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Friends United
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Quaker Life |
| Valiant for Truth | Contents |
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By Patricia Edwards-Konic At a Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants gathered for the 100-yard dash. They were all physically or mentally disabled. At the sounding of the gun, they raced toward the finish line. They had trained to do this and they were off! All, that is, except for one boy. He stumbled, then tumbled over a couple of times, stayed where he landed and began to cry. The other runners slowed down to see what was happening. They turned around and went back to where the boy was sitting in a heap. A girl with Down syndrome bent down and kissed his head, saying, “This will make it better.” The runners encouraged the boy to stand up. Then all nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together, no one ahead, no one behind. Everyone in the stadium stood and cheered for several minutes. And the people who were there that day are still telling the story. The Special Olympics have much to teach us about life, especially the life of faith. Hebrews 12:1-3 talks about the same kind of race: “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” In our grandstands are a great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us to show us the way. They are watching because they know the way and because they have a personal interest in the runners, you and me. None of us is perfect. You know the old saying, “there’s only been one perfect person and you’re not Him!” Each one of us is disabled in some way in this race of life. Sometimes we fall, sometimes we lag behind, sometimes we lead the way. Unlike the races of the world, the race for Christians is not competitive, one against another. The race of faith is cooperative, coming alongside those in need, helping the fallen, encouraging the weary. Imagine the joy on the faces of those Special Olympians as they crossed the finish line. But a joy even greater awaits those who cross the finish line of faith. Those in the grandstands will stand and cheer as the race ends and we enter our heavenly home. And the people who were there that day will still be telling the story! |
8 The Peace
for Earth Walk By Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox On November 1, the authors will begin their 1,400 mile from Vancouver, British Columbia, to San Diego, California sharing their understanding of John Woolman’s message for the 21st century. 10 A Quaker Take
on the Spirituality 14-17 Family Life _______________________________ 4 News from Friends United Meeting 4 FUM Staff/Contact
Information 12 Salt and Light 13 Soul Food 18 News 20 Peace Notes 22 Reviews 23 Viewpoints 26 Passages 28 Classifieds 33 Friends
United Meeting 35 Centering
On the Cover Original watercolor painting by Marcella Beaty. Marcella is a homemaker and artist who calls Colorado home and attends Boulder Friends Meeting. She enjoys drawing and painting children and animals, and her work has been exhibited nationally.
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