All in the Family

Internal peace is an essential first step to achieving peace in the world. How do you cultivate it? It's very simple. In the first place by realizing clearly that all mankind is one, that human beings in every country are members of one and the same family.

-the Dalai Lama

(I will have to admit this includes George W Bush)

Not thinking about anything is zen.
Once you know this, walking, standing, sitting, lying down,
everything you do is zen.
To know that the mind is empty is to see the Buddha...
Using the mind to look for reality is delusion.
Not using the mind to look for reality is awareness.
Freeing oneself from words is liberation.

The Fountain of Lamneth

Now at last I fall before the Fountain of Lamneth. I thought I would be singing but I'm tired, out of breath. Many journeys end here but the secret's told the same. Life is just a candle and the dream must give it flame.

I was looking for the answer but the journey is the answer...

Here all along

I like PostSecret. You can relate to at least one every week...

Just look at the numbers...

Blah, Blah, Blog...

Testing a program...

Q Mug by picturecloud.com

A Safe Veteran

Here is a snapshot of a veteran at a function where Bush was speaking.

I am glad to see that he is still receiving good benefits from the VA.

A Nice Climb...

Here is a rock that looks like a smooth rappel...

(base picture stolen from my wifes photo/art page)

MotoGP for the Masses

It seems that ABC has decided to show some motorsports besides Nascar... On July 30 they will air the MotoGP races at Laguna Seca in California. I would highly recommend it and am looking forward to the announcers try to pronounce some of the names of the riders. I think it is going to be funny. Too bad ABC can't have Howard Cosell do the announcing.

"I see." said the blind man

Do you want to understand?

The whole world is one of your eyes, the body produced by your parents is a cataract.

All ordinary people ignore the indestructible, marvelously clear, unfailingly mirroring eye, and cling fast to the dust cataract produced by the relationship of their father and mother.

Therefore they take illusions for realities, and grasp at reflections as the physical forms themselves.

P'u-An

*

A human being is part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.

Einstein

*

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Gal 6:7

*

Always know, sometimes think it’s me,
But you know I know when it's a dream.
I think a "No" will be a "Yes," but it’s all wrong.
That is, I think I disagree.

Lennon/McCartney

*

However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names.

Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage.

Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends.

Things do not change, we change.

Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.

God will see that you do want society.

Thoreau

*

That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular.

Abraham Lincoln

*

If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words.

I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul.

Isaac Asimov

*

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.

Louis Pasteur

Goodbye Cruel World

I've got electric light

and I've got second sight

I've got amazing powers of observation

...and that is how I know

when I try to get through

on the telephone to you

there'll be nobody home...

Goodnight Syd...

Dark Side of the ?

God the Father

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.

The first thing he said was "DON'T!"

"Don't what?" Adam replied.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.

"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve...we have forbidden fruit!"

"No Way!"

"Yes way!"

"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.

"Why?"

"Because I am your Father and I said so!" God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants.

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!

"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" God asked.

"Uh huh" Adam replied.

"Then why did you?" said the Father.

"I don't know" said Eve.

"She started it!" Adam said.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"DID NOT!"

Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve
should have children of their own.

Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

(I love you Dad)

Where is the love?

Happy Fathers Day

Here are my 3 children at different points in thier lives. I am so proud to be their dad!

A Haiku

Memories with many friends

Thousands as into the concert I was

Shows I'll never forget

Peregrin Falcon

The Suzuki Hayabusa has a top speed of over 220 miles per hour.

It's gonna be hot...

The record was set back in 1909 at 110 degrees. Todays predicted high is 112...

Is global warming to blame?

Would you like a piece of pie?

With the advice of my friends, including my wife, being of the same nature, I find myself looking at the different ways that man sees God. I think that coming together with others who share the same view of God can only strengthen my life. Alone we can be strong but with the support of others we can only be stronger. Thank you friends for your comments. I probably knew this all along but my whole religious background being of one belief and my family going and getting into the whole ceremonious thing and not including me when they did it, left a bad taste in my mouth for organized religions as a whole. I guess I should open up...

Looking at the chart above, I can see that one third of the world is either Islamic or non-religious. Those two will not work for me and my family. One third is Hindu or Buddhist, or even older religions and the whole reincarnation as a rat if you are bad thing has me afraid to even look at the Hindu way. I like the Buddhist peace but feel awfully alone for the most part there. That leaves the third of the world that practices Christianity. My belief in God is strong and always has been. I only had a distaste for organized religion. (especially the televangelists and bible thumpers screaming 'heal this woman!') Now I just need to find a good place to learn to be closer to him and bring my family closer to him. We can only benefit...