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Calling All Parents...

Posted by Karen (Hemmalin) McGrath on January 30, 2009 at 6:40am

Hi Everyone,This is a website with important information for all parents: www.parentalrights.orgOne of the things coming up on the Agenda with the new political administration for America is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. (UNCRC)The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child looks good on the surface; however, it has far-reaching, inappropriate and unscriptural control which has been a nightmare for families in Sweden and elsewhere.The United States and Somalia are the only two countries who have not signed on to the UNCRC thus far. Bless God.Two things are happening in member countries.1. There is no government action so no one is concerned. (England for example)2. There is government action and parents are becoming guilty-until-proven-incompetent baby sitters for their children.In either of the above cases, the government can act legally and it's a done deal.Please take a moment to go to the website and ask God what you should do and please tell your extended families so they can decide what they need to do as well.www.parentalrights.orgmany blessings and prayers, Karen

Loyal Opposition

Posted by Billy Britt on January 28, 2009 at 4:55am

On January 20, Barack Obama was sworn in as America’s 44th president. It was a historical moment as America’s first president of African-American heritage took the oath of office.But it should be noted that many Americans did not cast their ballot for Mr. Obama and there are those who remain wary and even suspicious of his presidency.Great din has been made of the public swearing-in of Mr. Obama, as mistakes were made in the oath of office.The oath or affirmation of office of the President of the United States was established in the United States Constitution and is mandatory for a President upon beginning a term of office. The wording is prescribed by the Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 8), as follows:“ I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”However, the next day the oath was re-administered with the proper constitutional wording.Much has being made of the fact that on taking the oath for the second time Mr. Obama did not use the Bible as an instrument of the ceremony.While most of us hold the scriptures as sacred and believe the Bible to contain the Word of God, it is not prescribed for use during the swearing-in of the President.In fact, it is uncertain how many early presidents used a Bible or added the words “So help me God” at the end of the oath, neither being required by law in the presidential oath of office.That being said, for better or worse Barack Hussein Obama is the President of the United States of America, and with all my being I wish him the best and that God will bless the nation.While I firmly believe in a “loyal opposition” I disagree with to the politics of personal destruction.Loyal opposition is the concept that one can be opposed to the actions of the government or ruling party without being opposed to the constitution of the political system.Thomas Jefferson said, “An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry.”Disagreement is within the nature of all people and no more so among a free people.However, one does not need to destroy an adversary to win an argument.Inflexibility in representative government with its vain hubris is antithetical to good government.Compromise of want without compromise of principle is an important component of a loyal opposition’s flexibility.Most Americans fall into the center-right category, being more conservative than liberal in thought and lifestyle. However, at present the liberal democrats hold power over the White House and Congress. But perhaps the reason for this is that over the last eight years Republicans have acted like reckless Democrats with unbridled pork barrel spending and thuggish corruption.A loyal opposition will only win with better ideas for private-sector solutions, limited government and peace through strength.Personal attacks will not serve long as a substitute for leadership.It is time for those who choose to rule over their countrymen to be mindful that the Sword of Damocles (in terms of the ballot box) hangs over their heads. As Shakespeare’s Henry IV explains, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”As tragedy or fortune in lives and governments are held in the delicate sway of blind chance.As we have been taught that it rains on the just and the unjust alike.So, we are faced with a myriad of problems but none of which are insurmountable for the American people.Despite our new president’s assertion, “That we are a young nation.” We are, in fact, the oldest democratic republic in existence, older than France, Germany or England.Our nation has been and still is the beacon of liberty and prosperity for the world and while our problems may be new in kind they are not new in nature.As Jefferson wrote, “Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”Therefore, let us reason together and in such reasoning find common ground on which to agree and secure the blessing of liberty for all Americans.Whether an Obama loyalist or a member of the loyal opposition, this is a new day with a new president. May we face it together, firm in our traditional ideals of liberty, freedom and prosperity.

Attention Film Makers or Film Soundtrack Co-Ordinators

Posted by Frank Cadillac on January 27, 2009 at 6:42pm

To any Film Makers or Film Soundtrack Co-ordinatorsI am a songwriter and actor.The bulk of my songwriting can be listened toat www.cdbaby.com/frankcadillac3 where I am marketing 5 albums.As a songwriter I 've had thirty years of experience and various influences.I know that films are always searching for music that bears a mark of excellence,so please go to www.cdbaby.com/frankcadillac3 and listen for yourselves if you can use my songs for any of your film projects.I have other material which has not been published as of yet which you may listen to upon request. I may be contacted via www.cdbaby.com/frankcadillac3 or www.myspace.com/frankcadillac.

Al and Chris Minott's daughter Sierra is the 4th Runner Up in Miss America!

Posted by Judi Klug on January 24, 2009 at 4:44pm

Chris and Al Minott (13th, LEAD Staff)'s daughter Sierra was just named the 4th Runner Up in the Miss America Pageant! Sierra, 20, is Miss Florida. CONGRATULATIONS, SIERRA, you spoke of joy and lived out peace and made our Lord look good!NOTE: Miss Indiana became Miss America and her talent was to boldly sing "Via Dolorosa," sending the Mission of our Savior all around the world!!!Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day.The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street But the crowd pressed in to seeThe Man condemned to die on CalvaryHe was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His backAnd He wore a crown of thorns upon His head And He bore with every stepThe scorn of those who cried out for His deathDown the Via Dolorosa called the way of sufferingLike a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me.Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

Longevity

Posted by Cheryle Geiger on January 24, 2009 at 10:29am

"Longevity:Although the findings seem obvious, the specialists hope that by showing the long-term results of healthy living, people will see that lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of dying from diseases such as heart disease and cancer.The findings suggest that the combination of lifestyle factors has a substantially larger impact on survival than any single factor.It is important for women and men to understand the amount of control we have over our health. You are not a victim. You don’t age, go through mid-life, become a sick old man or woman, and then die. That’s not how it has to work. We have to understand that aging doesn’t have to be associated with illness.Here’s a motto for 2009 “make yourself your number one priority every single day“One lifestyle change is healthy eating.Check out the New Anti inflammatory Food Pyramid…….by Dr. Andrew Weil.http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.htmlNext get plenty of exercise: 30 minutes on most days, make sure you break a sweat. Strength training 2 to 3 times a week.Stay stress free, pay attention to what you are feeding your mind. What you feed your mind on will affect your body one way or another. Stay positive, look at the glass 1/2 full not 1/2 empty.Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston ChurchillDrink plenty of liquids, 8-10 glasses of water each day, which should include 3-5 cups of green tea.These suggestions are very simple to follow. There are no extremes here.Following these suggestions can add years to your life.Say you are well, or all is well with you,And God shall hear your words and make them true.~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Joe Heinz awaits the Return

Posted by Phyllis Heinz Tryon on January 24, 2009 at 5:22am

Joe Heinz passed away on January 17, 2009. He would have been 85 in February. Joe was on the original Way Builders crew. He was an electrician and small plane pilot and enjoyed his Harley. He is survived by wife, Mert, and 14 kids.My sister and I discovered Dad was at HQ when she was taking the PFAL class in Duluth. We had not had contact with Dad for a couple of years (our parents were divorced) and had no idea he was connected to the ministry that was offering this class. It was quite a reunion for us.I remember when we went to see him shortly after my sister completed the class in Duluth. We headed to the Rock and while staying with Dad, I picked up his Bible. All his kids' names were written in the front, and I realized he prayed for us. What a great realization.Dad was not in the Way Corps, but he worked at HQ for a while and some of the early Corps knew him. His support of the ministry was one of the factors that got me through the Corps training.His obituary and a guest book are online at the Grand Rapids Press.Phyllis

Two Natures? Part Two

Posted by Ken & Sue Brown on January 24, 2009 at 2:30am

In part one, we examined the two scriptures most often used to endeavor to show the “two natures” in the child of God (Galatians 5:17 and Romans 7:15-21). In this posting, we will examine other Scriptures so used and the terminology used to identify the “two natures” doctrine.But first, why is it important whether we do or do not believe we each have two natures, an old sin nature and a new spirit nature? What practical difference does it make? We know we have the spirit of God and that we also get tempted to sin. What difference does it make if we call that having two natures or not? It makes a practical difference. When we recognize that our temptations are simply a matter of being drawn away of our own lusts and enticed as James declares, we also see that we have the ability to change. We see that we do not need to continue to be torn between two opinions. If, on the other hand, we believe that our temptations are a matter of our inherent nature, irreconcilably derived from Adam, then we are without hope. We thus believe that we are and will always be involved in an internal power struggle; unable to overcome it, always doomed to experience inner strife. This is not God’s will for His people. Doctrine, when believed, has an effect on practice and life experience. If we are to live the peaceful life God intended for us, we must first have an accurate understanding of His Truth upon which our practice is to be based.We learned in the class, “Power for Abundant Living,” that the Word of God is perfect. Thus the words in God’s Word are perfect, and the order of the words in God’s Word is perfect. For the Word of God to be perfect, every detail in God’s Word (as originally written) must be perfect. We further learned that when speaking of the things of God, we should always say exactly what God’s Word says using the words God’s Word uses to say it.Use of a term that does not appear in God’s Word to identify a concept allegedly in God’s Word is always suspect. If a concept is proclaimed in God’s Word, then we should use the words God’s Word uses to proclaim it. If we cannot do so, then we must question whether or not the concept indeed is presented in the Word of God. Non-Biblical terminology nearly always brings in associations in addition to God’s written Word, even if not directly contrary to it. The confusion is further compounded when a word or words that appear in God’s Word are used by men in a non-Biblical way.The terms, “sin nature,” “old nature,” “new nature,” and “spirit nature” do not appear in God’s Word. This in itself should be enough to cause us to throw these terms out. If they have been applied to concepts that actually are expressed in God’s Word, then we should use the words God’s Word uses to express them. The word, “nature” appears in God’s Word a number of times. “Divine nature” appears one time. Understanding the meaning of the word, “nature” AS IT IS USED IN GOD’S WORD is essential to understanding the meaning of the term, “divine nature.” In the typical argument for the “two natures” doctrine, a current, not Biblical, meaning of “nature” has been imposed on the word, “nature” in God’s Word.So what does “nature” mean as it is used in God’s Word? We must go to the Greek word(s), not merely the English translation. If there were some other way to present this I would, but it is unavoidable. We have to look at the Greek words involved. “Nature” as it appears in the King James Version is almost always translated from the Greek word, “phusis,” and phusis is always translated (KJV) as “nature” or “natural” (except one time when it is in combination with another word).Vine’s Expository Dictionary:PHUSIS, from phuo, to bring forth, produce, signifies (a) the nature (i.e., the NATURAL [emphasis mine] powers or constitution) of a person or thing.. (b) origin, birth.. (c) the regular law or order of nature.We’ll look at other lexicons, meanings of related words, and various uses of phusis to get very convinced of what this word means, but for now, please note that the above definition indicates that phusis has only to do with that which is natural.Let’s compare a modern dictionary definition of “nature.”Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary:Function:nounEtymology:Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin natura, from natus, past participle of nasci to be bornDate: 14th century1 a: the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing : ESSENCE b: DISPOSITION, TEMPERAMENT2 a: a creative and controlling force in the universe b: an inner force or the sum of such forces in an individual3: a kind or class usually distinguished by fundamental or essential characteristics4: the physical constitution or drives of an organism; especially : an excretory organ or function —used in phrases like the call of nature5: a spontaneous attitude (as of generosity)6: the external world in its entirety7 a: humankind's original or natural condition b: a simplified mode of life resembling this condition8: the genetically controlled qualities of an organism9: natural sceneryThe modern definitions of “nature” are far more encompassing than the meaning of phusis, which pertains only to a natural or native condition, not to any and all “inherent” or “basic” conditions (definition #1) and certainly not to “an inner force” (definition #2b). Imposing the modern definitions of “nature” on the word when we see it in God’s Word, is not sound. It changes the meaning of the text.By the modern definition, for example, we might say of a particular man who is scrupulously and consistently honest, that “It is his nature to be honest.” This would be a true statement by the modern definition of “nature;” but by the Biblical meaning of “nature,” the statement would not make any sense. If we were to reword it as “He is honest by nature,” the statement would at least make sense, but it would not be true. No man is born honest. He is not that way naturally. Phusis does not include learned or otherwise acquired attributes.Let’s take a Biblical example.Ephesians 2: 1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature [phusis] the children of wrath, even as others.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)When verse 3 says we “were by nature [phusis] the children of wrath,” it simply means that that is how we were naturally. We were born that way. If we were now to investigate “what is the nature of” being children of wrath, we would be employing a legitimate modern use of the word “nature,” but not the Biblical one. A further and even more serious departure from Biblical usage occurs, however, when the modern definition #2b above (an inner force or the sum of such forces in an individual) is imposed on this verse. There is a lot of difference between investigating the nature of being children of wrath and flatly stating that “children of wrath” IS a “nature.” The verse doesn’t say that does it? And it certainly does not say that those who have been quickened together with Christ still have any such “nature.” Nor does the verse say that those who have been quickened together with Christ have received anything called a “new nature.” God’s Word states many things we have received: spirit, righteousness, eternal life etc. But God’s Word never calls these things a new nature, so why should we? We shouldn’t.Young’s lexicon states that phusis, a noun, is derived from its associated verb, phuo, meaning:5453 fu,w phuo {foo'-o}Meaning: 1) to beget, bring forth, produce 2) to be born, to spring up, to grow 3) to shoot forth, spring upOrigin: a primary verb, probably originally, to "puff" or blow, i.e. to swell up;; vUsage: AV - spring up 1, spring 1, as soon as it be sprung up 1; 3Words come in families. Meanings of the noun, verb, adjective, and adverb are related. Here are the definitions of the adjective and adverb forms also from Strong’s lexicon:5446 phusikos foo-see-kos'from 5449; TDNT - 9:251,1283; adjAV - natural 3; 31) produced by nature, inborn2) agreeable to nature3) governed by (the instincts of) nature5447 phusikos foo-see-koce'from 5446; TDNT - 9:251,1283; advAV - naturally 1; 11) in a natural manner, by nature, under the guidance of nature: bythe aid of the bodily sensesI originally intended to list each and every occurrence of phusis and each of its related words to prove the point that phusis, nature, has ONLY to do with that which is natural, but I’ll spare you. Please do that on your own if you are not convinced. I’ll just mention a few.The first use of phusis, nature, is in Romans 1:29 where God’s Word says: “they changed the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman” etc. If phusis could refer to just ANY set of properties as opposed to only those that are inborn, natural, this statement in God’s Word would have no meaning.Romans 11:24 illustrates the meaning of this word very clearly:For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature [phusis], and wert graffed contrary to nature [phusis] into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [kata phusis] branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?When Galatians 2:15 speaks of “Jews by nature” it isn’t talking about some kind of Jew nature in people. “Jews by nature” just means they were born that way. Their parents were Israelites. A Gentile could accept Judaism, but as a proselyte he would not be a Jew by nature.Galatians 2: 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,The last occurrence of phusis is the one people use to document the existence of the “divine nature” (or “spirit nature” or “new nature”) in the child of God.2 Peter 1: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.Indeed, the words “divine nature” appear here, but I propose that phusis means the same thing in this verse that it means in every other verse where it occurs. We are partakers of what God is naturally, of what He has always been i.e. spirit. We have received spirit. When this simple easily documentable truth is expanded to “We have received a new spirit nature,” a modern non-Biblical definition of “nature” is imposed on previously sound Biblical exegesis. The statement becomes unnecessarily vague, opening the door to non-Biblical associations and an entire doctrine of opposing “natures.” I know what a manifestation of the spirit is. 1 Corinthians tells us very clearly. But exactly what, pray tell, is a manifestation of the “spirit nature,” and where would you go in God’s Word to document your answer? Do you see the problem?We can stay out of the soup (as Dr. Wierwille used to say) and avoid a whole lot of error by saying what God’s Word says in the way that God’s Word says it. And God’s Word NEVER refers to anything that it identifies as an “old nature,” a “sin nature,” a “new nature,” a “spirit nature,” etc.In addition to the above and what was covered in “Two Natures? Part One,” I can think of only one more argument for the “two natures in the child of God” doctrine, and that is the references to the “old man” and the “new man” in Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians. This will be the subject of another posting, but for now, the text says “old man” not “old nature.” And Romans 6 is very clear that whoever or whatever the “old man” is or was, he is thoroughly dead. The doctrine of a continuing sin nature in the child of God cannot be supported by references to the “old man.”

Reflections on This Special Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday

Posted by Lonnell Johnson on January 19, 2009 at 5:31pm

Monday, January 19, 2009—“A day like any other, yet why so much significance.” So often as I wax reflective, I also wax poetic, recalling poetic works that come to mind on this particular holiday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the day before the inauguration of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America, the first African American to hold that position. Among the first thoughts that came to mind related to the everlasting impact that one individual can have on the whole world. In my prayer journal/scrapbook which contains scriptures, photographs, poems, and other writings that I use as focal points for praying and meditating, I recently placed a collage of photos of President Obama, one of which is taken with a portrait of Dr. King in the background as the President-elect is speaking. I recall also that President Obama offered his acceptance speech of the nomination on the 45th Anniversary of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” In the poem “Your Life Is a Book” I expound upon the words of Elijah Pierce and comment on the influence that a single individual can have:No one knows the future nor can anyone gaugeThe impact of a solitary life with its message.Indeed, the impact of life of Dr. King still resonates not only on the third Monday in January but throughout the year, especially in light of events that follow that day 2009. Here is a work written in honor of Dr. King:. . . the man behind the nametribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.the namethe good brotherhammered out his"Here I stand,I can do no other"and forged "A mighty fortress"the namethe same namethunders through four centuriesanchored with a surnamea paradox,oxymoronicnature of a servant/Kingthe nameweight of that nameonus of the same nameobligation to be trueto one's namesakeas Ellison's hidden name and complex fateresounds from age to age the same--the battle cry to defy the status quomore than the nameis the memory of the manbehind the namereflections on the manbehind the namemirror commonalitiesthreads intertwine in black and goldthe life of this preacher,teacher of the Word,Walker's prophet for a new day,husband, father, mentor and more,fellow-laborer in the Lord,fellow bondslave and brotherheeding the higher callingfirst of all,servants of all,we shall transcend all. . . the man behind the name page 2the manpraying, preaching,leading through troubled watersfollowing in the steps of Christ,along the higher path of lovethe manbuked and scorned,called everything,including child of God,tested, arrested, tried and sentencedpenning his letter from a Birmingham jailthe mansitting down and standing up,protesting and marching and singing"Ain't gonna let nobody turn me 'round"from Selma to Montgomery to Memphiswhere he waved and smiled the last timethe manuprooting burdock and stinkweed,bitter roots of prejudicethat blight the landplanting peace lillies insteadthe manimages forever etched in my mindeloquent, passionate dreamerworking to weave into realityhis multi-colored dream of possibilitythe vista of that gatheringwith echoes of his orationbefore the People of Promisearm-over-arm, hand-in-handswaying in rhythmic wavesacross the multitude of facessinging softly in unisonthis choir of celestial voices". . . Black and white together. . ."embracing refrains from the anthem of his age:We shall overcomeWe shall overcomeWe shall overcome, someday.Oh, deep in my heartI do believeWe shall overcome, someday.by Lonnell E. Johnson

Dream, dream, dream...

Posted by Joe Kriston on January 15, 2009 at 8:51pm

Okay, I decided to do a blog post on this here, Way Corps site, not particularly because something is heavy on my heart, for that may surely scare people away---but, maybe moreso because I'm amped on some late evening caffiene and feel the need to write down some of my long-term repercussions of having been an in-residence Way Corps trainee...As my profile states, I'm a member of the 9th corps, meaning that I graduated in 1981,...or more than 27 years ago...I was 24 when I received that blessed Associate of Theology Degree...So, now, what about dreaming?...I'm thinking of the kind of dreaming you do when you sleep,...where you are in a strange but familiar world, where you are not in total control of your thoughts and emotions, where a most confusing compilation of persons, places and things talk to your inner,sleeping self,...causing you to wake up and wonder just what the heck that dream was all about...Just where is a good interpreter of dreams when you need 'em, anyhow?...Okay, so in the 27 years since I graduated the Way Corps, I've had that occasional (be it monthly, quarterly or annually) dream that I am back in residence in the way corps...No, I'm not 24 again...I am who I am today with an odd mixture of people in an odder place, taking part in an even odder activity---all while being back in-residence Way Corps...The other day I had one of these dreams of being back in-residence...It seemed like everybody whom I had ever known my entire life was there as well...I don't remember the place---but it was huge...Bigger than the BRC, bigger than top floor Wierwille---maybe even bigger than the main Rock of Ages tent...Everybody was there, and there must have been some kind of a teaching going on...There where lots and lots of people sitting in front of me as well as behind me...I seemed to know them all, or at least, remember them all...I'm not sure what was being taught, or shared, and who was orating, in fact, I was chattering and goofing off with those sitting near me...Then, at a given moment in my dream, out of all that crowd of people, I was asked to read a little section from the book I had in my lap...At first, I wasn't sure if it was the Bible and I was asked to read a verse of scripture, but in a few moments the sound of thousands of turning pages became a dead silence with the exception of me frantically flipping through my book, desperately trying to find the citation I was asked to read...How come everybody else knows where this is, but me?...It must have been a book of the Bible---an easy one to find, like Genesis or Psalms---you know, the one in the middle of your Bible...There was total silence---no snickering or murmuring or throat-clearing or coughing...What could I do?...Why doesn't somebody else say something---change the subject---move on?....Help out an old alter boy,here...I stood up, asked the few rows of people behind me if they could at least tell me what page the citation was on...Several people responded with several different page numbers because we all had different editions of the Book...I sat down and started turning pages again in stoned silence...But my pages weren't numbered, they were lettered---and not in alphabetical order...I had no idea where to find what I'm looking for...Still, everybody, including the teacher waited...and waited...Now, I forgot what it was I was supposed to read...This is getting re-e-eal embarrassing...Do I now stand up and say, "I'm sorry, folks, it seems that I've forgotten the order of the Books of the Bible"...Dammit, I shoulda faked that I had laryngitus so I could have avoided this...So now, everybody in the world whom I ever met is in-residence in the Way Corps and here I am the only person who doesn't know the books of the Bible....I've been outed...They're onto me...What a dirty trick...I'm not gonna hang around and drink coffee and mingle when this is over...Wait a minute....When is this gonna be over?...I'm thinking about all of this and they're all still waiting for me to read a verse of scripture out of the Bible...Gawd, these people are patient...This is never going to end....They're not going to let me off the hook...They're all stubborn and I'm getting more humiliated by the minute...Screw this...I'm waking my ass up and going to work...

One day closer!

Posted by Karen (Hemmalin) McGrath on January 15, 2009 at 10:30am

Well, today is Thursday. We have been running all week long with meetings for homeschool and rehearsals and whatnot. One of my darling choristers has a concert tomorrow night. Shabbat services at Temple Israel.After years of wanting to go to Temple, I am going to Temple.Tomorrow.Thank you Father.When I was a child I had two best friends, Peter and Carl. We went everywhere together and wreaked havoc in our neighborhoods together. Carl's father was a Rabbi and I longed to go to Temple. I witnessed a miracle outside those doors for years. By junior high all of my friends were taking Hebrew classes after school and I had to go home to do homework. I cried. They assured me I was getting the better end of the deal since they also had Hebrew homework but it never felt that way to me.When my middle daughter was born, the doctor insisted we have blood tests, both Paul and I. Something we said had alerted her to something we did not know. We are Jewish. It's in our blood. It's not a problem if one parent is Jewish but for both to be, we could have run into some genetic diseases with our little newborn. Our baby was fine, God is so good!Nevertheless, we are Jewish.Blood runs deep, I have always had respect and observed in prayer the times of the year that corresponds to the various Old Testament feasts. I have performed from the heart those things I have never been taught.Days of repentance and days of awe! Repentance. It's a gift, the one that breaks the chains of the enemy to this world and his riot. Yeah!Paul has always been drawn to Hasidic Jews and whenever we have encountered any we have prayed over them. We are of the Hasidic lineage. In order for both of us to carry the genes, both of our sets of parents had to be Jewish as well. There is nothing so dramatic as Madeleine Albright's background in ours! I suspect my ancestors were ducking out of the local Temple long before WW2 as he is second and I am third generation Americans.Still, one wonders... how, who, why?What is it like for an Independent Charismatic to realize she is really Jewish?! The biblical explanation is that I am not Jewish because I got born again at the tender age of five. A Damascus road conversion, to be sure. Is it like that for every person of my descent?! I have heard similar stories! Yet, growing up I have always had a sense of sanctuary.When I was eight years old, God woke me up in the middle of the night. I raced to my window and opened it wider thrilled with His Presence! I waited expectantly to see what He wanted! Across the side lawn I saw people next door dancing in their basement.In the middle of the night?!They were singing and dancing and going around and around in circles and I could hear faint strains of the music from the closed casement windows.What was that?!I have recently been told it was Simchat Torah, when the Torah scrolls get rewound to Genesis for another year of study.I am having a Simchat Torah, my life is being rewound to the beginning of things I have never been taught but have fully known in my genetic code. Let your believing be from the heart - how could it be anything else?As I have rushed down the various paths of my life, strangers have grabbed my arms in passing. "You look Jewish. Are you Jewish?" I used to say no and think how strange they were, what did they see in my English and Norwegian features? Now I say yes, how astute they are. I am Jewish but I don't know what that means and now I have to reread the scriptures to see what is different. All of the Hebraic promises are mine, they always were. My inheritance has changed, like a princess long hidden away who has come to reign in her country again."Your children, they look Jewish. Are you Jewish?" "No, I am Swedish, English, Norweigian. But not Finnish."Until recently.A Finn stopped me and said "You must be Finnish, you have a Finnish name." I laughed. "I will be Finnish if you want, old woman, but I am Swedish, it was spoken by my grandparents."We should listen to our elders.I was Swedish until I called my uncle.He chided me. "Karen you have always been Finnish! How could you not know?! We spoke Swedish because we lived on the border!" I could not know just like I could not know I was Jewish. How could we live on the border of Sweden and not intermarry enough to be Swedish but intermarry enough to be Jews with Christian backgrounds? I told him we were Jewish and he made a slight noise on the other end of the phone, but no elaboration. A mystery.An Israeli stopped me just last week. "Are you Jewish?!" she asked me with eyes full of wonder, hopeful, expectant. She breathed the air around me as if taking in the familial scent of home; a friend, a familiar face in a sea of strangers in a strange land. If I had spoken Hebrew to her, I think she would have cried in my arms."I am Jewish yes, a friend, a familiar face, We are related. We are family." I searched her face as she searched mine. Blood to blood, SImchat Torah. "A Jewish mother," she said, "You are a Jewish mother." I said "Yes, dear one, you are safe. It's ok."Tomorrow I will go to Temple for Shabbat.My first in a Temple made by hands.KSM January 2009

I have found that it sometimes takes a lot of trust...and risk...to either change your way of thinking, or to not change it in the face of pressure. It is a risk that someone else might not see. Bill

Posted by Billy Williams on January 14, 2009 at 2:04pm

I have found that it sometimes takes a lot of trust...and risk...to either change your way of thinking, or to not change it in the face of pressure. It is a risk that someone else might not see.Billy Williamsjanuary 14, 2009

Thoughts on Civil Disobedience

Posted by Billy Britt on January 13, 2009 at 10:38am

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the date of birth, 15 January, 1929 of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is observed on the third Monday in January each year.This year Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on January 19, the day before the historic presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.The confluences of events leading to this point in time are many and varied but, like America itself, is based on the ideals and the promise of one nation, with liberty and justice for all.Dr. King like others before him turned to Civil Disobedience, as the method by which to bring about social change.Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, ordinances and policies of a government, without resorting to physical violence.The tactic is open and overt nonviolent resistance against injustice and inequities. Such acts as a march, a sit-in, or any nonviolent demonstration by an individual or group that points out the wrong in an institutional unfairness is its aim.“I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good,” Dr. King wrote in his autobiography. He accredits his inspiration for this idea as coming from writer Henry David Thoreau. King said, “No other person has been more eloquent and passionate in getting this idea across than Henry David Thoreau. As a result of his writings and personal witness, we are the heirs of a legacy of creative protest.”Thoreau’s essay began as a lecture delivered on January 26, 1848. It was later published as Resistance to Civil Government, in May of 1849, we know it today as simply Civil Disobedience.The German phrase for civil disobedience is “Über die Pflicht zum Ungehorsam gegen den Staat” or “On the Duty of Disobedience to the State.” This meaning carries the weight of what Dr. King was referring to in his writings.Perhaps astonishingly, Thoreau’s actual act of civil disobedience was an overnight stay in jail for refusing to pay the poll tax.Of course the genius of the event was that Thoreau, the writer, was able to synthesize the reason that this type of rebellion was not only necessary but also effective.Thoreau wrote, “[I]t is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right.… Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice.”These word not only inspired King but also Mohandas Gandhi who would lead the people of India in independence from British Colonial rule.Gandhi wrote, “Thoreau was a great writer, philosopher, poet, and [withal] a most practical man, that is, he taught nothing he was not prepared to practice in himself.... He went to gaol [jail] for the sake of his principles and suffering humanity. His essay has, therefore, been sanctified by suffering. Moreover, it is written for all time. Its incisive logic is unanswerable.”So it was, that, one man’s words gave a practical approach to overcoming injustice by non-violent means.Gandhi referred to the Indian form of civil disobedience as Satyagraha. At its essence Satyagraha seeks to eliminate antagonisms without harming the antagonists. It is the direct opposite of violent resistance, the aim of which is to cause harm to the adversary.This “silent force” or “soul force,” as King referred to it, armed the individual with a moral power far superior to physical supremacy.Gandhi and King both believed that to stand against unjust laws was a citizen’s moral duty and that, as Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”Of course, in Matthew 5:44, Jesus says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you…” this answering of violence with love strains the carnal mind but finds purity of purpose in its moral clarity.It is an all too human mistake to turn a blind eye to injustice not personally experienced, but once seen it is also human to understand that injustice must end. But, there is always a price to be extracted for the error of our ways. Many of the founding fathers of this country knew that slavery was wrong yet they did nothing to bring it to an end. Years in the making, the Civil Rights Movement and its nonviolent protest brought about a change that asked for no more than what had been offered at the nations founding, that all men be treated equal according to the law, nothing more nothing less. As is inherent in human nature we have not stopped with “nothing more or nothing less,” and have, with grand failure, tried to improve upon a perfect concept.But passive resistance led to a moment in which a thousand drops of human conscience collected to bring about a watershed of righteous action.Many have said that they never thought they would see the day a black man would be president of the United States. On the other hand, I have always thought the opposite. The very nature of Americanism is based on the idea of the exceptional individual. Mr. Obama certainly fits that ideal of exceptionalism.So as we celebrate Dr. King and the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama we should remember that America is an experiment, one that has gone horribly wrong at times and beautifully right at others. But it has always been our willingness to change, grow and expand our vision of America as one nation under God with liberty and justice for all that has made us great.

Read All About It

Posted by Billy Britt on January 7, 2009 at 4:40am

Two things people often say they need to catch up on, one is sleep the other is reading.Scientists disagree on whether we can make up for lost sleep, but any reader knows without a doubt that you can never have enough time to read all the great works.On average, I can read one book a week at an enjoyable pace, this would not however included the completed works of Tolstoy.Yet for all the reading it is quality that will always triumph quantity. But having access to many books is no crime either. Having a choice of different works is a joy and a privilege. In fact, the ability to read—a completely human power—is one of the greatest gifts I can imagine.From the Holy Bible to the simplest “How to Guide,” reading enables us to connect, to grow, to do. Reading takes a bit of trial and error out of life while affording us a wonderful trip to parts never before seen or known.Of course, for centuries, only the people of means and class were taught how to read. This was a not-so-subtle way of keeping the poor in their place. The ability to read is a great equalizer because it makes knowledge accessible. Democracy has its best chance to provide individual freedom where there is a literate society.Take for instance the founding of our country, John Adams said, "Without the pen of Paine the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain."Adams was referring to Thomas Paine and his pamphlet entitled Common Sense.Paine’s work was first published anonymously on January 10, 1776, during the American Revolution. Common Sense presented the American colonists with an argument for independence from British rule at a time when the question of independence was still undecided. Paine wrote and reasoned in a style that common people understood. In his genius, Paine structured Common Sense like a sermon and relied on Biblical references to make his case directly to the people.At a time when America’s population was less than 2.5 million, Common Sense sold as many as 120,000 copies in the first three months, 500,000 in the first year, and went through twenty-five editions in the first year alone.Paine, in turn, donated his royalties from Common Sense to George Washington’s Continental Army. Historian Gordon S. Wood described Common Sense as, “the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era.”Being able to read and understand the reason behind revolution, the people were empowered to make their own decision. So it is that reading gives us power, many times a power that lets us know beyond our experience. At its’ best, reading gives us a reason to think, and even at it worst, it gives us pause not to. So altogether reading is very good for the human animal. A book may have a thousand pages and in them not much at all but in every book an individual might find a page or two that changes their life for the better and forever. While we will never catch up on our reading it is always a good goal to try.

Poetry Award -- Celebrate with me

Posted by LewEllyn Hallett on January 5, 2009 at 1:24pm

One of my poems won the 2008 Ann Stanford Poetry Prize from the Southern California Review and was published in that journal this past fall. Publishing victories are rare in the poetry business so I wanted to share the joy.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASELewEllyn Hallett Wins 2008 Ann Stanford Poetry Prize The 20th annual contest awards $1,000 for “Little Bird,” which will be published in Southern California Review in fall 2008Los Angeles—July 17, 2008—LewEllyn Hallett has won the 2008 Ann Stanford Poetry Prize. Sponsored annually for more than 20 years by Southern California Review (SCR), the prize awards $1,000 to the winning poet. Hallett’s poem “Little Bird” will also be published in SCR’s fall 2008 issue.Poet Christopher Buckley, who judged the competition, admired “Little Bird’s” “essential lyric distillation of image and emotion in a supremely accessible music—a cherishing of life and celebration of meaning.”Marilyn Annucci has won the second prize worth $200 for her poem “The Longer My Dog Stops, the More I Am Allowed to Watch,” and Kelly Madigan Erlandson has been awarded the third prize worth $100 for “Phosphorescence.”LewEllyn Hallett was raised in Atlanta, Ga., and after sojourning in almost a dozen states, settled in New Hampshire. She received her degree in creative writing from the University of New Mexico and has earned a living as a writer of advertising copy, magazine and newspaper articles, public relations and business materials. She has also worked as a minister and nonprofit administrator, including program director for New Hampshire Writers’ Project.Hallett currently volunteers on the Project’s program committee and on the advisory board for New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud, writes freelance articles and works for New Hampshire Public Radio as assistant to the president. She lives in Bow, N.H., with her husband and two teenaged daughters and has not pursued publication of her poetry and fiction until now.Little Birdfor my daughter Lily at 13held finches in my hand, weightless,twig of leg between thumb and forefingeralmost too fine for bandingI felt the peck of a pea-sized heart against my palmshudder of struggle, then stillnesshesitation at release, then whipping of wingsfury of escape from perch to wirepuff of breath, rapid pumping of a scant teaspoon of bloodconsuming energy in a vessel without substanceLily, little bird,brilliant fire burns between her white templesa heart too huge to bindflutters in the narrow cage of her ribsthe wings of her shoulders and delicate wristencircled by the band of my fingersfly relentlessly from task to taskmagnitude of life and purpose in a tiny frameGod has chosen the weak things to confound the mighty© 2006 LewEllyn HallettAbout the Ann Stanford Poetry PrizeAnn Stanford (1916-1987)—a poet, editor, translator, scholar, and educator—was born in La Habra, Calif. Aside from attending Stanford as an undergraduate, she lived in Southern California her whole life. She earned two master’s degrees in journalism and Englisdoctorate in English from the University of California at Los Angeles.She taught at California State University (CSU), Northridge, for 25 years and in 1974 was the first woman named Outstanding Professor of the Year in the CSU system.Stanford’s publications include poetry collections The Weathercock (1966), The Descent (1970), In Mediterranean Air (1977), and the critical study Anne Bradstreet: The Worldly Puritan. She also edited the anthology The Women Poets in English. Her collected poems, Holding Our Own, edited by David Trinidad and Maxine Scates, was published in 2001.She received numerous awards for her poetry, including the Shelley Memorial Award, the DiCastagnola Award from the Poetry Society of America, two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and an Award in Literature from the National Institute of Arts and Letters.Southern California Review has awarded the Ann Stanford Poetry Prize annually for more than 20 years. The deadline for the 2009 contest is December 31, 2008. Entry forms and more information can be found at www.usc.edu/scr.About Southern California ReviewSouthern California Review (SCR) is the student-run biannual literary journal of the Master of Professional Writing (MPW) Program at the University of Southern California (USC). Formerly known as the Southern California Anthology, it has been publishing fiction and poetry since1982 and now also accepts submissions of creative nonfiction, plays and screenplays. Printed every October and April with original cover artwork, every issue contains new, emerging and established authors.More information on submissions, contests and subscriptions can be found at www.usc.edu/scr.About the Master of Professional Writing Program USC's MPW Program offers a multi-genre curriculum with classes in fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, TV writing, playwriting and poetry.The faculty includes esteemed writer-practitioners, and the emphasis is on preparing writers for successful careers in publishing, film, television and technical writing as well as teaching. USC's proximity to the cultural and entertainment resources of Los Angeles provides a rich environment for writers. More information and online applications can be found at www.usc.edu/mpw.###

Samaqyazeel at Fear and Trembling

Posted by Michel Archer on January 5, 2009 at 9:59am

http://www.fearandtremblingmag.com/item.php?sub_id=4019Fear and Trembling picked up a re-print of an earlier story I wrote called Samaqyazeel. It takes place one dark night in the El Capitan mountain range. If you want to read it, remember: it's a story best enjoyed over French cuisine, so you should at least pick up a Star Bucks French roasted and a couple of croissants before diving in. hehehe....

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.