Another day in the eternity of this life

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“Those who live for one another learn that love is the bond of perfect unity.”
–Fools Crow, LAKOTA
To serve each other, to respect each other, to trust each other, to honor each other, to love each other, to cooperate with each other, to care for each other, to forgive one another, to focus on peoples’ good, to laugh with one another, to learn from one another; to pray for each other – these are all acts of love. These values and actions will connect us to one another in the Unseen World. Nature is a good example of how we should get along with one another. Watch nature. She is our teacher. Nature lives to give to one another. The insects give to the birds who give to the four legged who give to the two legged. The Creator made all things perfect.

Oh Great Spirit, let me serve the people today. Let me see that it is better to give than it is to receive. Be with me today.

Yes, I am still alive.

Finished watching the HBO mini series John Adams this past week.  I’m still wondering how that “Federalist” Party ever turned into the current Democrat craziness.   So I’ve begun to read the “Federalist Papers” (only 400 pages in the free pdf file I found) to try and understand.  For in the words of Jack Ryan in the movie ‘Hunt for Red October’ “It is wise to study the ways of one’s adversary.  Don’t you think?” I’m not sure who exactly I’m going to vote for yet, but I know it won’t be for a Democrat, maybe not Republican either.  Guess I need some extra strong duct tape and a clothes pin for my nose on election day.  I mean seriously, if Obama and McCain are the best this country has to offer as our representative to the rest of the world . . . . we are screwed.

 

One other thing I’ve read recently are the Articles of Confederation of these United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America.

Work is the same old thing, I’ve been doing the same run for getting close to 5 years.  My truck is a ‘05 model, next week I will surpass the 400,000 mile mark.  I think I have about 227 to go to get there right now.  I got this truck in Sept of ‘05 and it had about 34,000 miles on it then.  It has it’s issues but eh, it’s a truck, if I ever get to loving it just kill me . . . LOL  I never want to get to the place where I like being at work in my truck more than other places. 

This is taken from Godtoday.com

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Our acts of love, speak more vividly to the hearts of those around us, than our words. The impact our lives have on others, is found in our day to day activities, and the way we handle and respond to everyday situations. Our children are no exception. The opinions and character formed in them are a result of our actions more than our words. It is these seemingly small, everyday things that have the greatest impact in their lives. If we will continue to seek Creator as our example, He will enable us to be good examples to our children. When children have a firm foundation in the ways and word of God, they will not be easily uprooted and the storms of life will not consume them. They will have the ability to stand strong in our Creator.

Allow my life to be a blessing and example to my children and to all those who know me. Create me in Your image and enable me to live the example of Your word, so that my actions will speak Your love and truth.

I have met only a few people in my life who have taught me more about myself than 1000 people ever could, James Ott,  Aurther Cannon, Peter Miller, and A. Rueben Hartwick.  One was in the military with me, one a preacher and two college professors.  Three are dead now, not sure about the forth.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and week

Peace

TCWF

Steroids

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“They must give themselves to God, Grandfather and live a spiritual life. They will have the peace that frees them from fear.”
–Frank Fools Crow, LAKOTA
There are two wills available for us: self will and God’s will. Our choice is: figure it out ourselves, or have the Creator involved in our lives. If we are honest with ourselves and look at past experiences, what are our lives like when we try to figure it out ourselves? Is there fear, confusion, frustration, anger, attacking others, conflict, fault finding, manipulation, teasing others, belittling others or devaluation? If these things are present, they indicate that we are choosing self will. What is it like if we turn our will over to the Creator? What are the results if we ask the Great Spirit to guide our life? Examples are: freedom, choices, consequences, love forgiveness, helping others, happiness, joy, solutions, and peace. Which will I choose today, self will or God’s will?

Creator, I know what my choice is. I want You to direct my life. I want You to direct my thinking. You are the Grandfather. You know what I need even before I do. Today I ask You to tell me what I can do for You today. Tell me in a way I can understand and I will be happy to do it.

I don’t know about you but is anyone else tired of hearing all this crap about steroids and baseball. I mean seriously if someone who’s getting paid 20 million dollars a year for playing a kids game wants to inject or digest stuff that’s gonna make his testes shrink up into his rib cage and have a voice like Mike Tyson….. I don’t care… As long as he can hit a baseball a 1/2 a mile at every bat or throw a 100 mph fastball and strike out 300 batters a year. I don’t care if he’s having sex with a monkey while wearing stilettos, chainmail underwear and a hockey mask. Does it really freaking matter to anyone but self-righteous legislators in Washington, DC and Sports Journalists that are too stupid to be on Headline News.

 

I mean, I love baseball but lets get serious. What’s the difference between someone trashing themselves with steroids or some overly stressed executive working 14 hours a day in a office building. Or the difference between our Air Force Pilots taking stimulants to fly longer missions.

You, because you don’t ‘play’ professional sports can walk into most health food or vitamin stores and buy all kinds of Human Growth Hormone, and multitudes of digestible growth products. But because they play a ‘game’ it’s illegal…. what sense does that make. According to ESPN,  “Twenty years ago, it was rare for a player to weigh 300 pounds. But more than 500 players were listed at that weight or more on NFL training-camp rosters this summer”  Guess we just growing them bigger now a days, must be all them hormones they feed cows and are in the milk right… same stuff that’s causing little girls to mature faster and the increase in teen pregnancy?

Guess that’s better than blaming it on the irresponsible behavior.

 

Took a walk out by the lake earlier today… it was great, temps were in the 50’s almost 60.  Tomorrow it’s suppose to be in the mid to high 60’s.  I think it’s time to break out a pair of shorts for the day.  Got a lot of Appointments tomorrow starting with bloodwork for one of the kids at 8:30 am . . . lot of running around tomorrow 6 appointments I think in all…. better make sure my mp3 player is charged up . . . LOL 

 

I love my Creative Zen v plus, it’s only 4gb but with 300 plus songs on it I still have lots to go.  Have pictures on it as well, I shrink them down with MS Office Picture Manager so they are just a little bit bigger than the screen, takes up so much less room on the mp3 player that way.

Walking in Peace, TCWF

Back to Work Tonight

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“Flexible strength is better than inflexible. Let the storm flow over you, and then pop back up.”
–Michael Kabotie, HOPI
Flexibility is taught by nature. You will see the trees bend in the wind. You will see that tree branches are flexible. To be rigid is to break. When we have life problems it is good for us to be flexible. Sometimes we need to flow with what is going on. If we resist, it becomes more painful. We need to be on the path of least resistance. Water flows down the mountain through the path of least resistance. Electricity flows through the path of least resistance. Power flows through the path of least resistance. As Indian people our strength has always been our flexibility.

Creator, I will be flexible today because I know You are with me.

 

My how this was taught to me recently through the ice storm, the trees that were able to bend with the ice still stand strong, others infexible broke under the weight of the ice.  A lot of times I have to bend under the weight of the pressure exerted form outside, or I will, strain a muscle like I did over a week ago.  Sometimes it’s easy for me to bend, other times not so easy.  I don’t want to, I want to fight back, to escalate the conflict.  I’m seen by some as weak sometimes because I don’t choose to fight, but rather to willingly walk peacefully.  A choice I make.

 

I haven’t written to much about Christmas this year, I think we’ve gotten everythig we are gonna get for the kids, maybe one or two small things left but no big deal, next week I’ll give them some $$$ to buy their mom a present, I’m going to get her a external hard drive sh she can backup all her PSP and other graphics and pictures, so they don’t get lost if her computer crashes.  They’re pretty reasonable for a fairly huge hard drive.  I remember my first computer had barely enough space to run Windows 3.1, 25 mhz of ram and way less than 1 gb for a hard drive.  Now I have a laptop with Vista, 2gb of ram, and 80 gb of hard drive, which will never come close to being full

 

I’m going back to work tonight, am going to take it very easy and not do anything stupid this week to casue anything to re-injure myself.  Just take it nice and easy. Besides I’m going crazy here…. haven’t been off work, home this much in years, it’s driving me crazy… LOL

Walk in Peace, TCWF

Ice Storm and Focus

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“People are equal partners with the plants and animals, not their masters who exploit them.”
–Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders
As human beings, we are not above anything nor are we below anything. Because of being equal, we need to discuss a little about the value of respect. Not just respect when it comes to human beings, but respect when it comes to everything. We are not masters over things; we are caretakers for the Great Spirit. We need to treat all things with respect.

Great Spirit, let me accept and see all things as equal.

Today, LV and I went to do some more shopping for the kids.  As we rode along, we saw a lot of trees that had recieved damage from the storm Saturday night into Sunday, it was a serious ice storm and there are lots of people still without electric service, it was easy to pick out the damaged trees as we drove along and that was our focus.  After a while, I thought how strange that we see the damage in the trees yet look over the undamaged ones.  How often do we as people see the broken and bad areas of others and overlook the good in them.

Hey, today is day number 2 of not taking the medication for the pain in m y back, I still take the muscle relaxer so I don’t inadverantly restrain the muscle, but I’m happy with this.  Back to work on Wedensday for sure.

Walk in Peace, TCWF

Raining Inside

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“People say that crisis changes people and turns ordinary people into wiser or more responsible ones.”
–Wilma Mankiller, CHEROKEE
There is a saying, conflict precedes clarity. The Medicine Wheel teachings say, in order for something to change it must first go through a struggle. When a crisis enters our lives, other powers are there to help us. We will learn some lessons. Will I honor and respect the next crisis?

Great Spirit, if a crisis occurs today, let me learn the lessons of wisdom.

 

sometimes I wonder how smart we really are if we need a ‘crisis’ to learn something.  Maybe if we took time to listen to our Elders things wouldn’t always need to be so hard for us.  Reminds me of a story about a young man being with his grandfather on a hunt and it snowed as they were out, on the way home the young hunter decided to take a direct route instead of the way his grandfather recommended.  He got himself stuck in a ravine that the snow had covered up and had to wait on his grandfather to help him to get out.  Afterwards as they talked, the young hunter asked how his grandfather had known he should take that route.  His grandfather smiled as he said, “I also was young once.”  Wisdom doesn’t have to always be learned the hard way, if we take the time to listen.  I miss my grandfathers wisdom.

Still raining here, going to be almost 50 and clear outside today.

As a kid, we use to jump off the bridge in the background into the river, the Piscataqua river is one of the fastest ocean flowing rivers in the world due to the width and the size of the bay upriver…. we did lots of stupid thugs back then.  We also use to jump from the bridge where this picture was taken.  It’s the entrance to Pierce Island, where the public pool was, had to do something before the pool opened in the summer…. LOL

Awakening The Inner Warrior, Stoking The Fire Within, DailyOM.com

There are certain personality archetypes that we all carry within us, such as the inner child, the lover, and the mother. Some of these archetypes present themselves strongly, while others lay fallow. For example, there is an inner warrior in each one of us, but in some of us this warrior is underdeveloped to the point that we are unable to stand up for ourselves, even when necessary. There can be many reasons for this. We may have grown up with a parent whose warrior aspect was overdeveloped, and we responded by repressing ours completely. On the other hand, we may have grown up with parents in whom this aspect was dormant, so we never learned to awaken it in ourselves.

A warrior is someone with the strength to stand up for what he or she believes; someone who perseveres in the face of challenges and obstacles; someone who speaks and acts in the service of an ideal; someone who protects those who are too weak to fight for themselves. Regardless of the reasons for an underdeveloped inner warrior, you may begin to notice the lack of its fiery, protective presence and wish to awaken it. You may need to stand up for yourself in a certain relationship or situation, or you may have a vision you want to realize, and you know you will need the courage, energy, and strength of a warrior to succeed. Similarly, if you find that you often feel scared, anxious, or powerless, rousing this sleeping ally may be just the antidote you need.

One excellent way to cultivate the presence of your inner warrior is to choose a role model who embodies the qualities of bravery, strength, and vitality. This person could be a character in a myth, movie, or book, or a historical or living person you admire. Simply close your eyes each day and contemplate the quality of energy that attracts you to this person, knowing that the same potential lives within you. Confirm for yourself that you are capable of handling this energy responsibly, and stoke the fire of your own inner courage.

I’m off back to KY tonight with work, See ya’ll when I get back

Walking in Peace, TCWF

spellchecker was used in the writing of this entry

Oh Hell… it Snowed Last Night

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“Our Spiritual belief is that we were created as part of the land – so our identity, our names, and our songs are all tied to the land.”
–Chief Roderick Robinson, NISGA’A
In the traditional way, the names of native people had great meaning. We even had naming ceremonies. The naming of someone was very important and had great significance because it was tied to the Earth. The identity of each member and the teachings of the songs were all tied to Mother Earth. We need to know these teachings from our culture. This knowledge will help us heal the people.

My Maker, today help me find my identity.

 

According to the weather today, this is the earliest we’ve had snow on the ground in 56 years.  Yes, probably 2″ of mushy white gooey mess… and it’s suppose to be in the low 60’s on Wednesday.

Was gonna update in the morning, but I need to get up about 3 am to go to work, to Silver Springs, MD, gonna wind up out in Columbus, OH for Wednesday morning and back home again in time to gobble up all the good feed on Fatty Fat Day… we haven’t called it Thanksgiving for a while.  We got a 20# plus bird to cook, Sweet taters,  Turkey Stuffin and gravy, Pumpkin and PECAN!!!! pie with Ice cream and whipped cream (real whipped cream). along with the normal stuff, like croissant rolls, regular taters, veggies and all that other stuff to make it seem healthier…. Turkey, Sweet Taters and PECAN!!!!! pie that’s all I need.  I can’t wait…

Still feeling a little crappy, didn’t use any nose spray last night before bed, just been taking the 24 hour sudafed in the morning.  Think I’m gonna stop though tomorrow, seems my nose feels more stuffed after taking it than before… maybe drying it out to much… but I got some spray moisturizer so I’m good.

OKAY, Some PEST out there is spreading a rumor I’m 55 today…. well obviously the senile old pest has lost her mind since I’m not 55 for over almost 6 years yet…. unlike her pesty behind.

 

Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7

Some days are hectic and busy, and I feel many things, but peaceful certainly isn’t one of them. I have a tendency to think the circumstances in my life should dictate the peace I feel. I’ve come to understand God cares for me so much and everything that concerns me, or rattles my day. I can lay every un-nerving part of it at his feet. In releasing it into God’s hands, it becomes His and no longer mine to carry. My focus then shifts, from all of the problems to my God. The circumstances are still surrounding me, but so is His strength. My perspective of the mountain changes when I realize, I am not climbing it alone. My mind becomes fixed on God, and He takes me to the top of, what seemed, an un-reachable mountain top and showers me with His perfect peace all along the way.

I trust You Grandfather, to handle all the things that become too much for me; the mountains in my life that seem too high to climb. I place all my care into Your hands and together, I know we will make it to the top, and down the other side. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and shower me with Your perfect peace in every circumstance. Thank You for Your great care for me.  adapted from God Today

I wish everyone… even my Pest… the happiest of Thanksgivings…. may you all be Blessed

Walk in Peace, TCWF

Not much happening

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“Language is a vehicle for carrying spirit, life, family. Language, religion, and land base are three things that characterize culture.”
–Edmund Ladd, ZUNI PUEBLO
The Elders say we nee to know the answers to three questions in order for us to be connected the Earth, the Sky, the East, the West, the South, the North. The three questions are: 1. Why are we? 2. Who are we? 3. Where are we going? If we know the language, if we have our spirituality and if we can pray on sacred spots, then we are able to seek the answer to the questions. We must protect the language, religion and land so our future generations can stay connected.

Great Spirit, help us maintain our language, spirit, family, religion and our Mother Earth.

Well the weekend is over… guess that’s about as mch as I can say about it.  Wasn’t a very good one, oh well. sometimes that happens.

Saturday when I got home I stopped by and picked up some new stones from Heaven & Nature it’s a cool store and Vonnie is awesome, always brings me back some cool turquiose from the Pheonix Gem Show every year.  Pretty reasonable prices as well…..  I mean for rocks and all.  I got some for gurlie gurl, to help with her dreams, she’s been having some bad ones… also picked up a few for me as well… never have enough stones… some blue lapsi and some smokey quartz as well as black tormaline…

Work is a issue again, or should I say lack of work.. three days a week just doesn’t cut it.  But I know I make just as much working three days as most drivers make living in a truck 24/7… so there is the problem.  Work more for basically less…. or work for a union co, and prety much never know when I’m going to work and having a 4 hour on call status for the next forever… been there before and believe me it sucks.

Well, didn’t get a lot of sleep last night so I’m off to sleep.

Have a wonderful week everyone,

Walking in Peace, by choice… TCWF

Wildwood Lake

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
“What does it matter how long I pray, so long as my prayers are answered?”
–Sitting Bull, HUNKPAPA LAKOTA
Too often we worry about the words we use in prayer. We focus on the words. What really counts is the spirit and intent behind our words. It is the spirit and intent that the Creator responds to. He reads and listens to our heart. Prayer isn’t only when we fold our hands and pray. Prayer is when we talk to the Creator even when we are walking down a path or sitting on a hill or walking in the mountains. The Elders say, walk in prayer. We should be willing to talk with the Great One.

Great Spirit, today I will pray to You all day. Listen to my heart.

Today my thoughts and prayers have been for a friend, her cousin had to have more surgery today.  In the world today we hardly ever hear of anyone ‘praying through’ anymore.  Like a quick 2 minute prayer is more than most people have the patience for anyore.  In times past I remember spending hours praying.  Even now some days at the lake in the morning I might spend 2 hours or more in prayer, meditation, with my flute or just listening to the winds in the trees.  But is prayer really enough? maybe once we are done with our prayer…. we should take the time to listen before continuing with our day.

 

Today I spent some time at Wildwood Lake  it’s a local place about a half hour from here… surrounded by highways on three sides and a industrial area on the other.  It’s a beautiful place this time of year, actually any time of year. But this time of year when the crowds of summer have huddled back inside away from the chill of the air.  I think we saw 10 other people in our 4 mile walk around it today.  Of course I had my new camera with me so I took a few pictures… hope you enjoy them.  And Yes, I hugged a tree while there…. LOL  We saw a river otter while there as well, but kinda walked up on it and surpriszed it and couldn’t get a picture… that would have been nice to have for here

Lots of ducks and Canadian Geese were there

We saw lots of turtles as well, was kinda surprised since as chilly as it’s been to find them out sunning themselves, guess it’s the last good chance before burrowing into the mud for the winter.  Do you see all 4 in the picture.  We didn’t notice the one while there, only after getting home and editing the pictures did I see the smallest one.

 

 I hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far, I’m enjoying a few days off after working since the 17th of Oct straight through the 3rd of Nov.

Walk in Peace

Speaking with the Ancient One

This entry is dedicated to the Ancient One, it is by far the biggest tree in the area of the lake, probably three times larger than the rest.  It has withstood the battering of storms and times, been witness to much as it stood with it’s arms outstretched.  Been a home to others in it’s world.  It has survived by being strong and standing fast in a world that changes so much with the winds of time.  I hope you enjoy the splendor of the Ancient One as much as I do. Peeling Away The Layers,  Trees Shedding Their Bark  Trees grow up through their branches and down through their roots into the earth. They also grow wider with each passing year. As they do, they shed the bark that served to protect them but now is no longer big enough to contain them. In the same way, we create boundaries and develop defenses to protect ourselves and then, at a certain point, we outgrow them. If we don’t allow ourselves to shed our protective layer, we can’t expand to our full potential.   Trees need their protective bark to enable the delicate process of growth and renewal to unfold without threat. Likewise, we need our boundaries and defenses so that the more vulnerable parts of ourselves can safely heal and unfold. But our growth also depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed boundaries and defenses we no longer need. It is often the case in life that structures we put in place to help us grow eventually become constricting.   Unlike a tree, we must consciously decide when it’s time to shed our bark and expand our boundaries, so we can move into our next ring of growth. Many spiritual teachers have suggested that our egos don’t disappear so much as they become large enough to hold more than just our small sense of self-the boundary of self widens to contain people and beings other than just “me.” Each time we shed a layer of defensiveness or ease up on a boundary that we no longer need, we metaphorically become bigger people. With this in mind, it is important that we take time to question our boundaries and defenses. While it is essential to set and honor the protective barriers we have put in place, it is equally important that we soften and release them when the time comes. In doing so, we create the space for our next phase of growth.   Walk in Peace, TWC

Hugging a Tree

Today is tree picture day, taken this morning some of my favorite trees from out by the lake.  Octo-Tree, the Three Brothers, Gnarly Tree and the Dark One.  I am saving the Ancient One for a seperate posting later on. 

In order they are Octo-tree, it never says anything to me, but LV says this is the kind that is the home to faries… I’ve never seen any there. Below that is the center section of Octo-tree, it’s quite large and I could actually stand in the center if I wasn’t worried about squishing faries. ;P  The third Picture is the Dark One, the brothers told me the other trees don’t like it because it didn’t choose the straight path, they don’t even mention it’s true name other than calling it the Dark One.  Next is the Gnarly One, it no longer speaks, the brothers told me it’s story of it’s mighty battle against the ravages of the storms.  Last Picture is of the Three Brothers, they like to speak

 

A Grounding Embrace  Hugging A Tree

Trees are among the world’s greatest givers. Their slow and gentle life cycles provide the world with clean air, their roots filter water, and their majestically spreading branches provide shade. Full of vibrant, natural energy, trees can also give us the gifts of peace and nurturance. Hugging or sitting with your spine against the trunk of any tree can ground your body and inspire a profound closeness with nature, as the energy of the tree connects to you. Making physical contact with a tree can help you relax, alleviate stress, sleep more deeply, and hold on to more positive energy. Trees can absorb great amounts of energy and have the ability to soak up harmful energy from deep within you. If you are feeling anxious, sad, drained, or tense, then try hugging a tree.

Go to the woods, a garden, or a park, and find a tree that you would like to hug. Stand next to the tree and close your eyes. Relax your senses while breathing in the scent of leaves and bark. Listen to the creaking of the branches. When you feel settled, open your eyes, keeping them unfocused, and walk around its trunk. Feel the unique energy of the tree as your auras meet each other. Ask the tree for permission to touch it. If you feel the tree saying yes to you, begin breathing in its energy. Put your arms around the trunk and press your face to its bark. Embrace the tree for as long as you wish, feeling the roughness of its wood and the strength of its years. Relax into that strength and let the tree support you. You may even be able to physically feel a cyclical flow of energy taking place between your body and the tree.

 

If you would feel more comfortable doing so, you can sit with your back pressed to the tree for the same effect. Likewise, if you are seeking greater comfort, you may want to wrap your legs and arms around the tree, either at the base or by straddling a branch. Remember to thank the tree because, by hugging your tree, you are drinking from the well of natural copious energy cultivated by the tree’s many years on this earth.

 

From DailyOM.com

I’m off to work tonight, hope everyne is having a awesome week

Walk in Peace, NP