Words

I did not write this. I am copying it here to remind myself to strive daily to follow it.

"Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering.

Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am determined to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope.

I will not spread news that I do not know to be certain and will not criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure.

I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break.

I am determined to make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small."

( a version of one of The Five Precepts)
From: http://sweetmango-sweetmango.blogspot.com

Oblivious Bully Goats

Once upon a time there was a troll. He wasn’t just any troll. He was a very ugly troll. When he walked down the street the other trolls averted their eyes so they wouldn’t have to admit there was anything so ugly amongst them. The poor troll was not able to live in a respectable house in the village but was forced to take up residence under a bridge outside the town limits.
Well there were three little middle class goats who had stripped the land of the nourishment it once had on one side of that bridge. One day they spotted some very tasty looking grass indeed on the other sided of the bridge. There was nothing for it but what they have that grass. They knew that the bridge was home for a troll and they knew they would not get to greener pastures without impacting on his life, but after all, he was just a troll and an ugly troll at that. Who cares about a troll when there is luscious grass to be had. So off went the goats, impeding on the rights of the troll to ensure that their wants were met. You know the rest of the story. The poor troll tried to stand up for himself until he eventually died at the hands of the goats. The goats never gave the troll another thought, but went on their merry way gouging themselves with grass to their heart’s content.


We in the first class nations oppress the poor, weak, homeless, and strangers among us. Additionally, most of us are willfully ignorant to the oppression we cause overseas in poor nations with our consumeristic, capitalistic, and wealthy lifestyles. (Cited from http://www.franciscan-anglican.com/Homelessness.htm)

Peace

Peace is a gift from God to the humble.
Peace is being interwoven with God.
Peace is being loved by God and loving others.
Peace is being forgiven by God and forgiving others.
Peace is trusting God.
Peace is being accounted righteous because of Christ’s righteousness.
Peace is being confident in ones’ hope.
May God grant you peace in times of joy and in times of sorrow.

I Was Hungry and You Fed Me
Matt. 25:31-46

I was hungry and you fed me.
While 15 million people a year die of hunger, my freezer is full mostly with pies, one of life’s luxuries.
I was thirsty and you gave me drink.
3000 children a day die because of lack of clean drinking water while I go about my business showering every day, washing my clothes before you even notice they are dirty and pouring water on my flowers.
I was a stranger and you received me into your home.
100 million people in the world are homeless while I ramble around in a big old house.
I was naked and you clothed me.
200 million children in the world go to work every day instead of school. Many of them not only don’t have adequate clothes but they work in sweat shops manufacturing the clothes that I wear and I am totally indifferent to their sacrifice.
I was sick and you took care of me.
Statistics indicate that poverty is a higher indicator of poor health than smoking, drinking or lack of exercise but I continue to look the other way.
I was in prison and you visited me.
In more than 40 nations around the world today Christians are being persecuted for their faith. In some of these nations it is illegal to own a Bible, to share your faith in Christ, or teach your children about Jesus. Those who boldly follow Christ face harassment, arrest, torture and even death.
Jesus lived a Spartan life with no indication of greed or selfishness. He dedicated his time to the care of the physical needs of others but he also meets our needs on a much deeper level.

I was hungry and you fed me.
Jesus is the bread of life. He promises that if we eat that bread we will never be spiritually hungry and we will live forever.
I was thirsty and you gave me drink.
Jesus promised, “Those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will provide them with life-giving water and give them eternal life.” Jesus said; “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day. For my flesh is the real food and my blood is the real drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me and I live in them.
I was a stranger and you received me in your home.
Jesus promises, “I go to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am.”
I was naked and you clothed me.
We are promised that when our bodies are torn down we will be clothed with new bodies in heaven.
I was sick and you took care of me.
When we were spiritually sick Jesus took care of us. He carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that we have been healed. We were like sheep that had lost their way, but now we have been brought back to follow the Shepherd and Keeper of our souls.
I was in prison and you visited me.
Jesus freed us from prison. He set us free from the bondage of sin and made us slaves of God. Our gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life. God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus.
The righteous will have eternal life. Rom. 14:17 tells us that righteousness, peace and joy are all given to us by the Holy Spirit.
I am a goat but because I’m united with the lamb of God he says to me, “Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation.”