June 5 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

June 5 - Daily Feast

Nothing equals the loveliness of a summer morning when the first rays of sunlight sweep a field of wheat ready for harvest. The honey-colored heads bow with the weight of grain and the moisture of dew. Few of us could miss the peace that comes when the first light breaks through the foliage at the far side of the woods. It beams misty shafts of gold into areas untouched at any other time of day. It passes quickly and leaves the need to see it again. A miracle happens with the morning light. Worried thought lightens with the trill of the summer tanager. The wild purple cone flowers make their appearance in the meadow - and so the day begins.

~ Warm as go gi a ga li s gv, the peaceful day begins.
Warm as summer sunshine, the peaceful day a leni s gv. ~

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day June 5

"It is not through the great skill of the hunter himself that success is achieved, but through the hunter's awareness of his place in Creation and his relationship to all things."

Thomas Yellowtail, CROW

If only the human being could understand the power of proper relationships, the need for power and control could be abandoned. It's not what is going on that matters, but how we look at what is going on. It's our relationship to it that counts. Nothing in the world has any meaning except the meaning we give to it. To be more effective at this, we need to consider our relationship with the Creator. Our relationship to the Great Spirit determines how we will perceive the meanings we put to places, people, institutions and things. We need to let the Creator tell us and guide our thoughts about these relationships. Any relationship that we have that is causing problems means we need to pray for a new point of view.

Creator, let me see the world and the people through your eyes.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Everyone is a collector of something. And everyone's collection looks peculiar to someone else. And yet, who knows why an item may have a certain appeal to one particular person. The shape, the color, the whole idea may have a hidden background, but it is most definitely there!

It may be old books, or magazines. Perhaps it is pill bottles, fishing hooks, or something "I may need someday when...." Who knows the reasons old calendars continue to hang, and scraps of this and that may someday be just what I need.

But more dear than any of these are the happy thoughts we collect to use along the way. We can use them to cheer someone, to pass along a word of courage, a simple prayer, a smile. And when someone has time to share with us an experience that we may profit by the pain they felt - yes, these are collector's items. These priceless bits of life's fabric, woven by someone's cares and offered to us in hopes that it will help.

Whatever it is that we collect, we must never forget the dearest collections are the kindnesses, the thoughtful acts, the smiling faces that can be ours by giving the same.

What could be so priceless as true friendship? Friends for which time and space do not exist! It is written, "What a great blessing is a friend with breast so trusty that thou mayest safely bury all thy secrets in it, whose conscience thou mayest fear less than thy own; who can relieve thy cares by his conversation, thy doubts by his counsels, thy sadness by his good humor, and whose very looks give thee comfort."

All of us have had many friends, but the special ones remain forever in our memories. The dearest are those who believe in us and are willing to trust us with their friendship.

We cannot force friendship. It is something mutually felt, mutually understood, and silently accepted. It is our opportunity to demonstrate our very best selves - to ask no questions and to pass no criticisms.

"Before us is a future all unknown, a path untold;
Beside us a friend well loved and known -
That friend is God."

Donadagahv’I

Tawodi Unega
( White Hawk )

I will be going by my new Cherokee Name From the Bird Clan
By my Udo ( Brother ) Mashu: Tawodi Unega ( White Hawk )

This is going to be My true and traditional name. It will not be official, however, until I can have the ceremony for it.

May The Creator walk with you.