beyond religion with simple pleasures

in the pics: finnish brotherhood is astoria,OR had their annual St. Urho's celebration, complete with purple monsters, grasshoppers, and lots of yummy food (I recommend the cabbage rolls).

3/29
“To go beyond religion” …heard on the radio. The Christian radio station. Oh, I think it’s called klove.com.
What does “beyond religion” look like?


3/28
Newsweek recently ran a feature on education. Well, that’s all fine and dandy. I read it and wrote some stuff, but both the teaching opportunities I applied for said NO, so in my journal those notes will stay. Have a nice day.

Palm Sunday..
echoes of mercy
whispers of love
this is my story
this is my song
“Fervent (passionate ) love towards one another” as the pastor says…
Potentate, monarch, ruler..jesus
“if you could recapture the moment, would you?” would you go back to relive that one moment that changed everything for good? Would you change anything; go a different direction; no direction at all? What kind of question is that, anyway…?who wants to change desinty? Ha.
Peace on earth once and for all…yes, ah so.

Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures. Ok..
Big thoughts: save the world, win the lottery, $50 billion company, constant inner peace.
Small pleasures: wind/sun on my face, helping a friend, rolling the grass, a hug, a kiss, five minutes of quiet, favorite music, walk or run in the woods.

I’m cleaning out some old papers and such. I came across a paper from college—a thing called “urban plunge” where a group of us college students plunged into the big city of Portland to experience a little of what homeless people face every day. “the people I have come in contact with have a plight to regain their dignity. That plight has been put in m book of dreams as something I would like to deeply involve myself in someday.” Well, that someday has been the last 10 years. Americorps, ymca, peace corps. The beat goes on. Ahh, to be young and naïve again.

Walking in the rain with wet pant bottoms. Why?
Minimize carbon footprint—for the future.

A pastor: “friends, we live in one town, work in another town, go to church in another town. We are not connected to any one place.” I saw the extreme opposite of that in samoa. Very connectedness.
“I don’t even know the people next door.” Vs. samoa