July 17 Daily Feast, Elder’s Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

July
Guyequoni

Wednesday
Tsoineiga

2013

July 17 - Daily Feast

There is little wrong with the earth that it cannot clean up itself. It renews constantly, trying to keep pace with so much tampering going on. It has its hot spots, its upheavals, and the recycling of elements - but the Indian has known how to live with the changes. It is the world of people that needs to clean up its act. Some think the trouble began when the atom was split - but it was more apt to be when man split with the Great Holy Spirit. We learn from the earth not to build up too much pressure or we will blow it. The river has taught us we can't be too broadminded or we spread out in the shallows and dry up in the midday sun. When moral standards were lost in the shuffle, the world kicked over the lantern again.

~ Hear me, not for myself but for my people....that they may once more go back....and find the good road and the shielding tree. ~

BLACK ELK

'A Cherokee Feast of Days', by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day July 17

"My friends, how desperately do we need to be loved and to love."

Chief Dan George, SKOKOMISH

Oh my great Creator: Help me this day to love myself. I can't give away anything that I don't have myself. If I am to love others, then I must love myself. If I am to forgive others, then I am to forgive myself. If I am to accept others as they are then I need to accept myself as I am. If I am to not judge others, then I need to lighten up on myself. Let me experience this power of love...

My Creator, today I will love myself so I can love my neighbor. I will look at each person today and see Your light within them. If I do this, I will hold my brothers and sisters without guilt.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

It is written that where there's a will there's a way. If a desire is sincere and the results are for the good of everyone, the first giant steps have already been taken. American clergyman Joel Hawes has been quoted, "You may be whatever you resolve to be. Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something - 'I cannot' never accomplishes anything; 'I will try' has wrought wonders."

A positive attitude can be one of the greatest joys to experience. To begin a day by willing everything good, and meeting any obstacle with the idea that it has no power, can make some of the most sudden and drastic changes in anyone's life.

To be something or someone is one of the strongest desires, but it does mean sacrifices of doubt and apprehension and feeling sorry for oneself. It means standing straighter when it is more comfortable to crawl. It means laughing instead of lamenting. It means thinking positively and speaking good words.

It is said that a great deal of talent is lost in this world for the want of a little courage. We often think of courage as the kind that wins wars and braves new fronts. But there is another plain, ordinary kind of courage that helps us face our everyday problems.

There is a surprising lack of this kind of courage, and it leads us to seek ways to dodge our responsibilities. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to face everything and everyone and take a firm stand for what we believe. It takes courage to admit we have weaknesses and needs that we must overcome. It is a daily fight to follow the right road when the wrong one looks so smooth. And it takes courage to believe, when obstacles face us.

God has given courage to each of us, for strength to overcome is available to all who are courageous in asking for help to be courageous.