Gratitude

To be able to remember.
To have all my faculites --still.
To be able to give
And recieve.

For living things that delight
and amaze.

For conditions that set the sky ablaze.

For people that help me see
The variety in humanity.

For all these things, and creations
should be in my reality
God alone deserves the praise
For all that makes my days
A kaliedoscope of thoughts and feelings

Of changes, and chances to meet them.

God, unknowable but All-Knowing
Holder of all Names, but Unnamed
Provider beyond all capacity of man
To begin to understand

Leaves us to ourselves until we turn to Him
Yet all our needs for living are given.

Gratitude is a feeble word and doesn't really meet
The whole of His giving.
Life abundent for each and all
With everything to sustain it
Inward and outward
No matter how inept we my perform
He does not reclaim it.

Patiently He waits, He gives, infinitely
We chafe and blame speak profanely

He loves. He guides. He comforts with spirit.
We feel His love, His majesty, but cannot yet
Get near it.

Praise and gratitude...qualities I need.
Please God help me achieve them
With diligence and speed.

Gratitude

Endless gratitude for unknown heroes.

Thanksgiving

Giving thanks is a daily requirement for spiritual health. I see on this medium--more mention of black Friday, then the day that comes before. A clear symptom pointing to the globally rampant disease of materialism. The more we feed the creature that keeps crying, "Me,Mine,More", the stronger it gets it shoves the other sibling housed in the same heart-- "Other,ForYou,Enough" out of the nest.

Some nations have a handle on the balance of materialism and other aspects are missing. Some nations not accustomed to having a capitalistic bent, have lost all perspective and it was ruinous to their existence.

Persons, families, and on out in ever increasing ripples will do well to remember that giving thanks is a daily, spiriutal need, keeping their own greed in check and perfecting their understanding of humility. May God help me in living up to my words.

Another Argument Against Aggression

The ripple effect of perpetrating aggression or violence on someone in opposition is endless.

Capturing the hearts and minds of the 'masses' that we are attempting to 'liberate' has never, will never and can never be accomplished through any form of violence. Whether we (as f0reigners) are attempting to defend them in word or deed, or not.

If we send troops armed with skills to firm up infrastructure, upgrade medical and technical progress, agricultural successes, and educational professionals by the boatload, we may succeed.

But even those brave souls should be prepared to give their lives. If only to prove the sincerety of our commitment to a nonviolent partnership for progress.

Some say both are necessary, because the non-military personnel must be protected. I say, no go without arms and let the people's own sense of injustice rise up against those who oppose peaceful efforts.

The key is that there can be no covert activities coinciding with non-violent programs.

This is the second week of my on-line writing class.

My teacher likes my writing so much he is embarasssing me.!! The assignments have been easy and fun though.

I have to start looking for a place to get published besides self-publishing. I also need to accumulate a good size stock of prose that I can hawk to magazines or ????

Most of the prose I have to offer is either related to a very small niche --or so overdone that I wouldn't have a ghost of a chance to get in print.