Month: August 2020

Posted on in Special Event

“The Conscious of the Congress”

Time Magazine Cover, August 2 to 18, 2020

This photo of John Lewis was one of his personal favorites. The photographer, Steve Schapiro, commented in the Time magazine issue that ‘It’s a picture of someone who knows who he is and what he has to do, and for the rest of his life; after this picture, he did it.” In the photo above John Lewis was a 23-year-old civil rights activist. The photo was taken in Clarksville, Mississippi with John’s permission. Schapiro, now age 85, remembers, “You see he’s looking forward with an enormous amount of strength, in terms of how he sees the future.”

Our country suffered a great loss with the death of Representative Lewis on July 17. On one of his last active days before he died at age 80 from pancreatic cancer, he visited the Black Lives Matter Mural painted on 16th street in Washington, D.C. “It’s very moving. Very moving. Impressive,” Lewis said. “I think the people in DC and around nation are sending a mightily powerful and strong message to the rest of the world that we will get there.”

For the civil rights of black Americans he was handcuffed more than 45 times and beaten. He believed that Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream that was not impossible to obtain. He was a warrior against racial discrimination.

Representative Lewis was the first black American to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. “Lying in state” is a form of ceremonial tribute reserved for honoring the lives of the most prominent and distinguished American statesmen and military leaders.

May each of us carry on his work for freedom in the 1960s peaceful, non-violent ways of the civil rights movement. And Lord, it is said that he was respected and beloved on both sides of the aisle. Please give our Congressional Members a conscious such as Yours.

In his own words from June, 2018

“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

Representative John Lewis

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Nature

Strange Summer

Besides the obvious corona virus restrictions and civil unrest, the Cicadas have been singing even though the large scale emergence is not expected here until next year. We have had sweltering heat and humidity. Frequent air quality alerts with ozone levels on the rise. Even the shrubs and trees look wilted. Then we had almost 3 inches of rain in 24 hours.

One particular evening a strange rain storm swept through where entire sky looked yellow. No storm sirens blaring or weather alerts, just so strange. Our cameras could not capture the tones we saw with our eyes. I was able to adjust the color somewhat.

Teeming rain and some wind

The only other time I have seen a sky similar to this was in Lexington, Kentucky years ago when a tornado was close by.

Weird and fascinating. I prefer those blue skies with white puffy clouds and low humidity!!

See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

Isaiah 28:2 NIV 2011

For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.  Whatever the LORD pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.  He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.  

Psalm 135:5-7 NRSV