On Discovering Our Interconnections: It brings us all home

 

Nancy visited with Pesi at an Invaders game back in the Spring. Here's an update on our dear American Samoa-born Baha'i sister Elisapesi. -gw

 

 

Dear Friends,

While I called George immediately after OUR Feast on Tues to share my excitement, I wanted to share with the rest of you now.....some more fruits of the Invaders connections....

 

Pesi, the Samoan Baha'i friend George met, DID come to our Feast Tues. accompanied by Marian and Pattabi (who each live about 5 min from her). This was their first meeting since discovering that Marian stayed at Pesi's parents home in Samoa many years ago. Marian had called Doug after her initial phone call with Pesi to share the news since Doug's family pioneered to Samoa for 4 years when Doug was 12-16 yrs old!!  Since Pesi's home was the only one large enough to host all the Baha'is for Feast, all their Feasts during Moul's pioneering years were held there. Doug hung out with all the Baha'i teens in Samoa including a number of Pesi's older siblings. Their families knew each other very well!!!  What a wonderful reunion they had Tuesday evening!!!  Pictures were taken to email back to Pesi's mother in Samoa (who's coming for a visit next month).  Pesi shared a Samoan prayer and sang part of "Blessed Is the Spot" in Samoan.

 

 

ALSO, our Assembly had just consulted Monday night on making our Feasts more child centered. We were also celebrating Anna's coming of age at Feast. Almost the entire junior youth group, including 3 non-Baha'is were at Feast and we had the largest Feast attendance in over a year!! It WAS quite child focused and very joyful.  While Pesi did not bring her children, she has a 12,13 and 14 year old and promised she would bring them to the JYG, was quite delighted to have the opportunity for a Baha'i group for them!!  Arrangements were initiated to get her Baha'i membership transferred here from Samoa. She was invited and accepted to accompany Marian and Pattabi at the  devotional on Sat evening and Convention on Sunday. As we hugged when she was preparing to leave Feast she said to me "I'm home!".

 

Again, I am awed by the assistance we continually receive from the Divine Concourse for, surely, these connections and "coincidences" would never have occurred otherwise.  

 

Sending much love and gratitude,

Dawn

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On Traveling to Cleveland By Car: Now hiring machinists

I love the view from the backseat of a car. Every view is framed either by a seatmate, a window, or both, and it's fleeting. Catch it or forget it. Traveling by car on a rainy day in August from Wakeman to Mentor, Ohio, gave me only the most fleeting opportunity to experience the big city in between, Cleveland, but the few images I obtained will last a lifetime.

 

 

I heard on the news that the so-called Rust Belt of the North is doing better than the Sun Belt of the South in the current economy. I'd like to give credit to my cousin Tom whose business in Mentor is hiring. Good going, Rust Belt! -gw

 

 

Continually this wanderer supplicates and entreats at the threshold of His Holiness the One and begs assistance, bounty and heavenly confirmations in behalf of the believers.

 

Abdu'l-Baha, TABLET TO THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE CENTRAL STATES

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On at Home in Homelessness: They yearn for naught and have no other aim but to offer themselves up

 

Rahmat helped me set up the coloring table at the Tigers game Saturday. Yes, he's back. His efforts to find a job in little Hood River never panned out, and now he's back in town, working, and living in the same apartment complex at 15th & Sprague in Hilltop where Deb had Baha'i chidren's classes two summers ago.

 

When we were down in Oregon to pick up Rahmat's stuff, he showed us the camp in the woods where he lived free for six weeks while he was looking for work. -gw

 

 

 

All praise be unto the Court of Holiness, that God has drawn certain blessed souls, entities delicate and pure, unto a realm where they have no desire save the good-pleasure of the Beloved; where, in the pathway of the Ancient Beauty and their devotion to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, they yearn for naught and have no other aim but to offer themselves up, to serve, to guide humankind, and to wander, homeless and portionless, over the earth.

 

Undated, to the friends in Yonkers, New York. (See Star of the West, vol. 13, p. 220, of November 1922)

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On O Children of the Baha'i Children's Classes: Oh, the places you'll go!

 

Michelle had affirmations up on the walls throughout her Salishan home, including this one: "Oh, the places you'll go!" May the children -- the five boys gathered Tuesday in the upstairs bedroom after Feast devotions had been shared -- go very far. -gw

 

 

Among these children many blessed souls will arise, if they be trained according to the Bahá’í Teachings. If a plant is carefully nurtured by a gardener, it will become good, and produce better fruit. These children must be given a good training from their earliest childhood. They must be given a systematic training which will further their development from day to day, in order that they may receive greater insight, so that their spiritual receptivity be broadened. Beginning in childhood they must receive instruction. They cannot be taught through books. Many elementary sciences must be made clear to them in the nursery; they must learn them in play, in amusement. Most ideas must be taught them through speech, not by book learning. One child must question the other concerning these things, and the other child must give the answer. In this way, they will make great progress. For example, mathematical problems must also be taught in the form of questions and answers. One of the children asks a question and the other must give the answer. Later on, the children will of their own accord speak with each other concerning these same subjects. The children who are at the head of the class must receive premiums. They must be encouraged and when any one of them shows good advancement, for the further development they must be praised and encouraged therein. Even so in Godlike affairs. Oral questions must be asked and the answers must be given orally. They must discuss with each other in this manner.

 

(“The Bahá’í World”, Vol. 9 (1940–1944) (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1945), p. 543) [145]

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On Hopefully I Can Make a Difference: An interview with Coach Matt

 

I was able to get to know Coach Matt a little better, visiting with him before the Tiger's game last Saturday. This man is devoted to serving children.

 

Everybody at the coloring table here is related to Matt in some way. -gw

 

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On Michelle Holds Her First Feast: And Kim is now a Baha'i, Trajon, too

 

Michelle, a Baha'i living in the Salishan neighborhood, hosted her first Feast the other night. Such a dear soul!

On the way home from Feast Kim declared her Faith in Baha'u'llah. Her partner Charles has been a Baha'i for the past two years. We have Baha'i classes in her home now every Monday. She said she has been reading all the Baha'i materials that have been coming to the house, has been reading Ruhi Book 1 independently, and wishes to be considered a Baha'i. I knew to ask Kim about whether she was ready when at Feast I saw her reach into her wallet to try to make a contribution to the Fund. 

  

Yesterday evening I stopped by Kim's house with a declaration card for her to sign to make it official. Her son Trajon wanted to be considered a Baha'i, too, so he filled out a card, too, which was signed by his mother. -gw

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On Our Workplace Motto: Work together, hike together

Work together, hike together. Our workplace motto. -gw

 

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On Lisa at the Tigers Football Game: Having spiritual conversations left and right

 

Thanks to Lisa for joining me at the Tigers little league football game on Saturday. She was there the entire day, having spiritual conversations left and right. I had a chance to introduce her to some parents and coaches, but she, of course, already knew many of the parents and kids there --  in fact, from BOTH teams, as the Tigers played the East Side Angels, which also draws from the Salishan neighborhood, where Lisa lives.. She was able to determine commitment from several parents to participate in a study circle, two of whom had been contacted by Baha'is previously through our efforts. One of the parents wants to come to Women's Empowerment gathering. Jalen, long time participant in Baha'i children's classes at Salishan is a Tigers player, and glad to see Lisa at his game. -gw

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On Keeping Track of Our Ancestors: Over the centuries

 

This was a book that was held with great curiosity and respect and the recent reunion on my cousins in Ohio. Turn these pages and look at the faces. Imagine that these are your relatives. Wonder what their lives were like. It's easy to understand why human beings have been keeping track of their ancestors, both physical and spiritual, for millennia. -gw

 

“Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; / And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; / And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; / And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; / And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; / And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; / And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; / And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; / And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; / And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: / And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; / And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; / And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; / And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; / And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”

 

The Bible

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On Soybean Prices Are Up: The countryside looks spiffy

 

http://www.agweb.com/article/soybean_prices_on_track_to_remain_high/

 

It would be a mistake to assume that every farmer is rich, but there sure are a lot of acres in soybeans and corn in Northern Ohio, and prices for both of those commodities are high, I understand. The countryside south of Wakeman, Ohio, looks lush and park-like. Homes that were built originally 100 years ago look gentrified and spiffy. On the road east of the original 40 acres of Friendly Farm, where my grandparents lived and three of my cousins grew up, there are many spacious and new homes, owned not by farmers, but by commuters from Cleveland and vicinity who apparently want the ambiance of the country. Walk that road -- and some of the counsins at our reunion did -- and it still feels like a country road. -gw

 

 

The sons and daughters of the kingdom are like unto the real farmers. Through whichever state or country they pass they display self-sacrifice and sow divine seeds. From that seed harvests are produced. On this subject it is revealed in the glorious Gospel: When the pure seeds are scattered in the good ground heavenly blessing and benediction 17 is obtained. 1 I hope that you may become assisted and confirmed, and never lose courage in the promotion of the divine teachings. Day by day may you add to your effort, exertion, and magnanimity.

 

Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan

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On Tre Can Give Good Counsel: More excerpts from the Hilltop children's class

 

Say a prayer. Sing a song.

 

 

Study a quote from the Sacred Writings and memorize it. Listen to a story. Have an activity. The format for Baha'i children's classes is very simple. So even I can teach.

 

 

We have classes at Tre's on Monday nights at 6:30. Tre scored a touchdown last Saturday for the Tigers, running a kickoff return for a touchdown. He's a good runner. He can give good advice to others on how to be a good runner. -gw

 

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On the World Is a Marketplace: Spice run to Pike Place

 

Went to Pike Place market last Sunday to drop Taraz off to visit friends in Seattle. Bonita picked up some Israeli za'atar at the Spice World shop on Elliot. I got some pics of the marketplace. -gw

 

  

At last, the tree of his longing yielded the fruit of despair, and the fire of his hope fell to ashes. Then one night he could live no more, and he went out of his house and made for the marketplace. On a sudden, a watchman followed after him. He broke into a run, with the watchman following; then other watchmen came together, and barred every passage to the weary one. And the wretched one cried from his heart, and ran here and there, and moaned to himself: “Surely this watchman is Izrá’íl, my angel of death, following so fast upon me; or he is a tyrant of men, seeking to harm me.” His feet carried him on, the one bleeding with the arrow of love, and his heart lamented. Then he came to a garden wall, and with untold pain he scaled it, for it proved very high; and forgetting his life, he threw himself down to the garden.

 

And there he beheld his beloved with a lamp in her hand, searching for a ring she had lost. When the heart-surrendered lover looked on his ravishing love, he drew a great breath and raised up his hands in prayer, crying: “O God! Give Thou glory to the watchman, and riches and long life. For the watchman was Gabriel, guiding this poor one; or he was Isráfíl, bringing life to this wretched one!”

Indeed, his words were true, for he had found many a secret justice in this seeming tyranny of the watchman, and seen how many a mercy lay hid behind the veil. Out of wrath, the guard had led him who was athirst in love’s desert to the sea of his loved one, and lit up the dark night of absence with the light of reunion. He had driven one who was afar, into the garden of nearness, had guided an ailing soul to the heart’s physician.

 

Now if the lover could have looked ahead, he would have blessed the watchman at the start, and prayed on his behalf, and he would have seen that tyranny as justice; but since the end was veiled to him, he moaned and made his plaint in the beginning. Yet those who journey in the garden land of knowledge, because they see the end in the beginning, see peace in war and friendliness in anger.

 

Baha'u'llah, The Valley of Knowledge

 

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On the Equinox: Gorgeous cycle

More from our Columbia Gorgeous photos taken in August. The Fall equinox is here. Summer is three seasons away once again. Oh, the wait! -gw

The divine religions are like the progression of the seasons of the year. When the earth becomes dead and desolate and because of frost and cold no trace of vanished spring remains, the springtime dawns again and clothes everything with a new garment of life. The meadows become fresh and green, the trees are adorned with verdure and fruits appear upon them. Then the winter comes again, and all the traces of spring disappear. This is the continuous cycle of the seasons—spring, winter, then the return of spring. But though the calendar changes and the years move forward, each springtime that comes is the return of the springtime that has gone; this spring is the renewal of the former spring. Springtime is springtime, no matter when or how often it comes.

Abdu'l-Baha, 19 May 1912, Talk at Church of the Divine PaternityCentral Park West, New York

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On When Electricity Came to Rural Hillsdale: And then there was television

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"Mom lived here when electricity came," Rootie said, as we all stood in front of the Hillsdale farmhouse our grandparents lived in until they sold it in 1943. After electricity, there was television. When grandpa was living with her family back in Wakeman after the family got their first TV, he would talk during the shows, she remembered.
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Remember when television was new? Bonita and I were reminded of the early days of television by some displays that were up in the San Francisco airport when we were through two weeks ago. -gw
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Man has succeeded in using electricity in several ways—for light, for motive power, for sending messages from one end of the earth to the other—and by electricity he can even hear a voice many miles away!

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Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks
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On Tre Has Kindly Heart: Photos from the Wilkerson Street Baha'i children's class

 

Football isn't everything. It can't be. In addition to good recreation and exercise, kids needs spiritual training. That's why Baha'is offer children's classes. Here are pictures from the Wilkerson Street Baha'i children's class taken Monday night.  Astute observors will recognize the activity pictured at the top as from Lesson 2. Because it was getting chilly, Tre went to get coats for Olishia and Omori. Tre has a kindly heart.

 

 

Tre is a Tacoma UTYA Tiger BTW. -gw

 

 

 

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On She Scored a Bunch of Touchdowns: That it's a learning experience is what counts

 

She wears #7. She plays football on the 5/6th grade UTYA Tigers little league team. She scored a bunch of touchdowns during last Saturday's game which the Tigers won against the Orting Animals. The coaches say they don't care whether the team wins or loses, but that it is a learning exerience for the players. I'll bet Miah, #7, has learned a lot. She and her younger brother, a first grader, who plays on the 3/4th grade team, were both recruited by Coach Zeke. As do many of the Tiger's players, these football players live in the Salishan neighborhood along with their proud parents.

 

That's Miah's Mom in the left of this photo.

 

 

 

 

That's Miah's Dad holding the yard marker.

 

Here is a timeline history of girls playing football from 1939 to 2000. -gw

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On Something Surprising on the KPLU Website: Salishan coverage and a Baha'i Views photo

 

An attack video claiming to expose a housing development in Tacoma "built for illegal immigrants!" has been played more than 300,000 times on YouTube. There’s only one problem, the Tacoma News Tribune reports, it’s completely wrong about almost everything.

 

http://www.kplu.org/post/video-tacoma-housing-project-goes-viral-gets-it-wrong

 

Bonita found something quite suprising on the KPLU website today. The housing development in the reference above is, of course, Salishan. The TNT article mentioned, which first appeared back in July, is below.

 

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/street/2011/07/26/william-mounts-salishan-youtube-video-debunked

 

The surprise?  That KPLU used one of my Salishan photos for their posting. I love the photo-sharing feature of Flickr. It's so ... Baha'i.  The photo was shot while I was taking "the walking bus" with Lisa after the Thursday Baha'i children's class.

 

Hey, there's Jalen, the Tiger's little league football player, in the top photo of the set. I just watched him play last Saturday.  -gw

 

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On Liking Birds & Crickets: They have their own Facebook page

 

Birds and crickets have their own Facebook music page. I didn't know.

 

While organizing and deleting files on my computer I came across two video clips I never posted -- perhaps because they are low res. They catch moments that seem worthy of remembering. -gw 

 

 

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On Discovering our Roots: Both spiritual and physical

 

 

 

At the Haskins cousins reunion we shared stories and geneological discoveries and visited cemetaries in exploring our collective roots. We have physical roots and our spiritual roots. -gw

 

 

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On Up on Comunidade Bahá'í do Brasil's Photostream: 4th Religious Freedom Walk

 

The Baha'is of Brasil are exercising their freedom to protest. Below are previous efforts to appeal to the conciousness of humankind. -gw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On Guided to Our Baha'i Community: Prayers for a calamitous event

 

The Baha'i friends locally received an appeal for prayers for a family affected by the Reno airshow tragedy.

 

My friend J, a friend since we met in chemotherapy, has had many losses in her life and tonight faces another. She phoned me asking if perhaps the Baha'i Community could offer prayers for her cousin K  and his family. K is one of the victim's of the Reno Air Race crash and is currently near death. They are awaiting the arrival of one of his children before they remove life support. 

 

J has shared many stories with me about K and what an integral part of their family this wonderful man is.  This tragedy is deeply, sorrowfully, affecting all those who love Jim and his family.  J and I have shared many "spiritual conversations" and I am humbled by the strength of faith and spirit of this dear friend.

 

Those most closely affected by this tragedy, and in need of our prayers: K, his wife, his mother (K's dad passed away this past year), his three sons, M (his friend who was at the air show with him and is also in critical condition, though currently expected to survive), and M's wife Tracy. The wives had left the show shortly before the accident to return to the hotel to rest.

 

With gratitude to Baha'u'llah for guiding my friend to our Baha'i Family and the bounty of the prayers He has given us.

 

Love,

T

 

Here is an article on the US Baha'i official website on how Baha'is view calamities. -gw

 

What is calamity: Introduction to a Baha’i perspective

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On Kids: They won't let you do anything fun

One day the kids (if you can call adult children 28, 30, 32, and 34 "kids") are in Denver, Colorado, Hood River, Oregon, and Richland, Washington, and the next minute they're home, although just for the weekend. Taraz flew in to visit his friend Mahta, Rahmat came back to start a new (old) job, Ruhiyyih came over because her husband Matt is bonding with his brother with a little camping, and Ruhullah joined us with little Daniel (Annie was at Starbuck's working) just so all the siblings could be together. Taraz invited over a couple of friends, Lucinda and Angela, to partake of Bonita's nutricious breakfast fare along with the fam Saturday morning.

 

You know what I noticed? My kids are so mellow. I kept wanting to turn up the music and ramp things up, and they kept telling me to turn my music down. Kids! -gw

 

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On Orbital Reflections of 9/11: Human strife and religious disagreement like clouds

purple and red and yellow and on fire
What were the skies like when u were young?
They went on for ever and they when I we lived in Arizona and the skies
always had little fluffy clouds and err... they were long and clear and there
were lots of stars, at night.
And errr when it rain it would all turn, it, they were beautiful, the most
beautiful skies as a matter of fact, the sunsets were purple and red and
yellow and on fire and the clouds would catch the colours everywhere,
thats, its neat because I used to look at them all the time when i was
little. You don't see that.

Layering different sounds on top of each other
Layering different sounds on top of each

 

Lyrics to Orbital's "Little Fluffy Clouds "

 

 

I never tire of looking out the window when flying. It's a different world up there. The clouds are upside down. I thought of Orbital's lovely "Little Puffy Clouds" when flying last week, just a few days before the 10th anniversary of terrible 9/11. -gw

Orbital toured stat, eside during October 2001, less than a month after September 11th. I was lucky enough to tag along for the majority of the tour.

On the 13th October we ended up in New York and Orbital played a fantastic gig at the Roseland Ballroom. The day after i decided to clear my tired head by walking from the Hotel to Battery Park. On the way i visited Ground Zero. This film is what i saw…

The is my own acknowledgement to the terrible day on September 11th. My thoughts are with those who lost their love ones and to those who have been affected by the events from that day.

Film : Steve Price
Music : Loopz – “Night (version 1)”

 

Human strife and religious disagreement complex and disfigure the simple purity and beauty of the divine Cause until clouds obscure the light of reality and disunion results. Therefore, make use of intelligence and reason so that you may dispel these dense clouds from the horizon of human hearts and all hold to the one reality of all the Prophets. It is most certain that if human souls exercise their respective reason and intelligence upon the divine questions, the power of God will dispel every difficulty, and the eternal realities will appear as one light, one truth, one love, one God and a peace that is universal.

Abdu'l-Baha, 2 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois

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On Thy Paradise, Ohio: Reunion in heavenly homes

 

 

We arrived in Wakeman, Ohio, cousins all, for a reunion in a place to which we all could trace our roots, the 40 or so acres, originally, of Friendly Farm, where the grandmother and grandfather we have in common lived for a number of years. In Cousin Helen's lovely home we gathered the first night at 9 p.m. for a dinner featuring garden produce grown a few feet out the front and back doors.

 

A farmhose B&B, where six of us stayed just down the road from Helen's, constituted a marvelous place to take pictures the next morning. -gw

 

 

 

O SON OF BEING! Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion.

 

The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah

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On Homelessness: Due to a lack of control, a working law, and a lack of kindness

And we are homeless, homeless
Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake
Homeless, homeless
Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake
Homeless, homeless
Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih
Somebody sing hello, hello, hello
Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih
Somebody cry why, why, why?
Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih
Somebody sing hello, hello, hello
Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih
Somebody cry why, why, why?
Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih

Paul Simon, "Homeless"

I had walked in the Illahee Preserve since last December before I came across any evidence of a homeless camp. There used to be a lot of camps like this in the Illahee in the past, I understand. The homeless in Kitsap County have these services to turn to, as an alternative to the woods, but homelessness is hardly growing smaller, given the very difficult economy. -gw

 

 

Is it possible for one member of a family to be subjected to the utmost misery and to abject poverty and for the rest of the family to be comfortable? It is impossible unless those members of the family be senseless, atrophied, inhospitable, unkind. Then they would say, “Though these members do belong to our family—let them alone. Let us look after ourselves. Let them die. So long as I am comfortable, I am honored, I am happy—this my brother—let him die. If he be in misery let him remain in misery, so long as I am comfortable. If he is hungry let him remain so; I am satisfied. If he is without clothes, so long as I am clothed, let him remain as he is. If he is shelterless, homeless, so long as I have a home, let him remain in the wilderness.”

 

Such utter indifference in the human family is due to in its midst. If kindness had been shown to the members of this family surely all the members thereof would have enjoyed comfort and happiness.

 

Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity

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On Song Sung, New: Quintessentially Canadian, performed in New Delhi

This what you can truly call "new music," recorded on September 10th and uploaded to Samuel's blog on the 13th.

 

Dear George,

I just posted a little video of a friend singing a Baha'i song at the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, India.  I thought I might share it with you in case you might be inspired to share it with your readers.  No pressure.  Hope you like it! 

The video and all the details are all here: http://samuelbenoit.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/iain/

Samuel

 

 

Iain Nabil Ferguson performing the words of Baha'u'llah at the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, India on the morning of Saturday the 10 September, 2011.

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On Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch: They have tasted the honey of reunion

 

The reunion was a trip into the past. Old songs... 

 

 

 

Paw-Paw Patch

Where, oh where, oh where is Susie?
Where, oh where, oh where is Susie?
Where, oh where, of where is Susie?
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Chorus:
Picking up paw-paws; put 'em in a basket.
Picking up paw-paws; put 'em in a basket.
Picking up paw-paws;put 'em in a basket.
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Come along, boys, and let's go find her.
Come along, boys, and let's go find her.
Come along, boys, and let's go find her.
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/pawpawpatch.html

 

Old memories... -gw

 

 

They have fulfilled their dearest hopes in the Abhá Paradise; they have tasted the honey of reunion in the congregation of the Lord. Such souls as these profited from their existence here on earth: they plucked the fruit of life.

 

Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha

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On Nice Dad at Noisy Creek: Putting pontoons down at Baker Lake

 

On Labor Day we were hiking Baker Lake trail minding our own business, when I heard the sound of an airplaine. At first we couldn't quite see it through the trees, but then, there it was, making a long pass up the lake, turning around for another pass down the lake, and then turning again for a third run, this time putting pontoons down on the water and landing. In a few minutes we could see it parked on the rocky shore there where Noisy Creek rushes into the lake when we returned to where we had parked our canoe. The pilot had not been alone. He had come with his two little boys for an hour at the beach. Thoughtful Dad. -gw

 

 

O ye dear children!  Your father is compassionate, clement and merciful unto you and desireth for you success, prosperity and eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you, dear children, to seek his good pleasure, to be guided by his guidance, to be drawn by the magnet of the love of God and be brought up in the lap of the love of God; that ye may become beautiful branches in the Gardens of EL-ABHÁ, verdant and watered by the abundance of the gift of God.

 

“Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá”, Vol. III, p. 622

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On All He Hears Are the Drums: Jamie does the Puyallup

 

George, All I hear are the drums. ~Jai\mie

 

Jamie spent Labor Day at the Puyallup Pow Wow. -gw

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On Pictures from Cambodia: Floating memories

Longtime readers of Baha'i Views know that there is a special relationship between Tacoma and Cambodia. Tacoma was a center for Cambodian immigration back in the mid-80s. At one time we had seven of the nine former members of a Baha'i Spiritual Assembly that served Camp 6 along the Thai-Cambodian border living in our community. I have fond memories of some of the Baha'i holy days we celebrated with Cambodian Baha'is, members of the Tacoma community, who lived in the Salishan neighborhood back in the early 90's. I remember also much more recently manning a booth at a Phnom Penh-inspired Water Festival held in Tacoma, organized by Daran Kravahn.

http://bahaiviews.blogspot.com/2007/08/on-one-light-many-lamps-bahai-faith-is.html

Cambodia has suffered greatly in the past, It was, after all, the location of the so-called Killing Fields back in the 1970's. I was impressed at a professional conference I attended a few years back upon learning that the presenter had traveled to Cambodia to offer her expertise in addressing trauma.

http://bahaiviews.posterous.com/on-after-the-trauma-a-therapeutic-approach-fo

And so I come to Wendy, who is a new Flickr contact based in Indonesia. She is from Vancouver, Canada, originally and blogs as Wendyworld on TravelPod. Here is a recent set she took in Cambodia of the Chong Khneas Floating Village, photos which prompted my current reflection on my connection to that country.  -gw

Some other Baha'i Views posts that mention Cambodia.

http://www.bahaiviews.net/2008/12/26/on-cambodia-portland-and-tacoma-we-will-arise-to-carry-out-our-pledges/

http://www.bahaiviews.net/2009/02/07/on-getting-up-to-date-on-the-bahai-regional-conference-in-cambodia-offical-and-unoffical-reports/

http://www.bahaiviews.net/2009/07/18/on-neighbourhood-awareness-cambodian-style-centres-of-learning/

http://www.bahaiviews.net/2009/03/04/a-photographer%E2%80%99s-photo-this-is-a-departure/

http://www.bahaiviews.net/2008/07/17/on-special-days-for-peace-and-justice-july-17th-and-sept-21st/

http://www.bahaiviews.net/2009/03/16/on-art-age-time-photos-top-floor-and-eating-udon-seven-reflections-on-the-bahai-fast/

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On Canoeing the Tidal Willapa Watershed: One plant loves the water's edge and another the dry knoll

One plant likes the bright sunshine, another the cool shade; one loves the water’s edge and another the dry knoll; one thrives best on sandy soil and another on rich loam. Each must have its needs appropriately supplied, else its perfections can never be fully revealed.

Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era

 

Day trip to the Willapa watershed last Sunday. -gw

 

 

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On How 100 will Serve 1000: Forming study circles within groups that already exists

Counselor Borna Noureddin provided fascinating guidance on the Baha'i institute process to the friends gathered in Bellevue for a Baha'i assistants meeting in early August. How many study circles are cobbled together with individuals who didn't already know each other at the outset? How much more effective to raise up a study circle within an existing group. Exploring social spaces never made so much sense. The Baha'i Faith will grow within communities and involve people who already know each other. -gw

 

 

 

 

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