Archive for September, 2010

On 100 Years of Baha’i Spiritual Education: A new video from the Baha’i National Center

By on Sep 7, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

Previously, Baha'i children's education was aimed at Baha'i children. In a profound cultural shift in keeping with the guidance of their institutions, Baha'is have adopted an outward approach and are now offering spiritual education for any and all children, Baha'i or not, in neighborhood after neighborhood. It's an evolution that inspires awe and wonder for long-time Baha'is and great delight for the parents and children in these neighborhoods who are discovering the unique special qualities of this spiritual education that can be found no where else, based on the teachings of Baha'u'llah for transforming the entire planet. -gw
 

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On Sticking It Out: And be not of those who doubt

By on Sep 7, 2010 in All categories | comments(1)

Xhosa and Persian — "A darling Baha'i lady from Jo'burg – she is in typical Xhosa makeup – though this was end of day and most of it had worn off, but you can see her cheeks and part of her outfit, mother of friend of mine, has a complicated name!!!"
 
Martha discovered that Uganda was like her beloved Vanutu. Then she decided to return to South Africa. -gw
 
Soon what I thought was confirmation for me to stay in Uganda became confirmation for me to stay in South Africa. As I talked to people about the problems that I had noticed in SA the reactions changed from “You should come here” to “they need all the help they can get, you should stay there”. That was the whole reason I decided to come to SA in the first place, because I realised how much they need the help. Losing that anger and resentment was so relieving. Suddenly I was excited about going home and putting my new energy into action. All it took was me removing myself from the picture and looking at things holistically instead of only from my point of view.
 

There is a prayer in the Baha’i Writings called the Tablet of Ahmad that really hit me. Although I’ve read it tonnes of times before, I've even memorised it, there was one line that I really took from it on this trip

 

“And be not of those who doubt.”

 

I challenged myself fulfil this line. Stop doubting life when things get hard, try more perseverance and determination. So I’m going to stick it out here in South Africa. It’s going to be hard and trying and frustrating but that’s ok. I have removed all my prior expectations and I’m just going to do what I can “Even if the swords of the enemies rain blows upon thee and all the heavens and the earth arise against thee..”

 

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On the Sports Kid on Cover: The ultimate illustration

By on Sep 7, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

Rocky z granddaughter    Tierra Crockrell is in September; Sports Illustrated for Kids,
 
 
                                                                            rocky crockrell
 
They picked the best shot of Tierra to run with their article, that's for sure! -gw

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On Trying to Keep Up: Bonita’s Already Told the Story

By on Sep 4, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

 
It's hard  to keep up with Bonita. When you take a lot of pictures, it's hard to keep up with processing all the fotos. Only last night did I have the chance to do the photos from our trip to try to hike Mt Townsend. But Bonita's already told the story. -gw
 
 

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On Bonita Shops Cabela’s: All firearms must be inspected

By on Sep 2, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

 
REI vs Cabela's. That was the matchup. Cabela's has won as Bonita's favorite recreational store. I think it was the stuffed animals that took her over the top. But I think she should reconsider, by considering this. -gw
 
Our Commitment to Stewardship

REI is helping to build a lasting legacy of trails, rivers, and wild lands for generations to come, supporting programs to help people of all ages and experiences participate. REI's involvement and impact in local communities reached new heights in 2009. Investing $2 million in outdoor recreation programs and stewardship projects, REI helped care for areas of recreation, introduce people to the outdoors and leverage additional dollars for great programs. Sally Jewell, REI's president and CEO stated, "REI recognizes that today's youth will be tomorrow's stewards of the environment. REI is committed to providing opportunities for young people to experience the joys of outdoor recreation and learn how to care for open spaces and our shared public lands."

 
Brilliant Star wins APEX Award of Excellence for Green Writing
July 22, 2010
Brilliant Star magazine, published for children ages 8–12 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States, received a 2010 APEX Award of Excellence for Green Writing for its March/April 2009 issue entitled "Caring for Our Planet," which was produced in observance of the U.N. Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2005–2014. This is the magazine's fourth APEX Award for Publication Excellence
 

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On Rocky’s Other Granddaughter: Caring and sharing

By on Sep 2, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

George,
Check out the Tacoma Weekly. What an article they did on Tierra and her family! Look in the sport section.
 
             Rocky
 
I still haven't picked up a copy of the Weekly to see the article Rocky was referring to in his e-mail to me. I have loved featuring the track and field accomplishments of his granddaughter Tierra, shown with her brother Pierre at the bottom of this post. And it should be no surprise that Rocky has other granddaughters and grandsons who are extraordinary kids as well.  At Karen & Fredric's Family Fun Night I was in awe of the granddaughter, featured in the set below, who took great delight in tending to Charles' little grandchild, also in attendance last Saturday night. -gw
 
 
Tierra & Pierre
 

Thus from the very beginning of life every child will be refreshed by the gentle wafting of the love of God and will tremble with joy at the sweet scent of heavenly guidance.

 
Abdu'l-Baha

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On Amped Up to Study a Prayer With Someone: Andrene to the rescue

By on Sep 1, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

 
Tonight I went Pawn-X on South Tacoma Way to see if they had an amplifier/receiver I could buy to replace the one that is on the fritz in the living room at home. They just had a Yamaha. I don't like how difficult it is to change the volume of the rear and center speakers on that unit, so I didn't buy it.
 
Wednesday evenings I try to use for home-visits. And Sunday. Tuesday evenings and Saturday are set aside for family time. Our home devotional is Thursday evening. Monday and Friday evenings are open, Mondays often being for Spiritual Assembly or Area Teaching Committee meetings.
 
So after no success at Pawn-X, this being Wednesday, I thought, who can I go visit? I sifted through possibilities. Regina is tied up this week, I believe. I haven't met Cinnamon yet. Then I thought, Andrene!
 
I didn't have her address, but I thought I might be able to figure it out by proximity, having been there once before. Sure enough, as I walked through the complex on G-Street, there she was, out in front of her apartment, keeping an eye on Derrick and doling something on her iPhone.
 
I told her I was out and about, but had been thinking about her family and thought I'd stop  by to say hello. We discussed the effort of Baha'is to build spiritual community through home-visits and four core activities. I told her I would love to find a time when we could study a prayer together. I said, to get in a truely devotional state, you have to become deeply in touch with the Holy Writings. And what a great way to have a spiritual conversation with a person than to study a prayer with them!
 
I said, "I've brought these prayer books with me. How about now?" She said come on in.
 
It was a delightful study. This is the prayer we studied…
 
 
She's been to devotions in our home.  I told her it would be wonderful if she could have regular devotions in her home. 
 
We talked again about having children's classes for Derrick and other children in the complex. I told her the effect that regular children's classes were having on the children in Salishan. I think she might be interested in being accompanied to do both activities.
 
She said she was going to come to our houseagain  for devotions tomorrow. I hope my amp will hold up for one more evening. Gotta have music for our devotional. And the deep study of at least one prayer. -gw
 
 

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On What If My Friend Finds Out: So long afternoons at IKEA

By on Sep 1, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

From there she joined the Baha’i faith. … [S]he stayed with them because she had made a friend in the community who visited her and took her out to buy New Balance sneakers and sheets from IKEA. They also prayed together, and Linda found the Baha’i prayers comforting.

I told her that if the Baha’i prayers were comforting, she should continue to say them. But now she had a conflict. She had recently joined the Church of the Nazarene because she heard they had great prayer groups. She was excited to report to me that two members of the church had already visited her and brought flowers and Nazarene paperwork. But then her mood darkened, and she said, “I did call one of the ladies after their visit, to invite her to come over again, but she said she was going to be busy all of September. She wasn’t as nice on the phone as she was when she was here.”

“Can I stay a Baha’i and also be a member of the Nazarenes?” she asked. “What if my Baha’i friend finds out? She’ll stop visiting me.” So long, afternoons at IKEA.

Then she paused and said, “Am I just being wishy-washy? Shouldn’t I just pick a religion and stick to it?”

I was taken off guard by her sudden insight. I often think that my agnosticism is wishy-washy. I was brought up Catholic, …

There are several highly salient issues regarding religious affiliation woven into this fascinating blog post.  To follow the example of Abdu’l-Baha, a Baha’i friend learning this soul had joined a Nazarene church wouldn’t bat an eye, but would simply continue to love and to serve and, I predict, to continue to visit. This soul’s spiritual journey is her spiritual journey.

Baha’is are building spiritual community,  increasingly working side by side with people who are not Baha’is in establishing the core activities that bring spiritual unity. There are clear authoritative guidelines for Baha’is on all sorts of matters, including church affiliation, but the bottom line for a follower of Baha’u'lah  is … don’t worry about your neighbor’s journey. He or she is in God’s hands. Just love, teach, grow. -gw

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On Gracing the Nine-Pointed Star: Immaculate and her radiant children

By on Sep 1, 2010 in All categories | Comments Off

I give this picture set 4 stars  (out of four). -gw

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