I met Michael Granzen and Karen Hernandez-Granzen when I was in New York As our paths crossed, we became friends and allies in championing the cause for social justice. Although the distance between us is greater now, we remain friends. I am always interested and impressed to see their ministry. That is why I look forward to reading their new book Breaking Through A Plate Glass Window. Check it out.
Filed under Books, Current Events, Friends
Parent God,
they are all our children.
Their stories lead the nightly news,
their stories never told,
they are all our children.
Their names on a list,
their names unknown,
they are all our children.
Their faces tweeted,
their faces unseen,
they are all our children.
In Uvalde,
they are all our children.
In Chicago,
they are all our children.
In Kandahar Province, (Afghanistan)
they are all our children.
In Atma town, Idlib, (Syria)
they are all our children.
In Kramatorsk, (Ukraine)
they are all our children.
In Drakpa, (Democratic Republic of Congo)
they are all our children.
In Tultepec, (Mexico)
they are all our children.
In Jenin, (Palestine)
they are all our children.,
In Hlaing Tharyar Township (Myanmar)
they are all our children.
In any place,
they are all our children.
In every place,
they are all our children.
Inspire us to repeat the words
until we understand the words,
believe the words,
until we live the words.
They are all our children.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Gun Violence, Prayer
Consider wearing red today in support of the effort to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. Here are some resources for learning:
Here are some ideas for actions:
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events
Walking. Germantown.
Easter Rising (Ireland). Armenian Genocide.
Who Fears to Speak of Easter Week – Brenden Behan
Amhrainn Na Bfhiann (Gaelic Version) – Pearse
The Irish National Anthem (Traditional Instrumental Version) – Various Artists
The Boys of the Old Brigade – Paddy McGuigan
Men of Easter Week – Mark’s Men
Padraic Pearse – The Wolfe Tones
James Connolly – Dropkick Murphy’s
Tom Clarke (Unrepentant Fenian) – The Irish Brigade
Michael Collins – Brian Moore
Touched by Fire – Black 47
Foggy Dew – Declan Hunt
My Last Farewell – Brier
Banna Strand – Eugene McEldowney
Ireland Unfree – Paddy’s Dream
The Tri-Colored Ribbon – Lori Holland
Freedom’s Sons – The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
The Dying Rebel – Shamrog
Mise Eire – Celtic Woman
Grace – Jim McCann
Merry Ploughboy – Derek Wakefield
The Soldiers Song – The Bogside Volunteers
Mer Hayrenik – Armenian National Anthem [Instrumental] – Global Orchestra
Armenian Rhapsody – V. Knushevitsky & A. Ayvazian Orchestra
Armenian Folk Song – A. Ter-Abramian, National Folk Instrument Ensemble of Erevan & A. Merangulian
Lezginka from Suite No. 5 – Aram Khachaturian & Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre
Saber Dance From The Ballet Gayne – Aram Khachaturian & Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre
Lezginka from Ballet Gayne – Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre & Aram Khachaturian
The Armenian Genocide – Julian Cope
Mer Hayrenik – Armenian National Anthem [Sung] – Global Orchestra
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist
Walking. Germantown.
I Need to Wake Up – Melissa Etheridge
Last Lonely Eagle – New Riders of the Purple Sage
Gardner – Rebecca Riots
Earth and Sun – Sharon Burch
Dragonfly – Ziggy Marley
Almost Like Praying – Lin-Manuel Miranda, feat. Artists for Puerto Rico
Wildlife – Nomad
Now That the Buffalo’s Gone – Buffy Sainte-Marie
Wind Spirit – Bill Miller
A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
Evolution Revolution – Indigenous
Care for the Land – Eric Bogle
People Get Ready – Ladysmith Black Mambazo, feat. Phoebe Snow
After the Gold Rush – Neil Young
Solstice Prayer – R. Carlos Nakai
Hawai’i ’78 – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) – Fats Domino
This Little Light of Mine – Sweet Honey on the Rock
Freedom Road – The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Sky and the Dawn and the Son – Celtic Woman
The Four Legged Ones – Joanne Shenandoah
The Times The Are A-Changin’ – Keb’ Mo’
Whole World – Bobby McFerrin & Esperanza Spalding
Earth Children – Walela
New World Water – Mos Def
Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell
Globe All Warming – Niyorah
Shimmer, Prayer for Cleaning the Water – Joy Harjo
Mighty River – Mary Bilge
In the Water – Run River North
Water Is Life – Wanita Bird
Whose Garden Was This – Tom Paxton
Mother Earth, Our Mother Birthing – Jim & Jean Strathdee
Filed under Current Events, Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist
Walking. North East, Maryland.
Now’s the Time – Charlie Parker & Miles Davis
Motel in Memphis – Life, Explicit
Martin, Martin – Denise Erwin
Wake Up – Rage Against the Machine
They Killed Him – Kate Campbell
Just a Little More Love – David Guetta (feat. Chris Willis)
Ballad of Martin Luther King – Pete Seeger, Brother Kirk & The Sesame Street Kids
Like a King – Ben Harper
God Rest His Soul – Gregg Allman
MLK – U2
Mlk Song – Mavis Staples
So Beautiful or So What – Paul Simon
Why? (The King of Love Is Dead) – Nina Simone
Heaven Will Welcome You Dr. King – Big Maybelle
We March – Prince
Abraham, Martin and John – Harry Belafonte
Take My Hand, Precious Lord – Mahalia Jackson
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Exercise, Music, playlist
I
Missiles fly.
Parents die.
Children cry.
II
Missiles fly.
Children die.
Parents cry.
22 March 2022
Filed under Current Events, Human Rights, Poem, Six Word Story
I sat to entertain myself, O God.
I smiled as the movie rolled,
and the story flowed.
Then the cannon balls began to fly
and the children began to cry
and cinematic illusion blurred with harsh reality.
I imagined shells falling on Mariupol,
drone attacks in Yemen,
bullets tearing flesh in Tigray
and always children cry.
“And how are the children?”
asks the Masai people.
God, you know.
In places the children are well.
In places the children are strong.
In places the children are safe.
But you also know, O God,
that in places,
too, too many places,
the children cry in terror,
cry in pain,
cry as loved ones suffer and die.
cry from hunger.
The children are not well.
in any conflict,
in every conflict,
the children suffer.
O God, in the name of Jesus,
who bade the children come to him,
I pray for the children of
Mariupol,
Yemen,
Tigray.
I pray for the children
caught up in every conflict and any conflict.
I pray for the children who cry.
Protect the children, O God.
Hear their cries.
Watch over them.
Guide the nations of the world
to end conflicts
and establish the justice
that leads to wholeness and peace
in which children may thrive.
Guide me to discern my part
to support such efforts.
I pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Human Rights, Prayer
Remembering My Lai and Hugh Thompson.
Remembering
Xiaojie “Emily” Tan
Daoyou Feng
Delaina Yaun
Suncha Kim
Soon Chung Park
Hyun Jung Grant
Yong Ae Yue
Paul Michels
Song for Hugh Thompson – David Rovics
For Hugh Thompson, Who Stood Alone – The Oaks
Pinkville Helicopter – Thom Parrott
Peace Anthem – Sera
Change the World – Magdalen Hsu-Li
Us – Ruby Ibarra, feat. Rocky Rivera, Klassy and Faith Santilla
Feel It Out – Yaeji
Never – jennylee
Not Yo’ Butterfly – Nobuko Miyamota, feat. Tylana Enomoto
No More – KHA
Gold – Ella Jay Basco, feat. Ruby Ibarra
Us – Jessica Sanchez
We Belong ’21 – Magnetic North and Taiyo Na, feat. Ann One
I Belong – MILCK
The Human Color – Jen Shyu, feat. Ambrose Akinmusire, Mat Maneri, Thomas Morgan & Dan Weiss
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Louisville, Music, playlist
Shche ne Vmerly v Ukrainy i slava, i volia (instrumental) – Glocal Orchestra
Shche ne Vmerly v Ukrainy i slava, i volia (vocal) – Glocal Orchestra
Let’s Sing about Ukraine – Brothers Ivan
O Ukraine, Our Beloved Mother – Brothers Ivan
Prayer for Ukraine – Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
Assorted songs – Made in Ukraine
Filed under Current Events
