“When you pray, move your feet.” (African Proverb) Some of my friends walked yesterday in DC, Boston, Ann Arbor and NYC. We may, or may not, agree with marches, but they have been a way of expressing beliefs…Joshua leading a walk around the walls of Jericho, 1773 Boston Tea Party, 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade, 1963 Civil Rights March, 1969 Viet Nam Protest, 2009 Tea Party Rallies…and the one on Palm Sunday. Beliefs often require action. ;-) Jack
FROM HONEST JOHN: I like the reference to Joshua and Jericho....good analogy====JACK: I can just imagine that the folks on the other side of the Jericho wall were thinking..."What are Joshua and those crazy people doing?" Time will tell if Saturday's march was a prelude to a wall that will come a-tumblin' down.
FROM TARMART REV: ...been walking in the Spirit by faith for just shy of 70 years now, if I can count the younger formative years established by my faithful parents.====JACK: Have you ever marched for some cause? Holy Spirit people joined other community people in protesting the plan to turn the Keego Movie Theater into a X-Rated movie house. Our marching worked.====REV: One time here in Willmar with a bunch of evangelical church folks...but for the life of me, I can't remember the cause any longer. 0;-/
FROM HY YO SILVER: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel said that when he marched for civil rights with MLK that he was "praying with his feet".====JACK: I have a saying posted by my desk..."Get Tough...Get Off Your Duff!"
FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: "A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step." In your own way, Jack, you are encouraging people to express themselves, but to take some action. Great advice.====JACK: My friend in the Boston March had written on her hand the reasons for being there...Dignity, Equal Rights, Freedom from Discrimination.====PAUL: It disturbs me that my right wing friends are promoting the perception that women who were “Pro Life” were asked not to attend. I heard a couple of interviews from organizers that said that the march was not about for or against abortion but for women’s rights. I could see how the march could have turned into something quite different if organizers encouraged one group over another. After thinking about this for some time, I believe that the essence of the march was to promote exactly what you wrote. Having it morfed into the abortion issue would have been extremely destructive. The Right is looking to discredit the event because it is such a threat to their agenda. It’s like just talking about Madonna instead of the throngs of people who would were very clear on why they were there.====JACK: It reminds me of the preacher who wrote in his sermon notes these words...."Argument weak here. Pound the pulpit like hell." So..."Argument weak here...Go after Madonna and overweight people!"
FROM GS IN SH: That’s a good one!====JACK: Have you ever marched for some cause?
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: This is a free country so everyone is able to walk. It was peaceful I think. I didn't watch any of it.====JACK: It was reported by the D.C. police that was not one arrest among that large group of people. Both Gandhi and MLK Jr believed that peaceful marches were more effective than riots. Some "followers" of Jesus wanted him to be more forceful in response to those who opposed him. Even today there are some "Christians" who are not in favor of "turning the other cheek."
FROM PEPPERMINT MARY: i can't stay still in church or any other gathering. i feel the beat of the music and/or prose and i sway. always have, always will, and i am old enough to have confidence and comfort in it. i love marching with those of like mind. solidarity is a wonderful thing! we shall overcome! this train is bound for glory!====JACK: Do the children in your school sing this song?
Well, if you can't sit still, here's a game we play Listen to the words and do what we say
I got my fingers wiggling to the rhythm
Got my fingers wiggling to the rhythm
Well, I got my fingers wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my shoulders wiggling to the rhythm
Got my shoulders wiggling to the rhythm
Now, I got my shoulders wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my nose wiggling to the rhythm
Got my nose wiggling to the rhythm
Got my nose wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my knees wiggling to the rhythm
Got my knees wiggling to the rhythm
Oh, I got my knees wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my chin wiggling to the rhythm
Got my chin wiggling to the rhythm
I got my chin wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
Now touch your head
Touch your shoulders
Touch your knees
Now your toes
Touch your shoulders
Now your toes
Touch your knees
Now your head
Listen now - head, shoulders, knees, toes
Touch your shoulders, knees, now your toes, touch your head
Shake your body all about, now everybody FREEZE!
I got my head shaking to the rhythm
Got my head shaking to the rhythm
I got my head shaking to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my toes wiggling to the rhythm
Got my toes wiggling to the rhythm
I got my toes wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my elbows wiggling to the rhythm
Got my elbows wiggling to the rhythm
I got my elbows wiggling to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
I got my hands clapping to the rhythm
Got my hands clapping to the rhythm
I got my hands clapping to the rhythm
And I can't sit still
No, I can't, can't sit still
FROM AS IN MAINE: ! My daughter Willow and I went down to DC to march. I did it in support of those whose voices have been silenced or disrespected, those who are in fear because of the color of their skin or their religion or their sexual orientation. I did it for women. I did it because I wanted my daughter to see what democratic expression looks like in all its forms (she also comes with me every time I vote!). It was exhilarating. I wish there had been more diversity there--it's something that the women's movement has to contend with, that mainstream feminism has been a mostly white undertaking and not a comfortable place for all women. But I hope it's a way for women who weren't engaged in the myriad issues to get engaged, to go home and find a place and a way to be a part of a solution to the discourse and the dismissivness and the rhetoric. (not to mention the blatant racism and sexism) It's a shame my mom wasn't able to join us--her ride fell through, but she'd been planning to be there. It was most certainly a multi-generational event. Women of all ages, from babies to 90+ year olds. I'm so glad we did it.====JACK: Somehow, I'm not surprised that you were part of the throng...and that your daughter would be with you...and that your mom would be supportive. Some people are consistent in their life-style.
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: peaceful protests are the american way!====JACK: I agree...but it's soooo hard to remain peaceful when someone mistreats you. How do you react to Jesus saying, "Turn the other cheek? What do you think he meant by that?
FROM GOOD DEBT JON: Reminds me of this song: "If We Are The Body" Writer(s): John Mark Hall
It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girl's teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgemental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road
Jesus payed much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ
Jesus is the way
====JACK: Jesus was born to show us "the way" to live.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: My daughter marched in Chicago; there were thousands participating, marching around the loop and in front of Trump Towers, both men and women! She said it felt good to express her feelings, and do something beside just "vote"...the Women's Marches around the world seemed to be very successful! Hopefully, it will have some kind of impact.====JACK: It was a show of force in a peaceful way.====OAKS: P,S. Bill and I, Jan and Hal all marched in Chicago with Martin Luther King way back when; Now the newer generation takes over...:-)====JACK: The MLK Jr walks were dangerous. I didn't feel that way about the ones last Saturday.
FROM RUTHIE L IN ILLINOIS: I sing a song called Living Prayer. It's from an Allison Krauss cd."take my life,and let it be, a living prayer my God to thee" I work on living every day like that. Yes, sometimes we need action :) peace ====JACK: The church hymnal puts it this way.
1
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
FROM ST PAUL IN MESA: my daughter Annika and two of her daughters marched in Mpls. as did our daughter in law in Seattle. wonderful experience for them all!====JACK: "The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree."
FROM BB IN ILLINOIS: That adage was used in my house as a child. Funny. A & I were at the epicenter of the Women’s march on Saturday. I thought the 50+ photos in the digital NYTimes of marches all over the world….Asia, Antarctica, Europe and Africa were fascinating. The Chicago march doubled the expected crowd and was very mellow and positive – few angry voices; much solidarity expressed and reminders that our concerns are all interconnected, what affects women, native americans, marginalized, immigrants etcetera, affects us all. Not too difficult to see the face of Christ in the faces in the crowd====JACK: I did see Jesus in the crowd...disguised as a woman.
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