Air's blog

Pope Evades Criminal Charges

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:38:00 -0500

Pope Evades Criminal Charges:

Fractured Vatican Full of Rivalries

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:29:00 -0500

Fractured Vatican Full of Rivalries:

Prayer

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:19:05 -0500

Every moment, every day, You are with me. Your Power and Might amaze me!

Every moment, every day, You guide me. Your hand guides me in all things.

Every moment, every day, Your Holy Spirit envelops me. Leading me to where I need to be.

I am Your humble servant. Remove all obstacles that keep me from knowing you wholly and completely. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Lenten Prayer--Ash Wednesday

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:49:02 -0500

The First Four Days of Lent
Ash Wednesday

Lord, it feels like we are embarking
on a Lenten journey together, you and I.
The beautiful words in the today’s prayer talk about
the “quiet remembrance of our need for redemption.”
That feels like what I am looking for -
or what you are looking for in me.
I want to remember how much I need you in my life
and how much my life needs redemption.
I want to remember it clearly and
in the background of my day today
and all through Lent.

On this special day, Ash Wednesday,
may my small sacrifices in fasting be a way to clear away
the clutter in my life to see you more clearly.
May my longing for meat and other food,
help me to focus my life today more outside myself.
Let me be aware of those who are in so much more suffering than I am
and may I be aware of them as the brothers and sisters you have placed in my life.

Lord, I know there is darkness
within me and around me.
Bless these days with your Word.
Let your Light shine in the darkness.
Help me long for that Light
until we celebrate it at the Vigil six weeks from now.

And most of all Lord,
help me to honor this day with the ashes
on my forehead.
They help me remember where I have come from
and where I am going.
May I acknowledge to you my sins
and my deep need for your
loving forgiveness and grace.
I pray that this Lenten season
will make me so much more aware
of how much I need your healing in my life.

Faith

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:44:23 -0500

^{James 1: 2-8}

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Joshua 1:5-9

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:17:54 -0500

⁵ No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. ⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

theredphoenixapl.org

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:22:35 -0500

theredphoenixapl.org

A job

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:02:04 -0500

I don’t need coddling, but I sure could use guidance. I don’t need sympathy, but I sure could use understanding. I don’t need sympathy, but I sure could use a showing of patience. Should a person stay in a job if they are made to feel stupid and inferior. What are the options in this economically depraved world.

Wisdom for Life’s Trials

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:04:39 -0400

Wisdom for Life’s Trials:

This sermon speaks right to me.

"[Howard Klein] asks what can be done about the cozy relationship between politicians and those they..."

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:58:48 -0400

“

[Howard Klein] asks what can be done about the cozy relationship between politicians and those they regulate and it’s one of the fundamental problems in our democracy. The amount of money in politics is institutionalizing this corruption on a level we haven’t seen before in the modern era. I certainly don’t have the answer although many smart people are pondering the problem.

One thing I do know. Citizen engagement is absolutely necessary if we care about having a democracy. The only thing a politician cares about more than having enough money is having enough votes. They obsessively follow their local news and pay close attention to any shifts among their constituents. It’s far more powerful than we recognize.

Money will always be in politics to some extent. It’s like water — it always finds an outlet. But the dam has burst at the moment and the only thing that can possibly counteract it in the short term is hardcore voter involvement in the process. You decide how to best to do that, whether it’s the Occupy movement or writing letters to your congressman or supporting some of the good guys or targeting the bad guys. It’s all good and it’s all necessary. This flood of money isn’t going to stop any time soon.

”

- Digby, “Seeing the connections” (via ryking)

Washington Post

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:31:33 -0400

Washington Post

On the death of Steve Jobs

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 20:18:00 -0400

On the death of Steve Jobs

The truth about me

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:45:00 -0400

I am a progressive. I belong to the quickly diminishing middle class of America. I am a professional and have worked hard to earn my JD degree and to try to serve the poor people while also making a living. Owning a business in this country is extremely difficult. It is very expensive with little or no breaks. There is no way to get ahead. To top it off, someone who is married with children pays far fewer taxes than someone like me who is single with no children. Now I’m in a job with a fixed income and benefits. But I’m choking in it. I’m not cut out for it especially with all the back stabbing going on. God, help me. Guide me and lead me to where you would have me be, so that I can best serve you. Amen.

"While union members have been part of Occupy Wall Street from the beginning, the past week has been..."

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 15:24:35 -0400

“While union members have been part of Occupy Wall Street from the beginning, the past week has been marked by increasingly broad and public union support. Friday AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka described the action as “a valid tactic,” and “being in the streets” as “sometimes the only recourse you have.” Sunday the AFL-CIO distributed a statement passed by delegates at its Young Workers Summit declaring solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. Trumka yesterday told Mike Elk of In These Times that the AFL-CIO will vote on an official endorsement today. Occupy Wall Street this week drew the official support of large international unions including the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the United Steel Workers (USW), and the nation’s largest public sector union, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Workers (AFSCME).”

- Labor and Progressive Groups Join Occupy Wall Street in Solidarity March | Activism & Vision | AlterNet (via alternet-working)

Answer to immigration crisis? "Quit eating."

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 15:23:44 -0400

Answer to immigration crisis? "Quit eating.":

hermanaresist:

Crops are rotting in the fields because farmers can’t find enough workers to harvest them. Even legal immigrants are not showing up for jobs at construction sites and poultry plants because, agriculture and industry officials say, they fear a hostile state climate. … Smith said he has four to six weeks to get his crops in before they rot. He said he has found a few American workers for his fields, but he complained they can’t keep up with his Hispanic crews. “If you want to solve the immigration problem, quit eating,” Smith said.”

Birmingham News, Oct. 2, 2011.

Surrender

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:03:00 -0400

Alone with none but you, my God,
I journey on my way.
What need I fear, when you are near,
O king of night and day?
More safe am I within your hand
Than if a host did round me stand.

My life I yield to your command,
And bow to your control;
In peaceful clam, for from your arm
No power can snatch my soul.
Could earthly foes ever appall
A soul that heeds the heavenly call!

Attributed to St. Columba in Ray Simpson, ed. Celtic Blessings: Prayers for Everyday Life, (Chicago: Loyola Press, 1999).

The last few days

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:16:59 -0400

The last few days have been awful. Living and walking in fear and lacking in confidence. I don’t know what I’m doing in this time and place. There is a knot in the pit of my stomach. I need a reprieve. Please God, help me through this fire storm!

Darkness

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:53:00 -0400

At times, the darkness of the soul appears,

Where are you God?

I feel surrounded and desperate.

Am I not supposed to be here? I thought you sent me here!

What is Your purpose for me?

I am 54, no spouse, no kids and possibly no job soon.

No retirement, no future. What am I to do?

God, take this burden from me.

Open the right doors. Lead me to where you would have me be.

Provide and guide.

In Christ’s name. Amen.