Uphill idealist

This graphic really has a way of cutting to the chase in the topic of race. This Sunday I'm going to be leading a combined worship and Sunday school for a group of grade school Lutheran youth. We're singing some standard songs, like "This little light of mine", "I've got the joy, joy, joy.", and of course "Jesus loves the little children - all the children of the world." After seeing the above graphic, I think we should sing the song like this... "Jesus loves the little children all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white we're all human in God's sight. Jesus loves all the humans in the world."

Several months ago, my friend Sally who happens to be a missionary in Ethiopia ( Baer Essentials ), made me a fantastic pasta dish made with a spice blend called Berbere. Berbere is deep red in color and has the ability to built the spice level of any dish with a small amount of spice. It's like the best secret ingredient in creating 'hotty' curry - without using a ton of spice. I've created a summer veggie curry from the Berbere and the local veggies I get from my local farm share ( Roots and Wings Farm ) that I've made a couple of times and feel is worthy to share. If you like a rich spicy dish, give this one a try! Berbere Pan Pan Curry Ingredients: 2 Pan Pan or yellow squash (chopped in cubes) 2 shallots or white onions (diced) 3-4 Clove of garlic (diced) 1-2 cans of tomatoes with chilies or fresh tomatoes and a small jar of hot salsa. Capers Olive Oil Berbere (to taste) 4 Chicken bullion cubes 2 tbls. Marjoram 3 tbls. Garam masala Handful of chopped fresh Basil...

Rhinestones, tattoo inspired design, and trucker hats have made the designer Ed Hardy world famous. You can even find Ed Hardy merchandise in our mall in western NY. The designer has continued to grow his lifestyle brand into accessories and now the perfume industry. As I walked through Bon- Ton earlier this week, I picked up a colorful Ed Hardy Duffel Bag, and my daughter said, " I saw an church sign photo online that said: Ed Hardy shirts will be asked to leave. Your rhinestones are not welcome here." While the photo of this church sign is most likely a photoshopped image, it seems that the shift in street wear popularity is not limited to this church sign. While Ed Hardy designs have become more mainstream, his influence on the fashion design seems to be fading. A hip club called "Republic" in Chicago recently banned their patrons from wearing clothing designed by: Ed Hardy, Affliction and Christian Audigier . "... if you can wear it to work out or to pa...

Image from Fudge Graphics. The days of Summer 2010 were: Getting lost on a trail hike at a park... we got caught up in conversation that we passed our parking area. Watching my kids grow up even more. Shouting while running from bear, "Bear in yard - NOT KIDDING!" Playing music with friends Busker's style. Saying farewell to a dear friend: Patrick Moser Painting a big outdoor and indoor mural and making a new friends in the process. Laughing and teaching the kids at VBS. Getting really tan - for me. :) Finding a new home for Roxy and finding my new-to-me green machine. Knowing I can run to the top of that hill - and back. :) Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center Summer Camp sessions. Sharing my veggie share with my friends. Waldameer Park day. Sunrises Sunsets and dinners at Grandma's house after lawn work and swimming in the pool. What a lovely summer...

Image from PAUK: Temple of Possibilities Changes Psalm 119:102-105 102 I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. There is a poem by Juan Ramon Jimenez called "Life" that reflects the shift in seasons and calls out to all the doors of possibility that open to each one of us in the midst of these changes. What I used to regard as a glory shut in my face, was a door, opening towards this clarity: Country without a name: Nothing can destroy it, this road of doors, opening, one after another, always toward reality; Life without calculation! It is our desire to work out, plan and work out all the details of life. We don't like surprises (unless they are presents) and change (unless they ar...

Our lives are not measured by the stuff we have, but by the stuff we do with them. Let's go do some great stuff. T.L.E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to Roger's Elementary School , the Arts Council of Chautauqua County , the support and help of the Roger's Maintenance Staff and Renee Pye (Who painted this mural with me this summer and is pictured on the left of the photo above.) It's amazing when a dream of beauty and joy becomes a reality and somehow you have the honor of helping it come to pass.

A few years ago, I came upon this video to the song "Sleep" by Riley Armstrong . It's a clever song and the claymation effects in the video are fun, but I think Mr. Armstrong make a good point - " Sleep, I never get enough." How can we hold on to bread (the things that enrich our lives if we don't take the time to reflect, rest and relax? This call to rest is one I need to heed more and I'm making intentional efforts to improve in this area. To be honest, this "Monday" meme is late due to taking a couple of days to rest and recoup after a very busy August of youth programs and field trips galore. Some of the best places for me to find rest and thoughtfulness can be in writing a blog post, having a lunch and conversation with a friend, playing some music or yes - even just taking a nap. So as you think about the bread of your life this week, I'd like to not only encourage you to write about how you best experience rest, but to actually do i...