September 6, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

The Two Frogs

A good Friday story

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them…

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September 6, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

Jeremy

A beautiful poem and image.

September 5, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

We are now Talking About War and Peace

We honor and desire peace

” The next dreadful thing to a battle lost is a battle one.” —-Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

“I think that people want peace so much that one of these days the government had better get out of their way and let them have it.” —-Dwight D. Eisenhower

“War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objectors enjoy the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.” —-John F. Kennedy

“Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous” —George Bernard Shaw

“Never think that war, no matter how justified, is not a crime.” —-Ernest Hemmingway

“Peace, shalom,

is not

the absence of difficulties but

the handling of difficulties without

loss of balance.

Shalom is not the absence of tension

but the acceptance of it as part of the Way.

Shalom is not the absence of war

but the careful waging of war

without losing one’s balance.

Shalom, is not passive non-violence,

but active confrontation with truth. Shalom is the ablitity to see the

grain of life

and act in accord with it;

to discover that effortless effort,

action in tune with the Way of Universe,

is the secret of both peace and power.” —Rabbi Bami Shapiro

Peace is the Way

“It is not how much we do that is important; rather, it is the love with which our actions are performed that is most important. The smallest action, done with love, will lead us toward peace.: —-Mother Teresa

One of the most brilliant minds in the world

enbracing the cause of peace.

September 5, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

Kindness in Our World

Jews pray at the wailing wall for peace, kindness and for their families

The harder part is people.

So Lord, help me face them

without rancor or disappointment.

Help me see the pain behind their actions

rather than the malice;

the suffering rather than the rage.

And in myself, as I struggle

with the vice of my own desire—-

give me strength to quiet my heart,

to quicken my empathy, to act

in gratitude rather than need.

Remind me that the peace I find

in the slow track of seasons

or an uncurling fern frond,

is married to the despair I feel

in the face of nuclear war.

Remind me that each small bird shares atoms

with anthrax, with tetanus, with acid rain, that each time I close my heart

to another, I add to the darkness,

Help me always follow kindness.

Let this be my prayer. ——Karen Holden

September 4, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

Teacher Helps Injured Student Fit In

Teachers are some of the world’s most special people.

Kindness Blog

Kindergartner was scared to return to class after eye injury

A small gesture from a kindergarten teacher at Callahan Elementary School made a world of difference for one of her students.

Six-year-old Brantley Rogers severely injured his eye last week and was nervous about returning to class with an eye patch.

Brantley’s mom said he was playing with his step brother outside when a stick he had snapped in half and ended up poking him in the eye, causing an extreme corneal laceration.

But his teacher taught the class to embrace Brantley in a special way.

Brantley has to wear an eye patch for at least three months. His classmates are by his side and Brantley’s teacher, Mrs. Brown, made eye patches for the class to wear the day Brantley returned.

This week Brown’s kindergarten class at Callahan Elementary is eager to learn, but all wearing eye patches.

They’re learning…

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September 4, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

Sacred times

The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hasanah

Each religion or path to the Divine has its holidays which have special meaning. Any path’s holidays are sacred times devoted to the Divine Universe.

For Jews this day marks the beginning of the New Year 5775. They follow a lunar calendar. This New Year lasts ten days ending with the Day of Atonement, Yom KIppur.

The Amida: Prayer Lifts Creation

“Prayer is the ideal of all worlds. All of existence yearns for the source of its life. Every plant, every grass, every grain of sand, every clod of earth, everything with life force, revealed and hidden, the smail and the large, every detail of everything, all yearn, strive, long for the completeness of their supreme, living, holy, pure and mighty Source. We constantly absorb all this yearning and are raised up by this holy longing. In prayer, these yearnings become revealed and go out in freedom and strength as a holy meditation to the wide God expanses. We raise up the whole creation with our prayer, we become one with all existence, and raise everything to the source of blessings, the source of life.” –excerpted from Rosh Hashanah Readings

The Head of the Year

The moon is dark tonight, a new moon for a new year. It is
hollow and hungers to be full.
It is the black zero of beginning.

Now you must void yourself
of injuries, insults, incursions.
Go with empty hands to those
you have hurt and make amends.

It is not too late. It is early and about to grow. Now
is the time to do what you know
you must and have feared

to begin. Your face is dark
too as you turn inward to face yourself, the hidden twin
of all you must grow to be.

Forgive the dead year. Forgive yourself. What will be wants to push through your fingers.
The light you see hides

in your belly. The light you crave longs to stream from your eyes.
You are the moon
that will wax in new goodness.” —-Marge Piercy, Feminist, Novelist and Poet

Peace for all the paths to the Divine

We are all created from Star dust

September 3, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

VIDEO Kerry’s cosy dinner with Syria’s ‘Hitler’

I doubt that Kerry felt cosy. He had a job to do and he was in the process of doing it.

September 3, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

VIDEO Unlikely Figure OUTS Obama as Muslim Brotherhood member

This video is very edited. Many statements are taken out of context. Many Americans visit a Mosque and have read parts of the KOran as have I. His father does not mean Barak is Muslim. Americans need to realize that we do not give religious freedom here. We are afraid of other religions. We hate what we fear. It is so easy to edit clips of video together and you can easily see the places there were edits. Shalom, Barbara

September 3, 2013 by IdealisticRebel

Daily Post: Looking At Homelessness

It is time to open your eyes and see the suffering here in America.

Slam on the Brakes, Pull Over, Take the Picture

At a stop light I saw this woman washing her by pouring bottled water over it while she stood in street. She was careful to stand over the grate to not make a mess. There was so much dignity and self assurances in her action it took me a second to realize that what I was witnessing was not normal in my world.

Blogging for the cause of homelessness is something I can see myself doing even with photography. We support a local soup kitchen I will have to figure out how to incorporate that into my post. Any Ideas? Street photography takes on a whole new meaning when photographing the homeless!

Here is a second more intimate look telling a different story. Which picture do you prefer?

Daily Prompt Help

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