By Debra Frick

What is the world coming to when a Barbie Doll makes the news? With all the violence our children are subjected to each and every day on the tv and in movies and in video games it makes me a little sick to think that a Barbie has become a political statement. People are in a uproar but the latest voilence riddled video game gets a meer notice from the public.

That being said my opionion is so what…………..At least it was not a Jihad Jane Barbie. Put it on the national news and on the internet when someone makes a sucide bomber Barbie or Airline highjacker Barbie. That would truly be obsence.

Barbie has always represented what a little girls ideals should be. When Barbie first came out she was a homemaker and wife. She had a strong love for family which represented her time. As Barbie got older her ideals changed in that she got job worked out of the house and was a soccer Mom and then she was back home working in great jobs but which left her more time for the children. As our society has changed so has Barbie. Barbie also has represented our changing  lifestyles. Once you lived in a town house and then a mansion. She drove a bug and now a SUV.

Barbie represents a girl or boys and (yes there are boys that play with Barbies) innocent. It is a time when we fill our minds with fantasy. I feel that Barbies should represent ALL professions that are open to women and if that is an Episcopal Reverend so be it. Barbie dressed as a minister should represent that our faith is inportant and that women now days are taking a more inportant role in spirituality. Children should be taught right from wrong and should not be allowed to fill their minds with voilence and hate. I remember a time when playing with Barbies and my brothers GI Joe was a great way to act out the roles of being adults and dreaming of what the world could hold for me when I grew up. Many people think that Barbie with her outlandish body is an offence to women but if Barbie can still be used to teach the paramount ideals of a strong healthy and intelligent woman then I say long live Barbies. Hey if Barbie can become President then why can we all.

So bring it on……If we can have Barbies that do construction, Ride in the rodeo, go to the moon and win the Olympics why should we not have a Barbie of Faith.

I am no bible scholar just a Christian but when I think of the virgin I think of all the hardships her faith helped to see her through and through her I know that I can withstand any trials that life may bring me. Mary comes to us as an unwed mother who had to suffer the tauts of other women who she thought of as friends. When she told them the story of the angel in the night she was called a liar. She was shunned by her people. Through it all her faith helped her to hold her head high.When Joseph comes into her life she has heavy with child. But Joseph loved her any way. His faith told him to love and care for her.

Imagine if you were told you had to make a journey to the city to be counted in the census and far away from all you knew you went into labor. After traveling so far you were told that every decent place had already been taken but you are offered a stable to rest your head. Your faith would have been tested. You had been told by the angels that this was going to be a special child a favored child of god and now you are going to give birth with nothing but the angels and animals as witness.

With the coming of your child your child was truly what the angel had fortold. Your child was worshiped by Kings of far away lands who brought him gifts and as you watched him grow you knew that wonderful things were in store for him.

As she watched him grow to manhood and to preform miracles how proud she must have been. He made the blind see, the dumb to speak, the deaf to hear and spoke of a loving god who loved each and every one of us. He taught how to live a rightous life and how to love each other. Her faith told her that he was truly the son of God. She also knew the dangerous road that his words were taking him and how many people called him a fraud.

And how her faith must have been tested as she watched the Roman soilders nail him to the cross. With a mother’s love she prayed to ease her son’s pain knowing that there was nothing she could do. She held her faith close to her that night knowing that our great God must have some plan for her son that was greater than any pain he was then suffering.

When he was brought to her for preperation for burial how she must have cried. But her faith told her that he was now with his father. How she must have rejoiced when she heard that he come back from the dead to proclaim that as he had risen from the dead that all that believed in him would also overcome death. When he told her that he was leaving but that some day he would return how it hurt to lose him for a second time but her faith told her that she indeed would see him again.

Mary faith was sure and steady but as an woman knows faith can sometimes make us wonder why. I am sure even with her faith Mary wondered why God had choosen her to have his child, Why her son had to die, Why was his life and death so inportant? But she chose to believe in something she could not see or feel or taste or hear and that is what faith is. She believed that God had a plan for her and her belief turned into faith. She just had faith to see her through and I hope that all of us can have some of that sure and steady faith in these times of uncertainity.

As a teen, I read two newspaper columns faithfully.  I loved Sydney Harris – the i satirical, political grammarian of his times.  (Think Grammar Girl only old, male and angry).  And, Erma Bombeck.

Why Erma Bombeck?  I could so relate to her.  Being stuck in the middle of the Feminist Revolution, trying to fit into both worlds and not.  That was me, too.  Her mom was perfect.  Stuck in an airport?  Her mom was prepared.  Her father bringing home people for dinner with no notice.  Her mom could handle it.

Erma – well in an airport, she had an apple and a spritz of perfume.  Dinner – well, they could go out.

And on men, her version of Conversation with God was the best.   She asked, “Why did men have big feet?”  So their kids could walk in their footprints in the snow.  Big hands – better to cup small faces and wipe away the tears.  So what if men couldn’t tie a hair ribbon or push a button through a small hole.  They were designed to protect their children.

And most of us have read her article on living life to the full.  A column she wrote when she was in her 50s – years before she found out she was dying.  It talked about, if given a second chance,  all of things she would have done.

This article has had the most profound impact on me.  As any good mom does, I’ve put my life on hold until our girls were grown.  At the same time, I’ve quit saving things for “special occasions” or for later.  There may never be a later.

Erma has taught me “Life is a gift.”  To leave my mark each day – those feminine footprints  in the snow – so that our girls will have a path to follow and not to wait for a special occasion.  It’s more important to create the special occasion or memory than to wait for life to happen.

And one more thing.  Erma died on  Earth Day – April 22, 1996.  Coincidence?

 By Melinda Ribner

My mother and teacher Corinne Ribner of blessed memory died on Tisha B’Av, the day commemorating the destruction of the Holy Temples, a traditional day of mourning for the Jewish people. I know that there is a hidden message from Hashem ( God) and from my mother in the timing of her death that will reveal itself in deeper ways with each year. The date at this time seems appropriate to me. My mother was and is a Beis Hamikdash, a holy Temple.  Like the Holy Temple was and is the foundation of Jewish life, she was my foundation, even though it would appear that my mother and I were quite different from each other in the ways we chose to live our lives, particularly in regard to our Jewish practice.

 My mother died peacefully on Tisha B’Av. Prior to entering hospice, a few days before her death, she told us she was alright, very grateful for the gifts of life and was not afraid of dying. My brother and I were present for her last breath. The room was filled with an awesome light, greater than any thing I had experienced before.  My brother and I blessed her, once again expressed our love for her, and gave her permission to leave. We assured her that we would take care of each other as she had always instructed us to do.  I completed the chanting of the Shema and then my sweet and holy mother took her last breath with ease.

  As most of you did not know my mother, I would like to say some words to honor her and make the essence of who she was more alive for you. I have included a copy of the eulogy that the rabbi said at her funeral that was based on interviewing my brother and me.

  My mother was a hidden person. I thought I knew my mother well, but I did not. I spoke to my mother daily. She insisted on the telephone call when I was physically away from her. And after my father died in 1981, she would always end each telephone conversation with me with an ” I love you.”   When she would call me ‘ My Sweetheart” which she often did, or when she would smile towards me, I would feel bathed in love. She frequently spoke of her unconditional love for me and my brother. Even when she gave me ” mussar’, I knew that it was all to make me a better person, though sometimes it would take a few minutes to really get the depth of her wisdom. 

  I spent a lot of time with my mother the last three years of her life, using her Boynton Beach home as a steppingstone for my travel. It was a gift, a precious, transformational experience that I got to live with my mother as an adult. I was honored to be her primary care giver the last few months of her life. This role was not easy, by any means, but I am grateful and blessed that I could be there for her in this way. She even seemed to be improving under my care, she was beginning to exercise, doing 20 minutes on the bicycle and tread mill each day even the week before her death. Though she lived with continual pain for months, with no pain medicine, we did not know what was wrong with her. We ran to doctors and received no diagnosis that explained her symptoms. Now in retrospect, it would appear that Hashem blinded the doctor’s ability to diagnose her condition until the very last few days of her life. 
 
I thought I knew my mother well, but I did not.  The courage, the generosity of spirit, and the pure faith that she displayed during her illness, she never complained, upon hearing her diagnosis and throughout her entire dying process was beyond anything I knew about my mother. She was clear, calm, loving and accepting.  Where did she have this strength?  She always told me that she has a private relationship with God, that sustained her since childhood.  Now I really witnessed it when it really counted.

   In those last days of her life, I saw her for the great and holy person she was. I had been running my whole life to learn from this rabbi or another one, learn from this book or another,  but in those last few days of my mother’s life, I saw that it was my mother who was my best teacher, my rebbe and my best friend. It was my mother who was lovingly guiding me all the time to reclaim the feminine that has become my life ‘s work. It was my mother who taught me that God is not just in the synagogue. It was my mother who transmitted the deep sublime woman’s Torah that is not found in books.  I wish I had acknowledged the role she had played in my work but I did not really see it until the last days of her life. How could I be so blind?

We have posted articles on Women who have made a difference.  Here is an article about a man who lived in Colorado Spring that made a difference internationally.

The times we are living in seem to be awfully hectic lately. We have wars, economic problems, energy needs and environmental concerns to name but a few.  It’s like we’re living with the challenges of a “Brave New World.”

Although it may seem to be a relatively new world challenge, it’s been going on for at least a hundred years. That’s right; we just fail to recognize the same old tunes.

The American Tesla Society is seeking to identify and encourage willing hands to join us in our search for solutions to our energy, environmental and medical conditions. We need to fulfill our stewardship of our planet and all of its inhabitants. No matter how great or small the impact, every good effort counts. We wish to start at the beginning of:  better, cleaner and cheaper technology.

Way back in 1899, a young and successful engineer arrived in Colorado Springs.  He was highly regarded around the world for his ingenuity at the age of 43. His name was Nikola Tesla; and his ambition was to take the “wheel work of nature off man’s back.”

His arrival in the Pikes Peak region was the beginning of what can be described as the “free energy movement.”  This movement is closely tied to the environmental movement. What Nikola Tesla started is a task we need to finish – not for him, but for us.  We won’t bore you with technical conundrums; rather the long struggle that continues to this day.

Currently,  the American Tesla Society is relentless in their pursuit to provide unlimited cheap, clean energy; and the remediation of past errors of careless environmental practices which are causing serious problems in our daily  lives.  We have questions that need answers.

• Who wants to see soot covered environments?
• Who wants dirty air or contaminated water?
• Who thinks radioactive waste is being safeguarded and impeccably stored, isolated and leach free?
• Who can converge and solve these dilemmas?

The answer is: All of us. Each of us has a role to play.  The smallest positive deed adds up. The same holds true for inventions, which we are most familiar with.

Inventors are special people.  No matter how great or trivial the invention -  it becomes the child of the creator.  No invention that we are aware of was designed to make life harder. To the contrary, inventions make our lives easier, more enjoyable or serve us in some capacity.  We are surrounded by dreams that came into being.

When the young Tesla arrived here, he wanted to innovate a system to harness the power of lightning. Although he abandoned his initial idea, the technology he envisioned, is rising to the surface again and may someday actually be put into use.

From his early research at the foot of Pikes Peak, he went on to invent and construct his magnifying transformer.  This invention was a world changer, threatening to change the status quo. It posed a threat to the robber barons that were running this country.  Woe be to him, who would nullify the system of exploitation they engendered. Their exploitation tactics of consolidated wealth was just an example of their greed and power.  We continue to see it all around us these days. It was no different back then, except that we are paying the price for their abuse many years ago.

To this day, Nikola Tesla, is unmatched in power generation and transmission. Every time you turn on a lamp or start your car, you can thank Nikola Tesla for making it possible. This is one of many areas in which he was king.

Join us at the American Tesla Society and learn more about this man who invented our modern world.

Visit our web site often for energy news, environmental advances and modern day inventors.
If anyone wonders “Where it All Began,” you can tell them in great confidence, it was in the Pikes Peak Region.

Margret (Peg) Ploss

I would have to say that the woman who inspired me the most in my life was the neighbor who lived down the street from us. Her name was Maragret but every one called her Peg. She was from my point of view the woman that I wanted to be.  From the day that the moving van pulled up in her driveway for them to move in to the day that the moving van took them away, Peg’s house was the hub of the nieghbor hood. She had two boys and a brand new baby girl but she always had time for the nieghborhood children.She was always thier to listen, whether it be to your dreams or to your woes. She had the patience that it took to be a wonderful mother and a caring adult.

 On those hot lazy summer days when there would be a least six winey hot kids at her door saying they were bored, She could always come up with a game or two or a suggestion to ride our bikes to the library, suggestions for books we might like and then we would sit on her long porch and read in the shade. The other mother’s in the neighborhood would send us out to play for hours but they knew we were safe at Peg’s. On those hot summer days she would always offer us a cool drink from her hose or have homemade popcycles for the gang.

I grew up in the seventies. Back then it was safe to send your children out to play. We children always looked out for one another and the younger kids. Peg’s house was the popular place to hang out. It even got so bad that her doorbell was always ringing. But instead of turning us kids away she made a stop sign so that we would know when it was Ok for us to visit. It was just a little round sign but I have always remember it. If it was red that meant that they were busy if it was green it meant that we could come and play.

Peg always went out of her way for the kids. Even though she had 2 boys all the girls wanted to hang out there too. She was always supportive of us girls and would let us come in and help her when she was baking cookies or making cupcakes.  When we all started reading plays and trying to act them out, She helped us get costumes and even went so far as to build us a stage in her garage.

She taught us kids gardening by allowing her children and us by extention to have a garden to grow vegetables in during the summer. She taught us how to weed and work around the plants and even when we picked the products of our labor to soon she would turn it into a lesson for us. She always would put fresh mint in our tea that grew outside her kitchen door.

Even as a kid I knew that she did not have to do any of this. Back then you turned your kids out and just let them make thier own fun. But Peg always had things that we could use to make our imaginations soar. One time she let us use a bunch of cans to make a obstacle course in her driveway for our bikes and she would take all the kids on field trips to the boy scout events.

So this is a tribute to the woman who inspired my life and who I most in the world wanted to be like. She is a wonderful person  with a big generous heart. God Bless you and thank you for helping to make me the woman I am. You were a great role model.

Emma Lourien

Celebrating My Mother

By Helen Porter

The woman I most admire in my life is my mother. She was the daughter of emigrant parents who achieved only 3 or 4 years of schooling. As a child Mom attended Humboldt county country schools yet excelled in learning in spite of teachers with little education.

She was first in her family to attend High school, graduating in 3 years, valedictorian, and president of her class of 16. During that time she with her brother, walked 3 miles to school, did all the housekeeping, cooking, and laundry for her room and board. She was a member of Bradgate’s first girl’s basketball team, a new sport at the time.

September 14, she and my dad were married and through the years raised 9 children. Except for the war years of WW1 they lived on a farm, raised livestock, and a big garden. Mom canned, dried, butchered, and preserved a lot of what they needed. When the big depression came and closed their bank they lost their farm but we children did not feel the seriousness of the situation. We were never hungry, cold, or homeless. We might have been poor in material things but we were rich in love, good times, and adventures.

Mom was a good listener, positive and made each of us children feel special as she loved us with boundless patience. She had told us we taught her more then she taught us. Her Strength and understanding gave us comfort and security. In spite of much hard work and troubles she never complained and her life exemplified humility. Her temperament was calm and serene. I never saw her crabby, moody, or pouty although at times she must have been exhausted and upset.

Each summer we raised a ½ acre of string beans to pick and sell to the cannery factory for the money for our school expenses. Even when my brother was 6 weeks old she took him to the bean field in a buggy so she could nurse him when he was hungry.

Our evening meal was followed by bible reading by my Dad. In winter before bed time Mom read aloud to us from many books especially the classics which took us to faraway places and on many adventures. TV had not been invented yet.

After her children were good from home and my father had passed away from a heart attack she became very active in church and community things. She held weekly bible studies at the nursing home, was youth leader, Sunday school teacher and held several offices in clubs. She loved to travel and went on 28 long trips, even to the Holy land at the age of 80 where is rode a camel. Everyone who knew her knew she insisted on doing her share so a week or two before she passed away at the age of 98 she baked up her delicious farmers cream puffs for the church bazaar. She was chosen “Mother of the Year” in her town. We were so proud of her.

My wish is that I’d like every child to have a mother with the qualities mine had. I feel very fortunate. I cherish the memory. She is my Hero. Emma’s Daughter.

Author: Helen Porter

was a school teacher for many years teaching 4th grade and kindergarten. She also was an accomplished homemaker and mother to three boys.

I loved my grandmother tremendously. We used to talk for hours about philosophy, religion, literature…  life She always cooked for me what I like the most.
She bought me nice dresses. Shared with me her passion for plants, flower, stone. The best gift I received from her was the day I ask her “How does it feel to give birth to a child” I was around 8 or 10 years old.She answered to me ” when I had your mother I felt like I was god” Few years later I give birth naturally to my 5 children. My 3rd child is born in her house and I pull her head out of my own 
body by myself. My grand mother was an orphan at the age of 9. She lost her both 
parent 6 months apart. She loved her grand children. She taught me to love life and… feel  as a goddess when I became a mother.
Here my story of an extraordinary ordinary women but unforgettable.
Grandmothers are special.
Sigolène McCarthy uses emotional release techniques and healing processes that help individual and family to free themselves from the weight of the past and be able to live their life fully.
She is a trained Family and Systemic Constellation Facilitator
- a certified harmonic synergy practitioner with the Lecher Antenna
- a certified ‘Basic result system” practitionner
- a Reiki master
- an intuitive reader
- “Sing your life” coach
- a Lyric writer
- an art painter
She also studied herbalism (4years), massage, brain gym, kinesiology,
body language…..
She has been married for 19 years.
She is the mother of 5 children.
She speaks French and English fluently.
Contact: www.harmonyplus.info

By Rev. Courtney Starwolf

When I was in college, I was a fledgling artist and a very big headed 20-something trying to figure out how I was going to make a name for myself in this great big world.  I discovered soon on that “Art” in college was not the free for all I imagined it would be and the constraints were much to severe for my artistic abilities and inspirations…of course I was only fooling myself, but you know hind sight and all of that.  I decided to switch my major to History.  In the course of my career as a History major, I was gifted with a brilliant professor, Harlow Shiedley.  She was so inspiring for me and for the first time I actually heard a woman speaking about injustices that had been done to women for a millenia.  I thought I had been dropped into a feminist rally with Gloria Steinem and Sourjourn Truth.  What Professor Shiedley gave me was an identity I had thus far in my life never been aware of.  She inspired me to love History more and more and she became my friend and mentor for the next 3 years.  She helped me to see past the chains of a patriarchal society and own myself as an autonomous being with rights.  What liberation!  Harlow Shieldley lives on in my family today through my 5 year old that I embraced with the middle name “Harlow” in reverance for my most special professor.  ~Courtney Starwolf Barry

Rev. Courtney Starwolf , Priestess of the Oracle and Ordained Metaphysical Minister, has over twenty years of experience using spiritual techniques and teachings which
‘honor individual spirituality’®.  She focuses on helping people connect to their deep/divine self—aligning their triple soul  through powerful healing modalities and intuitive techniques.  Courtney is trained in many metaphysical methods and has retro-activated ancient healing systems as High Pythia of The Oracle©.
Contact:  www.courtneyscc.com or www.apollomystics.com