God's Law: The Return of the Circle

So what's with the weather? Could it be all the negativity on the news and people's nasty behavior in general? When we look in the mirror, what looks back at us is the same. When people express hate, are they aware that's what will return to them? Imagine hate is hot black tar returning to the sender. Do you want that?

Remedy: To have peace on earth, we have to master our thoughts and feelings and live from our heart expressing genuine love, compassion, kindness, mercy and peace toward all.

©️2018 Red Convertible Travel Series

💗 Living Sympathy, Compassion and Kindness = Divine Love in action 💗

As we were leaving the Memphis, VA yesterday, we met a woman standing and smiling. She said she is a volunteer who welcomes veterans, thanks them for their service and tells them something that might make them feel better. God Bless her! 💓

Not long ago, I met a woman at the end of a grocery aisle. I smiled. She projected hate. We met again at the corner of another aisle. I smiled. She maintained hate. The third time we met, I smiled and so did she. 💝

Coming from the Midwest, I had no background/understanding of racism. I can't do it. Hate is debilitating, a waste of God given energy. It can make the sender physically ill. We, the people, are not that different. We all want to be loved and accepted just the way we are. Living sympathy, compassion and kindness soothes, heals and connects us. Want to do something good?  💞 Love a hater. 💟 It just might open their heart, too.

©2017 Red Convertible Travel Series

Veterans Day 2015 and Europe in 1993

Remember the Veterans

Europe in '93
Maeann B Jasa

We thought the wars over

'til we laid down to rest

guns, tanks, barking dogs

were heard in our heads

Germany, Luxembourg,

Holland, France

war haunted our sleep

how could it last

From out of the heavens

came this command

"Free these dear souls

from the hell of the past."

Walking battlefields, cemeteries

my sister and I

acknowledged, telepathed 

with those who are dead

Thousands took notice

 piled weapons in heaps

ten abreast they crossed over

the Bridge to the Light

Military, civilian

all countries alike

God welcomed each one

"Come home. Rest."

The pain and the warring

were gone from the air

peace was on their side

and we felt it here.

Microsoft Clip Art

©2015 Poem Red Convertible Travel Series

Happy Fourth of July 2015

Blessings to all 

this 4th of July

May peace be

the order of the day

and 

explosions

fireworks only.

Microsoft Clip Organizer photo

2015 Red Convertible Travel Series

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Pillsbury Cookies

That was a short season!

Thanksgiving was the first time in four years we had guests for the holiday. I haven't been this happy since I cooked for "The Pearl Girls" to fill my home with happy. Niece Dawn brought Watergate salad and a sweet potato casserole. Yum! Her brother, Wes, brought ham, a lot of it. I cooked a Butterball Cajun seasoned turkey breast and made her mom's cornbread stuffing with chunks of the turkey. The recipe's a keeper. Of course we had mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, pecan and pumpkin pie.

Later, Bryce, Braden and Kaylee wanted Rice Krispie bars. We found Kroeger's closed. I have never seen our Wal-mart parking lot completely full. We braved the crowd. One of the kids reached between snaking carts and grabbed a box. We self-checked out and were back to the car in ten minutes. I suspect others waited hours.

Rice Krispie bars need to set and dry. Not necessarily. If there's melted Hershey to dip them in, go for it. And "we" did. I was a kid, too.

Granddaughter Bertlee came Sat. to bake cookies. Thank goodness Pillsbury mixed the dough and sold it in tubes. We made peanut butter with a Hershey kiss on top, gingersnaps, plain sugar cookies and some with bits of red peppermint candy that reminded me of Grandma. We did the Pretzels with Rolo's and a colorful mini-MnM. She had cookies to take to her 1st grade class and to her family. I hope we can do this again.

Thorton Wilder, "We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasure." 

Peace on Earth and Goodwill To All

Maeann

©2014 Red Convertible Travel Series
















She took some home. I'm giving lots away for early Christmas treats.

Twenty-eight minute hours

The year has raced past. If it is true the earth is spinning faster without signs of slowing, will we eventually have 28" hours. Would we get more done or less? Would a break still be 10"? Would the day end after twenty-four 28" hours or would we have over 48 hours in a day. I used to say I needed more time. Is that how we'd get it? I could read more, write more, eat more. Skip the eat more. Would it be easier to set aside an hour to garden, an hour to walk the dog, an hour to nap. Noooo! I want a 60" nap.

Could I visit more countries in December and learn how people celebrate the holidays? Would Denmark's Legos fall faster? Would Santa have enough time to deliver all the toys?

If the world continues to speed up, hours might shrink to a moment or less. Then what? The past, the present and the future would all happen at once. They already do. Unresolved issues sneak into today. Our thoughts wrapped in feelings go into the future to circle back with more of the same.

New Year's Eve we will walk through the lake of Violet Transmuting Flame to erase our unintentional errors for the year - the Grace of God at work. January 1st feels like a fresh start.

Whatever happens, my wish for you is: Peace in your Soul
Love in your Heart
and Plenty.

Enjoy the ride. Take care and God Bless.

Love,

Maeann

P.S. While I was writing this for you . . . there was an explosion in the kitchen. Uh, the eggs I was boiling got through before I did.


2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

Remembering. Memorial Day 2013

We are One Nation Under God 

indivisible 

with liberty and justice for all.

 Remembering the many who gave their all
Appreciating their sacrifice and our freedom.

 Remembering the soldiers closest to my heart
scared, brave, courageous
 night sweats, malaria bouts, nightmares, regrets, guilt,
standing for the Pledge of Allegiance with hand over heart,
deep love of the USA

 Honoring the named,
the unknown who didn't come home
the families without closure

Remembering the far away and long ago
General Patton buried with his men

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

Easter 2013

There's more to it than Easter eggs and candy.

Ever since the stone was rolled away, Christians have celebrated Christ's resurrection. He is a man for all seasons, races, ages, beliefs. He showed us how to live and how to die and is still with us. I know including Him in my life makes it work better.

 I look at Christ's way and contemplate my contribution to the whole. Perhaps the best thing I can do is live through my heart. Live love, forgiveness, compassion, patience, and service. Be slow to anger. Listen. Allow others their own beliefs without judgement. Yes, live without judgement. I don't walk in anyone else's shoes. I do not know every experience they have lived that shaped them to this moment.

My life is longer and more complicated than what has happened since I was born. From years of digging, I KNOW I have lived in other times and places. Where love lives, hearts are forever connected. Love at first sight is picking up where we left off.  Past life unresolved issues returned to be resolved. At least now I'm aware and take pains to resolve them. I'd rather recycle paper and cans than discordant thoughts and feelings.

Life is fascinating. I am determined to complete mine in peace and harmony and maybe graduate as Christ taught us. To you and yours, Blessings this Easter, whether you celebrate or not.

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

What I want for CHRISTMAS

When I was three I sat on Santa's lap, gulped and asked for, ". . . a drum." I still haven't gotten it, or the purple Harley with a sidecar I asked for fifteen years ago. (It's probably just as well.)

This is Buckshot, our new puppy. He made his bed. Didn't he do well? Everything is fair game, including height. He swiped my car keys and ID from the kitchen table. Fortunately, I retrieved them before he ate or hid them.

Madchen and Schatzie have had the run of the house and are not happy to have an intruder come to stay, dart around and make noise, even though he hugs the ground in submission and moans, 'please'. Cats are cool; they're not buying it.

Frazzled, I prayed for our animals to lie down together peaceably. Last night Buckshot leaped up on the bed and snuggled between us. Madchen jumped up beside me and Schatzie beside JB. I held my breath. There was no hissing and barking. We slept cozy all night. My prayer was answered. Thank you!

May your Christmas be Merry and full of surprises. May the New Year bless you largely.

Love,
MJ

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series

Holiday Feasts

From Thanksgiving to Christmas there’s a feeling of goodwill toward all. I want to do more than I have time. Who doesn’t? I’m sipping a cup of hot tea savoring a piece of dark chocolate biscotti with Ghiradelli buttons (chips), cinnamon, and Frangelico. I’ll add a smidge of cayenne to the next batch.

Memories: highlights of the past. Mom made enough divinity candy to cover the dining room table. I swiped samples all around the edge, the mint green ones were best. My girls swiped the refrigerator cookies of coconut, butter, and powdered sugar wrapped around a candied cherry … a confession of late.

Baking for family, friends and all who served blessed us twice: when the aroma filled our home, and when we shared our sweet dough tea rings, breads, cookies, candies and more.

Lillian, our dear Bohemian neighbor, taught me how to make houska: braided sweet dough with white raisins, almond slivers and bits of citron. Lithuanian friends shared a huge, scrumptious Napolean of apricot and custard between layers of wafers. I’ve always wondered about figgy pudding.

Papa laid pieces of fresh pine boughs on the basement space heater. They released their scent mingling with the baking aromas. Happy times. We sipped eggnog with fresh grated nutmeg from our silver Jefferson cups.

The nut cake was a family affair shelling mixed nuts to fill an angel food cake pan. A thin batter bound them and a few pieces of candied cherries and citron. Out of this world delicious, heavy, rich, and dense.

Our Swedish relatives liked rye bread, pickled herring, hard tack, Swedish brown beans, meatballs, cream sausage with cranberry sauce, apples cooked with cinnamon redhots, creamed onions, rice pudding with lingonberries, and plum pudding. The lutefisk cooked in cheesecloth smelled terrible. I thought it was tasteless, and needed the mustard sauce to make it edible. I must have missed the point.

Czech relatives prepared duck or turkey with liver dumplings. I loved pretzel salad with strawberries in jell-o and cream cheese mixed with whipped cream for topping. A hazelnut jellyroll with rum flavored whipped cream filling is one of my favorite desserts. Christmas Eve was oyster stew or chili. Cousin George loved oyster stew, but fed the oysters to the dog.

Pork chops and onions in red wine with heavy cream, mashed celeriac root, and chocolate mousse prepared the Suzanne Somers way made a satisfying, attractive meal on our Pistoulet dishes.

No matter what the menu, it was plentiful and a production. Grandma declared it might be the last Christmas we’d be together. True. That generation is gone. What do they eat in the hereafter?

We expanded our table with the leaves stored under the davenport. The white linen cloth was ironed, and the table set with the ivied Christmas dishes, the good silver, and goblets for Papa’s homemade wine. Henry, the three-legged cat, was reminded he was not the centerpiece.

Just when we thought we couldn’t be surprised, someone gave us a gift we hadn’t thought of but could use. Goodwill plus surprises equals Christmas.

We ate with gusto, laughed, reminisced, commented on the year past holding on to the best moments. What was to come no one knew. My silent prayer: that we’d all be together next year, same time, same place.

Copyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series

Peace thru fishing

MSN photo

Peace thru fishing.  It's a stock photo, but the guys look a lot like Papa in the front and Jim further out. A nice memory.

verse copyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series

The Ocean from On High

MSN photo

The view could be from a para-sail. I love the peace and silence suspended in space.

verse copyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series