Let there be peace on earth!....

One of our church prayers today regarding the upcoming election:  "May we be civil to one another".  Pretty simple and it got me thinking about exactly civility means and I found a very nice website http://www.instituteforcivility.org/. 

“Civility is claiming and caring for one's identity, needs and beliefs without degrading someone else's in the process.” ...and it begins with us. 

¹ Suggested Citation: Institute for Civility in Government Co-Founders, Cassandra Dahnke and Tomas Spath
I am about at my wit's end with the political behavior of everyone and when that happens it often sends me to prayer!  and I most often find an answer.
Then my friends!  Had a great dinner last last and as always I am there with my little red pocket camera.  I have lost count of how many times we have been together in one place or another over the years but last night it was another great dinner at Mike and Janelle's house.  We start by catching up on the latest and continue with whatever we left off with the last time together - often by saying "so what about......" and then comes the update.
The Boy Picture - close to a 30 year age span and I won't specify on that.  Jeff, Ross and Mike.

The Girl Picture - close to 25 year age span - no specifics.  What a great time we always have..and great food....and great wine. Dee, Janelle, Donna.  I've said before we have been through a LOT together and talked each other through many tribulations - some big, some small - over the years. 

Also yesterday I was up early to meet Amy and the kids for Alex's hockey while Chris tailgated and attended the Gopher game.  I brought them back with me for the day and we again had to play doctor.  We have even assembled a doctor bag....and a pill holder which of course holds the leftover M&Ms in my large Halloween stash.

Alex helped me make my favorite small pizza crusts - he was very fast and thinks he could get a job at Davanni's; actually I think it might be a better goal to go for the doctor thing instead.  Daughter Jenny asked me what "classes" I would have for their visit in January so 5 year old Rooke could "sign up".  Hmmmm - my Grandma Alma Schultz taught me to make homemade bread 60 years ago at least.  My mom taught me how to make homemade egg noodles which Alex has also done with me.  Noone yet has asked for a toilet cleaning class!!!!

Heading to what I hope to be a wonderful hymnsing this afternoon - all old hymns and Ross will be in the singing group but apparently everyone will get to sing. Looking forward to Ross' brother coming for Thanksgiving and having 13 at our table.

I wanted to know the origin of the hymn "Let There be Peace on Earth" and it took me to this story and how the hymn went around the world.  I suppose now it would be "went viral on Youtube"!!:

Sy Miller wrote in his own words what happened:

    “One summer evening in 1955, a group of 180 teenagers of all races and religions, meeting at a workshop high in the California mountains locked arms, formed a circle and sang a song of peace. They felt that singing the song, with its simple basic sentiment – 'Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me,' helped to create a climate for world peace and understanding.