MIA---LOOKING GOOD

It's Labor Day. Lauren starts first grade and Kaia starts kindergarten tomorrow. 

Auntie Dao and I took the ladies shopping on Friday; so we were treated to a fashion show....so cute. Looks like both are budding fashionistas? They've got that pose thing down pat--and at 5 and 6? 

The handsome guy on the right is Ethan who started High School this year!! And down at the very bottom is a partial view of Cole (Jones' best friend).

Mia is doing very well--10 proton sessions down and 20 to go. 

Mia and Grace are staying at the Ronald McDonald House at The University of Florida, Jacksonville. The generosity of so many people has made Mia's treatment possible--thank you so much.

James and Lauren & Kaia and Grace's parents will be traveling to Jacksonville next Thursday to visit Grace and Mia. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has given all of them a mini-vacation in Orlando. (I decided to stay in CA as I need to get a hip done....) 

Being a witness to the tremendous generosity of so many individuals--some anonymous, some known-- inspires me to watch for situations where a simple gesture, a smile, a dollar will lighten a person's load. Yes, there is always the grand gesture which has its place, but let's not forget the little (seemingly inconsequential) acts that spread love and compassion: heaven on earth.

Have a wonderful September--still hotter than H___ here, but it's got to cool down soon??!

Mary & Jones (and Cole)

EASTER SUNDAY

Today is the day of Resurrection. A day of Gratitude. A day when we are called to action.

I'm cooking, and then going to my daughter's home where the big boys--14, 13, and 10 are coloring eggs and then having the joy of hiding them for the little girls--so much joy in the giving.

But today is also the Day to remember that we have just been through a terrible financial crisis that was brought on by the greed (and sinfulness) of those who we all trusted to monitor our financial institutions. There are other impending disasters on the horizon--GMO's, failure to regulate huge corporate entities such as Monsanto, Bayer, gun proponents, mass polluters--the list goes on and on.

Are we going to have the courage as represented in the Risen Christ and the faith of Passover to raise our voices in a resounding NO MORE? 

Isn't that one of the messages of Easter and Passover? We have overcome fear of death, fear to voice our concerns and stand up for what is right? We, the people, have immense strength and power--we are all part of the Resurrection. Jesus was a radical as was Moses: can we go passive when confronted with their strength and leadership?

Can we see the helpless poor and sick and not help them? Can we stand silent in the face of enormous wrong doing by our leaders? Can we fail to bring our financial criminals to justice? Can we fail to have compassion for the mentally ill? Can we continue to uphold a broken health care system where only those with the privilege of company obtained health insurance have access to adequate care? Can we allow a system based on corporate profits determine care for sick individuals? Can we allow the richest 2 per cent to pay a lower tax rate than the struggling middle class--trickle down economics is a figment of economic imagination. Can we continue to allow women to be treated as second class citizens? Can we continue to allow the rampant prejudice that is so pervasive in every culture without raising our voices in protest?

I THINK NOT.

Today is a day of resurrection of our personal integrity and strength. To follow Jesus who stood for radical action and compassion.