The one topic I swore I would NEVER write about....

With a title like that you just have to click and read, right?  Here we go.

As with most of my posts this too starts at church. Last night our church hosted a guest speaker, Hatim Kareem a practicing Muslim, to discuss what is means to be Muslim in the world today. I will admit, this is the one speaker in the entire lineup I was dying to hear. 

I arrived about 10-15 minutes late due to our dinner chores but quickly found my seat.  I was able to catch up quickly to what the speaker was discussing.  He was giving the attendees a brief history on Islam faith.  I had taken religion classes in college and had some background with Islam but never really to this extent.  

I have to admit I was fascinated. I know that Islam and Christianity were similar but never really realized just how similar they are.  Let's start with a little religion lesson; the 5 pillars of Islam.

1. The Testimony of Faith. This states that every Muslim must affirm that they believe in the one true God and will not worship any other gods but the one true God.  Does this sound familiar?  According to Exodus 20:2-17 God tells Mosses "I brought you out of Egypt...I am the Lord your God. You will have no other gods before me."  When Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest, he too states that "you shall love the Lord your God and have no other God."

2. Muslims must pray 5 times a day.  To hear the speaker, Mr. Kareem explain it - the prayer is more meditative than asking for anything. I think today many people ask God for something; watch over me, my family, help me with this problem. He said that Muslims pray to thank God for whatever they are thankful for then ask for help, if it is needed. They use the time to humble themselves before God (thus the rules around prayer). Some of the rules include washing their hands, head and ankles before prayer, the position they use for prayer and that men must stand shoulder to shoulder as equals while they pray. 

3. Charity. Islam rule is that any Muslim that possesses over 85 grams of gold for one lunar year must give 2.5% to charity.  The charity rule starts with family; if a family member is in need, you give to them. If the family is all right, you give to a neighbor. If the neighborhood is all right, you extend even further. Mr. Kareem noted that the need for charity is not to help those in need but to also help the person giving. He said that it is a way of purifying yourself and your life by giving away your excess.Jesus says over and over again in the bible that to be like him you must give away your excess. In Acts 3:6 Peter gives what he has to a cripple he meets on the road. He doesn't give him money, but he heals him and the man is able to walk. In the bible charity isn't just about money; it is about giving what you have, time, talents, etc. 

4. Fasting during Ramadan. Mr. Kareem noted that the fasting isn't solely focused on the absence of food, drink and sexual relations; it is about purification of mind and body.  It can also be used as a platform to help develop new habits toward a new year. It allows Muslims to refocus themselves toward God and their faith and if they can conquer hunger, they can conquer any issue they may face.
Depending on what book of the bible you read, Jesus fasted for 40 days while he was being tempted by Satan. He told Satan that man does not live on bread alone. It was Jesus who was saying that men need more than just food for the body, but food for the soul to survive.

5. Pilgrimage to Makkah. This pilgrimage is something that is asked of all Muslims if they are physically and financially able to do so once in their life. During their Pilgrimage all Muslims are required to wear the same simple garments to keep all men on the same level and to bring them closer to God.

Beyond the pillars of Islam I found it interesting why women are "required" to cover up.  To some it seems as though Muslims are suppressing women but to hear Mr. Kareem tell it, they do it because men can't keep their mind on what matters; their relationship with God. Women cover up because it is supposed to prevent men from having unclean thoughts toward women. 


Did you know that Muslims believe in the same "prophets" as Christians? Mr. Kareem was well versed in the stories of Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, John the Baptist and Jesus. They believe in Jesus's miracle birth but to Muslims, he was a prophet who could do amazing things (heal the sick, raise the dead and he himself rose from the dead.) There are other religions that believe the exact same thing.  

The question that I personally was waiting to hear his opinion on was this "Why, if Islam is a religion of peace are there so many violent acts being carried out by Muslim people?" The short answer is that media show only the bad. "Extremists" whether Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist exist. Just because a few people from one sect of a religion take their religious believes and make them political does not mean that everyone within that religion believes the same.  After all the KKK does everything based on the bible and Christian belief; does that mean all Christians are KKK members?  

Mr. Kareem noted that within the Muslim faith there are a variety of sects, just like Christianity. We have Lutherans, Catholics, Presbyterians, etc. They have two main sects with the Sunnis and the Shi`its but within those groups there are many others. As the speaker noted some groups have chosen to become more political in their views.

Why did I decide to write about THIS topic and THIS speaker? To remind myself that a few bad apples do not define a group of people.  Whether it be Muslims who terrorize Christians, Christians who terrorize African-Americans, men who terrorize women, women who terrorize men, I could go on.  Media is ripe with examples of those people who follow their own rules and make their own religion in the name of another. But who says we have to believe that is the norm? Why do we have to have protests defending one type of life against another- don't all lives matter? Color, religion or sex aside - we live, we breath, we die. We ALL matter. 

Paying Respect by Paying Attention

I have a bone to pick with athletes everywhere. I have felt this way for years and I now have an outlet to vent.  Let me take out the soap box and get it set up.

I love this country and all the crazy messed up B.S. that comes with it.  I come from a family who has members that served in uniform so I, and everyone else, have the right to say what we feel. We have the right to have a job, shop where we want, live where we want and vote.  The men and women of this great nation fight for our freedoms on a daily basis. They have done this for eons and will continue to do so until the end of time.

These men and women have earned and deserve our gratitude and respect. One of the ways we show respect for them and this great country is by singing the National Anthem before every sporting event. From local high schools to professional teams, this song is part of events on a daily basis.

When we sing this song- it is always prefaced with "Please stand if you are able and remove all head gear." But did you know there is an actual US Code that outlines how we as citizens should stand and pay our respects during this 1 minute and 30 second song? 

According to:

36 U.S. Code 301 - National Anthem - 

(b)Conduct During Playing.—During a rendition of the national anthem—

(1)when the flag is displayed—

 (C)all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and

(2)when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.

Time to climb the soap box. How many times have you seen an athlete or coach NOT standing at attention?  How many times has a camera panned to someone in uniform and they were messing with their jersey, looking around or worse yet, TALKING? I’ve seen it more than I care to admit and it makes my blood boil.

Here’s the thing. As a professional athlete or coach you are being PAID to be there.  You are being paid more money than most active duty military make. Hell most athletes make more in 1-2 GAMES than most of our military make in a year, but I digress. Is it too much to ask that you stop thinking about yourself for 90 seconds and thank the men and women who lived and died so you can make a living playing the sport you love?

This is an equal opportunity rant- I see it in all sports at all levels, including NASCAR. You see drivers talking to their wives and their crews talking to each other. This behavior is not only infuriating but disrespectful at its core.

There are hundreds of blog posts and articles from people all over the globe who see this behavior. If we as common citizens see this why aren’t people doing something about it?  

I watched this video this morning and had tears in my eyes. Someone IS doing something about it. This coach gets it.  Holy cow, does Coach Buzz Williams get it. This video needs to be played for EVERY athlete; local or paid pro. The coach is right; those players did not earn those chairs. It is time that athletes and fans everywhere start earning their chairs. We can stand at attention. We can look at the flag. We can ignore the fold in our shirt or pants. We can tune out the world and just listen for 90 seconds and thank every one of our men and women in uniform for the chair they provided.

To see more about Coach Williams and what he is teaching his players about the National Anthem; read this article and check out the video he posted with his players.

Coach Buzz Williams talks about the National Anthem

If you missed the previous link to the video I mentioned-  see it here.

Coach Williams teaches important Veterans Day lesson

Here are a few pictures of athletes, officials and fans getting it right.

A Pledge to Get Lost

I have to admit I've been going thru withdrawals. I haven't posted in 6 months and I had no idea it has been that long!!!  Peterson family has been busy to say the least...but this post isn't going to be about how busy we are. I was lost in life, to an extent. Keep reading you might enjoy getting lost with me. 

Last night I found myself with the ability to actually sit and listen to a sermon at church...and I mean really listen.  My husband and kids were sitting far away and for some reason the topic really intrigued me. 

Pastor started out asking if anyone has ever truly been lost.He said with technology these days it is easier for people to find their way from A to B. He has a point.  Who doesn't have some type of GPS or map application on their phone these days? If you don't - you may have some kind of GPS device in your car to assist with getting you from home to your destination.

He talked about taking family vacations as a kid and actually plotting a route on the map - an actual paper map! Or getting a "trip tik" from AAA that had all the fun fliers as well as a highlighted map to show you the best route.  And yes- I can remember the "trip tik" from AAA quite well...how many of YOU remember it or an actual paper map? 

He went on to talk about how sometimes getting lost isn't a bad thing. Most times you are not in any immediate danger. I started to think about the few times I had ever been lost and remembered the fun things I experienced along the way; a fun shop to spend time in, a great restaurant I never would have found otherwise and good conversation with locals found in both.

I realize that no one really "gets lost" anymore...and we are missing out on so much by taking the most direct path.  We take the direct route a lot in our daily lives. So let's think of it another way.

When was the last time you "got lost' in conversation with a friend or family member and didn't look at the clock? 

How long has it been since you "got lost" in a good book (either paper or electronic version)? 

And when have you ever said "let's go this way and see where it leads?"

Every year since I was a child I've tried to give up something for Lent; chocolate, coffee, pop (because all caffeine would be very dangerous these days), junk food, tv.  This year I'm doing something different.  I'm challenging myself to get lost at least once each week.  Some weeks it may be more...but my minimum is once.  I can get lost talking with my kids, playing Legos, writing here since I do not do it enough, physically lost while out and about somewhere...the possibilities are endless.  Two places I plan NOT to get lost - Facebook and the internet. 

If you want to get lost with me- come along for the ride.  We can take a road trip somewhere, we can get lost in conversation over coffee or a glass of wine...or even online. I hope to teach my kids that getting lost isn't a bad thing.  If you think about it, we are never truly lost, right? A quick prayer and stop for directions and we are back on track.

Asking for directions isn't a sign of weakness; it is a way to maneuver thru life. After all, when haven't we asked for directions?  We talk to our families and friends all the time about what we should do or where we should go with this issue or this problem. Same concept. 

Are you ready to get lost?