Recently I've been hearing a lot of the phrase "peace at all costs." At first glance this sounds right, just, good-- peace should be the highest of virtues, particularly in light of the world's current violence and fighting.
But peace at all costs will make you pay with everything, at all costs like it says. You will pay with your heart and mind, with the strength of your body and even your dignity as a person.
I suggest peace at no cost. And this kind of seamless peace comes with the truth. For it is Truth that is the highest good and with Truth peace naturally follows. Truth sets us free. This peace is not easy, but it doesn't drain the life from you like keeping peace for the sake of
"Oh yes," you might be saying "but the truth needs to be spoken in love." I think all too often we use this as an excuse to not truth-tell at all, weighing down the truth with so many niceties it is no longer really true. Love is bold, strong, powerful as much as it is kind and life-bringing.
I hope this rudimentary idea will spark some desire to tell the Truth in order to have true peace, in my own life as well as in yours.
No peace without truth. Let me know what you think.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Tornado
I forgot to blog about the tornadoes.
So one night we're sitting around, watching TV, our friend JD was over, and we see tornado warnings on the news. Not the first time we've seen them scrawl across the screen so we figure no big deal.
Well fast forward a few hours to when the tornado alarm for Wilmore sounds. At that point it was a very big deal for me. At that point we were hunkered down in the hallway with a flashlight and blankets, listening to the local news anchor describe roofs being ripped off people's houses.
I know, some of my friends down here are going to read this and make fun of me; they probably slept peacefully through the night. But we don't do tornadoes in NJ or WA.
Note: Thank you to all the people who left messages on my phone for my birthday. Just checked my voice mail now, over a week later :)
So one night we're sitting around, watching TV, our friend JD was over, and we see tornado warnings on the news. Not the first time we've seen them scrawl across the screen so we figure no big deal.
Well fast forward a few hours to when the tornado alarm for Wilmore sounds. At that point it was a very big deal for me. At that point we were hunkered down in the hallway with a flashlight and blankets, listening to the local news anchor describe roofs being ripped off people's houses.
I know, some of my friends down here are going to read this and make fun of me; they probably slept peacefully through the night. But we don't do tornadoes in NJ or WA.
Note: Thank you to all the people who left messages on my phone for my birthday. Just checked my voice mail now, over a week later :)
Monday, February 11, 2008
A Happy Birthday Indeed
This is a big ole' thank you to the people who made my birthday special:
To Alan and Lucy, for making the 7th a sweet day
To my folks, who drove over 20 hours to see us, and took me out for a birthday dinner, without complaint done only as parents do for their children
To my dear friends, who for the second time helped me celebrate a new year of life in all sincereity, generosity, and fun (not to mention all the tasty food)
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
"These were the happy days, the salad days as they say..."
- H.I. McDunna, "Raising Arizona"
To Alan and Lucy, for making the 7th a sweet day
To my folks, who drove over 20 hours to see us, and took me out for a birthday dinner, without complaint done only as parents do for their children
To my dear friends, who for the second time helped me celebrate a new year of life in all sincereity, generosity, and fun (not to mention all the tasty food)
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
"These were the happy days, the salad days as they say..."
- H.I. McDunna, "Raising Arizona"
Friday, February 8, 2008
Radio should always be free
I love online radio. I do not have an iPod and, when it gets down to it, I love the radio on in the car (all my so-called indie readers can vomit on their shoes now, if they like). Online radio carried me through the last half of college. I could listen to Tears for Fear, Justin Timberlake, and a Louis & Ella duet all in the same half hour while writing a paper on cults or Hinduism. Beautiful.
My newest, favorite online radio site is Pandora.
The only commercials are on the site-- they do not interrupt your music.
It taps into the Music Genome Project very nicely. All I did was tell them I like Stevie Wonder and I had a station full of the 1970's funk and current British Soul I like to hear while I work. Much like Yahoo radio, but more streamlined.
My newest, favorite online radio site is Pandora.
The only commercials are on the site-- they do not interrupt your music.
It taps into the Music Genome Project very nicely. All I did was tell them I like Stevie Wonder and I had a station full of the 1970's funk and current British Soul I like to hear while I work. Much like Yahoo radio, but more streamlined.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Taking Care of Business
I started another job. That is number 4 since we've been in Kentucky.
In the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People there is a chapter regarding working to learn, not for money. I take this quite seriously, and here are the jobs I've learned from:
I've babysat a boatload
Scooped ice cream, sold cigarettes and lottery tickets
Slopped up school food
Worked at a movie theater (for about 4 hours)
Counseled camp kids
Did the retail thing and hated it
Served fish and salads with the Amish
Taught knitting, sold yarn
Labeled endless loads of cashmere
Made widgets for cholesterol testers
Scheduled appointments for Doctors with God-complexes
Served migrant kids
And now.. well, give me a call and ask me what I'm doing, if you really wanna know!
"I'm working so I won't have to try so hard..."
-the Strokes
In the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People there is a chapter regarding working to learn, not for money. I take this quite seriously, and here are the jobs I've learned from:
I've babysat a boatload
Scooped ice cream, sold cigarettes and lottery tickets
Slopped up school food
Worked at a movie theater (for about 4 hours)
Counseled camp kids
Did the retail thing and hated it
Served fish and salads with the Amish
Taught knitting, sold yarn
Labeled endless loads of cashmere
Made widgets for cholesterol testers
Scheduled appointments for Doctors with God-complexes
Served migrant kids
And now.. well, give me a call and ask me what I'm doing, if you really wanna know!
"I'm working so I won't have to try so hard..."
-the Strokes
Friday, February 1, 2008
"The Business of Being Born"
I encourage all of you to see the preview for this new documentary about birth in America (thebusinessofbeingborn.com). After Riki Lake had a not-so-good experience giving brith in a hospital, she decided to put the word out about natural, home-based alternatives. For all you Netflixers, it is available on Feb. 26.
Happy viewing!
Happy viewing!
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