Coffee With A View: Enemy Mine

Star Trek Day! Most of you know about my affinity for sci-fi and fantasy, and I usually use my weekends to catch up on 'my shows.' I may do a Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit binge, with the spin-off, The Rings of Power. Last weekend I did a short binge of Star Wars movies. Today, I'm doing my Star Trek binge.

Last night I caught up on the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Season 3: Episode 9). Most of the reviews I read/watched mentioned several past episodes in Star Trek history, where the creators used the "Enemy Mine" plot, a 1985 movie where a human and an alien, though enemies, would work together (or had to work together) to save themselves in a dire circumstance. Most of the reviews were positive, although they just had to mention that the plot was overused and provided clips from past Star Trek episodes of the human-versus-alien theme.

So for this blog, I thought I'd give my own perspective. Grab some coffee! LOL

Many light years ago (LOL)...I worked for an attorney in California whose passion was to accumulate data and evidence of life on Mars, or proof of visitations on Mars. Besides copy-editing his paperwork and dockets for IBM, the side job was to also copy-edit and proofread his findings. His research on Mars was astounding...literally mounds of papers to go through, desktop and jump drive files, and long discussions over coffee and tea (he drank, ironically, Earl Grey).

I remember one time I told him that there was no way I could help him effectively in the intensive few hours I worked for him, unless I was at least able to take some of those files home with me. He was adamantly against it...for a while. It took a couple of months of research before one day, he came over to my workspace, stood beside me in silence for about a minute, and gave me a jump drive to work on at home. Surprised (and shocked), I asked, "Are you sure?" He said that I had done a great job, and there was no reason in his mind why he shouldn't trust me.

I was fascinated by his passion and determination to share his findings with me, and though I had to play devil's advocate a few times, I had to admit that there were no other explanations...scientific or otherwise...for what he believed about aliens and the evidence of their existence and travel.

I moved to Nashville before I was able to help him complete his monumental project, but I never forgot him. I think about how he was so ahead of his time as I see the progress of SpaceX in the news and on social media. I think of him when I watch Ancient Aliens.

When I was attending BYU, I actually had an encounter of my own that neither the witnesses of the event nor I could explain. We were hanging out on the steps of the dorms, just talking and laughing...and all of a sudden, what looked like a red mechanical ball flew up (about the size of a softballl), suspended in the air for a few seconds right in front of us, then zipped away into the night. I noticed that it had what looked like just one lens (kind of like a camera lens), and before it flew off, it appeared to smoothly and seamlessly turn on some sort of invisible axis to survey all of us.

We all saw it and became silent. Mind you, this was no drone; it was the spring of 1986; there were no commercial drones...heck, we didn't have laptops or cell phones! We all just stood there, didn't say a word. I went back to my room, and my roommate was sitting on the edge of her bed, quiet. We just looked at each other....and never spoke about it again.

Humanity: We did it wrong

We are still far from traveling to distant planets. Efforts are being made, and billions of dollars are being spent on space travel. But if there's anything that could be learned from history, I think it would be that the powers-that-were and the powers-that-be have screwed up life on this planet, big time. The desire for power and control has driven all of us into an age where there is very little balance, and chaos has infiltrated many facets of our lives and economies.

"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice

is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine

and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7: 24-27)

Somehow, as our fates have been continually chosen for us...there is a strange peace that comes from knowing that a Greater Power will always be in control...a Power that always and ultimately achieves balance in the chaos. The gods and beasts that have been created by mankind are a pitiful match for the Creator of the entire Universe.

And we can't say we haven't been warned. Prophets have been mocked, called crazy, and put to death for speaking out. Politics and religion have divided belief systems that are no longer founded on Truth, but cleverly-crafted narratives...and anyone who tries to even attempt to find the truth or achieve balance in their views is mocked or scorned.

Some things just never change.

And as it appears that we're moving towards a world currency (Revelation 13), and forced to worship the Beasts that have been created, it should give us great pause to think about the past, present, and our future as a near-destroyed planet. I think about my home state of Wyoming, the beauty of our mountains, rivers, and streams...the flowers and wildlife we enjoy. Better enjoy it while we can, because the Beasts are circling and hungry.

One of my very favorites is the opening scene of Star Trek: Into Darkness. The interaction with the crews and the natives is not only entertaining but fascinating. I think about this interaction, and my mind soars towards how our Earth used to be, and the Native cultures that existed. You go waaay back in history, and you'll find that the foundations of Native American cultures have great reverence for the Earth, Sky, and Life in between for a reason. My soaring thoughts land when I think about my own tribe, and how we were once called "Blue Sky People". It caused me to look up the following with AI:

"In Native American traditions, "Star People (or "Sky People") refers to extra-terrestrial or celestial beings who are often considered ancestral or benevolent figures to many Indigenous cultures, origin stories, and legends, such as the Hopi and Dakota nations. These stories describe images that came from the stars to help guide, teach, or interact with humanity, with some traditions seeing humans as being connected to or even descended from these star-beings."

Can we make it right?

Folks might laugh and call me crazy (and they have! LOL)...but as I look at the world today, I often wonder what our planet would be like if there were more agendas of love and peace, wisdom and guidance...rather than agendas of hate, greed, division, and war. I think about what could have been, had we all actually lived the words of Jesus and not made Him into a marketed idol. I think about an inevitable paradigm shift where we could change the patterns of Time and actually work together to choose the side of good over evil.

Because if we don't, you can bet that a Greater Power will do it for us.

The attorney I worked for said that, in my approach to research, I should look at the patterns and evidence with an open mind. Look at the probabilities over timelines of events. Consider that those who claimed they've seen UFOs or celestial beings weren't crazy. It takes an open mind and a lot of courage to not fear but embrace the powers and dimensions we cannot see. (Believe me, I know! Being blind was terrifying.) I also have to consider...did people, after seeing what they saw...do it right? Or do it wrong?

Do I believe in Life in the universe and on other planets? Absolutely. The same God of this planet we live and breathe on is the same God of the entire Universe we are all a part of. And I believe that the paradigm shift that needs to happen will consist of critical choices that humanity as a whole will have to ultimately make. Are you on the side of love or hate? Humility or pride? Building or destroying? Peace or war? Friend or foe?

Change is inevitable. We are such slow learners, and there are so many distractions that throw us off. But Time is all we have here before we move on to other dimensions we know very little about, but that will be a Journey I no longer fear. To be a part of Life, in whatever form, is both an exciting and humbling thing.

I just want to do it right, here and now...while I have the time.

"For as lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west,

so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

Matthew 24: 27-28

Unorthodox Christianity: "Honesty is such a lonely word..."

"Honesty is such a lonely word

Everyone is so untrue

Honesty is hardly ever heard

And mostly what I need from you."

--Billy Joel

"Honesty" from the 1979 album 52nd Street

According to ChatGPT (hey, it's kinda been a fun tool to play with!)...the definition of a lie is "a deliberate false statement made by someone who knows it's untrue, with the intention to deceive others."

The key elements of a lie are:
Falsehood – The information given is not true.
Knowledge – The person knows it's not true.
Intent – There is an intention to mislead or deceive.

AI then provides examples of various types of lies. A white lie, such as saying "I love your cooking!" when you really don't, or don't want to hurt someone's feelings. A lie of omission is about leaving out important information so as to mislead...like telling your boss you finished the project, but leaving out the fact that someone else did most of the work. A lie of commission is just an outright lie, as in saying you didn't do something when you actually did.

Exaggeration is the stretching of the truth, like a tall tale ("The fish was this big!" or "I've told you a thousand times..."). There's also minimization, such as saying something isn't such a big deal when it actually is (gaslighting).

Then there's bluffing, fabrication (inventing a false story or narrative), and plagiarism (claiming something as your own when it is not...let me say that I'm fully giving credit to ChatGPT for this wealth of information, lol!). I'm going to add in cheating , which is "acting dishonestly or unfairly to gain an advantage."

"What you don’t see with your eyes,

don’t witness with your mouth."

Jewish Proverb

Gossip: "Be careful, little ears, what you hear..."

AI goes on to say that, if someone says something untrue without knowing it's false or without intending to deceive, it's not technically a lie — it could be a mistake or misinformation. However, gossip can still damage reputations and livelihoods, relationships, and divide families.

I've been the subject of gossip many times. So have my children. Fortunately and most of the time, I have good friends or co-workers who will inform me of it. Sometimes it saddens or angers me, but sometimes I can (and have to) laugh and brush it off as quite entertaining. I don't know...I'm so glad I could be the subject matter of your boring life? I don't know why people gossip. People who know me, know me. They're a part of my circle(s), they know what I do and what I'm about. And people who don't know me, don't...and most of the time, don't want to even make the effort.

"Isn't it kind of silly to think

that tearing someone else down builds you up?"

— Sean Covey

I'm reminded of the story "Feathers in the Wind": "Just as you cannot retrieve the feathers once spilled, so you cannot withdraw words once spoken. No matter how sincerely you desire to undo what you have done, the harm caused by thoughtless speech cannot be rectified."  In a world filled with narratives, it is difficult to sort through all the feathers and find the truth.

Remember back in the day when there were racks of tabloids at the grocery store check-out counters? The National Enquirer. The Globe, The Star, etc. A lot of folks called them 'gossip rags'. In my years as a reporter, I learned that there are not just two sides of a story; there can be many sides, and that there is a huge difference between opinion and fact. Oftentimes, it was like trying to search through all of the 'feathers' that had already fallen to the ground. When I was a reporter for the Ledger Dispatch, I remember my editor always telling me to get "quotes and photos, quotes and photos". We didn't have ChatGPT or Satchel AI back then, so a solid quote was golden, and a picture painted a thousand words.

I'm continually astounded by those who will almost religiously get sucked into and support "fake news" when the only ones benefiting from it are the people, businesses, and corporations (and politicians!) that spread it. Many just give up and are content to believe whatever. Many simply refuse to do the work to gain knowledge of the truth because they've believed the lies and half-truths for way too long. Yet others fear the truth and hide from it...but it does eventually catch up to you.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

So you must be careful to do everything they tell you.

But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach."

Matthew 23: 1-3

I also think that hypocrisy is a form of dishonesty.

I recently witnessed someone I knew cheating at a community event held in Riverton (this person is actually well-known in the community, and has been in the news). At this fun, family-oriented event, each child was given one card to have stamped as they completed a series of games at each table. At the end, each child could turn in their card to get a prize if their stamp card was full, indicating that they had played the games. This person I knew obtained not just one, but two cards for the child they brought. Later, I was with a friend who was standing in line, waiting to get the prize for her own grandchild, and this person happened to be standing in line in front of us. By the time we got up to get a prize, the officers had no more prizes to give out. So the person who cheated and had two cards got two prizes, and my friend's grandchild got nothing.

So...what do these actions say about the person who cheated? What do these actions teach their children? That it is okay to cheat, as long no one figures it out, and as long as you get what you want? How do you explain these actions to the child who didn't get the prize they deserved? "Life isn't fair." No, people aren't fair. Or honest.

In hindsight, I was not only angry at the actions of this person, but I was disappointed in myself that I didn't say anything (I guess I'm saying it now), and I certainly didn't want to create a scene. So this person just gets away with it? Believe me, I was stewing with that one for quite a while.

So here's my message: People are watching you. Children are watching you. You can spit-shine a public image, pat yourself on the back, call yourself a "good Christian" man or woman, and talk about all things you're doing in your community. But actions speak louder than words, and speak volumes about your character. And if you cheat and lie with the seemingly small, insignificant things...how can you be trusted with the big things?

When confronted with the truth, people can often go into denial, or get defensive of the narratives they believe, or mock and scorn those who tell the truth...or simply close their ears and refuse to hear it. People have been threatened and silenced, even with death, for telling the truth. In the Bible alone, you have Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, John the Baptist...and of course, Jesus Christ.

But the truth is the truth, whether you believe it or not, and eventually the truth does come out...when it's supposed to. And only God is in control of that timing. What goes around eventually comes around.

"If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen." (1 John 4:20)

But the truth hurts!

Yes, it does! But worse than a lie? It can. For instance, I had to come to grips with several truths in my own life. I used to lie to myself about how much I drank..."I've only had a few beers" when truthfully, I'd had a lot more. In an abusive relationship, I told myself, "It's my fault." When I was suicidal, I told myself, "I'm worthless". And like I wrote in my last blog, for over three decades, I wholeheartedly believed in a religion that told me I was something I was not. Yes, that hurt. That hurt a lot. Living or believing a lie or denying the truth can have huge ripple effects without even being aware that it's hurting you or others. (Matthew 7: 3-5)

But wouldn't it be better to come to grips with the truth than to just be content in believing/living a lie? Because then at least we could humble ourselves enough to start down a road towards owning up to the lies we've told and mistakes we've made, coming to grips with our vices, making things right, mending fences, building bridges, healing the hurts, and the soul finally being at peace.

Back on the subject of gossip...if you want to know the truth about someone, grow a pair and ask them! Have the courage to approach them, face-to-face, sit down, maybe have a cup of coffee or tea, and actually talk to them! What a concept. Most of all, have the courage to defend someone who is being gossiped about. "I don't want anyone in my life who can't defend me in a room I'm not in." - Unknown

Also know that being honest or truthful about yourself or to others can be a lonely place to be, but not for long. People in my circles of family and friends have come and gone. Some have betrayed my trust; others have had to experience my boundaries and earn it back. I've even had to earn trust back after lying to my own self, had to come to the realization of many hard truths. I've had to learn to apologize and correct myself if I was in the wrong, but also to carefully listen and think before just believing anything and everything. And it's hard! There's so much guck out there to swim through.

Oh yes, I've definitely learned that it can be lonely...but I'm never alone. I've taken a good look around at those who have stood by me, supported me, and love me for who I am today, not judge me based on the past, because the truth is, I don't live there anymore. And though I've had to witness unfairness and injustice, and "let go and let God", the biggest truth is...I have been blessed with so much more.

"Rain on us, Saint Honesty

Salvation is coming in the morning, but now what we need

Is a little rain on our face from you, sweet Saint Honesty."

--Sara Bareilles

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Worth the Read...

Matthew 23

Worth the Listen...

Worth the Watch (for the kiddos)...

History Lessons: "And the little child shall lead them..."

A friend of mine made a Facebook post recently that prompted today's blog piece. It read:

"I asked our chief of police what plan the city has to protect the citizens in Riverton from ICE."

Because of social media and AI, we all have become aware (all too well) and informed of the problems that plague the tribes and communities we live in. So when I see folks asking what the government is going to do about something, I find myself thinking, "Wait, what am I doing in my community to help...?" 

There have always been huge gaps between being aware, knowing, and voicing the issues and actually doing something about them when the powers-that-be cannot or will not. These chasms were made over thousands of years, so we are seeing the consequences of the Beasts that have been created over time. It's one thing to air grievances on social media, hold marches and rallies (which can sometimes escalate to riot-level)...but when it's all over and done, then what? Plan the next rally? Post the next campaign?

One of the many beasts is the Beast of Discrimination. It comes in many forms, and works well with its co-workers of Pride, Greed, Lust, and Envy. Its fangs and poison infiltrate government, politics, religion, businesses, and social constructs. It has honed its strategies and tactics over time, with clever programming to maintain control. It's crafty, this beast...it blurs the lines between good and evil, truth and lies, uses the disguises of denial, gaslighting, sarcasm, and humor to catch its prey. And the feeding begins...and it feeds, and feeds, and feeds...

History Lessons: It's not easy being green...

But God is and always has been in control, and everything has purpose (Ecclesiastes 3). All the death and suffering, the wars and battles...everything in the history of the world has happened for a reason...for such a time as this (Esther 4).

I took one of those DNA tests a while back, and it really didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know through genealogy. My birth mother is Native American and Hispanic; my birth father is Caucasian, and then I have a little bit of something else that apparently migrated over the Bering Strait. I used to do some modelling jobs back in the day, and my makeup artist always struggled with my olive complexion (I still struggle to this day, lol...hey, if anyone out there knows a good makeup for green skin, please let me know!)

Many know that I was adopted as an infant into a white LDS family. As I was raised with everything I needed and wanted, little did I know that everything I was taught to believe about myself was untrue. In the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith's story/interpretation of Native Americans was about the battles between the Nephites (white/pure) and the Lamanites (filthy and loathsome).

Well, obviously I was a Lamanite in Joseph Smith's story. But imagine my confusion as a child being programmed for that as the "truth" about my being. I remember sitting at the kitchen table, listening to Book of Mormon scriptures, and when I had questions about the Nephites (good) and the Lamanites (bad), the answer? "Don't worry, you are becoming more and more white and delightsome all the time."

"I had reasoned this out in my mind;

there was one of two things I had the right to, liberty or death.

If I could not have one, I would have the other."

- Harriet Tubman

One of my heroes in history is Harriet Tubman. Against various beasts and against so many odds, she formed and ran the Underground Railroad. According to AI, she "personally led approximately 70 enslaved people to freedom."

The slave trade was a business, and a booming one at that. Also, according to AI, "enslaved people were primarily forced to cultivate and produce several key commodities that fueled the Southern economy and significantly impacted global trade." So you have one person...one person!...starting a network and fighting against the beasts of Pride, Greed, and Lust (and Gluttony) at the same time? Amazing.

The Beasts Within Us

A story similar to the Children of Carlisle, it took me a lifetime - from childhood to present -  to understand exactly where I belonged in this world. I wanted to respect and embrace my Northern Arapaho heritage (my Red Wolf), so I enrolled in the tribe and tried to surround myself with good people to teach me. But I also experienced those who rejected me, said I wasn't a "real Arapaho" and gossiped about me, saying that I was raised in "white privilege". On my Hispanic side (my Brown Wolf), I found out that my grandfather was a pilot in WWII. And both my Red and White Wolves gave me an understanding of where my artistic creativity and musical talents came from. My grandmother gave me the name 'Sweet Singing Woman' (she had never heard me sing before she died).

Fighting the Beasts of Discrimination

Being aware of the Beasts doesn't make them any easier to slay. You can run, but you can't hide. You can clang pans and make a lot of noise, but the Beasts don't care; in fact, they'll probably laugh at you. My own journey was wrought with homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, and suicide. I had an accident that crippled me; I went blind in both eyes. The Beasts that held me bound with depression, hopelessness, and despair could have very well won the battle.

But remember, there is purpose in everything. Back to my point about discrimination (and I do have one)...the solution is first looking in the mirror, coming to grips with, and doing battle with the Beasts within ourselves, and seeing the Truth through the lies. Target the predators who lead and manipulate us down roads where we continue to be the prey. Taking back control of who the Creator meant for us to be, instead of believing the labels society puts on us, and mocks, hates and scorns you for. Republican, democrat, liberal, conservative...red, yellow, black and white (or green, lol). Christian, Mormon, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist...member or non-member.  Aren't we sick of all this by now?

Remember Harriet Tubman. One person. It starts with one person.

Over time, I've had to assess, treat, and heal from the battle wounds I sustained as I learned how to fight the Beasts that were trying to program me to believe something that I was not...what to say and how to say it, what to wear, what to eat and drink, etc. I hate to say it, but some of the worst discrimination I've experienced was right within my own tribe and circle of "friends"! Do you know what it feels like to be called a "half breed"? So not only do you have tribes and communities divided and destroying themselves from within, you have literally thousands of centuries that have gone by, chock full of those already aiding and abetting the Beasts! And we want to go to the government for answers? If we can't tolerate it in our communities, why are we tolerating it within our own selves?

Take a look at some US currency. "In God We Trust"?? No, we don't!

"And the little child shall lead them..." (Isaiah 11)

Children are the closest ones to God that you can get. You can try, but you really can't bullshit a child. Like I mentioned before, when I questioned elements in the Book of Mormon, the responses were pre-programmed by the church and by my parents. I was innocent, but I wasn't stupid. I had eyes that saw, ears that heard, a mind that thought, and a soul that felt. Discrimination is taught...in the home, at the pulpit, in the schools, in business, in the media...by all the Beasts and powers-that-be.

At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said:

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child

is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,

it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck

and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come,

but woe to the person through whom they come! (Matthew 18: 1-7)

Again...merely being aware of or knowing about the Beasts, within or without, doesn't make them any easier to fight or slay. We need to get strong enough, not just for our own selves, but move with love and compassion for those who are on the front lines of a myriad of battlefields. Stop the bleed!

God will always achieve balance and control. A tornado, hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, any disaster doesn't care what color your skin is, how much money you have, what kind of clothes you wear, or how many friends you have on Facebook, or what your business/corporation's top or bottom line of growth is, or how many indentured servants work for you. Ask any first responder if they've seen blood that runs yellow, black, or white.

The history lesson? I learned that, from the very beginning, I am a human being. I was an innocent child who grew into an adult and went down many roads filled with terrible Beasts and survived to tell the tale. I've learned that, though I was discouraged and at the point of despair many times, my Creator was and will always be with me, every step of the way...through all the twists and turns, bumps, trips and falls, through all of the temptations and humbling moments that made me feel weak and helpless, through all the gossip and lies that fly like bullets...

...if but for the very purpose of calling out the bullshit that plagues this world, and, like Harriet Tubman, can build a network of like-minded people who are on the front lines facing the Beasts.

"No one can serve two masters.

For either he will hate the one and love the other,

or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money."

Matthew 6:24

It starts with one person. Who is the person God wants you to be?

Yes, there are do-overs. God wants you to become the child--the warrior--who has learned the lessons.

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WORTH THE WATCH

YouTube: The Emperor's New Clothes

WORTH THE READ

Matthew 24

Revelation 12-13

Unorthodox Christianity: Jesus Wept

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

John 11: 33-37

First responders never know what they’re going to walk (or run) into on any given day. They are trained to be prepared, but sometimes all the training in the world cannot prepare them for many of the scenes they respond to (I described a few of these when I wrote my letter for EMS Week for County10).

When the crews come back to the station to write their reports, I have the responsibility of reading about the incident(s) as it happened through their eyes. Each crew member has a certain writing ‘style’...some are pretty clinical and straight-forward; others go into quite some detail on the life-saving measures they took. There are many narratives that put a huge lump in my throat and make my eyes burn with tears. As an empath, my mantra every day I walk into the station is: “Safety for the patients and the crews.”  Every time a call rings out, each time I watch them drive away, lights and sirens…I say a little prayer that includes that mantra.

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick…”  (Matthew 14:14)

Our Community Health: Be Kind.

Every day is filled with risks. As we go about our days, we rarely think about them. But if you’ve ever been on the patient side and/or in the back of an ambulance, you may have looked back at your experience and never would have thought in a million years that what happened to you would happen when you woke up that morning. Many don’t…until it does happen to you or a loved one.

Our first responders…law enforcement, fire, EMS…respond to events and incidents that have already happened. Many times, the attitudes can be such that it would be so easy to judge the drunk, the drug addict, the victim, the assailant, the chronically ill. But when you peel back the layers and look at the present, past, and generational traumas that have caused such monumental ripple effects of pain and grief in the world, and how it is overflowing with so many who are injured, sick and hurting…you might consider just how many of those layers of suffering it has taken over time for them to get to their present state.

And then you sometimes think about how many of those events could have been preventable. If only they had worn their seat belts. If only they had called SafeRide. If only they had reached out to someone, anyone…called a suicide hotline, called victim services, called a shelter, called a friend, dialed 911 before things escalated to a point of no return…but even then, you still cannot judge!

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about...”

“Go and do likewise.”

One of my very favorite of Jesus’ parables is the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). In short, a traveler is attacked, robbed, and left for dead. Both a priest and Levite see the man lying on the side of the road and pass by. But a Samaritan (someone who was actually looked down on by the society of the day) stops, moves with compassion, binds up the man's wounds, takes him to the nearest inn, and pays for his care and expenses (even future expenses)!

Moving with compassion and taking action. The Good Samaritan didn’t judge the man who was injured…race, color, gender, religion, etc…didn’t know the guy’s history, didn’t know anything about him. The traveler was obviously robbed, so he didn’t have any money, and there sure was no such thing as health insurance back then!

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

We get bits and pieces from the media as things escalate in the Middle East. As the historic pattern of war games continue, my concerns are more for the people who are considered “collateral damage”. I can’t even imagine the work of first responders on either side of the lines of battle, and to tell the truth, I feel helpless. But I’m not in the Middle East. I’m here in Riverton, Wyoming, and both patients and crews right here are having to fight battles that many know nothing about.

I’ve been in the back of an ambulance as a patient. I once had a friend drive me to the ER. There was a time that I even drove myself to the hospital (when I probably shouldn’t have). I’ve worked in a hospital. I’ve seen ER doctors and nurses in action as they muster up for the incoming. I’ve worked in hospice, worked with some of the most compassionate nurses I’ve ever known.

The people who make (and will make) the most difference in their communities are the ones whose actions are driven by compassion…not judgment, social or economic status, opinions, or terms and conditions. It’s all about the attitudes that prevail in the approach of care. For an example a little closer to home, one might see a drunk in city park and judge an entire race of people based on what they see. But what about what they don't see? Do they consider the layers? Our first responders see it all the time, and to be honest, the attitudes in the approach to multiple calls for alcohol poisonings can take its toll.

But what was Jesus trying to portray in the parable of the Good Samaritan? The approach of compassion and mercy without judgment.  It doesn’t matter (and shouldn’t matter) the race, color, gender, religion, politics, etc. “Go and do likewise.”

The shortest verse in the Bible is: “Jesus wept.”  I think of all of the things that would make Jesus weep today. I think of the things happening in the world that make us all weep. But I also think about the Good Samaritans of the world and in our own communities. Besides our first responders, I think of organizations that need support, such as the American Red Cross, Fremont County Prevention Services, White Buffalo Recovery Services, Riverton Mercy House, local Victim Services…people who work for, are inspired by, and move with compassion to peel back the layers of hurt and grief that overwhelm our society.

Perhaps we, too, can be more inspired, more motivated by faith, love, and hope that good will triumph over evil. Because that’s what Jesus would do.

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

The NAEMT Code of Ethics 

https://www.naemt.org/about-ems/code-of-ethics

Unorthodox Christianity: I wish that I knew what I know now...

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns..." (Exodus 20: 8-11)

I look forward to Sundays. It's the one day out of my busy work week to relax, regroup, rejuvenate...to cleanse my body and my soul of the soup I have to swim through during the work week.

I was a church-goer all my life. I was adopted and raised in the Mormon church, started playing the piano for Primary at the age of eight, and the organ for services at the age of nine. I became a Stake music director when I was at BYU, and was a Ward music director in every ward I served in (every 'calling' I received had to do with music). I was a composer and arranger, had my music performed on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and wrote two cantatas (my Easter cantata was performed at the Oakland temple).

After I left Mormonism, I was a keyboardist in a few worship teams, and eventually became a music director for some Christian denominations, namely the Southern Baptist Convention and the Episcopal church. For thirty-five years, I dedicated countless hours of rehearsal and performance time with my choirs and worship teams for Sunday services.

Now on Sundays, I sleep without an alarm. I spend my time practicing my hand-carved Native wood flute. I drink a lot of water. I visit my daughter and my grand-puppies, call my son, have coffee with friends I didn't have time for during the week. If the weather permits, I take short road trips to the prairie, the mountains, the river. I check my garden and watch it grow. I pray and burn cedar or lavender buds...the smoke rising and the fragrances reminding me Whose day this is.

When I started back at EMS, I was told that my work hours would be Tuesday through Saturday. Perfect! I was issued a work phone, but it took me a while to train a few crew members (and even myself) that I would not answer the phone on Sundays. I have told a lot of my friends: "Don't mess with my day of rest!"

"Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. (Exodus 20:-9-10).

"If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12: 11-12)

The Corporatization of Christianity
Simply put, it began with the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, beginning with a gathering, a meeting among men to develop a strategic plan for marketing Jesus Christ to the growing masses of believers. Eventually, the Council of Carthage would decide what would or would not go into the canon of scripture now known as the Holy Bible, which would be divided into two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Along the way, there would be scriptures that were deemed as heretical, such as the Apocrypha (Christian theologians, correct me if I'm wrong).

Today, there are many denominations and offshoots of Christianity, all with their different creeds, rituals, traditions, cultures, priests, pastors, teachers, missionaries, etc. all of whom go out competing, Bible in hand, for the ears of would-be believers. There have been a myriad of interpretations and  translations of this book made by those who have claimed to be "inspired" to make such additions and changes. Some for language and clarity; others who want to put in their own doctrinal spins and agendas, and yet others calling themselves "prophets" for the purpose of gaining followers.

But what did Jesus say?

The Gospels are four books in the Bible - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are called the Gospels because they are (the account and definition of) the good news of Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection. It is the only section of the Bible scripture where we pretty much know anything about what Jesus said or did during his lifetime (Matthew was known as Jesus' scribe). Throughout my own Journey as a believer in Jesus, I've always gravitated and stuck to the content of these four gospels. Eventually, Jesus was crucified by the Roman government and the rest is, well...history. There are many throughout time who have come after Jesus saying "lo here! and lo there" (Matthew 24:23), but for the most part, the Gospels are all we have.

Jesus preached a New Commandment, the greatest commandment...to Love. To love God, and love your neighbor as yourself (the Golden Rule). His life was one of healing the blind, lame, and the lost, calling people out on their bull, and to beware of false prophets and hypocrites, past, present, and future. The Gospels have been the message of Christ for nearly 2000 years, and it is obvious that we haven't listened, nor put his words into action.

And here we are...how's that working for us? Prophecy can be inspired, but it is also mathematical, based on probability. It doesn't take a rocket scientist, a politician, a pastor, preacher or a self-annointed "prophet" to look back at the patterns of history and say that somewhere, along the way, we as a human race have made a lot of bad choices and grievous mistakes. You can make choices, but you cannot choose the consequences.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24, KJV)

A Christian Nation?

There are several large denominations of Christianity. The Catholic church is the largest, then you have several branches of Protestantism. The Southern Baptist Convention is pretty huge, as is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), which is the one I was raised in. Then you have even more sub-denominations, mega-churches, splinter groups, and cults that have formed throughout history, right down to simple Bible study groups. The structure of these groups usually has a leader/leaders, plus an organizational and worship structure that determines how their believers will follow and conform.

Throughout my spiritual Journey, I have learned about how many of these structures work. For example, I've been a part of non-denominational churches (or at least they call themselves 'non-denominational'), yet those leaders must answer to an authoritative or corporate hierarchy. As you can see with the Council of Nicea, when you have a growing membership, you have to have some sort of order and structure. None of the worship teams I was on ever required membership; however, as a Music Director with the Southern Baptist Convention, I told them that I would never sign the dotted line as a member of a church or religion ever again. In response, I was told that if I wanted my paycheck, I'd have to sign. That was the protocol/structure. So I did.

I said the same in my interview with the Episcopal church. I said, "I'll do the music for you, but I will never become a member." The pastor (bless her heart) said she had never heard of such a thing. Their congregation was small but mighty in their compassion and outreach for their community. I volunteered at the Interfaith Food Bank. I was on the community outreach committee and a women's group. I grew to love that church family very much, and in return, always felt welcomed and very much loved. Perhaps my favorite service was when we had a Celtic Hymn Sing, where we brought in a local Celtic band and sang old Celtic songs and hymns. Music is a very powerful means of worship, reaching those waves and frequencies of Light, Life, Love and Truths reverberating within our souls, connecting with our communities in a very special way.

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life..."

In my opinion, if you call yourself (or even pretend to be) a Christian, you should read the whole chapter of Matthew 6 to know how Christ wanted everyone to live and be. The Sermon on the Mount is a good start, but also read the stories, the parables. The Good Samaritan, the Parable of the Sower, the Mustard Seed, the Lamp Stand...the Rich Man. Read about how he healed the blind man (a story especially relevant to me last year); read about all of his miracles. Read about how and why he threw the temple tables down, and defied the political narratives and authorities of his day. It is so ironic why and how the Light of the World was crucified, yet history has clearly shown that we continue to crucify Him over and over again.

I now know why I've been taken down so many roads and side roads on my spiritual Journey. After so many weary travels, being distracted and enticed by other paths, struggling with the demons of abuse, domestic violence, alcohol, and other synthetic poisons...I finally feel like I'm home, both physically and spiritually.

Every culture has its traditions, ceremonies, rituals, myths, fables, and stories. Never have I experienced such an outpouring of wisdom from people who have taught me the (true) Arapaho Way. As I learn more about my Native family and culture, there are many wonderful teachings and truths that I store within my heart, mind, and soul. I've met with, had coffee with, and 'sat at the knee' of many good people in the tribe who have and continue to show me the Way. I have a lot of love for my tribal family, and I know I can do a lot of good.

That said...good is not without bad, love is not without hate, light is not without darkness.  Alcohol and sugar have become the cholera blankets. War and greed have destroyed lands and are now called "property". Churches, families, and tribes are now cliquish, gang-like, mafia-type organizations. Wise ones are replaced by kings, presidents, and CEOs.

Arapaho Truths by Moonstar Productions

Throughout my life, I know that God and so many ancestors before me have travelled with me, leading me here. There were lessons I needed to be taught. Many lessons that I refused to listen to. Many lessons that, if I had been mindful and listened to my ancestors and others who my Creator put in my path, I may have learned a lot earlier rather than later. But I've also learned that everything has purpose...the good, the bad and the ugly...and my child-like faith has carried me through, even though my compass went wonky many, many times!

We are a continent that is sick and hurting. Hurting ourselves, hurting each other, hurting the land, water, and sky. We have allowed politics and corporations to hurt us, govern us, dictate to us, program us, punish us...tell us who we are and what we should be. That isn't freedom. That isn't respect for God, the earth, the sky, and every creation that speaks Truth. That isn't respect for the martyrs of wisdom and faith who spoke the Truth, and then were killed to silence them.

 That is called slavery.

The Greatest

"Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one child such in my name welcomes me.'" (Matthew 18: 1-5)

As we struggle through all the political, corporate and religious narratives (I call it "the soup")...my hope is that we can all someday (and someday soon!) just stop what we're doing, take a look at ourselves, and really think about what and who we're believing, what we're saying, and most of all, how we are acting towards one another. How we treat all Creation. How and what we are teaching our children.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." (Matthew 7:15-20)

We are not born atheists. We are not born as thieves, abusers, murderers, gang members, slave owners, hypocrites, destroyers, or power-hungry oligarchs. We are all born into this world with a faith that inherently guides us. With all the confusion and noise that is going on in this world we've created for ourselves, I often tell folks to listen to your "gut". You were born with it. Simple, child-like faith was given to you by your Creator, not mankind. (I was told this many years ago by a friend who practices Wiccan. Her message to me was as true then as it is now.)

So if belief systems of society are telling you what is, how to be, what or who you are, those are huge red flags right there. Nobody's really listening anymore; there's way too much noise. How many more years do people have to suffer and die before we learn this crucial lesson? How long before we finally listen, pick up the tools our Creator and ancestors have placed in front of us, and go down The Good Road? 

Do it the way your Creator tells you to do it. The way Jesus told you to do it, the way all the wise and good Ones before us did it. Be mindful of your steps, your words, your thoughts, your actions. I guarantee you, you won't be without struggles against opposition, against the beasts and demons, both seen and unseen...

But it will lead you home.

Carol "Sweet Singing Woman" Harper

"I wish that I knew what I know now

When I was younger..."

Chorus from "Ooh la la" by Ron Lane and Ronald Wood

(Made ya sing it!) 😉