The Westboro Baptist Church Has Decided to Protest in East Lansing

Yes, that's right.  The Westboro Baptist Church, best known for their hate, their unwelcome attendance at military funerals, and their ridiculous need for public attention have decided to protest a high school in East Lansing, MI.  Really?

Apparently, they believe that the students at East Lansing High School are horrible people because a large number of the students e-mailed WBC and told them of their disapproval of their methods, actions, and statements, especially the protesting of military funerals.  Instead of taking these e-mails as constructive criticism and positive outreach (or as a wake-up call!), the WBC has decided that East Lansing High School students are, as one person apparently said, "sinners and brats."  What?

Here's a article from the State News that will give you a little more information on this event:
Westboro Baptist Church to Picket East Lansing High School

So what am I going to do?  Well, first of all, to all the people at WBC, I hope you know that I still love you, even if you think I'm a sinner and you don't love me.  I believe that you have a right to your beliefs, even if I disagree, and I believe that you have every right to express your beliefs... but I too question your methods, actions, and statements.  There is a better way to bring people to God for sure!

I am reminded Rev. Rick Boyd at First Christian Church here in Lansing.  One of the times that I attended services there, he told the story of Jesus and his meeting with a woman at a well.    It goes a little something like this: there's this well.  A woman is there, all alone, getting water and Jesus offers her life water (not like the brand... but like, eternal life water.  God stuff.)  He doesn't ask her to change, he doesn't ask her to be something she is not, he simply offers her all the goodness and greatness of God with no judgement, no conditions, and no hesitation.  WBC, if you are as close to God as you seem to think, you should know that the way to move people, to inspire people, and to save people is to love them as they are, without judgement and without hate.  You may offer to tell them about your points of view, but you have no right to ask them to change... or to hate them if they don't.

Now I am not really a Christian, and even I am appalled by some of the things that the WBC has said and done.  I can only imagine what it must feel like for someone who is a good, upstanding Christian to see this group go against the teachings of Jesus Christ so often and so aggressively.  To those people, I say stand strong.  Don't let this group bring down an entire culture of people who are good and true and strong in their beliefs.  Love them, learn from them, and just continue to be good Christians.

As for me... I am contemplating attending as a "counter-protestor," but only if it will all be peaceful.  As of right now, it seems like it might be, so maybe I'll be there.  If I am, I'll be covered in peace buttons and spreading love.  Maybe I'll have a sign or maybe I'll bring my ukulele and sing or something.

If you want to protest this awful behavior as much as we Lansing/East Lansing residents do but you live far away, you can still do your own protesting AND have a positive impact on society.  Donate to some great causes that the WBC would probably say were... not so great.  Some suggestions:

Donate to the Human Rights Campaign
Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equal Rights

Donate to Organizing for America
Developed by the Democrats to help with campaign costs.  Basically... if you like Obama, and you want to show WBC what's up (since they think that he is the Anti-Christ), donate to something that could maybe put him in office for a second term.  That'll show 'em!

Donate to one of the amazing charitable organizations on this list: Support Our Troops
From giving financial aid to families of service members who have been killed in action to showing your support with a yellow ribbon to learning how to send care packages and donations to both wounded soldiers and those still in action, everyone can find a way to help out here.

Check out the Three Faiths Exhibition at the New York Public Library, now until February 28, 2011.
Co-sponsored by the Coexist Foundation, "Three Faiths" will set, side by side for the first time, the New York Public Library's collection of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim manuscripts. Awesome!

While you're at it, buy the Coexist Bumper Sticker.  Put it on your car or on your fridge or on your guitar case or wherever!  

And I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Peace and Love,

Meagan

Nothing Like Being Kicked When You're Down

So Will came in this morning and said, "I have some bad news?"
"Oh no..." I thought, "the bathroom flooded again..."  But that was not it.
"Unless something else happened that I'm unaware of, like someone moving it or something or... I don't know..." :::WAY LONG PAUSE::: "Someone stole your cooler."

Okay.  Not the end of the world.  Sure, it was a gift from my parents.  Yeah, we use it for camping.  And it was full of cans and bottles that still had to be returned for money.  But, it's not that big of a deal.  It's an object!  A cooler!

So why did I start crying?

I think it's because it's not about the cooler.  I mean... it sucks having my cooler stolen,  but maybe whoever stole it really needed it.  It WAS dirty and full of cans, so maybe they thought we didn't want it and they just really, really needed it.  (That's what I would like to keep thinking.)

But if the crying didn't come from the fact that a material object of mine was gone, where did the tears come from?

Well, when he was done telling me what had happened, I said to Will:  "It's okay.  We can always get a new cooler," and suddenly my heart hurt, because all my financial worries flooded over me like a wave crashing against the shore, and I knew that it wasn't entirely true.  I mean yes, maybe someday I will be able to buy a new cooler, but not now.  Not soon.  Who knows when really?  So I just kind of felt like... well, like someone was kicking me when I was down!  And that is not a good feeling.  And so the tears came.

But here I am, a few hours later.  The tears are gone, and I am only a little hurt still by my loss, but I have to remember that it IS just a cooler after all though.  Even if I can't buy another one anytime soon, I have other options for hauling around food, so I just need to take advantage of those and not complain.  I mean... a cooler is a luxury anyway, right?

So instead of lamenting the loss of my big, plastic, insulated box with wheels... I am going to be grateful that they only stole my cooler.  They could have broken into my car.  They didn't.  They could have stolen Tum's bike.  They didn't.  They could have broken into the house.  They didn't.  All they did was take a cooler (that maybe they really needed.)  So I am grateful.

And as I am grateful, I want to send some positivity out in the world to give back a little.  So first of all, I have a great site to share with you: New Age Journey.  This is a great site, full of positivity and helpfulness.  Click on ABOUT to read about Greta, and allow her and her positive outlook, her great sense of self, and her dedication to influencing the future in a good way, inspire you too.  She inspired me.  While I was down about my cooler, I read this:

"So then I finally realized through my experiences that I can not change the past but only influence the future. Whatever life throws at you it’s how you handle it that counts. I am grateful for each day and every day is a new day." -Greta, New Age Journey


I think sometimes it helps just to be reminded...


So since I can't change the fact that my cooler has been stolen, I can at least change my reaction to it.  No more tears, no more fears (Fear IS the mind killer), and no more feeling sorry for myself.  I mean, how can I feel sorry for myself when there are people in this country and around the world who have never even SEEN something like a cooler, let alone had one to be stolen.  So, instead of feeling sorry for me, I decided to be grateful, and try to offer some hope to them.


So I made the rounds to all my free donation sites that I love so much ( by the way, if you want to donate as well, the banners are at the top of the blog) and I sat down to write my blog, with the hopes that I can somehow inspire you all to be grateful and go out and do some good in the world... even if you too are feeling "kicked when you're down."


Have Hope.  Be Strong.  Be Grateful.  And know that you are not alone.


Peace and Love,
Meagan

I'm a sucker for websites

More new sites to feast your eyes upon.

The Positivity Blog

Seventh Generation Products

Courage to Create

Flight of the Conchords

Check them out, see what you think.

I found the Positivity Blog when I was doing some research into positivity for my group on Ehow.com: Peace, Love, and Positivity. It seems to have some interesting things on there. I haven't fully explored it yet, but I figured we could all kind of check it out together.

Seventh Generation offers loads of Earth-friendly, "Green" products. (Something I think we should ALL support)

Courage to Create was recommended to me by a member of my group on Ehow.com. It is a very neat site, and super cute in it's design and layout as well.

Finally... The Flight of the Conchords. Band, TV show stars, overall funny and adorable dudes. If you have not watched the show... you should. It is an interesting kind of comedy... not for everyone, but it makes me laugh so hard. And I love all their songs and the scenes that go along with them. Check it out.

Well... just thought I would share some of my little findings while my sawmills were updating on Evony. haha Enjoy!