On Barbara Talley's 'The Best of Us' Audition: Oprah's search, you can vote

I propose a show called “The Best of US” It is a show dedicated to showcasing humans at their best and promoting our advancement as human spiritual beings. The show’s goal is to help you and I move from a ME to a WE mentality, to help us see our oneness, and that we are one people, living on one planet, under one creator. 1. IMAGINE a show that focuses on the Human Race at It’s BEST! 2. Imagine a show that makes you feel good about being human. 3. Imagine a show that extols virtue and good character. 4. Imagine a show that expands your horizons by educating you about the oneness of the whole human race. A show that showcases models of unity, of groups working together, of people getting along. 5. Imagine a show with a hint of reality tv- showing the positive results of what can happen when diverse people choose to walk in each other’s shoes for a week. 6. Imagine a show that brings on the best human motivators to help you to see your nobility, and greatness!

 

http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=15834&promo_id=1

 

Thanks, Julia, for bringing this to my attention. -gwd

 

 

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On Tacoma's Greatest Accomplishment of the Five Year Plan: The Salishan children's classes

Jeff's son Jamal (great name, huh!) and I hung out together Wednesday. We dropped in on the Baha'i children's class at Lisa's home in Salishan, the establishment of which constitutes Tacoma's greatest accomplishment in the Five Year Plan in my view. Jamal may not be able to quite appreciate that fact quite yet, but he certainly recognized that this is a place where the focus is on kids. Jamal had already had a big day, and felt so comfortable on the sofa as the other children were memorizing a quote, that he feel asleep. Whether sleeping or awake, these kids are cute. -gwd

 

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On a June Grad: Jeff receives his certification

Jeff invited me to attend his graduation. It wasn't like one of those June graduations in theTacoma Dome, but it was just as special. His youngest son Jamal was there to witness his accomplishment. We didn't know it in advance, but another Baha'i from the cluster Jeanne was there, too, in an official capacity. So Jeff had a chance to meet Jeanne. It's a small world, and Baha'is are doing their utmost to make it even smaller. -gwd

 

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On the Carryin' On At Robert & Lynda's: Again this Sunday

 

 

Saturday is the Baha'i Cluster Reflection Meeting. Sunday is the deepening at Robert & Lynda's. This is what the carryin' on looked like two weekends ago. -gw

 

 

 

The story of Tacoma's 'entry by troop' in the 90's.

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On How to Roll Off a Block: The Tacoma Tigers prepare for life

 

We all encounter tests and difficulties. It's important that we know how to roll off a block. Here Coach Charles shows his young charges how to do just that. -gwd

 

Even as Jesus Christ forfeited His life, may you, likewise, offer yourselves in the threshold of sacrifice for the betterment of the world; and just as Bahá’u’lláh suffered severe ordeals and calamities nearly fifty years for you, may you be willing to undergo difficulties and withstand catastrophes for humanity in general. May you bear these trials and tests most willingly and joyously, for every night is followed by a day, and every day has a night.

 

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-22-printable.html

 

 

The Tacoma Tigers, a football team playing in the Upper Tacoma Youth League, is getting in shape and practicing hard for the football season. Got a son who wants to play? See Coach Charles or Coach William for an application. -gwd

 

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On Smiling Along With Stories of Discovery: Lord made her a handful

Hopefully, it will be easier to surround myself with people of my own faith. I can only hope. It took quite some time for me to find fellow Baha'i folks here, but I would assume back in the U.S. it would be easier. I sure hope that's the case, though adapting to a new set of people, and waiting for them to adapt to my outgoing, straight-forward, shoot-from-the-hip nature, well, that will be an adventure for sure.  I'm a great person, but Lord made me a handful.

 

http://charlisnoangel.blogspot.com/2010/06/lady-likes.html

 

 

I continue to read with great interest Refugee Dance Hall, the blog of the life of a young Baha'i woman, learning to smile.  -gw

 

I have an ever-increasing network of Baha'is in my life- world-wide now- and I am thrilled at this. I have always loved people, but there's a different quality about the Baha'i community. We trust each other, depend on each other. Every time I speak to a new Baha'i it is much the same; we begin with the sizing up, ensuring that the other is not of the rare sort that preaches just a little too much or remembers their own humanity just a tad too rarely. Once we've established that neither of us are amongst that group, we hit it off quite well, and find that we have a great deal in common, and that we both have quite a bit of interesting things to say and discuss. At least by military standards, if not American or human standards, the sizing-up period tends to be quite brief, though I think it's a natural and much-needed part of human interaction.

 

http://charlisnoangel.blogspot.com/2010/06/charli-princess-of-persia.html

 

Bad Girlfriend/Good Baha'i?

Thank God I'm Baha'i, because I remember, right at this moment, why I struggled so much with trying to be the proverbial Good Christian. I cannot wrap my head around the thought that there are women out there who genuinely believe that their entire identity is based solely on the man they married. I feel like I should be saying Hail Marys for thinking about all of this. 

http://charlisnoangel.blogspot.com/2010/06/submitting.html

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On the Feast of Rahmat: Mercy, mercy me

the concept of ...  ... something we know when we see it ... and Marvin Gaye is in the background. Rahmat (mercy) is the sixth month of the the Baha'i calendar.

 

James Eugene Frank

 

 

Indeed, Jamie's set for the Baha'i month of Rahmat goes well with a little Marvin Gaye. And Mercy, Mercy Me is particularly apropo for a nation reeling from what may be its greatest environmental disaster to date. Skip over the ads, but don't miss Marvin's testimony in the last few minutes of this video. What's Going On.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On the Fading American Glory: Better opportunities for women elsewhere

 

A wise Asian woman offers an observation that may run counter to what Americans are used to hearing. Is a fading American glory associated with the American track record regarding opportunities for women? -gw

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On Hajji Anne: Photos from her Bahá’í Pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel

Anne is back from pilgrimage with a collection of exquisite pictures of the Baha'i holy places on her blog. -gw

http://anne99.blogspot.com/2010/06/bahai-pilgrimage-to-haifa-israel.html

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On a Zen-flavored Perspective: Sutton's take on this Barnum and Bailey world

Question: I am much intrigued by the "Desire" liner notes; they generated a couple of questions in my mind. First, when it comes to interpreting lyrics, how much "spiritual" depth can and/or should be read into them. For example, in “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” are the lines "It's a Barnum and Bailey world/Just as phony as it can be/But it wouldn't be make-believe/If you believed in me" a nearly Zen-flavored perspective on human life or are they just a well-turned love lyric?
Sutton: The beauty of a masterpiece like the song "Paper Moon" is that it is a masterpiece because it is both "a well-turned love lyric" and ALSO can be seen as something much, much deeper. I think all great art has more than one layer, more than one interpretation. The great lyricists seem to channel deeper things within the mundane.

http://www.examiner.com/x-12458-Oakland-Jazz-Music-Examiner~y2010m6d22-Tierney-Sutton-explores-Desire-live-at-Yoshis

Baha'i Tierney Sutton is performing her sets in Oakland, and, as usual, is letting her listeners in on the spiritual undertones in her music. -gw

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On a New Blog Is Born: Promoting early childhood mental health consultation

It all started with this conference...


and these goals and strategies...


A new blog is launched dedicated to the experience of providing early childhood mental health consultation, from the perspective of providers on the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas of Washington State. Here is a photographic retrospective of some of the activities of the group and its members since the launching of the initiative. -gwd

Our Peninsulas ECMC Consultation Group

The Peninsulas' Early Childhood Mental Health Conference Photos

Naomi Perry on Parent Child Interacton Therapy


Charlie Huffine on Diagnostic Coding

Christy Kimpo on Infant Mental Health Classifications

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy Conference

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Plus Conference

The Peninsulas' Early Childhood Mental Health Conference Presentatons

The view from my office

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On Most Receptive to the Message of Baha'u'llah: Immigrant populations

... Immigrant is a person going Into a country, Emigrant is a person Exiting his or her previous country. So for example, if I moved from the US to ...

answers.yahoo.com › Politics & Government › Immigration -

Among the most receptive populations to the message of Baha'u'llah are new immigrants. In Atlanta it has been among immigrants from Nepal that there has been rapid growth. These cellphone photos by toastforbrekkie that have just shown up on flickr I presume to be of mostly Nepalese children attending Baha'i children's classes there. -gwd


Photos uploaded on June 21, 2010 by toastforbrekkie on flickr

If the earth is one country and mankind its citizens, as Baha'u'llah tells us, then none of us are immigrants or emmigrants. -gw

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On Casting the Nets: Or you can use castanets

Mark 1: 16 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

Mark 1: 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Passed on to me by my bro-in-law Frank.

Cast the nets or castanets ... Music is a powerful tool for teaching the Cause of God. -gwd

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On Father's Day: Seek his good pleasure

"My son, his son ..." Uploaded on June 20, 2010 by james eugene frank on flickr

 

I had a nice conversation with Charles who called yesterday to touch base. He's gonna have Sunday's off with the Upper Tacoma Youth League practices on Saturday instead, which bodes well for our getting together on that day. Of course, it's family gatherings for Father's Day for him today -- he texted me a father's day greeting this morning, as did my kids. Thanks, everybody.

 

Jeff, too, was celebrating Father's Day, so no study circle tonight. Funny, I ran into him at the convenience store this afternoon, and we talked again by phone this evening about getting a children's class started in his home for his boys and other kids in his apartment complex and the immediate neighborhood. He is working  evenings now, but can probably do something late afternoon, he said.

 

Jamie, too, was undoubtedly feted today, given the picture he took, above. The baby beard is cute, BTW. Is it a chocolate pudding mouth perhaps?  -gwd

 

 

 

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On Incognito At the Baha'i Devotional: We're all climbing Jacob's ladder

he dreamed . . . and behold a ladder--

 

Some writers are of opinion that it was not a literal ladder that is meant, as it is impossible to conceive any imagery stranger and more unnatural than that of a ladder, whose base was on earth, while its top reached heaven, without having any thing on which to rest its upper extremity.  

 

http://www.biblestudymanuals.net/gen28.htm re JACOB'S LADDER. [Gen 28:10-22]:

 

 

I played some cool smooth jazz at our home Baha'i devotional on Thursday, namely, "Jacob's Ladder" by Incognito. Bonita loved it. So did the cat. Corrine joined us for prayers. I asked Corinne to share some of her fascinating life story -- she has suffered from schizpphrenia since she was a young adult. She has given me permission to share her videotaped story on Baha'i Views, which I will do in a separate post. -gw

 

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On That Time in Tacoma: Rainbow found

... the mingling, union and friendship of the peoples and communities—will reach to such a degree that the human race will be like one family and kindred.

 

-- Abdu'l-Baha in Some Answered Questions

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/saq-12.html.utf8?query=friendship&action=highlight#pg64

 

Rahmat cleaned off an SD card for the webbie and discovered some pictures that Taraz had taken. Obviouisly they represent some good times and meaningful friendships from that time in Tacoma. -gwd

 

 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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On Quiet Shoes: Pictures of a premiere

Isaac Olsen, filmmaker

 

There I was stealing intellectual property, standing in the back of the Rialto Theater with my camera clicking as Quiet Shoes was up on the screen, and what does the usher do but bring me a chair. Does that make him culpable?

 

What a night and what a crowd! A blend of Girl Trouble-inspired garage punk groupies the family and friends of the those associated with the movie, including the extensive Baha'i family, and the curious, out for a night on the town.  It was a crowd who had whipped themselves in to a frenzy of  all-Tacoma-all the-time boosterism, whether they were from the City of Destiny or not. Ernest Jasmin, the music and entertainment columnist with the Tacoma News Tribune, was there --  hey, he looks just like his picture!

 

Kim, Lisa, Chris, Shadi, Nancy, Helen, Shawn, Arlene, Russ, Robbie, Karen .... and so many more ...  so many souls there to lend their support and encouragement to the efforts of a Baha'i who has grown up in the community and can't be considered a youth anymore. His future is as bright as the lights on the Rialto markee.

 

Man, the tricks in this film! In personality Isaac is no show-off, but the movie is a great vehicle to show off his intense filmmaking talents. Dare I say, I liked the soundtrack the best. This film wins that category for me. -gwd

 

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On a Great Day: When i am pulling out twigs and leaves out my hair

Taraz Dannells how do i know when i had a great day? answer: when i am pulling out twigs and leaves out my hair ~ ~ ~ ~ YEP had fun ~ ~ !

Yesterday at 9:56pm

· Comment ·

Rue Dannells and 5 others like this.

Donna Durelle Seth

Filming in the rain????

We miss having Taraz around to join us on a hike or a paddle. -gw

 

 

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On Last Week's Football Footage: Tape delay

It's Saturday. The Tacoma Invaders are playing again, but out of town. It's taken me all week, but I finally have all my shots, both photos and videos, of last week's exciting game into this one Flickr set. That's 26 photos and 174 videos. So now  you can "watch" the whole game via slideshow, each shot in sequence.  Pretty neat, huh! -gwd

 

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On the Doors Were Flung Wide Open: An end to 'us' and 'them'

There seems to exist a natural inclination to see others as separate from ourselves and to make distinctions between what we perceive as "us" and "them". So ingrained is this tendency that it can come to form part of how human groups and organizations define themselves. "Who we are" is determined, at least to an extent, by that which they are not but which others are. The erroneous assumption is that the maintenance of unity and cohesion as a group requires excluding others.

From Ruhi Book 8 on the Covenant of Baha'u'llah

The Baha'i growth that is being experienced today, and the promise of even more growth tomorrow, is based on the fact that, as guided by the Universal House of Justice, long term planning plays out in short term plans. The Baha'i community is in a constant learning mode, and, as anyone who has been a Baha'i for a couple of decades knows, Baha'i community life feels different. Baha'is are unified for collective action and are unapologetically presenting the message. The doors are flung open. Core activities are open to everyone, Baha'i or not, so outwardly oriented is the focus. There is no "us and them." For those souls who recognize Baha'u'llah today, consolidation into the community may be said to have preceded their declaration and enrollment, and it continues systematically. We know that those who declare but do not become plugged into the Institute Process have greater difficulty progressing; those who are, have less. What a grand spiritual enterprise we are involved in! -gw

In the long-term process of capacity building, the Baha'i community has devoted nearly a decade and a half to systematizing its experience in the teaching field, learning to open certain activities to more and more people, and to sustain its expansion and consolidation. All are welcome to enter the community's warm embrace and receive sustenance from Baha'u'llah's life-giving message. No greater joy is there, to be sure, than for a soul, yearning for the Truth, to find shelter in the stronghold of the Cause and draw strength from the unifying power of the Covenant.

The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2010

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On a Room With a View: My office, my work

These pictures reflect my work world. I've been in the same office for well more than a decade. It's well worn. The view is great. The work is very satisfying. The Dannells family drawing was done by Ruhiyyih in 1994 when she was 15. The children's painting was done by Bonita as a young woman in her twenties. The oil paintings of flowers were done by my mother. The Navajo blanket was among my father's possessions. I failed to take a picture of the picture just above my phone, one of the most holiest spot on earth for Baha'is, the entrance to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah.   -gw

 

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On All in One Place: JB, Kelly, MJ, Kat, & Caeli at the New Orleans House of Blues

Imogen Heap - New Orleans - 11/18/06 Uploaded on December 2, 2006 by Toastiness on flickr

 

Here's how Talia of TaliaSafa wrote about an auspicious gathering of Baha'i musicians for a gig in New Orleans with Imogene Heap...

 

Our dear friend and partner in music, Caeli Lohr has had a very exciting year. Caeli has gone from being our single-guy next door neighbor who killed bugs for a living and made music in his bedroom to a married guy living in musician Imogen Heap's elliptical house in England with his wife, Kelly Snook, who runs Imogen's home studio and mixes her live show recordings. They just recently had a chance to perform on stage with Ms. Heap in New Orleans. Kelly arranged a cappella choir vocals for Imogen's song "Earth" and Caeli added his beatboxing.

 

This is how JB wrote about it...

It’s been a surreal 32 hours. Flying out to New Orleans at midnight from the middle of a tour, meeting a whole group of Kelly’s best friends and learning a choral arrangement with them right off the plane… soundchecking, playing the opening set, watching Imogen’s amazing show and singing the choral piece in the middle of it… getting to sleep at 2AM and getting up at 5:30 to fly back to the Northwest.

One of the strangest parts is how long I feel I’ve known all these people. It feels like we did a whole tour, not one gig… yet I barely learned everyone’s names. They all did a killer job onstage last night, especially MJ Cyr who opened up the show with me and knocked us all out with her song ‘Afterglow.’ What a song – beautiful. You are onto something there, MJ.

http://www.jbeckl.com/word/2010/06/new-orleans/

 

Here is MJ Cyr's rundown... -gw

 

So within 72 hours, I decided to buy a ticket for New Orleans. I was presented with the opportunity to be part of a choir that would sing Imogen Heap's song "Earth" with her on stage, and also play a couple of songs to open the show. ooooohhhhh and I did. oooooohhhh and it was amazing!

I got to reunite with amazing friends, meet new fabulous people, have a great chat with the fabulous ben Christophers (of Bat For Lashes), meet Imogen Heap, sing in front of a sold out crowd, and sing harmonies to Immi's song. that was pretty cool..

AND THEN I got a cold as soon as I got back to Canada, and worked a 12 hour serving shift the following day.

oooohhhhh I'm such a rock star.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=254076603&blogId=535657719#ixzz0r8vDGQSQ

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On Illumine My Inner Being, O My Lord: With the splendors of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation

Tags: headstone * gravesite * colorful * art * beauty * life * death

Baha'i Uploaded on June 15, 2010 by foto fledgling on flickr

What a lovely Baha'i gravestone. -gw

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On a Last Reminder: The inspired parody, Quiet Shoes, premieres at the Rialto, Saturday June 19, 7:00pm

Baha'i Artists whose works were devoted to crime... Here is my short list:

1. Contemporary crime writer Burl Barer, of course.
2. Former Continental Board of Counselors member and crime and mystery writer Florence Mayberry.
3. Isaac Olsen, filmmaker of the film noir Quiet Shoes.

Film noirs encompass a range of plots—the central figure may be a private eye (The Big Sleep), a plainclothes policeman (The Big Heat), an aging boxer (The Set-Up), a hapless grifter (Night and the City), a law-abiding citizen lured into a life of crime (Gun Crazy), or simply a victim of circumstance (D.O.A.). Though the noir mode was originally identified among American productions, films now customarily described as noir have been made around the world. From the 1960s onward, many pictures have come out that share attributes with film noirs of the classic period, often treating noir conventions in a self-reflexive manner. Such latter-day works in a noir mode are often referred to as neo-noirs. The tropes of film noir have inspired parody since the mid-1940s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir

Let's make some noise about Quite Shoes, the film noir making its debut in Tacoma Saturday. This work is a reflection of the creative process of Baha'i Isaac Olsen. -gw

+

Hey Family and Friends –

Just one last email before the BIG PREMIERE this
Saturday…

Thanks to everyone who got tickets in
advance. We’ll look forward to seeing you on Saturday night! I think
we are all going to have quite a good time.

If you’re still planning to come but don’t have tickets, you can buy them
online until Friday at http://www.schnelluloid.com/ (will call pickup at the Rialto
box office), or through Saturday at the Grand Cinema, or at the door on the
evening of the show (cash or checks only).

There will be “merch” available in the lobby: Quiet Shoes t-shirts and CDs by
the musicians involved in the movie (also cash or checks only).

There will be more press in the next few days, so be on the look
out!

Tiptoe into danger!

Deb & Tim

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On a Lotus Temple Inaugeration Songs Reprise: Ravi Shankar composer

I've greatly enjoyed the Shankar tunes on this album. -gw

Hindustan TimesWed, Jun 16 09:00 AM

Mumbai, June 16 -- This Friday, the city will be treated to some rare classical music - 10 Hindi songs composed by sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar that have not been sung since 1986. Written especially for the inauguration of Delhi's Baha'i (Lotus) Temple 24 years ago, these songs are now being brought back to India by the Voices of Baha, an international choir that will perform at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) on Friday. "The songs are based on classical Indian ragas, but have been adapted for the choir by adding Western classical harmonisation," said Tom Price, renowned US-based composer and conductor of the choir, who had collaborated with Ravi Shankar for the fusion elements of the songs. "Ravi Shankar combined all the spiritual ragas for these songs, such as Bhairavi, Todi, Yaman and Kedar. We sang it at the Lotus Temple without any music, which was a challenge," said Indian composer Ashit Desai, who had conducted the Indian choir in 1986. On Friday, Desai, his wife Hema and 13 Indian singers will accompany the 120 members of Price's choir along with a blend of Indian and Western instruments. The Voices of Baha, which has toured over 35 countries globally since Price founded it in 1992, is primarily a Baha'i choir. Most of its members belong to the Baha'i community founded in Iran in the 19th century. There are over five million Baha'is in the world, though the community in Mumbai is only about 500. The songs of this choir are spiritual - drawing from the teachings of various faiths, but mostly translations of Baha'i scriptures in various languages and styles ranging from gospel to pop and now Indian classical. Coming from at least 20 countries around the world, choir members have decided to uphold the Bahai spirit of celebrating diversity by dressing in their various national dresses for the Mumbai concert.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20100616/1053/tnl-baha-i-choir-to-sing-ravi-shankar-s_1.html

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On There's a Train A-Coming: People, are you ready?

While Facebook strives for privacy, 4Chan features anonymity. Below is a question, what is the Baha'i Faith, posed on 4Chan, "The Anti-Facebook In The World Of The Open Graph," which has drawn some 25 responses at the time of my reading it.  Some on the responders are sympathetic to the Faith, some are mocking, and some are vulgar. Some of the perceptions are right on and some are way off. The responses illustrate, nevertheless, how the Faith continues to penetrate the consciousness of mankind and are indicative of issues that people will bring up in their investigation of it.  People, are you ready, there's a train a-coming. -gw

 Anonymous 06/16/10(Wed)08:30 No.1369476  

Hey /int/

What can you guys tell me about the Baha'i faith? I've heard a bit about it, but it's not too prominent in my country. Think it's something I should look into?

http://boards.4chan.org/int/res/1369476

 

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On Buddhists, Sikhs, and Baha'is: A June 12th multi-religious devotional remembering the Baha'is in Iran

June 12, 2010 - Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Petaling Jaya. Multi religious devotional programme entitled "Remembering the Prisoners of Conscience: The Persecution of the Baha'is in Iran."

Just posted to YouTube yesterday... -gw

In this video, members of the Baha'i community chanting in Tamil. Baha'i chants were also made in various languages, namely Mandarin, English, Bahasa Malaysia, Semai, and Iban.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ameiakl#p/u/0/ViCFFepeZiE

In this video, the Sikh community leading the prayers/chants.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ameiakl#p/u/1/-LRNalhmJXY

In this video, Buddhist monks leading Buddhist chants.

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On Two Key Metrics to Gauge Stability in Islamic Societies: How women and religious minorities are treated

Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, imprisioned Baha'i

Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, imprisioned Baha'i

In the Muslim world, few issues are as accurate a barometer of societal dynamism as the status of women. As recent scholarship convincingly shows, women have consistently been at the forefront of societal change in the region. Whatever their political orientation, countries that reward (or at least permit) this behavior, such as Tunisia and post-Saddam Iraq, tend to be vibrant and hopeful places. Those that do not, like Saudi Arabia, are stagnant and sclerotic. ...

+

Another key metric in gauging stability in Islamic societies is the disposition of religious minorities. In places where political Islam has crowded out alternative views, other faiths have found themselves under siege. The plight of Zoroastrians and Baha'i in today's Shi'ite Iran and of Shi'a Muslims in contemporary Sunni Saudi Arabia are sorry reminders of this truism.

http://www.ilanberman.com/7615/a-counterterrorism-ally-in-north-africa

May Iran become a vibrant and hopeful place again. -gw

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On First Baha'i Homeowner in Tacoma: Nathan Ward Fitzgerald is the correct answer!

From: Northwest BahaiLibrary

Nathan Ward Fitzgerald is the correct answer!

So Deb and Tim came up with the correct answer to the question posed by Robert, whose Baha'i home is this?

Congratulations!! -gw

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On Attaining The Dynamics of Growth: Entire Baha'i photo series is online

Photos & text copyright Baha'i World Centre

In urban centers and rural villages,

in homes, schools, businesses, and community centers across the globe, Bahá’ís hailing from every walk of life are engaged, as members of growing, vibrant communities, in promoting at the grassroots the well-being of the entire human race. Through a series of activities involving children, junior youth, youth, and adults, these citizens of the world are rallying their friends and neighbors, their families and co-workers to participate in the transformation of society. The vital spirit of these efforts has been captured in a collection of images from every continent, which you are invited to view here.

http://www.bahai.org/attaining/

Nothing conveys the reality of Baha'i life like pictures. Nothing conveys the secret to the vigorous growth of the Baha'i Communty like the photos included in Attaining the Dynamics of Growth that document the core activities in place around the world. Thanks for the reminder, Alex. -gw

+

From: Alexander

You may already be familiar with the document from the Baha'i World Center on Attaining the Dynamics of Growth...

Are you aware of this page on the bahai.org site?

http://www.bahai.org/attaining/

~Alex

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

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On the Tacoma Invaders vs the Northwest Terminators: The other football giving meaning to the human experience, too

I have been madly processing the photos and videos, more than 500 altogether, I took at last Saturday night's exciting Tacoma Invader's football game. I've skinnied down the total and have finally uploaded to Flickr the 252 photos which are now in the set below. I have probably only a quarter of the video up, so there is a lot more uploading to go. I haven't included any video clips into the set yet, but I will do so when I have them all to work with. My goal is to replicate what I did after the previous Invader's game I attended, putting the photos and videos together into slideshow form. so you can view the chronological march of the game from beginning to end, quarter by quarter. Really, I love what you can do with Flickr slideshows.

It was my friend Charles, who is a co-general manager of the team and a Baha'i, who got me into following the Invaders in the first place. Attending the games and taking n the crowd, msot of whom are family and friends of players on the field, provides a window into a fascinating cultural experience. Whereas at the moment of this writing the eyes of the people all around the globe are focused on another kind of football, the World Cup of soccer being played in South Africa, the American version of football is uniting souls and giving meaning to their lives. Sport has a unique place in the human experience.

The game was played on a brilliantly sunny evening starting after 6 p.m. It ended just before 10 p.m. under the lights. Here is my first installment on the game. -gw



Here are the links to previous Tacoma Invaders football pics I took...



http://www.flickr.com/photos/85934826@N00/collections/72157623988289338/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85934826@N00/collections/72157624002740952/

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On the First Baha'i Home in Tacoma: The homeowner met 'Abdu'l-Baha in 'Akka about 1902

Thankfully, Robert is forthcoming with some clues to the mystery posed in a post earlier today. Who's home is this? -gw

 

From: Northwest BahaiLibrary

 

 Some clues:

• The father of the family that lived in this home made a pilgrimage and met 'Abdu'l-Baha in 'Akka about 1902.
• The home was built in 1910.
• The family lived in another home in Tacoma for about five years before this one was built for them.
• Their first residence in Tacoma has yet to be located.

Attached is a map showing where the home is located.

 

Robert

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On Poised to Censure: U.N. Rights Council prepared to name and shame Iran

 

On the heels of the trial of the seven Baha'i Leaders which appears to have ended after a 4th session on Saturday is the news of this action by the United Nations Human Rights Council. -gw

 

The draft text voices concern at "events including the violent suppression of dissent, detention and executions without due process of law, severe discrimination against women and minorities including people of the Baha'i faith and restrictions on freedom of expression and religion".

Tehran should allow freedoms of expression, of the media and of assembly, protect religious minorities, respect prisoners' rights and ensure equal treatment of women and girls, it reads, also calling for Iran to conduct "an independent investigation" into killings, arrests and detentions since the elections.

The text also urges Iran to make good on its promise to allow visits by U.N. human rights investigators.

"It is a strong political statement," said one activist.

The 47-member Human Rights Council, dominated by developing nations wary of interference in their own records, rarely "names and shames" states.

http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-49292820100614

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On Soulpancake the Book: A spin-off from soulpancake.com to be published soon

Sometimes when I'm searching for inspiration I like to go to Soul Pancake. Usually, I'll find a thought or question that'll provoke a response that'll end up being the spark for something.

Today it's this question: Does there have to be a reason for everything?

Is it necessary for everything within a belief system to fundamentally trace back to a creator or a genesis or even a big bang, a huge raison d'etre for everything? Or can we handle the idea that some things might exist independently of an owner and a cause?

http://www.dummocrats.com/archives/001904.php

 

The word on the street is that Soul Pancake will be coming out as a book. -gw

 

Since its launch in the spring of 2009, SoulPancake.com has already had more than 2 million visitors, more than 6.4 million pageviews, more than 100,000 visitors per month, and more than 27,000 registered users. 

SoulPancake follows the site's bold, conversational tone and will feature 80% original material, as well as a series of artistic challenges that give the reader an outlet to express creativity.

Rainn Wilson has nearly 2 million followers on Twitter, where he frequently mentions SoulPancake.

 

http://www.hyperioncatalogs.com/Hyperion/1279_1423_333038343338.htm#readmore

 

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On the First Baha'i Home in Tacoma: In fact, one of the first in the Northwest

From: Northwest BahaiLibrary

Here is a photo taken in late April 2007 of the first Baha'i home in
Tacoma. It was one of the very first in the entire Northwest Region,
too.

Before revealing the name of the family who lived there, when they
lived there, and exactly where it is, please make a guess.

Robert
Northwest Baha'i Library

Well, dear readers, what's your guess? I'll post the answer in the comments section, when Robert clues us in. -gw

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On the Way Forward as a Baha'i Community: Each lover's steps fall so differently

We swore we'd travel darlin' side by side
We'd help each other stay in stride
But each lover's steps fall so differently
But I'll wait for you
And if I should fall behind
Wait for me

http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/IfIShouldFallBehind.html

 

Up the hill ..... Uploaded on June 12, 2010 by james eugene frank on flickr

 

Sometimes as a Baha'i we can either feel like we're falling behind or we're waiting for someone to catch up. But the reality is, when we love each other and are obediant to Baha'u'llah, we're all in this together. -gw

 

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On Riding High in a Lowly Canoe: Paddling Herron Island

Low tide. Primoridal soup. Strange creatures. An island. A little ferry boat. Stone beaches. Streamlets. Sea birds. Warm sunshine. Families walking on the beaches with dogs. Riding high in a lowly canoe. You get the pictures. -gw

 

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On Be Steadfast in Thy Cause: Photos by Michael Frank

Tags: Washington * West Hylebos Wetlands Park * prayer * Baha'i

Assist, Uploaded on April 19, 2010 by mlfrank99 on flickr

Last night our Baha'i study circle completed Ruhi Book 8, Part 1. The quote incorporated into this photo by Michael Frank goes to the heart of the purpose of book.

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On the DAWNING PLACE DEEPENING STUDY CLASS: Tarry no longer

Not to be missed. -gw

SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 2010

TIME: 2:00PM

PLACE: ROBERT AND LYNDA'S HOME

THEME: THE TORCH OF FAITH AND TARRY NO LONGER

FACILITATORS: ROBERT & LYNDA

ELRICO &TOSCA

MAIN SCRIPTURES: GOD PASSES BY, page 91, para.2-4

page 93, para.1-3

page 94 para. 1

REV. 9:12, 11:12, etc., etc.

GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH

SEC. XIV, para.1,3,5 ( ST.JOHN 3:3-8 )

SEC. XXVI, para. 1-4

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH

SEC. XXXIV, para.5

SEC. LXXXV, para. 2

SEC. CXXVI, para. 1,2,3,4

SEC. CXXV, para. 5

SEC. CXXIV, para. 3, TIME AND PLACE

KITABI IQAN, pg.104 para. 3,4,5 on pg. 105, pg. 118 para. 1,2, pg. para. 1,2,3,4

ECCLES. 3:1,17; 8:6

BAYAN pg. 102, para.2

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND PLEASE BRING YOUR BOOKS

ROBERT / LYNDA

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On Definitions of Spirituality That Are Too Narrow: Baha'i is outside the box

 

Dwight Schrute, aka Rainn Wilson, is “sick of spirituality having to be hippy-dippy, airy-fairy and uber-precious”.

Instead, he wants to take on life’s big questions, de-lamify talking about God & religion, and stop being idiots & judging each other.

Though what Soul Pancake is going to be all about is still mostly a mystery, and it’s still tough to tell how serious this site is going to be, you can at least start by uploading your “spatufist” to the site (the symbol of Soul Pancake), and see what others have done with their spatufist.

[Soul Pancake]

Tagged as: Airy-Fairy, Dwight Schrute, God, Hippy-Dippy, Judging, Life's Big Questions, Mystery, Rainn Wilson, Religion, Soul Pancake, Spatufist, Spirituality, Uber-Precious

Remember how Rainn Wilson introduced Soul Pancake in conversations with the likes of Oprah Winfrey? I thought of that when I listened to Peter Khan's comments about spirituality. -gw

 

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