LOVELIGHT

Magazine

Volume 1, no. 12***December, 2004

Managing editors: Adamaria Francis and Richard Shiningthunder Francis Contributors to this issue are: Debbie Bereda, Pat Fields, Christine Finer, Tom Gustin, Gene Janning, Brian Mansfield, Mary McLocklin, Mary Meiser, David Rasaily, Ty Scharrer, Susan Smith ("Mooncat"), Geoffrey Stoemer, Alma Turner.

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Note: Lovelight magazine is designed to create smiles and positive feelings. Although we cannot pay, submissions are welcome. Our readers' email addresses and other information will not be given to others.

Sent send by Geoffrey Stoemer

FENG SHUI CORNER from Pat Fields

If you seek a serious partner, tie two red cords or ribbons on the inside doorknob of your bedroom.*****A swallow, who builds its nest under the eaves of houses or buildings, portends approaching success or a lucky change in the fortunes and affairs of the house's occupants.*****Don't put the head of your bed against a wall shared with a bathroom.*****If you want to have children, paint the walls of your bed room a shade of yellow, to enhance motherhood. Or paint the walls white for fatherhood.*****Plant 2 tall flowering shrubs on either side of a tree that emanates "sha"

energy directly in line with your front door. This creates a triangle pointed away from your home and neutralizes the effect of the negative energy.*****Don't use too much red in a bedroom. Its yang energy is too active and will disturb your rest.

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LOVELETTERS FROM BUDS, PALS, AND FRIENDS

Dearest Francisji,

Namaste, Shanti and Sneham !!! [Greetings, peace, and Love.[ Thanks for your reply and encouragement !!! Yes I am forwarding a small article for the December issue of Lovelight magazine. You can introduce me as being from Darjeeling [in India]. Your friends and readers are also welcome at Darjeeling. We will provide for their lodging and

food. They need not worry, simply come, and

enjoy the beautiful scenery at Mountain Queen in Darjeeling.

Thanking you,

Bhai [younger brother], Davidji

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GREATNESS OF LOVE, by David Rasaily

Dear friends of Pneumarium family,

Namaste (Indian greeting [meaning, "The divine in me greets the divine in you"]), Shanti (Peace) and Sneham

(Love) from the new Pneumarium family in India:

We feel proud to be a part of this big spiritual family called the "Pneumariumfamily." I (Hem Sagar Rasaily/David) started a Pneumarium Discussion Group here in Darjeeling on November 18, 2004. Shree Richard Francisji (“Shree

and Ji” are very respectful words in the Indian language

only used for an honorable person) has been an ideal man

to me in Love and Charity. I have seen a real and

true Love in him. And I have a desire to learn the Way of Love.

When day-to-day love increases in our hearts (souls), we

learn to love others. Everybody loves herself and her family. And this is good.

Loving a person who loves you is common. Everyone

should do that. [Each family-member tries to see who can love more!] You must compete to love in your

family. Frankly speaking, I call it "Love," but this is not the

greatest Love. There is a difference between Love

and the "Greatest Love." Love for the self or

family, we earn by birth. But loving our enemy is

difficult! How many people do that? How many people

forgive a person who curses?

It is not possible unless

love is ruling your heart. When you love you hope for the

same kind of love from another person also.

But this might be an attitude of selfishness.

In Love, there is no selfishness. So, love, but do not

demand Love in return.

To love a person who doesn’t love you is the greatest Love. Blessing a person who curses you is the greatest Love. Love all people. Let people

see real love in you. Unless Love is inside your

heart, the nature of loving others will not come clearly into focus. [You will not understand Love.]

The people who love are remembered forever. Jesus

Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Florence

Nightingale are real examples of Love. They didn’t

care for themselves. In Love, people dare to take any

sacrificial step. There is often "loss" in Love, but its

taste is so sweet! It is incomparable! Love means to be willing to loose

the best thing you have, for Love!

People take advantage of love; in the name of peace

they kill. Everyone has experienced this. Everyone

must love the people of the nation where they reside. This means that they refuse to kill people for "peace." Killing will not

bring you peace. Love and peace walk

together. Killing brings self-condemnation. First of all, in the shorterm,

your soul will not forgive you. You will lose your interior, personal

peace. You will lose your appetite, and sleep.

So, try to live in peace with all people. Love always

forgives. Love always gives. Love always forgets

harmful injuries and bitterness. In Love, you would choose to sacrifice your own

life rather than to take the life of another. When you love,

and set an example to the nations, coming generations

will remember you; and history will praise you in its

pages. Love offered by you will be remembered forever.

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A Few Smiles: Thoughtprovoking profundities for today

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little
bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards: NAÏVE!***Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing
section in a swimming pool?***There are three religious truths:

1. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. 2. Protestants do not recognize the pope as the leader of the Christian faith. 3. Fundies do not recognize each other in the liquor store or at Hooter's.***If people from Poland are called "Poles," why aren't people from Holland called "Holes"?***Why do we say that something is out of whack? What's a whack?***If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?***When someone says to you, "A penny for your thoughts" and you put your "two cents' worth" in, what happens to the other penny?***Why is the person who invests all your money called a "broker"?***Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?***Why is a person who plays the piano called a "pianist," but a person who drives a race car not called a "racist"?***Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?***Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?***Why isn't the number 11 pronounced "one-ty one"?***If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?***I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks; so I wondered what Chinese mothers use. Toothpicks?***If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?***Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The mime next door went nuts!***If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose?

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Little-reported Story: Scientists Discover New element: governmentium

A major research institution has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest chemical element yet known to science. The new element has been tentatively named "governmentium." It has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 11 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. Since it takes no positive action, it has no positive protons, and since it takes no negative actions (to destroy evil) it has no negative electrons.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called "morons." These are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since
governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.
A minute amount of governmentium causes a reaction to take over 4 days, when it would normally take less than a second.
Governmentium does not decay, but instead undergoes reorganization. In this, a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause some morons to become neutrons. This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to speculate that governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical Morass." It can be found in large concentrations all over Washington.

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HAVE A PIECE OF CAKE! sent in by Mary Meiser

A little boy is telling his Grandmother how everything is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc.
Meanwhile, his grandmother is baking a cake. She asks him whether he would like a snack, which, of course, he would!
"Here, have some cooking oil," she says.
"Yuck!" he says.
"How about a couple of raw eggs?" she persists.
"Gross!" he sputters.
"Would you like some flour? Or maybe baking soda?" she offers.
"Those are all yucky!" he says, making a face.
His grandmother replies, "Yes. All of those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!
God's Love works the same way. Many times, we wonder why God would let us go
through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when She puts these things all in Her order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Her and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"

***
God is crazy about you! She sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, She'll listen. She can live anywhere in the universe; but She chose your heart!

***
Hope your day is a "piece of cake!" May God bless you!

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MORE LAUGHS, GIGGLES, CHORTLES, SNORTS, AND SMILES: HUMOR THERAPY!

SOMEBODY BUY A VASECTOMY!sent in by Gene Janning

A preacher whose wife was expecting went to the congregation and asked for a

raise. After much consideration, they passed a rule that whenever the preacher's

family expanded, so would his paycheck.

After 6 children, this started to get expensive!

The Congregation held another meeting to

discuss the preacher's salary.

There was much yelling and bickering about how much

the clergyman's additional children were costing

the church.

Finally, the Preacher spoke to the

Congregation: "Children are a gift from God," he said.

Silence fell on the congregation.

A little old lady stood up, and, in

her frail voice, said, "Rain is also a gift from God,

but when we get too much, we wear rubbers." And the congregation said, "Amen."

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EIGHT REASONS TO SMILE, sent in by Gene Janning

1. How come we choose from just two people to run for president, and 50 for Miss America?***2. I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting

clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed

up in the first place!***3. When I was young, we used to go "skinny dipping." Now I just "chunky dunk."***4. Don't argue with an idiot; people watching might not be able

to tell the difference.***5. Wouldn't it be nice if, whenever we messed up our lives, we could simply press "Ctrl Alt Delete," and start all over? ***6. Why is it that our children can't read a Bible in school, but they can in prison?***7. Bumper sticker of the year: "If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it's in English, thank a soldier !!"

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OH, TO BE A STUD!, sent in by Ty Scharrer

Two priests die at the same time. They meet Peter at the Golden gates. He checks the computer. He tells them that there is no room for them for one week. He then tells them that, since they were such good priests, they can go back to earth as anything they want for that week.

One priest asks, "will what we choose be held against us?"

Peter says, "No, it won't."

The first priest says, "I want to be an eagle soaring over the Rockies." Poof! He becomes an eagle.

The second one says, "I want to become a stud." Instantly, he is sent back to earth as a stud.

The week passes. God asks Peter to call them back. "Will there be a problem locating them?" God asks.

"No," replies Peter. "I can find the eagle easily enough. But the other one is a stud on a snow tire some where in a blizzard in South Dakota."

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HOW TO RECOGNIZE A "RED-NECK (GOBBIE) CHURCH, sent in by Ty Scharrer

You know your church is a redneck church if

... the finance committee refuses to provide funds for the purchase of a chandelier because none of the members knows how to play one.

... people ask, when they learn that Jesus fed the 5000, whether the two fish were bass or catfish, and what bait was used to catch 'em.

... when the pastor says, "I'd like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering," five guys and two women stand up.

... opening day of deer season is recognized as an official church holiday.

... a member of the church requests to be buried in his 4-wheel-drive truck because "It ain't never been in a hole it couldn't get out of."

... the choir is known as the "OK Chorale".

... in a congregation of 500 members, there are only seven last names in the church directory.

... Baptism is referred to as branding".

... high notes on the organ set the dogs on the floor to howling.

... people think "rapture" is what you get when you lift something too heavy.

... the baptismal pool is a #2 galvanized washtub.

... the choir robes were donated by (and embroidered with the logo from) Billy Bob's Barbecue.

... the collection plates are really hub caps from a '56 Chevy.

... instead of a bell, you are called to service by a duck call.

... the minister and his wife drive matching pickup trucks.

... the communion wine is Boone's Farm "Tickled Pink".

... "Thou shalt not covet" applies to hunting dogs, too.

... the final words of the benediction are, "Y'all come back now, ya hear?"

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EVIDENCE OF REINCARNATION, sent in by Ty Scharrer

Q. Why are politicians proof of reincarnation?

A. You just can't get that screwed up in one lifetime.

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SEX AND GAMES, sent in by Ty Scharrer

One day a man came home and was greeted by his wife dressed in a very sexy nightie. "Tie me up," she purred, "and you can do anything you want."

So, he tied her up and went golfing.

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MISUNDERSTANDING AND MISCOMMUNICATION, sent in by Christine Finer

The following letters were taken from an actual incident between a London hotel and one of its guests. The hotel submitted the letters to the London Sunday Times for its humor column.

Dear Maid,

Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom,… Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish….
S. Berman

Dear Room 635,

I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow… I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish… The 6 bars on your shelf I took...

Kathy,
Relief Maid

Dear Maid,

…Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap…. I found you had added 3 little Camays…

S. Berman

Dear Mr. Berman,

…The relief maid left 3 hotel soaps… I took the 6 soaps which were in your way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet… I didn't remove the 3 complimentary soaps…

Your regular maid,
Dotty

Dear Mr. Berman,

…I have assigned a new girl to your room….

Elaine Carmen
Housekeeper

Dear Miss Carmen,

…I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid… left another 3 bars of hotel soap… In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap….

S. Berman

Dear Mr. Berman,

Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps….
Elaine Carmen,
Housekeeper

Dear Mr. Kensedder,

My bath-size Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room including my own bath-size Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.

S. Berman

Dear Mr. Berman,

I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem. I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately….

Martin L. Kensedder
Assistant Manager

Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Who left 54 little bars of Camay in my room?... I want my one bar of bath-size Dial….

S. Berman

Dear Mr. Berman,

You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily. I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays….

Elaine Carmen
Housekeeper

Dear Mrs. Carmen,

… I possess: On the shelf under medicine cabinet-- 18 Camay… On the Kleenex dispenser - 11 Camay… On the bedroom dresser - 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1 stack of 4 hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay… Inside the medicine cabinet - 14 Camay... In the shower soap dish - 6 Camay, very moist.
On the northeast corner of tub - 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.
On the northwest corner of tub - 6 Camays…
I have purchased another bar of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.
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WISDOM FROM THE SOUTH, sent in by Ty Scharrer

1. Never give yourself a haircut after three alcoholic beverages.***2. You need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use the WD-40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use the duct tape.***3. The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship are "I apologize" and "You are right."***4. Everyone seems normal until you get to know her.***5. If he/she says that you are too good for him/her -- believe it!***6. Learn to pick your battles. Ask yourself, "Will this matter one year from now? How about one month? One week? One day?***7. If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance!***8. Living well really is the best revenge. Being miserable because of a bad relationship just keeps you in hell, and helps no one!***9. Work is good, but it's not the most important consideration in your life.

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PARADOXICAL LIFE AND HOW TO LIVE IT, sent in by Geoffrey Stoemer

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.***If you are kind, people might accuse you of selfish, ulterior motive. Be kind anyway.***If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.***If you are frank and honest, people might cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.***What you spent years building, someone might destroy overnight. Build anyway.***If you find serenity and happiness, others might be jealous. Be happy anyway.***The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.***Give the world the best that you have. And it might never be enough. Give the best that you have anyway.***

In the final analysis, it is all between you and God [deeply unconscious Lovemind]. It was never between you and them, anyway!

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DEATH FROM DRIVING, sent in by Mary Mclocklin

A 36 year old female totaled her car. It was raining, though not excessive, when her car suddenly began to hydroplane, and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence!

When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened, he told her something that every driver should know:

*****

NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE-CONTROL ON!

*****

She had thought that she was being cautious by setting the cruise-control, and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain.

But if the cruise-control is on, and your car begins to hydroplane, when your tires lose contact with the pavement, your car will accelerate! And you will take off like an airplane! She told the patrolman that this was exactly what had occurred. We all know that you have little or no control over a car when it begins to hydroplane. The highway patrol estimated that her car was actually traveling through the air at 10 to 15 miles per hour above the speed set on the cruise-control!

The patrolman said that this warning should be listed, on the drivers seat sun-visor: "NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR ICY." This should accompany the airbag warning.

We tell our teenagers to set the cruise-control, and to drive a safe speed. But we don't tell them to use the cruise-control only when the pavement is dry!

If you send this to 15 people, and only one doesn't know about this, then it was all worth it. You might have saved a life!

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SIGNS OF THE SEASON, by Susan Smith ("Mooncat")

The return of the crows!

Glorious singing and chattering!

The trees, the beautiful trees!

All dressed in their magnificent display of color!

I hear the dry leaves, stubbornly refusing to drop from the tree, as the

wind blows,

Nature's windchime.

The smell in the air,

Crisp air, somehow cleaner, a hint a pine, fresh brown earth.

And as I take in all this season has to offer,

With awe and respect swelling my heart and soul,

I realize this is not a time of death and endings,

But is the beginning of the mystery of re-birth,

The earth is singing, if you have ears to hear,

I am alive!

Deep Peace and Many Blessings

Susan in Cincy - aka Mooncat

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Peace On Earth

**********************

Mooncat Creations

http://www.geocities.com/mooncat48/

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PRAYER OF COMPASSION, sent in by Geoffrey Stoemer

Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day, and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry, and spend a few precious moments with her children.***Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.***Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.***Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.***Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

***

If the eyes had no tears, the soul would have no rainbow!

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REFLECTIONS ON IMMORTALITY, sent in by Christine Finer

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting,

The soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar;

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter darkness,

But trailing clouds of glory, do we come, from God, Who is our Home.

--Wordsworth

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Cartoon from Brian Mansfield

QUOTABLE SPIRITUAL QUOTES

Sent in by Christine Finer:

"True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess."

--Louis Nizer (1902- 1994) American Lawyer

***

Sent in by Debbie Bereda:

"I like the dreams for the future better than the history of the past."
-- Thomas Jefferson

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WINTER SOLSTICE CONCERT, by Richard Francis

By the kindness and great generosity of our brother Ron Esposito, and the extraordinary thoughtfulness of the radiostation wvxu (91.7 fm), we were allowed to attend a very special and very beautiful Winter Solstice Concert at the Taft Theater on Saturday, November 27. This great pleasure has been repeated for us, for several years now, due to the courtesy and generosity of Ron.

The show is meant to showcase very original, even avant garde, musical styles. The show involved several very talented people. They were delighted to play, partly from passion for their music, and partly, one felt, from sheer self-display. The musicians were having the time of their lives, and the audience was enthusiastic and happy, although interaction was minimal.

It began with some pretty piano music. This was very skillfully played, but was not very different from most other music of the genre. Sadly, especially later in the show, the sound often ranged at about a hundred decibels (about the soundlevel of a chainsaw), cutting down on personal enjoyment. At times, it seemed as if the piano were being attacked, or used to attack the audience. We are not especially big believers in the "sledge-hammer" approach to piano music. The sound-level was probably fantastically great for those who were hard of hearing-- and, by the end of the show, this probably included much of the audience!

A lady sang beautifully. A man played an "electric six-stringed violin," which, he explained, was electric, had six strings, and was a kind of violin. If anything, it was often overplayed; that is, the presentations included so many "extra notes" that you had to strain to "pick out" the songs from all the extraneous notes. The actual melody was often drowned by a flurry of "embellishments"-- complex submelodies interwoven with the main song. If you listened very carefully, for example, to the song, "What Child is This?" you could just manage to hear a melody among all the complex extra notes played. The heart was uplifted when one musician, before playing "Gospel Music," contradicted the exclusivism of the average "Gospel" church! He made it plain that he was for the enlightenment of all people!

The people involved were obviously very talented and skilled. This was displayed magnificently during a fine, lovely, exquisite rendering of Vivaldi. This was definitely the peak of the show. For a person who loves peace and serenity in even her music, this piece was an oasis of softness among a very yang (assertive) presentation. It renewed the soul, and expressed the quieter and more complex subtleties of both piano and violin. Playing Vivaldi is like quoting Lao Tzu; it's very hard to "go wrong" with such beautiful, well-structured music. During the rest of the concert, it was important to keep in mind that the artists were playing for a very large group, in a rather vast hall.

But that was the key to much that was lacking-- structure. The show ended with an especially violent assault on the piano that sounded more like honky-tonk than anything else. Were the players just having fun? Expressing passion? Yes, probably both. But the end result was that the piano music kept bringing to mind the hordes of Attila the Hun storming over the mountains! The beautiful tenderness of the piano was almost completely absent, its many gentle subtleties lost. A few times, it was actually expected that the poor instrument might fly apart under the pressures and stresses.

Was the show worth seeing? Yes, indeed; there were many good, enthusiastic people in that large room. But the line between enthusiasm and simple noise was crossed more than once. One thing was certain: If you were there, you did not miss a single note!

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SPEEDLIMITS ARE THE LAW!, sent in by Christine Finer

Jack looked at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often? When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, and he saw the cop in his rearview, Jack pulled over, but only partially.

Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. The cop was stepping out of his car, big pad in hand. Was that Bob? Jack wondered. Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, Jack approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.
"Hi, Bob," jack said. "Fancy meeting you like this." Jack smiled sheepishly.

"Hello, Jack." No smile.

"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."

"Yeah, I guess." Bob the cop seemed uncertain. Good, thought Jack.
"I've seen some long days at the office lately," rationalized Jack. "I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit-- just this once." He nervously kicked at pebbles on the pavement. "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?"

"I know what you mean," said Bob in a flat, unfriendly voice. "I also know that you have something of a reputation in our precinct ."

Ouch! Thought Jack. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics. "What'd you clock me at?"

"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"

"Now wait just a minute here, Bob. I checked my speed as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

"Please, Jack, in the car." Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license? Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop in church again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand. Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneering sarcasm out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost? But wait a minute! What was this? Some kind of joke?

Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read: "Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it- a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and he was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again. A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left."

"Bob"

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack wiped the tears from his eyes. He watched the patrol-car until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

***

Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an important message; please pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.

Pass this on. You might save a life. Maybe not, but we'll never know if we don't try.

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AVOID PLASTICS IN MICROWAVES, sent in by Alma Turner

Also, avoid putting water bottles in the freezer. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletter. This information is being circulated at
Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Dioxins cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Don't freeze
your plastic water bottles with water in them, as this releases dioxins in
the plastic.

Dr. Edward Fujimoto from Castle hospital explained
this health hazard. (He is the manager of the Wellness Program at the
hospital.) He was talking about dioxins and how bad they are for us.

He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave, using plastic
containers. This applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the
combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food,
and ultimately into the cells of the body. Dioxins are carcinogens, and
highly toxic to the cells of our bodies. Instead, he recommends using
glass, Corning Ware, or ceramic containers for heating food. You get
the same results, without the dioxins.

So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen, soups, etc., should be
removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad,
but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered
glass, Corning Ware, etc. He said that we might remember when some
fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The
dioxins- problem is one of the reasons.

Saran wrap placed over foods as they are nuked, with the
high heat, actually drips poisonous toxins into the food. Use paper
towels.

Geoffrey R. T. Marsh III
*******

BURNOUT!, by Tom Gustin ("Yit")

During the introduction to the “Owner’s Manual for Living on Earth,” we very briefly present a few different descriptions of life’s paths. The main 7-step sequence delves into some of the more obvious characteristics & typical problems encountered during life. This is used mostly as a basis for understanding how we have arrived at where we are today. During a recent get-together, while discussing the “performance phase in life” a fellow student asked: “What is Burnout?” We were running out of time so I simply & inaccurately described it as “running out of energy.” The problem with simple answers is that sometimes the much bigger picture is completely missed. This is like a kind of psychic “can’t see the forest for the trees” experience. Please allow me to rewind the clock a little bit to provide a foundation for my expanded answer to her question.

The third fundamental phase of life, the (high energy) performance phase, is the last one in which the ego is “in charge” of living. It teaches through fear (the opposite of Love) all about “Who we are NOT.” Our conscious focus of attention, & therefore that which we “love,” is usually on the world “out there.” All of our happiness depends on objects & people “out there.” The habits forming the structure for our automatic pilot are concrete-hard. That insures that the "automatic pilot" is functioning full blast. The result? Very little “conscious” living occurs. We are effectively sleepwalking through life.

One of the most significant problems with looking for happiness outside us is that it will never be found “out there.” There is no fulfillment, no real joy, yet we (as egos) insist on our way of finding happiness. Since these are empty goals, we usually pour much more energy into our efforts in order to “feel” happiness from this stuff “out there.” And it seems to work temporarily. But then the emptiness returns, so we apply even more energy to our quest for happiness “out there.” This vicious cycle of more & more & more will run its course eventually, with a wide spectrum of possible end-points manifesting. Depending upon the areas in life where we are competing the most, this "extreme living" will appear in a number of forms. These include: extreme competition (as in sports fanaticism), extreme power struggles, extreme greed, extreme sex, extreme drug or alcohol usage, extreme (un) reality, etc. This compulsive drive is no different from any other addiction. Becoming habituated, we seek stronger stimuli to “feel” changes & differences. More & more energy is needed to affect our dulled sensing systems.

This emptiness can lead to just giving up on the rat race altogether, conforming to some tolerable existence until sweet death rescues us from a life of living hell. This form of real hell continues because we have NOT given up on attempting to control life; we simply believe that “life sucks” & there is no way to make it better. Other common endpoints include “numbing out” (by self-medicating), either to stop the horrible pain or to tune-out. Another very common end-point to the performance phase in life is that we go-go-go until we “burnout.” We become exhausted from our continued efforts. So, stating that “burnout” is “running out of energy” is not incorrect; it is simply an incomplete description. There are many other types & depths of end-points to the performance phase in life. Almost all of them mark the major transition in life into the next phase called metamorphosis, the phase of remarkable changes. During this latter phase, we finally turn inward as Love starts to grow in our hearts. It becomes very obvious because the ego’s control diminishes while peace & joy explode from within.

“Burnout” is extremely difficult to describe to someone who has not personally experienced it. However, Psychologists provide some general conditions (symptoms) for which we can be on guard.

While suffering from “burnout,” one is incapable of examining the self for these (obvious) symptoms. It came to me as quite as surprise how bad I had it when looking back at that phase. This is where best friends can be your most valuable assets in growing through this phase.

How do you know when you are suffering from burnout? Look for some of the following symptoms:

· Decreasing ability to cope with increasing amounts of stress

· Chronic fatigue: exhaustion, tiredness, a sense of being physically run down

· Anger at those making demands

· Self-criticism for putting up with the demands

· Feelings of inadequacy, loss of self-esteem

· Increasing cynicism, negativity, and irritability

· A sense of being overwhelmed & besieged by all of life

· Decreased effectiveness or productivity (at school, work, etc.)

· Exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things

· Decreased attention, concentration, or ability to think clearly

· Frequent headaches and/or stomach disturbances

· (unexplained) Weight loss or gain

· Sleeplessness & depression, or excessive sleeping

· Shortness of breath & maybe pains in the chest, back & neck

· Inability to relax, restlessness, jitteriness, shakiness

· Suspiciousness, anxiety, obsessive over-thinking

· Social withdrawal & growing lack of joy in all of life

· Feelings of helplessness

· Pessimistic attitude toward the future, and feeling sorry for self

· Increased degree of risk taking, screaming, sobbing, or violence

· Recurrent thoughts of self-mutilation, death or suicide

These are just a few. If you have some (or all L) of these symptoms, start working on your selfrepair. Ask for help, and the whole Universe will conspire to assist you. Looking back, I am actually amazed that I made it through all of the symptoms listed above, and many others that are not listed. All that pain was necessary then to bring me to where I am right Now. (It's all in the past.)

We spend the first half of life wrecking ourselves so that we can end life by fixing ourselves. We discover that are true Essence has nothing to do with any of the ego’s fearbased experiences. We are Love. Life is Love. Be Love.

*******

THE BEAUTY OF KINDNESS

I have mixed feelings about this beautiful little story/parable. It has an excellent message to convey: By daring to love and embrace those who are different, we learn a great spiritual lesson. That's a great message about opening the heart. The second lesson is that kindness to strangers can really pay off.

The story must be accepted as a fable or parable. Does this take away from its credibility? I don't really think so!

***

A little girl sat by herself in the park. She looked very sad. Everyone passed by, but no one ever stopped to ask why. Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She did not say a word.

The next day I decided to go back to the park, in curiosity, to see whether the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she had been the day before, still with the same sad look in her eyes.

Today I walked over to her. For, as we all know, a park full of strange

people is not a place for young children to play alone.

As I got closer I could see the little girl's back. It was grotesquely deformed. I figured that this was the reason that people just passed by and made no effort to speak

to her.

Deformities are a low blow to people, and society fears them. And heaven forbid that you make a step toward assisting someone who is different.

As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly. I could

see the shape of her back more clearly now. It was seriously protruding. I smiled

to let her know that it was okay. I was there to help, to

talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello."

She acted shocked, and, after a long stare into my eyes, stammered a "hi" in reply. I smiled, and she shyly smiled back.

We talked until darkness fell, and the park was completely empty. I asked her why she was so sad. She looked at me, her sadness grew enormous, and answered, "Because I'm different."

"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet

and innocent." She looked at me, and then, surprisingly, gave a great smile. Slowly, she stood and said, "Really?"

"Yes, like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all those people

walking by"; She nodded her head yes, and smiled.

With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her great, immense wings

to spread. They blossomed and ballooned about ten feet all around her. then she said quietly, with a twinkle in her eye, "I am."

I was stunned, speechless. I rubbed my eyes, sure that I was just hallucinating.

She said, "You thought of another before yourself. My job here is done."

I jumped up from the bench and said, "Wait! Why did no one stop to

help an angel?"

She smiled, and quietly said, "You're the only one who saw Me." and then she was gone. And with that, my life was changed forever.

So, when you think that "you" are all you have, remember, your "angels" of your deepest Self are always watching over you.

As in the story, we all need someone. Every one of your friends is an Angel in "disguise." The value of a friend is measured in the heart, by the yardstick of Love.

"UNIVERSAL LOVE TEXTS" COMING!

For those of you familiar with the "Universal Love Digest," and that is most of you, we are delighted to report that we are very near our five hundredth issue. The uld, for those who might not know, is a kind of e-brochure; it contains spiritual educative messages on a very wide spectrum of issues. It is sent to most of our efamily via email, and appears every other day or so.

The exciting announcement is this: After we reach Issue Number 500, we are planning to gather all 500 messages into a single paperback book. We are planning to call it Universal Love Texts: the "Universal Love Digest": First Five Hundred Issues. To keep up with the progress of this book, please consult the uld.

***

ANOTHER EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!

As you know, twenty-oh-four was the first year for the publication of the monthly Lovelight magazine, which you are now reading. We successfully, through the generosity of all our efamily and efriends, completed twelve full issues this past year. Each issue averaged about twenty pages.

Our plan is to republish all twelve issues of Lovelight magazine in a single paperback book. We plan to begin Project Lovelight in December, and wrap it up asap-- perhaps as early as February! So, again, megathanks to all of you who contributed humor, miniparables, and good advice to our ezine!

***

HAPPY, MERRY SEASON OF LOVE!

Whether you call it "Christmas," "Hannakuh, Kwanza, or simply the "Season of Love," this is a very special time of year. So, let us give gifts to each other, not holding back, but expressing deep appreciation through wonderful generosity, as we give beauty and value to each other. But let us never become materialistic. Let us remember always that the most precious of all gifts is our timenergy. So, let us share quality-time with all our friends. Let us share laughter and music. Let us share beauty and peace. Let us share Love.

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