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 |   This blog contains responses to blog prompts, & thoughts on spiritual or religious themes |
Disclaimer: Any views, about religion or sacred scriptures, expressed in this blog are my own and not the official views of the Baha'i Faith or any other religion. If you wish to know more about the Baha'i Faith, please check one of these websites: The Baha'i Faith: The Official Website of the Worldwide Baha'i Community  or Baha'is of the United States ."The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers." Abdu'l-Baha1                     Other Blogs and Journals Content Rating 18+ "Writing in Snow" "The Snowflake Chronicles" "Snow Melt" "More Snow Melt" "Welcome to My Life" "Melting Snow" "Memories of Snow" "Dreams of Snow " "Poem Experiments" "Devotional Poetry" Other Journals Content Rating ASR "Bicentenary Poems and Prose" "Treasures lie hidden beneath the throne of God; the key to those treasures if the tongue of poets." The Bab "O my God! O my God! Unite the hearts of Thy servants, and reveal to them Thy great purpose. May they follow Thy commandments and abide in Thy law. Help them, O God, in their endeavor, and grant them strength to serve Thee. O God! Leave them not to themselves, but guide their steps by the light of Thy knowledge, and cheer their hearts by Thy love. Verily, Thou art their Helper and their Lord." Bahá’u’lláh2 ![Merit Badge in WDC Soundtrackers
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Jamál (Beauty), 7 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Sunday, November 10, 2019
PROMPT November 10th - What do you find yourself insecure about? Are you able to overcome your insecurities? If so, how? Insecurities always blowing in the breeze: I place my trust in God! I'm not listing any of my insecurities for three reasons. First, I'm sure the list is too long to include in a sing blog entry, and I'm not going to make more than one blog entry on this subject in November. Second, they are my insecurities, I'm the one who has to deal with them, and past experience has taught me that when I share my insecurities all I get is more difficulties to deal with. Three, the only one I have to confess anything to is Baha'u'llah, God's representative. There could be, and probably are, other reasons I'm not sharing my insecurities, but those would only emphasize some of my insecurities. Therefore, I will share a poem. November Nights are growing longer and colder, as the tapestry of the year is rolled up waiting to be stored in the closet of memory. |
Jalál (Glory), 6 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Saturday, November 9, 2019
DAY 2546: November 9 to November 14 is the International Week of Science and Peace . How do you think technology affect international peace? I'm reading a series of article by Victoria Welborn titled How Science and Religion Can Agree "Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity." Abdu’l-Baha3 As a Baha'i, I not only believe World Peace is possible I believe it is inevitable. It is the next stage in the collective evolution of the human race and cultural. We have went through the early stages of family, clan, city-state, and nation--each of which was generated by a Manifestation of the attributes of God. We are now on the verge of world unity and peace. This is the reason God sent both the Bab and Baha'u'llah. However, world peace and unity won't come easy because we, as human beings, are expected to help by asking questions and investigating reality. We are expected to help by putting aside all of our learned prejudices because prejudice of any type is detrimental to peace and unity. Technology and science will assist us in establishing World Peace, if we are willing to ask ourselves the hard questions. If each individual human being is willing to investigate, for themselves, the discoveries made by scientist. The International Week of Science and Peace is a good time to start by looking into community projects that cover the scientific discoveries we are interested in. Footnotes |
Jalál (Glory), 6 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Saturday, November 9, 2019
PROMPT: November 9th - Write a stream of conscious entry starting with the words “I wish...” I wish... What is it I wish for? A dish of chocolate ice cream or a slice of death by chocolate cake covered with a couple of scoops chocolate ice cream and a trenta cafe mocha. Maybe a slice of pepperoni pizza with with Jalapeños. Wishes are strange and secretive critters. At birthday parties you blow out the candles and make a wish. However, you're not supposed to tell the wish or you won't get it. That never made any sense to me. If you don't tell someone about your wish, how are you supposed to get it. Is there a wish fairy--cousin to the tooth fairy--that reads your mind and grants wishes. I don't remember ever getting any birthday wish unless I told either Grandma Mary or Grandpa Frank. Sometimes Mama would grant my wish if I told her, but I had a better chance of getting it if I told one or both of my grandparents. |
Istiqlál (Independence), 5 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Friday, November 8, 2019
PROMPT: November 8th - Besides music, what are some of your favorite sounds?  What are my favorite sounds? Any noise that doesn't remotely resemble the sound of small arms fire, the police breaking down a neighbors door, or an unidentifiable loud noise that wakes me up in the middle of the night wondering if we're being invaded by extraterrestrials. I don't mind most animal noises, with the exception of the damn pigeon that nests above the next door apartment. This pigeon keeps singing the "Lonely Pigeon Blues" all day beginning in March until about the middle of November. It is the most pathetic and weird animal noise I've ever heard, and I heard some really unusual and weird animal noises in my life. My favorite animal sound is the song of a nightingale. I like to listen to music, at least most types of music. If I find a song that I don't like or feel is offensive, I don't listen to it again. I enjoy cats purring. I don't mind dogs barking, and I like the sound of a rooster crowing. I don't mind neighbor noises, as long as they're not airing their dirty laundry in public. |
Istijlál (Majesty), 4 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Thursday, November 7, 2019
PROMPT: November 7th What is your favorite color? Do you have a favorite color pairing? What’s something in your life that you picture when you think of your favorite color? Do you choose to wear clothing that is your favorite color? Has your favorite color changed over your life? Use these questions to explore how your favorite color has influenced you. **Optional  Enjoy this video about a woman’s love affair with the color green: https://youtu.be/pE5h2kk0NTIPurple butterflies Flutter around lilac blooms Oklahoma dawn Indigo is the flame of my soul as it burns for the Glory of God. Violets scatter Their innocent and abundant Fragrance across the planet. Plums so cold, so sweet, and so pure wait to be eaten. What is my favorite color? My favorite colors are shades of purple and indigo. What are my favorite color pairings? Purple, indigo, and shades of rose or magenta. What do I picture when I think of my favorite color? Lilacs, plums, violets, and grapes. |
‘Idál (Justice), 3 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Wednesday, November 6, 2019
November 6th: I have another link for you all today: What parts of the chart did you find to be accurate and which did you find issue with? Anything you related strongly to? Is a chart like this useful, or does it rely too heavily on stereotypes? Labels separate, labels segregate, people into cubicles of disunity. That chart is just another way of labeling people! It's another way of dividing humanity into small groups that a an individual can ignore, hate, or look down on. Instead of separating people by color, religion, nationality, or gender, it separates them by generation. Since each human being is a unique individual--with some attributes and talents in common with or different from other human beings--you can't lump all "baby boomers" or "generation Xers" into the same category with other "baby boomers" or "generation Xers". Labels and categories build walls between people, without encouraging communication. We need more communication between generations, so that one generation can understand the other without either generation judging the other. |
Fiḍál (Grace), 2 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Tuesday, November 5, 2019
PROMPT: November 5th - Write your entry today inspired by one of the emotions listed on the webpage below: https://soulspottv.com/15-words-youve-never-heard-describe-emotions-we-all-feel-... Yù Yī "(n) The desire to see everything with fresh eyes To feel things just as intensely as you did when you were younger—before expectations, before memory, before words."4 It tiptoes through my mind, after prayers, after scripture readings, after meditation-- it is the desire to see reality, humanity, the planet, and the universe, with new eyes. I want to put aside the expectations, the memories, and the words that label and conceal the inner truth of the atoms and subatomic particles that make compose the core of the cosmos and life.
DAY 2524: Use these words in your entry : herald, dawn, pivotal, light, and shadows. Herald of a New Dawn: To The Bab He appeared at a pivotal time in history, when the shadows of dogma and superstition veiled the inner light of faith and covered the common foundation of religion, with the crumbling stones of ancient places of worship. The herald of a new dawn, the Bab proclaimed unity and announced the approach of Him Whom God Will Make Manifest, of Baha'u'llah-- the Glory of God. Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 1 Qudrat (Power) 176 B.E. - Monday, November 4, 2019
PROMPT: November 4th - Would you rather be surprised or surprise someone else? Write about it! To Surprise or Not to Surprise I have never had a surprise party. I have never attended a surprise party (at least I can't remember attending one). I have never planned a surprise party. The only type of surprises I like and look forward to getting are those wrapped in Happy Birthday paper some other type beautiful gift paper or bags. I do not like to have people dropping by my apartment without calling first (the only exceptions to this are UPS, FEDX, or some other delivery persons).
DAY 2042: Does your brain surprise you with its brilliance or its glitches? If you wish, would you like to elaborate on the idea? At 72, I surprise (perhaps I should say scar myself) with my brain glitches. I also dazzle myself with my brilliance, especially when it come to poetry. Sometimes, I wonder where the ideas, phrases, lines, metaphors, and similes come from. After thinking about it, I realize that they either come from my subconscious mind or are gifts from God. I attribute them as gifts from God because the only way I can access my subconscious mind is with the help of the Lord. |
Jamál (Beauty), 19 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Sunday, November 3, 2019
PROMPT: November 3rd - Write about a time when you waited a long time for something. Did you end up getting what you wanted? Was it worth it? Waiting Seconds Walk into view Dawdling over minutes Waddling past light curtained portals Seconds Waltz with Minutes beneath Artificial white lights Across bright floors hiding hours that waltz with Seconds Dance down the ages Forgotten by minutes Unremembered by echoing Seconds Beyond Forgotten hours Waiting outside of sight Outside of hope outside of time Beyond It seems I'm always waiting for something. In Las Vegas you stand in line at buffets or wait at stop lights that seem to take forever to turn form red to green. I wait at any doctor's office I go to. Sometimes I wait in line at Supercuts. At certain times of day I can find myself waiting in line at a fast food place. I wait for the RTC paratransit bus to pick me up and drop me off either at the business I'm going to or at home. Most of the time the bus arrives within the thirty minute window, but sometimes it is late. The paratransit bus always arrives and the drivers apologize when they're late. Queued 1 Like a giant snake, the line advances slithering between roped corridors. 2 I stand and wait; I set and wait; I wait and wait and wait! I wait for money; I wait for food; Sometimes it seems I wait int line, To wait in line, to wait in line ... |
Jalál (Glory), 18 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Saturday, November 2, 2019
PROMPT: November 2nd - Write about jouska. From Psychology Today, jouska is defined as “a hypothetical conversation that you play out over and over in your head. For example, replaying an argument in your head where you say all the right things and “win” the argument, or practicing asking your boss for a raise and playing out his or her responses and your comebacks.” At least now I have a name for it that sounds better than talking to myself. I play out conversations, poem, blog entries, and stories in my head all the time. The conversations usually don't come to fruition because by the time I encounter the person (usually on the phone) another subject is discussed. The only time the planned conversation comes to fruition is with one of my doctors or the physician assistant. I usually address Baha'u'llah when I have internal conversations. It helps focus my mind on the issues which are bothering me. If I have difficulty focusing I can't write, so I discuss the situation with Baha'u'llah or I repeat a prayer I've memorized. Both help me refocus when my thought start to roam. I get irritated with myself when I catch myself fantasizing or my thoughts wandering over things that have nothing to do with what I'm working on at the moment. November started out a bit better than October. So far, I've managed to focus on a the blog entries and poems I'm composing. Of course, this it just day two, and for the past few years November has been a difficult month to focus because that's when my mother died in 2012. She died on Thursday, November 29, 2012, one week after Thanksgiving. November 29 is also Grandpa Franks birthday., I'll just have to wait and see how the rest of the month goes and if I can finish the goals I've planed for this month in "November Writing Goals" . |
Istiqlál (Independence), 17 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Friday, November 1, 2019
PROMPT: November 1st - I’m sending this prompt in between princesses and spidermen begging at my door for free candy.  If you celebrate Halloween in your part of the world, what are your family’s traditions? What were the popular Halloween costumes in your childhood? Which candy was the most coveted?   I don't celebrate Halloween anymore. When Mom was alive, we gave out candy because she like to see the costumes that all the children wore. My roommate purchased a bag of candy this year, and we didn't have any trick or treaters. We'll be eating candy for several weeks, which is alright with me. The only problem is that it isn't chocolate candy. The most I'll do for Halloween is writ poems or stories.
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Istijlál (Majesty), 16 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Thursday, October 31, 2019 November Writing Goals  Finish poems 185 to 200 in "Bicentenary Poems and Prose" dedicated to The Bab. Respond to "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" prompts and comment on other participants blog entries. Finish editing my edition of the November Spiritual newsletter. Finish editing m y edition of the November Fantasy newsletter. Participate in "The Contest Challenge" . Participate in "I Write in 2019" .  Review at least 30 items. Keep up with the weekly poems for "Invalid Item" . Write, at least, one story and submit it to a WDC contest. |
‘Idál (Justice), 15 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Anwesenheit, a German word, meaning presence refers to that feeling we get when we're by ourselves of being watched. I discovered this word while reading the Live Science article "Why Are Some Adults Really Afraid of Ghosts?"5 by Stephanie Pappa. Next time I'm alone, and feel that someone is watching me I now know what to call that feeling. Defenestration, which refers to the act of throwing someone out the window.6 I have to thank Robert Waltz  for making me aware of this word. I've never had the inclination or the opportunity to defenestration anyone or anything. Probably because I have a lousy aim and would miss the window.Bastard according to dictionary.com one of the one of the origins of this word is the old French term " fils de bast" meaning “child of a packsaddle”.7 For An Untitled Poem "Child of a packsaddle", I can't name you! Bastard, offspring of the muse, who fathered you? I have no clue! Therefore, no title will I give you. Footnotes |
Fiḍál (Grace), 14 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Tuesday, October 29, 2019 "This is the day when [the Bab] set foot in this world and illumined it with his light. There is every reason for rejoicing ..." Baha’u’llah,8 This is the day when heaven and earth raised their voices in jubilation, when the Concourse on High expressed it exaltation. This is the day for humanity to rejoice, because the Bab was born, because the door to unity and world peace was opened. Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 13 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Monday, October 28, 2019
DAY 2534: "When walking through the 'valley of shadows,' remember, a shadow is cast by a Light." Austin O'Malley Let this quotation inspire your blog entry. Walking Through the Valley of Shadows I walk through the Valley of Shadows with the light of God's Glory as my guide. The road is rough and narrow, covered with stones and thistles, and edged by poisonous vines. I walk through the Valley of Shadows safe in God's ancient covenant, with Baha'u'llah as my guide. |
Jamál (Beauty), 12 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Sunday, October 27, 2019 Celebrating the Bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab On Saturday, October 26, I attended the bicentenary celebration of the Birth of the Bab. The celebration was a musical play telling about the main events in the Bab's life and ministry. This consisted of dramatic performances that portrayed the people who knew the Bab, with each performance being followed by a musical selection. Musical Prelude Brief Context of the Times The Bab Declares His Mission The Station of the Bab Music: "I Am the Promised One" The Bab's Mother, Fatemeh Music: "God is Sufficient Unto Me" The Wife of the Bab, Khadijih Music:Santoor Solo Mulla Hussein, the first to believe Music: "The Gate of the Gate" Tahirih, the only female "Letter of the Living" Dance and Music: "Solace of the Eyes" Anis, the one who was with Him when He died Music: "Allahuma" Sam Khan, the appointed executioner Music: "He was More than a Man" Darkness to Light Music: "The Queen of Carmel" Fulfillment Music: "Soon Will All That Dwell on Earth" |
Istiqlál (Independence), 10 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Friday, October 25, 2019
DAY 2531: Write about an adult event or gathering from the point of view of a child. It's Friday, and I'm not ready for Friday. When I was a child I was always ready for Friday, and every adult I knew was ready for Friday. Friday was a magical day. It was the first of two days I got to stay up watching the late show on television. Friday was the day I looked forward to weekend. In spring, summer, and autumn Friday was the day we got in Grandpa's car and went to the Lake to stay until Sunday morning. Friday is no longer anything special. It is no longer the end of the workweek or the school-week. Now Friday is a day to catch up on what I didn't finish during the week. I don't know how much I'll accomplish today, which means I have some things to carry over to Saturday and Sunday.
DAY 2032: Everyone’s addicted to something in some shape or form. What are things you can’t go without? Addiction is an illness that affect the body, mind, and soul of the individual afflicted. It has numerous causes, and there are many people in society today dealing with it. Some know they are dealing with and addiction, while other don't. As for everyone being addicted to something, that's an overstatement. I don't think everyone is addicted to something. One of the problems with addition is that our present society appears to subtly encourage it. |
Istijlál (Majesty), 9 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Thursday, October 24, 2019
DAY 2530: Use these random words in your blog entry today: touch, proportion, exempt, count, clerk, circumstance, rub, characteristic, use, nightmare. Have fun! It's Thankful Thursday, the one day of the week set aside for expressing gratitude. Gratitude is a spiritual characteristic, which can be practiced by anyone no matter what their religion is or isn't. Gratitude under all conditions is a component in individual happiness or contentment. Gratitude in adversity changes a person's perspective and makes difficult circumstance a little easier to deal with. Gratitude doesn't make us exempt for sorrow, instead it gives us something to hold onto. Count your blessings: Do they increase in proportion to the ones you count? Each day you are blessed by the touch of the sun on your cheeks. Does counting your blessings decrease the nightmare of depression? Let you soul be a clerk and use your blog as a place to file the blessings of the week. When you count your blessings you rub the dust off the mirror of your spirit. |
‘Idál (Justice), 8 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 "Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation. Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth … Great indeed is the claim of scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the world." 'Abdu'l-Baha tells us, in The Promulgation of Universal Peace, that "Scientific knowledge is the highest attainment upon the human plane,"11 because it lets us explore reality. 'Abdu'l-Baha further states that there are two types of realit (1) material and (2) spiritual.12 We can use the scientific method to explore both types because we humans have both a material nature and a spiritual nature. We use science to discover the universe in which we live. Since our scientific knowledge is always expanding and evolving, we can't discover absolute truth while living on the material plane. We can discover facts based on science, however, since the material/physical universe continues to evolve our scientific knowledge of the universe continues to change and evolve. This fact was brought home to me when I read 5 Accepted Climate Change Facts – and a Few Unaccepted Ones by David Langness, which is Part 1 of the serues Climate and the Human Spirit .Science is one of God's gifts to humanity, it helps us discover the inner reality of everything, but in order to use science properly we have to learn to ask questions. Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 6 ‘Ilm (knowledge) 176 B.E. - Monday, October 21, 2019
DAY 2527: What is your favorite autumn desert? Do you have a special memory about that desert? Autumn Desert Autumn is the season of memories, nostalgia, and tears. Autumn is the juncture between summer and winter, when memories of my Grandmother's pumpkin pies waft through my mind, like the aroma of pumpkin spice in her kitchen between Halloween and Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving and Christmas. Autumn deserts-- always bring back memories of pumpkin pie-- were Grandma's specialty, and always tasted best because her secret ingredient was love. |
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