War and Children

 

War and children's mental health.

 

 

back to life

 Hey I'm back.

I've been busy chasing a dream, It's good to do that sometimes. Here's a taste of what I've been up to, A praise and worship song called "Walks On Water". Enjoy and sing along if the Spirit moves ya!

The people under the bridge

 On Lake Street families live in tents under the bridge

 It's heartbreaking. Families on the street because there's nowhere for them to go.

Right to Life

While our politicians square off about the right to life and the HHS mandate, I want to square off at the right to quality of life. Quality of life is a term used mostly in Psyciatric and Geriatric circles.

I would argue that hospice and homelessness fall into similar catagories. In both there is only the hope of further illness and death.

Those of us who find ourselves in luckier circumstance might consider quality of life an issue to be tackled as well as its right.

Everything and nothing changes

I see the sun coming up. I'm thinking of the warmer, less strenuous, days for the homeless. But their plight does not go away with the snow. They will still be in the shadows, hidden from our sight by our city planners and legislators.

Only we, as individuals, can know and help "the poor". They have names like "Mike" and "Larry". And faces like any other person living life with the hand that is dealt them.

This Lent I want to give change to the poor. And the change will be in me.

Change for a Dollar

From one of my dear Facebook friends... reminding me that it takes so little to do so much.

The Face of Poverty In The US.

15 percent of Americans live in poverty, the highest of any industrialized nation in the world.

How can we say it is not our problem? Christians how can we say, "The Lord bless you." and not give a blanket, a couch, or a damn?

Record Number of Poor Americans

From Poverty Insights:

The Census Bureau opened its press briefing on the just-released 2010 income, poverty and health insurance data with a brief statement from the director. The director said the yearly figures show “how day-to-day people are faring under changing economic conditions.”

By almost every measure, the answer is not well at all. Between 2009 and 2010:

The poverty rate rose from 14.3% to 15.1%. The new rate is the highest since 1993.
The number of people in poverty increased by 2.6 million. The total number now — 46.2 million — is the largest in the 52 years Census has been publishing such figures.
The percent of people in deep poverty, i.e., with incomes at or below 50% of the applicable poverty threshold,* increased to a record-high 6.7%.

As in the past, poverty rates were considerably higher in some population groups than others. For example:

The child poverty rate increased to 22% — up from 18% in 2007.
The number of children in poverty increased by 950,000 to a 16.4 million.
Nearly 7.4 million of these children (9.9%) were in deep poverty.
The poverty rate for blacks was well over two-and-a-half times the rate for non-Hispanic whites — 27.4% as compared to 9.9%.
The deep poverty rate for blacks was more than three times higher — 13.5% as compared to 4.3%.
The poverty rate for Hispanics was 26.6% and the deep poverty rate 10.9%.
A reporter asked the Census Bureau experts whether they could explain why the poverty rate rose. The reporter was told that the Bureau produced statistics, not explanations. One factor suggested, however, was the growing number of people who had no — or virtually no — work during the entire year.

In 2010, 86.7 million people over the age of 16 worked less than one week — an increase of more than 3.4 million over 2009 and of more than 11.3 million over 2007. Not surprisingly, 23.9% of these potential workers lived below the poverty threshold.

It seems to me another arrow in the quiver of those of us who want Congress to pass the President’s jobs bill.

Yet the bill, as the President himself says, “can’t solve all our nation’s woes.” He’s referring, as White House communications indicate, to the dwindling economic security of the middle class.

The economic woes of low-income Americans pre-date the recession too. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports, the poverty rate has been rising for most of this decade — in boom years as well as downturns.

We’ll need a comprehensive strategy — and a smart one — to do something about this. We’ll need a broad-based commitment. Things as they are, I’m not holding my breath.

Focus

I observed some human interactions this weekend that made me sad; people treating others to the point of breaking them down to tears, some intentional and some perhaps not. When we communicate we remember only 7% of spoken words, we recall 38% of the tone of voice used and the greatest impression is 55% of body language displayed! Remember that words can hurt as much as sticks and stones!

It is a good thing to be focused. And it is a bad thing to be so focused that you lose sight of what you are focused on and that everyone around becomes a blur. I believe that part of the enlightenment is the experience of the lessons in the journey. Allowing others to participate (and accepting that they will NOT do it the exact way you would AND may in fact achieve the desired results. And then maybe they won’t.), helping others grow and learn helps us grow and learn as well.

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Happy Sunday

Now that worship has ended let the service begin. What a great way to be mindful of one of the reasons to gather in community; to be reminded that the lessons we should be learning-we should be sharing (and not with just each other on Sunday!) Happy Sunday…

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Omaha wedding officiant, Nebraska wedding officiant, funeral officiant, funeral minister, couples coaching, couples counseling, premarital counseling, daily vibrations

Disposable Items

I have been typing, texting and leaving messages for some friends whom I have not spent time with for some time. They had not responded to any of the communications AND I kept sending them. I knew that they were being received and read. I got an note from them confirming that. Sometimes our friends and family are in different places in life than we are. Don’t ever forget, give up or stop loving them.

Razors, plastic bags, diapers, cameras are all examples of disposable items. People and relationships are not disposable, well, at least they should not be. How many times has something happened between you and another person and either you or the other person “quit” the relationship? Regardless if it is a neighbor, family, friends, co-worker, or…

In the service industry there is a saying that “it takes years to win a customer and only seconds to lose one.” Unfortunately we are a society that values temporary relationships (get what you need/want, quick gratification, and often place little or no value on long standing commitment, loyalty and value in building and growing with one another.

Running or quitting will not solve the issue at hand. It may relieve you have having to “deal” with it AND it will happen again with different people. You must forge your way through the wall despite how difficult it is. The reward will be greater than you can ever imagine.

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

The First Time

TS Eliot wrote “We must not cease from exploration; the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we began and to know the place for the first time.” Sometimes we can be somewhere over and over and then when we allow ourselves to breathe, see, hear, feel, taste… it IS like exploring it for the very first time. I can think of moments in my life like that too… Be Still And Know!

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Come to the Edge!

A blind man had been waiting a while at a busy road for someone to offer to guide him across, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Excuse me," said the tapper, "I’m blind – would you mind guiding me across the road?"The first blind man took the arm of the second blind man, and they both crossed the road. The first blind man was the jazz pianist George Shearing. He is quoted (in Bartlett’s Anecdotes) as saying after the event, "What could I do? I took him across and it was the biggest thrill of my life."

There are times when we think we cannot do something and so do not stretch or take a risk. Being forced to stretch and take a risk can often help us to reduce our dependencies (on others, or our own personal safety mechanisms), and to discover new excitement and capabilities. There is a place in you where you have never been wounded, where there's a seamlessness in you, and where there is confidence and tranquility.

Come to the edge.

We might fall.

Come to the edge.

It’s too high!

COME TO THE EDGE!

And they came,

and he pushed,

and they flew…!

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US!  

We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Patience

Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. I prayed for a lesson in patience once; be careful what you pray for! I am much more patient today, and hope to be more so tomorrow.

The 7 days of thought included the words; Gratitude, Love, Hope, Compassion, Generosity, Laughter and Patience, all very important words for anyone, and some that I have given deep reflection on. What do they mean to you? I am going to explore, myself, each of these words a bit more and bit deeper, maybe do some journaling on/with. I hope you take a moment to reflect on how these words have impacted, changed or created new life for you. Peace, Love and Smiles for us all…

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Laughter

Laughter is defined as a reaction to certain stimuli; fundamentally stress, which serves as an emotional balancing mechanism. It is considered a visual expression of happiness, or an inward feeling of joy which may ensue from hearing a joke, being tickled, or other stimuli. I believe we can never laugh enough and need to give ourselves permission to laugh more often as it is contagious and good medicine.

Gratitude, Love, Hope, Compassion and Generosity; words that can be so defining for one’s life, journey, character, and future… And perhaps it is laughter is something that helps bridge all of these words together in difficult times, it can remind us of the essence of youth and when they laugh how pure it is.

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Generosity

Generosity is the habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to aid someone in need. How do you share you with others? Is it time, treasures or talents? Volunteering, mentoring, or lending a hand… I am mindful of what we have today (I didn’t have it yesterday and I may not have it tomorrow!) I witness that sharing is caring and is good!

Gratitude, Love, Hope, Compassion and Generosity; words that can be so defining for one’s life, journey, character, and future… What do these words mean to you?

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Compassion

Compassion is a uniquely human quality. Compassion is made up of two words. 'co' meaning together and 'passion' meaning a strong feeling. And this is what compassion is. When we see someone is in distress and we feel their pain as if it were our own, and strive to eliminate or lessen their pain, then this is compassion. I have been the recipient and give of compassion, it is humbling to experience both.

Gratitude, Love, Hope and now compassion. These four words certainly have had a substantial impact in my journey in life. I am most grateful for the experiences I have been allowed to be a part of. Thank you thank you thank you!

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Hope

Hope is the emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances. It is the “feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best." Hope has been a component of helping me get on track. It helps me visualize the end desired outcome. It has also helped me be in place to comfort or support others when they can’t seem to see or feel hope.

Gratitude and Love are two words that seem to fit nicely together and when you add the word Hope, it begins to create a bit of a culture of thinking, believing and living. I am a blessed man to have experienced gratitude, love and hope and share them in my life.

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Love

Love is a word that is hard to define at times. You can love your parents, love your favorite pair of jeans and love your spouse and they all mean three very different things. Perhaps it is the kindness, compassion, passion, affection and actions that we have, share, believe and know. I am grateful for the love I was raised with, the love I have been shown, the love that I know and the love I can share.

Gratitude and Love are two words that seem to fit nicely together. I am very blessed to have experienced them both in my life, share them both and still learn about them both.

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org

Gratitude

Gratitude may be defined as; thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. To some that also defines grace. Today I will think about how gratitude affects my life; how I display gratitude, and how I share gratitude.

There are times in my life where I have expected grace to be given to me. There are times when someone gave me favor, benefit or kindness when I perhaps did not deserve it or was “alive” enough to know what a gift I was receiving.

Enlightenment comes in many forms, for me I believe that your life experiences can be one path that helps reveal truths, understandings and lessons that have been written.

We know that up to 70% of the population in America does not attend worship on a regular basis. Who can individuals, couples and families turn to when they need care & services traditionally found by a place of worship? US! We are Inclusive Life, and we serve all without exception. Wedding Officiant’s-Premarital & Couples Coaching-Funeral Ministers-Pastoral Care.

(402) 575-7006 www.inclusivelife.org