Category Archives: Encouragement

The Farbor’s Way

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Let’s take this journey together – a new world beckons.
A new world beckons – can we make the journey together? Photograph by Wikimedia user, Palosirkka, Denali National Park and Preserve, September 8, 2012.

“Love your neighbor as yourself!” But every rule has exceptions! Who is our neighbor anyway? Why must we, with all our good work, love the conservative who stands in the way of our progress? Or why must we, with all our good work, love the liberal who wants to tear down our values? Don’t forget the time when they lied about us and did us wrong! They don’t deserve our respect!

We’re usually not so blunt. We’re smooth talkers, like the lawyer who asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” But the lawyer’s heart was inflamed. He hoped to inflame his audience and maybe even the teacher too. The fiery storm in his heart sought “clarification” about neighbors and enemies.

Jesus could have fed the flames. He could have narrowed the call to love. Or he could have engaged the lawyer in a righteous argument. But Jesus was good at calming storms, and he calmed this one by trusting us with a story about a traveler who is mugged, robbed, and left for dead. Some respectable folks come along but they simply walk by. Finally, another traveler comes. He’s a farbor from another land and background, not a neighbor at all. In fact, he’s an enemy of the respectable folks who walked away. But this traveler sees the man’s needs, cares for him, and carries him to safety. “Now,” Jesus asks us, “which of these do you think was a neighbor to the man who was beaten and robbed?”

This stranger, this enemy, has become the neighbor, the hero! Inspired compassion has overcome the status quo of hatred.

Yes, we have diverse guiding visions, but these positive visions in all their diversity are united in urging us to develop and practice virtues and to avoid and eliminate vices.

Like the Good Samaritan, we can move beyond our divisions which have only enslaved us. Like this Good Traveler, we can think first of others and let ourselves become instruments of divine healing. Like this Good Farbor, we can embrace life in many beautiful ways:

  • I will strive today to SHARE THE GIFT OF CREATION with all living beings and people.
  • I will strive today to EXPERIENCE THE WONDER OF BEING A HUMAN BEING embracing the astonishing diversity of life, persons, cultures, and places on our wondrous Earth.
  • I will strive today to PUT INTO DEEDS MY GUIDING VISION.
  • I will strive today to SEEK THE GENIUS AND INSPIRATION IN OTHERS AND IN THEIR GUIDING VISIONS.
  • I will strive today to FULFILL MY DUTIES to my family, neighbors, friends, all others, and myself.
  • I will strive today to FIND JOY IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE, even in my sacrifices, trials, and persecutions.
  • I will strive today in every conflict to be attentive to all, seek understanding, forgive, heal, and MAKE PEACE.
  • I will strive today to MANAGE MY DESIRES HONORABLY AND TEMPERATELY so that I will maintain right relationships and will pursue ardently and effectively what is beneficial to myself and others.
  • I will strive today to DEDICATE MY TIME AND RESOURCES TOWARD OTHER’S NEEDS, particularly those who are suffering and have pressing needs.
  • I will strive today to WORK CREATIVELY, COOPERATIVELY, AND PRODUCTIVELY.
  • I will strive today to BE HUMBLE, HONEST, OBJECTIVE, AND KNOWLEDGEABLE.
  • I will strive today to FREE MY GUIDING VISION FROM ALL NARROWNESS AND FALSENESS that might diminish others, blind me to the needs of others, set me above others, or in any way hinder me from becoming closer to others.
  • I will strive today to HONOR ALL PERSONS AS MY FAMILY knowing that we are one human family.
  • I will strive today to ENLIGHTEN, EMPOWER, AND UNIFY.

Merry Christmas 2010

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Dauphin Island ducks

As oil washes ashore on Dauphin Island, ducks refuse to flee - photographed June 9, 2010

28 years ago, Rosie and I were expecting our first child, Vera. On a mid-December day, not unlike today, I was worried about our child’s future and how Rosie and I might do and make do as parents. A sudden thought crossed my mind: Jesus was born in a stable. It hit me hard – like I had never heard the Christmas story before. Being welcomed by animals, with nowhere else to go, Mary and Joseph wrapped him in rags and laid him in a manger. But the angels sang, “Glory to God in the Highest!” Somehow the paradoxes of it all showed me the path of trust and the knowledge of who to trust in.

Today, I think of so many who are suffering, who like Jesus have not been given a place, and yet I am filled with hope that not poverty, oil spills, wars, or anything else can take away the glorious future that is reaching out to the human family.

Reviewing this past year, I can hardly believe its momentousness. I’ve gathered some pictures below to tell something of this extraordinary year (click on pictures to see larger photo). 

Vera Marries Ryan

Vera and Ryan were married on January 31, 2010 - Ryan is a wonderful gift to our family.

Vera and Ryan were married on January 31, 2010 - Ryan is a wonderful gift to our family.

Vera and Ryan on Dauphin Island beach for Thanksgving 2010

Vera and Ryan on Dauphin Island beach for Thanksgving 2010. Vera and Ryan are now expecting their first child.

More Family Pictures
 

Edward is confirmed - Nick is his sponsor

Edward is confirmed - Nick is his sponsor

Gabriel returning from a summer in Pittsburgh

Gabriel returning from a summer's work with Earthen Vessels Outreach in Pittsburgh. Nick spent the summer there too. Ryan and Vera are involved with this ministry too.

Rosie kept care of all of us and taught yoga.

Rosie kept care of all of us, taught yoga, ...

  

Mignon graduates from Bryant High School and go to Auburn University

Mignon graduates from Bryant High School and goes to Auburn University

Leo and friends representing Poland

Leo and friends representing Poland at the Model United Nation in Mobile

Julita and her cousin Claire

Julita (on right) and her cousin Claire playing in the Mississippi Sound

Responding to Oil Catastrophe
 

Thanks to the clean-up workers who at the risk of their health dealt with much of the hazardous waste

Thanks to the clean-up workers who at the risk of their health dealt with much of the hazardous waste - photographed November 13, 2010

Leo, Julita, and Edward invited people to Hands Across the Sand

Leo, Julita, and Edward invited people to Hands Across the Sand on Dauphin Island's public beach, photographed June 24, 2010

A sand crab too stressed to flee upon my approach

Many sand crabs became stressed and unable to move well, photographed July 22, 2010.

At Future of the Gulf Community Brainstorms, small groups shared experiences, ideas, and plans

At Future of the Gulf Community Brainstorms, small groups shared experiences, ideas, and plans, photographed July 21, 2010

Mapping project using camera-lifting baloons

Mapping project using camera-lifting baloons, photographed November 13, 2010 on Sand Island

  

Oil soaking edge of tidal pool

Oil soaking edge of tidal pool, photographed July 5, 2010

Sharing positive energy after Hands Across the Sand

Sharing positive energy after Hands Across the Sand on Dauphin Island, photographed June 26, 2010 by Theresa Robinson

My brother, Joe, captaining his boat on one of our many trips to the Katrina Cut beaches

My brother, Joe, captaining his boat, Mojoe, on one of our many trips to the Katrina Cut beaches

An animated small group discussion during the Future of the Gulf - Community Brainstorm

An animated small group discussion during the Future of the Gulf - Community Brainstorm, photographed July 21, 2010

People brought proposals to the Coastal Recovery Commission of Alabama

People networked and brought proposals to the Coastal Recovery Commission of Alabama

Loving Nature and Life
 

Dauphin Island sea grass before the spill took its toll on it

Dauphin Island sea grass before the spill took its toll on it

The fragileness and beauty of life - Dauphin Island - photographed by Edward Denton

The fragileness and beauty of life - Dauphin Island - photographed by Edward Denton

We were blessed by many birthday parties

We were blessed by many birthday parties

Dauphin Island children played soccer throughout the year

Dauphin Island children played soccer throughout the year

Gatherings with extended Denton family

Gatherings with extended Denton family

  

Herons making do during the spill

Herons making do during the spill - photograph by Edward Denton

My very old friend the magnolia tree of the Audubon Bird Sanctuary

My very old friend the magnolia tree of the Audubon Bird Sanctuary

We were also blessed by dancing friends, birds, plants, and fish

We were also blessed by dancing friends, birds, plants, and fish

Friends gather awaiting the midnight solstice lunar eclipse

Friends gather awaiting the midnight solstice lunar eclipse

Gatherings with extended Toomer family

Gatherings with extended Toomer family

Merry Christmas Everyone!

What a People!

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Jeff McCollough and others prepare to help animals affected by oil disaster

Jeff McCollough and others prepare to help animals affected by oil disaster, photographed July 14, 2010.

Training workshop for the peer listening program presented by Dr. Steve Picou

Training workshop for the peer listening program presented by Dr. Steve Picou in Bayou La Batre, photographed July 14, 2010.

The gulf coast is not just home for tragedies and crises. It’s the home of incredible people! In 2004 numerous hurricanes struck Florida and the northern gulf coast including Hurricane Ivan. Other areas suffered greatly too particularly with Hurricane Jeanne. 2005 brought more destruction with numerous communities all along the coast from Central America to United States and throughout the Caribbean being devastated from severe hurricanes including Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. With barely a breather if that, rough economic times came our way and are indeed affecting the whole world. And now we’re in month three of the oil disaster.

Today we are shocked at the inept care that was given to our environment and shocked at the long-term environmental destruction of our home and the home of so many other creatures too. Yet positive energy is the focus of so many people! “I love Dauphin Island!” “I love Bayou La Batre!” “I love Louisiana!” “I love Mississippi!” “I love my community!” “I care about you!” “Let’s help one another!” “Let’s take care of our environment!” We are a people who have kept coming back! We are a people who are still coming back today!

With confidence, even after all this and with whatever will come in the future, be it natural or unnatural disasters, I know that we will continue to live positively. There’s an incredible faith inside all of us, a faith that creates an unconquerable, spirited synergy between us, a faith that is lived out in innumerable acts of kindness, friendship, and generous initiative.

Volunteer update

There is a new volunteer program being offered on the gulf coast called “peer listening.” Peer listening is a community service that proved valuable in the wake of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Training workshops are currently being conducted in Alabama and Mississippi coastal communities. According to the program’s website (which contains lots of helpful information), “peer listening is a type of support that occurs when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social or practical help to each other.” Pictured above is a training workshop that was held in Bayou La Batre yesterday.

Happy Birthday Rosie – Sorry There’s Oil on your Feet

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Rosie Denton on the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary beacahRosie, my wife, has great energy. She runs barefoot each morning to the beach. She’s braver than I. Returning to the house, this morning, her birthday, we discovered that the soles of her feet were coated with brown oil. Going again to the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary beach we verified that oil was washing ashore.

Last post I shared about positive energy. Negative energy must be dealt with too. Oil on our beaches! Oil on our feet! Is this Happy Birthday? It’s also my mother’s birthday who has passed from this life. Torrent rivers of feelings flow through our lives.

In his book, Peace is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh shares many ways to transform our negative energy. Here are some thoughts inspired from his book that work. Let’s recognize our feelings and recognize their ultimate source, ourselves. Let’s be real and one with our feelings, “Oil on my feet! Huge oil still coming! It’s my birthday! I am so upset!” Let’s calm our storms, “Breathing, calming myself, not getting overwhelmed, I am grateful for the valuable information my feelings give me.” Let’s call to mind what is encouraging in our lives and call to mind what needs to be fixed. Then, with great strength, let’s embrace our capabilities and do what needs to be done.

Each day is a new day. Each year is a new year. “Happy Birthday, Rosie, let me help you get the oil off your feet!”