Poet, Author, Composer....
Spiders and a Lion
If you know of a lion and you’re willing to join with me in being a spider, there is hope. Here’s the quote for today which is an Ethiopian Proverb: When spiders are united, they can tie up a lion.
SONG: Don’t Write Me a Letter
Don’t Write Me a Letter
I really wrote this because it happened to a friend of mine who was in a relationship and he broke it off with a letter.
Seemed disrespectful to me.
You talk a lot when you’re starting a relationship, and you keep talking as it moves along.
It only seems right that when it’s not working for one of you, that that person would have the courtesy to say “We need to get together and talk.”
Only kind of country-music-sound song I’ve ever written.
SONG: Nuclear Free Zone
Nuclear-Free Zone
There are some areas of the world that are nuclear-free zones.
After hearing people who were present at Hirashima, I’d feel much better if there were just no nuclear weapons.
“An Ordinary Man”
In the book “An Ordinary Man,” Paul Rusesabaginam writes: “Wherever the killing season should next begin and people should become strangers to their neighbors and themselves, my hope is that there will still be those ordijary men who say a quiet no and open the rooms upstairs.”
This quote reminds me that I want to re-read “An Ordinary Man.” You may want to also.
Singing
I think we need to do this whenever we can. The quote is: “Singing in the midst of evil is what it means to be disciples.” And that is by Nadia Bolz-Weber.
SONG: Do You Hear Me Talking
Do You Hear Me Talking?
There are simple examples of this—when we just don’t listen to each other. Sometimes it’s in a marriage where the same question is asked over and over again and it feels like one person was simply not listening.
It can happen among friends or in the office or at church. Maybe you have your own examples of times when you simply don’t feel heard.
In current times I think the gun controversy is one of the best examples of this song. There is a breaking news story of murder and mayhem because of the drastic misuse of a gun and we cry out. Then it happens again and we cry out.
And again and again.
And finally we say “DO YOU HEAR ME TALKING—DO YOU SEE MY LIPS MOVING—DO YOU HEAR MY WORDS FLOATING THROUGH THE AIR?”
Traveling Mercies
Were you ever about to go on a trip and someone says to you “Traveling mercies”? I always wondered what that meant. Well the quote today comes from Anne Lamott who writes: Traveling mercies: love the journey, God is with you, come home safe and sound.
Sounds good to me.
SONG: Call Me Woman
Call Me Woman
Language is important to me. I’m not a lady. I’m not a girl. I’m a strong, resourceful, creative woman. My name is Ann—without an “e”.
I think whenever you say “She’s a…..” you need to double check yourself because first and foremost we are women.
It starts somewhere just before teenage years. When a young woman is even eleven or twelve, she’s not a little girl anymore—she’s a young woman. And it continues as we who are female continue to grow in years.
I push aside the labels—old lady, sweetheart—and I ask for clarity. Just say it plain, let the words come out of your mouth—she’s a woman, and quite a one at that.
Sometimes I think that the person who is calling you sweetheart or lady thinks they are paying you a compliment. Maybe it is a compliment to some people. But sometimes it’s antiquated or patronizing. Sometimes it’s a political put-down.
So play it safe and call me woman.
SONG: I Git Tired
I Git Tired
I wrote this when I had four children at home and a traveling husband and I did get tired of trying to do everything—the dishes, mopping the floor, taking the garbage out, cleaning the toilets.
So I divided the jobs up and everyone did their part (most of the time—and to various levels of competency).
Now I live in an apartment where the same thing is true. It’s part of the repetitiveness of life—you do (hopefully) brush your teeth at least twice a day—you do cook meals—you do the shopping and sometimes I still grouse about it. And these days I need instead of making a list for others to help (although I occasionally do that too) but I also try to balance for myself the things I repeatedly do over and over and some of these things are very much on the plus side.
I meditate (most days); I do yoga and Egoscue every day; I read many books simultaneously and relish that time and those things I don’t get tired of doing daily.
SONG: The Army Is Having a Bake Sale
The Army Is Having a Bake Sale
The Fellowship of Reconciliation, headquartered in Nyack, NY once put out a postcard that said the titled of this song!
The situation hasn’t changed in that our defense budget continues to grow and grow and grow—with few or no audits or accountability—and sometimes making contracts to make things that the armed services don’t even want any more.
Some of us work hard at having a personal budget and sticking to it. I’d be happy if the Pentagon did the same thing—have a budget that was reasonable and kept in balance with the other pressing needs of this country—and then stick to it.
The last verse says: The people say “This ain’t the way. We’re shouting out our NO! So stop it—and put some time. Stop it—and put some money. Stop it—and plan a program for peace.
And as a United Methodist laywoman I say, “Amen.”
New Release!!
Daybook of Personal Faith
Mama and Me
