An Interesting Eight Months

16 'Ilm 164 B.E. - Tuesday, October 30, 2007 about 9:58 PM PDT

It's been an interesting eight months. Alright, maybe interesting isn't the right word here. Stressful might be a better choice. My mother did her first load of laundry today since March. It actually wasn't a full load. It was two sheets, a pair of purple leg warmers, a pair of purple slacks and the bottoms to two pairs of shorty PJs. She put the cloths in the washer, then in the dryer and then folded them. She's well on her way to recovery.

I on the other hand feel as if I'm in labor. Of course, that's what the process of transformation is ... labor. It's giving birth to a new phase of life. That's how I feel, I suspect I'm on the verge of a new phase of my life. I'm excited and a bit nervous because I don't know exactly what to expect.

On November 12/13 it will be exactly nine months since I took Mom to the hospital. On November 19 it will be exactly nine months since her bowl resection. My life has changed drastically in may ways. I'm more aware of the world around me. I'm more aware of how my reactions and emotions effect other people. I'm more aware of a lot of things. Yes, it's been an interesting and stressful eight months.

A New Week Begins

13 'Ilm 164 B.E. - Sunday, October 28, 2007 about 8:17 AM PDT

A new week begins and it looks like a week with a lot of ideas to blog about. October 31 is Halloween and Nevada Day. This is the last week of day light savings time for the year. November 1 NaNoWriMo begins and I have to finish planning this years' novel before that day. It should be too difficult though because all I have to do is put the events of each chapter in.

NaNoWriMo

I think one subject I'll use is writing a NaNoWriMo novel since I have 30 days to write 50,000 words that usually a transforming event. A person learns a lot about themselves attempting to write about 2,000 words a do, do laundry and house work. Not to mention going out all over town to get things done.

One thing I'm going to avoid doing during my novel writing time is laundry. My washer isn't level so if it's overloaded it moves (dances) all over the floor. In the spin cycles I have to stand next to it otherwise I have wrestle it back into position.

Feast of Qudrat

The Feast of Qudrat will occur on Saturday, November 3, I think that's another topic I'll blog about this week. Feast is always a transforming and spiritual experience. Other than the subjects I've mentioned I don't know what else I'll write about. I'm attempting to blog everyday so the more topics I come up with the better off I'll be.

Take The Internet Back

11 'Ilm 164 B.E. - Thursday, October 25, 2007 about 6:13 PM PDT

I added a new link to the sidebar and though I would write a little about it. I join Take The Internet Back because I liked their policy. Through this website I can read advertisements that are specifically directed to me. I don't get anything that I don't want.

I Enjoy Reading Ads now

I actually enjoy reading ads now because they are for products and services I'm interested in rather than stuff I don't want. It's nice to log into the website and read the e-mails. They also come to my intermind box so I can save those I want to take a second look at. I may not buy everything that is sent me, but I enjoy reading everything get from Take the Internet Back.

Free Downloads for Members

There are also free downloads for members. I've already downloaded one e-book about blogs. I'm reading through it slowly and learning a great deal about creating and publishing a blog.

Checking my links

9 'Ilm 164 B.E. - Wednesday, October 24, 2007 about 11:47 AM PDT

I'm going to check all the links I've posted and adding a few new ones. I'm not sure what some of the links have to do with transformation, but I'm going to figure it out. I'll post my thoughts on that with an explanation of each link and why I included it in this blog.

Links on the sidebar

Since I posted the theme to this blog, I've thought about the links I included on the sidebar. I'm speculating what they have to do with transformation. I'm not sure I'll remove any just yet, but I'll write what I think their association with transformation is. The reason for checking them is simple, my muse wants a vacation. She isn't coming up with entries the way she should. So I figure if I check the links and add some new ones, maybe she will get back to work.

My Muse Transforms

My muse is a shape changer. She transforms periodically into something else. I know that sounds rather odd, but it's true. I never know what guise my muse is going to use from one time to the other. That forces me to look at everything I see to find something to write about.

Sometimes my muse doesn't want to stick to the theme of the blog, which could be the problem this time. I'm not sure so I'm going to look at everything. I'll try some writing exercises that relate to transformation or spirituality.

Life is a Ditzy Internet Connection

8 'Ilm 164 B.E. - Tuesday, October 23, 2007 about 10:04 AM PDT

It's windy in Las Vegas and my phone connection to my Internet provider is acting up more than usual. I realized this morning that's how life is sometimes. There are moments in my life when I'm suddenly disconnected the the Source of faith and inspiration. In those moments my life falls apart.

Connecting to the Source

When I'm disconnected from the Source, the fault is mine. In times of disconnection I find that I allow material details to come between myself and God. In those time I need to reconnect and reconnect immediately with God. How do I reconnect? Through prayer and meditation.

The prayers and scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah and the Bab are excellent reconnectors. I can sit down, read or recite a prayer and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I like to meditate and use the prayers of the Bab and Baha'u'llah during those times of disconnection. The reason is that I've found them the quickest way to become reconnect with the Source.

Transformation the Theme of this Blog

2 'Ilm 164 B.E. - Tuesday, October 16, 2007 about 10:35 PM PDT

'Ilm, a new month has begun, a new nineteen day period to achieve the writing goals, the financial goals and the spiritual goals I've set for myself. That brought to mind the theme of this blog transformation and the butterfly. The butterfly is the symbol of both the soul and transformation.

The Butterfly and Transformation

The butterfly emerges from its cocoon a completely different creature from the larva that entered the pupa case. The larva was a creature of the earth, eating leaves and other plants to survive. The butterfly is a creature of the air, eating nectar. In the pupa case the larva goes through the transformation that creates the butterfly. This process isn't easy for the larva, it's stressful and difficult, but it's necessary for the larva to become a butterfly.

It's the same way with the human soul. The soul is a creation of God. It has the ability to reflect the attributes of God, but it can't do this without going through test and difficulties that bring out those attributes and let the soul fly.

Mashiyyat Stressful

Mashiyyat was a stressful month. Whether it was more stressful than any month since Baha begin 164 B.E. I'm not sure. It could be that the accumulation of stress finally got to me and I broke out in stress (literally). Anyway I decided that I'm going to do something about it and get the major problems solved that are causing the biggest stresses.

One thing I'm doing is setting aside specific times morning, afternoon and evening for prayer and meditation. I thought back to the period before all this stress started and realized that I no longer had specific time periods for prayer. I've usually gotten the obligatory prayer said, but I usually had to work it in my daily life instead of living my daily life so that I didn't have to "work it in". I've set A, B, and C priorities. The A priorities are spiritual and the other important goals are B priorities.

A World Citizen and the Environment

19 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Monday, October 15, 2007 about 4:35 PM PDT

I consider myself a world citizen and as a citizen of Earth, I have a duty toward the planet of my birth. As a world citizen I ask myself "What can I do to help the environment?" The answer isn't an easy one especially since my financial resources are limited and there for limit my options in making my home environmentally friendly. There are some things that I can do immediately such as recycling. I'm not just talking about taking the recyclable containers out to the curb every other Saturday for the trash trucks to pick up. There are other things I can do to help the environment.

1. I can carry a trash bag in my car and put any trash I have in it, instead of throwing it into the street. This helps the environment by preventing the storm drains from becoming clogged and causing the street to flood when it rains.
2. I can pick up any aluminum cans I see on the street and put them in my trunk. This helps in two ways (1) by getting the trash off the street and (2) I can put the aluminum can with others and sell it for gas money or money to donate to charity.
3. I can join groups like FreeCycle and offer stuff I don't use, but is still good to others who can use it.
4. Instead of throwing worn cloths away immediately, I can use them as cleaning rags. This not only saves me money, but it gives more then one use to the item of clothing. I remember my grandmother taking worn out underwear, washing it and then using it to clean the toilet stool and shower before throwing it out (after she let it dry of course).
5. I can either ask for paper when I go to the grocery store or I can recycle the plastic grocery bags by giving them to churches and charities that collect and give food to seniors on fixed incomes or the homeless.
6. I can clean out my cupboards and donate any dishes that I don't use, but are still in good condition to charities that fix hot meals to the homeless.
7. I can make my landscape fit the ecosystem I live in. Las Vegas is a desert so I can use desert landscaping in my yard.
8. I can make sure that the technological equipment I buy is environmentally friendly because it uses less electricity.
9. I can dispose of any technological equipment that no longer works by taking it someplace that recycles or disposes of the parts safely. At this point the only piece of technological equipment I have that doesn't work is my mouse. My computer mouse finally died and now I have to find a way of disposing of it in a way that's safe for the environment.

Solved the Mouse Problem

I've solved the mouse problem, at least temperarly. I think I'm going to have to either get a new mouse or move the one I have to a coffee stand so that the cord doesn't get tangled. I think that's the problem with the mouse, the cord gets tangled and the signals don't go through. Of course, moving the mouse, so that the cord remains straight, is only a temporary fix. I think I'll eventually have to get a new mouse.

Right now though I can use the mousekeys to move the pointer, click and drop and drag (I haven't tried this yet). Moving the mouse pointer with the key on the key pad isn't too bad. It's slow and I can't use the keys for numbers without extra key strokes. I'll use the number on the top of the regular keyboard. I usually use those number anyway so it isn't a big change. I've printed out all the instructions for using the keypad so their in front of me (just in case my short term memory decides to take a vacation on this).

Using the numbered keypad may be a good exercise in patience. It's great to solve a problem without help. I feel like I could solve any problem that confronts me. This was an interesting test, even if it was caused by a technological component rather than a spiritual component. I still haven't decided whether to remove the pass word from my log in and just let the computer start up without it. I don't suppose that's a good idea. I'll have to see how things go in the next few day before I know for sure.

It's not like there is anyone in the house I can't trust. The only other person here is Mom. I'm was going to set her up with a password to this machine so that she could use it to check her bank account. Her compute has the software to connect to the Internet it just doesn't have a long enough telephone cord.

Having a Few Mouse Problems

17 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Friday, October 12, 2007 about 9:02 PM PDT

I'm having a few mouse problems, not with the four legged type but with the computer mouse. It beeps and quits working. Which is a problem because I have to reboot the entire system after I figure out what the problem. The thing is I don't know why the mouse freezes up and won't work.

I've set the mouse keys so that I can use them when the numlock is off. That may fix the problem or part of it anyway. I don't know. I do know this is getting to be a pain. I never know when the mouse is going to freeze and the only warning I get is the beep. I turn the system off, I straighten the mouse cord out, I unplug the mouse and plug it back into the computer and hope it works. If it doesn't then I can't get back into the computer until the mouse works. I have my log in set to a password. If this keeps up I may have to discontinue the password until I get the problem solved or a new mouse.

I suppose now I'm going to have to start pricing mice as well as keyboards. Some of the keys stick periodically. I never know which key is going to stick until I find a letter missing in a word. That isn't a problem most of the time, still it could get irritating and the mouse situation isn't going to help. Maybe I'll go for a wireless mouse, I think my system will handle that. I'll have to check and see.

Oh well, that life one little thing after another. If you let them bother you then you're stressed. I guess the next the next piece of technology I get is a new mouse. I'll see if the mouse key solve part of the problem. My only question with the mouse keys is when I'm using them how do I high light and click onto item? That escapes me for the moment. I suppose the answer will come eventually and with a little research. Tonight however I'm going to do something else and worry about solving this problem tomorrow.

I know this whole situation with the mouse is a test. Tests assist in transformation and building faith. I just can't see how I can apply anything I learn solving the my mouse problems.

Blogging the Environment

13 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Monday, October 8, 2007 about 9:07 PM PDT



October 15, 2007 is Blog Action Day devoted to blogging about the environment. Write about it from a personal perspective or relate it to the subject of your blog. United action at the grass roots level will change the world. The individual blogger is at the grass root level of civilization and society.

I'm not sure just yet of the specific title of my entry on that day. It depends on the quote that I include in the post. I've blogged on several different topic most related to either my religion, spirituality, transformation or writing. My post will relate the environment to one of those topics. I'm going to make an entry in all four of my blogs that day concerning the environment. The entries will cover various topics from writing to spirituality and perhaps other subjects.

I'm looking forward to seeing what other bloggers have to say on the subject. I'm also looking forward to the results this will have on the world at large. This is an interesting experiment in action at the grass roots level a multitude of blogs covering the same subject.

6 Days left until Blog Action Day

Work Schedule

12 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Saturday, October 7, 2007 about 8:28 PM PDT

I'm going to have to set up specific time for Internet, writing and other work. I've tried getting everything in without a schedule and it isn't working. I can't seem to get everything in, I'm not worrying about getting everything done. If I just "keep plugging away" I'll eventually get the important stuff accomplished. It's not that I have a social life anyway. My social life lately has consisted in taking my mother to doctors appointments and Feasts. We (Mom and I) did go out to eat on Monday, but that's the first time we've been to a "sit down" restaurant in a long time.

This month my social life improves a bit. The Interfaith Forums 2007 starts on the evening of October 14, then on the evening of the 15th I'll go to feast. There is a holy day celebration on the evening of the 19th or is it the 20th, I don't have a calendar near me right now. The 20th is the Birth of the Bab, so I think the celebration is on the evening of the 19th. What else is going on in October?

On October 31 I celebrate joining writing.com, also that is Nevada Day and Halloween. I'm not sure that I'm going to be home that night. I usually don't stay home for "Tricker Treaters" because we never have a lot of them and I usually have candy left over. The last thing I need is more candy in this house. I've still got a box of candy in the refrigerator that I received back in April or was it May. Maybe we ought to finish that candy off in the next few day. I think I will get some Candy Corn, I always like those and Halloween is the only time I can find them.

November is NaNoWriMo, I'm planning the novel this month. I don't have a lot more to go only the scenes in the chapters. I have the main characters planned and the conflict figured out. I have to write one sentence about the scenes I want to put in, the first chapter scenes are figured out. I can't actually start writing the novel until November 1. The idea is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. The daily word count goal is 1,667 beginning the first of November.

As for the work schedule, I think I'll keep early morning and late evening for writing and surfing. The daylight hours for other chores and going out of the house; of course, there will be times when I can't write or surf at night because of commitments such as Feast, etc. This should work fairly well, especially if I expected interruptions and down time. As long as I keep a mental list of other things to do or a prayer book handy during the down time there won't be a big problem.

Autumn Inspirations

6 Mashiyyt 164 B.E. - Tuesday, October 2, 2007 about 8:57 AM PDT

Autumn and October bring a lot of memories for me. I grew up in Oklahoma where the change in season is spectacular. The leaves change color right after the first freeze and eventually begin to fall off the trees. This time of year generates poems and memories, but this year I don't have to worry about memories generating poems or stories.

In October the Interfaith Forums 2007 begin. I've written poems about them before, very long poems concerning the talks. This year I think I'll take a different approach and blog about the Forums. I think the best things about these panel discussion is the education they afford those who attend. The panelist present the beliefs of their own religions without belittling the religions of the other panelist or attendees.

Baha'u'llah in his writings encourages us to "associate with the followers of all religions" with an attitude of respect and love. That's why I like attending the forum discussions, because everyone there shows respect for the chosen faiths of others.

Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i scriptures are another source of inspiration. I've written several poems based on the history of the Baha'i faith and on the scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah and the Bab. I've also written some poems based on the writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha. In fact, I'm working on a group of poems inspired by either the history or the writings. On October 20 is the anniversary of the Birth of the Bab.

There are other things occurring this month that inspire. On October 31 is the anniversary of my joining writing.com. I joined that writers' website in 2002, I find inspiration whenever I log onto their server. One of the intriguing things is the way they change the look of their page every year. This is October so the theme on the web page is Halloween, I don't think I've written a Halloween poem in a while. This is one of those holidays that brings back a lot of memories of Trick'r'Treating, Halloween Parties, and grade school events.

October is also sign-up month for NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month is in November it last the entire month and the goal is to write a 50,000-word novel during the month. This month I'm outlining the novel I'm writing in November. The idea isn't whether you win or lose, but that you make a daily attempt. It is a good idea to set a daily word count goal because it's easier to make the 50,000 words if you know how much you have to write in a day. A person can go over the word count goal, of course, but if you set it and keep working you have a chance of completing the novel by the end of November.

Morning Coffee

I'm a coffee lover. I like my coffee in the morning. I also like finding new ways to enjoy coffee. One thing I've never considered putting in coffee is butter, but that's what they put in it in Ethiopia. It sounds delicious and I'm going to have to try it.

According to Marcus Samuelsson the coffee is roasted and then brewed. After it's brewed a dollop of spiced butter is added. I don't know where I can find coffee like this in Las Vegas, I know it's not on the menu of any coffee house I've ever been in. I might have to find a recipe for the spiced butter and make the coffee myself. I'll have to buy some Ethiopian coffee beans and grind them here at home. This is definitely a coffee I have to try.

An Abudance of Coffee Mugs

4 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Saturday, September 29, 2007 about 7:35 PM PDT

I am rich. I am wealthy. I have an abundance of coffee mugs. I have so many coffee mugs that my cupboards won't hold them all. So what happens, I picked up a box of kitchen stuff off freecycle the other day and there were coffee mugs in it as well. The difference here is that it is a matching set. The rest of my mugs aren't matching sets.

So what am I going to do? I'm going to keep the matching set and take the rest of the coffee mugs to the garage. I'll put them beside the Tupperware tumblers I took out today. I didn't say there were real glass water glasses and juice glasses in the box of kitchen stuff. The glasses were matching sets as well.

Now I have matching sets of coffee cups, water glasses and juice glasses. I can now get rid of the plastic tumblers and the mismatched coffee mugs. I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet. Probably offer them on freecycle and if no one wants them then I'll take them to a second hand shop or one of the local charities. Somebody must want them, they're still good it's just that I prefer to drink water, juice and soda out of real glass.

I grew up drinking water, juice and soda out of real glass. I like the taste of ice water in a glass instead of a plastic tumbler. The water feels colder in glass than in plastic. All right, so there probably isn't any real difference in the temperature. Any more than coffee tastes different in a set of matching cups than in mismatched mugs. That doesn't matter, it's the idea of drinking ice tea or water out of a glass. It's the idea of drinking coffee out of a matching set of cups.

Drinking coffee out of matching cups brings back memories of my childhood. My grandmother had matching coffee cups. She had real glass water and tea glasses, not crystal mind you but ordinary glass. When I was a child we drink out of them, they weren't just to look at they were to use.

My grandmother had two sets of dishes. She had a set that she used during the week and a "good" set that she used when we had "friends over", on holidays and on Sunday. I'm getting nostalgia, next I'll be talking about the "good old days", which by the way probably weren't all that great unless you were a kid and didn't have to worry about anything but playing.

Feast of Mashiyyat

1 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Thursday, September 27, 2007 about 10:55 AM PDT

I attended the Feast of Mashiyyat last night, this was the first of the decentralized feast we held in the an individuals home. The feast was spiritual and intriguing. It's been several years since I attended a nineteen day feast in someone's home. I volunteered to do the reading s for the feast on the evening of October 15 and I'll write more about this in a later entry.

Mashiyyat is looking to be a busy month. Today is Thankful Thursday in the yahoo journal writing group and I haven't considered what my Gratitude journal entry will be yet. On the first sign-ups for NaNoWriMo begin, I'm going to enter again this year, but rather than write a novel without a plan I'm planning. Planning for the novel begins on October 1 and NaNoWriMo begins on November 1. Also the firs of the Interfaith Forums 2007 is held in Mashiyyat (at the moment, I'm not sure what I did with the flyer so I'll have to find it before I post any more about the forums).

The Only thing I want to do

19 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Wednesday, September 26, 2007 about 3:50 PM PDT

After seven months of stress, tests and difficulties, I've come to one conclusion. There is only one thing I like to do and that is write. That is the reason I joined writing.com and that is the reason I have four blogs. However, I'm not sure anyone is reading any of my blogs. So for the next nineteen days (September 27 to October 15) I'm going to research and implement ways to increase my blog readership. I'm a writer and a writer without readers is like a song without someone to sing it.

I haven't had comments in this blog in a while, part of the reason could be my slip shod method of entries. I don't make entries for days at a time, that's changing. In fact, there is a lot of things going to change in my life, but I won't go into everything in this entry. I might or I might not in later entries. The focus of this blog is writing about transformation and the spiritual experience from a personal point of view. If anyone is reading this please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

A Good Book

16 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Sunday, September 23, 2007 about 9:27 AM PDT

It's amazing what you find when you open a book and leaf through it's pages. I found the book mark in one of my personal library books. I don't remember starting to read the book, but lately the stress level has raised to a rash so it's possible I started to read the book before March 12.

The book I found the marker in is The Purpose of Physical Reality: The Kingdom of Names by John S. Hatcher. This book suggest an answer to the question: Why did God ordain spiritual beings (humans/human soul) begin their lives in the physical world?

The book is divided into four (long) chapters. Chapter 1: The Search for Divine Justice in the Physical World. Chapter 2: The Baha'i Paradigm of Physical Reality. Chapter 3: A Guide to the Physical Classroom. Chapter 4: The Eternal Consequence of the Physical Experience. These chapters are further subdivided into sections. In the book Dr. Hatcher backs up his assertions with quotes from various scriptural and non-scriptural sources.

When it comes to reading this book, I think I'll just start at the beginning again, using the book mark to keep my place.

Hot Coffee on a Cold Morning

15 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Saturday, September 22, 2007 about 6:55 AM PDT

There is nothing like a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning or even a chilly morning. It feels cold to me especially after the rain last night. I didn't go to bed until after 1:00 AM, then I got up and turned the alarm off about 4:00 AM and then I sit down on the couch and dozed until about 6:30 AM. I said my morning prayer and made coffee. The coffee smells and tastes good even if I did make it myself.

It's cloudy outside so I expect it will rain again sometime today. That's all right though because I have plenty to do around the house. I didn't get the trash taken out this morning and the garbage trucks have already gone through the neighborhood. I heard them about 6:55 AM. Sometimes they don't pick up the trash until late morning or even afternoon, but this morning they're on the ball and getting it done.

I hadn't planned on taking the trash out anyway. The wind blew so hard yesterday that I didn't get it taken to the curb last night and I was up too late (or perhaps I should say early) to get it out this morning. That's all right, I'll get the trash out Wednesday. Next Saturday I have to be on the ball with the recyclables. I've just about gotten all of them out of the garage, one more load to the curb and my garage won't be backed up in recyclables. That will be one thing I've finally gotten caught up since March.

My mother's been in and out of the hospital since March 12. I'm still trying to catch work up that can only be done quickly and effectively by two people. Mom still can't do a lot of things, so I'm doing most of it, but eventually I'll get it caught up. Well almost everything anyway. I beginning to think there's no such thing as getting the laundry caught up or even completely done. The best that one can hope for with laundry is just to stay ahead of it.

My grandmother did laundry once a week. She washed cloths for herself, my grandfather and four grandchildren. Saturday was laundry day at my grandparents house. She washed the cloths and hung them on the line to dry. She didn't use an automatic dryer, even after automatic dryers came out she still hung her cloths on the line to dry. She did change from a wringer washer to an automatic washer, but she all ways hung her cloths on the line.

Hot coffee, cold or cool mornings and a silent house all ways bring out fond memories from my childhood. I'm not sure why that combination works so well, maybe now that I'm 60 and going on 61 the good memories are coming to the surface. Not that all the memories from ,my childhood are good. I have bad or unpleasant memories as well, but this morning the good memories are surfacing. Perhaps it's because I said my morning prayers, perhaps it's just that the weather reminds me of fall in Oklahoma, or perhaps its a combination.

Morning Prayer revealed by Baha'u'llah

I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide withing the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defense. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendors of the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favor.

Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 250

Fall Approaches

14 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Friday, September 21, 2007 about 3:46 PM PDT

Fall approaches, the weather is getting cooler, the sky is covered with clouds and the wind is blower. I watch the wind moving the limbs of the stone pine trees in my front yard. I think of the upcoming events in my life. The next feast is on September 26, the Feast of Mashiyyat (Will). Then in October there is the Feast of 'Ilm (Knowledge) on October 16 and the Birth of the Bab (October 20). I celebrate joining writing.com on October 31.

November is NaNoWriMo and the idea is to write a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30. Also in November are two Feast and three Holy Days. The Feast of Qudrat (Power) is on November 3 and the Feast of Qawl (Speech) on November 22, these feast are held in the evening because Baha'i follow a solar calendar and the day begins at sunset. The Holy Days are the Anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah on November 12, the Day of the Covenant, November 26, and the Ascension of 'Abdul'l-Baha, November 28. At the Feast of Qawl I celebrate becoming a Baha'i.

It's Raining Now

14 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Thursday, September 20, 2007 about 7:54 PM PDT

Daily writing prompt for September 18, 2007 from yahoo group Daily Writing Practice.

I am dedicating this poem to Baha'u'llah

It's raining now
the blessing of God are descending upon the earth
each drop carried by an angel.

It's raining now
the verses of God flow from the Garden of Paradise
and the Nightingale of Revelation calls to humanity.

It's raining now
the planet is receiving the water of unity
from the clouds of love and faith.

It's raining now
and all the thirsty people are drinking their fill
of the verses of God's promised one.

It's raining now
and the voice of the Nightingale
intones prayers of praise and thanksgiving.

It's raining now
and the Glory of God proclaims
earth as a single tree and humanity it's leaves.

It's raining now
step out of you houses
and feel the rain of God's love.

It's raining now
dance beneath the clouds of faith
and drink your fill of life's water.

Hot Java

12 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Wednesday, September 19, 2007 about 6:44 AM PDT

I went to and read in the 9th Annual Las Vegas Ladies Poetry Night at the reJAVAnate last night. This event hasn't always been at the reJAVAnate, it's been held at several different coffee houses over the past nine years. The title for this years event was Hot Java. My mother read last night as well.

The house was packed and I saw several people I haven't seen in a year. Actually I haven't been to a lot of poetry readings in the past year or is is seven months (it's possible I attended an open mic either in February or March of this year). I went to men's night last month and then read in women's night last night. Other then that I haven't participated in or been to reading in a while. You'd think I'd remember the last time I attended a poetry reading, but the last seven months have been stressful to say the least. I think things are looking up, they appear to be looking up.

Last night's reading was fun. Mom and I had two different drink, when I got there I bought us a hot chai latte and then we got a large Mocha Java. There was also birthday cake there so we had some cake. I haven't had a slice of birthday cake or any type of cake in some time.

'Izzat is half over

10 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Monday, September 17, 2007 about 7:23 AM PDT

'Izzat (Might) is half over, there are precisely nine days left until the next Feast and the next month. The next feast is Mashiyyat (Will). I'm slowly approaching the Feast that marks the anniversary of my declaration of faith in Baha'u'llah. I didn't declare my belief at the Feast of Qawl (Speech) on the evening of November 22, but that was the first Feast I attended after declaring some thirty years ago.

I began dating my journal with the Baha'i date some time after that, but I'm not quite sure when I begin dating the journals that way. I'll have to check my earlier journals to find out. Right now most of those journals are in my bedroom in a trunk. I think I'll start going through the old journals to see what I have that I can work into poems, essays or stories. There are, also, poems that need rewriting.

I'm not sure when I start keeping a journal on a regular basis. However, I don't think I started until after I became a Baha'i. In high school or junior high (middle school) I kept a diary, but that's not a journal. I don't know what happened to it; I don't think it got to Las Vegas, Nevada, from Blackwell, Oklahoma with me.

It's interesting the things we remember and the things we forget. I can remember my first Feast and when it was, but I can't remember precisely when I started a journal. I'm thinking it was after I became a Baha'i and the it had something to do with a class at CCSN (Community College of Southern Nevada) I took. I think the class had something to do with writing and the journal was part of the grade. I'll have to look for my old journals and see.

This year the Feast of Qawl occurs on the evening of Thursday, November 22, and Thanksgiving falls on that day as well. I'm supposed to go to my nieces for Thanksgiving Dinner that day and Feast occurs at 7:00 P.M. I'm not sure whether there is a conflict here or not, I won't know until I contact my niece and see what time she is planning on serving dinner. I there is a conflict then I'll go to my nieces, I've already accepted the invention and I think that it's God's will that Mom and I spend Thanksgiving with her and her family.

I Bought a New Mop

9 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Sunday, September 16, 2007 about 1:21 PM PDT

I bought a new spaghetti mop last week, but when I bought it I wasn't thinking ahead. I didn't get any Pine Sole (which Grandma Newland) always put in her mop water. So when I mopped the floor I had to use bleach and laundry detergent. That will be all right for a while, but I'm going to have to get something else within the next week or so.

The mop is one of those that you wring out by hand. My grandmother used this type of mop or a rag mop all her life. I don't remember her ever using a sponge mop even when her arthritis was acting up. I don't like sponge mops myself, the don't work like I think they should. The new mop I can get a new mop head for when I have to. It's a wonderful mop, it works like a mop should work especially on the difficult spots. True sometimes I have to use a little "elbow grease" (that's how Grandma referred to getting hard dirt up), but the mop works much better than a sponge mop.

I think I can get a mop bucket to wring the mop out, I'll have to check on that. I didn't see anything at the grocery store I bought the mop at, but I'll probably have to go someplace else to get that. Right now I'm using an old cat litter bucket as a mop bucket. It works even if I have to wring the mop out by hand and wash the mop bucket out periodically.

I think I've all ready put the mop in my gratitude journal, but I think I'll do it again. I'll also say a prayer of thank from the prayer book. Things have been bit bit difficult lately, lots of tests and difficulties. I need to learn thankfulness in adversity. I think that was one of the reasons I started my gratitude journal. Lately I've put something in it every day. Sometimes I put only one thing I'm grateful for and sometimes ten things, but I put something in it everyday.

Make the Soul Strong

8 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Saturday, September 15, 2007 about 3:03 PM PDT

A list of things that make the soul strong:

1. Tests and difficulties
2. Prayer
3. Daily reading of the scripture
4. Meditation
5. Writing in a journal
6. Laughter
7. Tears
8. Joy and sorrow
9. Faith
10. Spiritual attributes
11. Trust in God
12. Fear of God
13. Knowing that the Creator always keeps promises
14. Living by the golden rule
15. Going to spiritual services
16. Looking for the answer to a prayer when the answer you want doesn't come
17. Smiling at others even when they scowl at you
18. Searching for truth independently
19. Daily work

Noticing the Essential

7 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Friday, September 14, 2007 about 12:06 PM PDT

Love is noticing the essential,
the little thing that unit humanity
into a single race.

Faith is noticing the essential,
the golden thread that run through
the tapestry of religion:
the Golden Rule.

Noticing the essential
bring the scattered segments of humanity
together through love.

Noticing the essential
is searching for truth independently
and judging for one's self.

Noticing the essential
encourages the soul to search
through the darkness for light.

Thankful Thursday Gratitude Journal Entry

7 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Thursday, September 13, 2007 about 8:33 PM PDT

Dear Glory,

Today I am thankful for the wind that blows through to olive and stone pine trees in my front yard. When I am outside the wind makes soft music that whispers through the olive leave and pine needle.

Today I am grateful for the bucket of laundry detergent that I bought at Food 4 Less last week. I can wash 150 loads of laundry before I have to get another bucket.

Today I am thankful for the fabric sheets I got at Albertsons' on Monday (maybe I should start making a grocery list before I go to the store and I wouldn't for get anything). I can dry 160 loads of laundry before worrying about getting more.

Today I am grateful for coffee warmed over in the microwave. It taste as good as it did when I first made it this morning or was it yesterday morning. I pour the left over coffee into a Tupperware container and then warm it over in a white microwavable coffee cup.

Today I am thankful for having enough gas in the car to last until Saturday before worrying about where the money for another few gallons will come from.

Today I am grateful for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I had my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich in two years on Monday. I still remember the taste of it and the pleasant memories of my grandparents that came to mind.

Today I am thankful for the mourning doves that eat the olives that fall of the olive tree.

Today I am grateful for the neighbor's cat that walks through my yard everyday and pauses to look through either the living room window or the screened in patio windows.

Today I am thankful for having completed the iVillage course on business before the close of class on September 14.

Today I am grateful for the prayers for praise and gratitude in the Baha'i Prayer book.

Thankfully yours,
Prosperous Snow, Poet 999, Neva F. Darbe

To Go To Bed or Stay Up

6 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Tuesday, September 12, 2007 about 11:01 PM PDT

To go to bed or stay up that is the question. I'm sitting in front of the computer dozing off. Before I started this entry I was reading e-mail and taking surveys until I started to sleep sitting up. The problem is that as soon as my head hits the pillow I'll be wide awake again. This has happened several times in the past week or so.

Monday night I sit on the patio with my prayer book and prayed. I found myself dozing off. In fact, I actually went to sleep sitting in a patio chair. I woke up and went to bed, I laid there looking either out the window or at the ceiling. The view out the window was a lot better because I could see Metro's helicopter flying over the neighborhood.

It's going to be this way for the next month and a half. As soon as I get up and go to bed I won't be able to fall asleep, but if I stay up working at the computer I'll doze off. I wouldn't mind staying up in November because that NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) I'm going to sign up again this year. The sign ups start on October 1, Novel Writing Month starts on November 1. Then I wouldn't mind getting up again and going back to the computer.

Now, however, I'd like to get a little sleep and sleeping in a chair isn't restful. Tomorrow I'm taking Mom in for another blood test. This is the second on this week and I can tell you she isn't happy about it. I'm not all that joyous about it myself. Fortunately we have a handicap permit because of Mom's inability to walk long distances. Still waiting in the line and then in the Quest waiting room is tiring.

Evening Thoughts in September

2 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Sunday, September 9, 2007 about 7:10 PM PDT

The sun is slowly setting behind the western mountains. Of course, I can't see the sunset because my garage hides the view. It's early September and I'm doing laundry. I've did laundry everyday for the past seven months. I'll probably be doing laundry for the next seven months. I bought a enough laundry detergent to do 150 loads, so that ought to last for a while.

It's less then four months to the end of 2007. It's less then four months to my birthday. I'm a Christmas Eve baby. I'm a baby boomer, I'll be 61 my next birthday. This has been a stressful year and while I don't normally attend or commemorate December 31 or January 1 New Year celebrations, I might make an exception this year. I usually celebrate the Baha'i New Year, Naw-Ruz, on March 20/21.

Of course I could just as easily celebrate my birthday. I usually don't go out on Christmas Eve if I don't have to, but this year is different. I get the feeling that all the stress and difficulties I've encountered have more to do with birth then anything else. I'm emerging from my cocoon. I'm seeing the world through new eyes. I actually find doing laundry and scrubbing the floors on my hands and knees spiritual experiences. I'm also getting a new mop tomorrow and it won't be a sponge mop.

In October I celebrate becoming a member of writing.com. In November I celebrate declaring my faith in Baha'u'llah. Each of these are important mile stones in my life. The most important of the two is my Declaration of Belief in Baha'u'llah and the attendance of my first Feast as a Baha'i. Finding Baha'u'llah was the most important thing to happen to me since my birth into this world. I'm not sure how I'm going to celebrate this event this year, I probably won't know until a few days before I'm planning on celebrating.

A Place I Long For

1 'Izzat 164 B.E. - Saturday, September 8, 2007 about 4:53 PM PDT

Daily Writing Practice Prompt for September 7, 2007: Write about a place you long for.

I long for a garden on a mountain. A garden with fountains and steps to ascend the mountain. Steps that have water running on either side of them.

I long for a garden that is a holy place. A garden with trees and flowers, where the children of God gather to celebrate His praise.

I long for a garden with memorials and places to pray. A garden on a mountain. A mountain with building on the top and terraces that steps ascend.

I long for a garden, a place in nature where I can sit and pray. A place in nature where I can sit and write poems. A place I can describe in my journal and then transpose to a blog.

I long for a garden, that is a place for my soul and mind to rest. A place my mind can meditate on the beauty of the world. A place where I can sit and rest while the world and history walk by for a little while.

I long for a garden on a mountain, with steps that I can climb to the top. A mountain where I can rest half way up and kneel to pray in a shrine holding the dust of a Manifestation of God.

Approaching the end of Asma

18 Asma 164 B.E. - September 05, 2007 about 8:10 PM PDT

The end of Asma 164 B.E. is approaching. The Feast of 'Izzat in on the evening of Friday, September 7. I've decided I need to make some changes to the way I do things. I'm setting up a daily schedule so that I can get other things done besides housework and stuff like that. I'm working on line, so I need to work at least 40 hours a week to increase my income. This will give me a chance to have a "day off" if I want to take it.

My problem is I get focused on one thing and don't want to stop or let it go until it's finished. However, this doesn't always work because if I get stuck on something I have to get away from the project. Interruptions don't always come when you want them to. I'd like interruptions to occur when I'm "butting my head against a wall", when I encounter a difficulty that needs "day dreaming" time to resolve. Unfortunately, I'm a bit stubborn, take after my father on that one, and I attempt to stick it out getting "no where fast". I'm hoping this new approach will help.

Anyway, as I said the end of Asma is approaching in a couple of days and a new month starts. I'm going to attempt the schedule in 'Izzat and see how it works. I've attempted schedules before with varying results. The problem with schedules is something usually interrupts them. I found where I went wrong on that. I didn't allow for the interruptions. For the getting in the car and driving all the way across town to take care of a bill or some other item.

Driving across Vegas is an experience. It takes time and nothing is convenient, which takes gas. I'm not sure what I'm writing makes sense or has anything to do with the end of one month and the beginning of another. I'm working the schedule so that it officially starts in 'Izzat. It will start on Saturday, September 08, I'll see how it works for 19 days then redo it if I have to.

Happy Birthday Writing.com

17 Asma 164 B.E. - September 04, 2007 about 11:12 PM PDT

In September writing.com is celebrating its 7th birthday. This year I'm coming out of my cocoon and entering into the festivities. I wrote a poem The Best Gift and entered it into one of the birthday contest. I'm reviewing new writers on the site as part of the birthday celebration. I'm enjoying myself.

I like writing.com because it helped bring me out of my cocoon. The reviews I receive help me improve my writing. The reviews I give help me improve my writing, I know that sounds strange because reviews are supposed to help the person being reviewed. Reviews help improve my writing by showing me examples of both excellent and other types of writing. I, normally, review items rated 18+ or lower. However, sometimes I review the higher ratings, especially if a piece I've reviewed is the first in a group of short stories or poems.

My handle on writing.com is Prosperous Snow. My portfolio is located at http://Writing.Com/authors/nfdarbe and my blog Snow Melt (rated 18+) is http://Writing.Com/authors/nfdarbe/blog.

End of the Month Blues

13 Asma 164 B.E. - August 31, 2007 about 9:43 PM PDT

I'm not sure what's been wrong with me all day. I've felt sort of sad or down. Not that I'm unhappy, but just a little blue. It's probably because it's the end of the month and almost the end of 2007. I feel like I'm floating in circles and getting nowhere fast.

I run out of laundry detergent today, so I went to the store. I got detergent, trash bags, toilet paper, bleach, red and green salsa, barbecue sauce, Arizona ice tea, and beef patties. Earlier today after we picked up Mom's meds we went to KFC and got their 10 piece meal. I'm going to put the barbecue sauce on the chicken that is left and let it marinate. I cooked rice yesterday, I'll put the salsa in the rice.

Maybe I'm blue because the only time I've been out to eat in the past month is to get a KFC meal deal. I'd really like a prime rib with raw horseradish, baked potato with butter and sour cream and a nice salad.

Mom and I went to the poetry reading on Tuesday, I'm thinking we'll go to the Labor Day open mic next Tuesday. There is a feast at the Baha'i center on Friday evening, so I won't go to the First Friday reading in the Art's district this month. I'll have to check October's calender, but I think the First Friday in October is open (unless something comes up) so I'll go to the reading then.

I could also be blue because this hasn't been a productive day. However, tomorrow will be different. Saturday, September 1, is recyclable day in my neighborhood, so I'm going to take the recyclables out. I'm not sure that I'll get everything out, but I'll get most of the recyclables out this week. There are three recyclable days in September, so that should let me get all that stuff out of the garage.

I'm going to attempt to get most of the laundry done tomorrow. The washing machine isn't level so I have to stand by against it when it goes through the spin cycle or it moves and I have to push it back into position. Pushing the washer isn't good for my back and standing by it while it's spinning gives me a chance to meditate. I don't think I have all that many loads, so it shouldn't take a long time to do. While I'm waiting for the cloths to wash I can clean off the kitchen counter, wash the microwave out or do the dishes.

I suppose doing laundry and dishes is productive, but I'd like to be doing something else. I'd prefer to write or read. I still have to find a decent mop. I'm working with sponge mops right now and I don't like them, but their all we have around the house. I really didn't know how much I didn't like them until I started doing all the floors with Mom being sick and unable to do them. I don't know how she worked with a sponge mop. I'm probably going to end up on my hands and knees scrubbing floors.

Scrubbing floors on my hands and knees is a spiritual experience. However, my right knee bothers me worse than usual when I do that. I haven't discussed it with a doctor because I have other health problems that are more important. The knee normally only bothers me if I walk over a mile or something like that.

Giant Spider Web

12 Asma 164 B.E. - August 30, 2007 about 9:30 PM PDT

I'm afraid of spiders. I have an unnatural fear of spiders. I have arachnophobia. So why do I have to read every news story about spiders? Is it my subconscious desire to overcome this fear? I'm not sure, I just know that if there is a story about spiders I have to check it out. I also have the desire to see movies about spiders. I'm not sure this is normal for someone with arachnophobia.

The giant spider web in Texas caught my eye. OK, so where else would there be a giant spider web. Texas is a giant state, not as large as Alaska mind you, but it's a giant state. I can remember when Texas was the largest state in the union. Then they made Alaska a state, but it didn't deflate Texas' ego. Before I go on with this, I'd better say I'm not from Texas I'm from Oklahoma.

Back to the spider web, I've never heard of a web that big before. I'd like to see it, it sounds interesting and frightening. I've seen some unusual scifi movies about spiders. I've read Lord of the Rings, which has giant spiders and giant spider webs in it. The movies and the stories about spiders don't seem to effect me. However, seeing spider is an entirely different thing. They send chills up my spine. Dreaming about spiders is always an indication of fear for me or at least it used to be. I haven't dreamed about them in a while. Lately my fear dreams haven't had anything to do with spiders. Check the story out, you can click on the title of this entry and it will take you to the story.

The interesting thing about my fear dreams is that I usually recite the Remover of Difficulties in the dream when I'm afraid. The Remover of Difficulties was reveal by the Bab, Baha'u'llah's forerunner. Since I read the story about the giant web I'm interested in what I'll dream tonight when I finally do go to bed. I wonder how I could use that giant web in a story or poem?

Laundry Day

5 Asma 164 B.E. - August 24, 2007

When I was growing up my Grandma Newland did laundry once a week. Laundry day for her was on Saturday. She did "the washing," as she called it, for all of us mom, her and Grandpa, and four grandchildren. Every week she'd go to the laundry room, which my Grandfather had built, and wash the cloths. Grandma would do a load, then hang it out while the next load was washing. For most of that time she used a washing machine that had a wringer attached to get the water out of the cloths before rinsing or hanging them out.

For me, laundry day is every day. I have an automatic washer and dryer. I wash the cloths and then put them in the dryer. In fact, right now I'm drying a load of sheets. When they're done, then I'll go put another load into the washer. I suppose I could put a load in while I'm drying, but the washer would be finished before the cloths in the dryer are dry. Besides my washing machine isn't level and in the spin cycle it moves.

What this means is that I have to move the machine back into position before starting another load. Alternately, I can lean on the machine in the spin cycle and keep it from moving. I've started doing the later lately. It's a lot easier on my back if I do it this way, then move the washer back into position. Yes, I know there is a way to take care of that. I'll do that as soon as I can, in the mean time this is how it's being done.

There are only two people in this house hold, myself and my mother. I do laundry every day. If I skip a day I get behind on the laundry. As it is I'm going to have to go into the linen closet and straighten it up. Mom when into the hospital in March and the linen closet hasn't been straight since. We've got lots of sheets and pillow cases, I just didn't get anything put back into the shelves properly. I think the only solution is to take everything out (sheets, pillow cases and towels) and put them all back in again.

I enjoy doing laundry. I even enjoy standing at the washing machine during the spin cycle. The vibration of the washer is very relaxing. I can stand and meditate on a scripture verse or review a prayer I'm memorizing while the cloths are spinning. It's a very spiritual experience.

Scrubbing Floors on my Hands & Knees

2 Asma 164 B.E. - August 21, 2007 about 7:30 PM PDT

I've really got to start making my blog entries earlier in the day. It's somewhere around sunset in Las Vegas, which means it's probably closer to 3 Asma then 2 Asma. However, I'm not changing the date.

I scrubbed part of the floor on my hands and knees yesterday evening (August 20) at the time I was crying while I did it. OK, I've found myself in tears a lot lately. I think I'm under way too much stress or I'm letting things get to me. Anyway I found an old wash rag, that's not what my Grandmother used she had a brush especially for scrubbing floors. One uses what they have and the sponge mop wasn't doing the job I wanted it to, so I had to get on my hands and knees to do the job. I wasn't crying because I of scrubbing the floor that way.

The reason I was crying is really unimportant. What is important is that I think I like scrubbing floors, especially tile floors on my hands and knees. I know that sounds weird, but there is something calming and almost spiritual about scrubbing floors on your hands and knees.

Feast of Asma

1 Asma 164 B.E. - August 20, 2007

I haven't posted in this blog in a while, mainly because I couldn't find the time. Part of the problem was the way I composed my posts. I wrote them in Word, then copied and pasted to the blog. I'm changing that, now I type directly into the blog. Fortunately this blog has spell check so my creative spelling will be detected and changed. I do have other problems such as a tendency to use the passive voice. I'll have to work on that.

The Feast of Asma (Names) was held at the Baha'i Center in Las Vegas last night. The Feast was wonderful, spiritual and beautiful. My mother couldn't go because she's in Vegas Valley Rehab right now. I'm not sure how long she'll be there. I have to take her walker tomorrow to see if I can handle her at home. She's been in and out of the hospital and rehab since March of this year. Hopefully she'll be home to attend the next feast at the center.


I haven't been going out much because of gas prices. I did go the the Antique Road Show on Saturday, August 18, it was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center next to the Hilton Hotel. I took two items my mother's cast iron Saint Bernard coin bank and a slide rule. Both items were appraised at more that I expected. I think I'll sell the slide rule, but the coin bank will go to one of my nieces or nephews.

Why I Wrote a Personal Mission Statement

16 Kamal 164 B.E. – August 15, 2007 at 8:42:33 PM PDT

I have to admit that I’ve been a bit lackadaisical in keeping this blog updated. There are many excuses I could use, but I’m not going to use any of them. The reason I’m not using excuses is the title of this blog “A Butterfly Emerges from Her Cocoon”. Everything that has occurred to me in the past eight or nine months, which have prevented me from updating this blog, have taught me something about myself.

In fact, I’ve learned more about myself since December 24, 2006, when I turned 60 then the past 59 years taught me. I’ve learned that I don’t like to procrastinate and that I usually do it out of fear. I’ve learned that I feel guilty if I don’t write, just as I feel guilty if I don’t pray everyday. I’ve learned that if I have to do something I don’t like (such as house work), I have to approach it from a different angle. For some odd reason I can’t wash dishes or mop the floor because it is necessary, I have to find a spiritual approach to the job.

Maybe it’s the mystic in me, I don’t know. What I do know is that I can’t go on the way I’ve been going. True I’ve slowly changed since becoming a Baha’i over 20 years ago, but since December 2006 the urgency to transform and emerge from my cocoon has increased. I’ve found myself questioning why I do or don’t do something. I’m looking at events in my childhood and youth that still effect my actions today.

It’s not that I blame anyone else for the way my life turned out. After a certain age, a person has to take responsibility for her own actions and emotions. It’s just that certain past events in my life determine, or perhaps I should say influence, the way I react today. The problem is I don’t like some of my reactions, so I have to change them. The only way I can see to change the way I react to daily events and disappointments is to take a spiritual approach.

The only way I can see to take a spiritual approach to the events of life is to place my trust in God through His latest messenger Baha’u’llah. Therefore, I’ve written a personal mission statement, which covers nine general goals.

Personal Mission Statement

Goal 1: I live each day worry free by placing my whole trust in God through Baha’u’llah.

Goal 2: I develop spirituality by daily prayer, meditation, scripture reading, and chanting.

Goal 3: I succeed in achieving my goals by turning roadblocks into opportunities.

Goal 4: I gain financial independence by using my talents creatively.

Goal 5: I gain self-knowledge by journaling.

Goal 6: I make each day better than the day before by changing, at least, one thing in my physical environment that makes me uncomfortable.

Goal 7: I make myself a better person by replacing each bad habit with a good habit.

Goal 8: I solve my problems by prayer, meditation and then following my initiation concerning the solution.

Goal 9: I replace my negative self-talk by memorizing an appropriate prayer or verse of scripture.

Doing the Chores

12 Kamal 164 B.E. – August 12, 2007

Lately I’m doing a lot of housework and it’s gotten me to thinking about my Grandmother. She enjoyed housework much more than I do, but she never did call it housework. Instead, my Grandmother referred to it as “doing the chores”. However, it didn’t seem like housework was a chore to her.

I remember when we were small she would let us help her with the dishes or making the beds. Grandma was very talented when it come to making beds. She could do hospital corners perfectly. I’m not that talented, I never was. I don’t think she ever got me to do hospital corners the way she could do them and she tried.

Another thing my grandma didn’t use was a sponge mop. I can understand why, at least most of the time. I did find a sponge mop on the patio that works OK. I’m not saying it’s good at getting up spills and stuff like that first time, but at least it doesn’t leave the floor streaked. However, my grandmother never used a sponge mop. She used a rag mop. She would take an old towel or something like that, put in on the end of a mop, and use that on the floor. She would wring it out by hand. She did that for years, even when arthritis made it difficult for her to wring it out, she still used the rag mop. Of course, her arthritis didn’t appear very bad or she didn’t complain about it.

Another thing my grandmother did, when she couldn’t sleep at night she would get up and vacuum the floors. Not that her floors were very dirty, still she would get up a vacuum. Sometimes she would vacuum every night if she couldn’t sleep. I on the other hand don’t vacuum at night, what I do is get up and go online.

I do have to admit one thing, I’m enjoying housework a lot more than I used to. I’m still not overjoyed about doing dishes by hand, but I do like to do laundry. I’ve found myself enjoying watching the washing machine fill with water lately, before I put the cloths in. I even found myself enjoying mopping the hall this morning, maybe it was because the sponge mop I found on the patio worked better than the others did. It could also be I’ve found myself taking a more spiritual approach to housework lately.

I’m not doing the housework or “the chores” for myself anymore. I’m doing them for Baha’u’llah. While I do “the chores” I review scripture verses I’ve learned. It’s an intriguing approach to a job that I’ve always found tedious, but I don’t find it that way any more.

Red Flag Warning

6 Kalimat 164 BE – July 18, 2007

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the area. This type of warning refers to fire danger. It windy out, this is monsoon season and we’ve had fires in the mountains started by dry lightning. The humidity is up, but I doubt that it rains. While I can tell that there is humidity, it doesn’t feel or smile like rain.

We get red flag warnings a lot this time of year. We’re in a drought so monsoon season hasn’t been wet for the past several years. Not that I’m going to the Mountains. I haven’t been to Mount Charleston in a long time, I’d like to go, but I think I’d like to wait until winter when I can take a sleigh ride at the inn.

My yard is fairly clean, I had the backyard done before the 4th so it isn’t overgrown yet. I probably need the front yard done again, but I’ll have to wait until next month. I think I’ll get out there during the cool of the day and sweep up the stuff that falls from the stone pine trees. The stone pines look all right, but the olive tree and the elm tree don’t look real good. We might be able to do something for the olive tree, but I think we’ve may lose the elm. Unless I’m mistake it has Dutch Elm Disease, of course I could be wrong about that. I don’t know what the symptoms of Dutch Elm Disease is and I’m not a gardener. The truth is I’m just happy if I can keep a plant alive.

It seems hot in the house, but I’ve drank coffee all morning. OK, I was without coffee for several days. I still wouldn’t have coffee if I didn’t get a Star Bucks Card through the mail. I’ve got $0.05 left on the card. It’s a good thing it’s refillable. I’m going to put some money on it and use it as an emergency coffee fund. I’m sixty years old and there are certain things in life I’d rather not do at this time of my life. One of them is drink hot tea when I’d rather have coffee. Another is use a sponge mop or scrub the floor on my hands and knees.

Actually, if I have a choice between using a sponge mop and scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees, I’ll take the hands and knees. I don’t like sponge mops (I think I’ve written this before in this blog). It doesn’t matter how well you sweep a floor, a sponge mop just gets the floor dirty again. OK, I think have did the sponge mop rant enough for now.

I’m in a good mood this morning, which I have Baha’u’llah to thank for. I’m always in a good mood when I recite one of his revealed prayers. In fact, reciting or even reading any prayer Baha’u’llah has revealed changes my mood and outlook on life. Daily prayer is one of the laws of God, but I never know that reciting a revealed prayer could change my mood until I became a Baha’i. It’s just amazing.

Memories of My Grandparents and Moving Furniture

5 Kalimat 164 B.E. – Tuesday, July 17, 2007

It’s been an interesting few days. I’ve written a poem and a flash fiction piece everyday. I moved the furniture, this was for two reasons; first, to clean out from under the couches, second, to find change. Thinking back to the way my Grandmother did her housework. She moved the couch and chairs about once a month to clean under them. Actually, she had my Grandfather move them. I’m not as fortune to have a man around the house to do that stuff, so I do it myself; which explains why I don’t move the furniture once a month. I did discover that the couch makes into a bed, I didn’t know this before. I still have to move the couch in the breakfast room back against the wall, but I’ll do that probably Saturday. It’s not like its in anybody’s way. I just don’t want to move it back before mopping behind it.

I have to get down on my hands and knees to mop the floor. I have a sponge mop, but all it does is move the dirt around. I can sweep, then use a dust mop on the floor, then sponge mop and all I get from the sponge mop is streaked tiles and dirt in a different place. I can’t stand sponge mops. OK, now that I’ve got the “sponge mop rant” out of my system, at least temporarily, I can get on to other business. I’ve did the “sponge mop rant” in all my blogs lately and to one of the journaling groups. Come to think of it, “The Sponge Mop Rant” sounds like a good name for a poem, essay or story. I’ll have to try the theme in a piece of fiction.

As I said before, it’s been an interesting three days all though thinking back I might want to put an interesting three weeks or month. Anyway, I was writing about moving furniture, I found exactly $0.32 as results of moving two couches and a love seat. It’s a good thing they’re not heavy. The truth is, I found moving them quite invigorating. OK, maybe I’m becoming domestic in my old age, I never found moving furniture fun or invigorating before the age of 60, now it’s both.

Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha are probably both either frowning or smiling at me right now. Especially when it comes to moving the furniture bit. I’ve never been one to move furniture. Normally if the furniture works where it is, I don’t move it even to clean under it. The method of cleaning under the furniture I used to use was to take a broom and sweep under as far as I could go, but I think I’m going to be moving it more often now. Go to the once a month routine. I’ll have to think about the once a month thing for a couple of days or so before I decide one way or the other. My back doesn’t feel worse, in fact it feels better than it did before. My knee feels better than it did before, but I’m not sure that has anything to do with moving furniture.

Feast of Words

1 Kalimat 164 B.E. – Friday, July 13, 2007

I went to feast at the Baha’i Center in Las Vegas last night. The Feast was marvels, wonderful, spiritual. There aren’t enough words in any language to express how the feast feels. Feast is divided into three portions (1) the spiritual portion, (2) the business portion, and (3) the social portion. During the social portion, one of the items served was Osh (I think that’s how you spell the soup).

I got an idea for a poem called the Feast of Words. I’m not sure exactly how I’m going to approach this poem yet. I do have an idea for a line or rather a part of a line.

Phrase by phrase we consume …

This poem will use food words and phrases to describe the nineteen-day feast, but that’s all I’m sure of right now. I’m going to have to pray and meditate on the writings about feast. For me partaking of feast is like partaking of the Lords Supper. I want to get this feeling into the poem.

Writing poems isn’t easy. It’s not like you can just transcribe the poem and then forget about it. Writing a good poem require rewrites and rewrites. Writing a good poem requires planning, sometimes planning isn’t a conscious process on the part of the poet, but the planning is there nonetheless. This poem is going to require conscious planning and a lot of rewriting before it emerges complete.

God’s Love

16 Rahmat 164 BE – Monday, July 9, 2007

God show love to humanity in many ways. One of those ways is to send prophets, manifestations (reflecting divine attributes), or messengers to humanity to let us know the Divine Will. One of those messengers was the Bab, which means the Gate. Today is July 9; it is the commemoration of the Bab’s martyrdom. At about noon on July 9, 1850 the Bab died before a firing squad in a market square. He gave his life for humanity; he gave his life because of the love of God for the human race.

We talk about the love of God for humanity, but often times we don’t consider what that love means. Each of God’s prophets have sacrificed for the human race. Some of them give up their homes and were prisoners in exile for decades, while other gave their lives. Everyone one of them is proof of God’s love for us. We have to live our lives in such a way that we reflect that love to humanity. When the messenger ascends into the next world, not matter the method of ascent, then the individual must find a way to reflect the love that messenger had for God and humanity.

Lucky Day

14 Rahmat 164 BE - Saturday, July 07, 2007

Today (07/07/07) is supposed to be a lucky day. According to the news on the internet, bunches of people are getting married today because it is lucky. Although, I’m not sure what luck has to do with marriage. I’m single and never been married, so perhaps I don’t know what I’m writing about, but I always thought marriage was something couples worked at and it had nothing to do with luck.

I live in Las Vegas; many people here consider luck to be a part of everyday life. Today aught to be a busy day on the Strip and downtown, which means I’m going to take extra precautions today not to go near those places. Las Vegas Blvd. south (the Las Vegas Strip area) will be crowded and slow. The day will be hot; we’ve had excessive heat warning for the past few days. The Strip area is going to be a place one wants to avoid. Actually, I avoid getting out at all if I didn’t have to, but I’ve go to drive across town and pay my internet provider for another month.

I don’t gamble, I do write however and luck sounds like it would be a good theme for a short story or flash fiction. Getting married on 07/07/07 sounds like it would be a good subject for a story; I don’t write romance, I write science fiction and fantasy stories. Maybe I should put a little romance in some of my stories; it might make a nice change of venue. I also write mystic poems, but I’m not sure that luck has a lot to do with mystic poem themes or subject.

The luckiest thing that every happened to me was learning about Baha’u’llah. I’m not sure that had a lot to do with luck however. It had more to do with being open to hearing about religious and spiritual subjects. I also had two dreams when I was younger and lived in Blackwell, Oklahoma, that may have had a lot to do with hearing about Baha’u’llah or my receptiveness to the message.

This Moment

13 Rahmat 164 BE – Friday, July 06, 2007

I haven’t been focusing on “this moment” lately. What the proof do I have of this? I’ve been worrying and when I worry I don’t focus on the moment. I think of all sorts of things that could go wrong, etc. Another indication is silly spelling errors or typos. I’m not talking about the big words, I’m talking about easy words that I should know how to spell. Thank God for spell checkers, they catch the small stuff most of the time. The other stuff requires editing and focusing on the moment. True I’m under a bit of stress, but that is my own fault. I think the main problem was a lack of proof reading and being in a hurry.

I do have a bit of a problem with proof reading, my excuse (which isn’t really an excuse) is that I don’t have ink for my printer and can’t print off a hard copy of my work. I’m going to have to get some ink, probably tomorrow or next week, but soon. In the mean time I’m just going to have to be a bit more careful. I also think I need to clean my computer screen and my glasses.

The glasses are the main problem, I clean them and five seconds or minutes later they’re dirty again. It gets irritating sometimes. Then too I have two pairs of glasses. One pair is for reading and one for everything else. Sometimes when I type the entries to my blog or write a poem or story, I don’t change glasses. Not changing to my reading glasses has an effect on the way I edit (this isn’t an excuse either).

I need to focus on the moment, on what I’m doing now rather than stressing or worrying. It doesn’t help. It doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t solve a problem. I’ve worried about things all my life, but since I turned 60 it seems I find more things to worry about. The more I worry about, the more I have to worry about.

This worrying problem is solvable. Actually, it’s quite easy to solve. I just need to put the situation in Baha’u’llah’s hands. Once I do that and focus on what I’m doing then the solution to a situation arrives on the wings of prayer. Indeed, the wings of prayer sounds like a good title for a poem or a blog entry. I’m going to close this now, I just drink the last sip of my coffee and want more before the coffee pot turns itself off (modern technology is wonderful).

More Prayer

12 Rahmat 164 BE – Thursday, July 05, 2007

“The less you pray, the worse it goes.”
Dom John Chapman – Quoted in Prayer: A Baha’I Approach by William & Madeline Hellaby, p. 8

Humanity needs more prayer. It needs not only prayer in places of worship, but everywhere. Silent prayers, prayers spoken aloud, prayers signed, etc. We need to pray constantly. It doesn’t matter which one of God’s Names a person prays to or ask “In the Name of …” Pray even if one isn’t sure who she or he is prayer to, I know this sounds odd, but if one prays with a sincere heart and an open mind the reason and the proof come.

Pray for Peace!
Pray for Humanity!
Pray for whatever you feel like prayer for!

Because humanity and the planet need more prayer.

Breathing in God

6 Rahmat 164 B.E. - Thursday, June 28, 2007

It dawned on me today that when I pray and meditate, I’m breathing in God. My soul is inhaling the fragrance of the beloved. I especially like several Baha’I prayers. My favorite prayers depend on what’s going on in my life at the time. So if someone would ask me today what my favorite prayer is, I’d say the Tablet of Ahmad, but if I was asked the same question tomorrow or the next day, then I’d probably give a different answer. All the prayers are wonderful, but some of them speak to my soul at specific times.

Word by word
I am breathing in God
inhaling the fragrance of his love.

Outpatient Therapy Part II

3 Rahmat - Tuesday, June 26, 2007

We went to the outpatient therapy session this morning. It was interesting; we were a sight going in. Me pushing Mom and carrying her walker, it’s a good thing Mom can help steer her own wheel chair. Mom is getting stronger, but she still has a long way to go. The therapist evaluated her to see what she needed and how far she had came since leaving the hospital.

Before going to the session, we walked from our driveway up to the corner of Bruce and back. We must be a sight. Me pushing Mom in the wheel chair down the driveway, parking her under the stone pine tree and then going back for the walker. When I get the walker back down to her, then I put the Gaite belt around her and we walk up the corner of Bracken and Bruce, then back again one or two times. The number of times we walk in the morning depends on how early we get started and how long it takes Mom to get tired.

Today the therapist gave us some exercises he wants Mom to do. Only one of the exercises was different from what she already does. He gave her a different exercise to do in bed, then those she already knows. The goal of the exercises demonstrated today is at least thirty times in one session. Two of those she has to work toward, but the other two she already does thirty times in one session.

Outpatient Therapy Part I

2 Rahmat 164 B.E. - Monday, June 25, 2007

This is the 2nd of Rahmat and tomorrow morning my mother begins outpatient therapy. I’m not sure what it will consist of, the therapist who came to the house had her do exercises with her feet and legs while she was laying down, sitting up and standing up. In addition, he had her use the walker to walk from our driveway up the hill to the corner and back again. I suppose the outpatient therapy session will be similar.

The Feast of Rahmat was Saturday night, when we went I took both the walker and the wheel chair. Mom used the walker to go into the Center and she kept it all the way all three portions of the Feast. Sunday she didn’t use the walker much because a place on her leg hurt and we thought that not stress the spot any more than necessary would help it. It did, today the place doesn’t hurt and Mom is using the walker.

This morning, before I took her for her blood test (she has to get at least one blood test a week because of the medications she’s taking), she used the walker and walked from our driveway up to the corner and back again.

When we go for the walk, I put a Gaite Belt around her. She seems to be doing all right. She’s just not making as much progress as she’d like. I suppose tomorrow I’ll put the wheel chair in the trunk and the walker in the back seat when we go to the therapy session. I’m getting fairly good at putting the wheel chair in and taking it out of the trunk. It gets easier all the time and the chair doesn’t seem as heavy as it did when I first started.

A Natural Process and the Growth of the human soul

17 Nur 164 BE – Thursday, June 21, 2007

Sometimes the processes of nature shed light on how the human soul grows and develops spiritual attributes.

Snakes can’t grow unless they shed their skin. The old has to come off before the reptile can increase in size and abilities. The human soul, on the other hand, has to develop spiritual attributes to be prepared for life in the next world. Tests and difficulties reveal spiritual attributes the individual soul needs to develop in order to function in the next world. I didn’t realize how similar a snake shedding its skin is to the soul developing spiritual attributes until someone in my yahoo journal writing group pointed it out.

The similarity between these processes is stress. It’s stressful for a snake to shed it’s skin. It’s stressful for the human soul to gain the knowledge of the attributes necessary for its survival and success in the world of the spirit. The only place we (human) have to develop these attributes is in the material world. We must acquire these attributes before the soul sheds the physical body and passes to the next world.

The spiritual attribute I’ve been having problems with lately is patience. Until recently I thought I was patient and I am in specific cases and in dealing with other under certain conditions. However, this patience doesn’t extend to all process or to myself. When I realized patience was the problem (possibly waiting in traffic during road construction on a hot Las Vegas day), I looked up patience in my Microsoft Word Thesaurus. I found that patience has several facets endurance, staying power, tolerance, lack of complaint, persistence, fortitude, and serenity.

I looked at the ingredients to patience and realized that it’s only specific aspects of patience I have a problem with. One of those aspects is the “lack of complaint”, when I realized this I used it as a journal entry and posted it to the group. That’s when one of the members pointed out the similarities between a snake shedding its skin and the process of growth. In order for the human soul (spirit) to grow, it must shed the certain material attributes and develop spiritual attributes; I suspect this is what’s going on in my life at the moment. My spirit is growing and I have to shed certain aspect of the ego self for the spirit to grow and develop.

An Interesting Morning

5 Nur 164 B.E. – Saturday, June 09, 2007

It’s been a very interesting morning. I took Mom to the DMV to get the handicap placard to hang in the window of the car. I thought they would charge a fee, but there’s no fee for the placard. We arrived at the DMV office on East Sahara sometime after 8:00 AM, went in, but we didn’t have a long wait we left about 8:30 AM. We went to the bank, so Mom could withdraw some money, then we went to Food 4 Less and came home.

I still have to pick up some Meds for her either today or in the morning. I think the pharmacy closes about 5:00 or 6:00 PM today. Tomorrow is Sunday, the pharmacy will be open, but not until either 9:00 or 10:00 AM, I’m going to call and check the hours they open and close this afternoon.

Mom’s therapist gave her three different types of exercises to do. One set she does in bed, another setting down and the third standing up. Then she walks using the walker several times a day. She’s getting stronger all the time, but she still thinks she’s not progressing fast enough.

This morning I took two cans of trash and two recyclable bens out to the curb. I’ve got another can of trash working in the garage for Wednesday. I still don’t have a working garbage disposal, so I can’t use the dishwasher. Oh, I probably could, but there is a good chance if I did I’d either be bailing out the dishwasher or mopping up the kitchen floor neither of which is appealing at this time. So, I’ll continue to wash dishes the old fashion way until I can get power to the disposal. You know, it sounds like I’m complaining, but I don’t think that’s what it is. I think I just writing to find a subject; writing to get my thoughts straight.

Before we left this morning, I said the Long Healing Prayer. I’ve been reading that prayer at least once a day ever since Mom came home. Right now I’m just tired. It’s work putting the wheel chair in the trunk and taking it out again. Normally I do it only once a day, but today it was four times and if we go to the pharmacy this evening it will be five. It takes a lot of energy and leaves lots of burses. Someone asked me at Feast why I had so many burses on my arms, it’s from putting the wheel chair in the trunk and taking it out again.

Well I guess that’s all for today. I have to put the trashcans and recyclable bens in the garage. The trash cans used to stand on the east side of the house. When Mom went into the hospital in March I moved them to the garage. It’s easier for me to carry trash to them and to get them to the curb on Wednesday and Saturday. The recyclable bens always stayed in the garage, but I moved them from the worktable against the south wall to the floor near the north wall of the garage, easier to carry them to the curb.

Mom enjoyed going to the grocery store today. However, next time I take her I think I’ll let her use one of those ride around carts they have for the handicapped in the store. It’s a lot easier than trying to shop pushing a wheel chair. Oh, well that’s what life is a series of lessons; not that I expect everything to be easy or to get easier as I get older, but I can make it as convenient and easy as possible.

Thankful Thursday Gratitude Journal Entry

3 Nur 164 B.E. – Thursday, June 07, 2007

Today is Thankful Thursday and time for another Gratitude Journal Entry. I’ve decided to post today’s entry to this blog. Glory is the name of my Gratitude Journal. Thankful Thursday entries usually consist of 10 items.

Dear Glory,

Today I am thankful for all the helpful reviews I receive on writing.com.

Today I am thankful for my mother getting better. She is using her walker more and more.

Today I am thankful for my sister birthday coming up on the 15th. I have time enough to compose a birthday poem for her and send it with the birthday card.

Today I am thankful for completing two more chapters in the sci-fi story I’m writing for the anthology group I belong to on writing.com. I think I have only two more chapters to complete before I finish the story.

Today I am thankful for a clean backyard and trimmed oleanders.

Today I am thankful for the Long Healing Prayer revealed by Baha’u’llah.

Today I am thankful for another month’s upgraded membership to writing.com.

Today I am thankful for the cool weather we’ve had in Vegas for the past couple of days. When I took Mom to get her blood test it was cool enough for a sweater.

Today I am thankful for the mourning dove that calls every morning.

Today I am thankful for having gas in the car.

Yours Gratefully,
Neva, Prosperous Snow, Poet 999

Feast of Nur

1 Nur 164 B.E. – Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Mom attended the Feast of Nur (Light), it’s the first feast she has attended since March. She really enjoyed herself and everyone was glad to see her back. She attended in a wheel chair, but wants to attend the next feast walking in. I think she’ll be able to use the walker by then. She wants to go without the walker, but I’m not sure about that right now.

The hosts decorated center beautifully. There were roses and other green plants. I’m not sure of the names of the other plant because there are only a few flowers I’m familiar enough with to identify. The theme of the feast was love. The opening prayer, revealed by Baha’u’llah, was one I don’t remember reading before. It struck a chord with me, so here it is for all to read and enjoy.

Opening Prayer

Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy servants, who hath believed on Thee and on Thy signs. Thou seest how I have set myself towards the door of Thy mercy, and turned my face in the direction of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy most excellent titles and Thy most exalted attributes, to open to my face the portals of Thy bestowals. Aid me, then, to do that which is good, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and attributes!

I am poor, O my Lord, and Thou art the Rich. I have set my face towards Thee, and detached myself from all but Thee. Deprive me not, I implore Thee, of the breezes of Thy tender mercy, and withhold not from me what Thou didst ordain for the chosen among Thy servants.

Remove the veil from mine eyes, O my Lord, that I may recognize what Thou hast desired for Thy creatures, and discover, in all the manifestations of Thy handiwork, the revelations of Thine almighty power. Enrapture my soul, O my Lord, with Thy most mighty signs, and draw me out of the depths of my corrupt and evil desires. Write down, then, for me the good of this world and of the world to come. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Who help is sought by all men.

I yield Thee thanks, O my Lord, that Thou hast wakened me from my sleep, and stirred me up, and created in me the desire to perceive what most of Thy servants have failed to apprehend. Make me able, therefore, O my Lord, to behold, for love of Thee and for the Sake of Thy pleasure, whatsoever Thou hast desired. Thou art He to the power of Whose might and sovereignty all things testify.

There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Beneficent.

Bahá'u'lláh, Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 52

Mom and I always enjoy attending the Feast. The feast day of each month is the first day. This is normally when the Feast occurs, all though there are exceptions. The Baha’I month consist of nineteen days and the year of nineteen months. Each month named after an attribute of God.

Many Baha’is hold spiritual or prayer services in their homes on a weekly basis, this is something I’d like to do in the near future. Planning a spiritual service is interesting. I’ve planned reading for spiritual services held at the center, but never one in my home. When planning a spiritual service I usually chose a theme and then pick out reading from the various scriptures.

A prayer service is a bit different from a spiritual service (at least to my way of thinking). A prayer service consists of just prayers rather than readings from the various scriptures. If I were planning a prayer service, I’d have prayers from the various religions and provide copies if the attendees wanted to read a prayer rather than say one by memory or composing it themselves as they prayed.

When I prayer, I usually use a prayer revealed by Baha’u’llah or the Bab or written by ‘Abdu’l-Baha. There are several prayers I like and use everyday. There are others that I don’t say everyday and so I have to read them from the prayer book. I’ve found that I usually memorize prayers I read everyday.

The Prayers Revealed by the Bay and Baha’u’llah

Each word is a light
Shining through the darkness
Guiding my soul to eternal life

The Nineteen-Day Feast

At the Lord’s Supper
We consume word by word
Food of the spirit

Modern Technology

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.