If It Is Thursday It's Going Green - Water Conservation

If it is Thursday it's Going Green

WATER HEATER: Check your water heater to see if it needs insulation by touching it. If it feels warm, wrap it in a heater blanket. Installing an insulating blanket on your water heater can cut your water heating costs by up to 9 percent. (cost $10) Leave the heater’s thermostat access panel uncovered when you apply the blanket, and set the temperature below 130°F to avoid overheating the wiring.

WATER CONSERVATION: Turn off the tap when brushing teeth and washing dishes.
You may be amazed to know how much water a leaky faucet wastes. For instance, if your faucet drips at a rate of one drop per second, 2,700 gallons would be down the drain each year. So fix the leak. For less than a dollar, you can stop the waste and end up saving money on your utility bill.

A leak from the toilet tank into the bowl is a stealth problem—you can’t see it, but water is wasting constantly. To check for a leak, put three drops of food coloring in the tank and wait a half-hour. If the color appears in the bowl, repair or replace the flapper valve, an easy operation that can save 100 gallons of water or more daily.

Take a few minutes to install a low-flow showerhead. It will make a big difference in conserving water and lower your monthly bill too. Federal standards now require that new showerheads operate at 2.5 gallons per minute. According to EPA figures, replacing old showerheads (that spritzed 4.5 gallons per minute) can save a family of four about 20,000 gallons of water each year.

As the water for your morning shower heats up, fill a watering can with the cold water before it goes down the drain. A ten-minute shower can expend one-third less water than a bath. You can save still more water and heat with the technique known as the ‘navy shower.’ Instead of running a constant stream of water, lather up with the water off and then turn it back on to rinse. Try it and let me know what you think. :-)

Together we can make a difference!

Remember the 4 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair

Greetings From A Really Intelligent Woman

And on that note,

I am taking a day off to do lots of reading :-)

peacesojourner

John Coltrane 9/23/26 - 7/17/67 - 85th Anniversary of his Birth

I have had a copy of this picture on a wall in my home for many years. Every now and then I pause to look at it and reflect on the life of John Coltrane and his wife Alice.

This week there are local celebrations of his music ‘Remembering John Coltrane.' His music remains alive forever - a legacy for us to enjoy.

John William Coltrane - Also known as "Trane"

Born September 23, 1926

Origin Hamlet, North Carolina

Occupations: Saxophonist, composer, bandleader

Instruments Tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone

Years active 1946–1967

Died July 17, 1967 (aged 40) Huntington, New York, United States

He wrote the following words about his album:

‘A LOVE SUPREME’

I will do all I can to be worthy of Thee O Lord.

It all has to do with it.

Thank you God.

Peace.

There is none other.

God is. It is so beautiful. Thank you God. God is all.

Help us to resolve our fears and weaknesses.

Thank you God.

In You all things are possible.

We know. God made us so.

Keep your eye on God.

God is. he always was. he always will be.

No Matter what . . . it is God.

He is gracious and merciful.

It is most important that I know Thee.

Words, sounds, speech, men, memory, thoughts,

fears and emotions—time—all related . . .

all made from one . . . all made in one.

Blessed be His name.

Thought waves—heat waves—all vibrations—

all paths lead to God. Thank you God.

His way . . . it is so lovely . . . it is gracious.

it is merciful — Thank you God.

One thought can produce millions of vibrations

and they all go back to God . . . everything does.

Thank you God.

Have no fear . . . believe . . . Thank you God.

The universe has many wonders. God is all.

His way . . . it is so wonderful.

Thoughts—deeds—vibrations, etc.

They all go back to God and He cleanses all.

He is gracious and merciful . . .

Thank you God.

Glory to God . . . God is so alive.

God is.

God loves.

May I be acceptable in thy sight.

We are all one in His grace.

The fact that we do exist is acknowledgement

of Thee O Lord.

Thank you God.

God will wash away all our tears . . .

He always has . . .

He always will.

Seek Him everyday. In all ways seek God everyday.

Let us sing all songs to God

To whom all praise is due . . . praise God.

No road is an easy one, but they all go back to God.

With all we share God.

It is all with god.

It is all with Thee.

Obey the Lord

Blessed is He.

We are all from one thing . . . the will of God . . .

thank you God

I have seen God—I have seen ungodly—

none can be greater—none can compare to God.

Thank you God.

He will remake us . . . He always has and he

always will.

It is true—blessed be His name—thank you God.

God breathes through us so completely . . .

so gently we hardly feel it . . . yet,

it is everything.

Thank you God.

ELATIONS—ELEGANCE—EXALTATION—

All from God.

Thank you God. Amen.

This spiritual side of John Coltrane is not mentioned very often. Thanks to him for the many, many hours of his music that I, and so many others, have listened to over my lifetime.

peacesojourner

A Day to Remember the POW*MIA

PRISONER OF WAR AND MISSING IN ACTION (POW*MIA)

On Friday the black POW/MIA flag flew over the White House

in honor of National POW/MIA Recognition Day

Progress in Vietnam as of September 15, 2011

Here is the Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War

Remaining Missing: Vietnam - 1,319 Laos - 346

Cambodia - 59 China - 7

A TOTAL OF 1,731 ARE STILL MISSING

Also, there are still military members missing in action from the following wars:

World War I

World War II

Korean War

Vietnam War

Cold War

Gulf War

Global War on Terrorism

The third Friday in every September is

National POW/MIA Recognition Day

Please don't let this day pass by without spending a moment to think about the Prisoners of War and the Missing in Action and their families who still have a glimmer of hope in their hearts that one day they will be found and return home.

They are not forgotten

peacesojourner

Sunday Reflection - Two Friends

Two Friends

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING
THROUGH THE DESERT

DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE'

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE! AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE:

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED
'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT,WHEN SOMEONE DOES
SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT'

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS
YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE,

BUT VALUE
WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE!

Mark 9:50

"Have the salt of friendship among yourselves, and live in peace with one another."

peacesojourner

If It Is Thursday It's Going Green - Back to Basics of Going Green

Back to the Basics of Going Green

Here are some easy tips on going green that will not only help the environment, but may also help you to save some green of your own (money). Just by making some simple and easy changes in our every day activities, we can have a significant impact on our local energy resources and on our environment. I have mentioned most of these tips before but they bear repeating.

In Your Home:

· Turn off the running water while brushing your teeth or washing your hands or face. You will save up to a gallon of water this way.

· Run the dishwasher only when it is full. Scrape your plates prior to putting them into the dishwasher. Opt for air-drying instead of using precious energy for heat drying.

· Turn the lights off if you’re not in that room. Take full advantage of natural light whenever possible by opening blinds and curtains during the day.

· Make sure your home is energy efficient. Your local power company will be glad to conduct an energy analysis of your home, usually free of charge.

Recycling and Reusing:

· Recycle all paper, glass, plastic and steel whenever possible on your local recycling trash day.

· Turn your food ‘waste’ into compost that you can use to nurture and feed your garden or flowers.

· Bring new life to ‘old’ items. A fresh coat of paint is a creative way to add color to a piece of furniture. Sew a pair of curtains from a pretty flat sheet.

· Opt for a reusable water bottle or mug instead of buying plastic water bottles.

· Give it away! Organizations like Goodwill, thrift stores, Craigslist, and Freecycle enable you to give away those items you no longer need or want.

Transportation:

· Can you bicycle or walk to work?

· If you must drive, conduct regular maintenance on your vehicle.

· Carpool if possible with people in your area going the same direction for work.

· Work from home if at all possible - many employers are offering perks to their employees if they’re willing to work from the comfort of their own home.

· And last, but not least, volunteer to help in a neighborhood clean up – you will meet some wonderful people and your efforts will help beautify the location.

It is very easy to make these small changes in your home and lifestyle. If you continue to try these green techniques in your home you will be saving a bit of green ($) and helping future generations enjoy a cleaner, more sustainable, and beautiful world.

10th Anniversary of 9/11

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11:

The Freedom Tower is seen during the tenth anniversary ceremonies of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center site, September 11, 2011 in New York City.

New York City and the nation commemorated the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people after two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and one crash landed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kristoffer Tripplaar-Pool/Getty Images)

The Waterfall at the base of the Freedom Tower

Ariel view of Ground Zero site as looks today

Family members of the victims leave messages and tokens of

love on the memorial walls

September - The Harvest Moon

September - Harvest Moon

This full moon's name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested.

September brings us the Harvest Moon, also sometimes referred to as the Wine Moon, Full Corn Moon or the Singing Moon. This is the time of year when the last of the crops are being gathered from the fields and stored for the winter. There's a chill in the air, and the earth is slowly beginning its move towards dormancy as the sun pulls away from us.

There are a whole set of traditional names for the various full moons throughout the year. The most famous of these "named" full moons is the Harvest moon. The Harvest moon is defined as the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox.

September is a month of hearth and home. Spend some time preparing your environment for the upcoming chilly months. Use this time to clear out clutter - both physical and emotional - before you have to spend the long winter days inside.

As the September Moon rises after sunset, this provides extra minutes of light each evening for farmers to work longer hours harvest their crops.

The full moon is particularly appealing at this time of year when it rises just around sunset and hovers low in the southern sky most of the night.

So, once again, eyes up this evening and enjoy this beautiful moon.

photo by peacesojourner

Sunday Reflection - Ground Zero, NYC - part III

Today is the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 -

I wrote this reflection and took the photos two years ago but it still seems relevant today.

*****

Ground Zero, New York City

"I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.”

Lamentations 3:20-21

The architects visions depicting the future site of Ground Zero are pictured

on the fences around the construction site

Artists depiction of Ground Zero construction site

Construction in progress at Ground Zero

Muslim woman prays quietly while holding her Koran

as she looks out at the former site of the Twin Towers

One World Trade Center - The Freedom Tower

will be the new address

*****

The following reflection was written by Sister Grace a staff person at St. Paul's Chapel:

For the first time in months, I felt myself wondering if we would ever heal from this tragedy. Would New Yorkers be okay? Would the workers be okay? Would I?

That's when I heard it - a rustling noise, and a light and cheery chirp. It seemed to be coming from above me, so I stopped and looked up into the gnarled old tree I had wandered under. This tree too had debris in it, bunched up in half a dozen places where the branches were close together, like fingers that had reached out and grabbed their prize and were now unwilling to let go.

To my astonishment, those bits and pieces of debris had literally been transformed - made new - and were being used by the birds in their nests. And you could hear the birds chirping to each other with joy. They had no idea that this debris was from a tragic and destructive event. All they knew was that they had been given material they could use to build their nests, the safe place they would use to hatch and rear their young.

I could feel the tears falling down my cheeks as I stood there in awe and wonder. I realized that somehow, everything was going to be alright. 


Sister Grace, St. Paul's Chapel,

Ground Zero,New York City

*****

In and around the twin towers there were 2752 deaths, while 189 people died when a plane was flown into the Pentagon. Another 44 were killed when a hijacked jet crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

"I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” Lamentations 3:20-21

*****

Photos by peacesojourner

St Paul's Chapel - Ground Zero, NYC - part II

I took these photos at Ground Zero two years ago -

Tomorrow marks the tenth anniversary.

Flag of Honor reads:

'This flag contains the names of those killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Now and forever it will represent their immortality.

We shall never forget them'

(each name is typed on the flag)

Senbazuru, Japanese Peace Cranes, are symbolic of how St. Paul's Chapel brought together people of all nations and religions in its ministry of compassion and reconciliation.

These origami peace cranes represent a fraction of the thousands of these Shinto offerings the Chapel received from school children and other groups--the most precious of which came from survivors of the WWII bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A few of the thousands of Teddy bears sent from around the world to

provide comfort to the survivors and families

The Bell of Hope was a gift to New York from the people of London after the 2001 terrorist attack.

It rang again in a tiny chapel near ground zero -- this time with New Yorkers mourning those who died in Britain.

 (July - 2005) The world's latest terrorism victims were remembered at St. Paul's Chapel, which had served as a sanctuary for rescue workers who prayed, washed and wept there after the World Trade Center assault.

The 5-foot, 650-pound bell, known as the Bell of Hope, was given to New Yorkers on Sept. 11, 2002. It was cast by London's Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which also cast

the Liberty Bell and London's Big Ben.


A glimpse of the fence that became a memorial to those who

died in the World Towers Buildings

It reads: After September 11th, thousands of visitors from around the world flocked the sidewalks around St. Paul's and posted ribbons, letters, photographs and numerous personal items on the fence. People transformed the wrought iron into a spontaneous memorial, expressing their anguish and loss.

View of construction of new buildings taking place across

the street from St Paul's Chapel

Construction that was taking place at Ground Zero in 2009

*****

As we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11 we continue to pray for the

families and friends of those who died, that they may eventually find some peace of mind.

*****

Photos by peacesojourner

St Paul's Chapel - Ground Zero, NYC - part I

Reflections from Ground Zero

Made two years ago as I made a pilgrimage to Ground Zero and St. Paul's Chapel, which I have tried to visit annually on the anniversary of 9/11.

St. Paul's Chapel, New York City

Marker on the Grounds of St. Paul's Chapel

Photos and mementos of those who were killed in the Twin Towers on 9/11

The 'Memorial Altar' of those who died

Police and firefighter patches sent from all over the country, including Iowa, West Virginia, California, and many more.

"Healing Hearts and Minds", an exhibit inside the chapel, consisting of a policeman's uniform covered with police and firefighter patches sent from all over the country and the world - a British Bobby's helmet is on top

"Unwavering Spirit:

Hope & Healing at Ground Zero"

Located directly across from the World Trade Center site, St. Paul's Chapel, an Episcopal church, was home to an extraordinary eight-month volunteer relief effort after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. 'Unwavering Spirit', a new interactive exhibit, honors that ministry and its legacy of love and compassion

St. Paul's Chapel, at 209 Broadway, New York City, is the oldest surviving church building in the city, built in 1764, on land granted by Queen Anne of Great Britain.

The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 in part because it is the oldest public building in continuous use in New York City. The chapel survived the Great New York City Fire of 1776 when a quarter of New York City burned following the British capture of the city in the Battle of Long Island in the American Revolutionary War. George Washington, along with members of the United States Congress, worshipped at St. Paul's Chapel on his Inauguration Day, on April 30, 1789.

The Chapel was turned into a makeshift memorial shrine following the September 11, 2001, attacks that led to the collapse of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Where, according to the most recent statistics, 2,752 people were killed.

St. Paul's Chapel served as a place of rest and refuge for recovery workers at the WTC site.
For eight months, hundreds of volunteers worked 12-hour shifts around the clock, serving meals, making beds, counseling and praying with fire fighters, construction workers, police and others. Massage therapists, chiropractors, podiatrists and musicians also tended to their needs.

The church survived without even a broken window. The fence around the church grounds became the main spot for visitors to place impromptu memorials to the event. After it became filled with flowers, photos, teddy bears, and other paraphernalia, chapel officials decided to erect a number of panels on which visitors could add to the memorial. Estimating that only 15 would be needed in total, they eventually required 400.

There are a number of exhibits in the Chapel. The most visible is the "Thread Project", which consists of several banners, each of a different color, and woven from different locations from around the globe, hung from the upper level over the pews.

St. Paul's Chapel is a very active part of the Parish of Trinity Church, holding services, weekday concerts, occasional lectures, and providing a shelter for the homeless.

****

There was plenty to pause and reflect on while viewing this monument which is not only to the dead but to all of the acts of kindness, by one to another, after the attack. I am in awe when I think about the fact that this little building not only survived the Great New York City Fire of 1776 and it was untouched (not even a broken window) by the collapse of the Twin Towers which were standing directly across the street from the Chapel.

Something to think about, don't you think?

Photos by peacesojourner