Friday, October 25, 2019

Strong Leader; gentle man: Elijah Cummings


I sat in my living room for a long time quietly watching them walk by. Silently, silently, black and white, old and young, paid their respects to the son of share croppers, now the first African American to lie in state in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

 “Elijah” means “the Lord is my God” and it was evident that those who spoke at the ceremony Thursday knew Rep. Elijah Cummings lived every moment of his life with that strong center.

 A “double PK” (the son of two preachers as are the sons of Burton and me), Elijah was a leader with a strong and gentle voice in the House, worked on behalf of those in need, lived among his people in Baltimore, working for peace in times of turmoil, always with a tenacity for justice.

 A man of integrity with a servant’s heart: Micah 6:8 “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Sunday, October 13, 2019

When Winds Blow Wildly



Cheers for the beautiful leaves that still cling to the tree outside our window after the first wildly blowing snow of the season.

Cheers to Simone Biles for her amazing strength and skill, and to all the artistic gymnasts flying wildly through the air at the world championships in Germany.

Prayers for those suffering from wild burning fires in California, the causes yet “unclear.”

Prayers for and commitment to the Ukrainian people caught in a struggle to keep their land from Russia.

Prayers for and commitment to the Syrian Kurds fighting and fleeing for their survival.

Prayers for and commitment to all who cling to life when forces blow wildly against them.