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Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Café

I love discovering new words.  What a bonus when I recognize they apply to me!  I stumbled onto “novalunosis” this week, “the state of relaxation and wonderment experienced while gazing upon the stars. “

My first experience of a planetarium was in Denver, Colorado when I was about 10.  I had no idea there was such a thing.  Every opportunity I have had since then to view a planetarium program I have made sure I attended.  More recently I have experienced Big Bend Observatory in Texas, located between two International Dark Sky Preserves, and the Southern Africa Large Telescope (SALT).  It is the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.  It can detect stars one billion times dimmer than the faintest star which can be seen with the naked eye. 

In researching for this blog I discovered Stellarium Web Online Star Map, a planetarium which you can run in your web browser. It is based on the open source Stellarium Web Engine project.  The web version of the project is a collaboration between Fabien Chereau, the original creator, and his brother Guillaume. Chereau is a French research engineer and computer programmer best known for authoring the planetarium software Stellarium, a free, open source astronomy software package which renders 3D phot-realistic skies in real time. (Wikipedia)  I am intrigued!

I further learned that this French man graduated with majors in math, physics, chemistry and industrial technology. He studied in Finland as an exchange student at the Tempere University of Technology and went on to receive his master’s degree in computer science at the National Institute of Applied Sciences of Lyon, France.  (Perhaps he is a “polymath” as discussed in my previous blog?)

 This software is available on Google Play or by download on the App Store.  The brothers request that if you like it, to please consider donating to the Stellarium Project or buying their mobile version.  They report the money will be used to pay the server costs and hopefully also the development costs.

From ancient civilizations until now, people have been drawn by the stars.  One of my favorite memories is sitting with our grandsons on the balcony of a townhouse their parents were renting at the time and watching the stars come out, one, then two, then a sky full.  In that moment the world seemed full of peace.  Later when we visited, their bedroom was decorated with the planets and even the toddler could name them. 

It has been said “The sky is the ultimate art gallery.”  What an apt description!

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Cafe

Having never come across this term before, I was intrigued. Like some of the best discoveries, I stumbled onto it when I couldn’t find where I had stored an article that I wanted to draw from for this blog.  I could only remember that the article seemed to have been something from a Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Facebook post.  When I googled Neil deGrasse Tyson, I saw the term polymath applied to him. 

A polymath is someone of vast knowledge across many different areas.  Typically they average an IQ of 196.  deGrasse Tyson has an IQ of 123, but his vast knowledge across disciplines qualifies him.

In a post from the BBC entitled “Why Some People are Impossibly Talented,” the author referred to a fellow named Waqas Ahmed who published a book The Polymath in 2019. 

One of the most detailed examinations of the subject comes from Waqas Ahmed in his book The Polymath, published in 2019.

A highly talented man himself, though he modestly says it is too esteemed a designation to consider himself a polymath, he has “an undergraduate degree in economics and post-graduate degrees in international relations and neuroscience, Ahmed has worked as a diplomatic journalist and personal trainer (which he learnt through the British Armed Forces). Today, he is pursuing his love of visual art as the artistic director of one of the world’s largest private art collections, while also working as a professional artist himself.”

Ahmed’s research led him to only consider “those who had made significant contributions to at least three fields, such as Leonardo da Vinci (the artist, inventor and anatomist), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (the great writer who also studied botany, physics and mineralogy) and Florence Nightingale (who, besides founding modern nursing, was also an accomplished statistician and theologian).”

Other information I gleaned related to a post I recall seeing on Facebook about Hedy LaMarr, the actress from 1930’s and early 40’s, known for “femme fatale” roles.  Few knew she had a great passion for inventing. She had even designed airplanes for her lover Howard Hughes, the aviation tycoon. 

Later she paired up with George Anthiel, pianist, composer, novelist, who had an interest in engineering.  Learning that enemy forces were jamming the Allied radio signals, the two devised a method called “frequency-hopping spread spectrum,” still in use today in much of the wireless technology.

Back to my original interest in deGrasse Tyson: his most remarkable quality in my estimation is his desire to foster  “scientific curiosity in others. Especially for young people, Tyson aims ‘not just to teach them science, but to teach them to love science.’” (History Tools, November 19,2023).

“A good teacher can inspire hope, imagination, and a love of learning,”wrote Brad Henry, governor of Oklahoma 2003-2011, who heralded raising teachers’ salaries, and funding for higher education in the state by granting approval for  a lottery to raise money.

The good news is we don’t have to be polymaths to cultivate hope, imagination, and love of learning in ourselves and, by example, perhaps inspire such in others.

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Café

When we came from Tennessee for my “candidate weekend” at the church here in Montana, one of the church members took us on a drive to familiarize us with the area.  He pointed out Tippet Rise Art Center, a working ranch which hosts classical chamber music and recitals and exhibits large-scale, outdoor sculptures on a vast 12,000 acres.

The next summer, having now been employed as pastor for nearly a year, I started seeing Tippet Rise concerts advertised and remembered having seen Tippet Rise on that drive the summer before.  However, I discovered that they have a lottery system.  In March they advertise the lottery is open and you have an opportunity to put your name in for a drawing.  The next year when we put our name in we didn’t get an opportunity for concert tickets but we did get the opportunity for a tour.  We had friends coming to visit on the date of the tour and we were able to take them on the tour with us.  It was delightful.  Still, I hoped we would have the opportunity to see a concert there. 

At long last, this year we were chosen in the lottery.  Last week weekend we were able to enjoy a program “Iron Tree—Daydreams and Cursive Takes a Holiday” composed of a flute, an oboe, a clarinet, a bassoon and a French horn.  I was torn between closing my eyes to listen and keeping my eyes open to watch musicians, who seemed to become one with their instruments while staying keenly aware of one another, such that their music was perfectly blended.

What a great lesson!  What if we both stayed in tune with ourselves while keeping aware of others so that we could work together in harmony?  Would that not be the ultimate way to function in society? Some philosophers have captured this idea centuries ago.  Plato said:

              “Music is a moral law.  It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

Much later, Kahlil Gibran would write:

              “Music is the language of the spirit.  It opens the secret of life, bringing peace and abolishing strife.”

Enjoy some music today!

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Café

The Smithsonian magazine recently detailed a piece of history I had heard nothing about in my years in Montana.*  In 1935, when the United States was composed of 48 states, there was a movement to create a 49^th state carved from northern Wyoming, southeastern Montana and western South Dakota.  People in the area were discouraged by factors such as dry soil, crashed banks and a dearth of available jobs.  In Sheridan, WY., the discontent flared, led by frustrated farmers and ranchers and other Sheridan residents who were feeling sorely neglected by their state government. They fueled the idea of secession, forming a new state they would call Absaroka. Sheridan would be its capital.

The plan for this 49th state encompassed 27 counties across Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. Northern Wyoming folks felt disenfranchised because the transcontinental railroad was routed through southern Wyoming and state resources were directed there. Folks in eastern Montana had similar feelings about the focus on western Montana. The dust bowl had dried out the agricultural portion of South Dakota. Folks there were likewise disgusted that their legislature ignored their pleas for a decent highway system. The people in the agricultural area hoped by that means to increase income by bringing in tourists to enjoy the mountains, fishing and hunting.

Doomed from the beginning, this plan would have taken the approval of all three state legislatures as well as the United States Congress. In 1820 Maine had separated from Massachusetts and inad  1702 and 1863 respectively, Virginia had lost Kentucky and West Virginia.  But making one state carved from three others had never been considered.  However, the state of Absaroka became news nationwide, which eventually led to those areas getting some of the changes they desired from their states. 

 Just as people who have been abused are at risk of becoming abusers themselves, disregarded people are capable of disregarding others.  The plan for Absaroka encompassed what had been ancestral lands of the Crow (also known as Absaroka, “children of the long beaked bird,” as described in the Smithsonian article) before they were forced onto reservations after the Plains War of 1870.  This new state would have involved both Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations, but no indigenous tribes were part of the discussions for this unusual effort. 

The people promoting Absaroka as a state were understandably frustrated. And while this lack of thought toward the tribes was typical of the time (and not unusual in our own time), there is a noteworthy saying that “Until you treat everyone as equal, don’t complain about the treatment you receive from anyone.” (graciousquotes.com) We are at our best when we consider the impacts on all involved in our decisions and actions.

 The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

*“How the Great Depression Fueled a Grassroots Movement to Create a New State Called Absaroka,” August 14, 2024

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Café

Somehow during the pandemic I missed that the term “doomscrolling,” also known as “doomsurfing,” came into being.  When I first heard it a few weeks ago, I thought how descriptive the word is.  And I also thought “Busted!”  I never thought of myself as really getting caught up in such an activity.  Yet I recognize how insidiously the process takes place.

According to psychotherapist and coach Tess Brigham, MFT, doomscrolling is mindlessly scrolling through negative news articles, social media posts, or other content-sharing platforms.

The good thing that came out of my newfound awareness of this habit I have developed, is that I am now paying more attention when I start to click on something.  Do I really want to spend my time on this?  Will this uplift me or likely bring me down?  My downfall currently is the agitation in our nation as we face the upcoming election.  I recognize that I fall into the trap of thinking that the more I read, the better prepared I am and that preparation will allow me to be more “in control.”  And there is that pesky word:  control.

As a therapist, I recall saying once to a client who was very anxious about her daughter: “You do know your worrying constantly about your daughter’s safety, doesn’t in fact keep your daughter safe, don’t you?” She looked dumbstruck, as the truth of that statement sunk into her awareness.  So easily we seek to manage what is beyond our ability to control.

There are suggestions for ways to deal with doomscrolling and other similar behaviors. Set time limits on yourself for time you spend on social media and other sources of news.  Take regular breaks from your devices. Practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, yoga.  Spend some time on physical activity. Start or renew hobbies.  Volunteer for some group or agency whose mission matters to you. Plan some outings with friends you enjoy.

 Let’s face it.  Life is too short to spend our energies doomscrolling!

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Café

For a long time, all I knew of Wendell Berry was his poem “The Peace of Wild Things.” A few years ago I discovered he has written novels.  I particularly liked Jayber Crow, a book a friend had suggested to me. This week in one of the sites I like, I received a quote of his, which grabbed my attention:

“Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.”  How beautifully he captures in one sentence what we seem to deny or ignore!

When I searched his name to pull up which site had posted that quote, I found many of the sites from whom I receive posts had his work on them: Sojourners, Plough, inward/outward. His gifts are well recognized. 

Something of a rebel, he has no computer, no internet, no cell phone, no voice recorder.  Counterpoint Publishing is his publisher, a name which seems apropos for his style.   His typewriter must get a workout as in his ninety years he has written over 80 books of poetry, fiction, essays and criticism. 

A New Yorker article “Nick Offerman on the Essential Wisdom of Wendell Berry”the author notes Berry’s “most well-known essay, ‘A Native Hill’” in which Berry recounts the story of himself as a young writer living in New York City. There he finds himself writing mostly about his native Kentucky.  Following his own instincts, instead of the dire warnings of other writers, he moves back to Kentucky.  There he buys a plot of land and begins a life of socio-conscious farming. 

While I sometimes give in to a sense of doom about our planet, his works remind me that our task is to continue efforts to meet the challenges of life on earth in the present moment. His writings reflect a deep love and respect for the land. I leave you with this quote:

“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”—Wendell Berry

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

Traveling this week. Expect another post Aug 30! Hope to see you then!

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Café

The night before my daughter was born, I was frantically finishing up the nursery, as I was scheduled for labor to be induced the next day.  In my haste, I tripped over the vacuum cleaner cord.  My knee swelled up and I worried that it would cause problems with labor.  In fact, it did not.  But over time, I did begin to have difficulty.  Kneeling over the tub to bathe my infant was painful.  Carrying the full diaper pail downstairs to the washing machine was painful.  I feared this was going to be a chronic problem that would keep me from adequately caring for my little girl.

To counteract the fear, I began to use the pain as a call to pray for others in pain.  Ultimately, I saw a doctor who drained the fluid on the knee and injected cortisone.  Problem solved. 

Now as we prepare to move back to Tennessee, I have begun to have immense back pain.  The fear that crops up now is that I will be hampered from caring for our grandchildren with whom we expect to spend a lot of time.  Once again, I seek to find ways to approach this situation with an attitude that helps rather than hinders. 

I have heard of people who described their cancer diagnosis as a gift because they used it as an opportunity to enlarge their appreciation for life.  Surely if someone can describe cancer as a gift, I can find productive ways to react to my back pain. 

When I googled “pain as a gift” I discovered a book by Dr. Paul Brand, first published in 1993 as Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants (1993), republished in 1997 as The Gift of Pain. Dr. Brand grew up in India,  studied medicine in London, and practiced orthopedic surgery in India and the United States., according to the website Goodreads.com.  The site reports that: “He achieved world renown for his innovative techniques in the treatment of leprosy.

“He was a pioneer in developing tendon transfer techniques for use in the hands of those with leprosy. He was the first physician to appreciate that leprosy did not cause the rotting away of tissues, but that it was the loss of the sensation of pain which made sufferers susceptible to injury. Brand contributed extensively to the fields of hand surgery and hand therapy through his publications and lectures. He wrote Clinical Mechanics of the Hand, still considered a classic in the field of hand surgery.”

My intention is to take all the steps that typically alleviate my back problems, while focusing on all those ways my body has served me over the years, the many ways it continues to function on my behalf, and to enlarge my awareness of all those who are in pain.  May that awareness call me both to prayer for them and to seek to be attentive for those opportunities when I might help a fellow sufferer.

 The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Cafe

Driving to an appointment in Billings, I exited the interstate and prepared to turn left onto the street that would take me to my destination.  Standing there where the exit intersected the road was a scruffy looking fellow with a crudely made cardboard sign.  I expected it to say something like “Will work for food” or “Stranded.  Trying to get to Kalamazoo.”  Instead I saw “Ninjas stole my families need for karate lessons.”  Stunned, I noticed the driver of the car behind me had rolled down the window and was engaging the man in conversation.  The light turned green and I drove on, puzzled.

What was this poor soul trying to convey?  I recall a man I saw in therapy years ago who believed in a conspiracy theory popular in the early 2,000s, and coincidentally still around, about reptilian people, shape shifters, who appear to be human but are reptiles’ intent on taking over the government.  According to the site The Psychology of Extraordinary Beliefs offered by Ohio State University,* four percent of the people in the United States believe in this theory which claims these ‘lizard people’ to be “bloodthirsty reptilian aliens (who) first arrived on earth in ancient times.  Since then, these beings have been merging with humans through the manipulation of DNA, as well as interbreeding with the human population.  The goal of this process was to gain control of the world by obtaining positions of power and influence: royalty, politicians, popular entertainers, etc.”

In one response to the article, a man wrote in lengthy, garbled paragraphs about his experiences as a shape shifter.  At one point he mentioned being confused and scared.  I never challenged my client about his belief but listened instead for the feelings that belief represented.  I wonder if the young man by the side of the road felt compelled to warn people of “ninja” forces, powers that could rob a family of their security. Whatever his intent, this incident serves as a reminder to be compassionate towards those who struggle with mental health issues, whose behavior expresses some need often incomprehensible to us. The young therapists I supervised early in my career jokingly—I prefer to think ‘kindly’— referred to this as “Kathleen’s Need Theory.” Then again, we were working at a children’s home, where the children’s behavior was often our best clue as to what was going on within them.

“By responding with empathy and compassion, the healing results affect us all.”—Brene Brown

*”Behind the Belief: Lizard People” February 12, 2019, Psychology of Extraordinary Beliefs, Ohio State University

 The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

 Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Cafe

Wednesday I woke up, went directly to my email to print off the Bible study lesson for the afternoon study group, only to see a message: “You are denied access to your email.”  Of all the problems I have encountered over the years with my computer, that was a new one to me.  It took awhile to correct that but by that time we were due to have breakfast.  I opened the refrigerator to retrieve some eggs and discovered a milk carton had leaked all over the frig.  I cleaned that up and began to crack some eggs to scramble.  The last egg was overly eager to get out of its shell and spilled its contents all over the counter.  By this time, I was beginning to feel persecuted. Apparently, it was just going to be “one of those days.”

I am not sure what kicked in, but I reminded myself that there were plenty of people who would much prefer the little problems I was facing that morning to the ones they were dealing with.  And then I realized I had been “awful-izing.”  Poor me!  My day is off to such an awful start!  I stopped to give thanks for the day.  I repeated a little mantra I seek to use daily, preferably as soon as I open my eyes: “Good morning, God.  This is the day that you have made. Help me to rejoice and give thanks in it.”  When I remember to do it, it really helps set the tone for my day. 

There have been more frustrating episodes this week.   But when I think about it, there have been some equally lovely experiences.  So where do I put the “spotlight” on my life? The frustrations, the irritations, the obstacles I encounter? Or all the good that comes my way? My choice! 

“The same boiling water that softens the potato, hardens the egg.  It’s about what you’re made of, not the circumstances.”  — Brainy Quotes

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.