LOVELIGHT
Magazine
DECEMBER 2006*** Vol. 3, no. 12
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MERRY CHRISTMAS TO
ALL OUR FRIENDS
*****
Managing editors: Richard Shining Thunder Francis and Adamaria Francis
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Contributors to this issue: Nick Ardizzone, Jim Dwyer, Jr.; Pat Fields; Chris Finer; Scott Fitzgerald; Mark Franzen; Mick Gallagher; Noel Harrison; David Hem Sagar; Steven McDaniel; Nathan Merritt; Heidi Nordberg; Ty Scharrer; Karleen Sell; Dennis Spencer; Alma Turner; Union of Concerned Scientists; and Bernadene Zinnie.
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LOVELIGHT
MAGAZINE: WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT
Lovelight magazine is free, coming directly to your inboxscreen once a month, to bring a little sunshine, and at least a few laughs. So, if you discover any jokes that make you roar with laughter, please send them along.
But life is not all laughs. So, we hope also to share with you some
pleasant and sweet thoughts, and life-lessons.
Lovelight wants to promote peace and
harmony, and to aid you personally to overcome any problems. If you are working on any religious,
psychological, or spiritual problems, we encourage you to write to us at rmfrancis@juno.com
We also want to present
"miniparables" to help you grow. So, if you come across any wise or touching pieces, not
copyrighted, fairly short, please share them with the efamily. Please send them to the magazine, at
the same address. Also welcome are
practical tips that can make life easier or safer. We also welcome short pieces on personal philosophies,
interesting facts, wordplays, and spirituality, especially those that emphasize
the value of compassion and other forms of Love. We reserve the right to make whatever changes that we deem
necessary or desirable before inclusion in Lovelight magazine.
Your email name/address will not be
shared. Please share, send, or
copy, this magazine, or any parts of it.
Share it with all your friends, and all others. Please use it on your websites. Also, if your friends are inclined,
please have them send us their emailaddress and request a personal
subscription.
This is published as a "light" introduction to spirituality. It is designed especially for those who have little or no interest in the "heavier" aspects. And it is also great, fun reading. A collection of magazines is produced once a year, and would make a sweet gift for a loved one. Happy reading!:)
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WE ARE ALL "LEARNING TO WALK ALONE," sent in by Alma Turner
Imagine a precious baby
Learning to walk
She is falling, hurt and crying.
You rush to this baby
Gentleness expressing
Love and understanding flowing
You comfort
You encourage, ÒTry it again.Ó
No put downs
No punishments for not having succeeded
Only words that lift
Words that build up, instead of put down
What would happen?
If we treated ourselves like
We treated the baby, when
We miss the mark?
What would happen?
If we were gentle, loving, understanding, encouraging
To the self
Lifting ourselves up
Knowing weÕre growing
Into a greater Self, yet-to-be?
Practice Love
Including the self.
In fact, start with the Self.
Love the Baby within.
***
ATTITUDE, by Alma C. Turner
Maybe youÕve decided to go it alone,
Hearing a higher calling from within
The fall season is upon Us
Preparation for what is to come
Do it now, do it later, or donÕt do it at all.
The school of life is always in session
Without books we learn
Sometimes difficult lessons.
***
Perhaps these bodies are but earth suits we wear
We can take care of them now, or later, or not at all
Food, water, exercise, and thoughts are all a part.
We write our own Book of Life
We can and do make a difference
Positive or negative-- still, a difference.
We can make mud pies or own a bakery.
We can seek a lawyer or be a lawyer.
We can be a hinderer or a helper,
Believe it or not.
ATTITUDE DETERMINES ALTITUDE!
*****
*****
HOT WATER,
LESS WORRY, by the Union of Concerned Scientists
Read this issue of Greentips online
Water heating accounts for approximately 15 percent of the
average householdÕs total energy consumption (and a sizable chunk of its energy
costs). If your water heater is
more than 10 years old, it is likely running at less than 50 percent efficiency--
wasting energy and money-- but most people donÕt replace their water heater
until it fails. Upgrading to a new, more efficient model will lower not only
your monthly expenses, but also your contribution to air pollution and global
warming.
Before you shop for a
new water heater, however, make sure youÕve done everything you can to minimize
your hot water use. Install
water-saving fixtures and appliances, for example, and insulate your pipes. Then, choose the most energy-efficient
model that meets your needs and budget; three types are described below.
1) Storage Water Heaters
Heaters that maintain a large tank of water at a set
temperature are the most common, and are best suited for larger households that
use a lot of hot water. They have
become more efficient over the years, but some energy is still wasted when the
hot water is not being used (known as "stand-by energy loss").
To
purchase the most efficient storage water heater for your needs, you need to
know two numbers: first-hour
rating (FHR) and energy factor (EF). FHR
represents the amount of hot water your family uses during its busiest hour;
the U.S. Department of Energy offers a worksheet to help you determine this
amount (see the related links). EF represents how efficiently the appliance
operates, with higher values signifying better efficiency. EF ratings typically
range from 0.75 to 0.95 for electric water heaters, and 0.50 to 0.70 for
natural gas-fired water heaters.
2) Tankless Water Heaters
Also known as on-demand or instantaneous heaters, these
devices use energy only when hot water is needed, resulting in less standby
energy loss than storage heaters. They
tend to have a higher up-front cost, but are less expensive to operate in the
long term due to their higher efficiency. When choosing a tankless water heater, you must first
determine your required flow
rate, or the total hot water consumption
of the appliances you need to run simultaneously (in gallons per minute).
3) Solar Water Heaters
By transferring heat from the sun into a conventional
storage tank, solar water heaters can supply part or all of your hot water
needs. They have higher up-front
costs than conventional water heaters, but much lower operating costs, and can
pay for themselves within 4 to 10 years under favorable conditions. You might also be able to take advantage
of local, state, or federal energy-efficiency incentives that help lower your
initial investment; a list of incentives by state is available through the
related links.
*****
*****
SNORTS, GASPS, AND GUFFAWS: HUMORTHERAPY
INEPT BUSHISMS,
sent in by Ty Scharrer
ÒBushismsÓ are
grammatical errors made by our beloved and benevolent President, G.W. Bush.
MARIA BARTIROMO
(CNBC): I'm curious, have you ever Googled anybody? Do you use Google?
DUBYA: Uhh,
occasionally. One of the things
I've used on the Google is, uhh, to pull up maps. -- The Google, available on
the Internet. White House, Oct.
23, 2006.
"Nobody has
accused me of having a real sophisticated vocabulary."-- White House, Oct.
11, 2006.
"I worked with
[Arizona Congressman] Rick [Renzi] to pass what's called the Healthy Forest
Initiative. See, his district has
got a lot of important forests. It
means that we can work together with local folks to thin out those forests so
they're not full of combustionable fuel." -- By that twisted phrase, he
means "trees". Scottsdale, Arizona, Oct. 4, 2006.
"It gives me
great comfort to be able to tell the loved ones of those who wear our uniform
that if you get hurt you will receive first class, compassionate care from the
United States military." -- It's great to know that Dubya has "great
comfort" from his insulated and guarded office while girls and boys are
shedding blood and dying in the superheated desert for his greed.-- Washington,
D.C., Sep. 29, 2006.
"The goals of
this country is to enhance prosperity and peace." They is? Grammar goes out the door again, in the White House
Conference on Global Literacy, New York, New York, Sep. 18, 2006.
"I'm going to answer one question
as this legislation proceeds, and it's this. The intelligence community must be
able to tell me that the bill Congress sends to my desk will allow this vital
program to continue. That's what
I'm going to ask." Excuse me,
Dubya, but that wasn't a question.-- White House, Sep. 15, 2006.
"I would hope
people aren't trying to rewrite the history of Saddam Hussein -- all of a
sudden, he becomes kind of a benevolent fellow. He's a dangerous man. And one of the reasons he was declared a state sponsor of
terror was because that's what he was. He harbored terrorists. He paid for families of suicide bombers. Never have I said that Saddam Hussein
gave orders to attack 9/11." Apparently "9/11" has been attacked.--
White House, Sep.
15, 2006
"It's
important to have members of the United States Senate who understand the call
of history and are willing to stand strong in the face of an enemy who is
relenting." Wrong word,
Dubya. This one means the opposite
of what you were probably trying to say, that the enemy is
"relentless."-- Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 31, 2006.
"I've, I've
got a eckullectic reading list." I'm sure he must know the word "eclectic" but this
sure sounds different!-- New Orleans, Louisiana, Aug. 29, 2006.
REPORTER: What is
your philosophy on granting presidential pardons?
Dubya: "You know, I don't have the
criterion in front of me, Mark, but we have a strict criterion that we utilize
-- we being the Justice Department and the White House Counsel. And I, frankly,
haven't compared the number of pardons I've given to any other President."
Either Dubya has only one
criterion that determines all the pardons he issues, or he doesn't understand
what criterion means.
"Criterion" means only one (singular); the plural is
"criteria."-- White House, Aug. 21, 2006.
"But we want
an education system to educate every child. And here's our vision of how it's done. First, you must have
leadership that sets high standards. It's amazing what happens when you have low standards. Guess what happens. You get low results. It's what I call the 'soft bigotry of
low expectations.' If you don't
have high standards, you get lousy results, particularly in some neighborhoods.
And that's unacceptable to a
person like Lynn Swann and me." How did you and Lynn become one person? Nice grammar, Dubya.-- Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, Aug. 15, 2006.
"This is a
competitive company. It's a
company that can't fill every order it gets because they're constrained by
being able to find enough workers." "Not being able to" would make a lot more sense,
and is therefore probably what he was supposed to say.-- Green Bay, Wisconsin,
Aug. 10, 2006.
"I will be
making the troop level decisions based upon what General George Casey
recommends. We owe that to our
troops. We owe that to their
families. We owe that to the
Iraqi." Do you have one particular
Iraqi in mind?-- Chicago, Illinois, July 7, 2006.
"The first
thing we got to understand as a country is that illegal immigration undermines
the rule of law. It creates an
underground economy. It can danger
our national security -- And we certainly don't want our national security
dangered."-- Artesia, New Mexico, June 6, 2006.
"If one were
to measure progress on the number of suiciders, if that's your definition of
success, I think it gives -- I think it will -- I think it obscures the steady,
incremental march toward democracy we're seeing. In other words, it's very difficult -- you can have the most
powerful army of the world -- ask the Israelis what it's like to try to stop
suiciders. ... That's the -- but that's one of the main -- that's the main
weapon of the enemy, the capacity to destroy innocent life with a suicider.
...Trying to stop suiciders -- which we're doing a pretty good job of on
occasion -- is difficult to do. And what the Iraqis are going to have to
eventually do is convince those who are conducting suiciders who are not
inspired by al Qaeda, for example, to realize there's a peaceful tomorrow."
Dubya unleashes the made-up word
"suicider" 5 times in quick succession -- a new record.-- White
House, May 23, 2006.
"We're honored
that the Flying Tomato represented our country, and we want to thank all the
dudes and dudesses of the snowboarders who are here." Dubya takes a painful stab at being hip
in a ceremony with the 2006 U.S. Winter Olympic and Paralympic Teams.-- White
House, May 17, 2006.
"I sent a
supplemental up to the United States Congress recently to make sure our troops
what they have they need to be able to do their jobs." -- Washington,
D.C., May 17, 2006.
"Churches all
across the country are reaching out -- synagogues, people from different faiths
understand that it makes sense to help their parishioners realize the benefits
of this plan." "Parishioners" of different faiths? Nice word choice.-- Sun City Center,
Florida, May 9, 2006.
"I,
personally, have a working relationship with Vladimir Putin and that's very
important. I've got a warm relationship with him. It's a relationship where I can sit down with him and ask him
direct questions as to why he's made the decisions he's made. It's a relationship where he questions
me about what the intentions of the United States may be. It's one that I value, and I think it's
an important relationship not only for the United States to have, but it's an
important relationship for countries in Europe for the United States to have a
relationship with Vladimir Putin."--
White House, May 5, 2006.
"I've come to
realize that the nature of the German people are such that war is very
abhorrent, that Germany is a country now that is -- no matter where they sit on
the political spectrum, Germans are -- just don't like war. And I can understand that."-- White
House, May 5, 2006.
"I was not
pleased that Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel." With friends like that, who needs
enemies?-- White House, May 4, 2006.
"And it
recognizes that we have got to educate our children -- now! -- for the skill
sets necessary for tomorrow. And
this is a better place -- there's no better place to talk about that -- and
there is no better place to talk about that right here at Parkland Magnet
Middle School for Aerospace Technology. Thanks for letting us come by. God bless."-- April 18, 2006.
"The tests
show we're fine in the fourth grade in math, and we're okay in eighth grade.
They start to slip up prior to going to high school. That is the time to intervene in a child's academic career to
make sure he or she has that skill set necessary to become the mathematicians
or the scientists or the engineers by the time they get out of college."--
Rockville, Maryland, April 18, 2006.
"There's no
need to have a health care system for our seniors that doesn't meet needs. And
one of the things I noticed in analyzation of the health care system for
seniors, analyzation of Medicare, was that medicine had changed, but Medicare
hadn't." "Analyzation? Don't try to invent words, dubya.--
Jefferson City, Missouri, April 11, 2006.
"I strongly
believe what we're doing is the right thing. If I didn't believe it -- I'm going to repeat what I said
before -- I'd pull the troops out, nor if I believed we could win, I would pull
the troops out." What did he
just say?-- April 6, 2006.
"What we're
doing is difficult work. And one
-- the interesting thing that's happening is, is that imagine an enemy that
says we will kill innocent people because we're trying to encourage people to
be free."-- White House, Mar. 21, 2006.
"The people of
the city still have many challenges to overcome, including old-age resentments
that still create suspicion."
Why not attack the most defenseless among us?-- Cleveland, Ohio, Mar.
20, 2006
"The third
part of our plan is to develop new technologies to defend against IEDs. We're puttin' the best minds in America
to work on this effort. The
Department Defense recently garnered some 6 -- gathered 600 leaders from industry
and academmia, the national laboratories, the National Academy of Sciences, all
branches of the military, and every -- uhh, relevant government agency to
discuss technology solutions to the IED threat."-- George Washington
University, Washington, D.C., Mar. 13, 2006.
***
IT'S ALL PSYCHOLOGY, sent in by Karleen Sell
A guy bought a new
fridge. To get rid of his old one,
he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it: "Free to good
home. You want it, you take
it." For three days the
fridge just sat there. He decided
that it looked too good to be true. So, he changed the sign to read: "Fridge for sale $50."
The next day, someone stole it.
***
One day I got a
call from a person who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "Twenty-four hours a
day, 7 days a week."
He responded,
"Is that Eastern or Pacific time?"
***
We overheard one of
them talking about her sunburn. She
drove down in a convertible, but "didn't think she'd get sunburned because
the car was moving."
***
. . She has a lifesaving tool in her car, designed to cut through a seat belt
if she gets trapped. She keeps it
in the trunk.
***
We saw a woman with
a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, "Wouldn't the chain rip out every time
she turned her head?" I
explained that a person's nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter
which way the head is turned.
***
MARRIAGE, THE SEXES, AND CONFUSION, sent in by Chris Finer
These answers were written by kids:
You got to find somebody who
likes the same stuff.-- Alan, age 10
No person really decides before
they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later
who you're stuck with.-- Kristen, age 10
HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on
whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.-- Derrick, age 8
WHAT DO YOU THINK
YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.--
Lori, age 8
WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A
DATE?
Even boys have something to say if you listen long
enough.-- Lynnette, age 8
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that Usually gets
them interested enough to go for a second date.-- Martin, age 10
WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING
SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call
all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.--
Craig, age 9
WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7.
***
Humorous but true reflections on politics, Sent in by Chris
Finer
1. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then, I repeat myself.-- Mark
Twain***2. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity
is like a man standing in a
bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.--Winston
Churchill***3. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always
depend on the support of Paul.--George Bernard Shaw***4. Democracy must
be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for
dinner.--James Bovard***5. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of
money from poor people
in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.--Douglas Casey***6.
Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.--P. J. O'Rourke***7.
Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to
live at the expense of everybody else.--Frederic Bastiat, French Economist
(1801-1850)***8. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a
few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.--Ronald
Reagan***9. I don't make jokes. I
just watch the government and report the facts.--Will Rogers***10. In
general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as
possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.--Voltaire
(1764)***11. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't
mean politics won't take an interest in you.--Pericles (430 BCE)***12. No
man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the Legislature is
in session.--Mark Twain***13. Talk is cheap, except when Congress does
it.--Unknown***14. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing
of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is
the equal sharing of misery.--Winston Churchill***15. A government big
enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take
everything you have.--Thomas Jefferson
***
TANK
YOU FOR THE FUNERAL,
sent in by Mick Gallagher
As a young minister, I was asked to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, with no family or friends. The funeral was to be held way back in the country.
I became lost. And, being a typical man, did not stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the crew. I apologized for my tardiness. I stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place. The workers gathered around.
I poured out my heart and soul. As I preached, they began to say "Amen," and, "Praise the Lord!" I preached like I'd never preached before, from Adam to Armageddon. I closed the lengthy service with a prayer and walked to my car. I overheard one of the workers say, "I ain't never seen anything like that before; and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."
***
WHITE
HOUSE ANSWERING MACHINE, sent in by Ty Scharrer
"If you are
calling to complain about the abuse of prisoners and the White House's
endorsement of torture, press 2, and then say the name of the torture site that
you wish to complain about (and please note for the sake of the voice mail
system that it is pronounced Abu GRABE, not Abu grahb).
"If you are
calling to complain about illegal spying on American citizens and the abuse of
FISA laws, press 3, but do know that these calls will be recorded. If you are calling to complain about
the disastrous mismanagement of the hurricane Katrina recovery, please press 4,
and your call will be directed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. If you wait for more than 48 hours
without anyone picking up the phone, hang-up and send a letter. We have been assured that all letters
will receive a prompt reply within one year.
"If you are
calling regarding the administration's unwillingness to enforce immigration
law, press cinco, por favor, or direct any thanks to your local chamber of
commerce office, which can explain why we like cheap labor that can't vote; and
where you might be able to find willing illegal day laborers in your local area.
"If you are Jack
Abramoff or any Saudi prince, please call the private line - it is always open.
"If you are calling
about the Medicare prescription debacle, please press 6. If you are having a medical emergency,
you should proceed directly to your local emergency room, although please
understand that your health coverage might not pay for the visit; and you can
no longer get out from under the bill by declaring bankruptcy.
"If you are
calling about the ballooning federal deficit or the recent hike in the debt
ceiling to $9 trillion, please press 7, unless you are Bill Clinton calling to
brag about the surpluses under your administration, in which case we don't want
to hear about it.
"If you are
calling to complain about the White House's efforts to block stem cell
research, please press 8, and then state the disease that you are most
concerned about that may ultimately be cured through scientific research.
"If you are a
scientist calling with new research findings or important clinical data, please
hang up. We don't want to hear
from you.
"If you are
calling to express concern about global warming and our efforts to roll back
environmental laws, please press 9, unless you are a government scientist, in
which case you are forbidden to talk without first clearing it with the oil
lobbyist we hired to screen and edit your research. He can be reached at Exxon
4-2611.
"If you are
calling to complain about the President's efforts to "privatize"
social security, press Star 1 and your call will be redirected to
representatives at Merrill Lynch, who will explain the virtues of putting all
your savings in the stock market.
"If you are
calling about the need for more prayer in public schools or any other
faith-based initiatives, please press Star 2 and a fundy preacher will be with
you shortly.
"If you are
calling to lobby for more Supreme Court Justices who will block a woman's right
to choose, please stay on the line and the President will be with you
immediately.
"If you are
calling about all the tax breaks for the wealthy and you have ideas for more
loopholes and are making more than a million dollars per year, press Star 3; if
you are earning less than a million per year but have ideas for how you may
help the wealthy, press Star 4; if you are earning less than a million per year
and just want to complain that all the burden is now falling on you, please call
back in a couple of years.
"Thank you for
calling the White House. It is our
pleasure to serve you; and remember to vote Republican next election.
***
FRONT TO BACK, sent in by Chris Finer
An elderly lady
called 911 to report that her car had been broken into. She was hysterical as she explained her situation:
"They've stolen the stereo,
the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!" she cried.
A few minutes later,
the officer radios in: "Disregard.
She got in the back-seat by mistake."
***
OLD FRIENDS, sent in by
Chris Finer.
Two elderly ladies
had been friends for many decades.
They had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately,
their activities had been limited to playing cards. One day, one said, "Don't get mad, but I just can't
think of your name. Please tell me."
Her friend glared at her. For
three minutes she just stared. Finally she said, "How soon do you
need to know?"
***
SENIOR DRIVING
As a senior citizen
was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang. He heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "I just
heard that there's a car going the wrong way on
Interstate 77. Please be careful!"
"Heck," he
said, "It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"
*****
*****
WORDS BY WHICH TO NAVIGATE
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"I can't do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail at doing the something I can do."-- Helen Keller
***
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."-- Thomas Edison [sent in by Nick Ardizzone]
***
"The secret to success is to do the common thing uncommonly well."-- John D. Rockefeller [sent in by Nick Ardizzone]
*****
*****
LOVELETTERS FROM BUDS, PALS, AND FRIENDS
From Dr. Heidi Nordberg:
Dear shining one
Thank you for your sweet letter. I too am very grateful for encountering you in this life. You have given me such hope and joy in your very existence. The friendship that has grown between us is reallyÉ the little something extra special added - that brings such gratitude. Thank you so much for being there, for being you, for being a friend of depth and worth.
ÉI read with some interest your post on eating out, and had just one comment.
Here in Atlanta, the food prices have skyrocketed. In many cases, it has become more economical to eat out than to eat at home, especially at eateries that do not cater to the restaurant snobs that have become common in this restaurant-heavy cityÉ. I can
spend less and get more quality by going outÉ.
Keep me informed on the video project, and whether you need/want any input.
I'm wondering if maybe you should set up a page on your site for easy contributions? Maybe using Paypal or something like that? Or set up a special account so that people can mail a check? Perhaps he has a site where we could direct people?...
Much love to both -
Heidi
***
From Dr. Mark
Franzen:
Please realize that
you are a special condiment to my life. I think of and refer to your
teachings almost daily. Please take a moment and consider all the people,
like myself, that you've touched directly in a profound manner. Now
consider the people that we've all affected. WOW!!!
Your karmic
downline is grand for sure!
Thanks for being my
gentle teacher!
Love,
Mark
***
From Mick Gallagher:
THANK YOU SIRÉ
THANK YOU TANK U, TANK U VAEY MUCH, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER, SIR!!
Soooooooooo much to be Thankful for! We are all so Blessed. Let us give more, love more, be
moreÉ.
Oh it's all too beautiful, Mr. Man!!
Your such a kidder!
Love U guys!!
Poindexter LePuh
***
From Pat Fields:
Hi Richard and Adamaria. I, too, give thanks for the 2 of you in my life. It is made much richer because you areÉ. HAPPY THANKSGIVING HAPI.
Love,
Pat
***
From Chris Finer:
aww, thank you, Richard!
I am one of those
people who, even when others leave my life, never stop loving them. So
for me, friendship is forever.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Chris
***
From Jim Dwyer, Jr.:
Dear shi and Adamaria,
I too and very thankful for you two wild and loving donkeys!
EEEEE-AWWWWW. I appreciate very much your friendship and compassionate
love. Best of feasting to you both.
Love,
Jim
***
From Noel Harrison:
Dear Shi and Adamaria!
Thank you for your (always) loving words. Also for the book, some months agoÉ.
You are never far from our thoughts. We send you love from soggy Devon.
[England]
Noel and Lori
***
From
Scott Fitzgerald:
Richard,
Many blessings to
you as we kick off the Holiday Season. Hope your healing is coming along
well.
my best,
Scott
***
From Steven McDaniel:
Hi brother,
I just told Cindy how much "I really love that cat" meaning you
the cat. Thanks for the letter-- as Thanks and Giving are all about being
friends, especially on the level we share. It's rare. Wish we lived
on one big farm together. We could cultivate Love-crops for the world.
Always look forward to being there with you, but you are always here in
reality-- as there's no there there as Gertrude Stein wrote.
Love to you and Adamaria always,
Steven
***
From
Nathan Merritt [combining two letters]:
Dear
Shi
ÉI'm very pleased to know you as
well. I hope you had a pleasant Thanksgiving. My wife and I did. Just the two
of usÉ.
I finished my Master thesis in comparative religion today. It took me months!
If it passes muster I can begin my doctoral thesis.
I'm up to page 55 [of your book], and your book is focused like a torpedo on
every dirty nasty dark secret and sickness of the Org. Your style in this book has an immediacy
and authenticity that can come only via personal experience. You're leaving no stone unturned in this
expose of JW psychology,É This is very potent stuff, very concise and
content-intensive. All of it is relevant with no filler, and
spot-on. This book did some deep and lasting good. Divine blessings to
you for it! This is one of the
best, most illuminating expose's available. More to come as I read it.
Love Divine to you as well Shi,
Nathan
***
From Karleen Sell:
Dearest Richard and Maria,
We are grateful to have you in our lives-- as inspiration,
friend, and inventor of wonderful words!
Driving around yesterday, I felt such overwhelming love for those in my life-- and that I would not trade or change one of them! I have lots of little notes to write! And as for politically correct, anytime is the correct time to contact a friend-- especially with loveÉ.
So, either way-- timely or inspirationally-- our loving
thoughts to others on any day proclaim a Personal and yet Universal "Thanksgiving
Day"!
Love to you both,
Karleen
***
From Dennis Spencer:
Dear Richard,
ÉI am also thankful to have you as a friend. My mood has been a little better the
past 2 weeks and I think it's because I returned to the pneumarium. I plan on becoming a "regular"
again.
Peace and love,
Dennis
***
From David Hem
Sagar [in Darjeeling, India]:
Dear Francisji
'Shi' and Mariaji,
Namaste and
Sneham! [Spiritual greeting and
Love!]
Thanks for the
latest information about your new book Walkin' On Sunshine. I am so happy to hear that.
Thanks also for
telling others, especially the Pneumarium-family, about "Christmas
Project- 2006." Good to hear
that PatÉ will be present for the Thanksgiving. Please give them all our "Sweet Greetings" on this
great day.
I had some doubt
that you ate meat (flesh). That
sounds great! You and your idea
match the true Indian food habits.
But thank you very
much for asking about these three little adopted girls.
Yesterday, a
boy was adopted by our Charity [The Love and Compassion Charitable
Society]. His name is
"Vardhan" (meaning "gift.") He is only 6 months old. His mommy died three months ago; and his dad is unknown. He will be looked after by Ashok and
his wife Monika. But our small ministry is daring to look after
"Vardhan."
If any one wishes
to help, or send any items for, this small boy, they are all WELCOME.
What to do brother
Francisji, I have been called to this sacred spiritual purpose. And I am sure that I am doing a very
good thing. We can send a photo
also. It is always good to have
mercy on orphans.
We love you all.
Have a great day tomorrow [at the Pneumarium!]
Shanti [Peace,]
Bhai Davidji
[younger brother, beloved David]
*****
*****
WARNING ABOUT CIRCUIT CITY, sent in by Nathan Merritt
I
bought identical Hewlett-Packards PCs for my wife and me four months ago. The sales people assured us, several
times, that the computers would be repaired by Circuit City if anything went
wrong during the warranty period. Now,
four months later, my computer needs repair; and Circuit City now tells us
the truth: During the first year
of ownership Circuit City can't do any repairs. The computer will have to be shipped to Hewlett-Packard for
repairs.
*****
*****
IMPORTANT PASSPORT INFORMATION, sent in by Ty Scharrer
Beginning January 8, 2007,
U.S. citizens (including infants and children) will need a valid passport to travel to and from Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Central and South
America, and the Caribbean (excluding Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
If any portion of your trip will
take place after January 7, you'll need a valid passport to re-enter the U.S. Plan ahead and start the process to get
your passport today. Access the link above to the U.S. Department of
State for additional information.
Gator's Den web site http://gatorsden.org
*****
*****
LETTER
FROM A WAR-MOTHER, sent in by Bernadene Zinnie
"Sit-Down for Change and Stand-Up for Peace."-- Cindy
Sheehan
"Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the
State becomes
lawless orÉ corrupt."--Gandhi
BushCo is getting a little testy and a lot defensive about
their profitable antics in the Middle East. In recent days, George, Darth Cheney and Rumbo have all
displayed their hubris and disdain for America in their unjustifiable support
of their crimes for the benefit of a very chosen few. Indeed, Darth practically salivated all
over himself thinking about water boarding human beings. I almost wrote
"fellow" human beings, but applying that definition to Darth Cheney
would be stretching the meaning of the word and being too kind to someone who
has been the insidious Edgar Bergen to George's
Mortimer Snerd.
The illegitimate pretenders to the White House have defiled
it almost beyond repair; and [they] have sullied America's already tainted
image around the globe to unprecedented heights. The people whom we never elected in the first place think
that we are as delusional and disconnected as they are. When George says that we are
"winning" the war in Iraq, what does he mean? That we have killed over 2000 times more
people than
they have? And
[America has] decimated a country that was already reduced to
sub-humanity by the devastating US-UN sanctions of the
'90's? When George says that his
administration has never been about "staying the course," are we
supposed to just jettison our memory banks to outer space, blankly smile, go
shopping and pretend that everything is okay? Nothing is okay. In fact, everything is dangerously not okay.
If there ever was a moment in time for non-violent civil
disobedience, it is now! The
present is frightening enough, but when I think of the world that the neocon
fascists are willfully and gleefully creating for our children and
grandchildren, I am sick to my stomach.
Our nation has gone through upheavals and troubles before. Grassroots
movements that put their collective bodies on the line for
justice can claim responsibility for such positive social changes that gave me
and my brothers and sisters of color the right to vote. Our fore fathers and mothers stopped
slavery, child labor and oppressive working conditions. Due to corrupt elections and BushCo's
contempt for unions
and lascivious support for corporate fascism, we are losing
the rights for which our ancestors fought so valiantly [and often died].There
was an anti-war revolution during the conflict in Vietnam where protestors were
even murdered in cold blood by the Nixon regime. The horrible sacrifices that some of our forebears in the
peace movement
made become diminished and invalidated. [This is due to] most of our nation's
complacent and comfortable citizenry's quiet consent in this
corrupt occupation of Iraq.
For our children, our grandchildren and the world, it is imperative to put our bodies on the line for peace and accountability.
The time for fear is over; the time for courage has begun. Show
BushCo that we are not afraid of them anymore and that we want our country back
and our troops home from Iraq. Our
state has not only become "lawless"; it thinks it is above the law.
Show the irresponsible Congress that, no matter whether they
call themselves Republican or Democrat, we are holding them responsible for this
nation's troubles, too.
Come to DC and "Sit-Down for Change, and Stand-Up for Peace." We will be waiting for you and your grandchildren will thank you.
Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Casey Sheehan who was KIA in
Iraq on 04/04/04. She is the co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace and the
author of three books, the most recent is Peace Mom, A Mother's Journey through
Heartache to Activism.
*****
*****
VICTIMS
OF I-CHILDABUSE,
sent in by Chris Finer
The innocent victims of Internet child abuse cannot speak
for themselves. But you can speak
for them, in their defense. With
your help, in fact, we can eradicate this evil trade. We do not need your money. We need you to light a candle of support http://www.lightamillioncandles.com.
We're aiming to light at least One Million Candles by December 31, 2006. This petition will be used to encourage
governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organizations,
Internet service providers, technology companies, and law enforcement agencies
to eradicate the commercial viability of online child abuse. They have the power to work together. You have the power to get them to take
action. Please light your candle
at lightamillioncandles.com http://www.lightamillioncandles.com or send
an email of support to light@lightamillioncandles.com. Together, we can destroy the commercial
viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of
innocent children. Kindly forward
this email to your friends, relatives and work colleagues so that they can
light candles too.
*****
*****
GOD AS A "BANKER"?
The reduction
of the Lord of Light and Love, the Fountain of all good and wisdom,
forgiveness, and peace to a "banker" puts into serious
question the mystical perspective of a much larger and more
beautiful God. It is to place the Lord of infinity in a place that
"reveals" God to be but a materialist, blessing our material being,
but deleting or minimizing Her/His intense and abundant interests in
our spiritual, emotional, mental, and karmic being. This is an
unfortunate, one-dimensional picture of our Lord of tranquility and
education. It is a too-human, too-limited perspective of God as a
"player of Monopoly" on a cosmic scale. This can be very attractive, especially to the poor or
desperate. But this article is
being written by a poor man.
We mystics see God as
polydimensional. To present Her/Him as a "banker" gives
entirely the wrong impression. He/She is the deepest aspect of your own
being and Mind. He/She creates the dynamic beauty of life, including its
challenges and losses. She/He is rescuing Love, but She/He does not
always "rescue" us from the challenging troubles of our lives.
Often, we must face and solve those challenges.
Presenting the Lord
as a "banker" implies that Her/His only function is to rush to our
aid, and provide a solution that is only financial. This is almost never
true, almost never the function of Love in our lives.
As a mystic, in Love
with Love, this terribly limited, restrictive presentation of the Lord as
"banker" must be seen as very partial, and somewhat inaccurate.
Human beings, at their lowest spiritual ebb, are often obsessed with gold,
but God is so much more, so much better. So, this portrayal
is incomplete, not nearly big, or diverse, enough to imply all the many functions
of God in our lives. Presenting the infinite Mind as a "banker"
can be accepted only as a kind of satire or parody-- one that emphasizes human
greed and fear over the many Love-functions, the true glory, of God.
It is the goal
of a mystic to simplify her life to the functional minimum. While
she does not always believe in strictest minimalism, her material goal is
simplicity. She does not need, or want, God to be, her
"banker," but her Lover, her Supporter, her Comforter, her all.
God gives of an infinite supply of life, through giving her Love, in the form
of friends, helpers, doctors, honest lawyers, real-estate people, grocers,
psychologists, and other soulminds who practically support her
in the stresses and challenges of everyday life. To see, or to present,
God's miraculous abundance as a mere "banker" is much too
restrictive. God is all about Love, not all about money.
This kind of
presentation says much more about human insecurity than it ever says about
God. My God is very rarely only a
"banker." This is, in fact, a rather superficial, perhaps even
shallow, perspective of the unlimited and huge variety of roles played by
the illimitable Mind. Being such a limited perspective, it
"feels" very wrong.
Money is, of course,
a necessary part of our everyday lives. It is not evil, but, as the
ancient mystic wrote, "The love of money is a root of all
evil." The Scriptures have actually very little good to say about
riches, a product of greed. (This is a form of fear, Love's
opposite.) Jesus clearly and repeatedly demonstrated that, in his heart, he
had a special soft spot for the "poor." He went much further in
saying, "It would be easier for a camel to get through the eye of a
sewing-needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom." And a
"rich man" in the poverty of first-century Palestine would likely be
equivalent to what we today, in our culture, would call "lower
middle-class."
Why is there this
dichotomy between Love (God) and riches? Because there is actually a
conflict between Love and riches. The rich are not famous for being
loving people, although there are exceptions. For money and God (Love)
both demand one limited resource. This is the "gold" of the
cosmos-- time. Since you cannot give time simultaneously to the art of
loving and to the often greed-based idea of being rich, you must often make a
clear-cut choice or decision. I can use the next few hours of this life
to engage in Love, or to engage in the accumulation of personal riches, but not
both. In this kind of decision, you can easily see the conflicting
aspects of God and money.
This is, in fact, why
the Scriptures say, "The Lord is my shepherd," and not, "The
Lord is my banker." Is the latter an improvement? I do not
think that it is.
*****
*****
Please get in touch with us, at Lovelight magazine, at:
rmfrancis@juno.com