"Shalom" amid unending war?

"Shalom," according to Strong's Concordance, means "completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full." 
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
 
How many years have we been at war now? Will there ever be any peace?
We are the world's most powerful nation militarily. Our citizens can own guns. We have security systems in our houses. We build gated neighborhoods. The list goes on.
The U.S.A., the "United States of Afraid." Why do we not feel safe or peaceful?

The United States of Afraid

Here we are in what is supposed to be a season of "peace on earth, goodwill toward men," and there is none. The words of Jesus are forgotten, or ignored. 
One of the books I've read this year is "Peace Is Every Step: The Path to Mindfulness in Everyday Life," by renowned Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk who survived the war.
I had made these notes on his teachings before yesterday's horror in California. They are more pertinent than ever when he wrote them in 1990.
As upset as I've been with the terrorism in the world, and the growing fascism in America, reading this book  has helped reconnect me with Jesus' teachings. His observations help calm me and put this current insanity in some perspective. But they also teach me that inner peace amid all this turmoil, which Jesus spoke about too, comes only with work, with being mindful that only "now" matters, that you count your blessings. I have to reread these ideas often.
His teachings are so needed among Christians and people of all faiths, or of no faiths. Terrorism, refugees, war, hatred, fear, poverty, "social media," intolerance, selfishness, environmental crisis--which current event do you need? His words apply. 
Would that those spewing hate and intolerance as well as those attacking and killing innocent people would read them, and the words of Jesus,  and find "Shalom." Consider these exerpts:

Lack of peace

• "Anyone who has made us suffer is undoubtedly suffering too."
• "A fresh way of being peace, of making peace is needed.
• Peace is based on  respect for life, the spirit of reverence for life." 
• "Poverty and oppression bring war. In our times, every war involves all countries." 
• "Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile."

Narrow -minded religious fanaticism 

• "Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology...all systems of thought are guiding means' they are not absolute truth." 
• "Do not think that the knowledge you presently posses is changeless, absolute truth--truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge."
• "Do not force others, including children to adopt your views."
• "Do not use the religious community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party."

Poverty

•  "The wealth of one society  is made of the poverty of the other. Wealth is made of non-wealth elements and poverty is made of  non poverty elements."

Technology

•  "When we watch bad TV, we become it." (This was written pre-Facebook, but it certainly applies."
• "We are victims of our own telephones." (written pre-cell phones)

The environment 

• "Everything co exists--we cannot be just by ourselves alone.
• "The forests are our lungs outside of our bodies. The sun is our heart outside our bodies.
•  "We are imprisoned in our small selves,  thinking only of  the comfortable conditions of this small self, while we destroy the large self."

 Mindfulness

•    "...we think too much, and mindful breathing helps us to be calm, relaxed and peaceful. It helps us stop thinking so much and stop being possessed by sorrows of the past and worries about the future. it enables us to be in touch with life, which is wonderful in the present moment." 
• ..."the eucharist is mindfulness--awareness..." 
• "...walk as if kissing the earth..."
• "Everything we do is an act of poetry or a painting if we do it with mindfulness."  
• "By taking good care of the present moment we take good care of the future." 
• "Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering."

The Future

• "Use the suffering of the 20th Century as compost so that together we can create flowers for the 21st Century." 
• "The flower of tolerance to see and appreciate cultural diversity is one flower we can cultivate for the children of the 21st Century. Another flower is the truth of suffering."

It is a difficult journey, from Jeremiah's "Peace, peace, there is no peace," to finding "Shalom."

Peace, peace, when there is no peace--Jeremiah 6:14

"Look at the birds of the air," watercolor 5.5 by 8.5

In a world of violence and fear and hatred and judgment and materialism and injustice and worry and narrow-minded religion, he spoke. His words of peace are so needed in today's American "social" media, political and religious climates filled with hate- and fear-mongers.
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“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
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“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

And on the mountain, overlooking Galilee:
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“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[ of God."
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“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?"
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“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
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" So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 
 ^" Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
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“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
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“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

Thanksgiving Day stroll

Thanksgiving Day stroll, today's watercolor, 9 by 12 140# d'Arches

I have much to be thankful for in Oklahoma and America, with thoughts of so much need here, and so much turmoil and tragedy in the world. Let us rejoice in our comfort and plenty, and treasure the memories, the families, the present, and the journey ahead.

Vive' Mali! And the children

Today's tragedy in Mali, religious fundamentalist fanatic Muslims, killing other Muslims, hits close to home and breaks my heart.
I was privileged to go there eight years ago, as a newspaperman on a mission from Oklahoma State University, and it changed my values. Such a poor country, but rich in tradition, history, people,  hospitality--Muslims in a democracy that loves the U.S....and wonderful children. What stands out? Adobe, dirt, smiles, hard work, the dignity of the people, and the children.
Oh, those bright white smiles? A dentist friend of mine said it was because they didn't have processed sugar in their diets.
You can read previous posts on this blog, From a Rooftop in Mali and Three years ago
I fell in love with the children...and in spite of the turmoil, I'd go back in a second, given the chance, even now. 

137 countries hitting the blog

I am always amazed when someone from a new country clicks on this blog, and it happened today, making 137 total over the six plus years I've been doing this.
The real accomplishment is that I've maintained this long, and second is the reach of the audience.The third is that there are fewer and fewer untouched countries so the pace3 has slowed down. I suppose I'll never get North Korea. But now I'm hoping for Cuba.

This new reader is from Laos. I would love to know who, why and how, and did that person require the translator gadget?
I'll write later on a continent by continent list, and yes, the flag counter at left is not up to date, because it was added only last year.
Anyway, here's the list of new countries where readers have clicked in since this time last year. And, a map of Laos and its flag. Salute.

• 11-19-14--Samoa
• 11-21-14--Angola
• 1-17-15--Seychelles
• 1-23-15--Netherlands Antilles
• 3-5-15-- St. Kitts and Nevis
• 3-27-15--Bermuda
• 8-6-15--Montenegro
• 10-17-15--Burma (Myamar)
• 10-25-15-Bolivia
• 11-16--Laos-15

137 total