Reverend Carl Johnson

I commend the organization Students First!  studentsfirst.org  for their leading the movement to transform public education. They are conducting a competition: Essays of Six Words for describing what it means to be a great teacher. Among the 28 THOUSAND entries were these finalists.

As you read these, engage others, and go about your day, I want you to remember that without a teacher having invested his or her time in your education, you would be unable to comprehend the depth of these 6 word essays. Short on length, Deep in description.

Encouraging the discouraged to defy obstacles.

KAREN M., Illinois

Building confidence; Opening doors; Shaping futures.

STEPHANIE C., Oklahoma

Teachers hold the ladders students climb.

REBECCA H., Pennsylvania

Handing out keys to the world.

ANN MARIE O., Michigan

Stretching imaginations, expanding knowledge, multiplying opportunities.

ADAM S., Arizona

Changing the world by expecting excellence.

AMANDA T., Illinois

Teachers illuminate darkness to reveal possibilities.

LINDSAY C., Massachusetts

Planting the seed of I can.

SINORA W., Illinois

Destroy chains. Shape wings. Inspire flight.

KATHLEEN C., Nevada

I struggled; she never gave up.

SCARLET W., Tennessee

All thirty students raised their hand.

WILLIAM S., Washington

Spark interest. Ignite curiosity. Fuel dreams.

JACKIE K., Texas

Sees a star before it's discovered.

GISELA V., New Jersey

Selflessly dedicated to someone else's success.

AMANDA W., Nevada

Believes I'm a superhero in disguise.

MARGARET Z., Minnesota

Challenge limitations. Raise expectations. Inspire achievement.

KARA J., Colorado

Transforms barred windows into open doors.

BECCA W., Nevada

Instill knowledge; invoke passion; inspire greatness.

VISHAK V., California

She said I can be anything.

YUJI N., New Jersey

Holds all students accountable to greatness.

MARY T., California

That all my students surpass me.

HARVILLE H., New York

Point out the stars. Provide rockets.

ADAM L., Illinois

Teachers inspire dreamers to become doers.

JUDY S., Pennsylvania

Dedication, patience and never ending encouragement.

MERY M., Florida

Open books, open minds, open doors.

NANCY M., Arizona

Molds 'I can't...' into 'I did!'

KATHRYN B., Pennsylvania

Watch them soar, then demand more.

PANCHO S., Oregon

I remember her fifty years later.

CULLEN A., Indiana

They doubted, you believed, I succeeded.

PHILLIP J., Wisconsin

Spark wonder. Challenge thinking. Dismantle myths.

VALERIE V., Pennsylvania

What is a 25th birthday?

For those approaching, it can represent some sense of being an adult – REALLY – with our view that we are becoming worldly and wise. We’ve left behind the teen years and most of us have completed schooling and settled in with the big JOB thing. Some of us have started families.

Most past the BIG 3-0 tend to not take those 25 and under seriously. We presume that the years we’ve gained over the young’uns enables us to look way back when and kinda chuckle and chortle over the lack of real impact an under 30 yr old makes. From the perch of someone who has seen at least two of his personal 25th birthdays, I can recall that period and laugh at myself, because worldly and wise as I was not.

Yet, more often than not, some young people change the world and change us, no matter how aged we are.

Ray, our dear Ray of Sonshine, brought joy to lives far beyond those who knew him. Ray’s impact upon us, and others has been far reaching. Who among us now is unaware of MPS and the fundraising, publicity, and push for research for which we advocate, based on what we saw happen with Ray and what we wish for every other family to never worry over.

All of us have felt the pain of this loss. Ray’s death for us was life shifting. I want to mention two people, in the awareness that I know that yes , we all share this grief, it seems unusually cruel and harsh for two.

We gather to share our strength in moving forward to share in our pain over the loss of Ray. We hurt because we see those whom we love in pain. And we remember in a small voice that says that one day, we shall all be together, no pain, no hurt, just a glorious rejoining.

Mama Jewelle, who has touched so many of us, guided us, and shapes us, keeps alive Ray’s online obituary. This woman, whom we love so well, and to whom we’ve long looked for guidance, who fusses and frets over her grandchildren now, keeps a special place for us to be able to express our thoughts and fears and pains for Ray. A grandparents view is normally one where they look at what the grandkids accomplish, taking an indirect pride in those accomplishments. And this she does, while keeping alove a single point of light to reflect Ray’s life.

Paula Jewelle, who has become every bit as strong and gracious as Mama Jewelle, has been on a journey that no one would envy. Yet she perseveres. With Ray always in her mind, she works to raise the awareness of MPS and works to energize the rest of us to make a difference in the lives of others. In her private moments, Paula has both beautiful memories of the child she bore, and the Private Hell of seeing Ray leave, long before his time.

Yet, Ray accomplished what God had in mind for all of us. Positively affect the world and those around you. Make an impact. Practice unrestrained joy and love. Give of yourself. Believe. Have Faith. Share with others. Revel in the glory of the Life you’ve been given and the world God gave to enjoy. That is Ray’s lesson to us.  Thank you for your gift to us on your birthday, Ray.

BTBTF

OWS sees Wall Street and the Banks Too Big To Fail (BTBTF) as practically unregulated in their financial excesses, with unfettered resources to buy political influence and speech to shut down those that seek to reign in the excesses. OWS sees Wall Street / BTBTF as taking this nation to the brink of financial meltdown, begging the federal government for bail outs, taking the bail outs, refusing to lend that very money given by the fed to lend out and invest and restart the economy, giving outrageous bonuses to executives of failing institutions, and complaining about the social safety nets offered to citizens.

BTBTF resort to charging customers hidden fees, exorbitant charges for use of customer's own money, even placing themselves as the banker of social welfare (Note that BOA, the worst of them all, is THE financial institution that California uses to provide debit cards for social welfare payments. Instead of a paper check for social payments, recipients are given a BOA debit card. BOA charges fees to use those cards from both the state and from the clients. Recipients have no voice or choice as to how their welfare, AFDC, unemployment is paid. California has chosen to reward a bank that screws its own customers to the point that some of their customers left BOA and joined other banks and credit unions. By no means is BOA the only culprit. Given their lack of ethical treatment with the account of the mother of a friend of mine, I left them months ago. Time and events have stood to convince me that my decision to leave them was the correct one to make.

OWS doesn’t hate the wealthy people. OWS doesn’t represent only the poor. OWS voices its concern for democracy in our republic, not legislation bought and paid for by the corporations. OWS objects to the idea that Citizen’s United is a correct decision. That decision’s fallacy is succinctly illustrated by the poster that says, “I’ll believe a corporation has rights when Texas executes one.”

OWS sees a corporate media love fest with candidates for office who lack sufficient intellect, interest, and awareness for being able to exercise the duties and responsibilities of the offices they seek. OWS sees a distinct pattern of corporate owned media serving as an echo chamber, where original ideas are tossed, and proven unworkable solutions are promoted and cheered. OWS objects to the hypocrisy of those whose actions are in diametric opposition to their stated beliefs and values. OWS faults the corporate owned media for not pointing out the hypocrisy, and allowing untruths and utter lies to go unchallenged.

OWS and I share the sense of astonishment that BTBTF so arrogantly refuse to loan money to taxpayers who bailed them out, that BTBTF refuse to help homeowners modify mortgages, in spite of taking a bailout and agreeing to help homeowners remain in their homes.

Below is a link to a lawsuit where a BTBTF sought dismissal of the suit filed against them by a homeowner who claimed that the BTBTF refused to help the homeowner modify his mortgage. It wasn’t that the judge dismissed the case, although these days, it seems like most of the judicial system favors BTBTF. It was the language and the tone that the judge used in his dismissal.  Way to go, Judge Blackmon!

http:/www.scribd.com/doc/72781303/Phillips-v-US-Bank-N-a-Sup-Ct-Carroll-Cty-Ga-20111102

The OWS movement is growing. The people 'Occupying' are doing so in a PEACEFUL assemblages to protest. They have not displayed any violence towards the municipalities or areas they occupy.

Yet, a few municipalities have felt the need to bring in police to arrest the nonviolent protesters. The police takeovers have been reportedly heavy handed, with indiscriminate use of pepper spray, with examples of an 84 yr old woman and a 19 yr old pregnant woman being pepper sprayed during the police forced removal.

What in the world happened to the First Amendment rights of OWS and others?

A few months ago, America cheered and supported the Egyptian people's occupation of Tahrir Square in Cairo, as a peaceful protest by the masses against a corrupt government. We used the analogies of peaceful protests of the civil rights movement of the 60's as encouragement of the people's power to secure liberty.

Yet, now that OWS and other groups are availing themselves of their First Amendment rights, secured by brave patriots and our Founding Fathers, protected by the service and sacrifice of over two hundred years of honorable military service, they are being denounced and castigated for it.

They are derided as idiotic people with no clue as to what they protest. Why? Does it not beg the question as to why so many educated students are part of this protest movement? Does it not beg a question as to why young veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are found within these movements? Does it not beg the question why is it that the unemployed, the down trodden, those with no healthcare, those without a social safety net have begun to gather together to register their disgust with the direction and attitude this nation is taking?

OWS and its adherents all over should be commended for their peaceful protests. They have my commendation for standing up in protest and doing so peacefully.

Today marks the repeal of DADT for the US Military (long overdue and a policy that was unneeded and divisive to begin with, IMO).

Now, honorably serving members of the military should be able to fulfill their desire to serve, regardless of gender identity.  For many who are serving, they were forced to serve under an institutionally enforced self denial.

As a combat commander, I had no concerns as to whether or not my troops were straight, only that they shot straight towards the enemy, and that nothing they did on their ' off duty' time carried any adverse effects onto their 'on duty' time.  That covered any and all legal acitivites, alcohol use, video games, bar hopping, stamp collecting, car racing, motorcycle riding, board game playing, hunting or any other of the myriad of activities that people do.

So, let's bid DADT an unfond farewell and get back to the business of protecting the nation and the Constitution.

Today is the tenth anniversary of the tragedy known as 9/11.  As incredible as it may be that such a small tag calls to mind the tragedy, for many, it represents the worst tragedy to strike the US in their lifetimes. 

Certainly, for those of us who watched the events unfold, transfixed in front of tv screens, wathcing it live from NYC, or having seen the tragedies replayed over and over, one can't help but be affected by the enormity of the event.

Yes, heroes were present then. Firefighters, Police Officers, EMS workers and yes, even airline passengers, who on learning that they were a part of an unfolding tragedy, chose to become heroes and prevent a greater loss of life by sacrificing their own.

Given all that the first responders gave and still give, one wonders how politicians, so quick to wrap themselves in the flag and with these heroes alongside, are so quick to deny adequate healthcare for those same responders whose health has been unquestionably affected for the worst.

For a short period of time, the world stood stunned, and stood alongside us. And they responded as we did, by reaching out to others to try to help in whatever fashion we could. Nations united in expressing their disbelief and sending their strongest expressions of sympathy and bereavement.

Many sermons tomorrow will no doubt look to events past to look forward. Many of us, whether religious or not, spiritual or not, composed or not, will try to make some sense of the events past, and what we have individually and collectively done in the wake of those tragedies.

I worry about the well intended expressions said to and about the survivors of the tragedy that , “God was with them.” A firefighter who lost friends in the collapse of the towers emotionally remonstrates against this when he hears it, tearfully saying, “That implies that God was not with those who perished.”

We cannot blame God for the tragedy, no matter how some narrow minded people will try to do. These same misguided people blame natural events like hurricanes and earthquakes on the collective behavior as wanting, and calling these tragic events as God’s punishment for our not being godly.

We cannot blame Islam for the tragedy, no matter how some small minded people will try to do. Having read the Koran, and asked for illumination from those who study it and practice Islam, the Law of the Koran states that the killing of innocent people is an abomination, period-paragraph!

Allowing the actions of 19 hijackers to profane a religion of 1.5 Billion adherents is insane. Yet, the vocal minority sought to make a relative of Christianity the scapegoat. They supported the persecution of those who submit to the will of their God, because of a misplaced belief that their own religious practices allowed them to seek revenge and retribution, acts that the God of Abrham, Isaac, and Ishmael claims as His to do, solely.

Of the sermons which I have considered, ,my heart tells me that the keys come from Talmudic wisdom of a rabbi asked by a king to distill the Torah to him while the rabbi stood on one foot, and that failing to do so would result in the rabbi’s death. Standing on one foot, the rabbi held up Torah and proclaimed that the essence was this, “That which is harmful to you, do to no one else. All the rest is commentary.” And placed his foot on the ground.

The other influential piece is the Prayer of St. Francis, “Lord, make me an Instrument of Thy Peace.”

May we find Peace and Understanding.

A couple of days ago, a good friend of mine had a heart attack. My age, in better health, and a good man. What happened next holds a mirror up to how he and his ex-wife have raised their children, as they share joint custody. We've watched these three kids grow for 8 years. Amazing in the changes they've undergone, and yet flourish. That I attribute to parents who don't live together and who have decided that not making POWs of the children is the best thing for them all.

Let me digress for a mo'. By any and all measurements, what counts the most in my mind is not how much coin you have, the size type or location of the house, the car..none of the material things....what counts most is how your children behave and turn out.

By all accounts, my friends, this couple sets the standard. They are both active in their children’s lives, participate in school activities, and even though they maintain separate homes with visitation, other than the difference in layout and furniture, you’d not know the difference. Both homes are museums of the artwork, report cards, book reports, notes, drawings, handprints, finger paintings for three children.

I would submit to you that in case of heart attack, most adults would not react well to helping someone having the heart attack. Yet, my friend’s 14 year old son Joe, immediately started CPR, had someone dial 911, and saved his father's life. Up until that day, I’ve always referred to "Joe" as "Joey". On that day, he became a young man in my eyes, no longer a boy.

My friend is doing better. We actually went to the hospital to see him. Lucid, alert, and charming as always..he's a true testament to someone performing CPR and staying with it until the paramedics arrive. A true testament to a son's love for his father.  Props to the docs, nurses, and staff at Wakemed also.

While there, we saw a booklet that his youngest daughter wrote for him, reminders of the way she knows her Daddy loves her, even the times when she makes a choice to blow off homework and having to pay the price for that..still acknowledging that she knows he loves her and that she knows she must make better choices. That booklet brought tears to our eyes.

The middle daughter is growing into a gracious, take charge lady. She seemed completely at home and large and in charge at the hospital, even the nursing staff treated her as such. And she's barely a teen.

Together, these kids are intact and not for sale, non negotiable. And that, folks is because of strong parenting, not luck.

I ask your prayers and good thoughts for my friend, and his family. They are folks whose lives intersect with ours just as a stone thrown into a pool causes waves to intersect and cross.

So, my elder flatulent friend, do what you have to do to rehab this, and let us know when we can go out to celebrate the absolute love that chidlren have for their family.

And to you, Joe, welcome to manhood.  I'm proud of you, son.

Today, we are going to say 'So Long!" to a boon companion, and unquestionably loyal friend, Sasha Grace.

She'll be making her transition with help from Dr B., a spiritually intact veterinarian in Morehead CIty.  We came down for a 'working vacation', and were fortunate to meet up with a long lost dear friend, named Paula, about whom I blogged a while back.

Paula introduced us to Robin, who instantly became a friend we felt we had known for years.  Originally thinking that we were here to help Paula with her transition into a new  life and location, Robin (and Sasha) face their own.

With Robin's divorce many years ago, she and Sasha became more than a pet German Shepherd and her owner.  The two became constant and loyal friends,surpassing easily the boundaries between pet and owner.

Sasha is over 11 years old, and infirm.  And the toughest decision many will have to make outside that of deciding this for parents, siblings, or their own children is this:  When do I finally let go of the one whose life I am maintaining, without hope of their getting better, and whose pain I feel so deeply.  This is a process that those of us with four footed family members can easily imagine and understand.  Yet, for each of us, the steps in passing through to acceptong and doing what has to be done is painful and personal, and on our own timeline.

So, today, Sasha Grace is going to the Rainbow Bridge, where she'll await the arrival, one day, of her best friend, Robin.

I wish that I could speak the words of comfort that my heart wants to express to and for both Robin and Sasha.  Alas, I can't make these thoughts coherent enough to convey my feelings.

As those of us who have had to make this choice know, our four footed family members are much more than pets, andtheir life and livelihood reflects our love for them.

As I  frequently tell folks, that one way to be oriented to living a moral life is to be able to honestly answer the small prayer, "Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am."

Robin IS the person tha Sasha thinks she is.  And we have all lived a better life becasue Sasha and Robin have been a part of it.

Have a blessed day, children.  Find your Peace through Faith and Deeds.

And fof Sasha Grace....see you later, my new friend.

We all need someone with whom to share a burden. Sometimes, we just need for someone to take hold of it for a bit so we can readjust where we're holding on to something, while at other times, we really need to share our burden with another.

I am reminded of what a lecturer once presented to an audience.

Standing behind a lectern, he raised a can of soda, and asked the audience what it weighed.

He got several answers: 12 ounces (which is the liquid measurement), 1 pound, etc. It actually weighs about 13.16 ounces or 0.82 pounds.

But, he said that the point was that weight of things is often found to be relative. He further explained that if he were to hold it for ten seconds, it wasn't much. If he had to hold it for an hour, he'd probably be in pain from the cramps. If he had to hold it for a day, he'd probably need an ambulance.

The larger point is that our life's stresses are like that glass of water. When we hold them for ten minutes and then set them aside, they have less negative impact on us. When we allow them to linger with us, or we just never allow them to be set aside, the results go from cramping us, to crippling us.

Find a way to set aside your stressors, even if just for a bit.

Be Luminous today! You have magnificence within. Let it shine!

I had the pleasure of marrying a special couple this weekend. When I first met them, they seemed unusually close and in sync (and in more than just the kissy, hand holding way.) and I knew that there was a story behind them that propelled them to this closeness.

They didn't offer the story. But, proud father that Herb is, he relayed it to me tonight between my pronouncing the couple husband and wife and offering the blessing before the reception dinner.

That Herb himself was this expansive came as no surprise, as it turns out Herb is one of those Marine aviators who flew H-53's. He's seen his share of dropping into places where his presence was unwanted, yet, as all Marines do, he completed his mission and then, and only then, was his action to 'diddy mao' out of the hotspot. Herb is a Marine Aviator, for those of you who don’t get how gregarious he can be, once he gets to know ya. 'Nuff said!

What Herb relayed to me explained the aura that this couple has, one so strong and pure that it broadcasts from them without their knowing it, yet affecting all those who come into contact with it.

Seems that the bride had once suffered a serious accident, and ended up comatose. I didn’t catch how long the period was, nor that does it matter. What did hit me was that Herb openly, and with a tear at the corner of his eyes said, "She was a changed person when she came out. I believe she saw the 'Light". My response to Herb was, of course that she had, and the way we knew that was because that Light shown from within her.

So, folks, raise a glass or offer up some good cheer, a toast to life and living it fully as our wedding couple will do, and a prayer of thanks for this wonderful couple to be married.

It's OK, Herb. I won't tell the Corps that you got emotional at your daughter's wedding. Semper Fi!

All best!

Rev. Carl