Faith

Faith is a very personal thing for any of us, faith in our Country, faith in our way of life, and faith to believe in a religion or not.  I grew up with out any faith to speak of, sure I did believe their was a God who created all things including the universe, but I did not have a personal relationship with the Creator.  May faith was expermintal at the begining and it continued to be that way until I was in my twentys. I attended all kinds of churches to numerous to even remember, but in all of this there was something that I was in the search of, but that something always seemed to elude me. It was not until I was twenty-nine years old that the decision was made for me to become Catholic. I had visited other churches, but the Catholic Church has a different ring to it, a different meaning. For some reasom I wanted to find out more of this different ring that I did not understand. Then my wife asked me if she could baptize the children into the Catholic Church, I did not reject the request, I told her fine go ahead. In those days at least where I was living, the Priest came to the house to give religious classes for those who were going to be baptized into the Church. When the Priest came to the house the first time, I was watching the television, all of a sudden the Priest asked,” why I was sitting there and not at the table with everyone else”. That was beginning of my introduction into the Catholic Faith. Each week the Priest came to our house, and each week I joined the children at the table, studying about the Catholic Faith. This went on week after week and when our study was completed, we were baptized. I have to admit it was a wonderful feeling. My walk into the faith was not like some of the experiences that I sometimes read about, a bolt of lighting comming down and wam conversion. After I was baptized it was a slow process of studies, and learning more about the new faith that I had just embarked upon. Many years later and moving away from home, into anothher community, my faith walk was extended even further, on May 24, 2007, I was ordained into the Diocese of Sioux Falls as a permanent deacon which was a long road in itself. Now the Holy Spirit has led me to do prison ministry in which I am presently involved and it is a ministry that I love doing, however assisting the priest at Mass is the most inspiring. I love what I presently do and that is to try at least and make peoples lives just a little bit better, but not because of me, but because I am given this strength my Christ.

The Imprisioned

I have been working with those imprisioned since 2007. There are a couple of reasons that I have becoome involved with those who must live behind bars. The first reason is that I have a brother who spent thirty-eight years of his life in prison. It is difficult to put in writing the feelings I had each time I went to visit him, knowing that when I left the place he would still be there. The second reason I visit is because I believe it is my calling to show those who have had troubled lifes, that their is still someone who cares about them. This is the second three day Alternatives To Violence Project (AVP) training we have conducted in the last two months. This program is very effective in showing there are ways to resolve disputes without violence, and this program gives them the tools to de-escolate situations as they arise, and they will more frequently in a prison evironment.  There is the inside group and the outside group working together to select the candidates and put the next program together.  This consists of selectiing the tasks that will be used during the three day program as well as who will be doing them.  I find that this program is not only for those who are in prison, but they can be used by anyone.  We all come into sistuations where we are confronted in one way or anothher, eather by direct assult or verbal.  The tools that are leard will help anyone when these kinds of situations arise.  I do not by any means think that the things learn in this program will help in all situations, but at least one would be able to reach for the tools learned and at least have a chance of a confrontation ending in a peaceful manner.

Workplace Ethics

Have you ever walked into a place of business and no one paid attention to you, it kind of feels odd dosen’t it?  To think that someone opened a business to make money and the individuals that are hired act like they have not care in the world.  This has happened to me on more than one occasion.  Just the other day I walked into a place and stood there waiting for someone to come and help me, well the help never came until I inquired.  I believe that is not something that should happen, especially if the person needing help has no expertise in the subject matter.  When someone is hired into a position at some job, the supervisor explained what is expected of them and how they are to conduct themselves while on the job.  It is sad to say but for me this has occured many times because of the State and area I live in.  It is so unfortunate that some individuals do not take the time to just serve the people they encounter at the workplace rather then rebuke them because of who they are.  I suspose that this is the way it will be for the unforseen future, and that is so unfortunate.

The New Year

We are getting ready to close out another year, another year that is full of war and hate which has been in this world since the beginning of time. Why is this? Why can’t we all get along. When we look at the world as a whole, it is not that big, why do we look down on each other? because of religion, creed, or race? I just want to live, to be able to provide for my family.  Politics I believe was created by the evil one to keep people apart, at each other and to keep people confused.  As I am sitting here writing this we have been in a blizzard for the last two days.  It is suppose to end sometime today and I will have to go out and plow my road so we can get out to conduct our business.  This is a part of life. but if we are constantly at each other we will be at war all the time be it with our own families as well as other nations.  We need to wake up and quite running each other down because in the long run it does not mean a thing.  I happen to be Native American and have a proud hertiage.  Again it depends on who you are talking to as we all have our own thoughts about these things.  I pray that this coming year will be somehow different, in that we will be able to respect each other and not let our petty prejestices overtake out lives.

Neighbors

Neighbors can be a blessing but they also can also be a curse. Some neighbors are kind and considerate, while others are rude, narcissistic and only care about themselves, and no one else. The defination of Narcissism can be found in Webster’s New World Dictionary and defines it as “love for ones self. I know all people have faults but most of them work on their faults daily in an attempt to overcome them. I have just started reading a book by Christopher Lasch titled “The Culture of Narcissism, American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations”. A friend of mine gave me the book some time ago, and it has been sitting on my bookshelf for some time. I now want to read it because finding out why people are affected by narcissism will help me understand them better, so that I can mentally understand where they are coming from, and can better deal with them on day to day basis. I know that people are not the same and that they have been brought up differently, but I believe that decently exists in all of us, no matter how we were raised. I think it is just wired into us, but the stresses of life, and events that occure in our lives at times brings out the worse in all of us. I personally think this book that I am just starting to read will not only help me with those types of individuals who are narcissistic, but also help me not to become the same way. I pray that these kind of individuals will find a way to develope into better people, understanding that we all have to over come the monsters that live within us, and we all have to learn to live together and at the same time respecting one another.

The Storm

The news said we were going to have a winter storm that might last for a couple of days. I went to bed that night wondering just how bad it would be, and if I would be able to get out of the place to go about my daily duties. I woke up in the morning and the first thing I did was take a look outside, and this is the sight I saw from the inside window of my house. I later went outside to take this picture. I dressed up in my winter clothing and went to clean the porches and to see how the path to the main road looked. The air was cold but clean and crisp and I breathed in and out. The fresh air was all I needed to wake me up so that I could get on to my duties. It is difficult getting out of my place when a snow storm comes my way. The road into the house is always blocked, and I am always hard pressed to find a way around the large snow banks that cover up the road. I have been fighhting this thing for the last twenty years and this year something will be done about it. This summer I purchased a John Deere zero turn because the John Deere tractor I have been using gave up the ghost. I took the tractor in and had it repaired and at the same time had them put a snow blower and chains on it for use this winter. This was a smart idea on my part as I have already had to use it and the road plowed out just fine. The thing I worry about when we have these storms is the birds who have taken up residence in the hotel we made for them. When the blizzards come, I am not able to get outside to feed the birds, so far this year it has not been a real problem. I pray that the weather will be nice until spring comes around.

Birds

I have always wanted to be a birdwatcher and the summer before last, it has come to pass. A Priest friend of mine constructed the birdhouse and we along with my grandson errected the house on a twelve foot post in the back yard. I have put out water and feeder for the birds, and after some time they begain to move in. Once the birds became used to the environment they started to have their young. I love sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and just watching them through the sliding glass windows, and sometimes with binoculars. Some of the species I have seen so far are Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackle,Song Sparrows, Killdeers, Great Horned Owl, American Bittern, Ring-Necked Pheasants walking around the area, and Robbins to name some of them that I remember. I find that this is not an expensive thing to get into, and the enjoyment one gets from being in the outdoors is not even comparable. I remember when the thought first come to me wanting to be a bird watcher, and where I live it is a perfect passtime.  I wanted to be able to enjoy it from the confines of my house and the outdoors if I chose to do so. That is when I decided it would be best to put up a birdhouse somewhere around the house, and this is what I did. It has been a blessing to get up in the mornings and water and feed the birds who choose to live in the house that was built just for them.  I have to admit that at times it is difficult to identify the species of bird even with a book, because I am still learning the ins and outs of birdwatching.  I am still wating to see the bird that I like the best and that would be a blue bird.  I hope that this will be the year that comes to pass.  In the mean time when spring rolls around again, I plan on looking into how to bring in humming birds, and that my friends would be an awesome sight.

My Friend

I am privilaged to have what seems to me a best frind in my life.  With all that goes on in this world, in our daily lives it is comforting to know that I have someone trustful to talk with.  The other day my Hunka brother called and wanted to know if I could take him to Sioux Falls, because he had a scheduled surgery.  Of course I said yes, because he his my Hunka brother, a brother that we Native’s would do anything for.  Let me explaine what I mean by Hunka.  In our Native way one is choosen by someone to come into their family even though there is not a blood relationship.  It is most likely because of some past experiences that one has with the other such as friendship, military service and such.  In this case it is because of our long friendship in life and many issues we had to work through in the workplace.  True friends are not easy to come by and it is few, and far between when you find one, so if one is lucky enought to find one, it is good to hold on to that relationship.  We two have been through so many things over the years, that we just seem to be always on the same page when it comes to getting things done.   He is someone who is honest and true and follows through in what he believes in, and that is one of the things I appreciate about him most.  When he says he is going to do something, that is what he does come what may.  So when you do cross paths with someone you are comfortable with and who can hold even the most secret of secrets, that is someone who will be your friend for life, that is the person you can call Hunka.

Death Hurts Us All

It has been some time now since my wife’s brother passed away from cancer.  It was a very trying time for the family because he was very much loved.  We went into the Marines together on the buddy system, however it just did not work out that way.  The only time I seen him during boot camp was as our platoons was marching by each other.  We were very close and would do lots of things together like hunting and just spending time together talking about the news of the day, or just conversing.  My brother in law Bill was a very generous man in many ways.  He would really give you the shirt off his back if one needed it.  He seemed to always give people in need money, so much so that he was known as Dollar Bill.  He was a very humorous individual and just being around him one would be laughing all the time.  No matter what the situation might be he was always able to make some kind of humourous remark about it.  That was just how he lived his life, not worrying about the little things that drag most people down.  I remember one time when he was preparing for surgery and I could tell he was somewhat worried about it, but just like himself he said “Im going under the bright lights.”  I know that death is a part of life, but when you lose someone you really care about it is very difficult.  If we live long enough we will experience this kind of loss.  At 67 I have lost my parents, a son, and three grandchildren, each one of them was devestating and took time to recover.  I will always have love in my heart for those family members who have crossed over to the other side.  It gives me comfort to know that someday I will see them again.  It is my prayer that everyone has some kind of reasoning when the lose of a loved one happens, because it makes things a little easier. Bill Village Center, Jessy, Rollie, Steve, Jr., Dana love you all.  In this picture Father John and myself preside at my Brother in Laws funeral, in Bullhead, South Dakota.

My House

Last week I told you a little about my home and some of the issues we ran into upon moving on to the property. As I said there was no trees and not one bush of any kind only native grasses. The year was 2002 and the first job was to get the grass mowed to a manageable level, so we could get in and out without worring about runing over rock and other materials that might be laying about. I live by the river and the winds can blow at sixty and seventy miles per hour, which in turn rips off the shingles from the roof. This is why the idea of trees came about. As you can see from the picture we put in a tree belt which consists of ceders, ash, buffalo berries and Lilics which give off such a wonderful aroma when they blossom. Though we put in the tree belt the wind was still blowing of the shingles from the roof each time it was time to mow, it took time to pick up all of the shingles before we could even start to mow. This is why last year we decided to put a steel roof on our residence and it has proved to be a wise decision as far as we are concerned. The only thing that we have noticed is during the winter the snow does not cling to the roof like it did with the shingles, now the snow falls off as soon as the metal is heated from the sun. So we have to be careful where we are standing during the daylight hours. I did not include a picture with my last posting, and I wanted to give eveyone a sense of what I was talking about. In the background you can see the tree belt, but this is a somewhat older picture and the new trees that we planted this summer are not included. We have planted black walnuts, acorns, and cotton wood trees in the back of the house. The cotton wood trees will grow fast and help stop some of the wind that has thus far been a problem, especilly when it comes from the north. I love it where I live because all the things I enjoy doing I can do right here. I do not have to travel to other states or even that far from home to be out in nature when it comes to the time for me to wind down from a tough day.