November 9 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

November 9 - Daily Feast

The land has taken on the look of Thanksgiving time, of fallen acorns and pecans and walnuts. Now we see the bare branches of oaks like muscled arms lifted toward the sky, and fragrant smoke settles in the valley and hangs like gauzy curtains along the river. Southbound geese, called by the Cherokee as as-u in go di, still put down in the open fields to feed, to flap their huge wings, and to honk. They are not the least startled by passersby. It was a time like this when Wolf George came to my grandmother's bearing a beautiful turkey for dinner. E li is said, "A fine turkey, good tasting. Did you raise it?" In his gruff full-blood tones he told the truth as he saw it,"No ma'am. Saw it roosting. Got it before someone stole it."

~ If any white man steal our stock, I will report it openly. ~

SATANTA - KIOWA, 1800s

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 9

"Language is a vehicle for carrying spirit, life, family. Language, religion, and land base are three things that characterize culture."

Edmund Ladd, ZUNI PUEBLO

The Elders say we need to know the answers to three questions in order for us to be connected the Earth, the Sky, the East, the West, the South, the North. The three questions are: 1. Why are we? 2. Who are we? 3. Where are we going? If we know the language, if we have our spirituality and if we can pray on sacred spots, then we are able to seek the answer to the questions. We must protect the language, religion and land so our future generations can stay connected.

Great Spirit, help us maintain our language, spirit, family, religion and our Mother Earth.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

"There is no royal road to anything - One thing at a time, and all things in succession. That which grows slowly endures."

- J.G. Holland

The first lesson we have to learn is that instant success in anything is a fantasy. The overnight success stories we hear about are really products of much preparation.

If we could view a life laid out before us, we could see it is much like a hand sewn quilt, built of many tiny pieces, colors of every hue, fabrics of every kind, and patiently joined together by tiny stitches to give many years of service. Maybe we missed a stitch someplace and it caused a weak place, but the strength of many other stitches will carry it through. Finally a complete quilt has been created and it is strong and lasting.

When we truly want to move ahead we build our lives a quilt block at a time, patiently adding to another part of life until we have the strength and courage to endure.

Take on step at a time, but take it positively forward! The patience will be rewarded. To have a dream come true we must first have a dream. Don't look back. The past is gone, but the future is still in our hands.