I Have a Dream

Each one of us can create and accomplish a dream that makes our world a better place.  We do this by looking into our hearts to discover our destiny, looking around us to determine who needs our special gifts, and looking upward to receive God's help in lifting, loving and serving others.

Martin Luther King knew that God loves all of his children, including those who are poor, black, or disenfranchised.  He changed the destiny of millions of people when he spoke up against injustice, racial bigotry, and inequality.  His determination to secure civil rights for all people in the United States though non-violent means inspires us to looks into our own hearts and speak up for justice, truth, and freedom.

You can make a difference!  Every one of us can lift another's burden, radiate goodness, and stand up for those around us who suffer.   Every one of us can leave a legacy of love, compassionate, and courage.

Consider these quotes by Martin Luther King:

“Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles;
Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances.
Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it.
Cowardice asks the question, is it safe?
Expediency ask the question, is it politic?
Vanity asks the question, is it popular?
But conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.” 

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”  

“Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” 

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.”   

We can make a difference in our families, our neighborhoods, and our communities. We can be a beacon of hope to those who are oppressed, provide strong arms for those who falter, and shine our lights of goodness and mercy in a troubled world.  

We can speak up respectfully and powerfully in neighborhood meetings, city councils, and church classes.   We can visit the sick, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked.  Together and individually, we can make a difference.  

Let us begin today.



&copy Carol Brown

Creating True Peace

When Martin Luther King, Jr. nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize, he said, “[Hanh’s] ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to world brotherhood, to humanity.” I agree.

Hanh’s books, including Creating True Peace, describe ways that we can change our thinking, speaking, and acting in profound and powerful ways. Hanh shows us the simple ways that we can transform our lives and create peace on every level—personal, family, neighborhood, community, nation, and world. He teaches us that peace is possible.

He describes the Five Mindfulness Trainings that help anyone experience greater peace, regardless of their spiritual beliefs or cultural background. His teachings are simple and beautiful.

The First Mindfulness Training is reverence for life. He challenges us to show greater reverence for life and to not condone killing in the world. Of course, the Christian equivalent of this teaching is “Thou shalt not kill.” Each of us can do more to encourage nonviolence in our communities and in the world. Violence and peace cannot coexist.

The Second Mindfulness Training is generosity, which motivates us to share our time, talents, and material means with others and to “prevent others from profiting from human suffering.” Truly, as we give, we receive. As we share love, we receive love. As we create peace, we are blessed with peace.

The Third Mindfulness Training is sexual responsibility, being faithful to our spouses and doing all that we can to protect children from sexual abuse. Although I have learned firsthand that we cannot always protect those we love from sexual predators, we can teach children to avoid any dangerous situations, to learn self-defense, and to report any abuse that they see or experience.

The Fourth Mindfulness Training is deep listening and loving speech. As we listen carefully and compassionately to others, we can better understand their needs and pain and can help to alleviate it. Hanh tells us that in our families when we feel angry, rather than speaking unkindly, we can leave the situation, practice mindful breathing, and return to resolve the conflict when we feel calmer.

The Fifth Mindfulness Training is mindful consumption. Not only does Nanh challenge us to eat healthy foods in moderation, but he urges us to avoid anything that brings “toxins into our consciousness.” He explains that when the average American child finished elementary school, he has watched about 100,000 acts of violence and 8,000 acts of murder. As we protect ourselves and our children from violence and pornography, we can experience greater peace. Hahn suggests that we put a warning label on our televisions as we do on cigarettes: “Warning, watching TV can be dangerous.”

This short description doesn't begin to describe the depth of Hahn’s wisdom. He shares hundreds of simple but life-altering ways that we can create peace in our lives here and now. He tells us that “practicing peace is possible with every step, with every breath.” He provides us with tools that will help us bring hope and compassion into our homes, communities, nations, and the world.

“True peace is possible,” he says, “yet it requires strength and practice, particularly in times of difficulty.”











© Carol Brown

The Joy of Giving

When we give willingly, we receive abundantly. That is a universal law. When we clutch onto our possesions, we are not open to accept bountiful blessings.

I know many who share generously with others, and they never lack. I know others who hold onto to all they have, and they feel emptiness. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it," we read.

I have always tithed, even when living on minimum wage. As I have given to God, He has always been blessed me spiritually and temporally. I've been able to pay my bills when it appeared I could not. I know that God blesses those who love and honor Him.

Shortly after we were married, our Church leader asked my husband and I to give everything we had (which was our $500 savings) to a worthy cause. We did. God poured out blessings on us from that moment on, and we experienced the joy of giving all we had to the Lord. Although we've known financial struggles and good times, we've always been blessed.

I have several friends who live on meager incomes that still give generously to others. They are so happy! I have others who hold tightly to everything that have. They are miserable!

I give carefully. I will not give money to an alcohol to buy booze or to drug addict to buy drugs. I won't give money to an organization where much of the money is spent in administrative overhead. I like to give money to our local food bank, to Kiva, an organization that gives microloans which are repaid (to me), and to the Salvation Army. I like to give to our church's humanitarian projects, in which all the money goes to those who truly need it.

Anne Frank wrote, "No one has ever become poor by giving." I would add, by giving wisely.

What organizations do you like to support? How has giving blessed your life?




© Carol Brown

The Joy of Giving

My mother, who died ten years ago, had a giving heart and is one of the most joyful persons I’ve known. Although she lived on $480 a month at the time she died, she was continually giving of her resources, time and talents. And she was so happy doing it.

Self-sufficient, she gave ten percent of her income to her church, paid all of her bills, and then thought of loving ways to give to others. When she was 84, she took food to an elderly widow who had buried both of her single children. Mother walked to the grocery store, bought the food, carried it across icy sidewalks and streets in a small, two-wheeled cart, and then placed in on her neighbors shelves. And she did this for months.

When a young mother, Marilyn, who lived down the street from my mother, became severely depressed after several long-term miscarriages and after losing a baby at birth, mother took her neighbor in, cooked for her, and cared for her until we were able to persuade Marilyn to get the in-house mental health treatment she needed.

Now totally well, this woman is the mother of eight beautiful children and a member of her city council. She became one of my mom’s dearest friends. My mom was in her eighties, had serious health problems, including congestive heart failure and a seriously injured back when she helped Marilyn, but when I saw Mom caring for Marilyn with such gentleness and love, I knew God was working through Mom to serve one of his precious children.

I just returned home after running some errands with my older daughter. She has five children and a busy life, but she stopped at a bank to deposit some money into her friend’s checking account. Her friend’s husband is unable to work and she has six children, including a disabled son, so my daughter wanted to help anonymously. What joy!

When my husband was a leader in our church congregation, he played Santa every year. He dressed up in a Santa suit and took food and supplies to families to needed help at Christmas. Oh, that was so fun! Some of the people asked over and over, “Now, who are you really?”

Our family likes to find a family or two with great need and help them out at Christmas. I find it's more gratifying to give something to the poor than to receive a gift at Christmas. Giving to me is the essence of the holiday. (I’ve begged my children to use the money they would spent on their dad and I to help the poor during the holidays; some are more obedient than others.)
One year my younger daughter asked our family--her three siblings and my husband and I--to help three pre-screened immigrant families for Christmas. Oh, that was so fun! One of the families had no money for a Christmas tree (or furniture), and to watch those little children when we put up the tree and placed the wrapped presents under it—oh, there just aren’t words to describe the joy!

I love helping out struggling souls in third-world countries through Kiva. For a $25 microloan, you can transform a life, and when the loan is repaid, then you can reloan it to another person you choose. It is so easy to do and so much fun!!

There are so many people needing a helping hand right now. Sometimes a phone call, a visit, a casserole, or an invitation to lunch can brighten their entire month. No matter how poor or rich we may be, it truly is more blessed—and joyful—to give than to receive. And, no matter how much we share, we always seem to receive so much more than we give.

© Carol Brown