Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day!

Today we celebrate Mother's Day! What an incredible day to celebrate and honor women and mothers! The Ten Commandments reminds us to honor our mothers, but what are you doing to honor your mother, aside from Mother's Day? Regardless of whether your mother is living or passed away, we cannot forget to pay homage to what  the memory and importance of "mother" means to us!


Happy Mother's Day!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Poetry Readings, Events and Symposiums for Week of May 13


What a lovely time to enjoy the essence of poetry this month. May is a time when the flowers start to burst in their colorful spring kaleidoscope practically every where we turn. The spirit of the great outdoors and drinking in the power of poetry for the spring is music to one's ears! Check out a festival or poetry reading near you this month!

May 13, 2012
Kay Ryan
Katonah Village Library
Katonah, NY

May 16, 2012
MAY DAY with Chris Robin
Taza de Café
New York, NY

May 16, 2012 
Poetry Feature & Open Mic
Harwood Art Center
NW, Albuquerque, NM

May 17, 2012
Vijay Seshadri on W.H. Auden
Poets House
New York, NY

May 17, 2012
Poetic People Power - 10th Annual Show
Helen Mills Theater
New York, NY

May 17. 2012
SlamBoo: Middle School Poetry Slam
Lane Middle School
Portland, OR

May 18, 2012
Circumference Web Launch: HEIM + NOVEY + ROHRER + WEINBERGER
A Public Space  
Brooklyn, NY

May 18-21, 2012
Poetry off the Page Symposium
University of Arizona Poetry Center
Tucson, AZ
520-626-4310
guthrie@email.arizona.eduhttp://poetry.arizona.edu

Monday, May 7, 2012

Team Church Zumba Dance in the Fight Against Domestic Violence

Favorite Things for a CAUSE Logo

Team Church Zumba Dance in the Fight Against Domestic Violence

Dania Mazier Tschirhart, Certified Zumba Instructor for Team Church, located in Matthews, North Carolina led Cinco de Mayo Zumba class outdoors to support the victims of domestic violence for Turning Point. Everyone wore purple in solidarity.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Team Church Zumba Supports Turning Point of Union County
Team Church Zumba Supports Turning Point of Union County
PRLog (Press Release) - May 08, 2012 - 
On Saturday May 5, 2012, Team Church Zumba members gathered together to bring gently used clothing, shoes, toys, household items, jewelry, books, furniture and other assorted items to donate to Turning Point, a cause that is near and dear to their hearts. Turning Point is a mission located in Monroe, North Carolina that is committed to providing victims of domestic violence and their dependent children with safe shelter, while they learn how to break free from the oppressive grip of their abuser.

Dania Mazier Tschirhart, Certified Zumba Instructor for Team Church located in Matthews, North Carolina led Saturday’s Zumba class outdoors to lift up their voices for the voiceless victims. Donations came pouring into the parking lot drop off point one car at a time. Zumba members wore the color purple to show their solidarity to raise awareness and help end the horrors and tragedies resulting from domestic violence.

For many Team Church Zumba attendees, these vivid reminders are all too real. Victims often face guilt, fear and shame. Far too many victims succumb to this horrendous epidemic every single day. Many people ask why these victims do not simply leave. More often than not, leaving is not as simple as grabbing a few things and taking off.  Clearly, it is hard to understand what these victims are going through, unless you have walked in their shoes. Abusers often instill fear in their victims and ultimately use that fear against them. According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center, the following statistics clearly indicate that domestic violence is out of control, unacceptable and deadly. 

•   Women accounted for 85% of the victims of intimate partner violence and men accounted for approximately 15%.
•   Between 600,000 and 6 million women are victims of domestic violence each year, and between 100,000 and 6 million men are victims.
•   Women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence.
•   Nearly 74% of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence.
•   On average, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day.
•   Among American families, 50% of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.
•   Studies suggest that between 3.3 and 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.

Turning Point is working to turn our community away from domestic violence. To learn more about Turning Point, visit their website at http://www.unioncountyturningpoint.org.  The location of this shelter is not publically shared due to the safety for their clients. For more information on Team Church Zumba, join their social circle https://www.facebook.com/groups/zumbateamchurch/?ref=ts.

Photo:

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Earth Day: From the Beginning


The Holy Bible paints a heavenly portrait of the creation and the reason why we celebrate Earth Day today and every day! Starting with Genesis 1, in the beginning, we see how God strategically created a sustainable and perfect world. God gave humankind dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air and every living thing that moved upon the earth.

Sometimes, little thought is given to our day-to-day surroundings. We tend to think of our environment, whether personal or communal, as always existing in its undisturbed state. Unless something like a natural disaster occurs, we may not think about the importance of our surroundings.

Thus, we must ask ourselves, how did we manage to literally destroy our habitat and gift from God? How did we allow wastefulness and carelessness to inhabit and deteriorate our environment? How do you feel when you drive to an intersection and see a mound of cigarette butts covering the median like miniature ornaments? How do you feel when you see litter sprawled over the sides of the roads, or where wooded areas become the dumping grounds for things like old toilets and stuff no one wants to dispose of properly?

What can you do to improve your personal and public environment? Have you ever thought that with all of the unexpected climate changes and sudden natural disasters that this may not really be natural, but triggered by our carelessness and thoughtlessness? What can we do make our world more sustainable and safe from the abuse that we put it through day in and day out?

The environmental movement is here and now. We must be mindful that it is up to us to secure a healthy future for the next generation and ourselves. How can we teach and expect responsibility from them, when we are behaving irresponsible ourselves? On this Earth Day, let us stop asking such questions, but start implementing positive and doable solutions.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

April is Holy Humor Month

There is something captivating about hearing the laughter of children and admiring the innocence expressed on their faces. With passion, they enjoy and embrace the gift of life! Holy Humor Month recognizes the healing power of Christian joy and celebration. Humor is contagious and according to many, laughter is the best medicine for your mind, body and spirit. Humor helps to strengthen your immune system, diverts depression, relieves stress and pain, as well as boosts your energy levels. A good laugh is medicine for your soul.

Humor helps to heal and renew. It promotes happiness, fun and inspiration. Humor and laughter is associated with an overall sense of well-being. Humor and lightheartedness begets positive emotions. It buffers against negative feelings.


Recognize the power of joy and celebrate Holy Humor Month! Have a good, positive and healthy laugh! No one can steal your joy, although that does not stop him or her from trying!

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
- Proverbs 31:25 New Living Translation

Friday, April 6, 2012

Commemorating Good Friday

The Friday before Easter is when we observe Good Friday. It is known as a day of mourning, somberness, the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Some people observe this day through silence, fasting, praying or worshipping.

May the peace, joy and celebration of this Holy Week be a blessing to you and your family on this Good Friday observance!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Today is Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the day before the commemoration of Good Friday. It is called Holy Thursday, which is the beginning of the 3-day celebration of Easter. “Maundy” is of Latin derivation and means “mandatum” relating to a commandment. Jesus commanded his Disciples at the last supper to love each other as He loved them. This act of love was displayed in Jesus’ servanthood when he washed the feet of His Disciples and shared the Last Supper, which is the final meal consisting of bread and wine with His Disciples.

Generally, on most calendars we only see Good Friday and Easter labeled, but Maundy Thursday is not. On the night of Maundy Thursday, Jesus is betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Disciples may not have understood the true significance of these events that took place during this period, called The Triduum, but during the course of this time, they came to understand it better by and by.

As we reflect on the this moment in time that affected the lives of everyone then and our lives now, we must look within and ask if we are truly following that last commandment that Jesus instructed His Disciples to do:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another’ as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” - John 13:34 (NKJV)

So often, we revisit this poignant time in Biblical history and have to ask ourselves today, just how different our behavior is compared to that of Judas, the other Disciples or Jesus’ tormentors? This season of watching, waiting and anticipating should make us examine the journey we are walking. In the science of Reflexology, various points in the feet affect various organs and other vital parts of the body. What part of your feet affect the love generated from your heart?