What's Behind the Real American Music
Topic: music

Loren Schoenberg, executive Director of The Jazz Museum in Harlem, came to our area a couple of months ago.  I was privilege to hear him speak and make impromptu jazz on stage with people he'd never met!  Fun.  

And very educational.  Plus related to my advocacy work, something I never expected!

Loren, the winner of two Grammy's performed in the White House, talked about the history of jazz, which you may know is the only truly American music. 

His primary emphasis on the history had to do with the birth of jazz.  First time I ever had anyone state clearly that it happened because of a lie.  That had to cover a lie.   Intended to cover another lie.

The first lie was that the Constitution of the United States wasn't for real about "all men created equal."  The slave holders among the writers, in fact, argued among themselves as to whether the slaves should be freed in order to stop the hypocrisy that they recognized was going to be there!  They decided that the nation would be divided if they did it.  Plus it wouldn't be profitable.  So the beloved institution of slavery was kept along with the idealism.

That's lesson one, leading up to the rest of what Loren had to say. 

I was probably the only one in the audience that noticed the parallel to the Christian church.  By adopting, from the beginning, cultural rules as "God's" rules, they instilled the ungodly and very un-Christian gender assignments that gave women very little voice.  They brought a problem into the church that was in the world.  And didn't seem to even notice!

A Dose of the Obvious
Topic: Making Changes

It's something I'm always telling others.  That we do ourselves harm whenever we try to simplify any complex issues that are involved in effecting a paradigm shift. 

Well, it's easy to remind others.  Funny thing.....As you know, I've been working on a very challenging article.   A few days ago it hit me that I was telling myself that there was something wrong with me because it was taking so long for me to get a handle on things.  To make it all come out and flow together in a way that I usually find isn't such a difficult process as this time.

Beating myself up that I wasn't being more efficient and all of that.  While the very article I was writing was trying to impart to readers that it is never easy and never simple to overcome collusion in a massive organization. 

Now doesn't that just beat all!  As obvious as the nose on my face.  How easy it is to forget the obvious!

May we all appreciate the complexities of life and embrace the opportunities we have to struggle with understanding.  Knowing that this is how we all learn.  And eventually make progress.

Being Hospitable to Self
Topic: coping
As you seek to be hospitable to others, don't forget to exend the same love and care to yourself.  By taking care of your own environment and those who are closest to your heart, even as you care for your own health in all aspects. 

Overwhelmed by Words and Feelings
Topic: coping

Writer's block isn't usually my problem.  In fact, I've always considered myself a stranger to it.  Unless I'm trying to write about something that I do not find passionate.

Usually I have plenty of passion.  So when I sit down, my struggles aren't something I'd call "writer's block," just about finding ways to organize my thoughts.  Usually not a big struggle either.   Until the last couple of weeks......

This morning I got a breakthrough!  It hit when I somehow understood, in two brief flashes, what's been happening.  The flashes came in such quick succession that I do not remember which came first.

 1.  The opposite of writer's block:   I've been overwhelmingly "blessed" by too many creative ideas along with so many people generously contributing to that flow of ideas.  So that it is difficult to sort out what will work best as I am forced to choose words, feeling that any of them will work well.   Problem is that I have too many messages I want to get out there for one article, even one with a generous amount of space.

2.  I haven't been able to keep my primary audience in my clear vision.  Survivors keep getting "in the way" of my view--not a bad thing at all, unless the audience is one resistant to survivors.  It dawned on  me that it is especially hard to write for an audience that has shown some recent signs of readiness to receive messages at the same time that I'm dealing with a long history of there being no readiness.

 Some of you can identify with that, I believe.  And understand why I have appeared to be missing so much from this blog.

The end is in sight, and I'm walking with a lighter step.   

 

Mixing and Changing Emotions
Topic: coping

Shane Gould, three-time Olympic gold medalist, comments on struggles:  "I have periods of incredible frustration--and periods of great satisfaction.  This is not a linear journey where I've arrived."

This is true for us as individuals, as well as a society and as a global community. 

It's a reminder to expect a mixture of changing experiences.  And to welcome the changing emotions that match those changes. 

A reminder that life is worth the struggles, for our gold medals come in many forms.

Summer Blah's
Mood:  lazy
Topic: coping

OK--I know that most people get the winter blah's.  Well, sometimes I get them in the summer.  So in case you are wondering, I'm alive and kicking.  In fact, been writing so much the past few days that I've not had any thoughts to share in the blog.

Now, I'm going to let the blah's just take over today.  As I see it, that's okay occasionally.  Doing so for a little while is not a bad way of coping for me.  Because I come back with a spring in my step and new ideas.

What I'm noticing is how often events that are met with passivity in matters that concern me end up triggering my aversion to the passivity in matters of abuse and violence. 

I'm preparing for a trip to Chicago.  My first time at a SNAP Convention.  No doubt in my mind that I'll meet plenty of pro-active folks to re-charge my batteries there.  Though I expect to have found other ways in the next couple of days.

Enjoy the seasons of your life and embrace the roller coaster that life brings us all. 

Funny Line from Lion King
Topic: coping

I bought a little book for my grandkids not long ago, never expecting to find a good line for this work I do.  It's from story that is a spin-off from the movie.  Title is "The Pal Patrol."

If you don't get it, please don't ask me to explain why it's about exaggerated privilege.  Just think on these things!

"Simba," asked Pumbaa, "do you like being the Lion King?  I mean, isn't it an awful lot of responsibility?"

"Well, sure," answered his friend.  "But I like having everyone depend on me to keep them safe.  It makes me feel as if I'm doing something that matters."

End of Joke.

Wanting More Humor
Topic: coping

After several days buried under the task of writing the most challenging article I've ever written, I've come to an important decision.

The rest of this year, I plan to collect funny movies to see again and again.   Along with reading funny books--not the comics books of old, of course.  More like books that make me laugh more at the serious issues of life.

Blame it on my husband.  At the suggestion of his best friend, who once did a royal job of advocacy in the church he pastored (and got canned for it!), Ron bought me a book for my birthday,  entitled From Aardvark to Aristotle.  It's all about the illogical reasoning that we often hear in politics.  Or the double-speak.

When I mentioned this to one of my teenage students this week, she said that her favorite funny movie is "Sister Act."  Same as mine, I told her, without bothering to mention that I first saw this in Toronto with Tom Economus, not long after it came out, when were together at a conference there.  I have special reasons for loving it, of course.

So, if you know of some good movies or books that are funny, let me know.  I'm open to suggestions.

About the Wilderness
Topic: spirituality

I always thought that Wilderness was where God wasn't. Only after a long, tortuous journey did I learn that Wilderness is, indeed, a very sacred place."   --Sylvia Dickey Smith

 

 This is right off the site of www.sylviadickeysmith.com  Check this writer out.  She's a new sister-heart who contacted me 48 hours ago.  

She knows what Southern hospitality is all about--in more ways than one!!  Reach out to her, and you'll see just what I mean.

 

When Hospitality Doesn't Come Easy
Topic: Making Changes

It comes naturally for me, offering hospitality to people who are different.  I've had a lot of practice, through most of my various ministries in life. 

Yet it's not always easy.  What I'm working on these days is trying to be more hospitable to people who don't seem to have a basic education in sensitivity to the needs of vulnerable people.  Not only to survivors of sexual and domestic violence.  Also to immigrants.  The homeless.  Single mothers.  Especially those in faraway countries where getting resources is complicated by poor decision-making here, that benefits those of us who don't even realize how rich we are.  

Some days it takes more patience than I have.  Yet I was reminded Sunday that being hospitable means respectfully listening to ignorance. 

Seems to help if I remind myself that sometimes, by listening, I get a broader education and a chance to reconsider opinions that I hold.  As well as a chance to offer some of my own that might bring small changes in the other.  Provided they are able to be hospitable, as well.

In that process, sometimes my own ignorance is exposed.  And that brings some painful learning!