April 15 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

April 15 - Daily Feast

Think and talk pleasant things. When pressures are too much, turn around and think and talk on another subject. Most of us are victims of our own emotions. We allow them to take over our peace of mind and there is nothing left to do but cry. And what we worry about becomes so real, so intense, that we believe it in all sincerity. The Cherokees say this is v yo-ho wa yi gi, something that is not true. When we are provoked to be negative there is no point in berating ourselves. Rather, say, "This is not acceptable. This is not my way and I refuse guilt, refuse being overwrought, and that is the end of the conflict."

~ You have spoken words of comfort....as though the Great Spirit was speaking through you. ~

LITTLE BEAVER

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day April 15

"When people live far from the scenes of the Great Spirit's making, it's easy for them to forget his laws."

Walking Buffalo, STONEY

Society today is way off track. Unfortunately, many Indian people are caught up in these modern times. The Elders are telling us we must wake up! We must come back to the culture because this is where His laws are. If we don't follow these laws, we will be unhappy. We cannot do things just because everybody is doing them. This does not make it right. We must follow what the Great Spirit says we must do. We need to pray hard for the courage to come back and live according to the culture. It will be difficult at first but worth it in the end. We must teach our children the culture.

Great Spirit, today, let me listen to the warnings of the Elders.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Cooperation is said to be the essence of success. Without it confusion and chaos are the ruling factors and in harmony the main thought. Cooperation is a result of excellent leadership, the ability to build a team of loyal players who can follow instructions or think for themselves, whichever is for the best of all concerned.

A team is a group with specific parts to play. In all wisdom they know a little about every part, but they play their own positions with precision and efficiency.

Every player cannot be captain, and every person cannot play quarterback. The part may be small, but if it is played with fairness and dignity and to the utmost of ability, then it will be as important to the successful outcomes or results as the biggest job in the team.

The practical view of cooperation is vivid in John Dickinson's words, "By uniting we stand; by dividing we fall." We are only as strong as the weakest, only as cooperative as the spirit in which we work.