Thursday, September 27, 2007

For Myanmar: "Bring Me a Higher Love:" Buddhist Blessing and A Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal)


First, just some random photos I had on file to show you on the way out...over the past two years....:)










...just a picture Bubby took of me on confirmation day. I wore black and white, to represent my Taoist/Buddhist influences....refuse to adhere to just one philosophy...such a rebel.;)

I kinda look drugged ...Heeeeee! Dude, seriously....what the he...um...I mean...what the heck (whups, confirmation day)... was I off in thought about?

(Southern Belle accent) "Why, I was thinkin' about...Jesus, of co-ahse, dahlins!" *bats eyelashes*

"
Rev J...gosh, hi there...yeah, um...I was...thinking....about your last sermon...
...mm hmm, I WAS....no, really.... ;)
"

RANDOM PICS OF PEOPLE I LOVE...who have stuck by me through thick and thin......:)

Zack (McKenna's father...who, despite fussing with one another regularly for fun, is actually one of my best friends), Confirmation Queen, McKenna (she's lost 16 lbs since that photo...give it up for ma girl!), and his mother, Charline, also a dear lady and friend...)




I like this picture of the two of them...HE looks like a member of the Bush family, tho...acts like him too, some days...always the conservative, but he has a heart he likes to hide.;) Money, money, money....football, football, football, though...pttthbbbbttttttt.;)




This is our confirmation day, our "class" as true "Pisckies" ...baptismal candidates too...clockwise: Jack, Mike, Pam and Luc...second row...Jan, me (overly cheesing because we were laughing right before this was taken...can I help it if the bishop was funny?), Queen Bubbina, Zach, Michelle, Brynna, Julie, Kailey, Julie's parents. Back row: Bishop Sauls (still want that haaaa-atttttttt:), David, Marianne, Sarah, Renauld, can NOT think of Julie's husband's name. Argh! Julie's other daughter, Caitlyn, is in the wheelchair...broke both legs due to a fall off a horse..:(



Dat's me, ma grandma (91, pretty good for that age and with lung cancer, eh? This was taken before the fall and when she could still walk; now in the last stages of lung cancer; mom has finally resumed primary caretaking of her), and the Queen of the Day, Miss Bubby.:)


Clearly, these photos have been untouched, and you'll be happy to know that no further harm of the images has been done because, well...that's just not possible ....I look bad enough already. No Photoshop, just lightened them...

It's a BLOG, people, not your ticket to stardom or men....just the real deal...as it should be.:)

I wish I had a recent picture of my best friend, Amber B or my lil sister, Ruthie, but...

A) Neither one would let me, at this point, considering what some did with other pictures of mine and you scared them off from commenting a long time ago.

B) It would take at least three years to find one they'd approve of...but Amber still reads here today...love you, Amber.:)

~~~~~~~~~~~ORIGINAL POST~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had the weirdest dream last night...

Besides the fact that once again, someone I wish I'd never met two years ago, created an ID and ran around the internet with it again...oh wait, that wasn't a bad dream that actually happened...again.

No, no.... I guess my mind was on the mounting tension in Myanmar/Burma, or at least my subconscious was.


I was in an Episcopalian church, but not mine...more like the old-style cathedrals.

There was Jan, my former priest (and friend) at the pulpit,...with the Dalai Lama standing there beside her, smiling at each other and taking turns offering sermons?

I turned to my right, and there was Bubby, smiling up at me like the little cherub she (mostly) is. I kissed her on the cheek, put my arm around her.

I turned to my left and smiled up to whom apparently was my husband.

Who was it, you ask?

Famous Buddhist, Richard Gere, of course... duh... ;)

Actually, I...don't...know where th...?????

It was a dream, whaddya want from me?;)

(There were, however, no gerbils in sight, just in case you were wondering.;)

From both religions, whose common goal is (or should be).... to end all suffering....


For Priests of Myanmar and their people:

Traditional Buddhist Blessing:
Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness flow forth to awaken and heal all beings,
Those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.
By the power of every moment of your goodness

May your heart's wishes be soon fulfilled as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.
By the power of every moment of your goodness

May all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.
For all in whose heart dwells respect, who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way, May your life prosper in the four blessings of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.


Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever.

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth:deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

...the last stanza of this Southern Episcopalian hymn, a personal favorite, can be applied to both religions....whose common goal is...or should be... the end of suffering...

What Wondrous Love Is This....
...and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
...and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.

...and when from death I’m free? I’ll sing and joyful be...
...and through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
...and through eternity, I’ll sing on!

You ain't heard nothin' until you've heard a Southern A.M.E soloist sing this song from the perspective of their history...and from their very soul.:)

And finally, my own prayer...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PRAYER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Mychal Bell in his jail cell and the Jena 6, bring them a higher love

For Justin Barker, recovering from injury, and his buddies, bring them a higher love...

For the Jena, Louisiana DA, Reed Walters and the jury, bring them a higher love...

For Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, and the NAACP, bring them a higher love...

For the Buddhist priests in the streets of Myanmar, withstanding tear gas and shots over their beliefs and personal freedoms, help them remember their higher love...

For the military agents on behalf of Myanmar government (questionable Chinese stance?), bring them a higher love...

For the American Soldier in a foreign land, stroking his family's picture in his hand and saying a prayer, off to perform his ordered duty, bring him a higher love...

For the Iraqi "insurgent" who fights against him on ordered duty, holding his family's picture and saying a prayer to the same God, bring him a higher love...

For the Ultra-Conservative Republican Southern Baptists and the candidates they vote for, bring them a higher love.

For the Ultra-Liberal Democrat Atheists or Wiccans and the candidates they vote for, bring them a higher love...

For everyone in between...bring us a higher love.

PLEASE bring George Bush, Dick Cheney, and General Petraeus a higher love..hehehe

For all members of Congress and the Supreme Court, bring them a higher love...

To those in the public eye of fame, being publically humiliated or publically humiliating others and those who think that cruelty is a form of entertainment, from their rehabs, their "news" positions, the comfort of their "cribs," or other self-chosen prisons...bring them a higher love....

For those trying to achieve fame, going to any means to get there...whether on stage, in the media, behind the scenes or...even on these blogs...bring them a higher love.

For my ex-husband and his family, bring them a higher love...

For my mother and father, sisters and brother...bring them a higher love

For my friends and family, McKenna's teachers and McKenna and whatever trials they face, bring them a higher love...

...and then there's me...bring ME a higher love....:)

UPDATE: 09/27/2007: Woo hoo! The DA lessened the charges to juvy, set him free on bail!!!

But...um...Walters...dude...I'm so embarrassed for you right now, my arrogant "Christian" brother...

Mmm no..."Jesus Christ" and/or God will NOT rescue either you OR Mychal Bell from the consequences of either of your poor choices....he promised he wouldn't step in with free will...so YOU did this...

Your interpretation of divine intervention stopping violence against you actually makes no sense, considering the whole issue is about violence towards one ya boys to begin with, or helllooo, perhaps he would've intervened in this situation earlier, hmm?

Ha, wouldn't THAT be nice!

Oh well....back to focusing on MY missteps in faith/misinterpretations, MY screw ups, and MY "sin.":)

No, wait a minute, I'm sorry...I get to do a little happy dance right now...teee heee! All that AND the house and senate defy Bush's threat of veto on the children's healthcare bill and pass it..? Is it my freakin' birthday? I've been waiting for years for this shit!

"Uh...ahem, passengers...this is your pilot, Captain Elizabeth Swan, speaking to you from the Mostly Friendly and Tolerant Skies of Moderate-To-Liberal Airlines....

As I told you last week...just a friendly reminder to fasten your seat belts, ladies and gentleman...

...and put your tray tables in their upright and locked positions....

...though we may hit some turbulence...

...it appears we're actually coming in for a landing....

...it's time for social change...."

At last. :)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

P.S. I want to put watching that truly... um...crazy-ass display of the darker-side-of-human-nature-in-groups in blogland behind me...and go out feeling the way I felt the moment I wrote the above post..enriched by higher love.:)


Peace be with you...