Realizations in the Midst of the Journey

If you are a spiritual person, everything that happens to you in life you connect to the spiritual or deeper meaning of your life, your purpose, your very existence. And, there are times when you can reflect on the past and reconcile its meaning with your present place in your journey.

Such is a time for me. In questioning, "why or why is this happening to ME?" as we all do at some point or another, its a rare moment when the answer comes and says to you, "This is why, tell this story now." The Clark County School District in Las Vegas Nevada is trying to send me to prison. To this end, they have been largely successful in their efforts -- and while I realize that whistle-blowing to the media when they let a child walk out the front door of our school may be the obvious reason they are trying to do that -- scapegoat me to save face -- it is not, I believe the only or the real reason.

I've told this story before, but I can't find it now, so I'll tell it again -- like a good storyteller, I will try to bring it to life once again. Like the retelling of the stories in the gospels with slight nuances to bring broader meanings to a simple tale.

In January 2009, my daughter's elementary school was set to present in the Dr. Martin Luther King parade in Las Vegas, Nevada. They begun preparing in December when I learned what the school's presentation was going to be. A dance by the girls and, theoretically the boys could join too, but doubtful they would want to dance to a song called "Candy Girl."

Now, I'm old(er) and I remember "Candy Girl" -- its a sweet song by New Edition. A very innocent song if you compare it to other songs like Soulja Boyz' "Crank Dat" previously approved by the school for functions. But coming from a child's perspective, it has some very grown-up or perhaps just teenage innuendos about the relationship of a boy and a girl, including those of a physical and sexual nature. And, coupled with the presentation at the school of songs like "Crank Dat," the innocence is soon lost, and a clear message is sent to the girls: you are "candy girls" to be looked at and thought of how good a girl makes him feel "in every way" -- you are a sexual objects. And, boys, you are supposed to sexualize girls at age 6, 7, 8, etc.

As an adult, I appreciate that -- that subtle lesson being taught. Now, sexuality is not a bad thing. And, that thought when you are growing in young love is a wonderful one and one I hope every person on the planet gets to feel everyday in healthy, life affirming, empowering circumstances.

BUT . . .
Real World Context

This is Las Vegas, Nevada, land of perversion. Sin City is where these 1st through 5th grade girls are being put on parade as "Candy Girls" to be "thought of" in every way by those watching -- and they are not just their classmates of equal age where the sexual innuendos of the song would likely fly right over their heads -- but paraded before older boys, young men, old men.

In a city where there are four strip bars within
a block or two of the parade route.

In a city where we have frequent ten o'clock
news stories of another underage, 11, 12, 13 year olds,
prostitution ring has been broken up.

In a city where girls in g-strings and pasties
"Girls right to your door" are
handed out on postcards on the street
and plastered on rolling billboards
circulating all over town.

Now, I am not going to be a hypocrite because this is not about "Sin City." There are adult choices adults make that create our environment and I do not think the mere existence of this environment is wrong -- its not something I judge that way -- this is about the safety and security of our children.

Security first and foremost on a very practical level -- those being of sexual predators. Now, if such a predator (and Las Vegas has its disproportionate share of them) knows exactly where they can find some "Candy Girls" -- at my daughter's school.

Security first and foremost on a developmental level -- sex education is a regulated part of our public schools. Regulated with good reason. And until the 5th grade, and then ONLY with specific parent approval, are our public schools supposed to introduce sexual concepts, even if those concepts are hidden in the lyrics of a song, the ideas of relationship development into the sexual context are premature for children of ages under 12, and then, even for some older kids, they are still not ready -- hence the regulation of parent approval for such education to be given in our academic settings. This is a educational basic.

Security first and foremost on a spiritual level -- the degradation of women to that of the oppressed, violated, battered or conditioned whore in our society comes from a breakdown of the innate spiritual connection within a woman that begins when she is a girl. Who she becomes as a woman is crafted in her childhood. School, both academically and socially, plays a large role in the sculpting of those values in a child.

As parents, we try to expose and protect our children naturally from the things we feel we need to protect them from as they grow up. Some of us limit television, some only allow G movies, others don't allow certain music, still others immerse their lives in a circle of community where common sensibilities maintain a level of protection preventing exposure to that which we feel are detrimental to our child's spiritual development. We all have different levels of protection, but all parents have the need to protect.

As a parent, I did that. I filed a Public Concern Form with the Clark County School District asking them why they were putting our little girls on parade to be "Candy Girls" at age 8-9-10, etc. The system of politics in Las Vegas, Nevada need Candy Girls to be developed so the system of perversion that creates the corruption that is very obvious on many levels and very hidden on other levels.

The school and the school district saw nothing wrong with the parade or the context in which they presented our elemetnary girls. My Public Concern Form basically informed them they were "pimping" our girls -- although I did not use those words. And, they are. Through their system of failing to follow the Regulations that are in place, they put their agenda ... and it is an agenda when you put together all the little, tiny nuances of sexual education they introduce in our schools without calling it such. God, they say, is in the details.

So, I confront that perversion in our educational system in Las Vegas, Nevada -- that is one reason they want to put me in prison. Be a witness anyway -- do not be afraid. Wherever you are, in your own way, be a witness for the truth you know to be right. Jesus said, "render to Caesar what is Caesar," but God gave us our children to raise for God. Caesar's school system cannot take from us what is God's, we must protect them and I need your help to do that, because for me, this is a spiritual battle for my child and all our children.

Together, we can build a place where by the operation of our own laws and family values, our children are protected. Please, help me do that in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

Faith in the Unknown Present

"no word yet."

not quite yet.
our faith is being tested in the place of our ancestors.
well, not mine, per se, but the home of my husband's and my daughter's ancestors.

haiti.

what a challenge of our faith and demonstration of god's grace.

even without knowing, we know our family is fine. they are smart, they are prepared, they know how to handle anything -- if they work together. so, for our family in haiti we hold in the place of faith of god's mercy and the same fortitude of survival that flows through the veins of our relatives.

when times get tough, the tough get going.

its time for the tough to get going.

we are all in the midst of the unknown . . . after the earthquake, after the verdict, after that which could not be predicted or even expected, you find yourself not on solid ground, but on ground that shakes with the movement of something bigger than you.

it is your faith that allows you to perceive even the movement of tectonic plates or political swirls of character assignation and abuse of power, that "everything is ok." no matter what comes your way, god never gives you more than you can handle.

tomorrow when the sun comes up, the grace will be there once again to help you create a new world from the ravages of the old one. and your choices will once again reveal your faith.

my swirl is caused because i love my daughter, perhaps much like god loves us. and, i will be a witness for the world i want my daughter to live in -- i will move to change the world to be a place where i want her to experience the joy of living. i will move to change the world to be a place of equity, respect, truth and empowerment for my daughter.

i chose to do that in the public schools of las vegas, nevada.

my swirl has caused the need in some to come against me and use the power they have against the truth . . . the bigger truth on which my faith is founded.

and i choose to do this despite the seeming futility of it all.

i choose to do this despite the resistance to what i say.

i choose to do it because . . . it needs to be done.

the political forces of las vegas, nevada want our little girls, our daughters (especially those of certain demographics), to be paraded (literally) as "candy girls" in a parade to honor dr. martin luther king, jr. downtown, las vegas, nevada -- with its strip bars and out-of-control underage prostitution -- is the venue for this presentation of our school girls.

imagine, for a moment if you will, dr. king looking down at a parade in his honor -- everything he stood for, everything he fought for, everything he said, and there's a public school, with a black female principal, who thinks that its appropriate and acceptable to present a dance to "Candy Girl" -- "you make me feel so good in every way" candy girl.

politicians and administrators, using the public schools, have taken our little girls -- in the second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, even the first grade -- and said, "that's what they are, 'candy girls!'" all the way to the superintendent of schools, that's appropriate education for our daughters.

yes, they do not like me for being a witness to the values and truths i was raised with in the church. because i stood up as a witness to what as i saw as being wrong, they are persecuting me in our courts -- trying to put me in prison. but, that's ok -- it really is.

because now you know.

and, if parents do not stand up and say to our schools who are failing our community in the education of our children, that, "no! our children do not belong to 'caesar,' they belong to god. and little girls are not to be pimped by our schools. and, little boys are not to be taught how to disrespect girls that way in our schools."

the community must stand together to witness the truth of raising a child in the safety and security of high moral ethics, and hold our schools and administrators accountable for the educational sanctuary they deserve. they do not have to have prayer in our schools, if they just preserve a high moral and ethical space for the children to live and learn while they are in the care of the schools.

stand as a witness for your child even if it throws you into an earthquake of after shocks that you cannot predict or even know what to do in the moment. it is the earth we stand on and she's not going anywhere but 'round the sun. faith in the truth that eclipses all the definitions and labels is where our strength is found.

for haiti. for our children. for our world. be a servant and a witness.

peace & harmony,
elaine
"freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!"

Love to Haiti and A Dose of Castor Oil for Pat Robertson

First ... all thoughts, prayers and energy specifically to our family in Haiti. We are one with you in your suffering, we seek to bear it with you to help you withstand the pain. Sending love, hope, faith and tomorrow's sunrise to fill your spirits with joy and strength.

and now, the castor oil -- because sometimes soap isn't enough. If Pat Robertson's mother was still alive, no doubt, she would have a bar of Lava for the darkness her son increased in the world.

"I give you not a spirit of fear . . . " That's in the Bible somewhere.

I met Pat Robertson once. Ironically, like now, it was at a time of "crisis" -- a fire in the hotel hosting many of the representatives from the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International convention happening in Anaheim, California. Our family (well, most of my family, me being the third eldest was not yet old enough to stay at home with my two sisters, so, I must have been no more than 11 or 12 at the time), traveled to Anaheim to attend the convention filled with evangelical christian superstars and their groupies (for lack of a better description).

I remember the early days of the "evangelical" christian "non-demoninational" movement, and the FGBMF, Pat Robertson, The 700 Club was a part of that birth that has resulted in things like the "Christian Coalition," among other things.

Today, unfortunately, I must reflect on the words of Pat Robertson in response to the extreme tragedy in Haiti. They echo the words of the pastor in the Dutch Orthodox Church where the services for my paternal grandmother was held. A god of hate. A god of punishment. A god so cruel and angry at his creation that surely we do not expect his grace because we are so undeserving. Basically, a god absent all the things I believe God is. And, because God is everything, I suppose that is a part of "God" too . . . but I prefer to keep that part of God as far away from me as possible.

Pat Robertson is "a Christian leader." LOL! Is he one of your's? Really? Still?!!!!!!!

Like when Katrina happened, God was punishing us for our love for all humanity and the knowledge that what all God created is good, equally deserving of our love and respect -- after all, it really couldn't be the gays that caused God to bring so much judgment on New Orleans, is it? But, truly, how ungodly are we as a nation because . . . not, of course, because we embark in violence and countless murders of innocent human beings in pre-emptive wars . . . but ungodly because we no longer stone gay men and women, and allow them to exist in some increasing level of personal respect, human dignity and equality in light of the prejudices they have faced for years and years and years.

Pat, really. Would God really do that?

Send the earthquake to Haiti because they fought for a found their independence before we did here in America? Or, did they really have to do a "deal with the devil" and now God is paying them back? It can't be possible that a people so filled with self-determination could have risen up and claimed their birthright as sovereign people -- in doing so, inspire some young minds here in a America to think that it really was possible. No -- of course not. They had to make a deal with the devil because they have a different way of living according to their own choice and destiny . . . their own journey within their own stone polisher that happens to be different then say the one Mr. Robertson is in here in America?

And, he and I are in the same stone polisher and he and I are rubbing together in this pot we call America. But, perhaps Mr. Robertson is not reading the same teachings I read in my Bible. I mean, could it be, that in this crazy world God created, the Earth has her cycles and they happen to hit places where human beings live . . . and tragedy strikes us equally based on our needs to learn, journey and grow?

Or maybe, just perhaps,
could it possible that these things happen
exclusively as a form of grace for wayward
wannabe "christians"?

Katrina and Haiti happen to be an act of God but not in deliberation of judgment for some obscure judgment that Pat Robertson seems to think in his egocentric and inhumane and NWJWD (not-what-jesus-would-do) manner, full of hate, judgment and disrespect. An act of grace and mercy exclusively for Mr. Robertson and his need to learn how to be a human being.

Oh, and about that time when I was a child and met Pat Robertson, I was all alone, well, my younger brother was with me, he was maybe 7 or 8 at the time. I was looking for my parents. We had come down to the lobby and were waiting on them when the alarms started going off. So, we were standing in the lobby, right in the middle with people frantically streaming toward the front doors to get out of the building, and I am standing there in the middle of them, grasping my brother's hand, looking for my parents. I kept scanning the people, hundreds of them at this point, and "boom!"

I was knocked to the ground, my brother falling with me. I look up and its Pat Robertson who has knocked me down and dropped something he was carrying. I quickly stood up and said, "Hi Mr. Robertson" (he was, after all, in our house, a bit of a 'superstar'), and I went down to help him pick up the books and papers he had dropped.

"Leave this stuff alone and get out of the way, don't you know there's a fire!" Was his reply. I stood up quickly, not sure how to react as he grabbed his last book and rather gently pushed me and my brother aside and said over his shoulder to the person following him, "this way, there's the door."

The person with him did not follow Mr. Robertson. I did not know the man, but he stopped and asked me in accented English, "Are you ok?" "Yes, but I cannot find my parents." I replied. "Stay with me, we'll find them." And as he turned around, of course, there were my parents coming right towards us. "There they are!" I exclaimed. And, so there they were and the Korean man went on his way with the rest of the crowd as we joined my parents and baby sister then also evacuated the hotel.

"What were you doing with Pastor Cho?" Asked my mom who recognized the stranger who helped us. "He was helping us find you," I replied. (Pastor David Cho is a mega-superstar pastor from Korea.)

Running in fear was Pat Robertson. Seizing an opportunity to serve was Paster Cho. No more than God sent that fire to "punish" those of us in Anaheim, California did God send an earthquake to "punish" our family in Haiti. Spewing hatred, untruths and fear mongering once again is Pat Robertson, again like Katrina, completely missing the amazing opportunity to serve that was packaged wrapped with a bow on top just for him courtesy of God's grace and Mother Nature.

Mr. Robertson still does not understand on the most basic human level the love of God, God's compassion and Jesus' calling to serve and serve and serve.

Shame on you, Pat Robertson. While you are a very distant, distant relative of mine as we are all children of God, but you most certainly are not close to the calling I find when I use the label description "christian." And, I request you stop using the Lord's name in vain.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

Dinner with the "Enemy"

As you know, Jesus said, "Follow me."

Did he mean that literally, to follow him around like a puppy dog, or did he mean, follow in my footsteps, follow my example?

As impatient as he got with the disciples when they did put their brains on hold and followed him around like he was a guru or something waiting for him to give them their answers . . . he always redirected them to live the truth he exemplified and tried to teach them, I surmise that the latter was his dictate.

No matter what happens, you have to live YOU -- the God within you must become alive in YOUR walk. Even if the world views you as crazy, stupid or a menace, go boldly in your faith, your truth and your convictions. When the world stands in judgment of you for being you -- your unique expression of God -- KNOW that you are doing it! You are doing that which Jesus told us and taught us to do.

When you are afraid to take a stand and do what's right, remember, we are invited to sit at the table with our enemies -- those who would come against us, those who would throw us in jail, those who say "you are wrong because we say so." What the world says, and what is right -- well, God gave you discernment to understand the truth in your own unique light and view. And, the truth is, even if they don't know it, they are really not your enemies, they are just another part of God's truth working its way to the light of our collective experience.

Use it. Follow Jesus. Don't be afraid of what may happen to you. God's got your back even if it looks like this world is winning at the moment!

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

"What are YOU thinking?!"

elaine clermont is thinking how lazy we can get on FB and other quick "check in" applications! i just ended a sentence with a preposition after ragging so hard having found an instance of the same in a 6th grade Language textbook!

YIKES!

but perhaps one of these things is not like the other . . .

it goes back to intention.

the ever so important, yet often silent question never asked when one is seeking information on that which is in chaos.

"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made. "
John 1:1-5

but no "why?"
the "why?" is missing.

so, i ask you . . . should we stop teaching them how to write well by using text books that use exemplary language and writing skills? or should we let them teach them that to write well, according to historic context, you must consciously know when and if it is appropriate to end your sentence with a preposition!

live and let die in our wake
or
live and let live on?

god is always about balance. perhaps it is true: that there is a season for all things.

jesus lived and let live once again.

why can't we?

there are no mistakes in the eyes of the most awesome thing you claim to worship, so why are you still accepting the shame?

do you worship an idol without any power or do you follow in his footsteps, with that kind of power?

and that is to answer my "what are you thinking?" question of today.



peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

The Ethics of Jesus

Are you a rule follower?

Have you noticed in your dealings in your life that our society has more and more become affixed to the adherence to "the rules" and "procedures" and "directions" than we are to using our own judgment, our own discretion and our own choices to live our lives, do our jobs, interrelate with others?

This is a problem. Rule followers worship the Jesus idol. Sure, they think they are doing the right thing, after all, its "right" to follow the rules, isn't it?

I don't know, what rules are you following? Do they contradict the purpose and destiny Jesus has given you to fulfill? Do they feel wrong when you measure them against your innate and instinctive actions consistent with what you feel is right?

Jesus did not give much weight to the rules of his time, and if you are following Jesus, then you too should examine this question of "should I or should I not follow the rules?"

This question is one that is paramount in this time on our earth. This question is not just for those who are in power, but it is for the everyday person . . . the postal worker, the bank employee, the power company customer service representative, the teacher, the politician, the policy maker, the police man, the mother and the student.

Abdication of your own self-determination of choice based on the situation God has presented for you to experience, whether it is in your job, your life, your school, your interactions with other people, is one of the biggest ways to separate yourself from God.

Every time, in every experience, in every situation when you know what you should do or know what you feel is right to do, and you choose to say, "No, the 'rules say ...'" to shut down your inner knowing, your inner voice, close off your connection with God ... you are separate yourself from God in a blind following of an idol that replaces the truth you know with something artificial and arbitrarily established by man to create a false experience, a false truth, an illusion of reality that is not connected to the flow of the Spirit through you.

So many people are soooooo afraid to lose their job because the "rules" tell them "_______ is the answer." So, regardless of what they feel and know to be right, they follow the rules. In essence, you put another god (the rules of man) before God -- that which you know is right when you are connected to the Spirit of God.

Because in truth, the truth you know of how you should handle the situation is a result of your connection with God. Supplanting that knowledge with the rules of man, of your boss, of the company, is where we separate from God, and fall into the ways of idolatry. To follow the rules out of fear, well, that is the way of the Devil.

That is not to say, you should say "screw the company, I'm going to do this, this and this because I think its right!" But if you place yourself under the authority of man who takes from you YOUR ability to choose and be discerning, you have placed yourself under an ungodly authority.

No one who stands in the power of God will take another person's connection to God and supplant it with their own. Those who are truly in the power of God want to support and uplift the power of God in others -- building in you, your own personal connection to the voice of God as to what is right. Godly people do this for you, even in something as mundane as your job.

What is right is known to you. If you choose to be connected to God, based the experience you have before you, you know what is right, and if you don't know, you should seek help and seek the answer so you can learn more about your connection to God. Each experience of life is test of your connection to what is real (God) vs. what is false (the World). Who do you follow?

Jesus taught us to follow our own connection with God -- that path supersedes all the laws and rules of man that do not feel right in our own spirits.

Stop following the rules. If you are Godly, you don't need to be told "don't kill anyone." You already know that to be right. You don't need to be told that war is tool of coveting, killing and murder. You already know that, because the Spirit of God gave us some general commandments or rules to make that perfectly clear even when man tries to twist it with fear and lies.

Follow the higher ethics of the spirit of God, and if you get fired for it, God has something oh, so much better for you to build a deeper connection, receive greater joy and fulfillment in the time you spend here on earth!

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

Mom Is a Spiritual Warrior

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

"Christians" playing at "Christmas"

i love the holiday season. as a child it pretty much sucked. my mom was "forced" by us kids to cop to the "American consumer Christmas" . . . and when she fought to maintain some kind of balance with what she knew christmas was about, she was in so much denial of herself that it was forced and, of course, we rebelled against the lies her actions made of her words. its only a natural thing for a child to do.

so . . . what, as i wonder with all these Escalades roaming around right now, shopping at walmart filling up their car as fast as they can and rolling home to empty it before heading to toys-r-us to fill it up again . . . on the back of their car they wear their calling cards: a yellow ribbon to support the troops, the little boy kneeling before the cross praying, and for good measure, "my child is on the honor role" . . . a proud Christian, American parent.

you know, jesus was a rebel. that's what he did his entire life. took what was presented as "real" and the "truth" and he challenged it, and quite forthrightly told people when they were not being consistent. and you thought he merely died for your sins . . . that's funny. he died for the sins of everyone who wouldn't stand with him in support of the truth that we all really know but are usually so far in denial that it is our responsibility to stand up for it . . . yes, i suppose he did die for your sins and those like you who lived at his time.

Is ANYHING we see around us consistent?

what is missing is the "why?" from our self-reflective experience life is supposed to be . . . that inward journey to find god while interacting in the world.

i don't know, i'm just looking for a couple of christians who think that it is inappropriate for my 3rd grade daughter's elementary school's "dance team" performs a dance to "Candy Girl" for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade here in las vegas . . . seems to me, that a song about boys talking about how sexy, hot and tasty their girls are is not quite appropriate?

and even after all this time denial is still the modus operandi, "Christians" . . . i have yet to meet one, a 'christian' that is, here in las vegas, and las vegas has more churches per capita than any other place in the united states and all those churches are filled with really good "Christians."

am i the weird one?

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back . . .

Oh, America
...
Oh, "Christian" America
...
Why can't we learn
things the first time?

And, just as the white church did in the 1960s, the church -- black and white -- are leading the way now. Leading the way of intolerance, of inequality, of prejudice, of denial of ourselves ... because as Jesus said, "that which you do to the least of these, you do to me." And, all across America the Church denied people's right to be married -- whether civilly or under God. Shame on you.

But, we know the church's foundation is Peter, the head denier of them all . . . and thus, we inherit the denial of truth in the foundations and structures of our churches. When WILL the rooster sound for the final time?

Do you REALLY think that Jesus would be opposed to two people joining in love and commitment? I realize that YOU may have a problem with it ... but do you think Jesus would?

If you say yes, I venture you are trying to justify ignoring his lessons of tolerance, acceptance of other's and their individual journeys without judgment. If you can give me one lesson of his that supports your prejudice and denial of equal rights to any other person for any reason, PLEASE, give it to me. I challenge you ... no old testament stuff, no letter from Paul ... Jesus, his lessons ... show it to me. And, if you can't, PLEASE look in the mirror and ask yourself, "why can I not just follow him? Why do I have to look for justification for my denial of equality to another human being?"

And, while you are at it, tell me why the two amazing girls in this blog are denied their right to have a family, equally, under the law?

Less than 40 years ago, it was the church who said that my marriage to my husband is an abomination to God . . . here, I sit with the truth. And, the source of that lie is the source of the one you voted for on 5 November 2008.

There is no way to say this is good. No way to say this is Godly. No way to say that "Jesus led me here." Unless you live in the world of crafted and created in the lies of prejudice.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'