Heart of Gold Jewelers March Gallery Opening and Reception

Be there or be square. ;)
and be sure and visit all the other galleries in the area every First Friday. Lovely nosh, wine and beauty. North Lincoln is really coming alive with art: now we need more music north of Vine Street. Local musicians, do you hear us?
We love live local music.

God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot

I heard this wonderful song - written by Leonard Cohen and sung by Buffy Sainte-Marie - on KZUM community-powered radio while making my Lenten "big breakfast" this morning(scrambled tofu with hot sauce, garlic pepper and turmeric, fried potatoes & piece of toast). I was awestruck at the humble power of Ms. Sainte-Marie's rendition, and I really liked the depiction of the Holy Trinity and the end of the video. For your lenten journey ~

Great News For Pie Lovers

Stauffer’s Cake & Pie Shoppe is opening a second location on March 1st, at N.48th and St. Paul in University Place, giving the beloved locally owned and owner-operated home-cookin’ eatery locations on both ends of 48th Street (the other is just south of S. 48th and Highway 2). It'll be open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturdays, with dinner hours likely coming at a later date, once the new locale gets well established.

If you are not already a customer/fan, please do pop in for some good plain Midwestern cooking featuring menu items such as Hot Beef Sandwich, Michigan Salad (spinach, walnuts, dried cherries and local cheese)or a cheeseburger with onion rings. Not to mention made-from-scratch pies with such exotica as gooseberry, chocolate peanut butter and raisin sour cream along with the usual blueberry apple cherry pumpkin. In the immortal words of Bob Dylan, Oh me, oh my, love that country pie.

And when you come in please say hello, I'll be working as a part-time host there six days a week, over the lunch rush! We expect a real warm welcome from north Lincoln. (That street corner has really needed a good mom'n pop diner, hasn't it?)

Icons and Orthodoxy Sunday

The idea that the Son of God was incarnate, born of a woman as all other humans are, that He lived, and breathed, and laughed and then even suffered and died, as do all humans ~ this idea was anathema to many people. Actually it still is today. Many Protestants and Roman Catholics and others view the Orthodox person bowing and venerating the icons, and think we are engaged in some form of idol-worship. But we worship only God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, but we use the medium of the icons to do so. And in the case of all the saints, angels and the Holy Theotokos, we do honor and respect, ask for prayers and blessing from them, but we do not idolize nor worship nor provide the relationship which is due to God alone. The best way I can explain it it to point out that you might have a picture of your deceased grandfather, or another deceased relative, in your home, and when you think of that departed beloved done, you might even give the picture a little kiss and have warm feelings welling up in your heart for that person, now gone to their reward. But you certainly are not worshipping them, or the glass and wood the picture is made of. Or even when you kiss a friend's cheek, or a child's forehead or even your spouse, you are loving and connecting with a living "icon" of the living God, who is not due worship but only respect and love, as the east Indians say, "Namaste" ~ basically meaning "I see the God in you, the divine in me sees the divine in you and gives it greetings".

The Sunday of Orthodoxy is the first Sunday of Great Lent. The rancorous iconoclastic controversy, which had raged on and off since 726AD, and in 843AD was finally laid to rest, and icons and their veneration were restored on the first Sunday in Lent by the Empress Theodora. Ever since, this Sunday has been commemorated as the "Triumph of Orthodoxy." Today it is known as the Sunday of Orthodoxy, or simply Orthodoxy Sunday.

Almsgiving

The three cornerstones of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The giving of alms is an ancient, worldwide spiritual practice of giving, materially, to the poor and needy. In a broader sense, almsgivng may be said to include the pouring out of self to include the broader definition of brotherhood, family and inclusiveness. Give, and give of your talents, and be of good cheer! Thank God for all my gifts and blessings, and trials and difficulties.

Householders & the homeless, in mutual dependence, both reach the true Dhamma. - Buddha

Total willingness to give is the wish-granting gem for fulfilling the hopes of wandering beings. It is the sharpest weapon to sever the knot of stinginess.It leads to bodhisattva conduct that enhances self-confidence and courage,And is the basis for universal proclamation of your fame and repute. Realizing this, the wise rely, in a healthy manner, on the outstanding path of(being ever-willing) to offer completely their bodies, possessions, and positive potentials. The ever-vigilant lama has practiced like that.If you too would seek liberation, Please cultivate yourself in the same way. - Lama Tsong Khapa

Christ Jesus in Matthew 25:45 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)
Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.

Christ Jesus in Luke 11:40-42

40Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make also that which is within?
41But yet that which remaineth, give alms; and behold, all things are clean unto you.
42But woe to you, Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb; and pass over judgment, and the charity of God. Now these things you ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Forgiveness

The main theme of Lent, and indeed of the message of Christ Himself, is forgiveness. The unity this points to is nothing less than an overwhelming complete cohesiveness of the heavens and the earth, of humanity and nature, a new Eden. For that which is one must needs be harmonious, it shall not split apart or argue disparate battles, lest it become schizophrenic. Which is what our current state of the world is. Forgiveness of offenses opens the door for a fresh and clean realization that all is indeed one, that all is indeed love.
DJY

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves. ~ Sidney and Suzanne Simon

The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

The more you know yourself, the more you forgive yourself. ~ Confucious

Alicia Keys-Pray For Forgiveness




Alicia Keys - Pray For Forgiveness

Beautiful garden
Where have you gone?
Myself delusions are leaving me in the start
Taking for granted all the goodness that I found
Somewhere I lost hope
My control came crashing down

[chorus]:
And I pray for forgiveness
Look for the answers
'Cos it's hard for me to pretend
Look to my mother
Gone to the captain
Don't you see this state that I'm in
No one will notice
Nobody notices
'Cos it's me where it begins...
Lookin' for justice
Searchin' for answers...

Beautiful morning
Please don't wake me from my sleep
'Cos I need some comfort
To regain my sanity

I don't wanna feel this crazy
I don't wanna feel this parted
Shattered in a million pieces
I'm so broken hearted

No one left to run
Nowhere left to go

[chorus]

I swear that every day
I feel like my mind is haunting me
I think of every little stupid mistake that has been made

This time I won't have the string to gather myself
I'm falling to pieces...

Clean Monday

The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, to be prayed morning and night throughout Lent.

O Lord and Master of my life, take away from me the spirit of laziness, meddling, ambition and gossip.

But give to me your servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love.

Yes, Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and faults, and not to judge my brothers or sisters, for you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

Monday, February 15, is “Kathara Deftera” (or in English, Clean Monday). It is the first day of Lent for Orthodox Christians worldwide. Actually, Lent itself, begins the preceding evening during Vespers (called Forgiveness Vespers). The theme for this beautiful service is “forgiveness” – when all present ask each other for forgiveness – starting Lent with a clean conscience and forgiveness.

Remodeling In Progress

Beginning today, it is Great and Holy Lent in the Eastern Church, and the blog is about to undergo a refashioning and a remodelling as I pass through the 40 day spiritual cycle. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are at the forefront and politics and the world must take a back seat and cool their heels while the Lenten Spring works its resurrection magic on us. So don't be surprised at a new look, and some late winter/early spring doings coming to The Rosemary Tree soon! A good Lent to you.

We support pro-democracy citizens of Iran! From the Christian Science Monitor: Iran braces for demonstration showdown: Will the future of Iran be changed?

Feb. 8th ~ Saint Theodore Stratelates

St. Theo, pray for us and pray for all our military and police.

The holy Martyr Theodore was from Euchaita of Galatia and dwelt in Heraclea of Pontus. He was a renowned commander in the military, and the report came to the Emperor Licinius that he was a Christian and refused the idols. Licinius therefore sent certain men to him from Nicomedia, to honor him and ask him to appear before him. Through them, however, Saint Theodore sent back a message that it was necessary, that Licinius should come to Heraclea. Licinius, seeing in this a hope of turning Saint Theodore away from Christ did as was asked of him.

When the Emperor came to Heraclea, Saint Theodore met him with honor, and the Emperor in turn gave Theodore his hand, believing that through him he would be able to draw the Christians to the worship of his idols. Seated upon his throne in the midst of the people, he publicly bade Theodore offer sacrifice to the gods. But Theodore asked that the emperor entrust him with the most venerable of his gods, those of gold and silver, that he might take them home and himself attend upon them that evening, promising that the following day he would honor them in public. The Emperor, filled with joy at these tidings, gave command that Theodore’s request be fulfilled.

When the Saint had taken the idols home, he broke them in pieces and distributed the gold and silver to the poor by night. The next day a centurion named Maxentius told Licinius that he had seen a pauper pass by carrying the head of Artemis. Saint Theodore, far from repenting of this, confessed Christ boldly. Licinius, in an uncontainable fury, had the Saint put to many torments, then crucified.

While upon the cross, the holy Martyr was further tormented, horribly. The next day Licinius sent men to take his corpse and cast it into the sea; but they found the Saint alive and perfectly whole! Through this, many believed in Christ. Seeing his own men turning to Christ, and the city in an uproar, Licinius had Theodore beheaded, about the year 320. The Saint’s holy relics were returned to his ancestral home on June 8, which is also a feast of the Great Martyr Theodore.

Not Even Bothering To Rearrange the Deck Chairs

Apparently we cannot even be bothered to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic (referring to global climate change and peak oil) let alone make a halfhearted attempt to get the babies and women in the lifeboats. I have suspected as much since the 1970's when the window of opportunity to address this problem in an effective and significant way opened and then closed again in the span of a few short years, while celebrity divorces, petty dictator's temper tantrums and making the almighty dollar - damn the cost! - occupied the worthy citizens.

DJY

From Frum Forum, The latest talk on the Hill has it that climate legislation has no chance this year, given the bandwidth consumed by high jobless numbers, financial reform, a healthcare debate hanging around like an unwanted in-law, and the starboard turn of 2010 electoral politics.

~~~

We Didn't Start the Fire

David L. Smith says that the Republicans are like arsonists who set a building ablaze and then complain about the fire department wasting water. It occurs to me for about the 1,000th time that Billy Joel should add some verses to this fantastic old song and bring it up-to-date. Enjoy!

Obama Finds the Real Power

Here's a little screed from across the pond (The Telegraph, U.K.) which will have you ruminating -
Barack Obama finds out who really holds power
On both sides of the Atlantic, the same group of people decide who wins elections, says Janet Daley
Be sure to click on over and read it.

I'm Baaack!

I've been a shrewd observer of the scene these past few weeks ~ I apologize if anyone has missed the eclectic and random musings presented here. I'm back!