The plight of refugees in Bangladesh

I am a member of Amnesty International, which monitors and advocates human rights around the globe. As most readers know, the Rohingya people of Myanmar were forced by the military of that nation to leave and find refuge elsewhere, mainly in Bangladesh, which is one of the poorest nations in the world, and lacking in resources to meet the basic needs of the large numbers of Rohingya refugees. The following video was created by Amnesty to call to peoples' awareness the plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The video ends with a tiny seed of hope, which comes through music. 

Polar vortex, retirement, growing older

Recently-as of January 1, 2019-I retired. Almost everyone I meet asks me the same question: How do you like retirement? My answer has always been the same: "It is too early to tell." 

   I keep thinking, when I wake up in the morning, that I should be going to work. As each day unfolds, it occurs to me that on such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time, I would be doing such-and-such. So, obviously, I haven't adjusted to "the retired life" yet. 

   Moreover, I'm still trying to discern what God is up to with regards to my calling as a now retired clergyperson. 

   In the meantime, I am realizing my age as we've been afflicted with polar vortex weather-this morning when I got up it was minus thirty-two celsius! The older I get, the less I like the cold. I don't mind moderate winter temperatures of minus ten or even minus fifteen celsius if there is no wind, as that is ideal weather for cross-country skiing. However this minus thirty or more makes my body complain.

   It reminds me of a Pete Seeger song, the chorus goes like this: How do I know my youth is all spent, my get up and go, has got up and went; But in spite of it all I'm able to grin and think of the places my get up has been!

   I like the last phrase of the chorus, since it awakens pleasant memories of the past, and makes one grateful to God for the life I've been given. 

   Hope you enjoy Pete Seeger's song!