Archive for August, 2011

On With Just an Evening Stroll: Feel a part of the fabric of humanity

 
The wonder of a city is that on certain evenings of a certain season you can have a sense of being a part of the fabric of humanity with just a stroll. -gw
 
 

…[L]ay ye the foundation of union and concord in this world; destroy ye the fabric of strife and war from the face of the earth; construct ye the temple of harmony and agreement; enkindle ye the light of the realm of the oneness of humanity; open ye your eyes; gaze and behold ye the other world! The Kingdom of peace, salvation, uprightness and reconciliation is founded in the Invisible World, and it will by degrees become manifest and apparent through the power of the Word of God!

 
 

On Hey Big Brother: Wanna go for a little ride?

My brother  Dick's visit 2011 003
 
The car –  it was always a Ford — was sitting on the driveway at home. My brother, who is 12 year’s older, would be in the driver’s seat. He would said, “Hey, little boy, wanna go for a little ride in the car?” The drive was simply to the garage at the end of the driveway, but I always declined. That was about 60 years ago.
 
 
Now that I am in my 60s, I have been able to turn things around. Each year I ask, “Hey, Dick, wanna go for a little ride in the … canoe?” Each year he has greatly pleased me by saying yes and joining me for a week of paddles around Washington State. This year was no exception. -gw
 
 
 

On Virtues Extolled: Renee returns from a homevisit

After doing our scheduled home visits to share deepening themes in two households, our study circle returned to de-brief. Renee extolled the virtues of dear Tiffany whose home she had visited as her Ruhi Book 2 practice. -gw
 

On the Baha’i Program of Growth: Expansion and consolidation that is demonstrable

 
Tomorrow night the Area Teaching Committee meets for the first time since our 9-day intensive last month. We’ll be assessing our progress, which we determine through reviewing cluster statistics, the accuracy of which is very important to Baha’is
 
 
He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come. The impact of His coming is evident in a transformation taking place on the planet that is gaining momentum through the Institute Process.
+

… [A]ctive supporters of the Faith …  have found the means for carrying forward the work of expansion and consolidation hand in hand –  the key to sustained growth — is demonstrable.”

The Universal House of Justice, 2007
 

On Semi-Pro Players Prayers: Profoundly moving

 
Football is a physical, some would say sometimes brutal, sport. Men pushing, tripping, tackling other men. Yet in the end, these men line up, shake hands, kneel on one knee and pray together. At least they do at the semi-pro games I go to. How profound are these prayers? God knows. I find very moving the sight of the circle of these men gathered at the end of the game. -gw
 

On Closed for Repairs: Disappointment and the frustration of hopes shall surround the people from every direction

Sometimes "closed for repairs" looks like "permanently closed." But never fear… -gw
 
 

Know this, that hardships and misfortunes shall increase day by day, and the people shall be distressed. The doors of joy and happiness shall be closed on all sides. Terrible wars shall happen. Disappointment and the frustration of hopes shall surround the people from every direction until they are obliged to turn to God. Then the lights of great happiness shall enlighten the horizons, so that the cry of "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!" may arise on all sides.–Tablet to L.D.B. quoted in Compilation on War and Peace, p. 187. …

On Mature and Experienced Baha’is: Responsibilities shouldered

I'm looking forward to the experience of spending the weekend with Baha'i "assistants" from the region, mature and experienced Baha'is who are a constant inspiration to me. Here are the beginnings of a set I took some months ago at the Brighton Creek Conference Center of Baha'is of this calibre.
 
 
His gifts of unfailing sympathy and penetrating insight, his wide knowledge and mature experience, all of which he utilised for the glory and propagation of the Message of Bahá’u’lláh, will be gratefully remembered by future generations who, as the days go by, will better estimate the abiding value of the responsibilities he shouldered for the introduction and consolidation of the Bahá’í Faith in the Western world.
 

On Can’t Stand the Heat: Potlatch camp cook

Life is tough. Can't stand the heat? Then get out of the kitchen!
 
 
Bonita takes her kitchen with her on our outings. Lotta work. Nice view. Good food. -gw

On at the Height of Summer: Escaping the Heat in the Olympics

 
Much of the country — and the world — is suffering sweltering, debilitating heat. If parts of the globe are hot, I guess that still means, despite global warming, that parts of the world are cold. Relatively speaking, those of who live in Western Washington are cool. My brother said during his visit, that Washington's weather alone would bring people here to live. Makes sense to me.
 
 
So what do you do when it finally gets hot in Washington (i.e. 70 or 80 degree F)? Stay around home to enjoy the temps? NO! You go the mountains to feel cool. Bonita and I went to the Olympic Mountains recently, ancient peaks most of which were never covered by the glacial ice, geologically off the beaten path, so to speak. This fact accounts for the fact that there are some species, both plant and animal, that are found nowhere else. -gw
 
 

I have heard Shaykh Shahíd-i-Mazkán relate the following: “I was privileged to meet Siyyid Básir at the height of summer during his passage through Qamsar, whither the leading men of Káshán go to escape the heat of that town. Day and night, I found him engaged in arguing with the leading ‘ulamás who had congregated in that village. With ability and insight, he discussed with them the subtleties of their Faith, expounded without fear or reservation the fundamental teachings of the Cause, and absolutely confuted their arguments. No one, however great his learning and experience, was able to reject the evidences he set forth in support of his claims. Such were his insight and his knowledge of the teachings and ordinances of Islám that his adversaries conceived him to be a sorcerer, whose baneful influence they feared would ere long rob them of their position.”

 

On the Keys to Family Survival and Resilience: Spirituality and social support

 
It may seem like a commonplace idea to some, but I still get a thrill when I see acknowledgement in professional literature in my field of work of the importance of spirituality (and religion). Here are two slides from researcher Jill Berrick's presentation to a Washington State Courts Best Practices in Dependency conference (dealing with reunification of children who have been removed from the care of their parent) here in the county where I work. What contributes to family resilience? Right at the top, a spiritual foundation and social support are keys to family survival. This is what Baha'is offer to their neighbors through the grassroots-oriented, spiritually based Institute Process. -gw
 
 
 

Bad Behavior has blocked 1646 access attempts in the last 7 days.