Hello to you. How are you today? I have been thinking a lot about being a responsible guest in Gods house, this planet we call earth. Yesterday I took a walk and and saw the usual varieties of litter. Some intentionally disposed of in the wrong place and some cumulative from trash day trash that gets away from the trucks, stuff that gets out of peoples vehicles. There are many things we buy that we just don’t know what to do with once we are done with it or it’s inconvenient and complicated to do so. It’s beginning to feel like no matter where we put all of this it’s ending up in undesirable places like living bloodstreams:
So after another walk like this and really feeling tired of cleaning up after people or trying to encourage them to do it – not just consumers but companies that begin the pipeline of trash. I got to thinking about the upcoming holiday and all the gatherings and events happening this time of year. Metric tons of trash generated that has to go somewhere. Think about all those plates, to go containers, plastic utensils, plastic red solo cups, napkins, beverage containers and expended firework containers! What if event coordinators incentivized people bringing their own stuff to these things? Like a picnic basket concept? I am not entirely sure what the answer is but that idea popped in this morning….. just passing it along for taking, leaving or ignoring.
“Plastic forks, knives, and spoons are one of those things that we tend to think are inevitable when eating on the go or feeding a crowd. Even though alternatives do exist, these are not widely known or accessible, which is a pity, considering the impact that plastic cutlery has on the environment. It does not biodegrade, and a recent study found plastic cutlery to be among the 10 most common types of plastic trash found on California beaches.”
Let me take you on a trip Around the world and back And you won’t have to move, you just sit still Now let your mind do the walking And let my body do the talking Let me show you the world in my eyes
I’ll take you to the highest mountain To the depths of the deepest sea And we won’t need a map, believe me Now let my body do the moving And let my hands do the soothing Let me show you the world in my eyes
That’s all there is Nothing more than you can feel now That’s all there is
Let me put you on a ship On a long, long trip Your lips close to my lips All the islands in the ocean All the heaven’s in the motion Let me show you the world in my eyes
That’s all there is Nothing more than you can touch now That’s all there is
Let me show you the world in my eyes Let me show you the world in my eyes Let me show you the world in my eyes Let me show you the world in my eyes Let me show you the world in my eyes Let me show you the world in my eyes Let me show you the world in my eyes
Hello to you today. How are you? I hope you are well and if your not, believe me your not alone.
What’s up there? Crab apples growing all over and they don’t taste too bad! Part of the litter problem comes after trash day – getting out of the garbage trucks I think this is a Yucca plant – Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of the Americas and the Caribbean. Wikipedia
This morning I got to thinking about a phrase I hear a lot, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you.” If so many thoughts and prayers are happening why does it seem like so little meaningful change has occurred? What came to me is if there is no conviction and intent on action behind the thoughts…the prayers…. so nothing changes. A lot of us say we care but are still firmly entrenched in our own way of things. Our thoughts remaining true to our own perception and desires and prayers empty rhetoric we are “expected” to say when tragedy befalls us, no matter what it is. Many sorry something bad is happening but unless it directly affects them – no intention of taking action to change. I’m not innocent in this but I am aware of my character defects and trying to follow up thoughts and prayers…words, with action. God provides but will not do it all for us – that’s in part why WE are here! Even doing just one small thing, starting today, can change the world. Open the eyes God placed in our hearts not just the ones in your head.
Matthew 5:8New International Version
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,(A) for they will see God.(B)
As I look back over my journey thus far and look at the landscape of the world, one of the biggest obstacles seems to be money. For what we need to happen and as fast as it needs to happen, what seems to be in the way is funds. I keep reading and hearing, “it costs too much.” An idea that came to mind was “blank check.” What would happen if we collaborated via teams of our best representing all the different crisis areas and said, all accountabilities in place, “do whatever it takes to fix this, we’ll get you whatever you need.” How fast could people like Boyan Slat from Ocean Cleanup get things done if the obstacle of financing was removed?
“(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love And Understanding”
As I walk on through this wicked world Searching for light in the darkness of insanity I ask myself, “Is all hope lost?” Is there only pain, and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside There’s one thing I wanna know What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding? What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?
And as I walked on through troubled times My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony
‘Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding? What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?
So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony
‘Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding? What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding? What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?
Flowers, plants, trees and gardens require a lot of water, like us, to stay alive.
Hello to you today. How are you? I’m tired. Didn’t have a very restful sleep last night. I know I’m not alone about that! I’ve had water on my mind a lot more than usual lately. The headlines coming in around the globe about our freshwater drinking supplies is grim. I have been looking at my own life and personal habits with regards to water usage…..on my walks watching water running from sprinklers, down the street and into the drains. Stand by the canals we have here and watching how many lives other than humans depend on a narrow strip of flowing water. I grew up in a time when we drank water directly from the tap. Now I go to our local grocery store and sometimes the shelves are pretty bare of bottled drinking water….so I end up buying Gatorade or flavored water that really isn’t good for me and my wanting to lose weight.
This morning after watching John Oliver’s piece on water, I found an article that I had been looking for. It talks about how much of our water resources is going towards things we buy like smartphones for example. We are coming to a wake up call, collectively, many will deny needs to happen. Much of what drives the livelihoods of many businesses and workers is the buying and selling of goods, services and luxuries for entertainment like water parks for example. People, myself included, have lived with the now romantic notion of the seeming plentiful nature of water on this earth. We, those paying attention, are seeing harsh realities. Trees, that contribute to our shared oxygen supply, need water. The womb, where a baby takes the 9 month journey in humans is in water. Water is life….quite literally so. No water….no babies.
Hidden water is an important part of water use. It may not be visible, but millions of gallons of virtual water go into making the consumer goods Americans buy, use and throw away. Manufacturing everyday materials like paper, plastic, metal and fabric takes water – a lot of it. Knowing how much water it takes to make the raw materials and products we all use and consume is an important first step towards water conservation and using water more productively.
Hidden Water: How the Water Footprints of Consumer Goods are Calculated
Hidden water is water that is not felt or seen and it is required for almost every step in the production processes for many raw materials and finished products. The water footprint of a product is calculated by adding up all of the water required for each step of the production process. Table 1 lists a sampling of water footprints for the manufacturing of some common consumer goods.
Table 1. Water Footprint of Common Consumer Items.
The Water Footprint Network (whose research provides some of the data used in the WFC) defines these components as:
Blue Water Footprint: The amount of surface water and groundwater required (evaporated or used directly) to produce an item.
Green Water Footprint: The amount of rainwater required (evaporated or used directly) to make an item.
Grey Water Footprint: The amount of freshwater required to dilute the wastewater generated in manufacturing, in order to maintain water quality, as determined by state and local standards.
How Much Virtual Water is in a Smart Phone?
Take smart phones, for example. Their water footprint comes from the virtual water associated with their manufacturing – what’s known as the “grey water footprint.”
Phones are composed of many pieces created in multiple steps, and each step consumes water. Numerous resources, materials and parts go into smartphone manufacturing, including rare earth metals (e.g., lithium), tin, glass and plastics. The supply chains for these materials stretch around the world to places like Indonesia, the Philippines and China. Production might include steps like mining for precious metals, creating synthetic chemicals for glue and plastic and assembling and packaging. Collectively, the water associated with each step adds up to the blue water footprint.
In addition, manufacturing the parts creates wastewater that is released into surrounding waterways. Those waterways often have pollution limits that manufacturers must meet before they can send their wastewater down the pipe and into the waterway. The water used to clean and dilute the wastewater adds up to the grey water footprint, and in the case of the smart phone, makes up the largest portion of its total water footprint.
When the water required for all the steps to make a smart phone is added up, the water footprint of the production of a single phone is an estimated 3,190 gallons.
The Water Footprint of Everyday Paper, Plastic and Cotton
To meet all of these needs, industrial facilities in the US withdraw over 15.9 billion gallons of water per day. Fortunately, due to increasingly efficient manufacturing practices, most factories have reduced water use by 12 percent since 2005, and 33 percent since 1970.
All told, the water that keeps America afloat on a sea of consumer goods is enormous. As some of the biggest shoppers on the planet, the average American’s water footprint for buying, using and throwing away consumer goods (excluding food) is 583 gallons of water per day.
Save Water With the Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
The adage “reduce, reuse, recycle” becomes even more relevant given all the water and other resources that go into making all the products consumed in America. Many consumer goods are made to be thrown away, so they pile up in landfills, wash into the ocean or litter the landscape.
Buying fewer products in the first place reduces the overall number of products that are made, and, in turn, reduces the amount of water needed by the factories that make these products. Additionally, recycling consumer goods can have a positive effect. In 2012, for example, the US threw out over 24 million tons of paper and almost 29 million tons of plastic – both of which are water-intensive materials that can be re-used and/or recycled. Recycling a pound of paper – the same amount found in a typical daily newspaper – saves 3.5 gallons of water.
Small actions like recycling at home, reusing items when possible and using fewer plastic bags and paper towels can make a small but cumulative difference in water consumption. Reducing the need for new products in the first place – ending overconsumption – is the strategy that saves the most water. Avoiding purchases of disposable, low-quality goods that are made to go in the trash makes a big difference. Buying used items and thrifting – especially for clothing – or buying products that are of higher quality, reusable and, if need be, recyclable, are the best options when new purchases are necessary.
The Hidden Water in Energy
The average American today uses about five times more electricity than they did 50 years ago. This increase is significant because it takes a substantial amount of water to create energy. Water is used to cool steam electric power plants – fueled by coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power – and is required to generate hydropower. Water is also used in great quantities during fuel extraction, refining and production. So, wasted energy is, in effect, wasted water.
Nobody will have a water footprint of zero because it takes water to make just about everything we choose to buy, eat, use and throw away. Individual daily decisions might seem small, but cumulatively they can have a great impact.
My prayers for the souls and families of this story from San Antonio Texas….. those considered disposable, replaceable, desperate people and the consequences:
As the snow flies On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’ A poor little baby child is born In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
And his mama cries ‘Cause if there’s one thing that she don’t need It is another hungry mouth to feed In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
People, don’t you understand The child needs a helping hand Or he’ll grow to be an angry young man some day Take a look at you and me Are we too blind to see? Do we simply turn our heads And look the other way
Well, the world turns And a hungry little boy with a runny nose Plays in the street as the cold wind blows In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
And his hunger burns So he starts to roam the streets at night And he learns how to steal And he learns how to fight In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
Then one night in desperation The young man breaks away He buys a gun, steals a car Tries to run, but he don’t get far And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers ’round an angry young man Face down on the street with a gun in his hand In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
And as her young man dies (In the ghetto) On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’ Another little baby child is born In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
And his mama cries (In the ghetto) (In the ghetto) (Ah)
A voice in all of this that comforts me and great to sing along with….no words just the healing sound energy of music. Thank you Mei-lan! So glad I found you:
More and more science proves something extraordinary happened for us to have this today. They can’t replicate what it took to make this dimensional image appear on cloth
Hello to you. How are you? Lots going on everywhere these days. Lots of people expressing themselves, myself included, in a lot of words and feelings but little actual action. My Grandpa Becker was a man of God when he was here serving as a pastor and actively worked, along with my Grandma for civil rights….human rights. This morning I am remembering a little thing he used to say to me all the time, “put your money where your mouth is.” There are many who want to save unborn babies but when it comes to being willing to help take care of the children and adults they eventually become they aren’t as concerned. ALOT of charities all over the world trying to do things – lots of money changing hands and yet conditions are still horrible for many of our worlds people. I would like to see more collaboration of efforts – trying to decide which charity, how many charities is overwhelming. What I see coming for the United States, if states actually are serious about caring for life…quality of life in all aspects….there going to have to raise taxes. The money to raise the children you are demanding to be brought here has to come from somewhere. Are you prepared for what more life means? More mouths to feed, educate, clothe, shelter, provide proper healthcare, trash, clean drinkable water, food resources, safety, infrastructure like roads and energy suppliers, clean air….are you prepared to pay? Nothing is free. Nothing ultimately “cheap.” Look back and how well have we done so far? Are you ALL prepared? You want to protect life – prove it by your actions not just rhetoric and empty promises.
You can do your own research but what I see is fragmentation of a world with the same issues. A lot of redundancy in effort…finances going on. More “life”…more responsibility. We have the same basic needs the world over. For example water and food. Gotta have water to get the food. So many separate agencies trying to do the same missions – some trustworthy and some not making it a risky thing sometimes to try and donate money to help.
These links here are just a fraction of information available to help you see the big picture I’m trying to show you:
This from actor Jonathan Roumie, Jesus in The Chosen series, is some living water for these times. Like I asked you yesterday, what would Jesus do faced with the world of our times? I’m pretty certain he’d be praying about it all. It’s beautiful to hear Aramaic, Jesus’s primary language;
14 The Lord will fight(A) for you; you need only to be still.”(B). — is Jesus just a name? Is God just a word?
Last night before bed my thoughts and tear filled prayers went out to Jesus. Longing to hear him tell me what he thought of our times. Of course there were no words but I felt his presence and my tears dried…..I got a little sleep. This morning I found this article in answer to my question if Jesus was a feminist. In his time and stories of the Bible certainly suggest he might have been or he at least treated women as equals:
“Jesus had a radical approach for the times in which he lived 2,000 years ago. The culture of the Middle East then was male-dominated. Women were second-class citizens with very few rights. Jesus might not be seen as a feminist by some modern standards, but his attitude to women was revolutionary. He challenged the patriarchy repeatedly. He saw women as equal to men and treated them with equal respect. The Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John document a range of encounters Jesus had with various women, which illustrate how he challenged the norms of the time and treated women with compassion and care.”
I like to think if he ever does come back home that what he might think, say and do might disappoint some. He didn’t have statistics to look at in his time…..evidence of the crimes of humanity against themselves, each other and the world often committed in his name or some other man-made God. Thinking of Mammon:
Matthew 6:24New International Version
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.(A)
The selective mind-set of being “pro-life” in this country and world. Read the other day capital punishment is still alive and well…prisoners requesting death by firing squads. We want the babies but discard the adults. How many neglected and abused children and adults? How many discarded pets? Forgotten elderly? You are either for all life or your not pro-life. It’s really hypocrisy how we pick and choose which life has more value or meaning. The Jesus I know didn’t do what we do and so many using his name to justify their hate of gays and minorities. Who made these babies that become targets of hate? With regards to gay people….straight people made them so that must mean , according to the logic I’ve been hearing especially right now with women’s reproductive rights under attack, that God wants them here. Contrary to what many want to comfort their hate with – being gay is not a choice. Can you just stop being heterosexual?
According to Bruce Bagemihl, same-sex behavior (comprising courtship, sexual, pair-bonding, and parental activities) has been documented in over 450 species of animals worldwide.
The purpose of this post is to try and be a voice of reason from a Christian perspective not to piss anybody off or insult you. Your going to think , feel and do what you want no matter what anybody tells you. I’m encouraging you to get out of the box you might be stuck… programmed to be in. It’s the only path to peace for you personally and this world.
Some good songs I found yesterday, the one by Blue October in the middle of the night:
Hello to you. How are you? I don’t know how it was for you yesterday, but it was rough for me. I won’t get into all the details. By now most of the world knows about the big news going on here in the states. If you don’t, it’s all over the news. Yesterday was reminding myself not about what I cannot do but what I can do. Yesterday I did things I could do to include singing….so many variations from all over the world of Elevation Worships The Blessing. Lots of praying and talking to God, to the earth, asking what I can do, trying to dance, reading and watching the Beatitudes….being sad and feeling hopeless takes so much energy! What really helped was singing. Singing is so helpful on so many levels and I have found the little ones outside don’t seem to mind! I found this poem this morning. My Grandma Schmidt used to vacillate between prayer and worrying too, I’m so glad she isn’t having to be here and go through the stuff going on right now. I had a dream once that my Grandpa and I went to find Grandma in heaven and we found her singing in a choir.
We’re all experiencing a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, so Mary Oliver’s poem, “I Worried,” seems especially appropriate now.
I Worried Mary Oliver
I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers flow in the right direction, will the earth turn as it was taught, and if not how shall I correct it? Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven, can I do better? Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows can do it and I am, well, hopeless. Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it, am I going to get rheumatism, lockjaw, dementia? Finally, I saw that worrying had come to nothing. And gave it up. And took my old body and went out into the morning, and sang.
If you look, the earth and citizens like this tree show us we can survive in spite of anything put before us. What can you do? We must focus on those things and give them our personal power.
A message:
“If you are going to make it law women carry unwanted babies to term are you prepared for the consequences? Will you be taking full responsibility for what it means for a child to come to earth? Will you adopt the unwanted, properly feed, clothe, water, educate, protect their rights, clean up the world you will ask them to live in…will you unconditionally love them well beyond the fetal form? Do not spare the babies only to “starve” the child….the adult they will eventually become. It is my worry that many, unwanted from conception, will never overcome in life the knowing deep inside they are not truly welcome here. Are you prepared? God only does so much. “
People also ask
How many kids commit suicide a year in the US?
In the United States
Suicide is the third leading cause of death of young people between the ages of 15 and 24. 5,000 young people complete suicide in the U.S. each year. Each year, there are approximately 10 youth suicides for every 100,000 youth. Each day, there are approximately 12 youth suicides.
Mother, mother There’s too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There’s far too many of you dying You know we’ve got to find a way To bring some lovin’ here today, yeah
Father, father We don’t need to escalate You see, war is not the answer For only love can conquer hate You know we’ve got to find a way To bring some lovin’ here today
Picket lines and picket signs Don’t punish me with brutality Talk to me So you can see Oh, what’s going on (What’s going on) What’s going on (What’s going on) What’s going on (What’s going on) What’s going on (What’s going on)
Right on, baby Right on, baby Right on
Mother, mother Everybody thinks we’re wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply ’cause our hair is long Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way To bring some understanding here today
Picket lines and picket signs Don’t punish me with brutality Come on talk to me So you can see What’s going on (What’s going on) Yeah, what’s going on (What’s going on) Tell me what’s going on (What’s going on) I’ll tell you, what’s going on (What’s going on)
Right on, baby, right on Right on, baby Right on, baby, right on
Hello to you today. How are you? My morning has been going kind of rough. I found out what our government decided to do regarding gun legislation. I’m just really sad and disappointed. In the absence of God there is fear. So many proclaiming and praising with Bibles in one hand and a gun in the other. I don’t understand. The seemingly “sane” with a moment of passion and the right “tool” can do something they can’t take back. You can change or reverse the course of words….not so with bullets. Bullets rob first responders and others of something most precious….time. My mother took her life with a gun….there was no time to try and save her.
In processing my feelings, I remembered something from living in Alvarado Texas.
My dog Spot and I were walking in the newer neighborhood next to us, Stonegate. All the sudden we were approached by two very large, aggressive dogs. I quickly picked up Spot and was screaming for help. Seemingly, out of thin air, was Chris and he was carrying a really big stick and had a powerful voice. He scared the dogs away. He didn’t have a gun and attempt to shoot the dogs….he had a big stick and commanding presence. My husband and I got to talk to him a few times after that. He was and remains a hero to me. A viscous dog ordinance was passed after what happened by our city council.
To comfort myself I turned to the God of my understanding and read his powerful message for these times and people like me who desire a much different world than what we are living in:
Matthew 5New International Version
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(B) 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.(C) 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.(D) 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.(E) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.(F) 8 Blessed are the pure in heart,(G) for they will see God.(H) 9 Blessed are the peacemakers,(I) for they will be called children of God.(J) 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,(K) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(L)
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you,(M)persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.(N)12 Rejoice and be glad,(O) because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.(P)
I found an interesting article from Psychology Today yesterday about the subject of where hate comes from. I hope you will read it and if it resonates with you, that you will pass it on:
“Acts of hate are attempts to distract one- self from feelings such as helplessness, powerlessness, injustice, inadequacy and shame. Hate is grounded in some sense of perceived threat. It is an attitude that can give rise to hostility and aggression toward individuals or groups. Like much of anger, it is a reaction to and distraction from some form of inner pain. The individual con- sumed by hate may believe that the only way to regain some sense of power over his or her pain is to preemptively strike out at others. In this context, each moment of hate is a temporary reprieve from inner suffering. “
https://youtu.be/NKD1pJfqJNc – God won’t build it for you – Bishop TD Jakes and Pastor Steven Furtick – Elevation
How hope looks to many in our world. They can see it but can’t reach it… they are obstructed.
Hello to you today. How are you? I am tired but got some sleep. A lot has been on my mind lately. A lot of it comes with echoes of a question my ex-husband used to ask me…”Jackie can you do anything about it? Are you going to do anything about it? If the answer is no, quit worrying about it or decide to do something. “ My therapist said something to me yesterday about how bad things are always happening in the world, do we always need the details when knowing them can potentially negatively affect our mental health? I’m sensitive, I care and negative information, when over-indulged, is not good for me. Lots of tears, songs and prayers yesterday for the people of this world who are suffering.
A place that really was a point of my focus besides Afghanistan was Guatemala and what is happening there that Boyan Slat and his Ocean Cleanup team are trying to tackle….tsunamis of plastic waste.
https://youtu.be/4rVTWsQ23Pk – Interceptor Trashfence stops plastic tsunami in the worlds most polluting river (Ocean Cleanup)
Seeing this reminded me of my own experiences with garbage clean up. Going to places to fish and spending most of my time picking up carelessly discarded trash and fishing line tangled up in the shoreline. Everywhere I have lived and gone to nature places – trash left behind either accidentally or mostly intentionally. An apartment complex I lived in, which became section 8 or low income housing, was always littered with trash. One day my ex and I filled up two shopping carts full of it and left it at the complex office door….they were not pleased!
Who is teaching that it’s ok to just discard garbage wherever you feel like? When you really stop and have a heart of Christ, you begin to see things differently. A lot of people in our world are considered disposable, expendable….replaceable…..something to use and throw away when they are no longer “useful” and their original purpose no longer possible. The people of many countries, like Guatemala, are treated like how garbage is treated and so , in turn, that’s how they treat themselves, others of all forms of life and this earth:
“Corruption, inequality, and high levels of violence and insecurity in Guatemala contribute to high levels of poverty, elevated crime rates, and some of the lowest social development indicators in Latin America.” Sep 15, 2021 ® https://www.state.gov» u-s-relations. U.S. Relations With Guatemala – United States Department of State ?About featured snippets Feedback
And so they run to America thinking things will be better:
“Monthly poverty remained elevated in February 2022, with a 14.4 percent poverty rate for the total US population. This is a slight decrease from 14.7 percent in January 2022, but a continuation of the spike from the December 2021 monthly poverty rate of 12.5 percent.” Mar 23, 2022 https://www.povertycenter.columbia.edu.. 3.4 million more children in poverty in February 2022 than December 2021
May be for a little while until reality sets in.
Yesterday I got to thinking about foreign aide going to these countries…..what are they doing with the money and is there any sort of accountability? Does organizations like the United Nations hold the leadership of these countries accountable for what is happening to their people and the environment? Actually know what is being done with billions of dollars each year? Is it all just a pay off? Hush money? Lip service? Financial aid, not properly managed, does not help the poor. These people are feeling powerless and overwhelmed….so they run. People in our country do the same thing. It’s important to remember that who they are, who we are is inescapable. There is only one escape from self and that is death. There must be learning beyond books, figures and tables and empowerment…the teaching of self love and worth that once learned, transcends beyond an individual to the world.
What does it mean to give a hand up not a hand out? The idea is to not leave people struggling with their problems by just giving them some food, which only helps them until the next time someone gives them food, but to help them get through their problems so they can eventually get their own food. O httos://es.hinative.com » questions What does this mean: a hand up, not a hand out? HiNative
I don’t agree with what the person who made this video did but it illustrates at a much smaller level what happens when a home is attacked….with fire ants they attack anything perceived as a threat. People have fight or flight….a lot of flight as evidenced by United States borders. I think many would love to be able to go home again but just can’t for so many reasons. A temporary safe haven goes from days to years…waiting for peace to come. Our country does not have all the resources to take in the rest of the world long term:
I revisited this nice idea put together by the United Nations. It’s pretty evident by world events that many leaders have either forgotten it exists or deny it’s existence and validity:
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages. The UDHR is widely recognized as having inspired, and paved the way for, the adoption of more than seventy human rights treaties, applied today on a permanent basis at global and regional levels (all containing references to it in their preambles).
Preamble
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, therefore,
The General Assembly,
Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
Everyone has the right to a nationality.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16
Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17
Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21
Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27
Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
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Hello to you. How are you today? I am doing well these days and almost feel guilty about that! Such is the power of loving God. I was really a broken mess and once I made up my mind to love Jesus in particular my whole life has turned around. Just be willing. Once you say “yes” you can’t say “no” – like making an unbreakable promise.
This morning I found out the people of Afghanistan have suffered a major catastrophe….in their sleep nonetheless. When I think of what Jesus said about loving our neighbors, I am thinking of them today. They are neighbors.
Matthew 22:37-39 New International Version 37 Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind! lal(A) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself! bI(B)
When I think of neighbors I think of all the living beings that play a part in making sure things happen on this earth. So often I hear people refer to beings other than human with the prefaced word, “just.” They see another living being and think of it as part of the scenery. Squirrels for example. They are the earths arborists. They help plant trees that make oxygen we can breathe….not “just a squirrel” to me.
Not “just a spider….just a pest.”
As part of my healing process God has lead me back to all kinds of sound and music. Turns out different frequencies of sound can help with healing and the energy flow in our bodies. I have found several YouTube videos that I feel have been very helpful:
https://youtu.be/NOAFLhRzVfM– Your healing voice – an introduction to toning (who can imagine that the simple act of humming to yourself can have a therapeutic affect)
I was exploring things yesterday and remembering a blue radio I had for many years. I can remember being in my bedroom turning the dial and finding David Bowie through the BBC! Traveling all the way from Sioux Falls South Dakota to London with just the turn of a radio dial! A lot of existence is about tuning in or tuning out various frequencies:
People also ask What is resonance in electrical system? Resonance in electrical circuits. The resonance can also be defined as the state of the circuit in which the receiver reactance or susceptance are equal to zero. If the receiver has a combination of R, C, L, and is a true condition X = 0, there. is a serial resonance, also known as a voltage resonance.
2.Resonance in electrical circuits – MATEL More results What are examples of electrical resonance? Turning a radio is the best example of electrical resonance. When we turn the knob of a radio, to tune a station, we are changing the natural frequency of the electrical circuit of the receiver, to make it equal to the transmission frequency of the radio station. (W https://oxscience.com» resonance Examples of Resonance in Everyday Life – Ox
People also ask What does listening to Hz frequencies do? Binaural beats in the alpha frequencies (8 to 13 Hz) are thought to encourage relaxation, promote positivity, and decrease anxiety. Binaural beats in the lower beta frequencies (14 to 30 Hz) have been linked to increased concentration and alertness, problem solving, and improved memory. https://www.healthline.com health Binaural Beats: Sleep, Therapy, and Meditation Healthline More results
Hello to you. How are you today? The past couple days I’ve noticed some disturbing headlines but something that I haven’t really seen much concern about is the drought in the Horn of Africa. There has been talk about drought all over the United States…or flooding. What are we doing with the fresh water resources when they do come? When floods come are we prepared to collect it?
The March-May 2022 rainy season is likely the driest on record. At least 18.4 million people are already waking each day to high levels of acute food insecurity and rising malnutrition across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, and this figure could increase to 20 million by September. Jun 10, 2022 [W https://reliefweb.int » report › ethiopia Horn of Africa Drought: Humanitarian Update, 10 June 2022 – ReliefWeb ?About featured snippets I! Feedback
How many products are currently being made that use water – are they wants or needs? California is in a horrible drought but still allows swimming pools. Doesn’t make any sense to me. People all over the world needing fresh water, to include ourselves, and we play in it.
For the past couple of days I have been reading and re-reading a powerful exchange in the Bible between God and man. Job 38 The Lord Speaks. I think about so much going on in our world where it seems like everybody either wants to usurp God, deny God, or be a God in the absence of a tangible presence. All that’s missing is Golden Calves and I think there are many of those around. I know I don’t have all the answers but I do know who does. We will rise and fall for many generations but in the midst of all those “changes” an unchanging, merciful God remains to stand the tests of eternity:
Job 38New International Version
The Lord Speaks
38 Then the Lord spoke to Job(A) out of the storm.(B) He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans(C) with words without knowledge?(D) 3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.(E)
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?(F) Tell me, if you understand.(G) 5 Who marked off its dimensions?(H)Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line(I)across it? 6 On what were its footings set,(J) or who laid its cornerstone(K)— 7 while the morning stars(L) sang together(M) and all the angels[a](N) shouted for joy?(O)
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors(P) when it burst forth from the womb,(Q) 9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,(R) 10 when I fixed limits for it(S) and set its doors and bars in place,(T) 11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;(U) here is where your proud waves halt’?(V)
12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,(W) or shown the dawn its place,(X) 13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked(Y) out of it?(Z) 14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;(AA) its features stand out like those of a garment. 15 The wicked are denied their light,(AB) and their upraised arm is broken.(AC)
16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?(AD) 17 Have the gates of death(AE) been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?(AF) 18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?(AG) Tell me, if you know all this.(AH)
19 “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?(AI) 20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths(AJ) to their dwellings? 21 Surely you know, for you were already born!(AK) You have lived so many years!
22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow(AL) or seen the storehouses(AM) of the hail,(AN) 23 which I reserve for times of trouble,(AO) for days of war and battle?(AP) 24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,(AQ) or the place where the east winds(AR)are scattered over the earth?(AS) 25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,(AT) 26 to water(AU) a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert,(AV) 27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass?(AW) 28 Does the rain have a father?(AX) Who fathers the drops of dew? 29 From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens(AY) 30 when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?(AZ)
31 “Can you bind the chains[b] of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt?(BA) 32 Can you bring forth the constellations(BB) in their seasons[c] or lead out the Bear[d] with its cubs?(BC) 33 Do you know the laws(BD) of the heavens?(BE) Can you set up God’s[e] dominion over the earth?
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?(BF) 35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?(BG) Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? 36 Who gives the ibis wisdom[f](BH) or gives the rooster understanding?[g](BI) 37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars(BJ) of the heavens(BK) 38 when the dust becomes hard(BL) and the clods of earth stick together?(BM)
39 “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions(BN) 40 when they crouch in their dens(BO) or lie in wait in a thicket?(BP) 41 Who provides food(BQ) for the raven(BR) when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?(BS)
The animated film I am sharing is a synopsis of much going on in this world – showing what has been done for profit and the consequences:
The children committing crimes of today were made. I saw a report of a 21 and 24 year old stealing and selling gas. Why did they think this was a good idea? Because people bought it from them! From inside the womb experience to their setting foot on the earth to the life they were told they would and should have. A lot of unmet expectations. Unmet expectations and empty promises manifest a seed of resentment. There is plenty of food for a seed of resentment to bloom. Keeping promises, unconditional love and acceptance, mercy, generosity of time, proper and meaningful education can turn a thistle into a rose. Don’t hate what you make when it comes to children – God doesn’t. Children are newborns to over 100 years old and some have fur, feathers and scales. Stop teaching hate.
To be 