Stay with me for the sun to burst through!

My Singaporean friend with UNIFEM in NY, whom I got to know through InspiringThots sent us this video today. She had attached the video file but I managed to locate a Youtube version of it which I am sharing here.

In these times of darkening skies for many, threatening rain or is already pouring for some, this has left a heartprint for me.

Especially meaningful to me is that this is in Chinese. See the video below.

Rev. Lowery Inauguration benediction

This is in InspiringThots.net blog because Rev. Lowery has left many heartprints with his benediction.

A black pastor delivered the benediction at the inauguration ceremony of the 44th President of the United States. My thoughts were that long ago the white man came to make them slaves and the black man ended up embracing his God. What a God he is, that could reach beyond the cruelty and inhumanity of the enslavers. This same God who turned the captain of a slave ship to write the hymn "Amazing Grace".

This is a religion who was "evolved" from law to grace. Like Islam, it has Jewish roots. Now in these tmultuous times, where is the grace in Islam? It must be there also isn't it even if it does not have a sacrificial lamb like Jesus Christ in Christianity to atone for our sins.


Below the transcript of Rev. Lowery.

Transcript courtesy Federal News Service

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the
wine of the world, we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand -- true to thee, O God, and true to our native land.

We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we've shared this day. We pray now, O Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant, Barack Obama, the 44th president of these United States,
his family and his administration. He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national and, indeed, the global fiscal climate. But because we know you got the whole world in your hand, we pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations. Our faith does not shrink, though pressed by the flood of mortal ills.

For we know that, Lord, you're able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor or the least of these and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these.

We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, to inspire our nation to believe that, yes, we can work together to achieve a more perfect union. And while we have sown the seeds of greed -- the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.

And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.

And as we leave this mountaintop, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.

Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little, angelic Sasha and Malia.

We go now to walk together, children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone, with your hands of power and your heart of love.

Help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid; when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when
the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right.

Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: Say amen --

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: -- and amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen! (Cheers, applause.)

Heartprints from my wife, Daisy

I woke up this morning, turn on my PC and saw an email Daisy left me. You know after having been married for so many years, how most couples talk to each other. No, we have not given up on the nice little things, we still have them but by and large we have grown beyond them - "We give presents without the gift wraps" How many of you still keep your gift wrap anyway?

So here they are, some songs I used to play over and over again on my way to college so many years ago. Songs that forms part of me and continue to shape me till this day. She found them on Youtube and as I was already asleep by then, she emailed them to me EXACTLY as they appears here with a subject line "found this... love it" so I must get to them right away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFVy5P5SNbE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEMtUoHme7g&feature=PlayList&p=5574D4C527F6BBC6&playnext=1&index=23

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N1D0isNqPg&feature=PlayList&p=5574D4C527F6BBC6&playnext=1&index=22

My favorite? The second song.