I am overwhelmed by this. It's not about immigration...immigration is completely beside the point that overwhelms me. What can we do?! I think I'm a caring person, but this just makes me want to...well honestly to get all I can while the gettin's good! Why not? No matter what I do, it will make no difference whatsoever. bleh. Well, if you know me at all, you know that's a bit pessimistic of me. But let's face it, the reality is just...well he did the math for us already!

OK back on to his subject of how to best help people, which I believe really is his subject, and he makes an excellent point. Maybe he does another talk about something called synergy, maybe not. So I'll tell you what. He does mention the idea of "brightening the corner where you are". You've seen it. Maybe at a concert when everyone lights their lighter, maybe at a Christmas Eve service where the flame is passed down the row to each candle. It's not just your little corner that's brightened. I don't know what the people in Washington D.C. or Santa Fe are going to decide from one day to the next; but I crave seeing people flourishing around me. I know you do too. There are only a few followers here, but we can start a glow around each of us that can reach across the street or around the world. Do something. Do anything. In the name of the billions.

My lazy night

I don't choose it...it chooses me. I allow myself one night after work a week to completely veg out or just go to sleep, sometimes as early as 8:00. I've always been one who needs her sleep. A cousin asked me today, "What's your secret for staying so young looking?". Well, I don't know about looking - but for feeling young, to me there's nothing like a good night's sleep. I'm glad to know that it helps weight control, since I need to keep my weight down due to Type 2 diabetes.
It's been a busy week already for me. Besides my job, I've been approached to do some sewing after an online friend saw some of my work. Keeping in contact with friends and family who are in Tornado Alley, one who's about to lose her mother, and one whose husband is in the hospital, and keeping them in my prayers has been another part-time job. It's one that I love because I know that I can trust God with my loved ones. He's proven it to me many, many times. If you're reading this and you haven't started following me yet, I hope that you will. God has alot in store for you, it's always exciting, and I'd love to go on your journey with you.
Sweet dreams in the Father's arms.

Planning your summer reading? Find out what my cousin has to say...

Modern medicine

Michael has been through so many illnesses and surgeries since 1997, that he feels like a pincushion! Before his knee surgery today, I reminded him that if he were born 100 years ago, he'd be walking like Grandpa Amos McCoy. Remember him? In fact, he was walking like Grandpa the last week or so! We are truly thankful that even with all of the troubles of our world, medicine is advancing so rapidly.

Food!

Tomorrow Michael will pick up our first order from Los Poblanos Organics http://www.lospoblanos.com/

Many of us are becoming concerned and informing ourselves about nutrition and food safety. We have our own little kitchen garden with some lettuce and spinach this year. Maybe our strawberries will begin to sprout soon. I love to use these in my healthy smoothies, which I've started to make since being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. They're really good for everyone! I recently discovered that the common day lily, every part of it is edible. I have one small one that should be spreading over the years, guaranteeing that we will never go hungry. How awesome is that?! The Creator has provided everything we need. The day lily is just one of those things. Check out http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/ for some great ideas as well as http://www.slowmoney.org/ and http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ to find out how some people are working to abolish hunger.

I'll let you know how the veggies are!

A New Direction

As you can see, I'm making a fresh start on my blog. I'd really like it to become a "place", not so much a page for friends old and new to come and share with me and with each other. I work stuck at a desk all day, and I've made some new online friends this year. Some I've met in person and some I have yet to. Until then, I want to at least stay connected in cyberspace. I know some exciting things will develop, because life is just...well, EXCITING! None of us knows exactly what the future holds, but I really hope we can go there together. It's so much more fun and satisfying with friends!

Matthew 5:40-41 (New King James Version)
40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

From www.winterpatriot.com and www.wikipedia.com: "By handing over one's cloak in addition to one's tunic, the debtor has essentially given the shirt off their back, a situation directly forbidden by Hebrew Law as stated in Deuteronomy 24: 10-13:

When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God.
By giving the lender the cloak as well the debtor was reduced to nakedness. Public nudity was viewed as bringing shame on the viewer, not the naked, as evidenced in Genesis 9: 20-27:

Noah planted a vineyard; and he drank of the wine, and became drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it upon both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness.

41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

The succeeding verse from the Sermon on the Mount can similarly be seen as a method for making the oppressor break the law. The commonly invoked Roman law of Angaria allowed the Roman authorities to demand that inhabitants of occupied territories carry messages and equipment the distance of one mile post, but prohibited forcing an individual to go further than a single mile, at the risk of suffering disciplinary actions.[4] In this example, the nonviolent interpretation sees Jesus as placing criticism on an unjust and hated Roman law as well as clarifying the teaching to extend beyond Jewish law.[5] As a side effect this may also have afforded the early followers a longer time to minister to the soldier and or cause the soldier not to seek followers of Jesus to carry his equipment in the future so as not to be bothered with their proselytizing."

As you can see, neither of these actions are to be performed from the position of a victim or "doormat", but a purposeful, even shrewd standpoint which demonstrates righteousness and generosity.