ program I have a bit more time. What this means is doing some house keeping in my e-mail accounts and blogs. I’m in a fairly good mood today, which usually means I’ll get a lot completed. I have to go out of the house tomorrow and possible this evening or this afternoon. Otherwise, I’ve got some revisions, chapters to complete and submission to send. I know it will take a while to catch up on everything, but if I do a little each day, the important stuff will get done.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Stars at Night
12 Sultan 163 B.E. - Tuesday, January 30, 2007
It’s cloudy today. The clouds have covered most of the sky all day. The sun has shown through breaks in the clouds but not very often. This is what I’ve come to think of as a winter sky. In Las Vegas, there is no snow in the valley. In fact, the clouds haven’t even brought rain. It just cloudy and one would think dreary, but it’s not dreary.
The clouds are a blessing, the rain is a blessing and even the snow is a blessing. We don’t often think of snow as a blessing, especially when it causes difficulties, but a blessing doesn’t always mean that there won’t be difficulties.
I started out talking about the winter sky. Now I can stand the warm weather better than the cold weather, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like winter. There are things about winter and its sky that I like. I especially like the winter constellations. OK, so I probably couldn’t name the constellations much less pick them out, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy looking at them.
One of the things I miss about Oklahoma is the winter night sky. I think it’s because I was born after sunset on December 24. According to my birth certificate, I was born far enough after sunset for the stars to be out. I don’t know if this is why I like looking at the winter stars or if it’s just that they sparkle so brightly.
There are cities in the world I would like to visit, just to see the stars at night. Even if they aren’t winter stars I’m looking at I still want to visit and see the stars at night. One of those cities is Bagdad. I’d like to visit that city between April 21 and May 2. That’s because Baha’u’llah declared His mission during those days in 1863 and I’d like to see the stars that looked down on the garden where He was staying there.
There are other cities I’d like to visit just to see the stars at night. Most of those cities have an association with either Baha’u’llah, the Bab, or ‘Abdu’l-Baha. I’d like to see the stars that looked down on those cities. The stars we look at today are the same stars that were seen by Baha’u’llah, the Bab and ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
It’s cloudy today. The clouds have covered most of the sky all day. The sun has shown through breaks in the clouds but not very often. This is what I’ve come to think of as a winter sky. In Las Vegas, there is no snow in the valley. In fact, the clouds haven’t even brought rain. It just cloudy and one would think dreary, but it’s not dreary.
The clouds are a blessing, the rain is a blessing and even the snow is a blessing. We don’t often think of snow as a blessing, especially when it causes difficulties, but a blessing doesn’t always mean that there won’t be difficulties.
I started out talking about the winter sky. Now I can stand the warm weather better than the cold weather, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like winter. There are things about winter and its sky that I like. I especially like the winter constellations. OK, so I probably couldn’t name the constellations much less pick them out, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy looking at them.
One of the things I miss about Oklahoma is the winter night sky. I think it’s because I was born after sunset on December 24. According to my birth certificate, I was born far enough after sunset for the stars to be out. I don’t know if this is why I like looking at the winter stars or if it’s just that they sparkle so brightly.
There are cities in the world I would like to visit, just to see the stars at night. Even if they aren’t winter stars I’m looking at I still want to visit and see the stars at night. One of those cities is Bagdad. I’d like to visit that city between April 21 and May 2. That’s because Baha’u’llah declared His mission during those days in 1863 and I’d like to see the stars that looked down on the garden where He was staying there.
There are other cities I’d like to visit just to see the stars at night. Most of those cities have an association with either Baha’u’llah, the Bab, or ‘Abdu’l-Baha. I’d like to see the stars that looked down on those cities. The stars we look at today are the same stars that were seen by Baha’u’llah, the Bab and ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
Monday, January 29, 2007
The End of the Month
11 Sultan 163 B.E. - Monday, January 29, 2007
It’s almost the end of January. February is going to be an interesting month. This week is the final week of my masters’ class. The final project, which is the group project, is due on Saturday, February 2. On Sunday, February 3, I have two Ruhi classes the first is book 6 and the second, I’m one of the tutors, begins at 7:00 p.m. The course I’m helping tutor is Book 1.
I’ll finish both book 6 and Book 4 in February, those are the two Ruhi books I needed to complete the series. Now that I’ve completed the series of Ruhi books and my masters degree, I’m at a loss of what to do next. OK, I know one is find a job to use the master’s degree, but I’m not talking about the obvious here.
I can focus more on creative writing, then before. I’m sort of nervous about a new phase of my life. I now have more time to spend on other things besides schoolwork. My degree does give me the ability to teach in the school system. The question now is How can I use my knowledge for Baha’u’llah? I suppose I’ll find out soon.
I submitted my finial individual project in the class Saturday, January 27. It is a Lectora instructional module. I think one thing I’ll do is do the entire module the way I’d originally planned. The module was about the mystic poet Tahirih. Originally, I had planned five sections of content for the module, but the requirement for the class was two sections of content, with two sections of learning activities and a final assessment exam with a maximum of twenty-five questions. It had five questions for each TCO (I can’t remember right off what TCO stands for or even if TCO is what I mean).
OK, I need a vacation or at least a couple of rides on a roller coaster. I’m going to post this. I’ll do an update later on the Lectora project and tell more about it. Right now I have a group chat coming up in an hour or so and I want to relax a little so I can make sense on the chat. I think my main problems is that I spent the last 10 months (I think it was 10 months, although it seems like 10 years) working on the masters’ degree without thinking about what would come after I completed the program. I’m near the end and I need a rest.
It’s almost the end of January. February is going to be an interesting month. This week is the final week of my masters’ class. The final project, which is the group project, is due on Saturday, February 2. On Sunday, February 3, I have two Ruhi classes the first is book 6 and the second, I’m one of the tutors, begins at 7:00 p.m. The course I’m helping tutor is Book 1.
I’ll finish both book 6 and Book 4 in February, those are the two Ruhi books I needed to complete the series. Now that I’ve completed the series of Ruhi books and my masters degree, I’m at a loss of what to do next. OK, I know one is find a job to use the master’s degree, but I’m not talking about the obvious here.
I can focus more on creative writing, then before. I’m sort of nervous about a new phase of my life. I now have more time to spend on other things besides schoolwork. My degree does give me the ability to teach in the school system. The question now is How can I use my knowledge for Baha’u’llah? I suppose I’ll find out soon.
I submitted my finial individual project in the class Saturday, January 27. It is a Lectora instructional module. I think one thing I’ll do is do the entire module the way I’d originally planned. The module was about the mystic poet Tahirih. Originally, I had planned five sections of content for the module, but the requirement for the class was two sections of content, with two sections of learning activities and a final assessment exam with a maximum of twenty-five questions. It had five questions for each TCO (I can’t remember right off what TCO stands for or even if TCO is what I mean).
OK, I need a vacation or at least a couple of rides on a roller coaster. I’m going to post this. I’ll do an update later on the Lectora project and tell more about it. Right now I have a group chat coming up in an hour or so and I want to relax a little so I can make sense on the chat. I think my main problems is that I spent the last 10 months (I think it was 10 months, although it seems like 10 years) working on the masters’ degree without thinking about what would come after I completed the program. I’m near the end and I need a rest.
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