Reflections...

Traveling for two days...road weary.  Sometimes I get tired thinking about another trip… then I have a burst of excitement thinking about sharing time with loved ones.  I had a lovely visit with family and friends. Then I had a moment to reflect…on friends that have a blog connection…

My favorites

•       Christie’s  ~ A few of my favorite poems …friends, yearning, prayer song, turtle, jara, decoration, responsibility…and more
•       Ruth Anne ~ Travels from Key West, Dahlias, Still Around, Home, Anniversary …
•       Mary Beth ~ In Praise of Teachers and Granddaughter  ~
•        Dama ~ Friends, Courage, Living for a Cause, Honoring a Living Legend –
•         Charlene ~ Thank you for your continued friendship and prayers
•          Lisa ~ Thank you for your gift of hospitality and friendship

A special prayer to Mary Beth, May the God of all Comfort continue to give you peace. Remembering your son, Chris.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tea

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." Henry James

Wordless Wednesday

November

November 2011, I wish you a fond farewell. You were gorgeous this year! The color of your leaves were simply lovely.  

As we spend our remaining  hours together this month, I want to share my appreciation. Once again you ushered in another election cycle.  You continue to be the silent observer to the yard signs, billboards, flyers and bumper stickers.  November, do you hate all that clutter?  

At Thanksgiving, we had the opportunity to give thanks for another year with family and friends.  While we miss  dear family members ...we continue to give thanks. 

Finally, I remember with fondness the warm embrace of my birthday. Thank  you.

November you were cold to me today. ... stark, bare, and cold...

Gratitude

"Gratitude ... goes beyond the "mine" and "thine" and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy." 
Henri J. M. Nouwen

responsibility

it is the responsibility

of the village

to protect its children

to watch over them

day and night

to tuck them safely

into cribs with lullabies

it is the responsibility

of the village

to protect the children

they are gifts

to be cherished

as the poet said

they do not belong to us

they are not possessions

for our disposal

they are precious

trusting souls

it is the responsibility

of the village

to protect the children

against the self interests

of revered individuals

beloved institutions

who would do them harm

while claiming honor

it is the responsibility

of the village

to fall upon its knees

in repentance

before the children

it fails

it is the responsibility

of the world

global village

to see the big picture

the beliefs/the cultures in place

that foster and allow

horrific harm

the priorities

idolatries

that create

the context

the pathology

of the abuse of children

and the turning of our heads

it is the responsibility

of the global village

to be the change

the world of change

needed to end the

suffering of our children

and to be it now.

christie smith stephens

11-11-11 copyright.