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As the United States attempts to reform the health care system, the debate has become more and more contentious. It seems that everyone has different ideas on the changes that should be made. Many special interests in the medical and pharmaceutical field are fueling the debate with fear tactics. We hear ridiculous stories about "death panels" and rationing of care. The plain truth is that care is already being rationed. There are over 40 million Americans without health insurance. All of those Americans strictly ration their care simply because of economics. Many with insurance have their care rationed by insurance companies whose only interest is the "bottom line."

Maybe it is time for Americans to remember why we are trying to reform health care in the first place. This debate was initiated because the present system DOES NOT work. That is something that we can all agree upon. Even those privileged Americans with excellent health insurance recognize that they are a minority. No one thinks that our present patchwork system of care is ideal. In a survey of 10 industrialized countries, US citizens were least satisfied with their health care system.

There are plenty of reasons for dissatisfaction in the US health care system. The American system is the most expensive in the world. We pay more per capita for medical care than any other nation in the world and we get less! In 2008, the US spent just over 15% of the GDP on health care. The next highest country was Switzerland at 11.3%. With such a high percent spent on health care, one would expect a superior product. If we spend the most money, we should get the best care. That is not the case, however.

In fact, the health of our citizens is pretty awful compared to the rest of the world. One marker of the health of a nation is the infant mortality rate. The rate of death of newborns in the US is the second worse in the modern world. Only Latvia falls behind  the US in infant mortality. Another universal marker of the health of a nation is the life expectancy of its citizens. For the last 2 decades, the United States has been steadily slipping in this ranking. Twenty years ago, the US was number 11. Last year, in spite of steadily rising health care costs, the US had fallen to number 42 in life expectancy. We are now behind nations such as Guam and Jordan. 

So if we all agree there is a problem with our health care, how do we find a solution? One way may be to look at the example of other nations. Other countries have somehow found a way to provide health care to all their citizens for less money than we now spend. Those countries also have better ratings than us in the key markers of the health of their people. Maybe we can learn something by studying how they came upon their solutions? Here is a good article comparing the health care solutions of other nations. I found it very objective and informative.

 azdailysun.com Guest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The search for an alternative to America's present health care system has become increasingly divisive. There is one fact that is irrefutable. The present system does not work. We have the most expensive health care system in the world. Our system is so expensive that medical debt is the principle cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. For all the money that we spend to stay healthy, one would expect a superior product. If we spend the most money, we should get the best results. However, that is not the case. In fact, we have some pretty awful results! One marker of the state of health care in a country is the infant mortality rate. The US has the second highest death rate for newborns in the modern world. Only Latvia has a worse track record. Another marker of the life expectancy of a country is the life expectancy of its citizens. For decades, the United States has been slipping in these ratings. We are now behind 41 other countries. Twenty years ago we were number 11. The cost of health care has gone up every year in that 20 years. Now we are number 42 behind countries such as Guam and Jordan.

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Total time that it took me to make this: 45 min 

VIVIAN'S GRANOLA

SERVES 12 , 12 cups

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I have been observing with interest all the recent hoopla regarding September 9, 2009. As I am sure you are aware, this date that came and past was unique because numerically it was the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 09 (otherwise known as 09/09/09) This set of 3 nines will not reoccur again until  3009. There will not be another set of repeating single digit dates for almost a century either (January 1, 2101 or 01/01/01)

Everyone seems to have their own opinion as to the significance of this numerical anomaly. The opinions range all over the map. The Chinese consider 9 to be an auspicious number. The Japanese consider it bad luck. Modern numerologist associate the number nine with forgiveness, compassion and success and believe the date heralds a time of significant change in attitude of humanity. Some Bible scholars have hypothesized that 999 is merely 666 upside down and foretells a time of evil. One unstable person felt so strongly about this theory that he hijacked a plane in Mexico to bring attention to the date. I don't understand the logic of that action but I doubt this hijacker was thinking very logically!

It may be a little late to add my own thoughts about 09/09/09. I am behind the power curve, I know. It took me a while to ponder over the possible spiritual significance of this date. I know that God/Goddess uses numbers to assign significance to certain times or events. A time of completion, for instance, is often signified by the number 40 (such as 40 days and nights of rain or the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years). Most cultures have a form of numerology. The ancient Essenes were no exception. The Hebrews had a very elaborate form of numerology. God can and does speak to mankind through this symbolism. So I felt there was a good possibility that our Father and Mother  were trying to send us a spiritual message in the triple 9 date.  

I read all the internet musings and dismissed most of them.  I especially found the upside down 666 theory absurd. If God wanted to send a message of impending evil, it makes a lot more sense to do so on June 6th, 2006 (06/06/06). Then I decided to research Hebrew numerology to find out the significance of the number nine. I discovered Hebrew numerology assigned a number to every letter in their alphabet. This numeration system meant that every word had a numerical value as well. Certain qualities were assigned to every number. The number 6 was associated with unrest and trouble. When a number is repeated 3 times it is assigned an eternal quality. So the number 666 would signify eternal unrest. No wonder this number was given to represent the Antichrist in the Book of Revelations. 

Nine, on the other hand, has a totally different connotation. Nine has no evil or negative meaning. The number nine was revered by the ancient Hebrews. It was considered so special that it was excluded from traditional Hebrew numerology. Hebrew numerology assigns letters of the alphabet to numbers 1 through 8. Nine is left alone. It is considered sacred and mystical and, therefore, is not used.

So, according to Hebrew numerology, the date 09/09/09 would be considered very sacred and mystical. The number is repeated three times. Repeating assigns an eternal quality. Also, the number 3 represents power. Sounds to me like Sept. 9 is heralding  the start of something good!  I, personally, hope it is the beginning of a time of new awareness....a time in which we, the children of God begin to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. That does not mean everything is going to be just fine and dandy from now on. The road ahead will continue to be difficult. The birth of a new world, like the birth of a child, requires labor pains. We must prepare but we must not despair. If we persevere and if we continue to seek the sacred and follow the path of light, we WILL see Heaven on Earth.

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God" Matthew 5:8

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"He who is of the opinion that money can do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money" - Benjamin Franklin

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 5:10

In this era of financial crisis, many are taking a new look at their relationship with material wealth and discovering a healthier perspective between needs and wants.

Call to Worship

Click below. Listen and recite the invocation in Hebrew along with the cantor.  Let the words resonate within you and prepare your heart to worship.

   "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one"

 Deuteronomy 6:4

Opening Hymn

Opening Prayer

Our Father and Mother in heaven

and on earth and within us,

we come before You this sabbath day

seeking to learn about the riches of Your Kingdom.

We recognize that Your values are different from the world's values.

We also recognize that 

as Your children who called by Your name

Your values should be ours as well. 

 

Scripture Reading 

 ¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 ²²"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

 ²⁴"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 

Matthew 6:  19-24

²²Then Yeshua said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

 ²⁷"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

 ³²"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12: 22-34

 

Message

 

 Yesterday the United States commemorated the anniversary of September 11th 2001. Most of us who were adults on 9/11/2001 can remember exactly what we were doing on that day eight years ago. Those moments and our reaction to them are preserved intact in our memories. If we bring those memories out again from the recesses of our minds, they are just as fresh as they were on that day. I can remember my own initial horror and then worrying for my children. I was concerned about how the graphic television coverage would effect them. I can recall precisely every detail of the look on my son's face as he turned from the TV and said, " Mom, the world is never going to be the same again, is it?" As I think of that moment, I feel the same hallow feeling in my stomach that I had that day, trying to think of some way to reassure him.

On that day, we were reminded of the one of the innate core values of humanity...the sacredness of life. All major religions recognize living beings as a manifestation or creation of the Divine Presence. Therefore, life...our sense of being...our presence in this universe...is a gift from above. That is why Sept 11 was so shocking. That is why those moments are etched so deeply into our psyche. We watched helplessly in horror as thousands of human lives were ended needlessly.

Sept 11, 2001 was not the first example in history where many lives were sacrificed without cause. Some, such as the holocaust of World War ll, were tragedies of much greater proportions. There have also been many other instances of misguided disregard for life in the name of God. The Spanish inquisition, the crusades and the "witch hunts" of Salem are just a few examples that come to my mind. The destruction of the World Trade Center was only unique because this was the first time such an event was televised live.

Edmund Burke, a famous British philosopher, stated that "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it". Our Mother and Father created this world as a cosmic school for souls. The task of each individual and humanity as a whole is to learn and grow from mistakes. So what  are the lessons of 9/11 and all the other past mass slaughters? Well, the primary lesson is to have proper values and motives. James 4 states that fights and quarrels among men are the results of wrong desires and motives. Wars and mass murder occur when misguided individuals place a greater value on their ideology or power, or money than on human lives. As we read in the scriptures above, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So how do we cultivate the correct values in our society? Yeshua stated that the first and most important law was to love the Lord with all of our heart and mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. So, according to Yeshua, our highest priority is to love God/Goddess and each other. This is where we should place our highest value. In all we do, in all we say, value God and others as much as we value ourselves.

One of the results of tragedy is it causes us to reassess our values. When a house is on fire the first instinct is to get what you treasure and run. We hold close to us what is truly important. Here is a question for you. On September 11th, 2001 did you think about your bank account or your new car or your wardrobe? Probably not. My first thought was for my children. Then, when I heard about the plane that crashed into the Pentagon, I immediately thought of my brother who worked in the Pentagon at that time. Then, like many Americans, I thought, " What can I do to help?" People are what became important...not money, not things.

September 11th provides an interesting contrast to our most recent national crisis. This past year we have experienced a different type of loss. This crisis was all about money and physical possessions. Many people lost houses or jobs. In the midst of all the loss, many of us learned a valuable lesson. The things we acquired were really not that important.

There is an old saying...money can't buy happiness. That is only partially true. Money CAN buy a certain basic form of happiness. It is hard to be happy when starving or cold. But after the certain basic survival needs are met, more money does not make a person more happy. In fact, sometimes after that point there is an inverse relationship. More money equals more possessions which then creates more obligation and more stress in order to maintain the things.

During the past year, I was living in California which was the epicenter of the mortgage crisis. Before I left California, the unemployment rate had risen to about 11 percent. I had the privilege of providing medical care to many recently unemployed individuals. Many of my patients lost their houses to foreclosure. Some were scrambling to sell cars and other possessions to make ends meet. Just about everyone of my patients were at a point in their lives where they were reevaluating what was important and what was expendable in their lives. It was often painful to watch the stages of grieving and loss. But often it was inspiring as well. As my patients lost things and realized the things weren't that important, they grew and became stronger.  Some felt freed after the huge mortgage payment was gone. Some learned how much they valued their families or spouses. All who were able to let go were transformed.

The economists say that the American public is not spending like we were before this crisis. Some are worried that we will never spend like we did before. I hope we don't. I hope we have learned the lesson. I hope we have learned that things...possessions... are not the basis of our wealth and security. I hope that we have learned that we should be placing less value on money and the pursuit of money and more value on caring for each other. "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and all these things....all the things you need...all the things necessary for happiness and life and fulfillment... will be added unto you.

 

 I surrender

 

 

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The Hopi Reservation is an island in the desert - a world of its own surrounded by the Navajo nation.  

The harsh desert mesas and the deep sense of isolation make one realize how dependent man is on the blessing of  Father Yahweh and Holy Spirit Mother.

So though the picture above looks a bit ominous, it is really quite a beautiful sight here on Hopi.

When rain clouds appear and the drops start to fall, everyone shares a deep heart felt joy.

It is good to be reminded in this way of what is real and essential in life.  

 

A Note From Vivian

Aloha to All My Essene Brothers and Sisters and to All Friends and Family,

I just wanted to take  moment to say how nice it is to be back on the internet sharing my spiritual journey with you. I also want to collectively thank everyone who wrote out of concern when Ho’omana Ministries went silent a couple of weeks ago. I am so sorry for causing unnecessary worry. During the time we were not on the "net", we finalized our move to far northeast Arizona. We are now settled on the Hopi Indian reservation.   We really never intended for there to an interruption in the Sabbath messages during this time. However, it took us a little longer than expected to get internet service back. We had to wait to get service set up in the house and there is no Starbucks hotspot  for miles!! Until very recently, the only internet we have had available was via spotty cell phone reception on my Blackberry Bold. I am sure there is a way to maintain a blog via Blackberry but I am not proficient in the technique yet! So I took an unexpected vacation from the ministry.

Father God / Mother Goddess knew what was best for me, however.  I think it probably would have been difficult to maintain my sanity, keep up the Sabbath messages  AND orchestrating this move. It is a shame that moving locations had to be such a burden. But this was not an ordinary move either. There was so much to consider. At one time, it was pretty simple to travel as an Essene. Back in the first century, Essenes took only a staff, one pair of shoes, and a robe for their journeys. Every where they went, they would find another Essene community that would supply their needs as they passed through the area. It sure would be nice if that system was still in place today. But since we know no other Essene brethren in the area, and since this particular move was to one of the most remote areas in the US, we tried to be think carefully and bring everything we would possibly need with us.

Now, the transition process is almost complete. We still have a few boxes to unpack. Overall, though, we are settled in our adobe desert home. We even have the luxury of high-speed internet service via satellite. Now that we have some time to reflect, we are considering just exactly what this journey meant to us and our ministry. Why did Father and Mother bring us here and what is the next step?

I can not say that I have the answers to those questions yet. I think I am just beginning to get an inkling...a small insight...to the purpose of living remote. I believe that one reason we were called here, is the same reason many Essenes of Yeshua's day went to the wilderness. The Essenes of Qumran and the Therapuetae of Egypt sought out the desert to get away from the contaminating influences of civilization. They wanted to live a more pure life. 

I have to admit that there is a simplicity....a purity....to this desert world. It brings you back to what real existence is all about. Subsisting here is not easy even in this modern age.  It requires a certain amount of self-reliance. We have had the electricity go out on us 4 times in our 2 weeks here. So now we are considering buying a generator. But we still need to figure out how to maintain enough fuel for the generator. I believe the ultimate answer will be solar panels. Then we will just need to rely on Father/Mother to maintain the abundant sunshine. Water is another matter. The water here is so alkaline that much of it is not drinkable. Many with money bring in bottled water. We invested in a water distiller which is more economical in the long run. But first you need to have water! 

The Hopis have had a very dry year. Many Hopi are subsistence farmers. The Hopi are the best dry farmers in the world. Still there are plots of corn all around that are dry and withered with no tassles...no ears. We had rain this week. That is when I took the picture above. Everyone was in bittersweet rejoicing. It was too late for the corn but the rain was still so welcome on the barren land. It will help refill the aquifers that supply the reservation.

The summer monsoon thunderstorms are majestic and beautiful. I find that my living room window or the view from the porch is great entertainment....better than any TV show. It is so amazing to me that the same rocks can look different every day depending on how the sun is shining. And each small wonder of nature that I observe, brings be back to the wonder and greatness of my Father and Mother.  I understand why the Essene believe working in their gardens is a form of worship. That is the lesson of living in the wilderness. Cities are monuments to man. The wilderness..creation in general....is a testament to God/Goddess.

That is what I have learned so far...and  as I learn of my Father and Mother I also learn more of myself...who I am. This centering of myself is probably another reason why we are hear. To know where you are going , you must first find out where you are. 

So that is a summary of my thoughts so far and I really have nothing else to share today. For the rest of the Sabbath worship time, I thought I would bring  you a few of my favorite worship moments from youtube. Enjoy!

Opening Prayer

Our Father and Mother

who are in heaven, 

and around us,

and within us

 Holy is Your Name.

Your Kingdom is upon us,

as is Your will.

Your are here on earth,

and in the heavens.

We are never in need

because You provide.

By forgiving our mistakes, 

You have taught us

to forgive others.

You lead your children

in the path of light,

and guide us away 

from the darkness

because Your kingdom

and power, and glory

are within us.

Amen

Worship Hymns

 

 

 

 

 

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