Creating God,
the earth split open in Venezuela
dealing destruction we struggle to comprehend,
filling us with horror and grief.
Still we turn to you.
We pray for those who died.
We pray for those who mourn.
We pray for the wounded.
We pray for the missing,
We pray for first responders.
We pray for medical personnel.
We pray for those who search amid the devastation.
We pray for survivors.
Particularly at this moment,
we pray for the children
who struggle to understand what has happened
who have difficulty sleeping
who remember the fear they felt
who worry about another earthquake.
May they know your presence.
May they experience the love of parents.
May they feel the support of friends and family.
May they receive the kindness of the community.
Guide who seek to care for their children
in this challenging time and difficult circumstance.
Grant them compassion and wisdom
to guide them so that they might care wisely and well.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Inspired by mi hermano Ricardo Corzo Moreno who is in Caracas.
Filed under Current Events, Friends, Prayer
March 7, 2019
(reposted due to changes by WordPress)
“Excuse me. Are you from Pittsburgh?” the woman spoke gently.
“Lenore is,” Charles replied.
“We heard you talking about Pittsburgh,” the woman said, gesturing to the radiant, bald, younger woman with whom she shared a table.
Of course they heard us. It’s New York. Tables in most restaurants are placed practically on top of each other.
Lenore Williams had come from Pittsburgh to New York. She arranged to meet Charles Atkins Jr and me to talk about the Presbyterian Church’s Freedom Rising Initiative to address the impact of racism on African-American men.
We met at the TGIFridays in Penn Station. Charles’ son is playing in one of the New Jersey state basketball championship semifinal games tonight. This location made it easy for him to join us and then to get home for the game.
We talked about the work being done by the Presbytery of Pittsburgh and by the Presbytery of New York City. We explored how the presbyteries might support one another and partner for effective ministry.
Our conversation touched on the city of Pittsburgh. Lenore has lived there for most of her life; Charles had recently been there for a meeting; part of my childhood was spent on Neville Island.
After a fruitful conversation, and when we finished our meal, Charles stood to leave for his son’s basketball game. That’s when the woman stood, took the half step needed to cross the aisle in the restaurant and spoke.
“My daughter Erin goes to school outside Pittsburgh,” she informed us. We smiled at Erin who sat with her back to the wall. It appeared she was returning to Pittsburgh. She had her suitcase with her.
“We heard you praying,” the woman stated. “Erin has cancer. We were wondering. Would you pray with her?”
We would. And we did.
Lenore and I stood beside Charles. Erin and her mother stood. We joined hands and prayed.
We prayed for Erin. For healing. For strength. For courage. For grace.
We prayed for Erin’s mother and family. For Erin’s friends. For the medical personnel who care for her.
When we finished, we realized we had blocked the aisle. We moved so others who had waited patiently, at least outwardly, could get by.
A man stepped toward the exit. Our eyes locked for a moment. He must have been allergic to something in the restaurant because moisture rimmed his eyes, a little bit leaking out of one corner.
The restaurant’s host came from the other direction. He had been a tad grumpy when we asked for more napkins. Now a grin stretched from ear to ear. “Thank you,” he said. “That was wonderful. Thank you.”
Erin and her mother thanked us. Hugs were shared, by all save one person. I did smile a lot and shake everyone’s hand.
We are made from dust. And to the dust we will all return. But until we do, moments of grace will find us. Thanks be to God.
And just like that (yesterday), granddaughter Lucy spent four hours in the pool at “the apartment” (her name for where Tricia and I live).
Lucy and I played in the pool for about two hours – when I finally had to give up. Then she played for another two hours by herself and with “my new friends” – a couple older girls and a five-year old boy. It was precious to watch.
BUT – here’s the point of this. When we were alone, Lucy decided we would play “car.” This involved her getting on my back and directing me around the pool. We had not been playing long when I realized that in my most recent self-care effort, I have lost a couple pounds more than Lucy weighs.
And just like that, I smiled.
Filed under Albuquerque, Exercise, Family, Friends
I apologize for the lateness of this.
My friend, and former colleague, the Rev. Greg Allen Pickett posted on Facebook that he will be praying for peace tonight at 7pm Central Time at a park in Hastings, NE where he serves as a pastor. Greg noted that, “Anyone is welcome to join me.”
I can’t make it to Hastings but I can pray in Albuquerque at 6:00pm Mountain Time.
I invite you to join Greg and me if you are so inclined at 8:00pm Eastern Time or the equivalent time where you are. If you see this after that time and you are so inclined, you are invited to say a prayer or two or ten whenever you are able and wherever you are. Unity in prayer transcends all space and time.
Thank you, Greg, for this idea and for providingthis prayer to use.
Gracious and merciful God,
You are the source of all peace, the One who brings order out of chaos, light out of darkness, and hope out of despair. We come before you today with heavy hearts, lifting up the people of Iran and all who live in regions marked by tension, uncertainty, and fear.
God of every nation and every people, we pray for those whose daily lives are shaped by instability: families longing for safety, children yearning for a future free from violence, communities seeking dignity and justice. Surround them with your protection. Strengthen their spirits. Let your peace take root even in the most fragile places.
We also pray for leaders around the world whose words and actions carry great weight. In a time when messages can travel instantly and inflame quickly, grant wisdom, restraint, and humility. Soften hearts where there is anger. Temper speech where there is division. Guide all leaders to seek not power or posturing, but the well-being of all people and the preservation of peace.
Holy Spirit, move among us. Move across borders, across ideologies, across every line that divides. Where there is misunderstanding, bring clarity. Where there is fear, bring courage. Where there is hostility, plant seeds of reconciliation.
Make us instruments of your peace in our own lives as well: quick to listen, slow to speak, and always grounded in love. Remind us that every person, in Iran and beyond, is created in your image and held in your care.
We long for the day when swords are beaten into plowshares, when nations learn war no more, and when your peace reigns in every corner of creation.
Until that day, O God, hold us fast in your grace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we pray.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Friends, Prayer
Remembering Buddy Monahan.
Boomer Sooner -The University of Oklahoma Marching Band
Revolution 5:38 Kirk Franklin & The Family
Rock And Roll All Nite – Kiss
Native Child – Thunder Bird Sisters
Running – Joy Harjo I
Some How – Nizhóní Girls
Blackbird – Emma Stevens
I Am Your Friend – Joanne Shenandoah
Earth And Sun – Sharon Burch
Edge of America – Annie Humphrey
Native America – J25
Fight for the Rights – Kelly Fraser
Gentle Warrior- Kalolin Johnson
Heart Of A Hero – Shelley Morningsong
Golden Feather – Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble
Filed under Albuquerque, Friends, Music, playlist
Black History Month.
Walking. Arroyo. La Cueva Neighborhood. Stretching.
Let America Be America Again – by Langston Hughes – James Earl Jones
Rise Up – Andra Day
You Don’t Have to Ride Jim Crow! – Bayard Rustin
Fight for Your Mind – Ben Harper
AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM – Beyoncé
That’s the Way God Planned It – Billy Preston
If I Could Help Somebody – The Blind Boys of Alabama
Hands Up – Blood Orange
History Repeats – Brittany Howard
Young, Gifted and Black – Aretha Franklin
This Is America – Childish Gambino
Black America Again – Common, feat. Stevie Wonder
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) – Marvin Gaye
Woke Up This Morning – Fannie Lou Hamer
Wade In the Water – The Fisk Jubilee Singers
Everytime I Feel the Spirit -The Florida A&M University Concert Choir
Ain’t No New Thing – Gil Scott-Heron
Deep River – The Howard University Chamber Choir
Sloganize, Patronize, Realize, Revolutionize (Black Lives Matters) – Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis
People Gotta Be Free – Keb’ Mo’
Keep Your Hand On the Plow – Mahalia Jackson
Blood Done Sign My Name – Mary D Williams
Eyes on the Prize – Mavis Staples
Strange Fruit – Nina Simone
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child – Odetta
Go Down, Moses – Paul Robeson
We March – Prince
Oh Freedom – The Princely Players
We Rise – Rhiannon Giddens
Precious Lord – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Beautiful Struggle – Talib Kweli
You’re Not Alone – Our Native Daughters
Step By Step – Sweet Honey In The Rock
A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra
I Know Where I’ve Been – Queen Latifah
Grandma’s Hands -Bill Withers
Respect – Otis Redding
What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
We Are Each Others Angels – African Children’s Choir
I’ve Got Dreams To Remember – Angélique Kidjo
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Lift Every Voice and Sing – The Boys Choir of Harlem
Filed under Albuquerque, Antiracism, Current Events, Friends, Music, playlist
Lucy baptism. So Jung Kim birthday.
For Lucy.
For So Jung.
For us all.
Ementha-Papaguneray (Turtle Song) – Emily Wurramara
Carnival of the Animals: IV. Tortoises – Isata Kanneh-Mason, Braimah Kanneh-Mason, Ayla Sahin, Timothy Ridout, Sheku Kanneh-Mason & Toby Hughes
Turtle Island – Jay Red Eagle
Turtle Island – Native American Music Consort
Sea Turtle – Hermanito
Flying with the Turtles – Laurent Perez Del Mar
Turtle – PARK JUNG EUN
A Turtle’s Heart – Mili Mag Mell
Keep Me In Your Heart – Jorge Calderon
Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! – First Plymouth Congregational Church, Tom Trenney & Jeremy Bankson
For all the Saints – St Paul’s Cathedral Choir & Malcolm Archer
What A Wonderful World – Eva Cassidy
Coat of Many Colors -Dolly Parton
God With Us – The Many
If I Had a Dinosaur – Raffi
Wheels on the Bus – Gracie’s Corner
Hippopotamus – David Polansky
Circle of Life – Carmen Twillie & Lebo M
Let It Go – Idina Menzel Frozen
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – JJ Heller
Child of Blessing Child of Promise – John Keys
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong –
Filed under Albuquerque, Family, Friends, Music, New Mexico, playlist
