February 23 - Daily Feast
Late on a snowy winter's evening the woods are quiet as though a woolen blanket has been laid over everything to muffle the sound. The sunset lights the western sky with wispy clouds like horsetails. Pink and orange and purple streak the sky and slide down to glowing embers along the horizon. A thin spiral of blue smoke rises from a chimney and the sun's reflection bronzes all the windows. It is suppertime. It is the end of the day and time to be peaceful. Grievances and unhappiness can go by the wayside and let companionship come in. It is suppertime - a time reserved for sharing the best. A pot of soup, a loaf of bread, and peace.
~ The many moons and sunny days we have lived here will long be remembered by us. ~
KEOKUK - SAUK LEADER, 1780
"A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - February 23
"We've got to learn what's going on today in the world, and we've got to get an education so we can survive."
--Jimmy Jackson, OJIBWA
Indian people have the ability to adapt. In these modern times, we Native people must walk two roads. We must get educated so our people don't lose. We need lawyers, doctors, nurses, foresters, scientists, educators, carpenters, welders. These skills are needed to help the people. While we are learning we need to remember to keep our culture, learn our dances, sing our songs, learn to speak our own language and maintain our culture for future generations.
Great Spirit, let my education never lack the meaning and value of Indian spirituality.
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THINK on THESE THINGS
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
All of us have at sometime questioned our normalcy as human beings. We wonder why we did this or that, why we reacted to something so violently, or why we failed to react at all. An American author, Katherine Fullerton Gerould, has written, "The only glory most of us have to hope for is the glory of being normal." And for all our questionable actions sometimes, normal people must be those who have felt not only the high points, but the low points of their emotions.
It is not the fact that people run the gamut of their emotions that make them normal, but that they have the ability to right themselves before they could impose upon the rights of others.
The persons who never lose their tempers, nor shed tears, nor refuse to respond to other people, but stay day after day in light, shallow experience, have never known what it is to come into the center of the calm so richly appreciated.
All of us have made mistakes in behavior, some in ignorance, but more in bad taste. Perfection belongs to a higher Source. It is our to strive for, and our mistakes are to use in the growing-up process.
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God's Minute
WHY ARE YOU DOWNCAST, O MY SOUL? WHY SO
DISTURBED WITHIN ME? PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD, FOR
I WILL YET PRAISE HIM, MY SAVIOR AND MY GOD.***
( *PSALM 42:5 * NIV )
Dear Member's,
Discouragement or depression strikes all of us once in
a while. After all, depression is one of the most common
emotional ailments.
One antidote for depression is to think about how much
God Loves You and Blesses You as well. This will take
your mind off the present situation and give you Hope, that
with God's Help, it will improve! For THE LORD IS GOOD
TO THOSE WHOSE HOPE IS IN HIM, TO THE ONE WHO
SEEKS HIM. For; THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL
RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY WILL RUN AND NOT
GROW WEARY, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT BE FAINT.
( LAMENTATIONS 3:25 ) & ( ISAIAH 40:31 )
So PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST! IN HIS GREAT MERCY HE HAS
GIVEN US NEW BIRTH INTO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE
DEAD. ( 1 PETER 1:3 )
Now Member's, MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU
WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE AS YOU TRUST IN HIM, SO
THAT YOU MAY OVERFLOW WITH HOPE BY THE
POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! ( ROMANS 15:13 )
And kiss those blues good-bye forever! Aho , Amen , e-men .
NOTE:***The Sons of Korah, who were temple musicians
and assistants, wrote Psalm 42. You will find that it
Ministers to us when we are discouraged or depressed.
With My Love & Prayers,
your servant , Pastor COUGARMOON
