21 December 2025. Day 7.
Rest day. Minimal walking in La Cueva Neighborhood. Making Christmas cookies with Lucy and Tricia.
Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere).
Solstice Hymn – Jay Ungar/Mary Lea/Abby Newton/Molly Mason
Western Sky – Brian Keane, Michael Manring & Paul McCandless
Joyful Times – Marion Meadows
Winter Solstice Song – Rosemary Beland
Secret Places – Todd Cochran
Solstice Prayer – R. Carlos Nakai
Northern Lights – Lisa Lynne
New England Morning – William Ackerman & Joan Jeanrenaud
Ursa Major – Michael Hedges
Winter Solstice – Robert Mirabal
Winter Solstice Sunrise – Mothertongue
A Long, Long Night – Crow Women Seasons:
The Year Is Born Anew – Jaiya Firedance:
Ring Out, Solstice Bells – Jethro Tull
The Sun Is Gonna Rise – Bill Miller
Drive the Cold Winter Away – Horslips
Night Falls on the Great Plains – Jessita Reyes
Winter Solstice – Karim Kamar
Winter Solstice – Taya Tenney
Winter Solstice – D.M.
Mountain Song – Eric Gillette
Winter Solstice Night – The Dolmen
Winter Solstice – Felt Galaxy
Winter Solstice – Sollaris
Winter Solstice – BEN WISCH
Shortest Day of the Year – Crystal Stones
Snow On The Mesa – David Arkenstone
White Is In the Winter Night – Enya And Winter Came
Now Winter Comes Slowly – Sting If On A Winter’s Night
Category Archives: Food
21 December 2025
No one should carry hunger or hardship alone
From the Presbyterian Hunger Program:
When times are hard, asking for help shouldn’t come with shame. We all deserve access to nourishing, culturally appropriate food, and the care of community.
If you or someone you know needs support, there are tools that can help you find nearby food pantries, meal programs, and other local resources:
Food pantries, meal programs, and other local resources
– Visit Feeding America’s “Find Your Local Food Bank” www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank and enter your ZIP code to locate a food bank in your community.
– Use the Food Finder map to explore nearby food pantries, including addresses and hours. https://foodfinder.us
– You can also visit www.findhelp.org to search for food programs and other community resources.
Phone assistance:
– Call or text 211 to connect with a local specialist who can help you find food assistance and other support services in your area.
– National Hunger Hotline – Call 1-866-3HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) for help locating nearby meal sites, food banks, and social service programs.
Transportation issues:
– Many people experiencing hunger also face transportation barriers that make accessing grocery stores and food pantries difficult or impossible. DoorDash is rolling out an “Emergency Food Response” in reaction to the potential disruption of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. They will deliver 1 million meals for free through their “Project DASH” network of 300+ foodbanks and pantries nationwide. Learn more here: https://about.doordash.com/…/snap-shutdown-announcement
Congregational Support:
– Local or regional foundations – especially those suited to long-term sustaining of feeding programs and social services. Find possibilities in your area at https://cof.org/page/community-foundation-locator .
– Manual of Best Practices for Food Pantries from Indy Hunger Network – https://www.indyhunger.org/…/Manual-of-Best-Practices…
– Food Sovereignty for All Handbook – https://pcusa.org/resource/food-sovereignty-all
Remember, community care means none of us have to carry hunger or hardship alone.
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
A prayer for hunger #3
God who loves us all,
you create us for each other.
Each child is our child.
Every person is our sibling.
We are connected in the web of life.
Help us live accordingly,
working to ensure
that everyone has enough.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Prayer
A prayer for hunger #2
Creator,
to those who have hunger,
give bread,
to those who have bread,
give the hunger for justice.
Amen.
this prayer appears in several variations; it has been cited as the “Latin American Bread Prayer” and as coming from the Benedictine order
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Prayer
A prayer in a world where children know hunger
God who makes and loves each child,
forgive me for wasting food
in a world where children starve,
where children experience malnutrition,
where children go hungry,
in too many places,
including places near my home.
Forgive me, God.
Help me do better
by making wiser choices
about what I eat,
how much I eat,
where my food is produced.
Help me do better
by supporting organizations
that share food with children (and adults) in need,
that address root causes of hunger,
that work to end conflict,
that enable people to feed themselves,
that challenge our impact upon creation
which affect food production.
Help me do better
by demanding action
from individuals and organizations
that shape policies
which result in hunger
and which work to end hunger.
Forgive me, God.
Help me do better.
In the name of Jesus
who fed the hungry and welcomed children.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Prayer
A fat man prays in world where starvation stalks
Forgive me, God,
for eating too much.
Forgive me, God,
for eating too much
when too many
have too little.
Forgive me, God,
for eating too much
while your beloved children
die from lack of food
caused by political decisions
and a lack of will.
Forgive me, God.
I know better.
Help me do better.
Amen..
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Food, Human Rights, United Nations
Intentions for 2025
Inspired by my friend Abbie Waters, I have decided to identify intentions for 2025.Something about that word works better for me than does “resolutions.” I can’t articulate what it is. But I’m going to role with it.
Health and Fitness
- Cardio of some sort (300 days)
- Morning stretches (300 days)
- Chair stretches (300 days)
- Floor stretches (180 days)
- Strength exercises (180 days)
- Eat well in terms of carbs, calories, and quantities (300 days)
Steps and Miles
- 14,000 steps daily average
- 5,000,000 steps for the year
- 3.65 miles daily average
- 1,300 miles for the year
Travel
- Nicole & Desi’s wedding
- Tommy & Brooke’s wedding – possible road trip
Reading/Learning
- Read 52 books
- Great Courses
Spirituality
- Write and share daily prayers
- Worship in the congregation granddaughter attends
- Find and support at least one group involved in justice work in Albuquerque
- Supply preach as invited
- Engage in advocacy
Hiking
- Obtain equipment
- 40 hikes (at least 3 miles length)
Filed under Albuquerque, Books, Exercise, Food, New Mexico, Prayer, Travel
Purple flowers, guest collection #252
Iris
Nancy Ammerman’s Garden
Boston. Massachusetts
photo by So Jung Kim
Names
A snippet of a conversation held by the Little Pantry at the Presbyterian Center.
It happened on Friday.
He gingerly approached me as I had one bag of supplies on the ground and another cradled in my left arm. When I acknowledged him, he stopped and said, “Thank you. Thank you and all for this place. It has saved me a couple times.”
I secured the bag in the crook of my elbow and spoke. “You are welcome. We are glad we can help.”
After a moment, I extended my free hand. “I’m Mark.”
“Robert,” he replied.
Then it was his turn to pause for a moment. “But I prefer to be called Toby.”
I shook his hand again. “Then Toby it is my friend. You are welcome to check out the other bag while I finish with this one.”
“I will wait until you are done,” he responded. “I just wanted to say thank you.”
“You are welcome,” I said again. “I will tell the others.”
He turned to go. “Thank you again.”
As he stepped away, I said to him, “God bless you. Toby.”
Filed under Food, Louisville, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Help. Me.
Granddaughter Lucy continues to inspire and pass on new knowledge. As she grows and develops, honing skills, pursuing new interests, increasing her vocabulary, Lucy always teaches me something. Often, she imparts multiple lessons.
. During my recent visit as she and her parents began their move to Albuquerque, the insight that stood out concerned her use of the words, “help” and “me.” Lucy used those words in a unique way, and she did so often.
We frequently combine “help” and “me” to create a sentence. “Help me.” Come to my aid. Provide me with assistance.
Lucy takes those two words and creates a paragraph. A two-sentence paragraph. One word in each sentence. And in an order we might not expect given what she means. But a paragraph nonetheless.
“Help. Me.”
In Lucy’s usage, the words become an offer that she will extend help to you. Or perhaps they become a statement of fact that she will help you. In some cases they rise to the level of a demand that you allow her to help.
“Help. Me.” And Lucy wants you to pick her up so she can select your coffee cup and push the buttons on the coffee maker.
“Help. Me.” And Lucy staggers toward you carrying your shoes which she will help you put on so you can go outside together.
“Help. Me.” And Lucy starts to pull the dishes out of the dishwasher at a rapid rate and you struggle to keep up and put them away.
“Help. Me.” And Lucy climbs up beside you to pour, to mix, to dump, to stir as she helps you cook. She stays away from the stove when it is “hot.” But most everything else she might do to create a meal; she tries to do.
Same words. Different meanings depending on if they construct a sentence or a paragraph.
Will Lucy remember this stage in her life? Will her first paragraph last?
Hard to say. It may. It may not. She may go through phases where she wants to help and where she does not want to help. What seems important is the beauty and the wonder of the now and the memories we make and the photos we take.
Whatever may come next, I know I will ponder what Lucy has taught me about the difference between a sentence and a paragraph.
I know I will need to say, “Help me.”
I hope I can also find lots of times to say, ‘Help. Me.”
Along the Graybeard Trail 