We hear more keenly
the words that cut us
than ever our words that wound.
We see more clearly
the faults of others
than ever we see our own.
We feel more deeply
the hurts we suffer
than ever those we inflict.
We speak more clearly
to hurt, to torment
than ever in odes of praise.
We taste more fully
our petty triumphs
than ever another’s pain.
3 December 2012
SW 2162
LGA – MDW
Filed under Poem
Pastor and hymnwriter Carolyn Winfrey Gillette writes new words to old hymns. Over the years she has written several hymns for peace and justice ministries of which I have been and am a part.
You Made Us in Your Image is a hymn Carolyn wrote for Human Rights Day at the request of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.
Here’s a sample of the lyrics:
You made us to be equal; you made us to be free —
To speak the truth with courage, to change society,
To follow our own conscience, to choose the words we pray.
O God, may all your children enjoy these gifts each day.
Check out the full hymn – use it for personal devotions or in a worship service:
You Have Made Us in Your Image (pdf)
You Have Made Us in Your Image (text)
See you along the Trail.
Tiny tendrils
reach out,
slender shoots
of purple
create intricate design.
17 July 2011
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Colorado
Filed under National Park, Photo, Travel
The effort at self care continued. November proved – well maybe better, maybe not. The effort continued to focus on walking and eating. I failed to do much in the way of recording my results on another blog. I have continued to annoy family and friends by posting on Facebook. Here’s a summary for the month and you can where there were successes and where there were challenges and where there was a change. And something strange happened. At least it seems strange to me.
GOAL ONE – EAT WELL
Ate well: 1 day
Overate: 29 days (maybe not overate badly on all of those days – just most of them; certainly all of them involved eating more than would have contributed to losing any weight)
GOAL TWO – WALK 30 MINUTES AT A TIME
Walked 30 minutes at a time: 29 days (took one day off)
Note: sometimes this involves using the treadmill, other times it involves walking outside.
GOAL THREE – WALK 11,000 STEPS A DAY
Walked 11,000 steps: 22 days
Note: this is a new goal that was initiated on November 1. When October ended, I realized that it would be possible to reach 1,000,ooo steps from October 1 to December 31. For some reason, that seems cool. To become a 1,000,000 stepper would take about 11,000 steps. Since November 1, that has been the goal.
STEPS FOR THE MONTH
351,745
STEPS 1 OCTOBER THROUGH 30 NOVEMBER
709,142
Despite all the overeating, despite single-handedly eating enough Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to increase their profit margin significantly, I actually lost 4 pounds in November.
That gives me much to ponder for December and beyond.
See you along the Trail.
Along the Graybeard Trail 