Its official name is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and it's elegant and comprehensive.

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

Today I am thinking hard about the plight of (usually) undocumented farm workers, particularly those in the dairy industry and most particularly lthe workers who were fired from the Ruby Ridge dairy, just north of Pasco, Washington, for signing up for a union vote. The Bingens, who own…

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Gave some thought yesterday about how I personally benefit from the federal government -- besides the social security payments. I could only think of indirect ways--clean air, clean water, First Amendment rights of free speech, religion and assembly, safe food, safe meds, safe air travel, Interstate highways(!!), radio, labels on food, National Parks and National Forests and Wildlife Refuges, things like that. Oh yes, the US Postal Service. I benefit most directly from that federal…

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This phrase came to me in the Silent Weekend, as I waited for God to send me some ephananies. Then I felt bad for expecting anything. Rather, I hoped for the wisps of wisdom. And God send some to me. I am still humbled by the gifts I received.

Black History Month inspired my thoughts in new ways that I am going to pursue a while before writing about.

I've been on a whirlwind treadmill lately, scampering quite quickly. I hope I can slow down this weekend and work…

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I attended the Pacific Northwest Meeting's silent weekend and the goodness is still with me. Here are some of my dividends:



Am I strong? When the light of God shines, YES. It pleases me that some people think me strong.



Thou Art With Me -- that's the answer I got when seeking God pretty blatantly (though silently).



The silent weekend I attended one year ago put me on a better path, and I have followed through fairly well since then. And I need to keep it… Continue

Yeah, yeah, some folks love 'em, some folks hate 'em. I am in the first group. I feel the societal pressures, and we are now in the post-climax time, the interregnum between the huge hype of Christmas and the quiet resumption of day-to-day living, with new calendars, in the short dark days of January.



New calendars - literally, turning over a new leaf. So it resonates for me quite wonderfully to think about new goals and old, unfulfilled ones. I will rededicate myself to the old ones… Continue

Just returned from the quarterly meeting for the Pacific NW quarter of North Pacific yearly meeting (there's a mouthful!) At home we just call it Lazy F, because that is the retreat center where it's held.



I felt my daughter's absence quite intensely but I did find spiritual recharge as well. God bless my fellow worshippers. One of them shared a jewel that still glistens (reflecting Light)-- His Four Powers 1) the great mystery 2) the incredible power of connectedness 3) the power of… Continue

I have been looking forward to quarterly meeting with spiritual hunger. Without a meeting community or the gift of regular monthly meetings, the gatherings I attend have great importance to me.



This will be my first quarterly meeting without my daughter. As she has matured she has needed less and less of me. In the last few meetings I had but a few glimpses of her, as we had parallel experiences at the quarterly meeting. This time I won't even have the glimpses. But I will probably… Continue