Planet of the Cats

“Planet of the Cats”
Last night, Bluebell stepped in front of the TV at THE perfect moment!
LOLOLOLOL!
😂

Words Fail Me

Racism and anti-Semitism again raising their voices and engaging in violence. I am thoroughly disgusted with the white supremacists, the rhetoric they feed upon, and especially the overt destruction of the civil progress our nation has actually made (and I know we have a long way to go). This feels like it's basically a form of terrorism. As humans, we are far, FAR more alike than we are different.

Words fail me, maybe they fail us all, but I pray that there is an end to the violence and the belief that violent acts can foster an end to the marginalization that any group feels or experiences. When it is enough to make us all speak out simultaneously? How many violent acts resulting in injuries (to body or spirit) equal a reason that touches each of us enough to react as a whole? What is the point at which we can no longer stand the persecution of our friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens *of the human race*?

I realize offering prayers might not feel right for some, but it feels right for me right now. I realize it might seem like more failed or distant words, but I believe common prayer can have communion of spirit and maybe that's what I can hang onto tonight while I mull over and try to understand the "why" of it all.

I offer this prayer for Social Justice from the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, who hast created us in thine own image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

I also offer this prayer from “A Year of Prayer to End Racism” from the Diocese of West Virginia:

“Creator of all people, in our amazing diversity of size, shape, color, and giftedness: guide us, by your grace, to recognize the beauty and fitness of all whom you have made in your own image. Give us gifts of humility and generosity of spirit to recognize in all people, the face of our Savior, Jesus, and to practice his commandment to “love one another,” toward the end of bringing harmony and peace among persons of all colors, origins, and abilities, for the sake of your Kingdom.” Amen.

Racism is NOT ok.
Bigotry is NOT ok.
Intolerance is NOT ok.
Violence is NOT ok.

Have you ever rejoiced in the simple fact that you exist?

Have you ever rejoiced in the simple fact that you exist? 
Be....What does it mean to take time to just "be".....not to "be with" or "be for" or "let it be". Think about it, we exist in a habitable zone at JUST the right distance from the Sun, and have had JUST the right amount of time to evolve into intelligent beings (though levels of intelligence are sometimes in question with all the messes we get ourselves into as a planet....global warming, violence, world strife and poverty.) Just HOW lucky are we? Our Sun and our Earth are actually an unlikely pair for supporting life. As a habit, we take many things for granted, including our existence.We would like to think that they will always be there...or perhaps even worse, we go about our daily lives, more than slightly oblivious to the precious and fragile nature of our lives. It would be reassuring to know that our galaxy is full of clever creatures and others with technology and that we might hope for communication. In fact, we do hope. 

However, for the present time, we are all we know. 
Made in the likeness of a divine being, God, we exist. 
Let us give thanks!

What makes Earth such a perfect home? Well, here are some reasons. 
Take a moment and tell those you love that you love them. Take a moment to say thanks to God, to family, friends, teachers, mentors, pets, and yourself. Consider all that is and has been and will possibly be....and meditate upon the fact that you exist. Be kind to one another, even if you disagree. Be a good citizen. Be a good neighbor. Grant yourself permission to rejoice in the wonder of life itself, the joy in all of creation, and the joy in one another. 

We are temporary.
We are fragile.
We are here together on this Pale Blue Dot. 

If that isn't something to be happy about, I don't know what is! 

Consider Again that Pale Blue Dot...

Today, it strikes me that we would do well, as humans, to hear again Carl Sagan's message regarding the future of Humanity.

HERE is the a full video

"And our small planet at this moment, here we face a critical branch point in history, what we do with our world, right now, will propagate down through the centuries and powerfully affect the destiny of our descendants, it is well within our power to destroy our civilization and perhaps our species as well. If we capitulate to superstition or greed or stupidity we could plunge our world into a time of darkness deeper than the time between the collapse of classical civilization and the Italian Renaissance. But we are also capable of using our compassion and our intelligence, our technology and our wealth to make an abundant and meaningful life for every inhabitant of this planet."

                       

"Think of all that you know of the past, present, and future: people, places, things, memories, experiences...."

Now look at this stunning image from the Cassini spacecraft near Saturn showing our Earth from 898 million miles away. 
"You’re an interesting species. An interesting mix. You’re capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you’re not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable, is each other."

This image was taken on July 19, 2013 and used the wide-angle camera on NASA's Cassini spacecraft. What a stunning view of Saturn's rings and Earth. Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

"All I’m asking is for you to just have the tiniest bit of vision. You know, to just sit back
for one minute and look at the big picture."

A Prayer for the Human Family

                                                                 For the Human Family

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us

through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole

human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which

infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; 

unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and 

confusion to accomplish your purposes on Earth; that, in 

your good time, all nations and races may serve you in 

harmony around your heavenly throne; 

through Jesus Christ 

our Lord. 

Amen.

Afternoon light at the Sagrada familia, 2013. Photo by Caroline Carson

Cool Artwork at St. Paul's Episcopal, NOLA

I forgot to post this last week, but check out some of the FABULOUS drawings by our St. Paul's Episcopal School children! 

I LOVE this bacon guy! He is not only thinking about bacon, but he is eating it, dancing about it, and wearing it, LOL!
                          
 
 
                     

The Flat Earth Society Actually Exists (??!!)

Yep, it's true. I JUST became aware that this society existed.....mainly because of this meme that was going around Facebook.


I did some searching and found The Flat Earth Society. Their mission is to "promote and initiate discussion of Flat Earth theory as well as archive Flat Earth literature. Our forums act as a venue to encourage free thinking and debate."  Apparently, there are TONS of members and folks who actually believe the Earth is flat. Somehow they come up with reasons for not believing we live on a sphere. In the early 1800's, the belief system was called Zetetic Astronomy. Samuel Rowbotham was the author of the book Zetetic Astronomy and founder of the first Flat Earth Society.
So, this AMAZES me that people really believe it. While I do not subscribe to this belief I needed some help in understanding why others do.....
Here are some interesting articles I found related to the subject:
1.  Are Flat-Earthers Being Serious?
2. EVEN IN THE MIDDLE AGES, PEOPLE DIDN’T THINK THE EARTH WAS FLAT

3. Why you should be grateful for flat-Earthers

4. For Some, the Earth Is Still Flat

5. Flat Earth Society Claims Round Earth A Conspiracy TheoryThis map is pretty cool actually...because I like maps and not because I believe in a 

flat Earth! (link HERE to article about this map)

Well, enough of this! The image below, from NASA, is indeed our planet, sorry flat-Earthers!

LEAPing into Monday

Happy Leap Year / Day folks! I'm currently not this energetic or excited about it, but here's my Bitmoji looking all excited :-) I'll get there. In fact, the whole weekend was sort of a transition to my being back to my normally excited and happy self!

                 

My weekend included a choral workshop at a Catholic HS in Baton Rouge, a meeting for the St. Paul's (and Diocesan) pilgrimage to The Holy Land, a funeral, almost no sleep Saturday night (stress), and a Sunday full of grading and paperwork plus cleaning my apartment, wheeeeee! 

                     

Still, I had some serious moments of re-realization of how short life is. Looking at how fast time passes for us on Earth, it just blows my mind again and again. I found myself thinking of all the things I want to do in life and all the adventures to be had. There just isn't any time compared to the massive amount of life that's possible. I thought "I'd better be thankful for what I've done, then......and I'd better be thankful right now"!  You know, I AM very thankful, but I feel the need to practice that gratitude more overtly and more often, like every day! "Every day is a gift" - I used to have that sticker on my car. I need to buy it again.
The past two weeks have been rather crazy health-wise. I've come off of some medicine (Medroxyprogesterone) because of some scary side effects and have been worried about that. I'm already taking an iron prescription and this medicine is, among other things, to shrink my endometrial lining, and also to help prepare me for a scheduled and necessary hysterectomy in May. The medicine can cause strokes (of the eye and more) and lesions, serious depression (to which I am already susceptible) and all sorts of things, but it's pretty rare. I did suffer a depressive episode and full on weepiness. I also had numbness in my hands, debilitating headaches, insane ocular pressure and pinpoint pupils. It scared me a LOT and that in itself wasn't helping the situation for this already-anxious person! ESPECIALLY since it happened in the midst of exciting and happy visits to seminaries. All the travel of the past few weeks combined with not feeling so well was hard.
After getting off of the medicine, I've been taking it somewhat easy and have been miserable with the withdrawal. Last night I used an ice pack for my headache and it is the ONLY thing that has worked. This morning, it's my first time in three weeks that I have only a minor headache, but still have ocular and temple pressure. 

Still, THIS IS GOOD PROGRESS!

Back to that being thankful part....I am TRULY thankful for no more serious side effects and for feeling a bit better. We never know what we have in the way of time left. This whole incident provided me with yet another layer of being thankful for my overall good health, for opportunities that lie ahead, and for life itself. Today, it SEEMS like we get an extra day, a leap day in a leap year! Aside from the real reason we have Leap Year, I'm treating today like a day "out of time" - a day to remind myself to look at everything with hope and gratitude and to be thankful for what God has already given me and what the Holy Spirit has in store for me.

                  

So, this post is pretty much for myself and to get all that off my chest, but if it helps anyone think about being thankful for every day, then good! :-) Sometimes, I just need to ramble on.

This Tree

This tree stopped me yesterday on my way home from St. Paul's. I drove past it and then had to turn around and drive back back a few blocks, park, get out of the car, and just enjoy its beauty. We don't have what I would call a real Autumn or Winter here in New Orleans and I personally don't see too many deciduous trees around these parts so I had to stop and appreciate it. It's found on Esplanade Avenue, quite near the CC's Coffee House.

A Prayer for All People

A Prayer for All People 

(from the Prayers of the People in the Book of Common Prayer)

Let us pray for all people in their daily life and work;

For our families, friends, and neighbors,

and for those who are alone.

For this community, the nation, and the world;

For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

Hear us, Lord;

For your mercy is great. Amen.

#AdventWord #DESIRE - A Screaming Silence for Peace

Today's #AdventWord is #DESIRE
I feel very moved to share this photo today, taken by someone in the Anglican Diocese of Raiwind in Lahore, Pakistan. It shows a student standing in silent memorial yesterday, December 16th, 2015, on the first anniversary of one of the most horrific acts of terrorism and violence the country of Pakistan has experienced. On December 16th, 2014, 141 people were slaughtered in a violent extremist attack at the Army Public School in the city of Peshawar. 132 of those killed when the terrorists suddenly burst in and opened fire were children. 
They were all our brothers and sisters. 

Photo by Diocese of Raiwind (on their public FB page)

Imagine if you will, attending that school today. 
In silence, they prayed for peace.
Consider how resilient the students and staff are and how brave, how decidedly defiant of actions such as this. As pointed out by The Church of Pakistan - Pakistan is a nation of peace lovers, also fighting against terror. The Peshawar incident forced Pakistan at last to confront the Islamist militancy tearing at its own people, not to mention, the world. It enraged the public and politicians. It ignited more of a wide-spread desire to combat terror. I am more than thrilled to see several social media initiatives begun by concerned Muslims and other peace makers that say extremist terrorist actions do NOT represent them. Check out #NotInMyName if you have time. It is WELL worth it.

Other Articles and Info:
2014 Peshawar School Massacre - Wiki
Pakistan remembers Peshawar Army Public School attack - BBC

No end to Pakistan school's trauma, one year on - Al Jazeera

I didn't hear about this remembrance yesterday or the day before. It seems to be off of our US radar, but it shouldn't be (lots of things shouldn't be). I'm grateful to have met Bishop Samuel Azariah, Moderator of The Church of Pakistan and Bishop of Raiwind at the Episcopal 78th General Convention and I truly appreciate their diocesan facebook page - where I saw their post about the memorial yesterday. I follow them avidly and I am continually reminded that we are partners. WE make up the Anglican Communion, together. WE are brothers and sisters. I am examining new ways to become connected and to help foster awareness between partners in areas where connections seem infrequent. 
Here is some information about the Diocese, directly from their website: 

" The Church of Pakistan is the result of the union of four denominations: Anglicans, Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterians (Scottish), which took place in 1970. Initially, there were four dioceses in the Church of Pakistan, i.e. Karachi, Multan, Lahore and Sialkot, but in 1980, through a special resolution and for better ministerial work, four new dioceses were created: Hyderabad, Raiwind, Faisalabad and Peshawar. There is a presiding bishop for the Church of Pakistan who is known as the Moderator and has responsibility for a three year term. The united Church of Pakistan is the second largest church in the country after the Roman Catholic Church."

The Diocese of Raiwind experienced bombings in 2013 and 2014 and several bombings in the spring of 2015 that have remained in my thoughts. We lifted them in prayer at St. Paul's Episcopal. The two churches that were bombed in 2015 were St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Peshawar and Christ Church in Lahore (a Church of Pakistan church and a member of the Anglican Communion.) At the time, I couldn't get over how strong in spirit those affected were or how awful the situation had become with regards to religious intolerance. Just how does one recover from a suicide bombing and retain faith in the community? This kind of thing means that the community needs you even more.

Here is the link to the Diocese of Raiwind's Facebook post and their photos. They are so active in peacemaking and such a positive and beautiful tribute to purity of heart and action. They often hold educational gatherings and events to promote peace and well-being.

Dio of Raiwind FB page 

Both photos I've shared today move me tremendously. Because I love space, I also share NASA's image of our Earth from space, a space that, in silence, covers our joys, our sorrows, our successes, our downfalls, and by its very existence, silently screams for peace. May God have mercy on us and guide us through this Advent of Humanity until we reach his light of unity.

***** Basic info and some interesting statistics here about Christianity in Pakistan.

The Episcopal New Service article HERE about the 2015 Pakistani bombings is eye-opening. In 2013, there were also bombings in Peshawar and Lahore. An article by the Episcopal Digital Network has details HERE. In looking for other info about the bombings, I also found this.

#AdventWord #BE - Ponderings for Monday, December 7, 2015

Today's #AdventWord is #BE

Have you ever rejoiced in the simple fact that you exist? 

What does it mean to take time to just "be".....not to "be with" or "be for" or "let it be". Think about it, we exist in a habitable zone at JUST the right distance from the Sun, and have had JUST the right amount of time to evolve into intelligent beings (though levels of intelligence are sometimes in question with all the messes we get ourselves into as a planet....global warming, violence, world strife and poverty.) Just HOW lucky are we? Our Sun and our Earth are actually an unlikely pair for supporting life. As a habit, we take many things for granted, including our existence.We would like to think that they will always be there...or perhaps even worse, we go about our daily lives, more than slightly oblivious to the precious and fragile nature of our lives. It would be reassuring to know that our galaxy is full of clever creatures and others with technology and that we might hope for communication. In fact, we do hope. 
However, for the present time, we are all we know. 
Made in the likeness of a divine being, God, we exist. 
Let us give thanks!

What makes Earth such a perfect home? Well, here are some reasons. 
Take a moment and tell those you love that you love them. Take a moment to say thanks to God, to family, friends, teachers, mentors, pets, and yourself. Consider all that God has blessed us with and meditate upon the fact that you exist. Be kind to one another, even if you disagree. Be a good citizen. Be a good neighbor. Grant yourself permission to rejoice in the wonder of life itself, the joy in all of creation, and the joy in one another. 

We are temporary.
We are fragile.
We are here together on this Pale Blue Dot. 

If that isn't something to be happy about, I don't know what is! 

AdventWord was created by SSJE (The Society of St. John the Evangelist) and is the Anglican Communion's Global Advent Calendar. I'm using it as a daily meditation, prayer, photo post, and a way to connect in spirit to millions during this season of light and hope. You can join me in creating your own. Just take a picture and post it with the day's AdventWord tags! Click HERE for their website and for their daily AdventWords.
#SSJE

Earth and aurora from the ISS

A Prayer for the Human Family

A Prayer for the Human Family
(as found in the Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church)

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us

through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole

human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which

infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;

unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and

confusion to accomplish your purposes on Earth; that, in

your good time, all nations and races may serve you in

harmony around your heavenly throne; 

through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

Dear Fellow Citizens of the United States, Please don't forget where we came from. "Give me your huddled masses..."

Dear Fellow Citizens of the United States,
Please don't forget where we came from. 
That would be....pretty much everywhere. I realize for some it will mean swallowing a gigantic fear of the assumed - that our being a haven for Syrian (and other) refugees will bite us back in the end, BUT, I believe that welcoming them, well, it's the right thing to do.
Yes, possibly there are some people mixed in with the refugees that are out to get Americans, but I have noticed that there seems to be plenty of U.S. on U.S. crime and hate these days. 
I just read that 26 governors have stated that they do not want Syrian refugees and that they will refuse them. I don't know what will end up happening, but I ask you: 
"What if the tide were turned?" "What if it were you?" in the shoes of a refugee, seeking asylum? Putting matters of religion and culture aside for a moment, we are humans on one planet. None of us are better than our neighbor.....and that's exactly what we all are: NEIGHBORS.
I have this crazy idea that the world is better overall if we are accepting of each other, regardless of background and station. I also think that we have forgotten some of our own roots. There doesn't seem to be any perfect solution for finding the right balance of humanitarianism and security, but I wonder if pre-judgement and assumption, heck, even keeping religion out of it - whether or not things will be OK in the end.
                        

The New Colossus

~ Emma Lazarus (1883)

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name 

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand 

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command 

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. 

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she 

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, 

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, 

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. 

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, 

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Earth from the ISS by Astronaut Andre Kuipers

Impending Apocalypse Got You Down?

The World Is Ending......

Wait, what?! Again?

Not enough coffee for an afternoon of impending doom...
In case you haven't heard about this potential earth-destroying event, here is a USA Today article link to catch you up. In the past few years, we seemed to have survived several doomsdays. I was curious about how many times folks, well-meaning or not, have predicted the end of the world so I asked Siri and we found a List of Dates Predicted for Apocalyptic Events. Very interesting. Rather than fret, I decided to enjoy some memes and to make some more coffee.

Check out these #spaceLOLs :-)

A Prayer for Peace in Our World

A Prayer for Peace in our world:

Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,

your saving power among all peoples.

Renew your Church in holiness 

and help us to serve you with joy. 

Guide the leaders of all nations, 

that justice may prevail throughout the world. 

Let not the needy be forgotten, 

nor the hope of the poor be taken away. 

Make us instruments of your peace 

and let your glory be over all the earth. Amen 

~from the Church of England

#COE #Episcopal #Anglican #prayer #Peace #Earth

Golden Hibiscus, 2010 by Caroline Carson

Some Earth Day 2015 Thoughts, Prayers, and Links

Earth Day, 2015

This gorgeous photo is entitled Earthrise. Taken by astronaut William Anders in 1968, on the Apollo 8 mission, the first manned mission to orbit the Moon. It is considered "the most influential environmental photograph ever taken" (according to Garen Rowell, photographer). I dearly love this image and for me, it serves as a frequent reminder to check my perspective and to look up at the sky, remembering we are all on a little roundish rock whirling in orbit around an average white star in a vast universe. 

Today is Earth Day. 

First is the appreciation and then there's the "what are you going to do about it?" question.

At the recent Episcomm (Episcopal Communicators) conference held at The Bishop Claggett Center in Adamstown, Maryland, we were extremely fortunate to be blessed with both the Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori and her husband, Richard Schori. In the presiding bishop's keynote address to us, she mentioned how important it is that we care for our Earth in addition to caring for humanity on it. 

She said: "Being able to discern the hand of God in ALL creation is important, essential work!" 

"We must be stewards of creation. If not, we won't have a place to continue other good work"

The message: We are stewards of God's creation.

Ok, so what am I personally doing to help care for our Earth? I decided a couple of weeks ago to try and cut my electricity useage. This stemmed from the "Dark Hour" or Earth Hour experiment and I realized when I did it, that I leave lights on all over the apartment. I also went out that weekend and replaced all my old bulbs with the "correct" longer-lasting (really?) ones. I also decided that when my office lights go off during the day, I'll leave them off and use my windows. Less headaches too!

The resources: I began looking at what our church has out there in the way of resources for Earth Day prayers and liturgies as well as resources and while I'm a bit late, here is a little bit of what I found.

- Resources for Environmental Liturgy: found in the Book of Common Prayer, Enriching Our Worship, and The Hymnal 1982, compiled by the Episcopal Diocese of New York
- Episcopal Relief and Development

- The Climate Change Crisis Forum now available for viewing. Presiding Bishop’s keynote address; 30 Days of Action leads up to Earth Day  * Here (via ENS)

- The Episcopal Ecological Network

- I love this: The PB's message on Climate Change. It's in the form of a bulletin insert

- Episcopal Liturgies for Earth Day

Some prayers that can be used for Earth Day 

Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth, you made us fellow workers in your creation: Give us wisdom and reverence so to use the resources of nature, that no one may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Book of Common Prayer

God is the foundation for everything
This God undertakes, God gives.
Such that nothing that is necessary for life is lacking.
Now humankind needs a body that at all times honors and praises God.
This body is supported in every way through the earth.
Thus the earth glorifies the power of God.
-Hildegard of Bingen

Lord, help us to maintain a reverent attitude towards nature, threatened from all sides today, in such a way that we may restore it completely to the condition of brother/sister and to its role of usefulness to all humankind for the glory of God the Creator.
- Franciscan prayer

Kingfisher bird. Photo taken by Caroline Carson in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, 2014

Episcopal Prayers at the Close of Day

Look down, Lord, from your heavenly throne. Illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness, and from us, the children of light, banish for ever the deeds of darkness. God our judge and our teacher, let us not waste time when the day is done in guilt or self-reproach. Give us rather the courage to face whatever has been, accept forgiveness, and move on to something better. Amen. (from the New Zealand Prayer Book)

NOAA's GOES satellite image

Episcopal Prayers at the Close of Day

Look down, Lord, from your heavenly throne. Illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness, and from us, the children of light, banish for ever the deeds of darkness. God our judge and our teacher, let us not waste time when the day is done in guilt or self-reproach. Give us rather the courage to face whatever has been, accept forgiveness, and move on to something better. Amen. (from the New Zealand Prayer Book)

NASA astronaut image from Mercury capsule above Earth

Episcopal Prayers at the Close of Day

Look down, Lord, from your heavenly throne. Illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness, and from us, the children of light, banish for ever the deeds of darkness. God our judge and our teacher, let us not waste time when the day is done in guilt or self-reproach. Give us rather the courage to face whatever has been, accept forgiveness, and move on to something better. Amen. (from the New Zealand Prayer Book)

NASA / ISS image of our Moon above our Earth. Taken by astronauts.