Hello to you. Hope this day finds you well. I’m doing ok just dealing with the usual stuff plus low energy levels – stamina. I really have gotten weaker after my stay in the hospital. Gradually trying to build it back up. Link is still limping but has such a positive attitude about it! Please keep him in your prayers.
I want to say how grateful I am that things are even if I hope for better. I’m home with Link and have loving family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and support through all of this.
A message from A Woman’s Spirit today. I want to emphasize that as I share this I’m thinking of you men folk too! Everyone struggles at some degree with self-esteem and the God of our understanding, for me Jesus Christ, stands ready to help:
I always thought some people were just born with self- esteem and others not. The fact is, the people with self-esteem May have learned to develop it sooner than others, and now it’s my turn. -Laurel Lewis
One element of our growth is making new choices for ourselves. One of our choices is to have the self-esteem that is our right as a human being.
Some women may have never struggled with low self-esteem. Certainly, many women were born into families where unconditional love helped to develop the kind of self-esteem we crave. Yet with the help of this program and our Higher Power, we too will begin to feel a full measure of self-esteem.
Having self-esteem is really nothing more than beginning to understand and then accepting our worthiness in this vast panorama called life. We have always mattered to God and our fellow travelers, or we wouldn’t be here. It’s our beliefs that need to change-nothing more. We are worthy and loved children of God.
Self-esteem does not have to elude me today. My worth is guaranteed. God doesn’t make junk!
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Matthew 13:44-46New International Version
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like(A) treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.(B)
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like(C) a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
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:
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
Link cooling his belly on a break during our walk yesterday. He loves the grass! Every time we walk past this rose it’s more lovely!
How are you today? Link and I are doing pretty good. Last night was a bit rough for both of us but eventually Jesus and his team got us some rest. There is so much light and energy going on at night and I’m sensitive to it. Something I’m doing now is trying to get off the phone before bed and do some singing. The Tanpura is great to sing with along with Mei-lan. Just tones varying in range and duration….no words. It’s like prayer.
Today’s message from A Woman’s Spirit is a good reminder about the futility of trying to control others….letting God:
Basically, I have two choices: either accept people and their behavior at face value, or remove myself from the situation. I cannot change other people, but I can control my behavior.
Trying to control other people has been a long- term character defect for most of us. Becoming abstinent didn’t take away the seduction of control. Perhaps for some of us becoming abstinent even heightened the seduction. Minds no longer clouded by alcohol or other drugs see with greater clarity many more invitations to control.
At first glance, it seems unfortunate that becoming free of the obsession to use chemicals didn’t also free us of trying to control the people and events in our lives. But had that been the case, we would have relied less on our Higher Power for help to grow and change. And the greatest gift of this recovery program is learning that we have “One who is all powerful” to help us make decisions, to guide us every step of the way.
I will protect my serenity today by letting people in my life take charge of themselves. If I begin to falter, my Higher Power will help me.
Hello. For the past couple days I have been feeling really grumpy. Sleep has been weird and my body has been hurting. I don’t like being grumpy or being pessimistic about my life so I’ve been trying to find ways to restore “happy Jackie.” One way I found was watching and listening to Walter Geoffrey who is a very vocal French Bulldog. Hearing and watching Walter’s meltdowns has been great therapy! Ohhhh how this boy tells how it is! Sometimes his rants sound like singing to me he just needs some brothers and a drum. What I hear from him is what I’m feeling lately. There aren’t words for it and that’s why Walters behavior resonates with me. There is an energy I’ve been sensing, especially when I go outside, that is just really tense and uncomfortable. I know part of it is myself and the frustration I’m feeling with my body but part of it is just the world I think! All of creation is going through some stuff!
I’ve been trying to do movement to music each day and singing which helps alleviate discomfort. I’m just really out of shape and have gained weight which puts more pressure on the spine and joints. I also listen to the chakra opening meditations and sing tones along with healing focused music like I shared by Mei-lan. I talk to God most of the day and sometimes I bet I sound a bit like Walter to him lol! I’m trying to eat better and drink more water. I’m trying not to be a grump! Sometimes mending pains in the body includes mending the mind and soul too. Intangible pain, the pain we feel emotionally and spiritually, can manifest tangibly in the body. Grief is a big one for that! If you are grieving it’s important to allow yourself to feel it….work through it. I try to remember that everything is a form of energy to include pain.
Now there are yellow flowers mixed in ! Sunrise Cafe menu with messages that are matched by the people working there. Us grumpy people need happy places! The King Walter Geoffrey
How are you doing? I hope something I’ve shared resonates with you… I hope it helps. I think a lot of us are experiencing some kind of pain these days. You are not alone! Like my neighbor and I talked about the other day, the only way we are going to get through these times is together. One of the mottos for Grace Bible Church is “Better Together.” When we are in pain and grumpy the tendency many of us have is to isolate ourselves.
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S Lewis
Hello there. How are you doing today? I hope you are well. The saga of spooky stuff at night continues. Last night it was a jump scare that startled both Link and I. Whatever is going on doesn’t feel malicious but is strange. Forces either within myself or outside myself are trying to communicate. This stuff was happening when I lived in Texas and has been a part of most of my life. I’ve always been really sensitive to energy in its various forms.
Yesterday in my internet scrollings I found this message from the Anasazi Foundation about the wind. What brought me to years was hearing “messages of the heart can change.”
Listening to this and thinking about my own experiences and thoughts about the purpose of our global winds, I thought about the Holy Spirit:
I can remember times of just wanting to drink in a breeze on a hot day. I can remember as a child playing with the winds…talking to them. I can remember cowering with my little family in the hallway of our house more than once for fear of our lives as powerful winds battered the house. I can remember the different sounds of breath from loved ones. Breath being the way we personally interact with the wind always moving around and through our bodies. Without the oxygen of the wind we cease to exist.
I asked myself why this was on my mind yesterday and the answer was because it’s something else in our shared existence that we have in common. We all bleed and we all must breathe. To me it’s not all about what makes us different in these times but about how we are the same….what we have in common.
These are just a few examples of warnings carried by the wind:
With the way I have come to understand God and this earth is there are many warnings and after they go unheeded, things escalate.
A short walk:
When I saw clouds like this I used to become afraid When wind and weather happens I pray for all those holding down the fort outside like trees, birds, small critters, insects and dogs and cats left outside…the homeless people with no shelter Bands of life giving rain falling down A little comic relief. This little tree got a pinwheel like a child might play with! Made me smile to see this little tree being loved! Part of the family! I had to spend some time admiring the pine trees last night – this is amazing A different pine trees fruit
Hello to you. How has your day been? My day has been pretty good aside from being kind of grumpy from poor sleep and leg pain. I am posting this tonight as I will be busy tomorrow with church and family festivities. Happy Mother’s Day!
I have been exploring Mei-lan’s music today and thought this was a lovely song and title for celebrating our moms to include this earth. It’s also a beautiful understanding between my Dad and I that God is in everything. My Dad had to be both a Mom and a Dad for me when I was young. It’s important to acknowledge so many men like my Dad – put in the position having to fill both roles in a child’s life. Being a single parent can be so challenging!
This song brought tears to my eyes today. So lovely to hear the masculine and feminine harmonizing without words just sounds:
Lots of activity in the skies todayA resting place for me The neighbor this tree belongs to was out working today and we got to visit. He said this is his moms tree and she was actually able to celebrate her birthday and pose for a photo with the tree this year! It’s a crab apple tree he said. What a lovely Moms Day memory to have! The flowers from my neighbor in the sunCheerful yellows There was some wind when we were out and I just had to stand and listen to the music of these trees I noticed these on a small tree we passed. Not sure what kind of tree it is. Look like little beans! Some hallelujah on the way home. My cell phone camera doesn’t do what I see justice sometimes lol“Happy Mom’s Day !”
A message that is often taught by mothers to their children. It’s easy to pray for, care and love those that give it back to us. We learn from both friend and foe:
To be 