And This Year: A Conjectural Warning of Sorts

What an incredible time to be alive!
This year, already, we have seen
Quite the astronomical accomplishment
Coming out of Japan!

Photo-taking rovers have landed
On the surface of an asteroid
Three light years away--
And we're seeing images we've never seen before.

And this year, we are cheering
For such incredible scientific accomplishment--
"Look what we did with brains and brawn
And unlimited resources!"

And this year, we are dreaming
Of all that is to come--
Of all there is yet to explore:
Where next to go, what next to discover?

And this year, we are hoping
This technology isn't hijacked
By any number of global tyrants
Interested in profit and power.

But somewhere, this year, perhaps e'en today,
In an undisclosed location, nervous minds
Meet to discuss the gold mine
That will be these incredible rovers:

"How soon can we get them equipped
With timing devices and detonators?
When will we have the precision we need
To take out entire cities, countries or continents?"

For the truth ever is, friends,
That some great minds are interested
In exploration and discovery
While others plot devastation and demise.

And this year, it's not surprising, then,
That we read such headlines
With both pride in the human race
And a fearful, mortal dread of it.


News Article:
https://www.businessinsider.com/two-rovers-just-sent-photos-of-an-asteroid-3-light-years-away-2018-9

"Your Social Credit Score": Another Cultural Inevitability

Thank God for Freedom in this country,
For the Red, White, and Blue!
Am I right...Who's with me?!

Thank God we're not living in a Communist Manifesto,
A place where everything we do is used against us--
Can I get an Amen, anybody?!

Fourth of July and Apple Pie and Baseball
And you get a phone and I get a phone and
We all get a phone, right, everybody?!

But it's happening, right now,
Out West from us--a wilder, wilder West from us--
And it's headed our way, whether we like it or not.

It's coming for us.
(Crickets chirping app, somebody...)

Nobody's so worried, right now, just now,
About Facebook and SmartPhones, Siri and Alexa,
But we should be, shouldn't we?!

One day they're going to eat our lunch,
And determine our comings and goings for us.
But let's not think about that, right?!

That's all about them, across the world,
They asked for it, the Commies, because that's what they do!
They're not at all like us, after all.

After all...
After all...
Quick--! Bury your head in the sand!

It's coming for us.
(Crickets chirping app...Anybody?)


------------------------------------
This post is based on the article found on FoxNews.com, June 20, 2018, "John Stossel: Forget Facebook, Here's What I Worry About Much, Much More..."
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/06/20/john-stossel-forget-facebook-google-heres-what-worry-about-much-much-more.html

Rewriting Inconvenient History: A Swiftian Musing

So...

I had a student last semester
Who informed me that his little sister
Was learning that the Trail of Tears was
Was a "mutual agreement" between
The Natives and the U.S. Government.

Yes, of course it was!

Who wouldn't jump at the chance
Of being relocated to unknown lands
Teeming with limitless possibilities,
Land hitherto "untouched" by the
Countless migrants over the centuries?

That's called "greener pastures," baby!

These Natives left all they knew
And launched off, with their limited resources,
To prove they were not intimidated by
The encroaching pale faces, with all the gusto
Of those in a modern-day Survivor episode.

It's all been a reality show, brother!

The starvations and deaths were unfortunate
Consequences of moving in the wrong time of year
And a lack of reliable resources
In their marathon trek to mid-America;
But definitely a "character-building" moment, as they say.

There's a real lesson to learn here!

The following song is to be taught to the children
Of this generation, so they may never know
Why their history books are unique versions
Of all those that came before them--
Sung to the tune of a nursery rhyme:

(singing) When it is inconvenient history,
(shouting) We will rewrite it!
(singing) When its horrors cannot be ignored,
(shouting) We will rewrite it!
(singing) When no one wants to admit their sin,
(shouting) We will rewrite it!

Yes, children, yes!

Valley Shadows

I have been there,
In the valley.

I have seen them--
The valley shadows.

And I have lived to
Tell about them.


"Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and staff, they comfort me." --Psalm 23:4

"Seasons of Life": A Rendering Of Love and Pain

One morning, during my devotion time, I had the passing of my grandparents on my mind. Poppa passed in December of 2017 and Gran passed in January of 2018.

We had been so fortunate to have had them for so long--part of me is grateful, so grateful!--but because I had them for so long, they are part of me, my core person, and their loss is not something I'm dealing with well.

Underneath the surface, deep waters stir within me, making variant sized waves, sometimes making me ill, sometimes forcing me to entertain sweet memories of everything that made them them to me.

Most days, I am successful in pushing back the emotion, restraining the tears (none of which will change anything), but there are days where they spill out--onto my face, or onto my pages.

I miss them sorely. I miss everything about them. They were, in many ways, like parents to me. They are part of who I am. It is difficult, so difficult, some days, to come to terms with their passing, the loss, my ineffable sadness.

But I take comfort in the page. All my life, with ink and paper, in this moment with keyboard and screen. I pour out my heart on a page...pour it out, then push all else below, back where the deep waters stir...

Until the next time, they overflow again, onto page or screen...

When I close my eyes--at night--

When I close my eyes--at night--
I say a prayer for the day/s I have known:
Thank you, Lord, for the life I have had,
For my daughter and my husband,
For every blessing I have been given,
To date.

But I know, just as I close my eyes,
The next day may be the day when
Everything as I have known it changes.
I am not guaranteed a life that looks
Like the one I'm living today,
To date.

For months now, not a night goes by
That I don't wake up once, twice--
Wide awake and half alert--
Spirit uneasy, so I begin my search:
I grab my phone and go to headlines,
To date.

What I'm looking for, I'll never tell--
Is there indication of war? Terrorism?
Attacks on faith? Fear arising?
I search the left, the right, the international,
Night after night, checking for leads,
To date.

Thus far, I feel only the tremors
Of impending change, of what is to come.
I've not seen the headline confirming it
(To my relief and to my chagrin).
I'm not quite sure what it is I need to pray for,
To date.

Yet, as sure as I'm breathing (now),
And as sure as I'm sitting here typing this,
I know that I know that one night,
When I close my eyes--at night--all will change
Forever: and all I will have are these musings,
To date.

Newsflash(?): They Own Us

[The following poem should be read in the highest tone of voice possible,
as if speaking to a small child]


I love reading modern "News Headlines"
followed by articles that are meant
to inform or instruct us about
how to think or feel.

...(um...)...

This one is particularly humorous--
or at least it would be--
if it weren't so reflective
of how pathetic we are.

...(we...)...

Oh, wow, a country making such demands:
"We shall resist them! How dare they!"
(Yet...some will concede...)
Sure they will concede!

...(duh!)...

For all of you ignoramuses out there,
Let me spell it out for you:
T.H.E.Y. (say it together now): "THEY"
O.W.N. (say it: "Own") U.S. (Together: "Us").

...(whaaa?!)...

What, are you shocked? Flabbergasted?
Can you not put 2+2 together?
Oh, that's right...You can't.
You have to be told what to think and how to feel.

...(sigh...)...

Okay, little children, listen well:
We sold this country out years ago--
It's not ours anymore...
And you'll never know it until it's headlined.


-----------------------------------------------------

Based on the CNN.com article on May 7, 2018:
"Why US companies are changing their websites to please China"
http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/07/news/companies/us-companies-websites-china/index.html

"To Be Human Kind"

Adopt: to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent

from dictionary.com



I know I don't know you,
but I need someone--please hear me!
I'm all alone in this world
and I need someone, anyone,
to be human kind to me.

I am smart, a scientist,
I am stronger than I look
and can take care of myself--
I have a monthly stipend...
If that would make a difference.

I can take care of myself,
you'd be surprised what I can still do
at the old age of 85--on my own--
I just need a place to be free
in these final years of my life.

Please, please consider adopting me--
I'd be no trouble at all.
All I pray for is some kind-hearted family
To take me and nourish me through old age
and bury me when I die.


-----------------------------
This post is based on the following news article on FoxNews.com:
"Lonely Chinese Old Man Puts Himself up for Adoption."
Published May 4, 2018
Photo published with the article.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/05/04/lonely-chinese-old-man-puts-himself-up-for-adoption.html

"The Worst Disease": Mother Teresa's Thoughts on Loneliness & Being Unwanted

"There is much suffering in the world - physical, material, mental. The suffering of some can be blamed on the greed of others. The material and physical suffering is suffering from hunger, from homelessness, from all kinds of diseases. But the greatest suffering is being lonely, feeling unloved, having no one. I have come more and more to realize that it is being unwanted that is the worst disease that any human being can ever experience."

"Loneliness is the leprosy of the modern world."

"Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty."

"It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start."

"The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God."

"There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them."

"We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love."

"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work."

"On certain continents poverty is more spiritual than material, a poverty that consists of loneliness, discouragement, and the lack of meaning in life."

---------------------------------------------------------------
This post was inspired by the following article on Fox News.com, May 4, 2018:
"Lonely Chinese Old Man Puts Himself up for Adoption"
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/05/04/lonely-chinese-old-man-puts-himself-up-for-adoption.html

That Annoying Kid in School (who grew up to save the day)

I know we all know THAT kid in school,
The one who always got in trouble for SOMETHING--
Always elbowing someone as he passed in the hall
(but not being able to prove it);
Always tripping kids walking to lunch or the bus
(but no one dared to rat him out);
Rarely getting caught or paying the consequences.

You know--we all know--THAT kid:
He never did his homework on his own
(but never got caught looking over your shoulder)
And he didn't sweat the small stuff like grades
Or learning how to work well with others.
Because while you and others were there to learn, presumably,
He was there to teach you increased patience and determination.

It was THIS kid who saved the day the other day,
When he tripped an armed criminal fleeing a crime scene:
He was the one who had the guts to stand there,
Looking completely nonchalant, leaning on his cane,
And as that armed suspect crossed his path,
He used that skill set he had learned so long ago.

He tripped him. Perfectly timed, too.
Because his "misspent youth" was redeemed in a moment--
You and I? We wouldn't have the skills needed
To execute such an endeavor.
And you know us: we would have asked permission first.
This guy? He never learned those skills in K-8.

And that's how this guy saved the day.


https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/05/04/man-trips-suspect-chased-by-police-mxp.hln

"Burn Not, Servant of Christ"

Get this straight,
Ye servant of Christ.
It's okay to burn the following:
Old Ways and Traditions
Outdated Thinking about Morality
Antiquated Interpretations of Scripture
But the fire that burns within you?
We can't have that, either.
In fact, we'll need you to snuff that out.
Read your liturgical canon all ye like,
But do not wager expositional commentary
On all we are doing to God's Children--
If we want your opinions--or, as you put it,
Your convictions--we'll ask you for it.
And, be not deceived, servant,
We will edit your thoughts so they align
With our intentions for humankind.
After all, our worldview is the dominant one.
What you think is inconsequential and unwelcome.

In fact, ye servant of Christ,
And please write this down on your heart
So we won't have to say it again:
Your opinions are not welcome.
Your application of Word to World is irrelevant.
Your commentary must cease
Or we will see to it you never speak again.
Please do not misunderstand us:
We welcome your position so long as it serves
What we deem to be the best of your outdated tradition--
You keep the people satiated with the status quo.
You give them enough liturgy to enable them to do
What is required of them in the coming day of work;
Enough Scripture to convince them they are servants
(Shall we assist you in finding the verse?);
But beyond that, you must cease and desist your diatribes.
If you can comply with this mandate,
You and your congregants may live to meet another day;
But if you refuse...Well, death is already at your doorstep.



-----------------

A poem in response to the Headline: "Catholic Priest Fatally Shot after Mass in Northern Philippines," April 30, 2018

Catholic Priest Fatally Shot (News Headline: April 30, 2018)

Catholic Priest Fatally Shot After Mass in the Northern Philippines

04/30/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) - International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on the morning of April 29, a 37-year-old Catholic priest in the northern Philippines was gunned down in Gattaran town, Cagayan province, shortly after the conclusion of Mass.

Father Mark Anthony Ventura was giving the blessing and talking with choir members in Peña Weste gymnasium after Mass, when two men riding on a motorcycle arrived. At 8:15 a.m., one of the men entered through the back of the gym and shot Ventura twice. Ventura sustained gunshot wounds to the head and chest and died on the scene.

The suspects fled on a motorcycle with an accomplice toward the highway heading to Baggao town.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) condemned the killing of Ventura and appealed to the authorities to apprehend his killers and bring them to justice.

According to the police, the motive has yet to be determined. However, according to Inquirer, the CBCP said that Ventura was known for his opposition to mining and for helping the indigenous peoples of Cagayan.

PhilStar also quoted Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay, “There is no doubt that there is a disturbing trend of church people being persecuted for their stance and involvement in human rights.”

In a statement, Tuguegarao Archbishop Sergio Utleg called the death of Ventura a “brutal and cowardly act.” Utleg stressed, “We just lost a young priest, zealous and dedicated, one who smelled like his sheep, to an assassin’s bullet right after he said Mass and was baptizing children. Let us offer our prayers for him, for his bereaved family, and the lay faithful of our beloved Archdiocese.”

This is the second time that a Catholic priest was killed in Luzon during the last five months. Father Marcelito Paez, a 72-year-old retired Catholic priest, was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen last December, just a few hours after he facilitated the release of a political prisoner in Cabanatuan. His case remains unresolved.

Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “The deliberate attack on Catholic priests in the Philippines is wicked and disheartening. Religious clergy should be able to perform their duty and engage in community work without fear, yet their lives were cut short for their dedication to the people they served. ICC condemns the killing of Father Ventura and calls for the government of the Philippines to bring justice to the slain. The country should not add another name to the list of murders carried out with impunity.”

...and their love story continues...

January 25, 2018

And Gran breathed her last this morning.

Just last week, she was shopping in Walmart.

But she wasn't happy. Not really.

Her heart was elsewhere.


And the loves of her life awaited her...

When she breathed her last at last.

I imagine the bright illumination of her Savior,

Just as her new eyes opened.

And the outreached hand of her husband...