I am eagerly awaiting some vacation time. Though I've a had a few days off here and there, my last full block of time was Christmas. I am ready.

This Thursday, I have a meeting at City Hall followed by two hypnotherapy sessions. Then I fly to San Diego for five days. When I get back to The Blue Goose, friends from Brooklyn will arrive and stay until the following Sunday. Ten consecutive days off. What a concept!

This past weekend was filled with a trip to a farmer's market--it is chili season!!! Then to a Chili Festival, a hypnotherapy session, and an art auction/fund-raiser. Sunday was a full day at church, helping to facilitate some ongoing discussions. Had a friend over for a good, long conversation and then ended the day watching "American Outrage." The latter is sobering and sad. Anyone who has ever felt anger over how countries treat their native peoples need look no further than our own backyard.

One quiet day in 2002 (and continuing since), the government began making sweeps of Western Shoshone property in Nevada. By helicopter, semi-trailer and other government vehicles, the U.S.A. rustled cattle and horses off the land, sometimes even driving them to death through barbed-wire fencing, and laid claim to private farms. Why?

A: On the even quieter day before, the government discovered that there was gold in the soil of this native land. Faster than you can say "gold earrings," the first nation people were told that the Ruby Valley Treaty, signed by the U.S.A. government in 1863, was no longer valid. The rationale given for this was based upon a Papal decree in 1452. The "Doctrine of Discovery" says that any land not Christian at the time of "discovery", becomes the property of the Christian nation which makes the discovery.

"Oh, you're not Christian?" Well, then, that's mine."

What a twisted and warped view of Christian mission. Perhaps it is not surprising, though, since we describe military operations as "missions." I recently glanced through some Facebook photos of an acquaintance of mine. They were of him and his army comrades poring over maps. "Planning the Mission" was the caption. Another photo of troops in the woods, with shouldered guns and on the lookout, was titled, "Preparing for the Mission."

"Oh," I sadly reflected to myself. "I see that he has become a missionary."