Life is a picnic

Have you ever heard someone say "It's no picnic? It means that something is not particularly easy or pleasant. There may be a lot of things we can say that about, but if we try, we just might be able to make picnics everyday. Seriously.

Over the weekend, I was in the park with friends and neighbors doing all of the traditional things - listening to music, chatting with each other, playing games, and of course eating delicious burgers, hot dogs, salads, and cookies. It was a picnic indeed!

"When things are a bit tense, when life is not going at its best, when the potential for disaster is just around the corner, when your enemies are all around you - and even staring you down! - that's when God lays out the red-checkered picnic cloth and says, "Oooo, this is a nice place. Let's hang out here together for a while. . .just you and me." That's what David Brazzeal says in Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul (a very good read, by the way). Brazzeal is giving us his idea of what Psalm 23 is all about. Yes, God spreads a picnic for us - if we let him.

Not a lot of money in your pocket? Health not what you would like it to be? You don't know a lot of people? So many excuses we allow to turn us in the negative direction, and it is certainly true that every day is not as pleasant as the next, but why give up? When I look back at yesterday, I realize how simple it was. We didn't eat fancy food. We didn't have live entertainment. We didn't spend a lot of money on sports equipment. We could probably have scaled back and had an even more simple get-together, and still have had a lot of fun. Life is a picnic, if we allow it to be.

Cora and Dan

A few months ago I wrote here about this incredible place in Chelsea, Michigan called Barn Sanctuary which the human pictured here, Dan McKernan, founded to  rescue, rehabilitate, and care for farm animal refugees.  I've been following their adventures, and am finally getting back here to say some more.

If you love animals, the stories on their website and their facebook page, will warm your heart.  Dan is a saint and seems to enjoy every single minute he spends with these lovely creatures.  He's not alone - his dad and a few others comprise the staff and then there are volunteers that help as well.  Oh and donations keep the place running.  I'm sure you can imagine that a LOT of money is needed, so if you are able, help them out.

Check out their blog too and https://www.barnsanctuary.org/blog/ and learn all kinds of things, including how to go vegan.  If the picture here of Cora and her beautiful cow eyes doesn't get you, I'm sure other stories from their website will melt your heart. 

I wish they were closer, I'd be there in a second!  Volunteer support is essential to the animals at Barn Sanctuary, and information is available concerning that as well as just about anything you might want to know, on their website.  For frequent updates, follow them on facebook too at https://www.facebook.com/thebarnsanctuary/

In Remembrance

Two years ago on this date, a very dear friend of mine passed away.  During his forty-two years of life, he made friends wherever he went, traveling to 43 countries and 47 US states, he was a man rich in faith, in ideas, and in compassion for others.  I hope the entire world will remember him with love, as I most certainly will remember him.

Great women and men live and die every day, doing marvelous deeds and making a difference in our world.  So many of them are never acknowledged.  That's not why they care - why they give back so much, but it would be nice if they could be remembered.

In Ecclesiasticus (called Sirach in some Bibles) it speaks of our ancestors in chapter 44 and says of them "Some of them have left behind a name, so that others declare their praise.  But of others there is no memory; they have perished as though they had never existed; they have become as though they had never been born, they and their children after them. But these also were godly men, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten; Their offspring will continue for ever, and their glory will never be blotted out.  Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name lives on generation after generation."

Say the names of those we know.  Say Wilson, Teddy, Bill, Mary, Fay, Richard Jonathan, Eddie, Cindy, and Brian.  Say the names of the others too.  Think about all who have made a difference.  Hold in your mind the good memories of all who worked for good.  Of the ones we don't know and have never heard about, be aware that good women and man are always among us, and their hard work helped make a better world.

Pause for a moment today and help me remember my friend, and I will remember yours.  Please feel free to add names and positive memories in the comments section below.

Help in the midst of disaster

There have been so many natural disasters in the past week, and yesterday afternoon, another huge one - a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Central Mexico, just south of the city of Puebla.  Mexico City was hard hit,  The shaking was reported to have lasted about one minute - a very long time for an earthquake.  Over two hundred people died, and that number is expected to rise.  Watching the images on tv, I saw a very dire scene, but I also saw heroes.

Emergency workers were out in force and doing what they do so well.  They chose professions where they can help others and are heroes every day.  Joining them though were friends, neighbors, everyday folks who just pitched in.  Pictures of people digging through rubble and then finding survivors is so heartwarming. 

Almost immediately [people all over began putting together assistance for the Mexican people too.  Donations started pouring in and people volunteered to go there and help with the search and rescue and with rebuilding.

We will hear hundreds of stories of heroes in the days ahead, and let that encourage us.  Yes there is bad news, but there are also caring, loving people who give help in the midst of disaster.  Let's all be helpers.

Inspired by Ellen

Reading this daily, as I hope many of you do, you are already aware of my great admiration for Ellen DeGeneres.  She doesn't just talk about being kind, she IS kind, and she makes a difference every single day.  I'm sure she doesn't want me to talk about her as much as I do, but it's all true.

Ellen has helped out so many individuals and organizations on her daily talk show.  Sometimes it's hard for me to make it through her program without breaking into tears.  She not only gives away money and merchandise, but she brings needed attention to various causes.

We're not just talking about a brief segment on a television program though.  Ellen is a giver wherever she is and has supported  The Trevor Project, PETA, Habitat For Humanity, Project Cuddle, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Farm Sanctuary, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Also It Gets Better Project, Love Our Children USA, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Artists Against Racism, Clothes Off Our Back, Stand Up To Cancer, Heifer International, and many others.

I'm not here to tell you to watch the Ellen DeGeneres program, but it's become a habit of mine (there's a lot of great entertainment on there too) and Ellen certainly is an inspiration.  As I mentioned before, it was her request that we all be kind to one another, that sparked me to writing my other blog about kindness.  She makes the word a better place and we all can be glad indeed that Ellen DeGeneres came our way!

More on Ellen

Ellen DeGeneres has been mentioned here in this space more often than any other person.  This blog is about making a difference in this world - about giving back, and there is no better example than Ellen.  I first applauded her courage in coming out, and I continue to be grateful for trailblazing efforts that have helped the lgbtq community.  At the same time I am grateful for her generosity and her great love and kindness.

Those of you who watch Ellen's television program, now in it's 15th season, know that she closes each program by saying  "Be kind to one another."  That was the inspiration for a second blog I write seven days a week, (HERE) all about kindness.

Yesterday, Ellen had me in tears once again as she introduced us to TunDe and Chris and shared their story of how they had changed each other's lives not once, but twice.  A huge gift was waiting for them both, and you could just see the joy!

"I have to say, It's a little strange to actually get an award for being nice and generous and kind which is what we're all supposed to do with one another," said Ellen in January of last year when she received the People's Choice Award for favorite humanitarian.  "That's the point of being a human." You can say that again!  Of course Ellen is actually superhuman!

Hand In Hand

The fury of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma has devastated much of our country, and watching the images on television and on social media is heartbreaking.  People have lost their lives, and so many who survived have lost loved ones and have lost their homes and their possessions.  The good news is that so many are willing to help.  Neighbor helping neighbor is such a wonderful image to see, especially when each is without property.  Seeing other join together is pretty wonderful too.  I'm seeing folks all over the country get involved.  How wonderful!

As I wrote here after Harvey, there are numerous organizations where you can donate money.  Some of my favorites are The Humane Society of the United States, American Red Cross, Episcopal Relief & Development, Lutheran Disaster Response, and AmeriCares.  Of course giving directly to local organizations in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and other effected areas works too.  Be sure you are giving to legitimate agencies though - ones that are actually getting the funds to where they are needed.

Tonight there will be a huge fundraising effort on television.  Remember those tv telethons from years back?  Well this is going to be a good old fashioned telethon with celebrities and folks taking your contributions via telephone.  It begins at 8pm EDT and will be seen on numerous networks and on the internet.  With live performances from New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles, this is going to be a powerful program.  Called Hand in Hand, the telethon will be broadcast and then played again at 8pm for the west coast.  Telephone lines will be open all night.  I urge you to tune in and if able, to donate.

Hand in hand we can get through this.  Hand in hand we can make a difference and bring a brighter day for those who have lost so much.