Herons have a particular beauty and set of skills. They are teaching me the value of standing on my own two feet, trusting my ability to feed myself, and enjoying my life. There are more heron photos to come.

Photo credit: Dale Bicksler at Drugers 'n Dragons

Last night I watched the sun go down from Highnob Outlook, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania with my husband and four wonderful friends. The sun was red as it sank beneath the horizon, not white as this poor photo tells us, but I had forgotten to bring my camera, so settled for the best my phone's camera could muster.

So, with a heart full of joy, a head reorienting to home, I submit my 30 hour excursion, hoping you have similar times away.

Last night I prayed once again with my daughter. She lives on the other side of the country, so we were talking on the phone. 

Kneeling beside the bed I share with my husband, I began my prayer. I believe that parents are to do their best to give their children a clear place to stand. Don't ask your child to stand in the polluted waters of any of the groups to which you belong. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open up a spring of pure water to nourish the body and soul of your daughter or son. So, that is how I prayed.

It is easy to take delight in your child's accomplishments. I am uncomfortable doing that. Instead of taking delight, as if our son or daughter is a commodity performing well at the moment, let us pray that our children will become whole, secure, naturally growing into the blessed creatures God wills them to be.

There is always some horrible news in the world. Lately, some of the worst is coming out of Syria.

When I hear about men entering the homes of families to shoot them one by one, I think of cowardice. which one dictionary defines as lack of courage in facing danger, pain, or difficulty.

I can only imagine that these Syrian men are killing their fellow citizens because they believe that they must kill or they will be killed. And yet, I do not understand what could lead a man to shoot a child.

This morning on the front page of the the New York Times we read about Lal Bibi, a victim of gang rape by Afghan local police. She brilliantly states that "People will mock me if these men go unpunished, so I want every single one of them to be punished."

Lal Bibi is courageous. Death stares her in the face and she takes her stand staring back.

Several years ago Daw Aung San Suu Kyi caught my attention. I have mentioned her before on my website. She spent years under house arrest in Myanmar (Burma) and is now a member of Parliament. Today's Times also carries a half-page article about her on page A7, Democracy Leader Cautions Investors Against 'Reckless Optimism' in Myanmar.

One of her statements has stayed with me:

To live the full life, one must have the courage to bear the responsibility of the needs of others . . . and one must want to bear this responsibility. (quoted by her son in his acceptance speech on her behalf for the Nobel Prize for Peace, 1991)

When those who have been entrusted with authority are wicked, what is one's role? Aren't we called to speak up courageously?

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi remains steadfast as she courageously deals head on with corruption in her nation. In Lal Bibi we see another woman demonstrating courage as she speaks up against corruption in her country.